A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)

After more than a year, Ye Fan returned to Mount Chumen once again in Norwal City.

The once bustling mountain gate now lay in utter ruin.

All they could see were ruins and remnants everywhere.

The rugged ravines were now filled with wild grass.

It was a scene of utter desolation and ruin.

Just by looking at the ruins before them, they could tell what kind of terrifying battle must have taken place there in the past.

However, that was all in the past now.

Everything was already in the past.

Looking at those scenes, it was probably beyond anyone's imagination that that place was once inhabited by the most formidable power in the martial arts world.

Stepping onto that land again, Ye Fan was filled with mixed emotions, and so was Angie. Her feelings were all tangled up.

"Chu Sect had been glorious for a thousand years. In the end, you, Ye Fan, were the one who caused its downfall. If the Chu family had known back then that this would be the outcome, they would never have driven you out, no matter what."

On the moss-covered mountain path, a man and a woman journeyed together.

Returning to Mount Chumen, they walked with unprecedented relaxation.

After all, the once majestic Mount Chumen symbolized authority and power.

Every time they stood at the foot of Mount Chumen, they couldn't help but feel a sense of oppression.

Now, the mountain that was Chu Sect had already been toppled. Upon returning to that place, Ye Fan and Angie could only feel a sense of taking a trip down memory lane.

At that moment, Angie was watching everything with a smile playing on her lips as she spoke to Ye Fan.

Angie actually felt quite regretful in her heart.

If only the Chu family hadn't driven Ye Fan out of their home all those years ago.

If Ye Fan had grown up on Mount Chumen.

If that were the case, she and Ye Fan would have been childhood sweethearts, growing up together.

Even in the later days, the man she ended up marrying wouldn't be Chu Qitian, but Ye Fan.

After all, the marriage agreement between Angie and the Chu family was initially set with Ye Fan.

Ye Fan was the eldest son of the Chu family, while Angie was the eldest princess of the Jones family.

The two of them were truly a perfect match.

Regretfully, fates conspired against them.

The arrangement of fate ultimately made the two perfectly miss each other.

Now, even if they reunited, the development and outcome of the story had completely changed.

Ye Fan was already a married man with a family of his own.

Angie no longer had the right to compete for the position of Ye Fan's wife.

Naturally, Ye Fan had no inkling of those regrets harbored in Angie's heart.

He walked along the mountain road, observing as he went.

The emotional turbulence within him was even greater than Angie's.

"Once upon a time, the place I yearned for, even in my dreams, has now turned into a wasteland and ruins. In this world, there is ultimately no glory that remains forever." Ye Fan sighed deeply. And then, they continued up the mountain.

Most part of Mount Chumen was now in a state of ruin and abandonment.

After all, ever since Chu Yuan led the Chu Sect to conquer the world, the reputation of the Chu Sect had already been tarnished.

Now, the whole world regarded the Chu Sect as a synonym for evil.

Therefore, no one dared to occupy that piece of land belonging to the Chu Sect.

However, aside from that, the areas where the Tang and Chu families resided were still inhabited.

After the downfall of Chu Sect, among the Three Families of the Chu Sect, only the Jones family, relying on the power of Dragon God Hall, had been rising rapidly over the past year. Their prestige grew stronger day by day. However, the Tang and Chu families, two previously significant clans, had gradually lost their presence in the martial arts world.

At present, the members of those two great families were essentially living within their residence, rarely venturing outside.

Many young people left their families, hiding in far-off places, concealing their identities, and unwilling to share their backgrounds and origins with others. They had no choice but to live in fear and shame.

After all, Chu Sect had done many wrongs all those years, making numerous enemies in the martial arts world.

Even now, the calls to annihilate the Three Families of the Chu Sect still persisted.

If it weren't for fear of supreme grandmasters still existing within those two families, they would probably have been wiped out by martial artists from all over the world by now.

"Angie, would you prefer to go see your brother first, or would you like to accompany me on a visit to the Chu residence?"

After all, the Chu family was his paternal family, so Ye Fan decided to go back and take a look.

"Let's go to the Chu residence together. I haven't been there in quite a while, either. Xuan and Ming should still be around, right?"

The Jones family and the Chu family had been close friends for many years.

When Angel was little, she often accompanied her father and grandfather to play at the Chu residence.

So, without a doubt, Angie was aware of some of the venerable elders in the Chu family.

"All right. Let's go, then." Ye Fan readily agreed, and then the two of them headed straight for the Chu family's manor.

The present-day Chu family no longer retained the glory of its past.

In the past, the Chu family's affiliated clans were spread across the world. Every year, the wealth they contributed in tribute alone amounted to trillions.

But now, following their previous surrender, all the power and assets of the Chu family had undoubtedly been stripped away.

Only that manor remained, reserved for the Chu family members to reside in.

At that moment, quite a few people were gathered in the courtyard.

Most of them were thin, their faces pale and sallow, all showing signs of malnutrition.

Their clothes were quite simple. Some of the clothes had already faded from repeated washing.

Of course, compared to all those, the most striking thing was the heavy black iron chains they wore on their feet.

With every step taken, a chorus of metallic clashes would rise.

At that moment, the members of the Chu family were standing in the courtyard, arranged in a specific order.

Before them stood several workers, clad in official uniforms, wielding long whips. Their faces exuded an air of elegance and arrogance.

The one leading the group sat imposingly on the high seat, even holding a cup of coffee in his hand.

Subordinates were positioned on his left and right.

The young man leading the group set down his cup and asked in a cold tone, “Is this all the girls we have this year? Chu family was once the largest family in the world, with thousands of members, after all. Even if you've fallen from grace now, it can't be that bad, right? Surely the vast Chu family can't only have these few young girls?"

Before him stood the eldest member of the Chu family, Chu Shen.

Chu Shen stood there, his feet burdened by the heavy iron chains weighing over ten pounds. With a bitter response, he said, "Mr. Dubyn, these are all the girls we have. Most of the eligible young girls in our family were taken by you last year. This year, there are only a few who have just turned sixteen."

Chu Shen spoke in a low voice, his tone respectful yet humble.

However, no sooner had Chu Shen finished speaking than an official staff member stepped forward and kicked him.

"You d*mn old fool. You're definitely trying to trick us. The Chu family is such a large family, and yet there are only seven or eight girls this year. Are they trying to cheat us? I'm warning you. You'd better behave yourselves. Don't assume that you are still the foremost family of yesteryears. Your current situation isn't much better than being slaves. If you don't comply with the terms of surrender, don't blame us for resorting to violence! What are you standing there for? Today, we must take at least twenty girls with us. If the sixteen-year-olds aren't enough, bring forth the fourteen-year-olds!" the officer scolded sternly. Chu Shen picked himself up from the ground. Facing the intense scrutiny of the officers, he let out a sigh.

He had no choice but to tell his family members to hand over the girls under sixteen years old to them.

"Xin'er! No! Let go of my daughter. She's only fourteen!" At that moment, a woman rushed out, intending to take her daughter back into her arms.

"Get lost, you stinking woman!" The officer forcefully kicked the woman, sending her sprawling to the ground.

And then, he picked up the young girl and delivered her to Dubyn.

"Boss, this girl is quite a beauty, and she's sure to bear you a few strapping sons." The subordinate respectfully presented the girl.

Dubyn gently touched the young girl's cheek, nodding in satisfaction.

But at that moment, the young girl bit down on Dubyn's finger.

Dubyn cried out in pain and sent the girl flying with a swift backhand. Furious, Dubyn shouted loudly, "You b*stard! How dare you bite me? Someone, strip her clothes off for me! Strip off her clothes and hang her up to be beaten!"

Then, several subordinates, armed with steel whips, stepped forward and began to brutally beat the fourteen-year-old girl.

Her mother ran over in tears, embracing her daughter tightly in her arms.

"D*mn! How dare you protect your daughter? Hit her too! Beat them to death!" The leader, Dubyn, issued his orders with a menacing tone.

Cries and screams suddenly echoed throughout the entire Chu family's manor.

"Stop!" But at that moment, a cold shout suddenly rang out.

Upon hearing that, Dubyn frowned. "Who's there? How dare you interfere while the International Martial Arts Union enforces the rules? Are you tired of living?"