A Thousand-Year Vow

That seemingly light kick landed on Hook's lower abdomen. With a muffled grunt, 'Ugh,' Hook twitched, then went rigid and still.

In that instant, the Brockman bunker fell silent—a deathly hush!

This was Hook, a Peak Eight-Star Battle God! The foremost fire-elemental powerhouse in the Great Wilderness of the City of Penance! Had he truly died just like that? With a single, light kick, without Secret Techniques, without strategy, Du Chen, his face placid, had met force with force and felled a Peak Eight-Star Battle God as easily as crushing a mere insect. Who could accomplish such a feat!? Who in the entire City of Penance possessed such power!?

Elizabeth, the Matriarch and strongest present, inwardly questioned, *Could I?*

The answer was, she was stunned.

Elizabeth quickly regained her composure, pressing her lips together in a faint smile before falling into deep thought. Heidi, however, was dumbfounded, and the Brockman family members were utterly bewildered. The Kursk people, who had always revered Hook as a mighty expert, watched him fall instantly, defeated. They were plunged into a brief moment of dizziness and disorientation!

Du Chen brushed his robe, as if he had just accomplished something utterly insignificant. He turned to Xue Ji with a smile, then shot a fierce glare at his Eldest Brother.

Du Chen had truly been enraged just now. Regardless of anything else, Xue Ji was currently his nominal woman. With hundreds of people watching, Steve's sudden declaration, 'If he doesn't cripple him, he's no man!' had left no choice. In such a situation, any man with a shred of mettle would have to react! And what Du Chen detested most in his life was having people exploit the word 'woman' to manipulate him.

So, forsaking all Secret Techniques and Arcane Artifacts, Du Chen resorted to the street-brawling tactics of his previous life—hair-pulling, knee strikes, only lacking a good Brick smash. This set of moves lacked the grandeur of 'Vanishing Snow Burial of Petals' and certainly didn't possess the astonishing power of the 'Thousand Strands of Benevolent Lock,' but it was direct, brutal, and brimming with raw masculine spirit!

Just then, 'Second Brother!!'

A furious, ear-splitting roar roused everyone from their stupor. The Eight-Star Battle God, who had been fighting Steve, abandoned his opponent and lunged madly at Du Chen, yelling, 'Pay with your life! You damned bastard, pay for my Second Brother's life!'

Someone from the Kursk contingent reacted, desperately shouting, 'Don't court death! Are you insane!?'

He might indeed have been insane, charging straight at Du Chen and raising his fist to strike. 'You—' Before the words left his mouth, Du Chen raised his foot again. Following that, a figure soared into the sky.

Having done all this, Du Chen shrugged and asked Chek, 'That... who was he?'

Chek stammered in reply, 'You, oh no, didn't—didn't you say you didn't need to know his name?'

'Oh, then never mind!'

*Thump!* The 'he' landed on the ground, leaving a massive crater. His bulging eyes were filled with resentment and fury. Who was he? What was his name? Who cared?

Du Chen's two swift actions brought unparalleled shock to the residents of the City of Penance. Yet, some among them were powerhouses capable of ruling their own domains and were far from ordinary. After a brief moment of bewilderment, the Matriarch Elizabeth was the first to laugh. 'Lord Alex, there are still Thirteen Kursk family members left!'

The expressions of those Thirteen instantly changed drastically, and they hastily clustered together.

The Matriarch chuckled again, 'You are their enemy, and our Brockman family is also their enemy...' The two mentions of 'enemy' virtually pushed these people onto a dead end. The Matriarch continued, 'Men, throw this traitorous wretch Heidi into the dungeon for betraying her friends! Let me reiterate, I do not wish to see any acts of betrayal among friends in the future!' She emphasized 'friends' with distinct weight.

Du Chen unhurriedly approached the Matriarch, smiled, and then suddenly spoke of something entirely unrelated. 'Matriarch, after my Eldest Brother and Miss Heidi were discovered by them, did you immediately cordon off the area with your people?'

A glint flashed in the Matriarch's eyes; she vaguely understood Du Chen's intent. She replied, 'Yes, this old woman immediately sealed off this place; not a single Kursk family member escaped... to tip off their Family Head!' She paused, then laughed with great pleasure, 'Currently, the Kursk Family Head is still waiting for negotiation results on our border with his troops.'

Du Chen rubbed his nose and smiled. 'If, by some slight mishap, all the Kursk family's powerhouses were to... meet with an unfortunate incident, Matriarch, how long would it take you to consolidate the remnants and absorb the Kursk family?'

The Matriarch's gaze sharpened. 'One day! Is Lord Alex planning to personally intervene and eliminate the Kursk powerhouses at the border? This old woman will speak frankly, they still have an army of over a thousand there!'

Du Chen pursed his lips. 'To charge into an army of thousands and take the enemy general's head? That's a relic of the Heroic Era. The Three Continents are now in the Age of Kingdoms, where strategy reigns supreme!' Saying so, he pointed at the Thirteen Kursk family members and asked, 'Who among these Thirteen is most trusted by the Kursk Family Head?'

The Matriarch pointed out one individual, the same man who had initially warned Hook and restrained his recklessness. 'This man is the Kursk family's Chief Strategist!'

Du Chen approached, condensed an ice needle in his palm, and gently tapped it into the strategist's chest, observing his pale face. 'Since you can be a Chief Strategist, you must be a clever man! Would you prefer a living death under my Secret Technique, unable to find peace even in demise, or will you return to lure the Kursk family's powerhouses here and then ally with the Brockman family? You should know how to choose.'

The man nodded frantically. 'I... I understand! I'll go back and tell the Family Head that negotiations here have succeeded, but Matriarch Elizabeth refuses to enter our military camp to sign the agreement, insisting adamantly that the Family Head must come in person...' He swallowed hard, as if the ice needle in his chest seemed to squirm with a chilling agony, and hastily added, 'From my understanding, the Family Head, he... he will definitely come here to sign, but he certainly won't trust the Brockman family, so he will inevitably bring a large contingent of powerhouses as escort...'

Du Chen nodded. 'Then what are you waiting for? Go!'

***

The Matriarch instructed her family members to prepare for battle, while she stood before Du Chen, her toothless mouth working as she spoke. 'Who exactly are you, sir?'

'Does who I am truly matter, Matriarch? No matter my identity in the human realm, in this City of Penance, I am just like all of you—a lost exile!'

'I spoke out of turn. Yes, even if you are an Eminence among the Red-Bloods, this old woman, exiled for over a decade, might not know you!' Elizabeth stared at Du Chen. 'Once we absorb the Kursk family, how will we divide the spoils? This old woman has a large family to feed, and Huhuhu Beasts have dwindled recently. We need at least enough provisions to get us through this hardship!'

'As for the Kursk family's army, Matriarch, you can take as much as you can manage. All their Huhuhu Beasts will also belong to your Brockman family!'

The Matriarch said, surprised, 'Then what do you want?' Not wanting any benefit, why would he help her?

Du Chen smiled. 'What I desire... is merely to leave this place!'

The Matriarch scoffed. Though she said nothing, her meaning was clear: *Leave? Are you dreaming!?*

Du Chen turned and walked towards Xue Ji, saying over his shoulder, 'Matriarch, I will help you absorb the Kursk family. However, you must give me a promise—if I find a way to leave this place, your family must fully cooperate with me!'

The Matriarch's expression was uncertain, but she spoke without hesitation. 'Leaving this accursed place is the dream of every sinner in the City of Penance! This old woman promises you that if you can find a way to leave and take my grandchildren out, allowing my Brockman lineage to see the light of day again, then I'd sell my life to you!'

'Very well, I will also give you a promise, Matriarch. Until we leave this City of Penance, I will remain a guest consultant for the Brockman family!'

The two parted ways. A 'promise' was merely a formality. Between clever people, there was no need for extensive words; the Brockman family's foundation in the City of Penance and Du Chen's strength were enough to ensure they remained unbreakable allies until they left the City of Penance!

Du Chen had left, but Steve dawdled, a grave expression on his face, as he approached Elizabeth. He stared intently at the Matriarch, unblinking.

The Matriarch felt a little unnerved by his gaze. After all, the younger brother had displayed terrifying power, so what about the elder brother? Although Steve had fought 'that other guy' to a draw just now, who could be sure if he was hiding his true strength?

Thinking this, Elizabeth smiled cautiously. 'Mr. Bell Glynn, this old woman isn't pretty, so please stop staring. Please state your business!'

Steve nodded gravely. 'I do indeed have a very important matter, Matriarch, but no one but you can handle it!' He bowed deeply, then grinned mischievously. 'Miss Heidi is still young, after all, and doesn't know any better! How about you release her for my sake?'

The Matriarch froze.

***

The City of Penance rarely had luxury items like pocket watches, and time held little meaning for its inhabitants, so they generally used simple sandglass timers. Approximately three turns of the sandglass later, the Kursk Family Head arrived at the Brockman bunker. Just as the Chief Strategist had predicted, while he dared to come here to sign, he ultimately didn't trust the Brockman family, and brought a large contingent of powerhouses as escort.

Chek was waiting at the bunker's entrance. Du Chen had already picked out a few spineless individuals from the previously captured Kursk family members, secretly controlling them and having them accompany Chek to greet the Kursk Family Head.

Everything went smoothly—the Kursk family members followed Chek without suspicion into the wide-open bunker. But upon entering... a world of ice and snow appeared before their eyes—a Titled Battle God's Glacial Annihilation Magic Formation! Such formations were almost meaningless against Battle Gods of the same rank, but against these pitiful lambs, it was no less than a demon from hell! It was just like when Du Chen was a student, toyed with by the Deboning Magic Formation. The battle had no suspense!

Such an overwhelming battle requires no further elaboration. After the fight, the Matriarch personally led her people to absorb Kursk's Huhuhu Beast base. Squads of soldiers emerged from the bunker and marched away, no one even having time to clear away the Kursk family's corpses.

Steve went to find Heidi, and at this point, Du Chen's intervention was no longer necessary. He and Xue Ji stood silently at the edge of the bloody killing formation. Compared to the mangled corpses, Du Chen paid more attention to Xue Ji's reaction.

After glancing at the killing formation, Xue Ji suddenly sighed faintly. 'Sigh...' Her gentle eyes held much pity for the scene of scattered wreckage and blood flowing everywhere.

That faint sigh made Du Chen's heart feel clogged. He couldn't help but say, 'Do you think I'm cruel?' After saying it, he inwardly chided himself, *Damn it, where did that come from!? Since when did I need to consider Xue Ji's feelings? This silly girl is Margaret's disciple, an enemy. We're bound to cross swords sooner or later!*

Xue Ji's gaze remained pitiful, but she shook her head firmly. 'The Kursk family's hands are stained with blood; they deserved their fate. Xue Ji would not dare to fault her Benefactor for this. It's just that... this is the first time Xue Ji has seen so many dead people, and her heart feels a bit upset, that's all.'

Du Chen gave two dry laughs, wanting to say more, but suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

Xue Ji also kept her head bowed in silence. The two stood there dumbfounded, each feeling a bit awkward.

Indeed, two people who didn't know each other a mere half-month ago were now called husband and wife, and that incident had just happened. Who wouldn't feel awkward?

Du Chen hesitated for a long while before finally speaking first. 'Uh, my Eldest Brother is loose-tongued, he was just spouting nonsense. My striking down Hook was also, also...' Du Chen, usually articulate and silver-tongued, able to talk his way out of anything, suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

*Damn it, why am I so clumsy with words?* Something seemed to have grown in his heart—a feeling! Du Chen inwardly told himself that although he had been forced by his Eldest Brother and the circumstances, *still*...

*To hold his woman close, to shoulder the future of two people, kicking aside any obstacles!* This warm yet heavy sense of responsibility was truly alluring. Unfortunately, it lasted only a fleeting moment.

With Hook's corpse on the ground, they were still enemies!

Du Chen began to fret over gains and losses. Seeing Du Chen stop mid-sentence, Xue Ji lowered her head and said, 'It's not your fault, it's just that Mr. Bell Glynn was truly being a bit too reckless. Sigh!'

Xue Ji sighed helplessly, feeling conflicted. She genuinely resented Steve's habit of constantly referring to her as someone else's wife, but Xue Ji knew clearly that she was currently a burden. For Mr. Alex to still thoughtfully care for her—a cripple—in this lost City of Penance was already a great kindness; she couldn't complain any further.

At the same time, Xue Ji also felt a strange sensation. For a woman, especially a beautiful and helpless one, targeted by a bandit lecher in unfamiliar surroundings, when a man stepped forward and saved her with the simplest and most violent means—and this man always presented himself as a decent person—how could she not be moved?

This feeling was very strange.

The two once again fell into an awkward silence.

This time, Xue Ji spoke first. 'Let's leave it at that!'

'Huh?'

'Let's leave things as they are until we leave the City of Penance!' Xue Ji said calmly, her head bowed. 'Xue Ji can see that Benefactor is busy working towards leaving the City of Penance, and there must also be an ambitious plan involved. Otherwise, you wouldn't have allied with the Brockman family with such powerful methods today... Now, you need to demonstrate absolute and perfect authority before the Brockman family, without any flaw. Xue Ji cannot disrupt your plans, so our relationship... let's just keep it like this for now!'

Du Chen was momentarily stunned. *Xue Ji isn't foolish after all,* he thought. He said, 'That might not be appropriate. I don't know when we'll be able to leave the City of Penance; perhaps tomorrow, perhaps a year, or perhaps a hundred years, you...'

'Benefactor, rest assured! Xue Ji can wait for that day!' Xue Ji smiled faintly. 'Have you forgotten? Xue Ji is an Eleventh-level Battle God, possessing the Water's Embrace Lake's Secret Technique of Longevity... I can wait for you for a thousand years!'

Du Chen's heart skipped a beat.

But he understood. Xue Ji's meaning was, 'Don't mind my feelings, just focus on what you need to do. Xue Ji won't rush you or cause you trouble!' This adorably foolish girl!

Du Chen took a deep breath of the City of Penance's foul air and exhaled slowly. 'You can rest assured, I'll definitely get you out of this damned place in this lifetime!' He subconsciously touched the mask on his face... *Once we leave, you'll return to Water's Embrace Lake, and Alex will vanish forever. Then, Xue Ji and Francis will meet on the Battlefield, and fate will decide their outcome!*

Xue Ji silently walked into the Magic Formation and began to help Du Chen clean up.

A fierce wind swept through the murky sky of the City of Penance. The ghastly weather in this accursed place was truly annoying. The wind grew stronger. Yet, the two continued to busy themselves in the gale. Du Chen tossed his robe to Xue Ji without a word, and continued working.

The wind grew even fiercer. Gradually, a black line stretching from earth to sky appeared faintly in the southeast, followed by someone shouting an alarm: 'Alarm! Alarm! The Central Atrium is erupting again!'

Du Chen suddenly looked up. 'Xue Ji, get into my Lotus Sanctuary first. The Central Atrium is the only clue to escaping. I'll go...'

Just as he was speaking, Chek ran back in a panic. At this moment, he should have been taking over Kursk's Huhuhu Beast base. 'Mr. Alex! I've encountered great trouble while taking over the base! My mother is trapped, please save her!' *Thud,* he knelt before Du Chen, pleading, 'Hurry! My mother might... might not last much longer!'

Du Chen's expression changed. He glanced at the whirlwind in the direction of the Atrium, then grabbed Chek and flew towards the Kursk family's territory. 'Xue Ji, you go find my Eldest Brother!'

After a few bounds and a burst of power, Du Chen arrived in a valley. Seven or eight hundred people had gathered in the massive canyon, all with anxious expressions, staring at a cave entrance blocked by boulders. Inside the cave was the Kursk family's Huhuhu Beast base.

'Everyone, get the hell out of the way! Let Mr. Alex through!' Chek, truly frantic, shoved aside several people blocking the path and led Du Chen to the cave entrance. 'Just, just now my mother led people inside to take possession of the Huhuhu Beasts. She brought fifty people in, and another three hundred were waiting outside to transport them. But who knew, less than five minutes after my mother went in, screams erupted from within, and then this canyon shook violently, and a boulder fell... trapping, trapping my mother inside!'

Du Chen's brow furrowed. *You, Chek, an Eight-Star Battle God, foiled by a mere boulder? A single punch would shatter it!*

*Wait, this boulder definitely has an issue.* Du Chen stepped forward to examine the boulder. Chek continued, 'And then, and then the screams inside kept coming. Our family members outside tried to break the rock to rescue them, but this rock, for some unknown reason, even six Eight-Star Battle Gods working together couldn't break it! And the surrounding mountain walls also hardened!'

Chek grabbed Du Chen's arm. 'Please, I beg you, my mother is still in there!'

'The Triple-Fold Tinwood Spirit Earth, the most robust of all Earth-elemental materials!'

Du Chen rubbed his nose while staring at the boulder. His recent discoveries flashed through his mind one by one—not long ago, he had found that the Atrium vicinity was rich in prime alchemy materials, and every eruption inevitably led to a great anomaly. Last time, it was Huhuhu Beasts! Now, the Central Atrium was erupting again, and Kursk's Huhuhu Beast base had subsequently transformed into a death cave—again, Huhuhu Beasts!

And the rocky mountain itself... had instantly transformed into the rarest and most indestructible material in alchemy!

'Everyone, move back!'

Du Chen dispersed the crowd, not daring to hold back. He activated his only Cultivated Lotus, and with a thunderous crash, it shattered the boulder blocking the cave entrance!

'It's open, it's open! Quick, save Mother!'

'Quick, Grandma must still be alive!'

People swarmed forward, but just then, a thick, strange odor drifted out from the bottomless Huhuhu Beast cave.