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Chapter 489 That Man's Terrifying Strength

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhiren's body trembled violently.

The composure on that refined face could no longer be maintained, and an unprecedented glint of light flashed in the eyes behind the glasses.

He muttered to himself, as if he had witnessed some incredible miracle:
"You've actually grown to this level..."

Li Dingjian's eyes widened, and he was speechless:
"You mean, you not only dealt with Xuanzhen, but also... repelled the person who wanted to teleport over?"

He had followed the professor before and had heard many stories about the mysterious leader, so he was already feeling like he was facing a formidable enemy and was filled with fear.

Hearing that his nephew could actually fight against someone of that level, he was inevitably quite shocked.

Fang Cheng did not hide anything from him and then briefly explained what had happened after he arrived in Tiannan Province.

From receiving the commission from Naihe Bridge to investigate the Chen family, to discovering the secrets hidden in the Black Building.

Then, after discussing and planning with Chen Xu'an, they held a water and land ritual to burn Chen Hongye's body.

Afterwards, Xuanzhen was resurrected by possessing another body. Fang Cheng first defeated his physical body, and then entered his spiritual realm, completely destroying his domain.

Suspecting that Xuanzhen had a backup plan, they tracked down the remnant soul and arrived at the Grand Hotel.

In the end, the mysterious leader that Xuanzhen summoned before his death attempted to descend in his true form, but Fang Cheng intervened and destroyed the spatial passage.

After listening to Fang Cheng's account, Li Dingjian and Ye Zhiren were stunned and remained frozen in place, their expressions of shock lingering for a long time.

Fang Cheng's gaze fell on Ye Zhiren, his eyes calm and profound.

He recounted these matters in such detail not to show off his abilities.

Instead, they wanted to extract more information about Utopia and the mysterious leader from this person known as "the professor."

Ye Zhiren did not continue speaking, as if he was having difficulty processing this fact for a while.

He simply sat down slowly, his eyes gleaming, and fell into deep thought.

The living room immediately fell silent.

Lin Chuqiao glanced at Fang Cheng beside her, then at the silent professor, her eyes flickering as if she were thinking of something.

So he coughed lightly without making a sound, and turned to look at Chen Xu'an:
"Young Master Chen, we have some matters to discuss in private. Would you mind if we could find a place together?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xu'an immediately understood.

Knowing that what these people wanted to talk about probably involved many secrets and was not suitable to be discussed in front of the Chen family.

He quickly made a "please" gesture, speaking respectfully:
"Of course, please follow me."

He then led Fang Cheng and his group through the corridor to a secluded rest room on the west side of the Chen family mansion.

This lounge is secluded, away from the main hall and other guest rooms, in a quiet environment where very few people pass by.

Pushing open the door, the interior furnishings are simple and elegant.

A round mahogany table was placed in the very center, with several carved chairs beside it.

A tea set sits in the corner, next to a pot of lush asparagus fern, adding a touch of life to the room.

Outside the window is the Chen family's back garden. At this moment, the morning light is just right, shining through the window and casting dappled shadows on the ground.

"Please have a seat, everyone. Please feel free to ask if you need anything."

Chen Xu'an asked a servant to bring him hot tea, then tactfully withdrew and closed the door behind him.

After the unrelated people left, only Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, Bai Ling, Pan Wendi, Li Dingjian, and Ye Zhiren remained in the living room.

Everyone found chairs and sat down one after another.

Out of caution, Li Dingjian reached out and searched the room thoroughly.

He even lifted the edge of the tablecloth to examine the potted asparagus fern in the corner of the wall more closely.

After confirming that there were no eavesdropping devices, he nodded slightly to Ye Zhiren.

Fang Cheng also closed his eyes, silently sensing the flow of energy around him.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of tea, which brought a sense of peace and tranquility.

The atmosphere in the room inexplicably became heavy.

No one spoke first.

The occasional clear chirping of birds outside the window only served to accentuate the silence inside.

Ye Zhiren raised his head and his gaze fell on Fang Cheng, who was sitting opposite him.

He then took a deep breath and got straight to the point, posing his question:
"Fang Cheng, did you inherit some kind of bloodline ability from your father?"

His tone was unusually serious, and he no longer concealed the secret of his acquaintance with Fang Shijie, his eyes full of inquiry.

Although he had personally witnessed Fang Cheng engulfed in flames and smashed the Golden Benba Bottle with a single punch back in the Misty Mountain.

But looking back now, it still feels unbelievable.

Fang Cheng did not answer immediately, but simply opened his eyes and quietly looked at Ye Zhiren.

His pupils shone like cold stars, seemingly able to pierce through people's hearts.

Ye Zhiren felt a little uncomfortable under that gaze and subconsciously pushed up his glasses.

Sitting to the side, Lin Chuqiao, Li Dingjian, and the others also felt an invisible pressure, and couldn't help but look at each other, looking a little awkward.

After a long silence, Fang Cheng finally spoke, his voice deep and powerful:

"Professor, I want to know how my father died and who the murderer was?"

Fang Cheng did not answer Ye Zhiren's question directly, but responded with another question.

Ye Zhiren was taken aback upon hearing this, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

He hesitated for a moment, seemingly weighing something, then asked:
"You should have learned quite a bit about the past from Xuanzhen, right?"

Fang Cheng nodded slightly, without replying, waiting for him to continue.

Ye Zhiren sighed, his tone tinged with reminiscence and melancholy:

“That’s right, your father, me, and Xuanzhen were all members of the Ideal Land back then.”

"Seventeen years ago, after the shooting incident at Guangwu Gate, Ideal Land was wanted by the authorities, the organization completely disintegrated, and its members were scattered. Some were arrested and imprisoned, some fled abroad, and some... were never heard from again."

He paused, a hint of indescribable bitterness appearing in his eyes:

"My identity was exposed at the time, and I was pursued by the special search team. In a hurry, I boarded a fishing boat and smuggled myself to Southeast Asia."

"During that period, I lived like a stray dog, only concerned with desperately running away and evading investigation, and had no time to pay attention to what was happening in China."

"So, I really don't know the specifics of your father's death."

Fang Cheng frowned slightly, looking quite disappointed.

"Don't you even know?"

Ye Zhiren shook his head, then added:

"After the storm subsided a bit, I secretly inquired about the other members and heard bits and pieces about your father."

“Shijie could have stayed out of it, but it seems that he ultimately chose to self-immolate in order to protect his comrades during the special investigation team’s thorough pursuit.” Fang Cheng sat silently, a dim light flashing in his eyes.

These words were largely the same as what he had heard from Xuanzhen, offering no further valuable clues, which only deepened his sense of disappointment.

"but--"

Ye Zhiren abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming sharp:

"Although I don't know who directly killed your father, I know who the culprit behind all of this is!"

Fang Cheng immediately raised his eyes, his sharp gaze locking onto him.

Ye Zhiren pushed up his glasses, the lenses gleaming in the morning light, as if igniting a cold flame:
"Back then, due to internal power struggles, some people seized the opportunity to kill the original leader and then defected to the government, secretly selling the identities of the other members."

"They are treacherous, their hands are stained with the blood of their comrades, and they are all traitors who deserve to die."

"As long as we find them one by one and execute them on the spot, we can not only get justice for our fallen comrades, but also thoroughly investigate everything that happened back then."

Ye Zhiren paused, then said in a deep voice:
"Among these traitors, there must be the murderers who killed your father. Perhaps we can get the truth about your father's case from them."

Fang Cheng remained silent for a moment after hearing this, and finally nodded slowly:
"Okay. From now on, if you find these people, you must tell me immediately. I will participate in every operation."

Ye Zhiren gave him a deep look and nodded in agreement:
"can."

"And, Uncle."

Fang Cheng suddenly turned his head and looked at Li Dingjian, who looked flustered.

Li Dingjian was holding a teacup when he heard Fang Cheng call his name. His hand trembled slightly, and he almost spilled the tea.

Fang Cheng said with a serious expression:
"You can no longer risk participating in these kinds of operations."

Li Dingjian was taken aback upon hearing this, then his face flushed red, and he stood up excitedly:
"How can this be? This is our family matter, avenging my brother-in-law. How can I stand idly by?"

Fang Cheng shook his head decisively, his tone calm yet leaving no room for doubt:

"The organization we are dealing with is powerful and has many experts."

"Although you have special abilities, you lack practical experience and combat skills. When faced with danger, you will not only be unable to protect yourself, but you will also distract me."

Li Dingjian blushed and opened his mouth to refute, but was speechless for a moment.

He knew that what Fang Cheng said was true.

Previously, he had been working with the professor, doing intelligence gathering and logistical work, and had almost never actually fought anyone.

Lin Chuqiao whispered words of advice from the side:
"Fang Cheng is right. The danger level of the Ideal Land organization is far greater than before. A slight mistake could cost you your life."

"Your abilities are indeed important, but they can only be effective when it is safe to do so. Staying in the rear to provide support will actually be of greater help."

The lark nodded in agreement.
"Yes, yes, Crow, just listen to Boss White Ghost. We're all doing this for your own good."

Looking at the concerned gazes of everyone, Li Dingjian felt a mix of emotions.

He slumped back into his chair and finally sighed.

"ok, I get it."

Seeing that he agreed, Fang Cheng softened his tone slightly:

"Uncle, if I ever need your help in the future, I will contact you immediately."

"From now on, you just need to stay in a safe place and provide backup support for us."

Li Dingjian nodded helplessly, picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea went down his throat, but he couldn't taste anything.

After the two sides talked things out, their suspicions lessened considerably, and the atmosphere immediately became less tense.

Yeh Chih-jen then went on to reveal some deeper secrets about the "ideal land".

Fang Cheng listened silently, preparing himself for dealing with this organization in the future.

"Although Xuanzhen is now dead, the threat to the ideal world has not been eliminated."

Ye Zhiren pushed up his glasses, and his tone became serious again:

"On the contrary, the death of Xuanzhen and the failure of the organization's plan will arouse their vigilance and retaliation."

“Especially that man… He always thought highly of himself and wouldn’t allow anyone to challenge his authority.”

As he spoke, Ye Zhiren looked at Fang Cheng, his eyes full of warning:
“Fang Cheng, you have already exposed yourself to their sight by preventing that person’s true form from descending. From now on, you must be extra careful and cautious, pay attention to concealing your whereabouts, and try not to use your abilities in front of outsiders.”

Fang Cheng remained calm, as if he had already anticipated this outcome.

He simply nodded slightly, without saying much.

Lin Chuqiao frowned, and asked with some anxiety:

"Professor, don't you possess the ability of 'Formless Barrier'? You should be able to help Fang Cheng conceal his whereabouts."

Ye Zhiren gave a wry smile, rubbed his temples, and a hint of weariness flashed in his eyes:
“I can indeed use the ‘Formless Barrier’ to disrupt the secrets of heaven, obscure cause and effect, and prevent trackers from finding the target through conventional means.”

"But when facing an enemy of that caliber, without sufficient preparation and planning, I cannot guarantee that I can completely evade their senses."

He shook his head, his tone becoming even more serious:

"Moreover, Fang Cheng had fought that person head-on before, and his aura was probably already firmly remembered by the other party."

“In this situation, the effect of ‘no-image barrier’ will be greatly reduced. Forcing its use may backfire and may even fail to hide the whereabouts of others, potentially exposing them.”

Fang Cheng suddenly raised his eyelids, his gaze sharp as he looked at Ye Zhiren, and spoke in a deep voice:
Just how strong is that person?

This is the issue he cares about most and that is of utmost importance.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhiren's expression changed slightly, as if he had been instantly pulled back to a distant and terrifying past.

After a few seconds of silence, he slowly said:

“That person is extremely mysterious. Even when I was in the organization back then, I only saw him a few times.”

"As for his specific abilities, I've only heard some rumors from other members."

As Ye Zhiren spoke, his gaze drifted to the window, his tone growing increasingly somber:

"His terror has long exceeded the norm. Every move he makes carries a sense of oppression. Even Xuanzhen, who is considered a demon in the eyes of outsiders, is like a cat seeing a mouse when he sees him, and doesn't dare to breathe loudly."

“There was once an S-class ability user who was insulted by him and had his heart crushed by him from a distance, without even a chance to fight back.”

"On another occasion, his whereabouts were exposed and he was besieged in a certain country. Hundreds of special police officers and more than a dozen people with special abilities joined forces to lay a trap, and even used heavy military firepower such as airplanes and tanks."

Ye Zhiren paused, a hint of coldness creeping into his voice:

"As a result, he calmly walked into the encirclement alone, and in less than ten minutes, he rendered all the people and weapons incapable of fighting."

"Some people described the scene afterward as being like a god descending to earth in mythology, something that mortals simply could not resist."

At this point, a hint of fear crept into Ye Zhiren's eyes:

“What’s even more frightening is that some people suspect he may have lived for hundreds of years, or even longer.”

"He possesses an aura that transcends time, as if he doesn't belong to this era..."

(End of this chapter)