My Beautiful Duchess Wife

The hand gripping the knife hilt trembled so badly that it almost crushed the hilt.

With a roar, he drew his sword and slashed down at Lin Peng. Just then, Howard, who had been watching closely, reached out and grabbed Daniel's arm, blocking the attack.

Lin Peng took three steps back and patted Angelina's hand, signaling her to leave. Angelina glanced at Daniel and then obediently walked to the carriage. In a flash, Howard swung a whip kick directly at Daniel's abdomen.

Even within the Chris family, Daniel was considered a formidable opponent. A mid-level Greater Demon, his strength was roughly equal to Howard's. He sidestepped and stared coldly at Howard.

Judging from the power and speed he displayed just now, Howard is clearly also a demon. Moreover, his strength is comparable to Howard's.

He gave a cold laugh and then said, "You guys, go and deal with this guy. I'll take responsibility if anything happens!" The three high-level demons behind him nodded and drew their greatswords, slowly walking towards Lin Peng.

Compared to the standard military swords, their greatswords were much longer. However, considering their height of 1.9 meters, they were about the same size.

Lin Peng's fingers flickered rapidly, wisps of flame appearing almost imperceptibly between them. Of course, they didn't notice. One of the high-ranking demons grinned maliciously and arrogantly said, "Don't blame us; blame yourself for following the wrong person!"

As he spoke, the giant sword thrust directly towards Lin Peng's chest. Of course, with Lin Peng's strength, it was impossible for him to hit the target so easily. He simply dodged the giant sword by sidestepping it, and then flicked out several flames from his fingers as if he were flicking something.

Several whooshing sounds filled the air as the speed was incredibly fast. Before the high-ranking demon could react, the blades had already pierced his abdomen, calf, and shoulder. In just an instant, one of them was crippled.

The other two high-ranking demons were momentarily stunned. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Howard lunged forward and delivered a powerful punch to the head of one of the high-ranking demons. If that punch had landed, the demon's head would have at least exploded.

Of course, Daniel would absolutely not allow it. He stomped hard on the ground, instantly cracking the bluestone slabs. He grabbed the hand that was about to strike the high-level demon. The high-level demon could even feel the power of the punch. Blood slowly began to flow from its nose.

"What are you all standing there for? Cripple this guy right now! Hmph, don't underestimate him!" With that, he swung his battle sword and was already locked in combat with Howard. At this moment, the people on the street were running as far away as possible. If they got caught in the crossfire of such a battle between demons and were injured, there would be no one to seek justice.

Besides, anyone with eyes can see that the current battle is definitely a struggle between the Duke and the Chris family. Normally, who would dare to interfere?

He glanced at the remaining two high-ranking demons and the one lying on the ground groaning, then chuckled coldly and muttered under his breath, "Just three mid-level high-ranking demons, and they dare to cause trouble."

Thinking it over, he glanced at the shop again. After a sinister chuckle, just as the two high-level demons reacted and tried to rush forward, Lin Peng dodged them in a few quick movements and strode towards the shop.

"Halt!" The two high-ranking demons were alarmed. They had warned them not to underestimate him, so they hadn't attacked first. However, this had allowed Lin Peng to slip through. Now, the two were filled with regret.

When he caught up, Lin Peng had already entered the shop's lobby. After glancing around, another thought began to race through his mind.

Seeing the cold smiles of the two high-ranking demons, Lin Peng extended his slender fingers and lightly hooked his fingers. His eyes were filled with utter contempt. When enraged, they would disregard everything. Without even seeing Lin Peng standing beside a relief pillar, the demons raised their swords and slashed at Lin Peng's chest. But Lin Peng simply dodged to the side, spun around, and hid behind the pillar.

The greatsword, meanwhile, moved directly into the relief pillar. The other high-ranking demon switched to a thrusting attack. With a powerful stomp that cracked the ground with spiderweb patterns, it thrust its sword horizontally towards Lin Peng.

Just as the sword was about to pierce Lin Peng's body, Lin Peng suddenly pointed his finger at the broad back of the greatsword, redirecting its momentum to the other side. With a crash... the crystal-like counter was shattered into pieces.

Some of the ornaments and other items inside were scattered all over the floor. The guests, who hadn't cared much about the fight outside, suddenly started screaming and running around in all directions now that it had started inside.

At that moment, Lin Peng squeezed into the crowd, and with a cold smile, taking advantage of the fact that the two high-level demons hadn't noticed him yet and were hesitant, he suddenly kicked out. With another loud crash, one of the high-level demons, along with a customer, smashed a large section of the counter.

Countless shards of glass flew through the air, some even cutting the cheeks of many people. At this moment, the screams and cries grew even louder!

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Enraged Clan Chief

The chaos in the shop was the most infuriating thing. Especially in a shop decorated with gold, expensive reliefs, and antique treasures. When he saw the crowds surging out, crying and shouting, Daniel really wanted to shake Howard off.

But Howard wasn't about to let him have his way. After throwing a punch, fiery red demonic flames immediately gathered on his feet, and he stomped hard into Daniel's chest, making it almost impossible for him to dodge.

He could only block with his sword, and then use the force to fly backward into the shop. Luckily, the shop's door was really big enough. Otherwise... if he had hit a beam, he would have been in serious trouble.

Using the momentum, he did a somersault in mid-air, and the moment he landed, he saw another high-ranking demon flying out. He crashed into the exquisite gate, shattering the original mahogany gate into pieces with a crash.

The high-ranking demon who fell to the ground coughed up blood, his eyes glazed over. He seemed to have lost his fighting ability as well.

His hand holding the sword trembled slightly. The shop could hardly be called a shop anymore; it was practically a junkyard. Shards of glass and broken glass were everywhere, along with people lying on the ground groaning. The exquisitely crafted handicrafts and ornaments were scattered everywhere, reduced to rubble.

"Lin Peng, today, I will kill you!" Daniel's eyes were bloodshot as he coldly shouted. The demonic flames all over his body seemed to surge on his battle blade. He slashed down fiercely at the smiling Lin Peng, instantly appearing before him as if he had broken through space.

Even Lin Peng was taken aback by the speed. Flames roared in his hand, and the flaming battle blade transformed into a two-meter-long sword as they clashed.

Boom...

A tremendous roar and a cloud of smoke and dust swept outwards, seemingly shaking the entire shop. Countless fragments shattered on the walls, and the handicrafts, needless to say, all crumbled to pieces.

Taking advantage of the moment the fireworks burst forth, Lin Peng ducked and darted out. He slammed his hand on the ground, then leaped high again, instantly spotting Daniel.

A wicked smile played on his lips. He hadn't expected Daniel to actually brave the flames and charge at him. Too bad, he'd already shifted positions. Flames flickered on his fingers, and with a sudden burst of light, five beams of fire swept towards the figure.

With a series of sharp cracking sounds, Daniel wielded his battle sword with impenetrable speed, creating a ring of flames around himself by drawing his fiery fingers along with the sword.

Lin Peng smiled. Sure enough, such a fiery finger strike couldn't penetrate the defenses of a demon of roughly the same level. After all, the other's battle blade was imbued with demonic flames. Whether for defense or offense, the power was considerable.

He sneered and stepped onto a nearby pillar. He then leaped to the other side, repeating the same maneuver as before. Daniel immediately ran back to his previous position, his battle blade imbued with demonic flames slashing fiercely.

Boom... another loud noise, the huge roar caused the wall to collapse.

At this point, the smoke and dust in the shop became even heavier.

Outside, Howard didn't chase after him inside. He was eager to see just how strong Lin Peng really was. During his fight with Daniel, he knew that although Daniel hadn't used his family's ultimate techniques, he was at least on par with him in terms of raw power.

Moreover, he used the Demon Flame quite well.

"Come out, you bastard, come out here!" Unable to find anyone or anything, Daniel frantically looked around with bloodshot eyes. He was filled with rage and wanted nothing more than to kill Lin Peng.

He had always firmly believed in his own power, and among the various families, the Chris family was inherently the most powerful. The patriarch was a Demon King-level expert, and the family's Grand Elder also seemed to be a Demon King-level expert.

The Great Demon has a force of one on one hand. It could be said that, aside from the rather mysterious Jess, he is truly the number one young master of Darkmoon City. Yet, it's truly incomprehensible that he's been bullied so badly by someone who looks so weak.

This was something he absolutely could not tolerate. Even if the Duke himself came, he would definitely have to judge the matter.

Watching Daniel roar and furiously try to smash his head against the wall, Lin Peng narrowed his eyes slightly. The small point of light in his hand flickered with flames and slowly grew hotter.

Suddenly, Daniel seemed to realize his location and tried to rush over. Just then, a beam of light as thick as an arm, carrying flames, shot towards them.

With a length of nearly a meter, Daniel didn't notice anything at all. He let out a heavy snort, and the battle blade in his hand transformed into demonic flames as he slashed down fiercely.

With a soft squeak, it didn't seem to make a very loud sound. But Daniel's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief as he stared at the gaping hole in his chest. The burning sensation was still there. The pain was excruciating, so intense that he wanted to scream.

But his throat felt blocked, and he couldn't utter a single syllable.

Lin Peng frowned, wanting to end the fight with a single fiery finger strike. At the same time, he was puzzled as to why the scorching light hadn't brought him down immediately. It seemed... he should have died instantly.

Of course, Daniel still couldn't understand why the speed of the light beam was so fast when the Demon Flame Blade was unleashed. He had underestimated its power, leading to the current situation.

"Stop!" A voice laced with anger rang out as a burly figure stormed into the shop. Behind him followed a helpless Howard. The man, who, despite his strong build, showed no signs of age, searching frantically.

After staring blankly in one direction for a moment, he immediately caught Daniel with lightning speed, making Lin Peng, who was still hesitant, even more reluctant to act.

"A Demon King-level expert?" Lin Peng frowned, feeling somewhat guilty as he slowly moved towards the shop's exit. In the dusty, smoky hall, Lin Peng thought the man wouldn't see him. But just as he reached the door, the man who had just fed Daniel something suddenly roared, "Stop right there! You touched my son, and you think you can just walk away?"

When the Demon King turned around, Lin Peng was able to see his face clearly.

This man did bear a resemblance to Daniel, both possessing a menacing appearance. However, he wasn't tall, perhaps only around 1.9 meters. He also had very broad shoulders.

Wearing such aristocratic clothes, I actually felt a bit tight.

Those icy eyes swept over him; they could kill Lin Peng with just a glance.

"Oh...hehe, it's just a misunderstanding. Just a misunderstanding!" Lin Peng waved his hand, seemingly begging for mercy, but after giving Howard a wink, he became extremely serious.

The old man's face, which wasn't particularly old, was tightly furrowed. After taking a deep breath, he said coldly, "A misunderstanding? Heh heh... a misunderstanding... then... I'll beat you half to death, and when the Duke asks, it'll also be a misunderstanding!"

Without hesitation, he swung a hand chop at Lin Peng. Even from this distance, the demonic flames flew out. Boom… another deafening roar followed, and the area behind Lin Peng collapsed.

Lin Peng, already at the door, felt his heart pounding. Such a casual strike possessed such power. If he hadn't dodged, he would have had to go all out to truly catch it. This also demonstrated the difference between a Demon King-level and a Great Demon-level opponent.

Just then, the sound of armor clashing against armor rang out. A squad of sheriffs rushed towards them, arriving in an instant. Leading them was none other than a great demon. He appeared rather thin, but Lin Peng dared not underestimate the power emanating from his body.

The security team had barely arrived when another group of city defense personnel appeared on the other side. Leading them was Nadas. Seeing Lin Peng standing there solemnly, Nadas quickly stepped in front of him.

He bowed deeply towards the shop and said loudly, "Chief Chris, what do you mean by this? No matter what, Lord Lin Peng is still the Duke's subordinate. Don't you think even a big dog has to respect its master?"

Lin Peng's lips twitched helplessly upon hearing this. It seemed he was the one who had taught Nadas this phrase, yet it was being used on him. Nadas even gave Lin Peng a smug wink, as if to say, "See? I told you so!"

Chief Chris carried Daniel out slowly and handed him to the gaunt captain. Seeing the hole in his chest, though no blood was dripping, it was a charred mess. The captain stared coldly at Lin Peng.

"Hmph, beating a dog? Well then... today, this old man will beat the dog!" The words had barely left his lips when a red light flashed. Then, Lin Peng was hurled into the air and slammed heavily against a wall several meters high.

Then, with a loud bang, a large hole was left, but there was no sound.

Nadas was taken aback, then his eyes turned red as he sneered, "You!" His finger trembled slightly as he pointed at Old Chris, as if he were about to fight to the death.

"Nadas, come back!" After a series of thuds, Lin Peng flipped over the mud wall that had been pressing down on him, staggering out with a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. He clutched his chest, his eyes bloodshot as he looked at Old Chris.

The attack was incredibly fast. It was unimaginable how to block it. Even with Lin Peng's speed, he could only manage to raise his arms slightly to lessen the impact. However, his left hand seemed to be useless, hanging limply, while his right hand clutched his chest, which felt as if it had been shattered.

Every breath was scorching hot. It was unbelievable that someone who played with fire would be afraid of heat. A helpless, bitter smile played on his lips, a silent resentment rising within him.

"Oh? I didn't expect you to be able to withstand one of my attacks. Not bad!" Old Chris nodded, and once again, a glint of light flashed in his eyes as he threw a punch at Lin Peng's head. However, this time, a beautiful figure appeared in front of him, and after a delicate shout, a flash of black light blocked the red light.

Once again, with a deafening roar, a crater five or six meters wide appeared in front of Lin Peng. Such a solid surface had somehow been transformed into a crater five or six meters wide and over two meters deep. At this moment, Lin Peng gained a deeper understanding of the power of a Demon King.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Defeat

"Your Highness!" Old Chris squinted, seemingly looking at Eileen with hatred. He glanced at Lin Peng and gave a heavy snort: "What, does Your Highness want to interfere in this matter?"

Indeed, standing before Lin Peng was Princess Irene. At this moment, dressed in a princess's gown, she appeared exceptionally noble and alluring. Nadas, who had been standing there, couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Lin Peng!" Angelina grabbed Lin Peng's hand anxiously, looking at Eileen and Old Chris with a nervous expression.

"So what if I want to interfere? Hmph, I never imagined that the Chris family would become increasingly disregard for imperial authority. After all, Lin Peng is still the Duke's subordinate!" Eileen's eyes flashed with death as she stared intently at old Chris.

Old Chris glared at Eileen, but dared not make a move. He was merely a mid-level Demon King, while Eileen was a peak Demon King. Coupled with her royal lineage, he was no match for her.

And that's exactly the kind of excuse they need to justify taking a loss here.

"Even the imperial power can't just let a loyal family like ours be bullied!" Old Chris sneered, then turned to his most powerful son: "Look at this Lin Peng, he almost crippled my son! If I crippled him, would you let me off the hook?"

That was a rather forceful remark, of course, only said when Eileen wasn't too angry. Lin Peng's lips curled slightly, but he didn't say anything more. His waving arm was still numb and had no feeling at all.

Eileen glanced at Lin Peng's dangling arm, then coldly swept her gaze over old Chris: "Kappa, so... what about Lin Peng's arm? Hmph... your son's life is life, but his isn't! And... I'd really like to know what happened!" It was clear that Eileen was extremely angry, so she directly called out the old patriarch's name.

She turned and winked at Lin Peng, but Lin Peng seemed not to understand and remained silent. Howard, however, coughed, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your Highness, this is what happened."

Howard glanced at Capacress over there and said with some difficulty, "Originally, Lord Lin Peng and I just wanted to go into the Chris family's craft shop to take a look. Because we felt that the Furen family's shops were all too tacky. But... these Chris family members... are really too audacious, actually saying that 'dogs' and the Duke's men are not allowed to enter!"

When he said this, he was practically on par with a professional actor. Even Lin Peng couldn't help but want to laugh. However, the pain in his chest made it difficult for him to even breathe, let alone laugh.

However, to others, Lin Peng appeared to be in great pain because he had angrily touched a wound.

Chris's patriarch, Capa, also twitched his lips slightly. He knew that his son, despite his formidable appearance, was indeed arrogant.

However, Howard wasn't finished. His fists clenched so tightly they trembled, and a murderous aura emanated from him as he coldly spoke to Daniel, who lay lifeless in the hands of the security captain: "The most despicable thing is that Daniel tried to steal the Duke's carriage. Lord Lin Peng has already said that this is the Duke's carriage. But... that bastard Daniel actually said... actually said..."

At this point, he seemed hesitant to say it aloud and looked towards Eileen.