Courtesy Before Force

Hearing the arrogant provocation, Lu Xinlan's delicate face flushed with anger.

"What audacity!"

As a direct descendant of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, she was far from accustomed to such brazen words, especially in a remote place like Sunlight Island!

Chen Jiudao, exuding an air of domineering confidence, calmly reassured her.

"Young Mistress, there is no need for anger."

"Anyone who dares spout such ignorant nonsense must be a frog at the bottom of a well. Regardless of their intentions, this old man will make them regret it!"

With that, Chen Jiudao steadily descended the stairs.

An overwhelming aura of Dao Power radiated from his body, swirling in multicolored brilliance like a rainbow. The pressure rippled through the floor, spreading like waves!

The three private chambers were all affected, causing the sect leaders within to abruptly change expressions!

"Another expert?!"

"Above the Third Grade!"

Unlike the other two, Lu Renkuang stood up in excitement, his eyes gleaming with delight.

"The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion still has hidden cards up their sleeves!"

"With such an expert present, the Fifth-Grade Soul-Calming Grass will undoubtedly be mine!"

As he turned in exhilaration, the terrifying aura drew closer.

Peeking through the gaps in the screen, Lu Renkuang caught only a glimpse of the elder's long eyebrows and side profile before he hastily rose to his feet, no longer daring to remain seated in the private chamber.

Seeing this, the elder behind him was equally shaken.

"Sect Leader, who is this old man?!"

Lu Renkuang glanced back warily.

"That is the Nine Paths Venerable!"

"This senior has comprehended nine types of Dao Power and is said to be invincible below the Fifth Grade. He is a notorious figure across the outer islands! His fame once shook the world, and over time, people came to address him solely by his title—Nine Paths."

The elder trembled at the revelation.

"For the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion to invite someone like him… the manager of this branch must be extraordinary!"

As they exchanged hushed words in shock,

A woman in a flowing dress walked gracefully past, her beauty and bearing so transcendent that the two couldn't help but speculate.

The other two private chambers were also stirred, with people rising one after another.

The leaders of the three great sects all followed downstairs!

The arrival of these two figures caused such a commotion that the guests couldn't help but look up in awe.

Chen Jiudao, leading the way, was especially striking.

His aged figure strode forward steadily, long white eyebrows hanging with an air of majesty. Multicolored Dao Power swirled around him, as if he were walking through the river of time itself.

At the sight of such grandeur, the hundred or so guests were filled with reverence!

A powerhouse above the Third Grade of the Heavenly Tier—comparable to an island lord.

This was the hidden trump card of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion!

Truly terrifying!

The auction hall fell into an oppressive silence.

At the front of the stage, several zhang away,

Yi Feng stood with his back turned, completely oblivious, still playing the role of a menacing troublemaker to provoke hostility!

"Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?"

"If you stay silent, I’ll really start looting!"

Hearing such ignorant arrogance, Chen Jiudao's eyes narrowed slightly.

He couldn’t be bothered to spare another glance, nor waste words. With his left hand behind his back, he stepped forward, his right hand gathering Dao Power as he advanced indifferently.

Seeing Elder Chen take action,

Liu Yuantai and the guards felt as if they had been granted a reprieve, their expressions relaxing with relief. The sight of their savior filled them with renewed confidence.

Yi Feng noticed the shift in their demeanor.

Glancing around, he saw the onlookers retreating in fear and reverence.

Seemed like the main event had arrived!

"Swish, swish…"

The faint sound of footsteps approached from behind.

Yi Feng’s heart swelled with anticipation—death felt closer than ever!

Everything was in place.

At this critical moment, he cranked his acting up to the max.

Taking a deep breath,

He recalled the ruthless expression of Brother Qiang buying melons.

In an instant, Yi Feng’s eyes widened with exaggerated ferocity, his face twisting into the most punchable look imaginable.

The confrontation was imminent!

The entire hall watched intently!

The terrifying Nine Paths Venerable, his multicolored Dao Power intertwining, raised his right hand in a lethal palm strike, aiming to obliterate the unfamiliar intruder without hesitation!

"Whoosh!"

The palm strike unleashed a torrent of Dao Power like a rainbow!

Witnessing such a fearsome attack, the three sect leaders dared not approach, their minds shaken. Expressions of shock, awe, and dread flickered across their faces!

Just as the outcome seemed decided,

Yi Feng finally turned around.

The moment Chen Jiudao saw his face, his eyes widened in shock!

Before him was a visage of sheer brutality, radiating terrifying killing intent, as if a god of slaughter had descended!

Thud!

A single glance sent his heart pounding in fear!

Before he could even process it,

An overwhelming wave of murderous aura crashed into him like a flood, instantly swallowing his own invincible momentum!

The gap between them was like heaven and earth!

What horrified Chen Jiudao even more was that despite his palm strike still mid-air—before even testing the waters—his entire body was already seized by an icy, bone-deep dread!

That was…

The scent of death!

A chilling sensation crawled up from his feet like a blizzard, freezing his spine and shooting straight to his skull, jolting him into full alertness!

In just one encounter,

He felt as though the man before him was backed by a towering shadow, an oppressive force like the collapse of the heavens, filling him with instinctive terror!

It was the natural reaction to facing death—an uncontrollable fear!

Since his rise to fame, he had never felt such dread. The last time was during a life-threatening trial millennia ago!

That despair was unforgettable.

Chen Jiudao’s heart raced, his face paling rapidly!

Then, he noticed the palm wind merely ruffling the hem of the other’s robe…

This!

What kind of monstrous gap in cultivation was this?!

Thud!

His heart clenched in panic.

Cold sweat broke out as if he had just woken from a nightmare!

His mind went blank, save for one screaming thought:

Do not strike!

Do not strike at all costs!

This man… was undoubtedly a supreme expert!

In an instant,

The once-ferocious Nine Paths Venerable lost all will to fight, his momentum vanishing like a deflated balloon.

He could barely breathe!

But his right palm was already in motion—too late to retract!

Chen Jiudao burned with desperation!

Thankfully, his decades of experience saved him. Thinking fast, he swung his left fist to intercept his own right palm, colliding his own Dao Power in mid-air!

Boom!

The impact reverberated through the hall!

"Smack!"

A last-minute feint.

Ignoring the metallic taste in his throat, Chen Jiudao immediately bowed and spoke.

"Greetings, esteemed one. We failed to welcome you properly—please forgive our oversight!"

His deferential voice echoed, freezing the entire crowd in stunned silence.

Yi Feng blinked rapidly, his fierce expression stuck in awkward confusion.

What the…

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go!

His taunting lines hadn’t even left his mouth, yet the other party was already bowing? All his prepared provocations were stuck in his throat.

Damn it!

This ruined his momentum!

Was this some kind of "courtesy before hostility" tactic?

As expected of a boss—his countermeasures were truly masterful.

While Yi Feng stood dumbfounded…

The guests, the three great sects, Lu Xinlan, and the entire Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion staff were left gaping in disbelief. The hall was eerily silent.

No one could have predicted it.

The previously murderous Elder Chen had, in the blink of an eye, turned respectful, exchanging a lethal strike for a polite greeting!

The abrupt shift

Left countless heroes' jaws on the floor!

Elder Chen was the legendary Nine Paths Venerable!

Yet upon meeting this man, he abandoned all hostility, even injuring himself to retract his attack, and now stood with bowed head, not daring to rise!

How was this possible?!

Just what level of cultivation did this person possess?

Fourth Grade?

Fifth Grade?!

After a few moments of speculation, the three sect leaders' eyes filled with reverence!

Lu Xinlan's beautiful eyes trembled, her mind momentarily blank.

Having managed the branch for years, she had never encountered such a ruthless figure. Never had she imagined that even Elder Chen would seem powerless to respond. Their original plans had been completely overturned!

While the crowd stood frozen in shock, Yi Feng sized up the situation and ventured another probing remark.

"Hmph..."

"I'm here to rob you! Save the pleasantries!"

His merciless tone left no room for negotiation, deliberately provoking hostility.

Forget about courtesy before force—he was here to plunder, to bully without reason. How could they possibly hold back now?

Yet, to everyone's astonishment, the old man before him responded with a smile, his face brimming with humility.

"Of course, of course! It shall be offered to you willingly!"

???

Yi Feng was dumbfounded.

The hundreds of guests felt their heads spin, their scalps tingling in disbelief. Regardless of status, their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

The distant onlookers could hardly trust their ears.

The legendary Nine Paths Venerable, forced into such abject submission?!