What Jiang Chen hadn't expected was running into Chu Xinghan here of all places. He and Chu Xinghan had always shared a sense of mutual admiration, and on top of that, Chu Xinghan had since become Shun Lao's disciple. There was no way Jiang Chen could just stand by and watch him get killed.
That was why he had intervened.
This, in turn, gave the Blue Hawk Guard an even greater excuse to act.
Chu Xinghan himself was thoroughly bewildered. Having spent years scraping by in the Myriad Abyss Island, he knew full well how cold and indifferent people were in this place, and just how deep the waters of this world truly ran.
Hoping someone would step up to fight injustice? That was practically impossible.
In that last moment, Chu Xinghan had all but resigned himself to death—only to find that someone actually stood forward and saved his life at the last second.
Moreover, this person didn't seem the least bit afraid of the Blue Hawk Guard. Facing so many of their hostile gazes, he could still chat and laugh as though nothing in the world bothered him.
That alone spoke volumes—this person's background had to be extraordinary.
In fact, Chu Xinghan even harbored some strange, half-formed thought that there was something almost familiar about the man standing before him.
He studied the person's features carefully. They seemed to have crossed paths before, yet he couldn't place it. And someone with such formidable spiritual sense and bearing—Chu Xinghan was certain he had never associated with anyone like that.
So where was this sense of familiarity coming from? He couldn't understand.
Over on the other side, the Blue Hawk Guard had already formed their battle formation, surrounding Jiang Chen on all sides. The situation was a powder keg ready to blow, the atmosphere at the scene heavy enough to suffocate, teetering on the edge of erupting.
Commander Yan drew a deep breath and spoke in a low voice: "Sir, I'll ask you one last time—who exactly are you?"
Jiang Chen let out an amused laugh. "What's the point of asking? Your Blue Hawk Guard has already made up its mind to do whatever it pleases. Wouldn't it just be awkward to hear the answer?"
"So you're determined to oppose our Blue Hawk Guard, is that it?" Commander Yan actually had his own doubts, feeling something was off about this young man. Most young geniuses facing a situation like this—even ones with powerful backing—would show at least some nervousness. But the young man across from him didn't display even a trace of tension on his face. That composure made even someone like Commander Yan, who had seen his share of the world, feel a twinge of unease.
Could the Blue Hawk Guard really afford to offend this young man?
But then Commander Yan steeled himself, his resolve hardening: "I can't afford to worry about that now. This brat has been completely insolent. Even if he has the mightiest of backings, we take him down first. If he resists, we kill him outright—what's the worst that could happen?"
Rage surged from the depths of Commander Yan's heart, and ruthlessness took root.
"Take him! If he resists—kill!" Commander Yan finally gave the order.
At his command, the Heavenly Position cultivators at the forefront twisted their faces into savage grins and roared, splitting off in multiple directions as they lunged toward Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen's eyes sharpened. With a flick of his hand, he tossed a massive golden mountain directly into the void before them. The golden mountain immediately released countless streams of golden energy that cascaded in every direction like golden waterfalls, pouring down from all sides.
Those golden currents swiftly enveloped Huang'er and Chu Xinghan, shielding them at the center.
This Mystic Magnetism Golden Mountain had grown in power as Jiang Chen continued to refine it. Offense and defense in one—ordinary cultivators couldn't even scratch it.
The Heavenly Position cultivators charged repeatedly, but against the Golden Mountain's defenses, they simply couldn't break through Jiang Chen's protective perimeter.
Jiang Chen's expression remained perfectly calm. Suddenly, his Dharma Eye blazed to life—his Evil Golden Eye pierced the void like bolts of golden arrows, shooting forward and striking the three foremost cultivators directly.