Chapter 177: Rescue

Even Shen Hong, patriarch of the Sacred Family watching from a distance, was stunned speechless for a moment. Even Ye Zong would have suffered considerable damage from a Scorching Flame Palm delivered at such close range! Just who was this mysterious young man, and how could he possess such a powerful physical body? Could it be that he had already reached the Legendary rank?

Before anyone could recover their senses, Duan Jian suddenly seized Shen Yan by the wrist, yanked his arm, and drove a devastating side kick into Shen Yan's chest and abdomen.

In an instant, Shen Yan's face turned green and he nearly vomited his guts. The force of that blow was far beyond what his current physical body could withstand—several ribs cracked and snapped.

Nie Li nodded slightly. Duan Jian clearly understood how to make the best use of his physical advantages. First, he feigned an opening, letting the opponent think there was an opportunity to exploit. Then, catching Shen Yan off guard, he grabbed hold of him so there was no room to dodge, and followed up with a savage kick—simple and brutal, yet capable of unleashing maximum power. Any Black Gold rank powerhouse caught off guard by such a move would be disabled in a single blow.

"Duan Jian, don't kill him," Nie Li said calmly. If they killed someone from the Sacred Family right now, the situation would spiral completely out of control. It wasn't the right time yet.

"Mm!" Duan Jian released his grip, and Shen Yan crashed to the ground with a thud, curling up like a shrimp.

In a single move, he had taken down a Black Gold rank powerhouse?

The entire hall fell deathly silent. Everyone stared in shock at Duan Jian, who stood there looking utterly unperturbed. This young man was truly terrifying!

Ye Shuo and Ye Suo exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in the other's eyes. They had sensed that Duan Jian was fairly strong, but they had never imagined his strength had reached such a level—remaining completely unharmed after such close contact with the Scorching Flame Palm, and then delivering such a vicious kick in a single move.

Such power was probably not inferior to Ye Zong's!

The key was that this young man followed Nie Li's orders without question! Nie Li actually had the ability to tame such a formidable expert!

It took quite a while before the experts from the various families recovered, drawing sharp breaths of cold air. With Duan Jian's level of strength, there were probably no more than three people in all of City of Radiance who could keep him in check! The problem was that no one had ever heard of this young man—he had risen like a comet out of nowhere, leaving everyone stunned.

At that moment, Shen Hong's hand trembled slightly in the distance. The strength Duan Jian had displayed was probably not inferior to his own. Nie Li actually had such a powerful expert under his command!

Beside him, Xiao Yi and the others nearly had their eyes pop out of their heads. They took a long, hard look at Nie Li, a trace of fear surfacing in their eyes. They had severely underestimated him—not only was he gifted in talent and cultivation, but the forces he commanded were equally terrifying!

Seeing Shen Yan crumple to the ground, Shen Xiu was overcome with fear. Her face went pale and she stumbled backward again and again.

"I can't stand venomous women!" Duan Jian swept a cold glance at Shen Xiu. Her cruel eyes reminded him of how Sikong Hongyue had lashed him with a whip. He flicked his sleeve with a cold sweep.

With a sharp crack, Shen Xiu was sent flying. Her cheek swelled up instantly, and she collapsed to the ground, hair scattered everywhere, a wretched sight.

"You..." Shen Xiu sobbed, snot and tears streaming down her face, trying to speak but unable to form clear words. As the sister of the Sacred Family's patriarch, when had she ever suffered such humiliation? She burst into bitter tears.

Just as Duan Jian stepped forward to drag Shen Xiu out, a figure blocked his path—solid as a mountain, bearing a powerful aura that pressed down on Duan Jian.

This person was a true expert. Duan Jian's heart clenched as he looked up at the newcomer—it was none other than Shen Hong, patriarch of the Sacred Family.

"Young man, leave some room, so we can meet on good terms in the future. Shen Yan and Shen Xiu were quite rude today—I apologize on their behalf," Shen Hong said to Duan Jian.

Nie Li raised an eyebrow. Things had already escalated to this point, yet this old fox Shen Hong could still hold his temper. Nie Li wanted to see just what scheme the old fox was cooking up.

Duan Jian glanced at Nie Li, who gave a slight shake of his head. Duan Jian held his ground and did not continue to clash with Shen Hong, merely standing there with a cold expression.

Several members of the Sacred Family came forward and helped Shen Yan and Shen Xiu away.

Seeing this, Shen Hong turned to leave, then glanced back at Duan Jian and condensed his voice into a focused beam, speaking directly to him: "Young man, with your strength, serving under a mere youth is truly a waste. If you're interested, after tonight's banquet, you are welcome to visit the Sacred Family for a conversation. Our doors are always open to you!"

With that, Shen Hong walked back toward his family's seats.