Under the night sky, a black Volkswagen Phaeton sped toward the Guan family estate.
The Guan family, along with the Su family and two other top-tier elites, were collectively known as the Four Great Clans of Jiangzhou—a testament to the Guan family's towering status in the region.
Tonight, the Guan residence was bustling with activity. Rows of luxury cars worth millions were neatly parked outside. It was the 70th birthday celebration of Guan Zhengshan, the patriarch of the Guan family. Though it was already past 8 p.m., the banquet had yet to begin.
The sprawling estate was brilliantly lit. Inside a lavish hall, dozens of large dining tables were fully seated. The Guan patriarch's birthday was always a grand affair, but the guests were mostly Guan family members or a select few loyal allies.
Just then, the black Phaeton pulled into the parking lot, its modest presence starkly out of place among the surrounding fleet of multi-million-dollar supercars.
"Brother Chen, seems like the Guan family is celebrating something?" Ma Chao glanced at the elegantly dressed guests streaming through the gates, then looked at Yang Chen.
A faint smile played on Yang Chen's lips. "Perfect timing. Saves me the trouble of hunting them down one by one."
"Yang Chen?"
Just as Yang Chen was about to enter the estate, a voice laced with surprise called out from behind.
A young man in a burgundy suit approached, his eyes widening in recognition.
"This is Patriarch Guan's birthday banquet. Only Guan family members or close allies like my Wang family are invited," the man said, his tone dripping with disdain. "The Qin family is a bottom-tier minor clan, and you're just their live-in son-in-law. What right do you have to be here?"
The mention of the Wang family jogged Yang Chen's memory—this was Wang Jian.
On Yang Chen's first day back at the Qin family compound, he had crossed paths with this man. Zhou Yu Cui had been hell-bent on pushing Qin Xi and Wang Jian together, a scheme she still hadn't abandoned.
Yang Chen had never given Wang Jian a second thought, but the man seemed determined to provoke him.
"No invitation, yet you dare crash Patriarch Guan's banquet?" Wang Jian stepped forward, blocking Yang Chen's path with a mocking smirk. "What, couldn't scrounge up a meal at the Qin family, so you came here to freeload?"
"I hate it when people block my way—especially dogs."
Yang Chen's eyes flashed with a cold glint. Under that gaze, Wang Jian felt a chill seep into his bones, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat.
"You—!"
Wang Jian's face twisted with rage. As the eldest son of the Wang family, his status was unquestionably lofty. Yet here he was, publicly insulted by Yang Chen—a man who had also stolen the woman he desired.
In his eyes, Yang Chen was nothing but a lowly ant he could crush at will. But that single glance from Yang Chen had terrified him. The humiliation burned.
"Yang Chen, how dare you act so arrogantly in front of me? One word from me could decide your life or death. Do you believe me or not?"
With other banquet guests lingering at the entrance, Wang Jian felt their mocking eyes on him. His voice rose sharply, laced with threat.
Repeated provocations had finally ignited Yang Chen's anger. His eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of killing intent flickering in their depths.
Misinterpreting Yang Chen's silence as fear, Wang Jian pointed a commanding finger. "You—kneel and apologize now, and I might let you off. Otherwise, you'll learn exactly how dire the consequences of offending me can be!"
Yang Chen's lips curled with amusement. "How dire, exactly?"
Wang Jian puffed up with arrogance. "The Wang family is now closely allied with the Guan family. In all of Jiangzhou, who would dare cross us? I suggest you obey while you still can. Don't let your mouth write checks your body can't cash."
"Oh? The Wang family is that powerful?" Yang Chen's tone was laced with mockery. "But I don't trust your word. What should I do? Should I have the Wang family patriarch come explain it to me himself?"
The moment these words left his mouth, the surroundings fell dead silent.
In Jiangzhou, the Four Great Clans reigned supreme. The Wang family had only recently secured ties with the Guan family, riding high on their newfound prestige. Yet here was this young man, casually demanding an audience with the Wang family patriarch.
Wang Jian's face flushed purple with rage. "You bastard! You're dead!"
With a furious roar, he lunged at Yang Chen.
Yang Chen remained still, hands clasped behind his back, not even flinching.
"This guy's done for. As the Wang family's young master, Wang Jian isn't someone just anyone can provoke."
"Look, he's so scared he can't even move."
"Tch, thought there'd be a good show. Over before it began. How boring."
The onlookers murmured, already picturing Yang Chen getting pummeled.
**"Bang!"**
In the next instant, Ma Chao—who had been standing silently behind Yang Chen—took a single step forward and lashed out with a kick.
Wang Jian, who had been charging like a bull, suddenly flew backward like a deflated soccer ball, landing five or six meters away.
Had Ma Chao not held back, that single kick would have sent a thousand Wang Jians straight to the underworld.
Amid the stunned silence, Yang Chen smiled warmly at the groaning Wang Jian. "During the years I was gone, you must've harassed my wife quite a bit, huh? I'll let you keep your pathetic life—for now. Go tell your father he has thirty minutes to come see me here. Otherwise, I might just pay a visit to the Wang family myself one day."
Without waiting for the crowd to process his words, Yang Chen turned and strode into the Guan family estate.
Behind him, the spectators stood frozen in shock.
"I'll make you wish you were dead!" Wang Jian's face twisted with venom. Only after confirming Yang Chen had entered the Guan estate did he stagger away.
Inside, the Guan residence glittered like a palace. The grand banquet hall, capable of hosting a thousand guests, exuded opulence in every detail. Dozens of tables were already filled.
"Wait—isn't that Yang Chen, the Qin family's useless son-in-law? How did he get in here?"
A shrill voice suddenly rang out. The speaker was a woman in her thirties, her hair styled in voluminous curls, her figure accentuated by a custom-tailored emerald qipao.
"Shut up!" A middle-aged man beside her hissed.
"Husband, what did I say wrong? Why can't I—"
"Wang Luyao, I've warned you before—he's not someone to trifle with. If you cause trouble again, I'll kick you out of the Zhang family tomorrow." The man's voice was icy.
This was none other than Zhang Guang.
Their first encounter had been at a kindergarten, where Yang Chen's combat skills left an impression.
The second time, at the Qin residence, Zhang Guang had been ready to collaborate with the Qin family—until he saw Yang Chen and immediately backed out.
The third clash was at Su's Grand Restaurant, where Wang Luyao had slapped Zhou Yu Cui. Zhang Guang had brought a dozen elite fighters, only for Yang Chen to defeat them all, one step at a time. That was when he realized Yang Chen was anything but ordinary.
Now, crossing paths again, Zhang Guang had no intention of provoking him further.
Aside from Zhang Guang and Wang Luyao, two other familiar faces sat at a nearby table—Qin Family's Old Master and Qin Fei.
The moment Yang Chen entered the hall, Qin Fei's expression darkened. "Grandfather, why is that trash Yang Chen here?"
Old Master Qin had gone to great lengths to secure two invitations, hoping to forge ties with the Guan family. Seeing Yang Chen here filled him with unease.