Chapter 250: A Stunning Performance! Iron Fist Chairman Chen
Chapter 250: A Stunning Performance! Iron Fist Chairman Chen
By 7 PM, the banquet was in full swing.
Chen Ye noticed that the person seated at the main table was not Chairman Chen but an elderly man, his hair completely white, looking to be over eighty years old.
Despite his advanced age, the old man appeared spirited, with a smile of satisfaction on his face.
Soon after, Chairman Chen stood up, holding a cup of tea in both hands, and respectfully offered it to the elder.
"Master, please have some tea!"
Chairman Chen's expression was solemn and sincere.
"I wouldn't be where I am today without your guidance and teachings."
Hearing his father address the elder as "Master," Chen Ye immediately realized who this person was.
The elder took the tea from Chairman Chen's hands but couldn't resist grabbing his disciple's hand, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Good, good! You've achieved the Dan Embryo stage, becoming a 'land immortal.' This is wonderful!"
The term "land immortal" was an old, exaggerated way of describing martial artists who reached the Dan Embryo stage, equating their skills to near-divine levels.
While this term had fallen out of use, the elder's traditional perspective still referred to Dan Embryo practitioners as "land immortals."
"Seeing the accomplishments of you and your senior brother, my lifelong research has not been in vain. It was worth it… truly worth it," the elder said, his voice filled with emotion, before finally drinking the tea.
Chairman Chen's eyes reddened.
Though this elder wasn't a master martial artist himself, he had selflessly taught and nurtured both Chairman Chen and Ba Liming, treating them as his own.
Afterward, someone came forward to wheel the elder out of the hall.
Tonight was Chairman Chen's moment in the spotlight, and the elder, given his age, couldn't stay long in such a lively atmosphere.
Once the elder had left, Chairman Chen raised a glass of wine, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"Thank you all for honoring me with your presence tonight…"
After a round of heartfelt gratitude, Chairman Chen drained his glass in one go.
Most of the guests followed suit, drinking their own glasses.
But some did not.
Among the crowd, Chen Ye's sharp eyes quickly locked onto those who didn't give his father face.
It wasn't hard to guess—these were the troublemakers.
Sure enough, the atmosphere soon shifted as people exchanged knowing glances, anticipating the drama to come.
It didn't take long for the first challenger to step forward.
"Chairman Chen," a burly man said, unable to contain himself.
"I heard you've broken through and reached the Dan Embryo stage. I traveled all the way from Heilong Province just to witness its wonders firsthand. Would you kindly show me a few moves?"
The crowd murmured in surprise.
The burly man wasn't just anyone—he was a well-known branch leader of the Supernatural Association, a fifth-tier powerhouse with a solid reputation.
"Could it be that someone in the association doesn't approve of Ba Liming and Chairman Chen's blatant nepotism?" someone whispered.
"Not necessarily," another speculated.
"Maybe he's just here to put on a show. If no one steps up tonight, it'd be awkward for Chairman Chen to stand idle."
The crowd buzzed with speculation.
Chairman Chen, however, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zhang, I dare not call it guidance. Let's simply have a friendly exchange."
But Zhang, the burly man, drew a long blade.
"Chairman Chen, you know my hero talent is S4. I hope you don't mind if I use my blade."
Chairman Chen's expression remained calm as he raised his right hand and said, "Please."
The onlookers quickly cleared the center of the room, creating space for the duel.
Suddenly, Zhang's aura flared as he roared, "Atomic Slash!"
His entire body became a streak of dazzling blade light, hurtling toward Chairman Chen.
Atomic Slash was one of the signature skills of S4 talent users, known for its devastating power.
Zhang wasn't holding back—he was clearly going all out.
Even the seasoned experts in the room were taken aback.
Behind Chairman Chen, Ba Liming's eyes gleamed, but he trusted his junior brother and didn't interfere.
Chen Ye, blending into the crowd, nearly stepped in.
Atomic Slash was incredibly dangerous.
If Chairman Chen failed to counter it, he could be seriously injured—or worse.
S4 talents were hailed as some of the strongest offensive abilities for a reason.
Their users could often determine the outcome of a battle in a single strike.
If not for Chairman Chen's calm and steady demeanor, Chen Ye might have slapped Zhang into next week.
The less powerful onlookers saw only a blur as Zhang seemed to vanish.
A brilliant blade light illuminated the dojo, momentarily blinding everyone.
When their vision cleared, they saw Zhang and Chairman Chen standing face-to-face, just two meters apart.
Zhang held his blade with both hands, frozen in mid-thrust.
But the blade's tip had been caught in Chairman Chen's bare hand, stopping it completely.
Barehanded blade catch!
And not just any blade—a strike as ferocious as Atomic Slash!
This scene left everyone stunned.
Even more shocking, Chairman Chen's hand was pitch black, gleaming like metal.
"What kind of technique is this?" someone murmured.
"Iron Palm? No… not even the highest level of Iron Palm could achieve this!"
Zhang, meanwhile, gritted his teeth, trying to pull the blade free.
But Chairman Chen's grip was like an unbreakable shackle, unmoving despite Zhang's best efforts.
Then, with a casual motion, Chairman Chen raised his left hand and lightly tapped the blade.
Clang!
The blade vibrated violently, releasing a powerful shockwave that forced Zhang to release it and stagger backward.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Zhang retreated three steps before slamming his foot down to steady himself, shattering the floor tiles beneath him.
His face was one of utter disbelief.
His prized blade had been taken so easily.
Crack!
A crisp sound echoed through the room.
The alloy blade had snapped.
Chairman Chen had broken it with his bare hands.
Before everyone's astonished eyes, he rubbed the broken blade between his palms until it crumpled into a metallic ball.
"Brother Zhang, I'm sorry I accidentally broke your blade," Chairman Chen said, tossing the mangled metal aside.
"But honestly, its quality is terrible. You should get a better one."
This was the definition of a stunning performance!
Chairman Chen's silence before this moment only amplified the impact of his actions.
Zhang, a renowned fifth-tier powerhouse, had been defeated in a single move.
His prized blade, Demon Slayer, which had slain numerous monsters, was reduced to scrap metal.
Not only did this shock Zhang, but it also left everyone else in awe.
This was power.
True, overwhelming power.
Looking at the once-prized blade Demon Slayer now reduced to a ball of scrap metal, Chairman Zhang's face turned alternately pale and livid with heartbreak.
He stood frozen for a long moment before reluctantly cupping his fists in a gesture of defeat.
"Chairman Chen's skills are truly unmatched. I, Zhang, admit my defeat!"
With that, he turned and left the arena without hesitation, not even staying for the banquet.
After all, being defeated in a single move left him no face to stick around for drinks and dinner.
From the perspective of Chen Ye and Zhao Zheng, Chairman Chen had just pulled off the epitome of "cool."
Particularly the moment when he crushed the renowned blade Demon Slayer into a metal ball with his bare hands—absolute perfection.
Zhao Zheng's eyes sparkled with admiration for his master, his face filled with awe.
Chen Ye, too, was elated.
Although he could have done better if he had been the one to step up, as a son, nothing made him happier than seeing his father shine.
What's more, Chairman Chen's barehanded feat had been achieved using Armament Haki—and used exceptionally well at that.
Chen Ye felt a surge of pride knowing he had helped his father achieve this level of mastery.
To the onlookers, Chairman Chen's display was nothing short of terrifying.
The skill he showed—turning his hands pitch black—was unlike anything they had ever seen before.
Following this, no one else dared to challenge Chairman Chen.
Those who had come looking for trouble now sat quietly, unwilling to make a move.
The officials observing the event looked visibly displeased but could do nothing about it.
For the spectators hoping for some entertainment, the evening had been satisfying but not as thrilling as they had anticipated.
Many had expected Chairman Chen to battle multiple challengers in a spectacular display.
Instead, one astonishing move had been enough to silence everyone.
Even so, that single move had been so impressive that even ordinary onlookers couldn't stop praising it.
As for the martial arts masters present, they were left deeply curious about the technique behind Chairman Chen's blackened hands.
Could it be some kind of external hardening skill?
After the banquet, even Ba Liming couldn't resist asking, "Junior Brother, that technique you used earlier—was it some kind of external martial art? I've never seen anything like it."
"Senior Brother, interested in learning?" Chairman Chen replied with a mischievous smile.
"I can teach you!"
This was, of course, with Chen Ye's approval.
In fact, Chen Ye had already told his father that he could pass on the knowledge of Armament Haki to whomever he deemed worthy.
The Next Day
Chen Ye found his father.
"Dad, it's almost New Year's. Aren't you going home?"
Chairman Chen shook his head.
"There's still a lot to do here. Your senior brother wants me to stay in Beijing and take on the role of vice-chairman. It looks like I'll be stationed here permanently in the future."
Previously, Chairman Chen had held a vice-chairman title in the Supernatural Association, but it had been purely ceremonial.
Now, however, he was being appointed as a vice-chairman with real authority.
Chen Ye was surprised.
"So soon? Isn't Senior Brother worried about backlash?"
"Your senior brother is an impatient man," Chairman Chen said with a laugh.
"In his words, promotions are like martial arts—you have to seize the moment and act decisively."
Chen Ye rolled his eyes.
Having worked in corporate environments before, he knew that promotions—even in private companies—were rarely so straightforward, let alone in an official organization.
But then again, Ba Liming had the strength to back up his decisions.
With his power likely on par with Captain Qin Muyin's, even the higher-ups had to consider his opinions carefully.
"Just don't overwork yourself, Dad. Stay healthy," Chen Ye said, sensing his father's renewed ambition.
If Chairman Chen wanted to continue pushing forward, Chen Ye, as his son, would fully support him.
"But Mom will be alone at home for the New Year. I think I'll go back and keep her company," Chen Ye added.
Hearing this, Chairman Chen nodded.
"Good idea. Your mom does get lonely. Once things settle down here, I'll bring her to Beijing."
After a pause, Chairman Chen added, "Once you've spent New Year's with your mom, don't rush back to school. Come to Beijing at the end of the month."
"Why? Is something up?"
"Yes. I need your help with the 30th secret realm."
Chen Ye's eyes widened in surprise.
"Dad, you're already up to the 30th secret realm?"
"Why? You don't believe me?"
Chen Ye had his doubts.
From what he knew, reaching the 28th or 29th secret realm usually required at least a sixth-tier strength level.
Chairman Chen had only recently achieved his martial arts breakthrough, so it seemed improbable.
Seeing his son's skepticism, Chairman Chen looked slightly awkward but explained, "Your senior brother helped me advance."
"His original partner had an accident in the 20th secret realm and didn't make it back. Your senior brother didn't trust anyone else, so he waited two years for me to join him as his new partner."
"However, my earlier foundations were too weak. Even with your senior brother's help, I only managed to pass the 29th secret realm with a total attribute score of about 2,800. That's far behind your senior brother and Captain Qin, both of whom have scores over 5,000."
"Your senior brother is currently at 4,900 total attributes, and Captain Qin's mental attributes alone likely exceed 5,000."
With a sigh, Chairman Chen added, "Sometimes I envy you youngsters. If only I were born twenty years later, I could team up with you."
Chen Ye smirked.
"If you were born twenty years later, I wouldn't even exist."
Chairman Chen froze for a moment before chuckling.
"Fair point."
"Anyway, my martial arts level has improved, but my attributes are lacking. That's why I plan to challenge the 30th secret realm next month—with your help."
Chairman Chen added, "You've helped Captain Qin before. Surely you wouldn't refuse your own father, would you?"
"Dad, how could I say no to you?" Chen Ye quickly replied.
"But the 30th secret realm is no joke. Are you sure about this?"
"I wouldn't even consider it without you," Chairman Chen said.
"With you by my side, I'm confident."
"Alright, I'll come at the end of the month," Chen Ye agreed.
As for his 8th secret realm run with Tang Zichen, that would have to wait.
After all, Tang Zichen had already waited two or three times for him.
Another delay wouldn't matter.
Or would it?
Wasn't the next secret realm event in May the National Secret Realm?
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