Afraid of you?

His cold words echoed through the air, too indistinct for the crowd of onlookers to make out.

But what they could see was Ye Wushuang’s aura, as sharp as a blade. A dragon-shaped Qi Sword throbbed violently at his fingertip. He shot forward in an instant, his speed like a bolt of lightning, and charged at Ye Feng.

At the same time, a grim killing intent began to rise, and the surrounding temperature plummeted.

Life-Taking Sword!

In an instant, a chilling Sword Aura streaked across the sky like lightning.

It was as ephemeral as it was brilliant, vanishing in a flash. The onlookers were left stunned, their vision filled with nothing but a lingering streak of light.

SQUELCH!

Immediately after, the only sound that reached the crowd’s ears was the sickening thud of a blade slicing through flesh. A blood-soaked arm flew high into the firmament, and a shower of crimson rained down.

Aaaargh!

A blood-curdling scream immediately followed. The piercing cry, like the wail of a ghost from the netherworld, made everyone’s blood run cold and their hair stand on end, snapping them out of their daze.

"I’m crippled! I’m crippled!"

The crowd finally snapped out of their stupor to see Ye Feng writhing on the ground. He was curled up like a shrimp, clutching the bloody stump where his arm used to be as he thrashed about.

Bright red blood gushed from the wound, staining the ground wherever he rolled.

Everyone’s expressions were frozen in shock, their jaws hanging open wide enough to fit a fist. Even Ye Wei, who had been charging forward to attack with his Ancient Sword, was momentarily stunned.

"Idiot!"

In that fleeting moment of distraction, Ye Wushuang locked his gaze onto Ye Wei. One cold, contemptuous word escaped his lips as he lunged forward. His hand shot out, fingers bent into a claw, snatching at the Ancient Sword in Ye Wei’s grasp with lightning speed.

He was so fast that Ye Wei couldn’t react in time; he could only raise his sword on instinct.

CLANG!

A sharp clang of metal on metal rang out as Ye Wushuang’s fingers seized the blade of the Ancient Sword.

Ye Wei snapped out of his stupor. When he saw Ye Wushuang gripping the flat of the blade, his heart lurched and his pupils contracted in horror.

But seeing that Ye Wushuang had willingly put himself in harm’s way, he reacted instantly, his expression twisting into a vicious snarl.

"Since you’re looking for death, I’ll grant your wish!"

Before the sinister words had even faded, Ye Wei channeled all of his True Qi into the Ancient Sword. Gripping the hilt with both hands, he thrust it forward, intending to first cripple Ye Wushuang’s hands and then destroy his Dantian.

"It’s a fine sword. Too bad it’s wasted on a piece of trash like you. It doesn’t suit you. I’ll be taking it."

But at that exact moment, Ye Wushuang’s cold voice rang in Ye Wei’s ears. Ye Wushuang’s fingers clamped down hard on the blade, and a vast wave of Dragon Spirit True Qi surged into the sword.

HUMMMM!

The Inscriptions on the Ancient Sword’s blade flared with a brilliant light. The sword hummed loudly, completely breaking free from Ye Wei’s control.

Get lost!

With a cold bark, Ye Wushuang’s free hand shot up and slapped Ye Wei across the face. SLAP! Ye Wei’s body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

WHOOSH!

Ye Wushuang didn’t pause for a second. He closed the distance in a few long strides, each one covering several meters. Before Ye Wei’s body even hit the ground, Ye Wushuang’s right leg swung high—like an Unparalleled Divine Saber—and came crashing down hard on Ye Wei’s torso.

THUD!

Ye Wei screamed internally as his body crashed into the ground like a falling star, making the very earth tremble.

The entire sequence of moves happened in the blink of an eye. It was so fluid, executed in one single, breathtaking motion. Before the crowd could even process what was happening, it was already over.

*Cough, cough!*

Streams of blood poured from Ye Wei’s mouth. His faint coughing was what finally pulled the crowd back to reality.

"Two Qi Vortex Realm cultivators... both defeated!"

Gazing at Ye Feng with his severed arm and Ye Wei pinned under Ye Wushuang’s foot, the crowd stared blankly. They clearly hadn’t processed what had just happened. It was supposed to be a deadly pincer attack by two Qi Vortex Realm experts. They all thought Ye Wushuang was done for, yet he had shattered their assault with such clean, decisive force.

Several people rubbed their eyes, wanting to deny what they were seeing. But the reality remained unchanged: both men had been defeated by Ye Wushuang, who was only at the Body Tempering Tenth Layer.

At that moment, even the eyes of the young man cradling a sword lit up. A surging Battle Intent began to stir within his sharp gaze.

This Battle Intent was directed at Ye Wushuang!

"If you have the guts to make a bet, you should have the guts to face the consequences!" Ye Wushuang pointed the Ancient Sword at Ye Wei on the ground and said coldly, "Now, it’s time to pay up!"

"Ye Wushuang, don’t go too far!" Ye Wei roared from the ground, gritting his teeth.

"Me? Going too far?" Ye Wushuang sneered. "You were the one who proposed this bet. You did it to humiliate and kill me. You really have the nerve to call *me* unreasonable?"

"I return kindness for kindness. But if someone tries to harm me, I won’t let them go. You picked this fight, so you’ll pay the price. Hand over your Cultivation Resources."

"Dream on, Ye Wushuang! If you’ve got the guts, then kill me!" Ye Wei roared, his eyes filled with venom. He glared at Ye Wushuang as if he wanted to tear him limb from limb.

"You think I don’t dare?" Ye Wushuang’s eyes narrowed, his killing intent flaring. The Ancient Sword in his hand quivered, its tip pointed at Ye Wei’s head, glinting with a cold light.

"Enough!"

Suddenly, a cold shout came from Ye Cheng, who had been silent until now. He flashed forward, helping Ye Feng to his feet and quickly sealing the wound on his severed arm to stop the bleeding.

"Brother, Ye Wushuang crippled me! You have to kill him! Avenge me!" Ye Feng roared, his face contorted with rage. He glared at Ye Wushuang, his eyes filled with bottomless hatred.

"Shut up!" Ye Cheng snapped, then turned to face Ye Wushuang.

"Let him go." Ye Cheng glanced at Ye Wei, who was pinned under Ye Wushuang’s foot. His eyes flashed with a cold light as he spoke in a tone that was clearly an order.

"And if I don’t?" Ye Wushuang’s gaze darkened. ’Before, when these two were trying to kill me, Ye Cheng just stood there and watched. He, their older brother, did nothing. Now that I’ve beaten them, he wants me to let them go? Not a chance.’

"If you don’t, then I’ll make you." Ye Cheng’s gaze turned icy, and his knuckles cracked loudly.

"You can try," Ye Wushuang shot back, his own gaze turning sharp as a knife.

"So arrogant!"

The crowd’s eyes widened in disbelief. They couldn’t believe that after crippling both Ye Feng and Ye Wei, Ye Wushuang would dare to provoke Ye Cheng.

Ye Cheng was at the Qi Vortex Eighth Layer and had awakened eight Qi Vortexes. He was ranked eighth among the geniuses of Broken Sword Peak. His Combat Power was immense, enough to rival even the older generation experts at the Qi Vortex Ninth Layer.

For Ye Wushuang to challenge Ye Cheng... the difference in their Realms alone was enough for Ye Cheng to crush him completely.

"You want to test me? Fine, I’ll oblige you." Upon hearing Ye Wushuang’s challenge, killing intent surged within Ye Cheng. He had already wanted to kill Ye Wushuang for crippling his brother, Ye Feng.

’Now that Ye Wushuang has provoked me, this is the perfect opportunity to strike. I can’t kill him within the Sect, but crippling him will be child’s play.’

BOOM!

With this thought, Ye Cheng stepped forward. A fierce wind whipped around him, and his turbulent aura was so powerful that some of the disciples’ faces paled.

"So strong! As expected of a genius!"

The disciples were completely stunned, awestruck by the power Ye Cheng was displaying. Ye Wushuang was simply asking for death!

This time, no one could save him!

Ye Wushuang’s expression turned grave. He knew that Ye Cheng and the others had never truly considered him a member of the Ye Family. If they fought, they would show no mercy.

With this in mind, Ye Wushuang’s Divine Sense locked onto the Dragon Blood Killing Sword.

However, a figure suddenly stepped in front of Ye Wushuang and scoffed, "A great genius at the Qi Vortex Eighth Layer, picking on someone in the Body Tempering Realm? Aren’t you afraid of becoming a joke?"