Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Drawing the Sword and Shedding Blood

Then, to the Guardian Elder’s shock, Ye Wushuang walked out of the Library Pavilion. He gazed at the vast, cloudy sky, a brilliant light shining in his deep eyes.

’My strength has increased a bit, but it’s still not enough. The year-end clan assembly is approaching, and those geniuses in the clan have probably left me far behind. I have to speed up my cultivation!’

’Next, it’s time to prepare for my breakthrough to the Qi Vortex Realm!’

’Once I have a Qi Vortex, I can get stronger much faster, and in the next few months, I’ll be able to close the gap between me and those geniuses.’

With a cultivation plan and clear direction now in mind, Ye Wushuang turned and left.

"That guy looks unfamiliar. Who is he?" Not far from the Library Pavilion, a glamorous woman pointed at Ye Wushuang as he walked by, turning to ask the crowd beside her.

This woman’s cultivation was at the Qi Vortex Second Layer. She had a mature, glamorous look and wore a magenta leather outfit that perfectly accentuated her proud peaks and fiery figure. Coupled with the ample cleavage she had on display, the sight made the surrounding pack of wolves’ eyes glow with greed, causing them to completely forget to answer her question.

After a moment, a youth with shifty, rat-like eyes reluctantly tore his gaze away from the woman. He bowed and said fawningly, "Miss Yuan Mei, I’ve seen that kid before. He’s that ruthless person who’s been making waves recently—Ye Wushuang!"

"Ye Wushuang!" Yuan Mei’s brow furrowed as she seemed to recall something. A fervent glint flashed in her eyes as she asked, "Is he the Ye Wushuang who has the Beauty Pills?"

"Miss Yuan Mei guessed correctly! The Beauty Pills are on that kid!" the youth confirmed, emphasizing the two words, "Beauty Pill."

"If they’re on him, then they’ll be mine soon enough!" Yuan Mei smirked coldly, her beautiful eyes flashing with greed and fervor. Surrounded by the group of young men, she strode forward and blocked Ye Wushuang’s path.

"Is there a problem?"

Ye Wushuang asked, his brow furrowing slightly.

"How dare you!" the weasel-faced youth immediately snapped, glaring at Ye Wushuang. "Ye Wushuang, you see Miss Yuan Mei before you and you don’t even greet her?"

"Yuan Mei?"

Ye Wushuang glanced at the woman before him and said coolly, "Never heard of her."

"Never heard of her?" The crowd was stunned for a moment, then burst into uproarious laughter. They sneered, "This kid actually doesn’t recognize Miss Yuan Mei! What a clueless bumpkin. How does someone like him even survive in the Inner Sect?"

"Listen up, kid. Miss Yuan Mei is not only the sister of Yuan Chong, who ranks fourth on the Broken Sword Peak’s genius list, but also the woman of Lee Tongtian, who ranks second. Surely now you understand her distinguished status?"

The crowd looked at Ye Wushuang with contempt, making the introduction with immense pride, as if that "distinguished" status was their own.

"Crystal clear!" A faint smile touched Ye Wushuang’s lips. Then he added, "But what does any of that have to do with me?!" With that, he took a step to leave.

"Trying to leave!?" Those "Flower Protectors" glared, stepping forward menacingly to block Ye Wushuang’s path.

"Move."

Ye Wushuang’s smile vanished, and a sudden chill radiated from his eyes.

"Leave the Beauty Pills you’re carrying, and then you can scram!" Yuan Mei, at the front of the group, suddenly spoke. Her words were forceful and domineering. Her commanding tone and condescending attitude utterly repulsed Ye Wushuang.

"You want my Beauty Pills?" Ye Wushuang finally understood their purpose. This woman, Yuan Mei, wanted his Beauty Pills.

"Yes!"

Yuan Mei said impatiently, "Give them to me, and you can scram."

Ye Wushuang narrowed his eyes. "And what if I refuse?"

"There is nothing I, Yuan Mei, want that I cannot obtain. If you refuse, then don’t even think about leaving here today." Yuan Mei’s voice was grim, tinged with killing intent. Instantly, the surrounding "Flower Protectors" understood her meaning. They all stepped forward in unison, their chaotic auras pressing down on Ye Wushuang like a tidal wave.

Ye Wushuang’s robes fluttered in the face of their pressure. The coldness in his eyes intensified as he stared grimly at Yuan Mei. "Is this what you’re relying on? You think a few pieces of trash like these are enough to stand in my way?"

"You dare call us trash? Ye Wushuang, you’re far too arrogant! We’ll teach you a lesson today!" Enraged by Ye Wushuang’s brazen words, the weasel-faced youth strode forward, his face contorted with fury.

"Scram!"

Seeing this, Ye Wushuang’s patience finally snapped. His body moved like a flash of light. A sharp SLAP echoed as his hand connected with the youth’s face, sending flesh and blood flying.

With a pained howl, his body flew sideways and crashed headfirst into the ground, knocking him unconscious. Blood continued to ooze from his mangled face.

Many in the crowd subconsciously touched their own faces, a cold chill running down their spines.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

In that instant, the pupils of the "Flower Protectors" who had been rushing forward contracted. They scrambled back several steps in terror, putting distance between themselves and Ye Wushuang.

"Hmph! You don’t even have the courage to face me, yet you threatened to teach me a lesson. Pathetic!" Ye Wushuang sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm. The group flushed red with shame but could offer no rebuttal. They had indeed retreated at the first sign of trouble, so how could they dare speak of teaching him anything?

"What are you retreating for? Get back here and seize him for me! No, kill him! I’ll take full responsibility for whatever happens!" Seeing her minions falter, Yuan Mei’s gaze turned icy as she barked her orders. She didn’t even consider capturing Ye Wushuang, jumping straight to a kill order, her heart as venomous as a viper.

"That’s right! Don’t be afraid of him! With so many of us, we can kill him together!" Bolstered by Yuan Mei’s guarantee, the anger of the red-faced "Flower Protectors" flared. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with killing intent, and tacitly began to close in on Ye Wushuang from all directions to land the killing blow.

Most of these men were at the Qi Vortex First and Second Layers, with a few who hadn’t even reached the Qi Vortex Realm yet. However, they had the advantage in numbers. In their minds, they could crush Ye Wushuang simply by overwhelming him with wave after wave of attacks.

"Trying to bully me with your numbers, are you?"

As he watched the crowd charge him from all sides, Ye Wushuang sneered. With a CLANG, he drew his sword. A silver-white Ancient Sword flashed into view, its cold glint radiating outward.

This Ancient Sword was the very same Third-Grade Spiritual Artifact he had taken from Ye Wei!

SWOOSH!

Executing Floating Light and Shadow, Ye Wushuang’s speed became like a flash of light as he charged into the crowd. He then raised his Ancient Sword, and a mysterious, dazzling light flashed from it, momentarily blinding everyone!

PCHT!

"Aaargh!"

A ghostly shadow weaved through the battlefield, leaving a trail of overlapping afterimages. It was followed by the sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh, mixed with endless, wretched screams. In the blink of an eye, severed, blood-soaked arms were sent flying through the air. The men who had charged forward were cut down before they could even react, left to writhe on the ground, clutching their mangled limbs and screaming as their blood flowed freely.

’So fast!’

Yuan Mei’s pupils shrank, and a look of shock appeared on her face. More than ten Qi Vortex Realm experts were ganging up on a single Body Tempering Realm cultivator, yet in the blink of an eye, they were the ones who ended up with their arms chopped off!

"Ye Wushuang!"

Suddenly, as if recalling something, Yuan Mei’s expression changed. She turned to face Ye Wushuang, only to find him pointing a blood-drenched Ancient Sword right at her.

"Now it’s your turn." A cold light flashed in Ye Wushuang’s eyes as he walked grimly toward Yuan Mei. His Ancient Sword radiated a bone-chilling killing intent that sent a shiver through her heart.

"You want to kill me?" Yuan Mei snapped back to her senses, her expression turning grim.

"Give me a reason not to," Ye Wushuang said indifferently.

"A reason?" Hearing this, Yuan Mei quickly regained her composure. She spoke with fearless confidence, "If you kill me, the Sect will hold you accountable. My brother, Yuan Chong, won’t let you off the hook. My man, Lee Tongtian, won’t let you off the hook either. Those are your reasons, and you know it!"

"I’m aware," Ye Wushuang said lightly. "But that doesn’t mean a thing." With a sharp CLANG, the blood-soaked Ancient Sword hummed, and a flash of crimson light suddenly bloomed in the air.