The instant the hidden weapon struck him, his divine sense had already locked onto the assailant; escape was utterly impossible.
Chasing for a full quarter of an hour, Ye Jingyu had long left the bustling streets, arriving in a deserted alley, where the man ahead had finally halted...
"Brother, impressive skills..." The man was clad in black, his hair a disheveled mess obscuring much of his face, making his features unclear. However, his build was remarkably sturdy, not quite resembling a man from the South...
"Likewise..." Ye Jingyu said coldly, his killing intent blazing unmistakably in his eyes. This person daring to harm Luo Ling'er ignited a rage in him greater than if he were attacked directly...
"We are both wanderers of the Jianghu, living freely as we please. Why must you serve the Imperial Court, brother?" the man spoke calmly, seemingly showing no immediate intention to fight...
"I am no wanderer of the Jianghu, nor do I care about your grievances with the martial world. I only know that you nearly harmed the person I cherish most..." Ye Jingyu stated coldly...
"Oh? Princess Yongle is the one you cherish most? Then perhaps you are the Grand General who Guards the Nation, Xiao Geng?" Hearing Ye Jingyu's declaration, the man frowned deeply...
Xiao Geng? Does that brat also cherish Ling'er the most? It seems I must be wary of this fellow from now on...
"You actually know Princess Yongle. It seems you truly are a remnant of the Tang Sect..." Ye Jingyu did not answer the man's question, instead stating calmly...
"Indeed, I am Tang Yang of the Tang Sect. That dog thief Luo Xiaofeng slaughtered thousands of my sect members. Since I cannot kill him, I will kill everyone close to him to avenge the thousands of people of the Tang Sect..." The man made no attempt to conceal his identity or purpose...
"Luo Xiaofeng is the one who destroyed your Tang Sect! If you have the guts, go bother Luo Xiaofeng! Why go after his daughter? You call yourselves heroes of the martial world, but I see you are nothing but a pack of degenerates..." Hearing that the man extended his vengeance to Luo Ling'er, Ye Jingyu erupted in curses...
"Heh heh, I have no time for your nonsense. General Xiao Geng, having been struck by my Tang Sect's One-Quarter Toxin, do you truly believe you can still kill me?" At this point, a triumphant smile spread across Tang Yang's face...
The Tang Sect's One-Quarter Toxin: legend holds that once struck, one will bleed from all seven orifices and die within a quarter of an hour. Even an immortal cannot save them—it is absolutely the most potent poison...
It was then Ye Jingyu realized this man's babbling was merely a tactic to stall for time. Clearly, the quarter-hour mark had arrived. However, having distinctly felt the invading toxin being devoured by his Overlord Power, Ye Jingyu cared not...
"Tang Sect's One-Quarter Toxin? Heh heh, do you see any signs of poisoning on me?" Ye Jingyu sneered, his figure already streaking forward...
Seeing Ye Jingyu surge towards him, Tang Yang was inwardly astonished. Logically, the time limit had passed; Ye Jingyu should not be completely unharmed, yet he still possessed such formidable combat strength?
Could his cultivation have already reached the peak of the Grandmaster realm?
But even a peak Grandmaster would have to expend immense True Essence to force out the poison—how could he be completely unaffected like this?
Amidst his shock, Tang Yang's figure rapidly retreated. The Tang Sect specialized in hidden weapons; their close-quarters combat ability was inherently weak...
Seeing several projectiles hurtling towards him, Ye Jingyu, unwilling to be riddled like a hornet's nest, quickly dodged sideways, simultaneously drawing the Broken Saber from his back and instantly unleashing the first move of the Startling Thunder Saber Art: Startling Thunder Cleaving Slash...
A streak of saber energy tore through the air, aimed directly at the man's face...
Upon witnessing the saber energy Ye Jingyu unleashed, a look of surprise, then sudden joy, flashed in Tang Yang's eyes...
"So he's only a Martial Master, not even in the Xiantian realm, yet he dares to chase and kill me? Truly courting death..." Tang Yang recognized Ye Jingyu's True Qi as Post-Heaven True Qi. Knowing he was just a Martial Master and not the Xiao Geng he had imagined, his heart settled completely...
His form flickered, deftly avoiding the sharp saber energy. A curved saber materialized instantly in his hand, slashing towards Ye Jingyu with lightning speed...
This strike was incredibly fast and its angle cunningly tricky. While it lacked the profound mastery of the Startling Thunder Saber Art, the robust Xiantian True Qi fully compensated for that deficiency. Against an ordinary Martial Master, facing this terrifying move meant certain death without any chance to resist. But Ye Jingyu was hardly an ordinary Martial Master...
Putting aside the fact that his Soul Force had reached the Soul Condensation realm—enough to directly contend with a Grandmaster—his sheer physical strength rivaled that of a Fourth-Level Warrior, fully capable of resisting the onslaught of a Xiantian expert...
Combined with the superb technique of the Startling Thunder Saber Art, his actual combat power undoubtedly surpassed that of a Xiantian master...
Blade of Destruction Breaking Through the Void...
This very same technique, capable of evading even the Lone Family's Myriad Swords Without Trace, caused his figure to vanish instantaneously. When he reappeared, he was already behind the man, his iron saber slamming down towards the man's heart...
"A formidable saber technique, it’s a pity your underlying strength is too weak..." Tang Yang had not anticipated Ye Jingyu could evade his strike and materialize behind him. He exclaimed in surprise, even as his body rapidly shifted to dodge Ye Jingyu’s blow. Then, the Xiantian True Qi within him surged wildly, manifesting in another saber strike aimed at Ye Jingyu...
Seeing Tang Yang's roaring blade approaching, Ye Jingyu let out a fierce shout and directly met it with his drawn saber...
"Clang..." With a deafening sound, the two blades collided. Tang Yang immediately felt a tremendous force transmitting through his weapon; the pressure on his tiger's mouth sent a dull ache through it, and his curved saber rang out sharply, its blade instantly showing several cracks...
It was shattered directly by the sheer force of impact...
Horror filled Tang Yang’s eyes... Just how much power was required for this?
However, the Xiantian True Qi within him poured wildly into Ye Jingyu's body. Ye Jingyu felt the muscle in his arm being nearly torn apart, but thankfully, the Overlord Power within him rushed forward in time, resisting the invasion of that Xiantian True Qi...
"Even if your arm strength is astonishing, can you possibly withstand my Xiantian True Qi? Mountain Splitting Collapse..." After a moment of shock, a mocking smile crossed Tang Yang's face. His Xiantian True Qi had already breached Ye Jingyu's defenses; how could a mere Martial Master resist it? He raised a palm and struck towards Ye Jingyu's chest...
The vast Xiantian True Qi erupted once more, seemingly capable of crushing mountains into dust...
Facing such immense pressure, a cold smirk touched the corner of Ye Jingyu’s lips: "I’m afraid I will disappoint you... Fist of Shattering Demise..." As his words fell, Ye Jingyu’s fist swung out heavily, arriving at Tang Yang’s chest simultaneously...