Backstab

"Damn it!" Scarred Leopard had lived every day with a blade at his throat. Since when had some brat been allowed to look down on him?!

One at a time? He wasn't stupid!

"Sato! Cover me from the rear!"

"Got it, Big Brother!"

Having received his reply, Scarred Leopard immediately activated his Martial Soul and charged at Ye Qiu!

Leopard markings slowly spread across his body, while four Spirit Rings—white, yellow, yellow, and purple—pulsed beneath him.

Ye Qiu's expression turned solemn. This guy would not be easy to handle. He needed to play a few tricks. The Kamui in his left eye activated silently.

An invisible attack? Scarred Leopard felt a sharp pain at his neck. He immediately activated his Second Spirit Ability, Dash, evading it before charging at Ye Qiu again.

The vines controlled by Sato also stabbed toward Ye Qiu from every direction.

"Don't resist!" Ye Qiu said to Zhu Zhuqing when his first strike missed.

"Mm."

A vortex appeared, and Zhu Zhuqing vanished before everyone's eyes!

She disappeared! Scarred Leopard's pupils contracted slightly. What was going on?

"To hell with it! Fourth Spirit Ability, Soul Hooking Ghost Claw! Die!" At a time like this, it was kill or be killed! There was no turning back after drawing the bow—just attack!

"Third Spirit Ability, Death Coil!" Sato also activated his Soul Skill, trying to restrain Ye Qiu's movements.

However,

When the attacks landed on Ye Qiu, cold sweat ran down Scarred Leopard's forehead, his eyes filled with shock!

Pop!

The vines and claws passed through Ye Qiu's body as though through rotting cotton, meeting no resistance at all.

Bang! Scarred Leopard's claws tore through Sato's vines.

Watching helplessly as Ye Qiu passed through him and vanished before his eyes, Scarred Leopard was startled. Why did this scene feel so familiar?

"Sato! Watch out!" He turned toward Ye Qiu's back and shouted, hastily stopping his forward momentum before running toward Sato.

"Brat, come on!" Sato controlled his vines, constantly trying to obstruct Ye Qiu. Unfortunately, before Kamui, every attack simply passed through him and missed!

Whoosh! An arrow tore through the air, shooting toward Sato's throat.

Clang! Scarred Leopard finally caught up and knocked the arrow aside with a swipe of his claw.

Ye Qiu glanced at Sato, a smile curling at his lips as he promptly retreated.

"Kid, how about we leave it at this?" Scarred Leopard's expression was ugly as he tried to make peace.

"No." Ye Qiu shook his head. Letting them go would only bring him trouble. Dead men were more reliable.

"Are you really determined to fight to the death?"

"Fight to the death? Are you worthy?" Ye Qiu looked at the two of them mockingly, a cruel smile rising on his lips. "Your Soul Power is nearly exhausted, isn't it?"

The Soul Power within their bodies had nowhere to hide before the Sharingan.

"Brat, two against one—we may not have no chance!" Scarred Leopard looked grim, but secretly began recovering his Soul Power. Making peace was bullshit! Stalling for time was what he really wanted.

"Two against one? Tsk, tsk, tsk." Ye Qiu shook his head with a laugh. "You're the one facing two against one!"

"What do you mea—"

"Pfft!"

Before Scarred Leopard could finish, he felt a pain in his chest. He looked down at his front in shock, only to see a hard vine piercing straight through his chest.

"There, that's what I mean!" Ye Qiu pointed at his chest.

"Sato... you!" He turned back unwillingly. He could not understand why his own brother had stabbed him in the back!

Pfft! "Urgh..." The vine suddenly pulled free, spraying a great deal of blood. In the end, Scarred Leopard died with confusion still on his face.

Sato stood there like a puppet, completely motionless.

"Controlling a Soul Ancestor won't work, but a Soul Elder will do." Ye Qiu rubbed his slightly swollen, aching eyes.

"Finish yourself off!"

As soon as he spoke, Sato did not move, his face filled with struggle.

Had he sensed the danger? Ye Qiu frowned. It seemed he had not fallen very deeply into the illusion.

In that case, Ye Qiu could only send Sato on his way himself.

Pfft! The Sleeve Arrow pierced through his throat. Just as he was about to die, Sato regained consciousness at last. He looked blankly at the scene before him. Since when had Big Brother... Why was he so tired?

Bang! He fell to the ground, blooming into a bewitching flower of blood.

"Whew!" Looking at the bloodstained surroundings, Ye Qiu felt somewhat dizzy as well. After the battle, the pungent smell of blood truly made him uncomfortable.

He retrieved the Great Horned Bull Spirit Beast, which had originally been meant for lunch but had unexpectedly become a meat shield. A vortex appeared, and Ye Qiu vanished from the spot as well.

Within the Divine Might Space, Zhu Zhuqing lay motionless on the cold ground. She did not know where this was, and the empty, deserted space frightened her.

Fortunately, a beautiful Blue Silver Grass was beside her.

"I wonder how he's doing," Zhu Zhuqing murmured softly.

"It's already been dealt with!" Ye Qiu suddenly appeared beside her, looking down at her from above.

"Ah!" His sudden appearance startled her. "A-Are you okay?"

"Do I look like I'm not okay?"

"Your face is covered in blood. I-I can't tell." She awkwardly looked away.

"Mm, your face is covered in blood too, and you even have a palm print on it. Looks like I'll have to apply medicine for you again."

Faced with Ye Qiu's teasing, she glanced at him but said nothing more, blushing as she turned her head aside.

Ye Qiu crouched down and picked her up.

"Thank you. Thank you for saving me again!" Her voice was quiet, but very gentle.

"Mm, don't mention it. I was quite moved that you were willing to trade your purity for my life!"

"Was... was that all?" Zhu Zhuqing looked up at him, not understanding why she was somewhat dissatisfied with that answer.

"What else? Because you're pretty?" Ye Qiu raised his brows. Though that was indeed part of it, it was not the main reason, okay?

Their gazes met, and Zhu Zhuqing immediately looked away. Only then did she notice the square stone platforms all around them, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"What is this place?" Driven by curiosity, she still asked.

"Don't ask what you shouldn't!" Ye Qiu's voice turned somewhat cold. There was a reason he had not put her into the Divine Might Space earlier. What if she stabbed Ye Qiu in the back here like Kakashi? He could not afford to gamble on it.

"I'm sorry!"

"It's fine!"

A vortex appeared, and Ye Qiu brought her onto another stone platform. This was the living area. After placing her on the bed, Ye Qiu went to the large water vat nearby and drew some water to wash his face.

Only then did Zhu Zhuqing realize that he did not have a Soul Tool on him. Those things had all been taken from here. She looked curiously at Ye Qiu's back.

After cleaning himself up, Ye Qiu sat by the bed again with a wet towel in hand, helping her wipe her little face.

"Miss Zhu Yeqing, won't you introduce yourself properly again?"

Watching Ye Qiu lower his head and carefully wipe away the blood from her face, Zhu Zhuqing somehow felt a hint of warmth. She stared at him without moving.

"M-My name is Zhu Zhuqing, from the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire. My Martial Soul is the Hell Spirit Cat. I'm a level 20, one-ring Spirit Master! Sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you."

"I understand! You were being hunted, after all~"

"Hiss~" The towel touched the split corner of her mouth. Grimacing, she asked Ye Qiu, "What level are you, exactly? You actually defeated a Soul Ancestor, and even several Soul Elders!"

"Same as you. A level 20, one-ring Spirit Master."

"How is that possible?!"

"That's the truth!"

Amid a back-and-forth exchange of questions and answers, Ye Qiu gave her another full-body massage.

Ye Qiu's gaze swept over her chest. No wonder he had not recognized her. "We're clearly about the same age, yet you developed so quickly."

"Ye Qiu, shut up!" Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth, her face flushed red. She was completely naked right now! "Don't look..."

"Pant, pant." Zhu Zhuqing breathed heavily, feeling as though she had become strange. Why was she reacting so much more intensely than before?

The anger and humiliation from earlier seemed to have faded considerably. Her watery eyes quietly watched Ye Qiu wipe her legs.

"Mm..." She bit down hard, unwilling to make a sound. Her body was flushed an unnatural red, as if she had been scalded.

This time, Ye Qiu had experience. He dressed her with smooth, practiced movements, needing no guidance at all!