The rising sun shone high.
An old man and a young man stood atop the mountain, facing the morning sun, their hearts filled with a thousand emotions.
"Yang'er, this journey is fraught with danger. You may never return. I hope you'll take good care of yourself."
As the Sect Master of the Ye Clan and the father of the young man before him, he was filled with mixed emotions.
One had to understand that because of an upheaval years ago, he had fallen from the lofty position of Young Sect Master to a good-for-nothing who was about to be impeached.
There was only one month. If he could not win the Sect Tournament and convince everyone to shut their mouths obediently, then everything would have nothing to do with him.
Just a short while ago, he had personally gone to the City Lord's residence, hoping that, for the sake of their many years of friendship through life and death, the other party would cancel this preposterous wager.
Years of affection, coupled with the fact that their families had been lifelong friends, had been severed over such a tiny disturbance. The incident had made him see reality clearly.
"Father, just say what you want to say. There's no one else here, so you don't need to hold back, much less worry."
Ye Yang knew that he had already been targeted. It could be said that there was only one chance in nine of surviving, and whether he could return alive was still a question.
A true man could be killed but not humiliated. As the saying went, a man lived for a breath, while a tree lived for its bark. He would rise where he had fallen, and Qin Hao, the Number One Heaven's Chosen of White Cloud City of Central Province, would be his stepping stone.
"It's nothing. You've grown up now and have your own judgment and ideas, which is only natural. Your father has nothing more to say. Take good care of yourself. Oh, right—take this."
With that, he took out a Brocade Pouch and a box right in front of him!
"Yang'er, open it and have a look!" Ye Wudi watched this scene and let out a long breath, as if he had completed some sort of handover.
A man lived for a breath, and a tree lived for its bark. Those words were not merely for show; one had to prove oneself through one's own strength. This treasured sword was the best proof.
Back then, the ancestors of the Ye Clan had relied on this sword to roam the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, forging a resounding reputation and founding the Ye Clan Sword Sect, achieving glory supreme.
Passed down from generation to generation, it had stood tall for tens of thousands of years without falling. That alone was enough to prove its extraordinary nature.
"Father, why did you give me such a fine treasure?"
"Are you satisfied? I think this Sword of Ultimate Path suits you perfectly!"
Only when Ye Yang opened it for a look did he discover that it was a family-inherited treasured sword named the Sword of Ultimate Path. It represented the peak of martial arts, and with the sword path, one could travel the world unhindered!
"Clang!"
When Ye Yang took the Sword of Ultimate Path into his hand, it let out a clear ring. A stream of Sword Qi shot into the sky, stirring the wind and clouds and making it impossible to look directly at.
"My son is mighty. As expected, your skill is extraordinary."
When Ye Wudi saw this, a satisfied smile appeared on his face. One had to reach the realm of unity between man and sword to unleash the sword's true power.
Ye Yang had merely gripped the sword, yet it had already produced a sword cry. That was enough to prove that he was more suited than Ye Wudi to be its master.
"How is it? Have you thought it through now? This isn't a joke. One wrong step means every step is wrong. By then, regretting it will be troublesome."
Just then, an icy voice suddenly rang out behind the father and son!
"Yang'er, be careful!" Along with the words, an invisible pressure swept over them, making the surrounding air seem to solidify.
"Who is it? What kind of tricks are you playing here? If you don't come out now, don't blame me for being discourteous."
Ye Yang gripped the Sword of Ultimate Path and immediately surveyed everything within his line of sight. Where had that voice come from? Who was bold enough to act so recklessly?
"What? Have you eaten your fill and wiped your mouth, only to turn around and refuse to recognize us?"
When he turned around, he saw a middle-aged man in a black robe standing not far away. His face was sinister, cold light flickering in his eyes as he stared at Ye Yang.
"It's him. What does he want? Could he be looking for trouble with us? Did he choose this moment a little too well?"
Ye Wudi frowned at the sight. He had naturally guessed part of the other party's identity, but he had never expected things to turn out this way. The result had still surpassed his imagination.
"Yang'er, go! I'll buy you time. Run as far as you can. If you don't leave now, you may not get another chance. Trust me—I'm not deceiving you." Ye Wudi rarely revealed such a solemn expression.
He knew that the other party was arrogant, but he had never expected him to be so overbearing as to dare strike a killing blow in broad daylight.
"Do you think leaving will be that easy? Our demand is very simple. We're merely here to see you off. Hand over the Sword of Ultimate Path, and we'll spare your lives."
The black robe fluttered gently in the breeze, seeming to merge with the surrounding darkness. The moment he spoke, he radiated supreme majesty, making it impossible for anyone to refuse. He was clearly a true king.
"Big Brother, don't waste words with him. Once we capture the father and son, won't searching them be up to us? Won't frisking them be up to us?"
"That's right. In front of us, they're nothing more than two little fry. They can't stir up any waves. How about letting me deal with them?"
"Wait. There's no need to rush. Today, the lord merely sent us to give them a warning. Don't cause trouble, but don't be afraid of it either."
Several ill-intentioned martial artists stood beside the black-robed man as well. Every one of them wore an unyielding resolve in their eyes.
Their auras interlinked, forming an airtight killing formation with every passing moment.
If Ye Yang and his father refused to cooperate and wanted to leave directly, it would be absolutely impossible without paying the corresponding price.
"Father, they're after me. This has nothing to do with you, so hurry and leave. I'll handle things afterward."
"Yang'er, how can that do? I'm your elder. How could I watch you suffer and be tricked? Hurry and go, or there won't be enough time."
Their expressions grew extremely solemn. At the same time, they observed the other men and discovered that their strength was not weak.
The leader among them was the strongest, having already reached the peak of the late Martial Saint realm. No wonder he was so utterly fearless!
"Fine. With father and son united, their sharpness can cut through anything. Then let's fight!"
"If we don't go mad, we can't become demons. Since these people insist on courting death, then we have no choice."
The instant Ye Yang and his father were about to attack, a sudden sound rang out from the chaos.
"Not good! Who triggered the restriction? If it alerts those two old monsters, we won't be able to leave. Withdraw at once."
"That's right. No one knows how long those two old monsters have lived. Their strength is unfathomable. We're no match for them. Withdraw, quickly!"
"Scram!"
Immediately afterward, an enraged voice came from the Forbidden Grounds of the Back Mountain. The group hesitated, but in the end decided that a wise man knew when to retreat, and left first.
"Withdraw!"
A thousand miles left no trace; soul-chasing, life-taking blows arrived. In the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace.
Before you continue