Stealing a Chicken Only to Lose the Rice

The winding path outside the Small Woods was surrounded by desolate, uninhabited land, making it a prime location for robbery and murder.

"Quick, look, the kid's here. Everyone get ready to fight."

A group of people, like bloodthirsty beasts, had been waiting for a long time. As soon as their target appeared, they would pounce and tear him to shreds.

"Wait, Big Brother, let's confirm first. Just in case, this kid is really weird."

One person stopped the others' impulsive actions. They had just received news that the kid had overcome all obstacles, unstoppable. Everyone who tried to kill him was defeated in a single move, swift and decisive.

"Little Brother, what's wrong? Are you starting to back out now? You know I asked you all before we started this operation. There's no turning back now."

The leader's face turned grim upon hearing this. The surrounding air seemed to drop several degrees, as if entering a harsh winter.

Life and death hang in the balance, a vast expanse of uncertainty. At that moment, he felt the fleeting, powerful killing intent from the other side, giving him the sensation of his soul plunging into an ice cave.

"What, you guys have the same idea? I advise you to drop it. With me here, no one is to mention it again, or I'll kill without mercy."

One person, one sword, stood between heaven and earth. His voice echoed through the land, as resolute as a stone settling into place; he meant what he said.

Emotions surged at this moment. They had no choice; they had signed the Life and Death Contract. If they failed the mission and achieved no results, they would have to present their heads.

"Big Brother, that's not what I meant, and it's not what anyone here meant. I mean this kid is extremely strange, and you absolutely cannot be careless."

The man immediately shut his mouth, handing over the intelligence he had gathered and briefly explaining it to the leader.

The atmosphere became tense. Everyone held their breath, waiting for his decision.

Just moments ago, he had arranged for scouts to intercept the target, but there had been no signal yet. The thought made him increasingly agitated.

Perhaps they had already engaged the enemy, or perhaps they had been wiped out. Regardless, the lack of any news at this point was not good for them.

"Report: Target has appeared. Shall we proceed?"

When the message was sent, the target was still ten miles away. How, in the blink of an eye, had he reached within five hundred meters, a visible distance, making them nervous?

"Wait a moment, no need to rush. This is his only path. Once he passes this point, the road ahead is clear. Unfortunately, he won't get that chance today."

The leader finally managed to calm his emotions. He had inadvertently revealed his feelings earlier, causing discomfort among the others.

It's easy to invite a god, but hard to send one away. They were all in the same boat now. There was no possibility of leaving alone unless they left their lives behind; there was no other way.

A pair of cold eyes swept across the scene. He knew that to a true master, five hundred meters was a distance that could be covered in mere seconds.

"Big Brother, relax. We've set up a Tianluo Earth Net. Not even a fly can escape, let alone a mere Martial Apprentice."

"That's right. We'll each show our unique skills, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, going all out. How could he possibly defeat us?"

"Alright, you said it yourselves. I didn't force you. I hope you keep your word and don't make me resort to force."

After the brief interruption, everyone was united. After all, this mission required teamwork for a greater chance of success.

A quarter of an hour later...

"Interesting. It seems some people don't wish to see tomorrow's sun. I wonder who it is this time. Bring out whatever tricks you have."

Ye Yang showed no hesitation, not even a trace of fear. He was long accustomed to such situations and knew that even greater crises might await him!

"It seems the challenges in this Heaven's Pride Arena are indeed fraught with peril." With a single glance, he guessed the enemy's hiding spots.

"It won't be that easy to kill me. I'll give you all a big surprise."

Ye Yang feigned a move, and with a swift flash, he vanished!

"Wait, I just saw him. How did he disappear all of a sudden? Did he vanish into thin air?"

"Something's not right. This must be some ancient, mysterious technique. Otherwise, how could he be so powerful? To disappear right under our watch."

These people looked utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend how he had achieved this.

They, who were supposed to be the hunters, had suddenly found their roles reversed, becoming the prey. Being targeted by their prey made them feel like they were sitting on pins and needles.

"Everyone, be extra careful. Don't spread out. Be ready to provide support at any moment, understand?"

They were in the dark, while the enemy was in the light. The situation had completely reversed, astonishing them. They couldn't understand how the other side had managed this, but facts spoke louder than words.

They scanned their surroundings, trying to find Ye Yang's trace, but to no avail. It was as if the kid had simply vanished.

"What? Do you want my life or something? Come and take it if you dare."

Before the words even finished, a figure darted out from the woods like a Beguiler, heading straight for the leader.

"Big Brother, watch out! Someone's ambushing!"

Ye Yang wore a look of disdain, but his eyes flashed with sharp, cold light, as if capable of piercing through all obstacles.

"Is it too late to realize that now? You should have known earlier. What's the point of saying so much now?"

He wielded no sword, yet his presence was as potent as one. Casually picking up a twig, he used it as a sword and lightly swung. The air seemed to be cut by its sharpness, emitting a faint but clear tearing sound.

"Bad! This person is not simple. Everyone, be careful!"

The leader's pupils contracted sharply. Instinctively, he leaped backward, narrowly dodging the invisible attack.

"You're quite fast at running away. But I wonder how many times you can run, how many times you can dodge. Can you dodge the fifteenth if you dodge the first? Eventually, I will seize an opportunity and kill you."

Ye Yang was full of confidence. The situation was now developing in his favor. In terms of strength, he could completely crush them; in terms of time, he had plenty; and in terms of tactics, he could utterly outmaneuver his opponents.

"With a loud 'boom'."

The two of them clashed, their fight erupting with earth-shattering sounds.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and the only sounds were the rapid breaths and heartbeats of the onlookers, which sent their spirits plummeting.

"Big Brother, we can't defeat this person by force. We need to use our wits. Should we think of another plan? If this continues, we're in grave danger."

In just a few exchanges, they were clearly at a disadvantage. It was evident that the young man before them hadn't used his full strength, yet they were already struggling to cope and couldn't even tend to themselves.

With a bang.

The man in charge could only steel himself and charge forward, entering the formation himself. They formed a combined attack formation, pooling their strength to clash with Ye Yang.

The moment they collided, immense power surged outwards. Trees toppled, and dust billowed, leaving the entire Small Woods in disarray.

Swish, swish, swish...

One side, along with everyone else, was forced back dozens of steps before they could barely stop, leaving a deep gash in the ground beneath their feet.

In contrast, Ye Yang remained motionless, as steady as a mountain. The previous clash had had no effect on him whatsoever.

With a single thought, a single move, the victor was clearly decided. Ye Yang held the absolute advantage.

"Oh, I didn't expect this. You've got some strength, but it's only this much."

Ye Yang didn't stop moving, as if walking on the wind. Each step seemed to shorten the distance to his target, and each breath stirred the surrounding air into an invisible pressure that made it hard to breathe.

"Let's go all out. If this kid won't let us off easy, we won't let him have it easy either. Let's fight, use that move."

Each of them managed a bitter smile and, at this moment, took out a black pill and swallowed it!

"Kid, you forced my hand!" Since they couldn't complete the mission, they could only sacrifice themselves for a greater cause. Even if it meant mutual destruction, they wouldn't hesitate.

"What the hell? You can't win, so you just pop pills? Is this how you guys play?"

Ye Yang was stunned by what he saw. He hadn't expected them to have such a trick up their sleeve; they were completely playing outside the rules. Unfortunately, the weak were still the weak. No matter how much they struggled, they were nothing more than ants.

They appeared as hunters, but instead of a successful hunt, they had become the prey, reduced to the opponent's meal. How pathetic!

"You want to fight to the death? Unfortunately, you won't get the chance."

With a thought, Ye Yang unleashed the Soul-Chasing Life-Snatching Sword he had comprehended!

"No, Lord, save me!"

Soul-Chasing Life-Taking, as the name suggests, the sword emerges like a dragon. Once drawn, it will surely draw blood!

The group could only feel their souls trembling. Then, they saw the sky full of sword rain engulfing them, their bodies pierced, until their souls were extinguished!