Defeating the Ancient Clan's Prodigy

Since leaving Ye Manor, Ye Jing had not concealed his aura, flying through the air at full speed until he finally caught up with Li Yiting and the others.

Sensing the location of the Sword Talisman, Ye Jing breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Though he hadn't spotted Qiuyue's trail, he could feel that the Sword Talisman wasn't far away. Once he dealt with the man before him, he could take her back.

Ye Jing fixed his gaze on Li Yiting, his eyes brimming with murderous intent, as if looking at a corpse.

"I am Li Yiting of the Taixu Li Clan. May I ask which Ancient Clan you hail from, young master?"

"Who exactly are you! I have no grievance with you, sir. Do you truly mean to offend the Taixu Li Clan?"

Feeling the terrifying aura radiating from Ye Jing, Li Yiting's eyes were filled with wariness. Seeing how young he was, he mistook him for a hidden prodigy of some clan and thus announced his own origins, hoping to make this young genius back down.

The Taixu Li Clan, while not a top-tier Ancient Clan in the Eastern Continent, was still a name to be reckoned with. Unless one came from one of the truly supreme Ancient Clans, any other clan's scion would show some respect upon hearing it.

"Taixu Li Clan? Never heard of it."

"Capturing Qiuyue was your death sentence."

"A mere walking corpse dares to ask for my honored name?"

Ye Jing's voice carried no emotion, his gaze full of disdain. He cycled his Mystic Art, locking his aura firmly onto Li Yiting.

Catching the flicker of contempt in the other's eyes, Li Yiting flew into a rage.

He, Li Yiting, had been famed as a prodigy across the Ancient Clans of the Eastern Continent since childhood. After coming of age, he had fought his way through those same clans, rarely meeting his match.

Among the scions of the Eastern Continent's Ancient Clans, how many didn't fear his name, how many didn't tremble, how many dared to stand against him?

Though the man before him might be a hidden prodigy of some clan, he couldn't possibly be ignorant of Li Yiting's reputation.

Yet after Li Yiting announced himself, this prodigy showed only disdain—a profound humiliation.

He had merely wished to avoid complications and settle things peacefully. But now that this man had shown hostility, he had no choice but to capture him.

"How dare you! Insulting This Seat so brazenly—This Seat will capture and kill you!"

Li Yiting roared, no longer suppressing his Great Grandmaster aura. It surged from his body in a torrent, his hands transforming into Eagle Claws, ancient gold light flickering within them.

He leaped through the air, closing in several bounds until he was above Ye Jing, one claw aimed to crush his skull.

Ye Jing narrowed his eyes, a trace of surprise flickering across his face. What kind of force was this Ancient Clan, to nurture such a young Great Grandmaster? His aura was in no way inferior to Jian Xuzi of the Sword Sect.

After all, Jian Xuzi was a once-in-a-generation Sword Dao genius, unmatched in all of Dali. Yet it had taken him a full century to reach Great Grandmaster perfection.

Though the man before him had only just stepped into Great Grandmaster, he was barely twenty. In terms of talent alone, he surpassed Ling Xuzi by several degrees.

The Eagle Claw was now above Ye Jing's head, barely three zhang away, its oppressive aura rushing toward him. But Ye Jing remained utterly calm.

An even more terrifying aura erupted from Ye Jing's body, forming a dazzling light barrier within a one-zhang radius around him.

Which Ancient Clan of the Eastern Continent had hidden such a fearsome prodigy!

Seeing Ye Jing unleash such a terrifying aura, Li Yiting's eyes were filled with shock. Yet when he noticed Ye Jing wasn't putting up much resistance, a cold sneer crept into his heart.

So arrogant—does he think he can intimidate me with mere aura alone?

A hint of glee crossed Li Yiting's face, but the moment he passed through the dazzling light barrier, his expression shifted drastically.

His body seemed caught by some invisible, overwhelming force, his entire form sluggish.

Worse still, the closer he got to this prodigy, the more his movements slowed.

Dao resonance swirled in Ye Jing's eyes as a nearly tangible Innate Sword Qi condensed at his fingertip.

Now a Great Grandmaster with a perfected Time Domain, he could manipulate time within it. The effect was limited—only a few seconds—but in a battle between Great Grandmasters, that brief window was enough to decide the outcome.

In Ye Jing's eyes, this young prodigy of the Taixu Li Clan had slowed to a crawl. He easily saw through his weaknesses.

Flicking the Innate Sword Qi at his fingertip, he slashed fiercely toward Li Yiting.

Seeing the overwhelming momentum of that Innate Sword Qi, Li Yiting's eyes turned grim. He frantically cycled his Mystic Art to defend.

But the Mystic Art, usually flowing so smoothly, now felt sluggish.

By the time he completed the cycle, the Innate Sword Qi was already upon him. Unable to mount a proper defense, Li Yiting could only brace his physical body against it.

"BOOM!!!"

A violent sword wave exploded outward, shattering the surrounding boulders into rubble. Then, with a thunderous crash, a figure flew backward, slamming heavily into the trunk of a massive tree.

Li Yiting coughed up blood. His internal organs had been shredded by the fierce Innate Sword Qi; he was gravely wounded.

But he paid no heed to his injuries. His eyes were fixed on Ye Jing, who was slowly descending from the sky, filled with confusion.

Even now, he couldn't understand why his Mystic Art, which always flowed so smoothly, had stalled at that critical moment.

If not for that, even with the overwhelming power of that Innate Sword Qi, his Mystic Art could have fully blocked it. He wouldn't have been forced to take it with his bare flesh.

Could this prodigy truly control the flow of another's Mystic Art?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible. How could such a bizarre, uncanny technique exist in this world?

Li Yiting cast aside that absurd thought, finding it laughable.

Watching Ye Jing approach step by step, his entire body radiating a terrifying killing intent, Li Yiting could no longer remain calm. "You... you want to kill me?"

"You and I are already locked in a fight to the death. With things as they are today, do you really think you'll walk away alive?"

Ye Jing hadn't expected someone from the Taixu Ancient Clans to be so naive. After that life-or-death struggle just now, was this ancient clan scion still deluding himself that his status would protect him?

Hearing the naked murder in Ye Jing's words, Li Yiting completely panicked. "I am the foremost prodigy of the Grand Void Li Clan Ancient Clan! You may be a hidden prodigy of the ancient clans, but if you kill me, the entire Li Clan will never let you go."

"A hidden prodigy of the ancient clans? You think I'm a hidden prodigy of the ancient clans?"

"What? You're not even from the ancient clans!"

Watching Ye Jing nod, Li Yiting completely lost his composure. His lips muttered incoherently as he sank into a state of frenzy.