Sweep Aside

Ye Qiu sensed the gaze and the icy killing Intent it carried. His brows drew together slightly.

His spiritual senses had been keen since childhood. He had fought countless battles for the Wen Clan, campaigning Nan and north, sharpening those senses further.

Now his Qi and Blood surged, his Cultivation Level was formidable, and he was as vigorous as a dragon and fierce as a tiger. His senses had grown sharper still—and then sharper again!

He turned his head slightly toward the source of the gaze. Several richly dressed young men sat there.

None was particularly old, but they carried themselves with great airs, their faces full of arrogance that looked down on everyone.

Ye Qiu did not know them.

But he could clearly feel their hostility.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Then one of the men in white said, "What are you looking at?"

Ye Qiu froze for an instant, then smiled faintly. That sounded familiar. Was he supposed to say, "What if I'm looking at you?"

After a pause, he said, "I was looking at how ugly you are."

The man's expression changed. He shot to his feet and glared at Ye Qiu. "Ye Qiu, you've got some nerve!"

Ye Qiu laughed. "I don't just have nerve. I have more nerve than you can imagine!"

They had clearly come looking for trouble. Rather than wait for them to pick at him and humiliate him, he might as well lay everything bare. He wanted to see what they could do.

White Robe's face darkened visibly. The others around him were momentarily stunned.

Then the Black-Robed Man said, "Zhao Liang, you're not much good, are you? This brat doesn't take you seriously at all."

The Purple-Robed Man beside him raised his cup and took a sip. Smiling, he said, "This goes beyond not taking him seriously. He's mocking him, laughing at him, humiliating him!"

The other two let out grating laughs.

One added, "He's Lu Li's fiancé, after all. Why would he fear a mere Zhao Family?"

White Robe could not bear the loss of face. After all, he was one of the few Direct Descendants of the Zhao Family's main line.

And the Zhao Family was one of Southern State's three strongest Royal Families, with signs of becoming the strongest of them all.

But today, Lu Li had beaten the Zhao Family's Young Master into submission, badly damaging the family's prestige.

The Zhao Family had lost face, and as a Direct Descendant, he had become a joke among his disreputable friends.

He had already been in a foul mood. Hearing the laughter around him sent his frustration soaring until his chest ached.

Especially when it came to Ye Qiu.

This brat was Lu Li's fiancé, too.

In truth, there was hardly a single young master from the great families who did not covet Lu Li.

Unfortunately for them, he would not even spare them a proper glance. He had even crippled a few of them.

What right did this brat have?

Jealousy drove a man mad. Madness bred anger, and anger robbed him of reason. Zhao Liang lost his head.

"Fuck!" With a furious curse, he charged, a powerful aura sweeping out around him.

He might have been a wastrel, but he was still a Zhao Family Direct Descendant. His Cultivation Level far surpassed that of many his age.

Law Gathering!

Not Half-step Gathering Law. He was already close to perfecting Law Gathering, and a Mana Seed had formed within him.

"You think killing a few Ye Family Direct Descendants and throwing your weight around on the Life and Death Stage means you can defy Heaven and do whatever you want?"

"Without Lu Li protecting you, you're nothing!"

He flashed in front of Ye Qiu. As his mighty mana surged, he raised his fist, his eyes bloodshot. "And even with Lu Li protecting you, you think this young master would be afraid?"

Boom—

As the last word left his mouth, his fist came crashing down, mana vast and surging.

Ye Qiu merely raised a hand and caught the mana-wreathed fist.

The man's expression shifted. Ye Qiu gave his palm a sharp jolt, and to everyone's astonishment, Zhao Liang was blasted backward.

He stumbled back step after step.

Even Zhao Liang was dumbfounded. He had looked into what Ye Qiu was capable of.

His greatest feat was killing Ye Yi.

But Ye Yi had only been at Half-step Gathering Law and ranked ten places below him on the South Province Ranking.

How was this possible?

"Come on, Zhao Liang. You're in the Law Gathering Realm, yet you can't even take down a mere newcomer?"

"Did Lu Li beat the courage out of your brother and the rest of the Zhao Family along with him?"

His companions egged him on again, mocking him with the amused delight of spectators hoping for an even bigger spectacle.

Zhao Liang narrowed his eyes, his face grim. Killing intent flashed in his gaze, and he charged again.

This time, he even unleashed a Zhao Family secret art of tremendous power!

Yet Ye Qiu still pressed down with one hand, calmly shattering every attack Zhao Liang made.

Even when Zhao Liang roared and charged once more, Ye Qiu remained seated, motionless.

His Qi and Blood had now passed 180,000. He was at the fifth level of Mystic Passage and had comprehended Artistic Conception. He could easily crush an ordinary Law Gathering cultivator.

"Looks like he really can't do it."

"Zhao Liang, I thought too highly of you."

"What a shame. A good show, over just like that..."

Boom—

Just as their voices faded, Ye Qiu caught the fist of the maddened Zhao Liang as he attacked again, then flung him aside.

With a crash, Zhao Liang spun through the air. The round table in front of the men exploded.

Wood splinters sprayed everywhere, and bowls and plates flew.

The men sprang back. Their expressions changed, and they glared at Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu stood and looked at them calmly. "Why watch when joining in is so much more fun? Come at me together."

They froze. The next instant, the Black-Robed Man charged, but Ye Qiu moved after him and arrived first.

Boom—

Ye Qiu raised his fist and drove it down hard the instant the man's mana flared.

Pfft—

Blood sprayed. The Black-Robed Man's mana burst apart. His breastbone cracked, and he flew sideways.

He smashed through tables and chairs amid a chorus of screams.

The hall erupted into chaos!

Ye Qiu had already reached the second man. He fixed his gaze on the Purple-Robed Man and whipped out his palm.

Fast, ruthless, precise!

Smack—

The Purple-Robed Man's cheek burst open. Blood and torn flesh flew as he sailed away like a battered sandbag.

Ye Qiu did not stop. He wove among the men, sweeping them aside with overwhelming strength and speed!

You're in a bad mood?

Well, so am I!

Who am I supposed to complain to?

The men lay scattered across the floor, groaning in pain, their injuries severe—especially the Purple-Robed Man.

The left side of his face was a bloody mess.

He struggled to his feet and roared, "Fuck! Do you know who I am?"

Smack—

Ye Qiu used Dragon Soaring Body, trailing afterimages behind him. By the time the Purple-Robed Man reacted, Ye Qiu's palm had already struck the right side of his face.

That side burst open too.

His entire face streamed with blood.

"Ah... Ye Qiu, you're finished! Completely finished!"

"No one can protect you! Not even Lu Li! You have my word!"

"My elder brother is Chu Qianqiu!"

"I'm telling you—"

Before he could finish, Ye Qiu's fist struck the bridge of his nose.

Crack—

The sound was crisp.

His nasal bone shattered!

He flew straight back dozens of meters. Tables and chairs behind him splintered, dishes broke, and food and drink sprayed everywhere.

"I'm not even afraid of Lu Li. Why would I be afraid of you?"