The ancient mansion's courtyard was still thick with smoke, and another great battle was about to erupt.
Behind Yi Yan, eight Xiantian experts who had been poised to strike leaped forward at once. Their spiritual energy surged as they charged fiercely at Lian Yan and his two companions. They were all elite soldiers of the Tyrant Dragon Army, ruthless and deadly, with perfect teamwork. The moment they attacked, they went straight for the kill.
Lian Yan remained perfectly still, his expression calm. He simply smiled faintly.
The two black-clad elders behind him immediately stepped forward and charged at the eight experts. Both were at the late Xiantian stage, and together they managed to hold off all eight opponents! Fists roared through the air, and blasts of energy flew in every direction. Violent collisions erupted across the courtyard, sending broken bricks and stones flying.
Lian Yan's gaze turned cold as he fixed on the leader, the only late-Xiantian expert among the nine.
The instant the man charged in, Lian Yan vanished from where he stood.
In a flash, he moved at the very limit of speed!
Wielding a long saber, Lian Yan went straight for the man's throat. The late-Xiantian expert didn't even have time to react. His pupils contracted, and he felt a chill at his throat before his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
One strike, and the enemy's leading general was dead!
Yi Yan's expression changed dramatically. "What incredible speed!"
Just then—
Whoosh—!!!
A piercing whistle suddenly tore through the air!
A silver needle as fine as a hair shot toward them, too fast for the naked eye to follow, aiming straight for Lian Yan's brow!
Lian Yan's heart lurched, and he jerked his head aside.
The needle grazed his cheek. A shallow cut appeared at once, and blood slowly welled from it.
The chaotic battle came to an abrupt halt.
Everyone instinctively stopped fighting and looked up toward the top of the courtyard wall.
A figure stood quietly atop it.
He wore an exceptionally vivid pink robe and had a middle-aged face. A gentle smile played on his lips, but his eyes were cold enough to freeze the blood. His aura was restrained, yet it weighed heavily on the hearts of every Xiantian expert present.
"Yi Qingyu!"
Lian Yan ground out the name, his eyes instantly blazing with boundless hatred and murderous intent!
A hundred and sixty years ago, this strangely dressed man had fought him and caused his wife and daughter to die tragically. If the forces of the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion hadn't arrived in time, he would have been nothing but a pile of bones by then. That century-old grudge was etched into his very soul!
Yi Qingyu floated down into the courtyard and glanced at the bloody mark on Lian Yan's cheek. He chuckled.
"Lian Yan, you're still as impressive as ever. I was just a little too slow, and you killed one of my late-Xiantian experts. But..."
His tone suddenly turned cold as the pressure of his Xiantian peak cultivation crashed outward.
"This time, you won't get away."
Yi Yan hurriedly bowed. "Father!"
So this pink-robed, middle-aged man was the true leader of the Tyrant Dragon Army's expedition: Yi Qingyu, the army's former commander and Yi Yan's father. His cultivation was unfathomable, already at the peak of the Xiantian stage.
Spiritual energy surged wildly around Lian Yan, his century-old hatred shooting skyward.
"Yi Qingyu, today, either you die or I do!"
Seeing this, Yi Qingyu's smile turned colder. He quietly raised both hands.
"A hundred years, and you're still courting death. Then let me give you another taste of my signature technique—"
He flung his hands upward, his sleeves fluttering wildly like butterfly wings.
"Ten Thousand Arrows Piercing the Heart!"
In an instant, countless white needles as fine as hair, glowing with a poisonous blue sheen, shot from his sleeves. They formed a dense, overwhelming rain that engulfed Lian Yan and the two elders behind him!
The needles came so thickly there was no way to dodge them!
"Not good!"
Lian Yan's expression changed dramatically. He hurriedly circulated all his Xiantian true energy to protect himself, but the needles were too fast and too numerous. Several bloody spots appeared on his body in an instant.
The two black-clad elders cried out repeatedly before collapsing, struck by the needles.
Yi Qingyu's killing technique, driven by his peak-Xiantian cultivation, was far more powerful than anyone could have imagined!
In the shadow of the courtyard wall,
Qin Yu clenched both fists, his eyes nearly splitting with rage.
Lian Yan was Grandpa Lian, who had watched him grow up and treated him like his own grandson!
"Grandpa Lian is in danger!"
Qin Yu could no longer hold back. He stopped concealing his aura.
Wearing a black mask, he gripped two scarlet spirit weapons—a long sword and a short sword—and drew them both. Crimson flames of spiritual light soared into the sky!
"Meteor Pierces the Sky!"
His cold shout rang across the courtyard.
Qin Yu plunged into the fray like a falling meteor and landed directly in front of Lian Yan!
He crossed his swords, his spiritual energy surging as a shield of flame took shape before him!
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang—!
Countless poisoned needles struck the shield and fell to the ground, burned away by the crimson flames.
"Clang—!"
Yi Qingyu seized the opening and struck with his palm. Qin Yu met the blow head-on, and the resulting crash rang deafeningly.
Yi Qingyu was forced back three steps. Shock flashed in his eyes. "What incredible weapons! Who are you?!"
Beneath his mask, Qin Yu's voice was ice-cold.
"The Heavenly Net. Meteor."
Before the words had even faded, Qin Yu stopped holding back.
His swords swept in unison, crimson flames surging across the courtyard. His moves were vicious and his speed astonishing—the very assassination swordsmanship he had honed during three months of training with the Heavenly Net!
"Protect Grandpa Lian!"
He roared inwardly, his sword techniques sweeping wide and forceful as he pressed straight toward Yi Qingyu.
The longer they fought, the more alarmed Yi Qingyu became.
The masked man before him was only at the late Xiantian stage, yet his body was incredibly strong, his swordsmanship fierce, and he wielded two immensely powerful weapons. His strength in battle was simply beyond belief!
Behind Qin Yu, Lian Yan steadied his injuries. Deeply grateful, he immediately joined the fight again.
The tide turned in an instant.
Qin Yu killed a Tyrant Dragon Army Xiantian expert with one sword. No one could stand against the crimson sword light.
Yi Qingyu was locked in combat with him, barely able to fend for himself. He had no chance to direct his men.
The fat old man Zhu San was scared out of his wits. Clutching the Jade Box containing the Heaven-Reaching Chart, he tried to flee, but Qin Yu cut him down on the spot with a blast of sword energy.
Beside the Saber-Toothed Tiger's corpse, blood ran like a river.
Yi Yan was struck in the chest by Lian Yan's palm. He spat blood and fell to the ground.
All eight Tyrant Dragon Army experts had been slaughtered.
At last, only Yi Qingyu remained in the courtyard, surrounded by Qin Yu, Lian Yan, and the two elders.
Yi Qingyu looked at the corpses strewn across the ground, his face deathly pale and his eyes filled with despair.
Qin Yu slowly stepped forward, his Crimson Long Sword pointed at Yi Qingyu's throat.
"Xiang Guang's dog, this is where it ends."
A flash of cold light swept past.
Yi Qingyu's eyes widened, and he fell dead.
Thus, the Tyrant Dragon Army sent by Xiang Guang was wiped out, and Zhu San's men were slaughtered to the last.
At last, silence returned to the ancient mansion's courtyard.
Holding his wound, Lian Yan looked at the mysterious masked assassin, "Meteor," his heart full of gratitude and doubt.
"Thank you for saving me, sir. May I ask what your connection is to the Qin Family..."
Qin Yu paused, then removed his mask. His voice was clear and bright.
"Grandpa Lian, it's me. Xiao Yu."
Lian Yan's body trembled. "Xiao Yu! It's you! You've become this powerful? Wonderful, wonderful! Hahaha..."
"Grandpa Lian, recover from your injuries first. Take this Injury Recovery Pill right away." As he spoke, he handed Lian Yan a white pill.
"All right, I won't stand on ceremony." Lian Yan swallowed the Injury Recovery Pill at once and began circulating his energy to recover.
Seeing that, Qin Yu let out a long breath and relaxed considerably. Thankfully, Grandpa Lian was all right. Otherwise, he would have regretted it for the rest of his life.
His gaze shifted to the five-meter-long Saber-Toothed Tiger's corpse, then to the seven-colored Jade Box beside the fat old man's body.
Inside the box was another piece of the Three Heaven-Reaching Charts.
Qin Yu bent down, picked up the box, and held it in his hand.
The secret deal involving the Heaven-Reaching Chart and the Xiantian demonic beast had ended with both sides wiped out.
The true victor of the battle stood quietly amid the blood, wrapped in the night, two crimson swords in hand.
He was the Heavenly Net assassin, Meteor—and also the rising star of the Eastern Suppressing Prince Mansion, the Third Prince, Qin Yu.
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