Three little trash, you can't even use the opportunity given to you

Ye Qing swept a glance over the trio's spirit ring configurations, a meaningful arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

"White, yellow, yellow, purple? That's it?"

As soon as these words left his lips, the veins on Scarface's forehead bulged.

What was wrong with white, yellow, yellow, purple!

In terms of average Soul Ancestors, this configuration was already considered quite decent!

What was with this kid's "my grandma's configuration is better than yours" expression!

"Kid, when you're kneeling and begging for mercy later, let's see if you can still laugh!"

Scarface gritted his teeth.

Soul Power surged violently over his wolf claws, the sharp tips gleaming with a chilling light under the moonlight.

"Get him!"

"Cripple him!"

The three of them launched their spirit skills simultaneously and lunged forward.

The wolf claws brought with them a foul wind.

The scythe carved out an arc of light.

Wild Dog's fangs aimed straight for Ye Qing's lower body.

The three attack paths had clearly been honed through numerous real-combat scenarios, sealing off all of Ye Qing's evasion space from front to back and left to right.

If it were an ordinary Soul Ancestor, facing such a pincer attack would mean losing a layer of skin even if they managed to withstand it.

But Ye Qing was no ordinary Soul Ancestor.

The pink-haired girl stood quietly in place.

Her beautiful eyes watched Ye Qing, a trace of curiosity flashing in their depths.

Ye Qing simply raised his right hand.

Chaos Green Flame leaped and ignited in his palm, the cyan firelight instantly illuminating the entire dark alley.

"I don't even want to use a spirit skill; using this stuff on you lot is a waste of Soul Power."

He remarked dryly, and the cyan and white lotus flower in his palm bloomed.

The petals unfurled one by one, rapidly spreading across his entire body.

Each lotus petal condensed a high temperature capable of distorting the air, while simultaneously releasing an ice-cold, bone-chilling aura.

Extreme cold and extreme heat reached an incredible balance in this moment.

The lanky man's scythe was the first to strike.

"Clang!"

The moment the blade touched the cyan flames surrounding Ye Qing, ice instantly froze along the edge of the weapon.

The lanky man's entire body stiffened abruptly.

"Ah--!"

A heart-wrenching scream erupted immediately after.

The Chaos Green Flame spread along the scythe to his arm, the two extreme forces of ice and fire surging into his meridians simultaneously.

His skin charred and burst under the high heat, while the blood beneath his skin solidified into ice in the extreme cold.

This double torture of being burned by fire and frozen by ice caused his nerves to collapse instantly.

He flew backward like a broken puppet, twitching as he slammed into the wall and slid down, his body still convulsing uncontrollably.

The short, stocky Wild Dog spirit user was halfway through his pounce.

Seeing his companion's miserable state, he tried to retract his move and retreat, but it was already too late.

Ye Qing flicked his hand.

"Don't run either; it's hard work being out this late, let me send you on your way."

A tongue of flame split off and struck the stocky man in the chest.

The cyan flame ignited upon contact, spreading wildly using his Soul Power as fuel.

The stocky man rolled onto the ground.

His fat body twisted violently in the flames, letting out a pig-like shriek.

"Ahhh! Big brother, save me!!!"

The cyan flames burned brighter and brighter, his flesh quickly charring and curling under the high temperature.

Yet, the white mist exhaled from his open mouth condensed into frost under the extreme cold.

Frozen by cold inside, burned by raging fire outside.

The level of misery was even worse than that of his companion.

In less than three breaths, the howling came to an abrupt halt.

The man collapsed onto the ground, motionless, with green flames still flickering over his body.

Scarface rolled to the side in a pathetic state.

His reaction had been faster than his two subordinates; he had managed to release a defensive soul skill and shield his chest with his wolf claws just in time, sparing him from a direct hit by the tongues of fire.

Even so, the robe over his chest had been burned through, leaving a large hole that exposed the charred skin beneath.

As for his prized wolf claws, they were covered in a thick layer of ice crystals.

His ten fingers were so stiff he couldn't even bend them.

The extreme cold of the Chaos Green Flame had already seeped through his claws and into his bones.

"Wh-what kind of monster is this..."

Scarface's voice was distorted by terror, his legs turning to jelly against his will.

One exchange.

Two Soul Elders, instantly killed!

And this guy hadn't even used a soul skill!

The sudden reversal of the situation filled him with despair.

He finally understood that this was someone he could not afford to provoke!

Ye Qing, enveloped in the Chaos Green Flame, walked toward Scarface step by step.

The green fire danced and burned around him, casting an eerie, chilling light over his naturally sunny and handsome face.

The cold glint in his black eyes caused the legs of this long-time criminal to completely lose the courage to stand.

"What was it you said just now?"

Ye Qing looked down at Scarface, who was slumped on the ground.

"You wanted me to kneel and beg for mercy?"

"Die!"

Driven to desperation, Scarface tried to lash out with his claws one last time.

"CRACK!!!"

The sound of joints dislocating was crisp and loud.

In the blink of an eye, his arms had been cleanly and efficiently dismantled by Ye Qing.

"Ahhh—!"

Scarface scrambled backward, rolling and crawling.

His back hit the wall; there was nowhere left to run.

"My lord, spare me!"

"I was blind and failed to recognize your greatness!"

He dropped to his knees with a thud, weeping and snotting.

His forehead slammed heavily against the bluestone floor, producing a dull, rhythmic sound.

One strike after another, he knocked his head until he was dizzy and seeing stars.

"I have an eighty-year-old mother at home and a three-year-old—"

"That line is too cliché. Try another one."

Ye Qing interrupted his formulaic plea for mercy.

He crouched down in front of him.

His smile was as gentle as that of a boy next door.

But the coldness in those black eyes made Scarface's blood run half-cold.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions."

"Answer well, and I might consider sparing your life."

"Answer poorly, and—"

The Chaos Green Flame danced at Ye Qing's fingertips, the green light reflecting in Scarface's pupils.

"Your companion's fate will be your own."

"I'll tell you everything! I swear!"

The scarred man nodded frantically, his forehead already bloodied from slamming it against the ground.

"First question."

"Do you often do this kind of thing in this area?"

The scarred man hesitated for a split second.

But seeing the flame on Ye Qing's fingertip brighten, he immediately admitted it with a mournful face.

"Yes, yes..."

"My brothers and I have been hanging around the west side of the city for a while now, specifically targeting lone women."

"But before, we at most just robbed them of some money."

"Today, we had a bit too much to drink and were blinded by greed—"

"Second question."

Ye Qing interrupted his excuses, his tone remaining indifferent.

"Have you ever taken a human life?"

"No, no!"

"Really, I haven't!"

The scarred man waved his hands desperately, though his eyes couldn't help but dart toward the right.

"We only rob for wealth, we don't kill!"

Ye Qing watched him quietly.

Those black eyes seemed to pierce through his skin, seeing into the filthiest corners of his soul.

The scarred man felt his skin crawl under that gaze, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

A moment later.

"Lying."

Ye Qing spoke softly, his tone carrying a trace of indescribable weariness.

He raised his hand and flicked his finger.

The Chaos Green Flame flew from his fingertip and landed on the scarred man's brow.

The green flames spread across his entire body in the blink of an eye.

The dual power of ice and fire erupted simultaneously.

The scarred man's body was instantly frozen into a grotesque ice sculpture.

Inside the sculpture, his frozen body began to burn silently, incinerated into charcoal by the high heat from the inside out.

A heaven of ice and fire, inside and out.

He didn't even have time to let out a scream.

Ye Qing stood up and brushed the non-existent dust from his hem.

"That little dart of your eyes to the right already sold you out."

"I suggest you learn a bit about micro-expression psychology in your next life."

He paused, then added, "Oh right, you don't have a next life."

Killing for the first time, his mood was indeed a bit complicated.

However, there wasn't much disgust.

Scum like this, killing them was just killing them; consider it cleaning up the city's trash.

"Ye Qing!"

Dugu Yan walked quickly from the alley entrance and grabbed his arm.

Her emerald eyes were full of worry as she looked him up and down.

"Are you hurt?"

"That skinny guy's scythe almost hit you just now!"

Ye Qing laughed, "Weren't you watching the whole time?"

"Just three pieces of trash; they didn't even touch the corner of my clothes."

"That doesn't matter!"

Dugu Yan wouldn't let it go and checked him over again.

Her slender fingers pressed against various parts of his body, and only after confirming there were no wounds did she breathe a sigh of relief.

She immediately resumed her usual cold and arrogant expression and huffed.

"Don't take such risks next time."

"You call this an adventure?"

Ye Qing couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it.

Was taking down three thugs who didn't even have optimal soul ring configurations supposed to be an adventure?

Then what was his previous battle against Dugu Bo called?

Suicidal performance art?

"I said no, and I mean no!"

Dugu Yan glared at him with her emerald eyes, her tone filled with an unquestionable air of dominance.

Yet, the tips of her ears turned a faint shade of red.

"Fine, fine, I'll listen to you."

Ye Qing raised his hands in surrender, though a triumphant arc tugged at the corner of his lips.

The thugs had been dealt with.

Now, all that remained were the questions regarding the pink-haired girl.