Ye Lingchuan

On the main road, the stench of blood hung thick in the air. Broken sabers and shattered swords lay scattered everywhere, while corpses sprawled across the ground in every direction.

The fierce battle, which had nearly reached its boiling point, abruptly fell into an eerie standstill with the arrival of a group dressed in azure robes and carrying themselves with extraordinary bearing.

The two sides that had been fighting madly both withdrew their attacks without prior agreement, turning to look at the newcomers.

The Wind-Severing Five Balefuls had been pressing the Wang Lineage hard and were on the verge of wiping out their remaining members. Yet now, they too swiftly disengaged and gathered together, watching the Azure Profound Sect party with wary eyes.

On the other side, the Wang Lineage's surviving guards and servants staggered back toward the carriage. Every one of them was wounded and gasping for breath, but at last, a flicker of hope for survival ignited in their formerly despairing eyes.

Among the Wind-Severing Five Balefuls, a sinister-faced man hurried to the leader's side. Lowering his voice, he spoke with solemnity:

"Big Brother, they're from the Azure Profound Sect. Judging by their bearing, that young man at the front is probably Ye Lingchuan, the Azure Profound Sect prodigy who entered the Hidden Dragon Ranking not long ago."

Hearing this, the leader's pupils contracted slightly. His fingers unconsciously tightened around the Ghosthead Saber in his hand, and a trace of apprehension rose within him.

The Azure Profound Sect was the absolute overlord of Cloudmist Prefecture, with deep and formidable foundations. The Hidden Dragon Ranking gathered the top young experts of the entire Summer Kingdom. Anyone capable of entering it possessed exceptional talent and formidable strength.

At that moment, the curtain of the lavishly decorated carriage was gently lifted, and a slender, graceful figure stepped down.

The woman wore a light jade-green dress. Her figure was elegant, her brows and eyes gentle. She was Wang Qingwan.

She recognized Ye Lingchuan at once, and surprise flashed through her eyes. She quickly bowed, her soft voice carrying clearly across the entire scene:

"Young Master Ye, I am Wang Qingwan of the Wang Lineage. Wang Xiaolong is my younger brother. Today, my Wang Lineage was ambushed by villains. I beg Young Master Ye to lend us a hand."

Ye Lingchuan did not know Wang Qingwan. He had spent most of the year cultivating bitterly within the sect. Even when he occasionally went out to gain experience, those he associated with were all outstanding members of the younger generation, at the very least cultivators above the Third Tier.

Though Wang Qingwan's talent was decent, she was only at the Second Tier now, so naturally he had no impression of her. Wang Xiaolong was different. At only twenty-two, Wang Xiaolong had already entered the Mid-Third Tier. His talent was outstanding, and he and Ye Lingchuan had some acquaintance.

After hearing Wang Qingwan's words, the calmness in Ye Lingchuan's eyes shifted slightly. He immediately decided not to stand idly by.

He first gave Wang Qingwan a slight nod, accepting her request. Then he turned around and looked calmly at the Wind-Severing Five Balefuls, his voice cold and carrying unquestionable authority. "Everyone, I, Ye Lingchuan, will protect these people today. You should leave at once."

The moment those words fell, the leader of the Wind-Severing Five Balefuls was so enraged that he laughed instead. He slammed his Ghosthead Saber heavily into the ground with a clang, then shouted harshly:

"Ye Lingchuan, your reputation on the Hidden Dragon Ranking might frighten those cowardly rats, but it can't scare the Wind-Severing Five Balefuls! If you insist on meddling in this business, be careful that your junior brothers and sisters behind you don't end up missing arms and legs!"

The leader dared to make such threats not because he was acting on impulse.

He had long since assessed the situation on both sides. On the Wang Lineage's side, only Wang Hu, a Mid-Third Tier cultivator, still had some fighting strength. The other Second Tier guards had been nothing more than a motley crew to begin with, and now more than half were dead or wounded.

As for the Azure Profound Sect, Ye Lingchuan's group had kept their auras restrained all along and had not unleashed their Qi and Blood Realm power, so he could not determine their exact realms. But he clearly remembered that Ye Lingchuan had only entered the Hidden Dragon Ranking last month. His cultivation was merely at the Third-Tier Peak; no matter how strong he was, there had to be limits. As for the disciples behind him, they all looked youthful and green, with childish eyes. There was nothing to fear.

Hearing the leader's arrogant threat, Ye Lingchuan's gaze abruptly turned icy. His furious shout exploded across the battlefield like a thunderclap. "Insolence!"

At the same time, the dormant Qi and Blood Realm power within him erupted violently, like a primordial beast awakening from slumber. A vast and surging wave of Qi and Blood Realm power, far surpassing that of a Third Tier cultivator, swept outward from him.

A wild wind suddenly rose, howling as it swept through the area. The trees standing tall on both sides of the road had their branches bent hard by the invisible gale of Qi and Blood Realm power, their leaves rustling wildly. Dust and shattered stones were lifted from the ground, forming small whirlwinds that scattered in all directions. Even the surrounding air seemed frozen solid by this power.

Feeling that overwhelming, irresistible Qi and Blood Realm power that far exceeded the Third-Tier Peak, the leader's face instantly turned deathly pale. The arrogance and insolence vanished from his eyes without a trace, leaving only deep terror and shock.

He had never imagined that the young Ye Lingchuan before him had already broken through to the Fourth Tier!

"Retreat!" The leader did not dare hesitate in the slightest. He let out a hoarse roar and fled with the other four members of the Wind-Severing Five Balefuls. They no longer dared linger, turning and rushing into the dense forest beside the road like stray dogs. Within moments, they had vanished without a trace.

Ye Lingchuan watched their retreating backs but did not pursue. The Wind-Severing Five Balefuls had roamed the martial world for years. They were cunning, and their movements were quite agile. If the five scattered and fled separately, even with his current strength, he could not guarantee that he would kill them all.

If one or two escaped, then given the five men's vicious and malicious natures, they would surely seek mad revenge in the future. Some people acquainted with him might be innocently implicated. He might as well let them leave and temporarily put an end to the trouble.

Only after the Wind-Severing Five Balefuls had completely disappeared from view did Ye Lingchuan slowly withdraw the Qi and Blood Realm power around him.

Wang Qingwan hurried forward and bowed respectfully to Ye Lingchuan, her voice filled with gratitude and reverence:

"Thank you, Young Master Ye, for saving us. Qingwan is endlessly grateful! And congratulations, Young Master Ye, on successfully advancing to the Fourth Tier. You have taken another step forward on the martial path, and your future is boundless! For the great favor you have bestowed upon us today, once I return to the Lineage and make proper arrangements, I will certainly come personally to offer my thanks!"

Ye Lingchuan waved a hand. His expression returned to its calm indifference as he said evenly:

"It was nothing, merely a small effort. There is no need to dwell on it."

Wang Qingwan straightened up, but the shock in her heart remained difficult to suppress. Looking at Ye Lingchuan's youthful face, she found this Azure Profound Sect prodigy increasingly unfathomable. Then she softly asked:

"Still, I wonder why Young Master Ye happened to appear on this main road?"

At her question, Ye Lingchuan looked toward Azure Sun County in the distance, and his tone softened somewhat:

"Miss Wang may not know this, but Azure Sun County is my hometown. On this journey, first, I was following the sect's orders to recruit some disciples in Azure Sun County. Second, I wished to bring my parents from Azure Sun County to settle in the prefectural city, so I could care for them more conveniently."

Understanding flashed through Wang Qingwan's eyes, and she immediately smiled. She was already exceptionally beautiful, her skin white and lustrous as jade, her brows curved, her nose delicate and straight, her lips faintly pink. When she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth. Gentle and lovely, she resembled a pear blossom blooming in spring—pure and refined. In an instant, even the bloody atmosphere around them seemed to soften as she said tenderly:

"So that is how it is. Then congratulations to Young Master Ye on returning home in glory and bringing honor to your family."

Hearing those words, Ye Lingchuan's mood brightened somewhat, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face. He then cupped his hands toward Wang Qingwan in polite thanks.

Once he finished speaking, he did not linger. Turning around, he waved to the Azure Profound Sect junior brothers and sisters behind him and departed in the direction of Azure Sun County, his figure gradually disappearing at the end of the road.

After Ye Lingchuan's group had gone far away, the Wang Lineage convoy hurriedly began reorganizing. The guards cleared away the corpses, treated the wounded, and counted the damaged supplies, bustling about in a flurry.

Meanwhile, the Rogue Cultivators who had seen the situation turn bad and scattered to hide at a distance came back one after another once they saw that the danger had passed. Lin Qing was mixed among them as well.

Seeing this, Wang Qingwan's personal maid immediately arched her delicate brows, her face full of displeasure. Stepping forward, she pointed at the Rogue Cultivators and said angrily:

"You still have the nerve to come back? When my Wang Lineage was in danger just now, every one of you ran faster than rabbits! Now that the danger is gone, you've come crawling back. Your hides are far too thick!"

As she spoke, the maid spotted Lin Qing among the crowd and immediately pointed at him.

"Forget them—they're all old hands who cling to life and fear death. But you're so young; why are you such a coward too? When danger comes, all you know how to do is run. What a waste of that handsome face!"

Lin Qing rubbed his nose, looking embarrassed as he muttered inwardly, Th-this... was supposed to be a compliment, right?

Seeing this, Wang Qingwan hurriedly pulled her maid back and gently shook her head, signaling for her not to say more.

She understood clearly that these Rogue Cultivators had followed the convoy solely for protection along the way. Their own strength was low. Even if they had joined the battle earlier, they could not have been of any help and would only have thrown their lives away. She could not truly blame them.

Still, after experiencing the ambush, she was already in a poor mood. Looking at these Rogue Cultivators, she did not have a pleasant expression, though she did not drive them away either.

After all, this was a public road, and she had no reason to stop others from traveling on it. She spoke flatly:

"If you wish to follow, then follow. But behave yourselves along the way and do not stir up trouble. Otherwise, do not blame my Wang Lineage for being discourteous."

After saying that, Wang Qingwan turned and returned to the carriage, no longer paying any attention to the Rogue Cultivators. Hearing her words, the Rogue Cultivators hurriedly nodded in agreement, not daring to say anything further.

Before long, the Wang Lineage convoy finished reorganizing. Under Wang Hu's escort, it set off once more, slowly proceeding forward.

Lin Qing remained mixed in with the Rogue Cultivators, following unhurriedly behind the convoy.