The atmosphere was eerie.
The Ye Lineage was utterly silent now, everyone watching the mysterious old man.
His eyes were cloudy, his arm slightly raised. With just two fingers, he easily held the wooden sword brimming with dark Sword Qi.
Ye Qiubai's expression tightened as he pressed his wooden sword forward again, waves of Demonic Qi erupting from it!
Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon.
The third sword!
Ye Qiubai had now broken through to the Purple Mansion realm, and his might could no longer be compared to before.
Yet the old man still held the blade firmly between his fingers!
The old man sighed. "Stop trying. You're no match for me."
With that, he lightly swept his palm, and Ye Qiubai was sent hurtling backward as though struck by lightning!
His expression grave, Ye Qing stood in front of Ye Qiubai and addressed the old man in a low voice. "Ancestor."
Ye Ling, Ye Yan, and the elders of the Ye Lineage also bowed respectfully to the old man. "Greetings, Ancestor."
Indeed, this old man was the ancestor of the Ye Lineage, and its strongest member.
Ye Qiubai was briefly taken aback. Although he knew the Ye Lineage had an ancestor, he had never met him.
He had only heard that the ancestor spent years in seclusion, seeking to break through his shackles!
The Ye Lineage ancestor looked at Ye Qiubai and said slowly, "You've already killed an elder now. You should have vented most of your anger. Let this end here."
His tone was calm, yet brooked no questioning!
Ye Qing's expression changed.
He knew the ancestor was siding with Ye Ling!
Ye Qiubai's expression remained unchanged as he said flatly, "What, he's allowed to kill me, but I'm not allowed to kill him?"
The Ye Lineage ancestor spoke in a deep, pointed tone. "You are, after all, a member of the Ye Lineage. Naturally, you must put its greater interests first."
"Oh? Ye Yan's talent is inferior to mine, and so is his strength..."
At this, Ye Qiubai looked toward Ye Yan, who was hiding far in the back with a terrified face, and could not help sneering. "Even his courage falls short.
"So why does protecting him and abandoning me serve the Ye Lineage's greater interests?"
The Ye Lineage ancestor glanced at Ye Yan and sighed. "Indeed, I agree on that point. Whether in talent, strength, or character, you would be simply perfect as the next head of the lineage...
"However, you have a grudge with the Sunset Dynasty, after all, so we can only settle for second best."
"Besides, you have little sense of belonging to the Ye Lineage."
Ye Qiubai remained indifferent.
In the past, he would have braved life and death for the Ye Lineage.
But now, after everything he had experienced.
Whether the Ye Lineage lived or died, prospered in wealth or gradually declined.
None of it had anything to do with Ye Qiubai.
"So, for the sake of the Ye Lineage, I can only wrong you."
"And what if I insist on killing him today?"
The Ye Lineage ancestor's cloudy eyes suddenly widened.
An irresistible pressure swept straight toward Ye Qiubai!
To him, Ye Qiubai was merely a genius who had yet to mature.
If he was obedient, he could be spared.
But if he harbored rebellious thoughts, the Ye Lineage ancestor would crush him to death without mercy!
Ye Qing's expression changed. He immediately stepped in front of Ye Qiubai and thrust out both hands, blocking the pressure.
But with Ye Qing's current cultivation, merely resisting this might required all his strength.
"Qiubai, leave first. Go back to the Hidden Dao Academy."
Before Ye Qiubai could speak, the Ye Lineage ancestor said heavily, "Since I've already made my move, how could I let the tiger return to its mountain?"
If Ye Qiubai returned to the Hidden Dao Academy.
Even the Ye Lineage ancestor would not have the slightest confidence in killing Ye Qiubai within the academy!
After all, its dean, Qin Tiannan, ranked twenty-sixth on the Four Regions Martial Ranking.
As for him, he could not even squeeze onto the bottom of the ranking.
Naturally, he was no match for Qin Tiannan.
Once Ye Qiubai's strength grew beyond even his ability to handle.
The Ye Lineage would likely face utter destruction!
The Ye Lineage ancestor understood this well. His body flashed, and he immediately charged toward Ye Qiubai!
Ye Qing gritted his teeth and moved to meet him!
Yet Ye Qiubai had no intention of simply leaving. His expression tightened slightly as he took out an ancient, unadorned longsword.
The longsword was sealed within its sheath.
Yet faint wisps of Sword Intent were already rising from it!
The Azure Cloud Sword!
This was the sword Lu Changsheng had given Ye Qiubai back then, but at the time, Ye Qiubai had been unable to control it.
Now that he had comprehended Sword Intent and advanced in cultivation, he did not know whether he could draw it and deliver a strike!
The Ye Lineage ancestor was extremely powerful, and his sense for danger was exceptionally keen.
The instant Ye Qiubai took out this sword, he felt a fear that pierced deep into his soul!
"What sword is that?!"
The Ye Lineage ancestor retreated sharply and shouted shrilly, "How can this sword be covered in Sword Intent?!"
Sword Intent belonged to the individual.
The Ye Lineage ancestor had never heard of a sword possessing Sword Intent of its own!
Even if a master artifact refiner of the Southern Region personally forged it, they could not forge Sword Intent as well!
Ye Qiubai said nothing. Instead, he stepped forward and began to draw the Azure Cloud Sword!
Waves of Sword Intent rose!
Even the Sword Intent emanating from Ye Qiubai began to fill the entire Ye Lineage estate!
"Sword Intent! You've comprehended Sword Intent!"
Blazing killing intent appeared in the Ye Lineage ancestor's eyes!
A swordsman who had comprehended Sword Intent at such a young age.
If he was not killed, the Ye Lineage would be destroyed in the future!
At the same time, a trace of regret arose in his heart. To what heights could someone who comprehended Sword Intent so young lead the Ye Lineage?
No, that was wrong.
The Sunset Dynasty would never allow Ye Qiubai to continue growing!
At this thought, the Ye Lineage ancestor reaffirmed his decision and struck a palm toward Ye Qiubai!
Its momentum was overwhelming!
Bearing endless oppressive force, it swept toward Ye Qiubai!
As though to crush him to death!
Facing the palm imprint, Ye Qiubai neither retreated nor evaded, neither dodged nor yielded.
One hand gripped the Azure Cloud Sword's hilt and the other its sheath as he tried to draw it!
With only a sliver of the blade exposed, waves of Sword Intent shot into the sky!
Even the whole of Heavenly Origin City could feel it!
It was extraordinarily sharp, as though it would cleave this heaven and earth apart!
At the same time, having drawn only this tiny portion of the blade, Ye Qiubai felt waves of Sword Intent flooding his body with an irresistible force.
If he drew it completely, his body would likely burst and he would die on the spot!
However, the might of the Sword Intent already released was enough.
The Sword Intent swept forth, transforming into swords that could cleave heaven and earth, slashing straight toward the oncoming palm imprint!
Boom!
An explosion resounded throughout the Ye Lineage estate!
The surrounding houses collapsed completely at that moment!
Some servants with low cultivation could not even withstand the shock waves and were sent flying!
At the same time, countless cracks appeared across the enormous palm imprint!
It could shatter at any moment!
The Ye Lineage ancestor's expression changed. This had been his full-powered strike, yet it could only hold back this Sword Intent!
The palm imprint shattered with a thunderous crash!
The Sword Intent pressed forward without hesitation, slashing toward the Ye Lineage ancestor!
The ancestor gave a low shout and raised both hands, blocking the Sword Intent.
But at that very moment, Ye Qiubai appeared beside Ye Yan like a phantom and thrust out a finger!
Under Ye Yan's terrified gaze, the space between his brows was pierced clean through!
At that moment.
Ye Yan died, his soul scattered to nothing!