Chapter 17: Revenge Must Be Taken!

Black clouds loomed over the city, casting an oppressive atmosphere over Tianyuan City.

An invisible pressure hung heavily on everyone's hearts, centered around the Ye family.

Ye Qiubai pointed his wooden sword at Ye Yan. He disliked being schemed against. His way of the sword was one of clear distinctions between gratitude and grudges. 

Revenge must be taken; grudges must be settled. If someone treated him well, he would repay them doubly. If someone wanted to harm him, Ye Qiubai would not hesitate to swing his sword.

Ye Yan, clearly harboring ill intentions towards Ye Qiubai, was one such person. One of the reasons Ye Qiubai returned to the Ye family was to cut Ye Yan down.

"Do you dare to fight to the death?" Ye Qiubai demanded once more.

Ye Qing, watching the scene, said nothing. Instead, he positioned himself beside Ye Qiubai, ready to prevent Elder Ye Ling's sudden attack. He knew his son well; Ye Qiubai would never act so rashly without a valid reason.

Pale and trembling, Ye Yan retreated behind Ye Ling, stammering, "Ye Qiubai, I was wrong in the past. I can compensate you!"

Ye Ling's face was also grim. Knowing the situation, he tried to mediate, "Qiubai, Yan'er indeed made a mistake, but he is still your cousin, a member of the Ye family. Isn't there something we can discuss? Give me some face and spare him this time."

However, Ye Qiubai remained unmoved, his expression indifferent, as he repeated, "Do you dare?"

Seeing the situation deteriorate, Ye Ling stepped forward, releasing an imposing aura directed at Ye Qiubai.

As the Grand Elder of the Ye family, Ye Ling's strength was formidable, second only to Ye Qing.

In response, Ye Qing took a step forward, intercepting the pressure with his own.

Ye Ling's face darkened as he growled, "Ye Qing, do you really want to exterminate us?"

Ye Qing sneered, "And what of your covert actions? Did you think I was oblivious to everything?"

"Very well, then let's fight!" Ye Ling roared as he charged forward, launching a palm strike at Ye Qiubai.

Clearly, he intended to deal with Ye Qiubai swiftly and decisively. With Ye Qiubai's talent surpassing his past self and his admission to the Cangdao Academy, his future was limitless. If not eliminated now, the retaliation in the future would be unbearable.

Ye Qing snorted coldly, intercepting Ye Ling's palm strike with his sword.

The two began to clash, their auras exploding.

Meanwhile, Ye Qiubai turned to Ye Yan and said, "Are you ready to die?"

Ye Yan's expression hardened as he retorted, "Ye Qiubai, you may be strong, but you can't guarantee you'll kill me. As soon as my father finishes, it's your death!"

Ye Qiubai didn't respond. He stepped forward, with his sword in one hand.

With the first step, a sword force emerged.

Invisible sword energy slashed towards Ye Yan.

Ye Yan struck out with his palm, dispersing the sword energy.

Seeing this, Ye Qiubai took another step.

Sword qi surged, shooting towards Ye Yan with terrifying momentum, frightening the onlookers.

Ye Yan's expression changed as he roared, striking with both hands to produce palm imprints.

But under the cutting sword qi, the palm imprints shattered in an instant.

Ye Yan's face turned pale as he retreated, desperately countering with more palm imprints.

Seeing his son struggling, Ye Ling grew anxious and shouted to the elders, "Attack now and kill Ye Qiubai!"

The elders hesitated, exchanging worried glances. Their faces were full of indecision, clearly conflicted.

One elder, who already harbored a grudge against Ye Qiubai, gritted his teeth and stepped forward, throwing a punch with all his might. The power of a peak Zifu realm cultivator exploded forth.

Ye Qiubai immediately turned, his wooden sword emanating dark, ominous energy. Demonic aura swirled around it, compelling awe and submission.

Someone exclaimed, "What kind of sword technique is this?!"

Seeing this, Ye Yan's face changed drastically. How could he not recognize the power of this sword technique? This was the technique that had defeated Huo Qingming, and back then, Ye Qiubai was only at the Jindan realm. Now, with Ye Qiubai having broken through to the Zifu realm, how much more powerful would this technique be?

The answer was clear.

"Sixth Elder, watch out for his sword technique!" Ye Yan shouted, trying to warn him.

But the Sixth Elder dismissed the warning, thinking, "He's just at the early Zifu realm. No matter how powerful his sword technique is, it can't be a match for me."

However, this underestimation was his undoing.

Ye Qiubai's sword slashed out.

"The first sword..."

In an instant, the demonic aura surged. Even the Sixth Elder's spirit trembled.

But it was too late to turn back. His punch collided with the wooden sword.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed, shockwaves rippling outward. Waves of demonic energy enveloped the entire Ye family estate.

Ye Qiubai's wooden sword remained undamaged. In contrast, the Sixth Elder's face turned pale as his spiritual energy defense was instantly shattered, blood spurting out.

In the next moment, the Sixth Elder's arm was severed.

Ye Qiubai seized the opportunity, stepping forward and slashing again with his wooden sword.

In a moment of utter terror, the Sixth Elder's chest was slashed open, demonic energy infiltrating his internal organs, destroying all his meridians.

His eyes dulled, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Seeing this, Ye Yan trembled. Ye Qiubai, now in the Zifu realm, could effortlessly kill a peak Zifu realm expert. Even Huo Qingming would likely be no match for him.

Ye Ling was equally horrified. Who could have predicted that Ye Qiubai's strength would be so formidable?

Ye Qing took advantage of Ye Ling's brief distraction and struck with his sword.

"Ah!"

With a scream, Ye Ling clutched his arm, which now bore a deep, bone-revealing wound, and retreated.

Seeing this, the previously hesitant elders abandoned any thoughts of attacking. Instead, they began to consider how to curry favor with Ye Qiubai and Ye Qing.

After dispatching the Sixth Elder, Ye Qiubai continued toward Ye Yan, the black sword energy on his wooden sword undiminished.

Clearly, Ye Qiubai had no intention of sparing Ye Yan.

"You… you can't kill me!" Ye Yan retreated in terror.

Ye Qiubai ignored him, raising his wooden sword and lunging forward, ready to strike.

Ye Ling's face turned pale with horror.

But at that moment, an old figure appeared in front of Ye Qiubai, catching the wooden sword between two fingers.

The elder sighed softly.

"You've vented enough. Don't kill Ye Yan."