When the scouts returned, the Ye Family Village turned out in full force for their final preparations.
Only Ye Tian was missing from the experts gathered at the village walls, every warrior’s face incredibly serious.
“Village Chief, what now?” Ye Ba asked solemnly.
Everyone turned to Ye Shi.
The old man was the heart of the village, and it was only with his power that the Ye Family Village could brave the Wang Family’s might.
Ye Shi turned to view the experts gathered around him, calling out in his deep voice: “Get ready! This battle will be for the life or death of our village. There’s no room for chance; each one of us must fight to our deaths. If we don’t defeat the Wang Family, we will be destroyed. There is no other road to walk, we can only kill! Kill! Kill!”
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
The village experts cried out from atop the wall, their weapons glittering in the sun. Countless arrows gleamed coldly, their reflected light dancing on the steely and determined faces of the Ye Family warriors.
“Hong! Hong! Hong!”
Horses galloped down the mountain road.
Ye Shi and the others turned. A group of Martial Warriors waved sabers and swords and spears, dust billowing behind them as they rode like a gang of bandits towards the Ye Family Village.
“They’re here!” Ye Shi called out.
The warriors waited on the wall. The war had come to their village as the two most powerful communities in White Cloud Town prepared for a terrible battle.
The one-armed Ye Feng raised his saber high into the sky, calling out coldly: “Ready yourselves! Slaughter them all with me!”
“Kill!” Ye Ba shouted.
“Kill!” Ye Meng shouted.
“Kill!” All the Martial Warriors cried out.
With Ye Feng, Ye Ba, and Ye Meng in command, the Martial Warriors made orderly preparations. Chunks of rocks were readied and metal bows pulled taut as the disciplined fighters waited for the Wang Family to come within range.
Ye Shi stood on the wall with hands clasped behind him, back ramrod straight as his gaze locked onto an old man leading the horsemen below.
Here was the only man Ye Shi feared, the only Martial Master of the area—Village Chief Wang Xu of the Wang Family Village.
Even now, no one knew how truly terrifying the power of a Martial Master was. Ye Shi had never seen Wang Xu fight and had no confidence in victory.
“Village Chief, shall I call Ye Tian?” Ye Feng asked.
The Wang Family had three experts now—the Martial Master, a Level Ten and a Level Nine. The Ye Family only had two Level Tens, and even with the advantage of their wall, they couldn’t resist for long.
“Not now. We need to see Wang Xu’s true strength. If we can defeat him, call Ye Tian over. If not, he must flee,” Ye Shi replied, his eyes gleaming with wisdom as he shook his head.
This was their plan. If they couldn’t save the village, then they would have to save Ye Tian. As long as their hope survived, their village would rise again.
Ye Feng nodded, turning back to the defenses.
The Wang Family troops neared, pulling up right outside of bow range.
“Haha, Ye Shi, long time no see. You’re still alive, old geezer!” Booming laughter accompanied the words as two men rode slowly forward on Black Blood Horses.
White hair and a white beard accompanied the enormous Qi of the man on the left, the great force of his cultivation outweighing the rest of the Wang Family warriors combined. This was Village Chief Wang Xu, the sole Martial Master of the area.
Beside him was a tall and sturdy grey-haired man, thick-backed and strong-shouldered. His mouth was curved into a cold and resolute smile as he examined the Ye Family Village warriors with disdain.
The two urged their horses forward as the Wang Family warriors stepped towards the village gates, everyone filled with a fierce killing intent, weapons glittering coldly in the sun.
The air was pregnant with tension, pressure falling upon every figure, stifling people’s breaths.
Ye Shi peered down at the Wang experts and snorted. “Wang Xu, how could I bear dying while you’re still alive?”
“Heehee, you’ll die today no matter what. This old man is going to send your village to the death gods. After today, White Cloud Town will be Wang Family’s territory. Hahaha!” Wang Xu cackled madly.
“Everyone knows the Wang Family’s ambitions, but our Ye Family isn’t weak. If you want to destroy our village, you need the strength, hmph!” Ye Shi sneered.
“Village Chief, why waste your breath? They’re all dead men. I’ll kill that geezer Ye Shi myself.” Wang Tian snorted, laughing as he led his men in a charge towards the gates.
“Loose!” Ye Feng called out, eyes narrowing.
Countless arrows twanged into the air, cutting arcs through the sky and plunging down towards the Wang warriors.
“Dang dang dang…”
The charging warriors slashed out with their weapons, miserable cries ringing out as they tried their best to cut down arrows as the deadly rain fell in their midst.
“Futile! Your Ye Family Village will die today!” Wang Tian roared, flashing before the gates and slashing downward with his sword.
An inch of Sword Qi light flashed from his weapon and slammed into the gate, cracking the stone.
As Wang Tian wound back for another strike, Ye Feng jumped down to intercept him.
“Be careful with his Sword Qi! He’s a half-step Martial Master,” Ye Shi called out loudly. His heart leaped when the Sword Qi manifested, immediately recognizing the breakthrough.
“You should be watching yourself!” Wang Xu roared, leaping forward at Ye Shi.
“Loose!” Ye Shi called out, his command sending countless arrows towards the airborne Village Chief.
“Rats! I’ll show you the might of a Martial Master!” Wang Xu mocked before he roared, True Qi bursting out of his body in a burning white light that shattered the arrows.
The Ye Family Archers could only watch in shock as their attacks were neutralized. How could they fight? Wang Xu couldn’t be harmed by arrow or blade, water or fire.
“Throwing spears!” Ye Shi called out again, ignoring his astonishment.
The other warriors were pulled out of their daze, all of them roaring as they snapped their spears forward at the landing Wang Xu.
Shua! Shua! Shua!
The rain of spears forced a change in Wang Xu’s expression. These attacks were far stronger and he was now much closer. He had just used his True Qi and didn’t have the reserve for another wave.
“Good, Ye Shi. Cunning b*stard! I underestimated you!” Wang Xu called out, striking at the wall with his palm, pushing himself backwards and dodging the powerful spears.
Time trickled by as the two sides exchanged blows and lives. The Ye Family Village held the advantage, losing less than the Wang Family.
Wang Xu was powerful but when he approached, Ye Shi would direct the warriors to strike out in unison. The Ye Village Chief called out calm commands one after another, his composure tilting the battle in his favor.
But while the two sides fought, wounds and death were inflicted every minute.
Blood flowed and stained the ground before the Ye Family gate.
…
“Ah!”
While the tragic and terrible battle was raging outside, a roar filled Ye Tian’s room.
A slim figure quickly smashed past the door to the house, landing steadily in the courtyard.
Level Ten? My Qi is so dense. To think that my True Qi would strengthen so much after breaking through. I’ve finally broken through and completed the Great Heavenly Circle, Ye Tian thought excitedly as he examined the thick, dense True Qi flowing through him.
His Ten Principal Meridians were like ten great river channels through which a flood of True Qi galloped. Linked together in a great cycle, his True Qi flowed from one meridian to the next in an interconnected cycle that never ended.
Ye Tian felt as if his body was bursting with power.
“Hahaha, Ye geezer, you’re dead.” Cackling laughter filled the air, stirring Ye Tian from his excited introspection.
“En?” Ye Tian frowned, turning in the direction of the village gates. His nose twitched and his face fell.
“Not good! The Wang Warriors are here! The others are in danger!”
Pulled away from his self-examination, the smell of blood soon filled his nose and the cries of battle filled his ears. Ye Tian immediately guessed the cause.
Without hesitation, Ye Tian shot forward like a brilliant arrow, rushing towards the gates.
He arrived just in time to see Wang Xu successfully climbing the walls and beginning to engage Ye Shi.
Though Wang Xu was powerful, Ye Shi was no pushover. His own half-step Martial Master Qi was more powerful than even Wang Tian’s, and for the moment, he could exchange blows with the fully-fledged Martial Master.
But Ye Tian could instantly tell that it would only be a matter of time before Wang Xu defeated his Village Chief. The enemy chief was wary of pushing Ye Shi to the edge and forcing the man into a suicidal attack, so Wang Xu patiently held back to wear the man down.
“Then right now… I’ll deal with Wang Tian first!” Ye Tian decided, grasping the general battle situation as he shot forward again, dashing over to where Ye Feng was dueling Wang Tian.