Chapter Fifty-Four: That Man

When Shadowfiend saw that Chaotian Xiang had already knelt, her certainty about the authenticity of this so-called Ancestor grew even stronger. After all, she was the one in charge of this area. What she hadn't expected was the Ancestor's rather "unique" way of making an entrance—being dragged along by a sword, and even losing control along the way...

Realizing the situation, Shadowfiend dared not linger in thought. She quickly dropped to her knees and called out with utmost respect, "Shadowfiend pays her respects to the Ancestor!"

"Ancestor?" Night Endless looked at the two kneeling before him, his heart a storm of mixed emotions. Ancestor? They must be mistaking him for the Blood Demon! These people—were they from Immortal Moon Tower? The thought sent a chill through him. He feared no one, save the Blood Demon's nine wives. If they were to see through his disguise, he dared not imagine the consequences. The mere thought sent a shiver down his spine.

He glanced around—there was no sign of anyone else floating in the air. In front of him were just three people: the elderly woman Chaotian Xiang kneeling in midair, the old man standing atop the serpent's head, and the assassin, Shadowfiend.

Night Endless's heart was still in his throat. Unwilling to give up, he glanced down at his feet. The dizzying sixty-meter drop made his head spin, so he quickly looked up again, legs trembling. He forced himself to appear calm and inscrutable, nodding slightly. "Rise," he said.

"Thank you, Ancestor!" The two bowed once more before getting to their feet, still wary and not daring to look Night Endless in the eye.

"She hasn't come?" Night Endless asked casually, scanning the area. There was purpose behind his question. He wanted to confirm the identities of the two before him. If either truly belonged to Immortal Moon Tower, he would get his answer.

"What? There's someone else?" This time, the old man on the serpent's head was the one shocked. They were barely twenty meters apart, so he had heard every word. Facing a young man whose Golden Core had been sealed was already taxing for his decrepit body. Now, there was an elderly woman at the Golden Core stage, and survival itself was in question. But now, a Grandmaster at the Spirit Gathering Realm had appeared?

And this white-haired youth, so calm and composed—could he be some world-defying powerhouse starting over? Even that was one thing, but from their words, there was another, a mysterious "she" of unknown power?

With this realization, the old man's last shred of fighting spirit vanished. This time he'd really run into an immovable force—his head just wasn't hard enough for this. He began to furtively survey his surroundings, ready to flee at any moment.

"Reporting to the Ancestor: the Ninth Matriarch left two days ago," Chaotian Xiang replied respectfully.

A sigh of relief escaped Night Endless. For now, he was safe.

"Where did she go? Did she say when she would return?" he pressed.

"Reporting to the Ancestor, the Matriarch did not say. Before leaving, she simply ordered me to ensure your safety and then departed—seemingly to pursue someone," Chaotian Xiang answered.

"To pursue someone? Could it be that mysterious figure who buried me that night?" Night Endless couldn't help but recall the self-proclaimed 'Amitabha, Longevity Sovereign.' But he set the thought aside; there were more pressing matters at hand.

"What happened here?" Night Endless glanced down at the wreckage, pointing at the old man.

"Reporting to the Ancestor: this old man's disciple injured two of the other Matriarchs," Shadowfiend intoned, her face dark.

"You said what!" Night Endless barked coldly.

Boom!

The old man, realizing his window to escape would soon close, unleashed his full cultivation, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward the horizon. In the blink of an eye, he was a mere dot in the distance.

"Kill him," Night Endless commanded icily.

"Yes!"

Chaotian Xiang, having finished speaking, set Night Endless down on the ground and herself transformed into a streak of rainbow light to pursue the fleeing old man.

Shadowfiend, too, dissipated the form of the great tiger. Points of light returned to his body and he landed on the ground.

"Where are they?" Night Endless asked in a low voice, barely contained killing intent radiating from him.

"Over there!" Shadowfiend pointed to the east.

In a small grove—

On a clearing, the slaughter continued. The Ye and Lu families had formed a massive encirclement. Their numbers were still dwindling. Several battlefields had formed at the center. Ye Yunlong was covered in blood, his hand gripping a saber trembling, his breath ragged, looking utterly wretched.

The rest of the Ye family fared no better. Everyone bore wounds.

"Ye Yunlong, give up this futile resistance! Your Ye family cannot escape its doom today!" Lu Wushuang declared arrogantly, waving his long polearm and sneering at Ye Yunlong, who was half-kneeling but refusing to fall.

"Heh heh! To hell with your nonsense! Even if I die today, you'll pay dearly for it!" Ye Yunlong grinned, blood making his face a mask of ferocity.

The situation at Qingfeng Village was dire as well. The chief was gravely wounded. The others were barely holding off the Three Ghosts, many bearing bloody wounds.

Elsewhere in the grove—

Two figures faced off. Ye Yunque, injured, stood before a tree. At its base, Ye Ruyue and Ye Ruxue lay unconscious.

"Heh heh, Ye Yunque, why not come back with me? You're so beautiful—it would be a shame for you to die here," Lu Li leered, his expression sinister.

"In your dreams! I'd rather run off with a dog than follow you!" Ye Yunque snapped, her temper flaring.

"Oh my, a spicy little pepper! I like that! But comparing me to a dog? That really hurts my feelings," Lu Li laughed lecherously, his eyes glued to Ye Yunque's sweat-drenched form, rolling with barely contained lust.

"Scoundrel! I'll gouge out your filthy eyes!"

Ye Yunque seethed. She despised the way these men always stared brazenly at her chest, their wolfish gaze making her skin crawl. So what if she was a bit more endowed than most?

Her temper boiling, she stood tall, her chest heaving, which only made Lu Li's gaze grow even more intense, nearly drooling.

Lu Li was surrounded by spirit-forged chains, a basic spell among all arcane arts. Having only just broken through, he hadn't had time to master any advanced techniques, learning this simple spell from his master on the way back. He was talented, and in half a day had managed to conjure four chains. Any attempt to create more would have drained his reserves dry.

This spirit chain was the lowest among arcane techniques—simple, with the least consumption of energy. Even so, it was more than enough for him to overwhelm Ye Yunque, whose cultivation was only at the Spirit Gathering stage. The Ye family and Qingfeng Village's people were under assault from the Lu and Mu clans, each fighting for their lives, and no one could spare a glance for Ye Yunque now.

Ye Yunque was battered again and again, rolling across the ground, unable to mount any resistance, her frustration and anger only growing.

Her weapon—a plain iron sword—could hardly be called that anymore, its blade pitted and notched, all thanks to Lu Li.

"Aaaah!"

A chain caught Ye Yunque across the back. Unlike others, her bones did not show white, only a shallow wound, blood seeping through, her torn clothes barely concealing her fair skin.

Lu Li's laughter rang out as he watched Ye Yunque's pitiful form, his own excitement mounting. This was, of course, intentional; otherwise, someone at the Spirit Gathering stage could never have withstood such an attack.

Crack!

The chain lashed out like a whip, sending Ye Yunque flying into a tree. She crashed to the ground, rolling twice, her sleeve torn and a long, bloody welt appearing on her arm.

Ye Yunque struggled to her feet, glaring at Lu Li as he grinned wickedly, his excitement disgusting her. "You pervert! Scoundrel! I'll kill you!" she roared.

She barely managed to charge when another blow sent her flying. This time, though in pain, she made no sound.

She had realized—her cries of agony only excited Lu Li further. She knew he was toying with her; otherwise, how could her meager cultivation have lasted this long?

Were it not for Ye Ruyue and Ye Ruxue lying unconscious behind her, she would have ended her own life already.

"Scream! Why don't you scream?" Lu Li's face twisted as Ye Yunque fell silent, no longer giving him the satisfaction of her pain.

Crack! Another lash, Ye Yunque thrown again, her clothes torn further.

"Why don't you scream!" Lu Li whipped her twice more, his chains striking her as she bit down hard, refusing to give him the satisfaction. "Never!" she spat.

"Oh, never? We'll see about that," Lu Li sneered, sending two chains to wrap around Ye Yunque's wrists, lifting her into the air.

"I have all the time in the world to play with you. Three beauties—one grown, two young—just the thought is thrilling!" With each word, he lashed her again, her clothes falling away in tatters, new welts blooming on her skin.

Ye Yunque slowly closed her eyes, tears streaming silently down her cheeks. In her mind, she saw that towering figure—the man with white hair, the man who stood for her family in their hour of peril, the man who descended from the heavens.

Would that man appear again?

Perhaps...not.

Boom!

The ground trembled. Ye Yunque slowly opened her eyes.

There, descending from the sky once more, was that figure with snow-white hair—the man.

Ye Yunque's heart trembled.