Volume One: The Dragon Rises from the Wilderness Chapter 124: The Bad Temper of Centuries Past

"Bang!"

With a flash of sword light, Tao Feng let out a miserable groan and was sent flying.

Yu Xin and the others were shocked. Daring not to hesitate any longer, they drew their short swords and lunged at Gan Xing in unison.

Having succeeded in his counterattack, Gan Xing’s aura rapidly waned. His form swayed as he roared, "You despicable wretches..." His final strike had been the effort of a spent force. Before he could finish his sentence, several swords pierced his chest and abdomen. A mocking sneer appeared on his angry face as he collapsed, drenched in his own blood.

The two Qi-refining masters from Qizhou did not die in the Great Marsh, nor were they buried in the depths of the sea; instead, they perished to a treacherous plot.

Yu Xin, An Yunsheng, He Qingnian, and Luo Chen looked down at the corpses on the ground and the blood-stained blades in their hands, their expressions full of panic.

"Hmph!"

Tao Feng had been thrown several yards away. He crawled up from the ground and let out another muffled groan, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Ignoring it completely, he said excitedly, "Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan were mortal enemies of our Great Marsh Daoist Sect and a great threat to us brothers. Killing them today is a virtuous deed, both publicly and privately!"

Hearing this, the other Daoist disciples nodded in agreement.

Being on the same boat as powerful enemies had always been a source of anxiety. Now that Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan were dead, they had not only avenged themselves but also eliminated a menace. Even if the methods used were despicable, what did it matter?

Tao Feng gathered two storage rings and a flying sword, gesturing to the others, "The old rules: merit-based rewards!"

Yu Xin, however, wore a worried look and reminded him, "Brother Tao, the Soul-Severing Powder is extremely potent. Those struck by it are rendered as helpless as cripples for twelve hours, and my Junior Sister has no antidote. If Yu Ye and Gui Yuanzi wake up later, how shall we explain this?"

In the corner of the cave, Yu Ye and Gui Yuanzi still lay unconscious.

"Heh!"

Tao Feng chuckled and walked over, clutching the flying sword.

Yu Xin exclaimed, "Brother Tao, don't..."

An Yunsheng, He Qingnian, and Luo Chen also urged him:

"Brother Tao, think twice!"

"Yu Ye has done a favor for the Daoist Sect; do not take his life!"

"If we kill him, won't it tarnish our reputations..."

Tao Feng did not stop, his voice sinking as he said, "Yu Ye is to blame for the turmoil in our Great Marsh Daoist Sect. While he may have done us favors, he is also the reason we are exiled overseas. I want to see what treasures he carries today. Do you really wish to leave the truth uninvestigated and allow him to continue his deception?"

Yu Xin and the others fell silent.

The Great Marsh was in turmoil, the Daoist Sect had fallen, and countless disciples had died, all because of the overseas treasure. If that legendary mysterious treasure were truly on Yu Ye, then uncovering the truth could be considered a righteous act.

Tao Feng reached Yu Ye’s side.

Yu Ye lay on the ground, his unconscious state indistinguishable from that of Gan Xing or Qiu Yuan.

Tao Feng peered down for a moment, then reached out impatiently. But just as he was about to snatch the iron ring from Yu Ye’s finger, he suddenly froze.

At some point, Yu Ye had opened his eyes, and the look he cast at Tao Feng was filled with utter mockery.

Tao Feng did not hesitate and swung his sword downward. With a flash of "bang," the sword light was deflected. At the same instant, several invisible strands of magical power bound his limbs, rendering him unable to break free or struggle. He hurriedly shouted, "Fellow Daoists..."

Yu Ye stood up from the ground, unhurriedly saying, "If any of you wish to save him, go ahead!" As he spoke, two of his fingers were already pressed against Tao Feng’s back. A single thought would unleash the Seven Kills Sword Qi, enough to claim a soul.

Yu Xin, An Yunsheng, He Qingnian, and Luo Chen were all dumbfounded.

The Soul-Severing Powder was highly toxic, yet it was useless against this youth? He must have woken up long ago, or perhaps he had feigned unconsciousness just to lure Tao Feng into acting, allowing him to counterattack.

"Do it!"

Yu Ye was urging them to attack, yet no one dared to make a move.

He was young and his cultivation base was not high, yet his methods of killing were far more terrifying than those of Gan Xing or Qiu Yuan.

"Well, I believe you are all reasonable people."

Yu Ye nodded and said, "Brother Tao and I have no past grievances, nor have I ever offended him; we simply had no chance for a deeper friendship due to our differing temperaments. Yet, he took advantage of my efforts against the sea pirates to strike from behind, cut the sails, and attempt to leave me for dead. He then went back on his word, setting a trap with Daoist narcotics to incite a fight and kill Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan. Worse still, he dared to strike at me. Had I not been prepared, I would surely have lost my head by now!"

The Daoist disciples remained silent.

"Heh!"

Tao Feng let out a cold laugh and questioned loudly, "Yu Ye, stop twisting the truth! I cut the sails only to prevent the ship from being destroyed and to save the lives of dozens on board. How can you hold a grudge against me for your own selfish reasons? Our sect’s feud with Gan Xing was too deep to be resolved by your talk of 'harmony is precious'."

Yu Ye looked at the corpses of Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan and shook his head in silence.

Tao Feng continued proudly, "Though you, Yu Ye, have heaven-defying fortune, you cannot distinguish good from evil. To negotiate with enemies and conspire with tigers is utter absurdity. Can you guarantee Gan Xing had no malicious intent? We were no match for him and had to use wits—is that a mistake? Does it not outweigh your fake righteousness? As for your head falling, that is even more ridiculous. I was merely checking your treasures to find the source of our misfortune, yet you baited me into acting just to find an excuse to kill. Heh, I would rather die than be humiliated by you. Come, then—"

He was courting death!

His impassioned words were moving.

Sure enough, Yu Xin and the others spoke up:

"Brother Yu, please show mercy!"

"Brother Yu, it’s just a misunderstanding."

"Brother Yu, don't be rash."

"Brother Yu..."

What is terrifying in this world is not sword qi or killing methods, but seductive words and the unfathomable nature of the human heart.

Yu Ye stepped back two paces and slowly retracted his sword seal.

He was not good with words, especially when facing a glib-tongued person like Tao Feng and a group of Daoist disciples who appeared kind but were either blind followers or motivated by selfish interests. He could only shut his mouth and choose to yield.

Perhaps the power of the "Binding" seal from the *Heavenly Prohibition Technique* had faded, as Tao Feng regained control of his limbs. He immediately jumped away, shouting angrily, "Yu Ye, you have bullied me time and again..."

This was a case of having gained an advantage and then playing the victim!

Just as Tao Feng was about to erupt, a streak of sword qi appeared out of nowhere. With a "bang," it pierced his protective magical energy, and with a "puff," it blew a bloody hole in his thigh. He let out a miserable scream and collapsed to the ground.

Everyone was stunned.

Yu Ye stood where he was, looking quietly at his right hand. He raised an eyebrow and said indifferently, "If black can be turned to white, and tongues can be as sharp as swords to kill, then what is the point of hard cultivation? What use is my Seven Kills Sword Qi otherwise?"

Seven Kills Sword Qi!

No wonder the sword qi was invincible; the name alone was terrifying!

The Daoist disciples wanted to treat Tao Feng but were hesitant, and they feared the sword qi if they tried to stop Yu Ye.

Tao Feng, however, remained stubborn, screaming, "Ouch! A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated—kill me then—"

"I will not kill you, but next time, I will abolish your cultivation!"

Yu Ye’s tone remained flat, tinged with a hint of bitterness, yet it was unquestionable. Having said this, he turned and walked toward Gui Yuanzi, took out a pill, and shoved it into his mouth, then went to Meng Qingqing and did the same.

An Yunsheng, He Qingnian, and Luo Chen took the opportunity to check on Tao Feng’s injuries. The pale-faced Tao Feng, whether from pain or fear, could no longer speak.

Yu Xin asked in surprise, "Brother Yu, you have an antidote for the Soul-Severing Powder?"

Yu Ye stuffed the pill into Meng Qingqing’s mouth and replied, "Whether I have the antidote or not, your Junior Sister should know."

"Before we discussed dealing with Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan, Qingqing mentioned the miraculous effects of the Soul-Severing Powder by chance. I assumed she had obtained it accidentally, so I asked for it to use, unaware of the details..."

Yu Ye glanced at Meng Qingqing on the ground and turned to walk out.

As he reached the cave entrance, he heard Gui Yuanzi cursing angrily:

"Damn it, to think they dared to plot against me! You bunch of hypocritical, reputation-seeking, shameless wretches. You commit such despicable, low-life acts, yet you whitewash your deeds and blame others. You really are pieces of trash. If it were according to my foul temper from hundreds of years ago, I would break your dog legs, skin you, pull your tendons, and grind your bones to ash..."

Yu Ye stepped out of the cave and stood at the edge of the cliff.

Facing the sea, looking at the high, clear sky, the burdens in his heart dissipated, and his melancholy vanished with the sea breeze that brushed his face.

Heh, Gui Yuanzi’s cursing was truly satisfying!

However, he had been unconscious from the Soul-Severing Powder, so how did he know what Tao Feng had done? And was he boasting, or had he really lived for hundreds of years...

By the seaside.

On the beach, two long cedar logs had been added. A group of Chen family disciples were busy with saws and axes, crafting the trunks into suitable masts.

On the hillside, thirty or forty yards away, Yu Ye sat cross-legged.

After injuring Tao Feng, he had simply left. Although he was quite interested in the cave, he did not continue searching. Even if there were treasures hidden inside, they had long since been looted by Tao Feng and the others. Upon returning, he handed the cedar logs to A-Hu and helped move a few more trees. In another ten days or so, the ship should be fully repaired. During the waiting days, he either helped Gui Yuanzi cook meals or sat alone on the hillside to practice breathing and meditation. His relationship with Tao Feng was broken, and Yu Xin and the others kept their distance from him. Only Meng Qingqing still approached him, though she no longer possessed her former straightforward nature.

"Yu Ye—"

A petite figure appeared on the hillside. Before reaching him, she stopped a few yards away, her hands fidgeting as she looked down in silence.

Yu Ye exhaled a turbid breath.

"What is it?"

It was Meng Qingqing. She said softly, "Nothing..."

Yu Ye glanced at her.

Meng Qingqing poked at a pebble with her toe. She was biting her lip, her neck flushed red, looking very embarrassed. After a moment of hesitation, she added, "I didn't know about it that day. You shouldn't hold a grudge against me, I..."

Yu Ye shook his head and said helplessly, "I hold no grudge, so why must you keep dwelling on it!"

Whether there was something or nothing, this Meng Qingqing always found excuses to talk to him, wanting nothing more than to prove her innocence and purity. Yet, instigating Gan Xing and Qiu Yuan to go to the cave and providing the Soul-Severing Powder to set the trap were all her doing.

"Where is the cook? Start the fire and cook!"

Just then, Gui Yuanzi’s shout came from the beach.

Yu Ye breathed a secret sigh of relief and quickly said, "Coming—"