They were halfway through dinner when Lan-Yi came over, a huge smile on her face.
"What happened Lan-Yi? You look like something good happened." Zi Yue was curious.
"My son is back! Remember I told you that he is a disciple in Heaven Spirit Sect and that he stays in the Sect quarters? He's back for the night! He says he would like to meet you so I brought him over." Everytime Lan-Yi talked about her son, her entire face lights up.
Hearing that Lan-Yi's son is here, the theee of them craned their necks looking for him. They saw Lan-Yi beckon to a young man leaning against the counter talking to Qiu Ting. Upon seeing Lan-Yi's signal, he stood upright and started walking towards them, an easy smile on his face.
The first thing they thought of was that aside from having the same copper-coloured hair and deep brown eyes, the both of them bear little resemblance to one another. The way he walked was a clear indication that he trained in martial arts, his body toned by the countless trainings they could imagine he had.
From the moment she saw him, Zi Yue was struck by a feeling of familiarity. When he neared them and she managed to get a closer look at his face, she felt that he had an air of charisma around him and that odd familiar feeling grew even stronger. But from where, that she could not remember.
“Ruo Sheng, these are the ones I told you about. Ye Yu, Lan Ying and Zi Yue. This is my son, Ruo Sheng” Lan-Yi pulled on her son’s hand, taking the initiative to introduce them to one another.
Ruo Sheng gaze landed on them one by one as his mother introduced them. When it fell on Zi Yue, he eyes widened slightly and an indescribable expression flitted across his face, gone so quickly you had to be paying attention to have noticed. Because Zi Yue was looking rather intently at him, still trying to figure out his identity, she caught that fleeting look.
From his reaction, perhaps they knew one another?
“You’re Zi Yue? I’ve heard about you from both my mother and Qiu Ting. I, Ruo Sheng, would like to thank you for your help this afternoon. I dread to think what would have happened to them had you not saved them in time.” Hands wrapped in a fist, he bowed as he thanked her.
Ohh, perhaps that was why he reacted like that when he saw her.
Embarrassedly, Zi Yue accepted his thanks, stating once again that she did not do much to warrant such thanks. At the same time, she stopped figuring out the reason behind her feelings, all thoughts of it forgotten in that moment of self-consciousness.
Waving a hand over the table, he invited the three of them to take a seat, aware that he had interrupted them in the middle of their dinner.
“Tonight’s dinner will be on me as thanks for this afternoon and as a belated welcome to the main city of Bei Lian and Happy Inn. Do continue eating, I just wanted to come over to say hi. The inn’s a little busy at the moment, so I have to help out. I’m afraid it will last till the wee hours. Hmm, why not you all join me when I head out tomorrow? I can bring you to some of the best food here in Bei Lian before I head back to Heaven Spirit Sect. I would like to properly thank you all in addition to this meal.”
He took a quick glance at the counter and saw that there were customers there. After obtaining their agreement, he bid a quick farewell and hurriedly over to the counter to help Qiu Ting. Lan-Yi had been called over by a customer and had with him as well.
Lan-Yi’s son seemed like a really genuine and sincere person, alike to his mother who was equally warm and enthusiastic. Looking at one another, the three of them smiled expectantly. Looks like they would be in for a delicacy tour tomorrow.
——
They were bursting. Ruo Sheng had brought them to so many stores and the food all tasted so good. Adding in the fact that he literally knew all of the store owners and that they all enthusiastically gave an extra portion made the food they bought so much more than usual.
Ruo Sheng was affable and had an easy-going personality, so they overcame the initial awkwardness quickly. Of course, bonding over a common love for delicious food helped too.
Time passed by so quickly when they were having fun. Before they knew it, it was time for Ruo Sheng to head back to Heaven Spirit Sect. Outsiders were not allowed into the Sect quarters unless permission was obtained by the Sect Leaders. Therefore, they walked with Ruo Sheng to the entrance of the Sect. Lan Ying had wanted to see what the Sect looked like (from outside since she could not enter) as it was her first time seeing one of the Big-Four Sects and was dying of curiosity. She literally skipped the entire way to the Heaven Spirit Sect headquarters.
“Is this it? Aww man, I was expecting more…” Lan Ying gazed in disappointment at the ordinary-looking building before her. The Heaven Spirit Sect did not have the huge main doors and tall, imposing buildings she had imagined. Rather the front of the Sect looked like any other building that they had walked past. Perhaps the inside would be spectacular but their front was definitely not impressive.
“This is where I take my leave. Thank you for sending me here even though it is out of the way for you. The next time you are back in Bei Lian, do send a message to inform me. I will be a proper host the next time round. It was an enjoyable day spent, farewell and may the heavens be with you on your journey.” Ruo Sheng bid farewell to them, throwing a quick glance at Zi Yue once more before turning to enter the Sect quarters.
Seeing the doors close, the trio turned to leave as well.
They had only taken a few steps when they stopped abruptly, gazes sharpening in alertness.
“Who are you and what do you want?”
The moment Ye Yu shouted out to the empty space, forty men appeared from the shadows and surrounded them, blocking off any potential exit. From their outfits, they looked like they belonged to the same company. It seems like these men had been following them for a while, given how they had chosen the exact moment Ruo Sheng left to reveal themselves. The reason they had hidden their auras and had not done anything previously was because Ruo Sheng had been with them. They knew from his attire that he was a member of the Heaven Spirit Sect and they could not afford to offend the Heaven Spirit Sect. Therefore, when he finally left, they were finally able to reveal themselves.
The Heaven Spirit Sect was in a rather secluded location and quite a distance away from the hustle and bustle of the main street, so it was an optimal location for them to conduct their dirty deed. They were not worried about causing a ruckus outside the doors of the Heaven Spirit Sect for they were aware that the Sect usually do not interfere with their Association’s affairs. The only time the Sect interfered was if and when the Association’s actions crossed paths with their own.
Zi Yue was wondering who they were and what business they had with the three of them when she spotted a familiar face amongst them.
Recognising that face, she tried searching through her memories for his name. “You! Mo Bao De... or something.”
“It’s Mo Hao Ze. Mo! Hao! Ze!” Gritting his teeth in outrage, Mo Hao Ze looked at Zi Yue, every fibre in his body radiating hatred for her. He looked down at his now useless left hand, and recalled the moment where Zi Yue crippled it.
“You crippled my hand, I will never forgive you! Today I brought the Executioner of our Blood Association and some of my Blood brothers with me for my revenge. Prepare to meet your death today.” Grinning maliciously, his face was twisted in an ugly mask of desire for revenge and blood. He had pulled tons of favours to get the Executioner of their Association to help him. The nickname “Executioner” was not given to the boulder-like giant beside him for nothing and that girl, alongside her friends would soon find out why.
“Looks like the beating my Young Mistress gave to you was not enough. You’ve ignored her warning now, do not cry and beg later. Young Mistress, Lan Ying, I’ll leave the small flies to you. That big ugly guy in the middle, I’ll deal with him. He’ll be crying and begging for mercy by the time I am done.” Eyes glinting dangerously, Ye Yu gave them a look of contempt. His obvious disregard for them enraged the forty men, especially the one called the Executioner by Mo Hao Ze.
Triggered by Ye Yu’s words, the Executioner's(1) huge body shook in anger. “It will be you who will be crying and begging for mercy later. I have plans for the two women, you on the other hand… Will die in my hands today!” He charged towards Ye Yu at a speed faster than a normal human could.
Ye Yu looked at the approaching wall of muscles and took in a deep breath. He had of course noticed that the Executioner was no ordinary person to be able to move that fast and had indeed been briefly surprised. No wonder the ruffians had looked so confident that they would win when they surrounded the three of them. However, Ye Yu was confident. If he cannot even defeat someone at that level, then what right did he have to fight alongside his Young Mistress. Furthermore, he was a Celestial Beast and one of the Four Divine Beasts. A ruffian he could definitely deal with.
Ye Yu moved.
He punched at the Executioner’s face as he closed in, only to be blocked by the Executioner’s arm. Quickly following up with a jab to his jaw, Ye Yu delivered a series of continuous strikes to vital spots. He was met with resistance at each strike and returning blows that were aimed at his own vital spots. Like this, they parried and exchanged blows with one another, each blow being met by another blow.
This carried on for another twenty seconds when suddenly, the Executioner leaped backwards, deftly ducking out of the way of Ye Yu’s punch. He then quickly pivoted on the balls of his right foot and delivered a kick towards Ye Yu’s chest with his left. Ye Yu was caught by surprise and it hit him squarely in the chest. Staggering back, Ye Yu instantaneously knew that that kick had been strengthened by Iron Qi, for a normal kick would not have been able to break one of his ribs at one go. This person is a cultivator. And from the strength of that kick, he was a rather strong cultivator as well.
Coughing, he quickly re-focused on the fight, ignoring the jabbing pain from the broken rib. The Executioner will not wait for him to recover to continue the fight. Indeed, the Executioner was already following up with a strike aimed for his jaw. This time, Ye Yu caught the approaching fist, twisting it backwards while at the same time, he used the sharp edge of his elbow to send out a powerful strike out at the chest.
A sharp intake of breath followed by a loud cry of pain as the hand twisted at an unnatural angle and the strike to the chest connected. With his hand still holding onto the Executioner’s arm, Ye Yu pulled on it and delivered a backfist strike to the jaw, one powerful enough to result in a crunching sound upon the hit. Even with his jaw and ribs broken and a hand twisted, the Executioner did not fall. He was the Executioner. He executed others, not the other way round. Since physical combat was not working, it was time to turn to an invisible attack.
With a dry laugh, he looked dead straight at Ye Yu and released his full aura. This was his ultimate move that he would not use until necessary in order to catch his enemies by surprise. He was going to make that the cocky fellow in front of him break and bow down under his aura pressure.
Immortal level! That was the first thought that flew into their minds when the Executioner unleashed his aura.
“Trying to break me down with aura pressure? With that weak aura pressure?” Raising a brow, Ye Yu snorted in amusement as he looked at the person who had obviously underestimated him. The Executioner may have an Immortal level cultivation, but he was still weak compared to Ye Yu himself. Not to mention when compared to his Young Mistress.
Amusement fading into seriousness, he straightened up and started releasing his own aura. Because they were still rather close to town, Ye Yu was careful not to unleash his full aura unlike the last time when they were in the forest. The Executioner’s own Immortal level aura plus the aura he himself is releasing is enough to attract some attention already. Unleashing his full aura would be asking to attract attention to this location like bees to honey.
“Imm-Immortal level aura… You’re an Immortal level cultivator too?!” Disbelief hung on the Executioner's face the moment he felt Ye Yu's aura. Mo Hao Ze told him nothing about having to fight an Immortal level cultivator. He only said that one of the girls were a strong cultivator. But going by the level of cultivation Mo Hao Ze was at, he had guessed that the girl was probably around the high levels of Peak Transcending, which was still a piece of cake for him. This… this… nobody told him anything about this!
The Executioner was one who bullied the weak and avoided the strong. Being an Immortal cultivator, he was already one of the stronger ones in the Association besides the Elders and thus was able to swagger around arrogantly, killing all that offended him. Anyone who offended him was a walking dead man and all they could do was wait for their execution, which was how he earned his nickname
Feeling the pressure gradually intensifying, pushing down his own aura pressure, he started to panic. This was not supposed to happen. Desperately pushing against the overwhelming aura pressure surrounding him, he struggled to stay standing. As the aura pressure continued increasing, he finally could not hold it back anymore. His knees buckled and he slumped to the ground, his body no longer able to stand the pressure of Ye Yu’s aura.
Trembling violently, he lied on the ground, still trying miserably to defend himself.
Seeing the Executioner collapse into a heap onto the ground, instead of subsiding and collecting back his aura, Ye Yu further intensified it. He was not going to let this man off. To prevent similar situations from happening again in future, he was going to destroy him.
A howl of pain that rang through the entire alley was followed by a torrent of sobs.
Lying on the ground curled up in pain, the Executioner whimpered in self-pity. How was he going to survive in future… He was now an invalid in the world of the cultivators. He had felt Ye Yu cripple his meridians one by one, the excruciating physical pain leaving him unable to move while the knowledge of what was happening to him causing a mental breakdown inside him. In that short few seconds, he had lost both his cultivation and the chance to ever cultivate again.
This was a cruel move, but Ye Yu was no saint. Anything and anyone that threatened the safety of his Young Mistress, he would destroy. Killing him would have been a much simpler and faster method, but Zi Yue did not like senseless killings. Crippling his meridians would do.
Without sparing the ex-Executioner another glance, Ye Yu hid his aura once again and strode towards the two women.
——
Zi Yue knew that given the difference in strength between the Executioner and herself, she would be able to take him down much easier than Ye Yu could, especially if they were talking about aura pressure. However, she knew Ye Yu's strength. He would win. She was sure of it. Turning her attention back to the ruffians, she looked over at Lan Ying’s location and saw that she was standing her own ground very well.
Although Lan Ying often left the fighting to them, it did not mean she was weak. Her cultivate ion level may not have caught up with the two monsters, having only reached Transcendence Peak 6th Stage, but her skill with weapons was able to cover for her weaker cultivation level. Regardless of type, shape, kind or size, Lan Ying was able to master any weapon that she managed to get her hands on. Even the other weapon-maniac Ye Yu was unable to match up to her level.
By the time Ye Yu had taken down the Executioner, Zi Yue and Lan Ying had just finished off the last of the ruffians.
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(1) Yes, I’m going to keep calling him this (even if it sounds lame). No, I am not giving him a name. Kekeke.