Chapter Twelve: Acting (Fifth Update, Please Bookmark)

Upon hearing these words from Ye Li, Ye Long, who had just retreated, turned pale. “This is clearly malicious—damn it, he’s trying to get big brother killed...”

Ye Feng’s voice was cold as he spoke. “I know this is a world where the strong prey on the weak, but between you and me, setting aside family ties, there’s no blood feud or rivalry to speak of, is there?”

With a look of smug satisfaction, Ye Li shook his head. “In this world, there is no true black or white. Strength is the only truth. Family? ...Do you and I really share any?”

At these words, Ye Feng looked toward the distant Grand Elder, then at the several elders standing nearby. “Is this how you all feel as well?”

Neither side answered, but nodded with indifferent expressions.

His gaze swept the courtyard. All around, he met eyes that brimmed with schadenfreude, filling him with a bone-deep chill.

Finally, Ye Feng twisted his neck and looked toward Ye Tianya, who sat with eyes closed, resting. He smiled faintly.

As if sensing his gaze, Ye Tianya slowly opened his eyes. Meeting Ye Feng’s smiling look, he nodded approvingly.

At that moment, Ye Feng’s resolve solidified—he would hesitate no longer.

“Very well! Let’s begin!”

Ye Li had not expected Ye Feng to agree so readily. The words of mockery and scorn he had prepared were forced back down. Pointing at Ye Feng, he barked, “A man should know his limits. You, a useless wretch, dare to challenge me? You’re courting death!”

Ye Feng said nothing. Suddenly, he shot forward like lightning, seizing Ye Li’s hand. He turned to the Grand Elder. “Shall we begin?”

“We may.” The Grand Elder looked at Ye Feng with a peculiar expression and gave the signal.

Smack—

Suddenly, Ye Feng yanked Ye Li’s arm toward himself, then his other hand swung out, slapping Ye Li hard across the face. The blow sent Ye Li flying several meters, as Ye Feng sneered, “If a so-called ‘good-for-nothing’ can beat an arrogant genius like you, isn’t that quite satisfying?”

Below, Ye Long and Xiao Ying, who had just arrived, both looked astonished. Around them, the other spectators were even more dumbstruck. None had expected a contest with such a disparity in strength to begin this way.

“I’ll kill you!” Humiliated, Ye Li clenched his fists, spiritual energy surging through his body. In the next instant, a pale yellow aura swirled around him.

By contrast, Ye Feng, seeing Ye Li’s fierce reaction, looked tense and wary, carefully watching his opponent.

“If you wish for death, I’ll oblige you!” Ye Li stomped hard on the ground, shooting straight at Ye Feng. As he charged, his hands shaped into claws, each finger tipped with black, razor-sharp nails that glinted coldly. It was the “Tendon-Burning Claw” technique he had practiced days before.

In this moment, battered by humiliation, all self-restraint left Ye Li. He entirely forgot the original purpose of the duel and launched killing blows from the start.

Within a foot of Ye Feng, Ye Li stopped short, his right claw tracing a cunning arc straight for Ye Feng’s throat.

“It’s over! The Grand Elder even taught Ye Li this spirit technique—Ye Feng is finished...” Some young men below, proud of their own strength, declared with certainty.

On the field, Ye Feng too appeared flustered, hastily raising his palm as if struggling to muster his spiritual power in time.

Boom—

Claw met palm with a resounding crack. The forceful spirit energy forced Ye Feng back several paces. On the other hand, Ye Li pressed on relentlessly, attacking without pause.

In the blink of an eye, Ye Li had already struck out with dozens of claws, each one viciously aimed at Ye Feng’s vital points. Under this onslaught, Ye Feng was driven back again and again, clearly overwhelmed.

As the duel continued, the black aura clinging to Ye Li’s claws wrapped around Ye Feng’s hands like a maggot, slowing his movements and throwing off his rhythm.

The one-sided nature of the fight seemed to make Ye Feng angry. After taking another blow head-on, he used the force of the recoil to retreat rapidly. Then, clenching his left fist, he gathered spiritual power madly into his hand.

“Take my punch!” A surge of golden energy burst forth, quickly dispersing the black lines on his arm. With this, he unleashed a mighty punch, the force of which sent dust and dead leaves swirling through the air.

“Hmph! A mere eleven spirit marks, and you think to challenge me? Courting death.” Ye Li sneered, shifting his claws into fists as well.

His fist carried a gust of wind; unlike Ye Feng’s brilliant gold, Ye Li’s spiritual energy was black as ink.

Boom—

The two fists collided with a sound like stone striking metal.

Perhaps because Ye Feng had charged up his strength, this exchange was almost evenly matched.

“Hmph! The ‘Dragon-Capturing Hand’—to see it used so pitifully. A waste is a waste. Even with the finest spirit techniques, you cannot wield them properly.” Ye Li bellowed scornfully.

Hearing this, the spectators frowned. They had all witnessed the might of Ye Tianya’s “Dragon-Capturing Hand.” Who could have imagined such a powerful technique would be so poorly executed by Ye Feng?

On the field, Ye Feng looked embarrassed, his cheeks flushed crimson.

“Take another punch!” Seeming enraged by Ye Li’s taunts, Ye Feng gathered his spiritual energy again, launching another powerful punch.

Watching Ye Feng’s ostentatious attacks, Ye Tianya’s gaze drifted to a patch of earth in the courtyard. Unlike the firmly packed ground elsewhere, this spot was clearly newly filled. In his mind, he recalled the pit more than two feet deep that had been left there and shook his head in sympathy for the combatants.

This scene, as it fell into the Grand Elder’s eyes, took on a different meaning—perhaps as a sign of the clan head’s dissatisfaction with Ye Feng’s talent.

Thinking so, the Grand Elder’s old face broke into an even wider smile.

Boom, boom, boom—

On the field, Ye Feng continued to attack with the same move, trading blows with Ye Li. Compared to the exhausted Ye Feng, Ye Li remained calm and composed, clearly holding the advantage, though their blows still seemed evenly matched.

“That’s enough! Let this match end in a draw.” Watching Ye Feng’s earnest performance, Ye Tianya shook his head helplessly and called out to stop the fight.

At his words, Ye Feng quickly pulled back, stepping back several paces.

However, Ye Li seemed not to hear at all. With a vicious punch, he struck at the retreating Ye Feng, heedless of everything else.

The sudden surge of power caught everyone off guard. Faces paled as all eyes turned in horror to Ye Feng, who stood helpless.

“How dare you...”

Ye Tianya’s voice thundered across the courtyard. In the next instant, an indescribable force swept over the entire scene. Everyone present felt as if bound by invisible chains—unable to move a muscle, not even the Grand Elder, whose strength had reached the acquired level.

“See to his discipline at once. If there’s a next time, I won’t be so lenient.” With a look of stern displeasure at the sweat-soaked Grand Elder, Ye Tianya waved his hand. Ye Li, frozen in place, was sent flying back toward the Grand Elder.

Ignoring the latter’s repeated apologies, Ye Tianya strode away. After a moment, his faint voice drifted back, “Feng’er, come with me.”

P.S. Five chapters today—please add to your collection!