“Ye Wudi, what grand authority you have. Do you really think yourself invincible under the heavens?”
A voice suddenly rang out.
It rumbled like muffled thunder.
The sound shook the crowd, nearly bursting their eardrums.
The next second, a figure appeared in front of Bai Yujing.
This man stood seven feet tall, past seventy years old, clad in a grey robe, his hair bound with a jade crown, a jade pendant hanging at his waist.
His attire was identical to Long Jiu’s, as if he too had stepped out of ancient times.
The crowd immediately realised this man was from the Forbidden City.
Sure enough.
Upon seeing him, Bai Yujing bowed deeply and said respectfully, “Yujing pays respects to Eighth Uncle-Master.”
Eighth Uncle-Master?
The Eighth Lord of the Forbidden City?
The crowd shuddered.
Another master from the Forbidden City had arrived. Would Ye Wudi remain as domineering as before?
“I was wondering who it was. So it’s the Eighth Lord,” Ye Wudi said without a trace of fear. “What, you want to meddle in this too?”
“You attacked my brother. Shouldn’t you give me an explanation?” Long Ba replied.
Ye Wudi sneered disdainfully, “I, Ye Wudi, act as I please. Why should I explain myself to you?”
Hmph!
Long Ba let out a cold snort, releasing a tremendous aura.
In an instant, the guests felt the air itself solidify, their breathing growing laboured.
“No wonder you don’t take our Forbidden City seriously. As expected of Ye Wushuang’s brother, just as arrogant as he was. Let’s see if you’ve got the skill to back it up.”
With those words, Long Ba launched himself forward like a fired cannonball, appearing before Ye Wudi in a flash.
He threw a punch, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder.
The momentum was earth-shaking.
Ye Wudi met Long Ba’s fist with his own, striking later but landing first.
“Boom!”
A loud explosion rang out.
Both men retreated six steps.
Ye Wudi’s expression remained unchanged, but Long Ba’s gaze darkened slightly.
“No wonder you look down on the Forbidden City. You’ve got some ability. With your strength, if you joined the Dragon List, you could vie for the top spot.”
Long Ba’s words sent shockwaves through the crowd.
“What? Ye Wudi’s skill isn’t weaker than the Champion Marquis?”
“From the Eighth Lord’s tone, Ye Wudi might even surpass the Champion Marquis.”
“Good heavens, how does the Ye family keep producing such freaks?”
Ye Wudi said calmly, “The Dragon List is nothing. My goal is to be first on the God List.”
Hiss,
The crowd gasped in unison. No one had expected Ye Wudi’s ambitions to be so vast.
Even Ye Qiu’s heart pounded wildly.
He’d heard from Zhao Yun before that the God List was just a legend, but now it seemed it might actually exist.
“First on the God List is my eldest brother. Even if you trained for another century, you’d never match him,” Long Ba said.
The moment those words left his mouth, the crowd gasped again.
“Unbelievable! The top of the God List is the First Lord of the Forbidden City!”
“No wonder the Forbidden City ignores the law and acts so brazenly. Their strength is terrifying!”
“From now on, if I see anyone from the Forbidden City, I’ll steer clear. Don’t provoke them, or you won’t even know how you died!”
Ye Wudi sneered coldly, “If my brother Ye Wushuang were still alive, forget first on the God List—your Forbidden City would’ve been reduced to ashes long ago.”
Long Ba replied, “Ye Wushuang was indeed a once-in-a-century martial genius, dazzling and unparalleled. Sadly, the heavens grew jealous and took him early.”
Ye Wudi’s gaze turned icy, “Whether it was the heavens’ jealousy or someone’s deliberate scheme, you know the truth.”
At those words, the crowd’s eyes lingered briefly on Long Ba.
Could Ye Wushuang’s death be tied to the Forbidden City?
Ye Qiu’s eyes locked onto Long Ba, eager to hear what he’d say next.
Long Ba’s gaze chilled as he said, “Ye Wudi, words are useless. Since you’re here today, don’t plan on leaving.”
“Ye Wushuang’s been dead for years. He must be lonely down there.”
“As his brother, why not join him?”
“I think sending you down to keep my brother company sounds better.” Ye Wudi waved his hand grandly, “Sword!”
Ye Qiu immediately handed the Emperor’s Sword, Chixiao, to Ye Wudi.
The moment Ye Wudi gripped the sword, his aura shifted, as if he’d become an indestructible blade, its edge fully revealed.
Then, Ye Wudi pointed the Emperor’s Sword at Long Ba and roared, “Come face your death!”
With a flick of his long sleeve, Long Ba summoned a cleaver from the ground, which shot into the air and landed in his hand.
“Kill!” Long Ba bellowed, charging at Ye Wudi with the cleaver raised.
Almost simultaneously, Ye Wudi moved, slashing out with his sword.
“Clang!”
The Emperor’s Sword clashed with the cleaver.
Crack!
The cleaver snapped instantly, but the sword’s momentum didn’t stop, slashing fiercely toward Long Ba’s face.
Long Ba twisted his body aside, the blade grazing past his nose.
“Boom!”
Long Ba threw a punch at Ye Wudi’s abdomen.
Ye Wudi’s other hand swiftly clenched into a fist and struck out, meeting Long Ba’s punch head-on.
Bang!
A deafening crash.
Both were forced back by the power in each other’s fists.
As Ye Wudi retreated, he suddenly spun, circling behind Long Ba, and thrust his sword at Long Ba’s back.
Long Ba reacted swiftly, leaping oddly to the side, dodging the Emperor’s Sword. He grabbed another cleaver from the ground and swung it backward.
This time, though, the cleaver didn’t meet the sword—it struck only air.
Long Ba’s expression shifted slightly. He turned quickly, only to see Ye Wudi now standing beside Long Jiu.
The Emperor’s Sword was raised high.
Long Ba instantly understood Ye Wudi’s intent. The earlier strike was a feint—his real target was Long Jiu.
Long Jiu had been watching the fight, never expecting Ye Wudi to suddenly appear beside him.
Having already battled Ye Qiu, Master Longmei, and Master Du’e, he was gravely wounded and at his weakest. Against a peak-form Ye Wudi, he had no strength to resist.
And Ye Wudi was too fast—Long Jiu couldn’t even dodge in time.
In a panic, Long Jiu cried out, “Eighth Brother, save me!”
“Ye Wudi, stop—” Long Ba barely got the words out before the Emperor’s Sword fell, blood spraying everywhere.
“Ah…”
Long Jiu collapsed, screaming. His right arm had been severed by Ye Wudi’s strike.
The guests’ scalps tingled with fear.
Ye Wudi’s actions were insane. This wasn’t just a challenge to the Forbidden City—it was declaring war.
“Ye Wudi, you dare touch Old Nine? I’ll kill you!”
Long Ba’s aura flared with rage as he charged at Ye Wudi, but he stopped mid-stride.
He saw the Emperor’s Sword in Ye Wudi’s hand now pressed against Long Jiu’s throat.
“Eighth Lord, do you think I won’t slaughter the Ninth Lord?”
Ye Wudi grinned, revealing a row of neat, white teeth, sending chills down spines.
Long Ba roared, “Ye Wudi, I’m warning you. If you harm another hair on Old Nine’s head, I’ll not only kill you—I’ll raze your Ye family to the ground…”
Pfft!
Before Long Ba could finish, Ye Wudi’s Emperor’s Sword pierced Long Jiu’s throat.
Then came the voice:
“I, Ye Wudi, fear no threats!”
