Hearing that the experts had returned, the Prophet grew tense.
“No need to worry. They’re the ones who should be nervous now,” Ye Qiu said, retracting his aura and suppressing his cultivation to Venerable Realm.
No trace of a King Realm expert’s presence remained.
“Why do that?” the Prophet asked, puzzled.
“I want to surprise them later,” Ye Qiu replied.
The Prophet understood. He was feigning weakness to lull the experts. She smiled, “You’re naughty.”
Ye Qiu grinned, “A man’s no good if he’s not a bit bad.”
The Prophet blushed.
Suddenly, several powerful auras surged from the distance, streaking like lightning.
Soon, they were only a hundred metres from Ye Qiu.
Seven figures appeared, each a King Realm expert, their auras like dragons, as if seven mountains were crushing the heavens.
Their presence seemed fused with the Great Dao, flawless and unassailable.
Seeing the palace gate littered with severed limbs, the seven experts halted, faces filled with rage.
They glared at Ye Qiu, murderous intent in their eyes.
“Prophet, introduce them,” Ye Qiu said calmly.
She pointed, “The one in the black robe is John, mid-King Realm. The one with the gold earring is Bagu, early King Realm. The two short, identical ones are the Kenny brothers, twins, also mid-King Realm. The blond man is the Lion King, early King Realm, but he’s killed mid-King Realm experts, capable of fighting above his level.”
Ye Qiu glanced at the Lion King, recalling Carl’s claim that he wanted to marry the Prophet.
The Lion King was imposing, over two metres tall, shirtless, muscles like small hills, golden hair standing upright, exuding aggression. He looked about thirty, but Ye Qiu knew his true age was far older.
The Prophet continued, “The last two, be wary. They’re peak King Realm.”
Ye Qiu’s gaze shifted to an old woman with a hunched back, leaning on a golden staff, her face etched with wrinkles like dry bark, and a white-haired elder with scattered hair, sunken blue eyes, and nearly toothless mouth. Despite his frail appearance, his eyes were sharp as an eagle’s, icy cold.
“The old woman is Agatha, her methods mysterious. The elder is Joseph, a magician, somewhat like the Yin-Yang Masters of the East. Watch out for them,” the Prophet said.
Ye Qiu nodded slightly.
John muttered, “Gurgle gurgle…”
Ye Qiu didn’t understand a word.
“He’s asking who killed the coalition and if it was you,” the Prophet translated.
The coalition meant the dead armed fighters.
Ye Qiu asked John, “Can you speak Chinese?”
“Gurgle gurgle…” John continued.
Ye Qiu cursed, “Can’t even speak Chinese? You’re not worth my time!”
John kept muttering, clearly not understanding Ye Qiu.
A chilling voice spoke, “You’re Ye Qiu?”
It was Agatha, the old woman.
“You know me?” Ye Qiu asked.
She cackled, “After the Prophet was trapped, she sent a distress signal to China. We investigated and learned she visited China and was close to you. If China sent someone, it’d likely be you. I guessed right. Where are Carl and Paul?”
“They’re dead,” Ye Qiu said.
“Dead?” Agatha’s eyes sharpened like needles, stinging to meet.
“How?” she demanded.
“I killed them,” Ye Qiu replied.
“You?” She scrutinized him, laughing. “You’re just Venerable Realm. You couldn’t kill Carl and Paul. Tell me, how did they die? Where are their bodies?”
“They’re dead, and I destroyed their bodies,” Ye Qiu said. “Your so-called coalition? I wiped them out too.”
“You expect me to believe that?” Agatha scoffed.
She couldn’t accept a Venerable Realm killing two mid-King Realm experts.
“Believe what you want,” Ye Qiu said. “I stayed here to wait for you.”
“For what?” Agatha asked.
Ye Qiu grinned, “To send you to hell.”
The group burst into laughter, except John, who looked confused.
“Hm?” Ye Qiu frowned, realizing all but John understood Chinese.
“So you all speak Chinese. Good. Saves me the effort,” Ye Qiu said, pointing at them. “Come at me together. I’ll send you to meet your God.”
“Big talk, kid,” Joseph, the magician, sneered, stepping forward to deal with Ye Qiu.
“He’s mine. No one takes him,” the Lion King declared, striding toward the wall, radiating killing intent.
“Dare to act cocky before me? I’ll tear you apart,” the Lion King said, his eyes burning with hatred.
Ye Qiu knew the source of his anger.
“Lion King, I hear you want to marry the Prophet. Sorry, she’s mine,” Ye Qiu said, pulling her close and kissing her cheek.
“You’re dead!” the Lion King roared, leaping like a cannonball, charging at Ye Qiu.
As he neared, he threw a punch to crush Ye Qiu.
This time, Ye Qiu didn’t use the God-Beating Whip. As a mid-King Realm cultivator, he feared no early King Realm opponent.
He threw a punch.
*Boom!*
Their fists collided in the air.
The next second, the Lion King flew back a hundred metres, crashing to the ground, his chest bones nearly shattered.
