Ding Kaiwei stepped out. The many disciples encircling Ye Chu parted to make a path. He walked slowly until he stood directly in front of Ye Chu, his expression full of arrogance. He faced Ye Chu squarely. “I wondered who dared cause trouble at Ding Wu Hall. Turns out it is Yao City’s former street rat.”
Ding Kaiwei’s tone dripped with contempt. He glanced at the kicked-in iron doors and continued. “Though you have surprised me. A weakling with no strength to truss a chicken actually possesses such power now.”
Looking at this youth whom everyone revered, Ye Chu’s expression remained unchanged. His tone was direct. “I will say it once more. Get out of my way.”
The arrogant words filled the surrounding disciples with righteous fury. They gripped their iron rods tighter and roared in anger. “Young master! No need for words. Just beat him down and throw him out.”
“Exactly. Ding Wu Hall will not tolerate scum coming here to make trouble.”
“Young master, step aside. Speaking to trash like him only lowers your status.”
“…”
Ding Kaiwei raised a hand. The hall full of curses stopped instantly.
“Ye Chu. Remember your place. You are no longer the person from three years ago who could throw his weight around using his family name. Now you are merely the Ye family’s discarded son. Even if I killed you, no one would stand up for you. If you know what’s good for you, kneel and beg for mercy. Perhaps I will let you leave alive.” Ding Kaiwei’s voice was not loud, but it carried absolute authority.
The crowd watched Ye Chu with gleeful anticipation. Once Lord Ding Kaiwei spoke like this, Ye Chu was doomed. In Ding Wu Hall, no one dared defy Ding Kaiwei’s words, and none went unfulfilled.
Liang Shan gave a bitter smile and shook his head. Seeing Ye Chu surrounded and facing so much hostility, he felt powerless.
“Interesting. Very interesting.” Pang Shao hid in one corner and chuckled. He had not expected Ye Chu to clash with Ding Kaiwei. This would be quite a show. Pang Shao had always wanted to know how strong Ye Chu truly was, but he dared not test it himself. Using Ding Kaiwei was perfect.
Ding Kaiwei was no weakling, and with over a hundred warriors from the hall, he should at least give Ye Chu some trouble.
Yet to Pang Shao’s surprise, Ye Chu ignored everyone and walked step by step towards Fang Xinyuan.
Seeing Ye Chu still intent on dealing with him, Fang Xinyuan sneered with disdain. With Ding Kaiwei and the hall backing him, no one could touch him.
“Does he think he is still who he was three years ago? This time you die.” Fang Xinyuan muttered to himself.
Ding Kaiwei saw Ye Chu disregard his presence and continue forward. Finally enraged, he roared at the crowd. “Break his arms and legs. Let him know Ding Wu Hall is not to be trifled with.”
At Ding Kaiwei’s command, the disciples charged at Ye Chu. They swung their iron rods viciously towards his body.
“Courting death.” Repeated provocations had stoked Ye Chu’s anger higher. Before, he had held back, merely slapping disciples away. Now, Ye Chu casually seized an incoming iron rod, yanked it free, and took it for himself.
Rod in hand, Ye Chu swept horizontally with overwhelming force. Every swing knocked rods from disciples’ hands. When the rod struck a disciple, a clear crack sounded. One after another, they screamed in agony.
No matter how strong the opponent, one strike from Ye Chu ended it. Each blow broke through like splitting bamboo. Disciples flew backwards and rolled on the ground in pain.
“Since you refuse to learn, I will smash Ding Wu Hall.”
Every strike from Ye Chu carried immense power. Disciples flew out in groups, screaming. With each step, he cleared a path. No one could approach him. He dominated absolutely.
Ye Chu’s face remained calm. He wielded the iron rod single-handedly with unstoppable might.
The disciples who had sworn to deal with Ye Chu now retreated amid widespread cries of pain. They no longer dared raise a hand against him.
Watching one man drive back over a hundred from Ding Wu Hall, everyone’s faces filled with shock and disbelief. Liang Shan scrambled up from the floor, excitement flushing his whole face red. Blood rushed to his head, ready to burst.
Su Rong and Zhang Su’er exchanged glances, equally unsettled. Watching Ye Chu still swinging the rod, casually crushing the hall’s fighting spirit, they finally understood how formidable he was.
From the strength Ye Chu now displayed, true qi realm was clearly insufficient. Could he have reached… artistic conception realm?
Su Rong suddenly recalled the Qingyang Marquis yielding, the marquis’s expression changing dramatically when Ye Chu grabbed him. It suddenly seemed very possible. If Ye Chu truly possessed that realm, the marquis’s actions made sense.
Artistic conception realm. That was an entirely different level.
The Qingyang Marquis had lingered at the peak of true qi realm for over ten years yet could not break through to artistic conception. That alone showed its terror.
In all Yao City, fewer than a hundred people had reached artistic conception realm.
For Ye Chu to enter this coveted realm in just three years was simply unbelievable.
Only Pang Shao remained unfazed. A bunch of useless fools daring to block Ye Chu. They underestimated him far too much. Pang Shao glanced at Ding Kaiwei. If he joined the hundred others, perhaps they could trouble Ye Chu a little.
Fang Xinyuan’s face was deathly pale. Only now did he realise what a terrifying figure he had provoked. If not for being in Ding Wu Hall, he would have turned and fled. Watching disciples struck down one by one, wailing, fear crept into his heart.
Clang.
Ye Chu swung again, but the rod was blocked. Ding Kaiwei finally acted personally. He held an iron rod and clashed with Ye Chu. Both rods bent. Ye Chu’s movement paused briefly.
Casually tossing the bent rod aside, it struck a disciple’s forehead. Ignoring the scream, Ye Chu looked at Ding Kaiwei. “So. You finally make your move?”
Ding Kaiwei’s heart was anything but calm. He had not expected Ye Chu to transform to such a terrifying degree in three years. Ye Chu’s strikes appeared chaotic, yet at his level, he could clearly see the intent within. Ye Chu had undoubtedly reached artistic conception realm.
A former waste reaching artistic conception realm. The irony was too much. Among Yao City’s younger generation, only five had achieved it.
“You have earned my respect.” Ding Kaiwei took a deep breath and said to Ye Chu.
“No need for that. Hand over Fang Xinyuan and his group. I will let the rest slide.” Ye Chu replied.
“Impossible.” Ding Kaiwei stated.
Ye Chu suddenly smiled, a brilliant smile. “Very good. It seems you have forgotten what kind of person I am. Then Ding Wu Hall has no reason to exist.”
The words were quiet, yet they stunned everyone. They could not help recalling three years ago, when Ye Chu had been just as arrogant and unrestrained in his villainy.
Ding Kaiwei was momentarily shaken by Ye Chu’s words, but soon anger turned to laughter. “With just you? You are not qualified. Today I will teach you how to behave.”
As Ding Kaiwei spoke, his foot traced an arc, ferocious and violent, kicking straight towards Ye Chu’s chest.
