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The moment the three ninjas attacked, Ye Qiu knew he was in trouble.
These guys were freakishly skilled.
Each one could rank in the top ten of the Dragon List.
And their coordination was flawless—whether attacking or defending, they moved with perfect synergy.
Swish!
The three ninjas formed a triangular formation, launching a ferocious assault on Ye Qiu.
As soon as he blocked one attack, the other two would strike from the side or behind, leaving him no room to breathe.
During the clash, Ye Qiu glanced back and saw Qiushan Nange standing off to the side, smirking.
Damn it, this old hag totally set me up.
She must have known these guys were tough nuts to crack.
Ye Qiu let out a long sigh. The ancients were right—beautiful women were like poison, addictive yet deadly. Today, he was experiencing it firsthand.
“Sect Master Qiushan, your man’s got some moves. Shame he won’t last long,” Yoshida Chūji said with a laugh, turning to Qiushan Nange. “I’ve long wanted to test your skills. Care to indulge me?”
Clang!
Yoshida Chūji drew the samurai sword from his waist, his fighting spirit surging.
“I’ve heard your martial talent rivals your brother’s. Let’s see if the rumors hold true,” Qiushan Nange replied, picking up her crystal longsword from the ground and pointing it at him, her own battle intent soaring.
“Sect Master Qiushan, rest assured, I won’t disappoint you.”
Boom!
As Yoshida Chūji’s words fell, he was already in front of Qiushan Nange, raising his samurai sword and swinging it down at her head.
Qiushan Nange swiftly raised her longsword to block.
Clang!
The samurai sword struck the longsword, forcing Qiushan Nange back five steps, a flicker of gravity in her eyes.
She was shocked to realize Yoshida Chūji’s skills were on par with a grandmaster.
“Feeling surprised, Sect Master Qiushan?” Yoshida Chūji grinned. “The world knows my brother as a grandmaster, but they overlook me. Truth is, my strength is only a hair below his.”
“If you hadn’t fought your man earlier and taken some internal damage, you might’ve lasted four or five hundred moves against me. But now? You won’t even block fifty.”
He chuckled darkly. “You’re a renowned martial grandmaster of Great East—killing you does feel like a waste.”
“How about this, Sect Master Qiushan? Marry me.”
Yoshida Chūji continued, “If you marry me and join Amaterasu Shrine, neither Miyamoto Musashi nor my brother will trouble you—or your Water Moon Sect.”
In your dreams!
Qiushan Nange glanced at Ye Qiu, tangled up with the three ninjas, and thought to herself, Marrying Yoshida Chūji? Might as well marry Ye Qiu.
Sure, Ye Qiu was a bit of a jerk, but he was good-looking—his face alone outshone Yoshida Chūji by miles.
And he was so young—his stamina must be impressive.
“Pah, pah, pah! Qiushan Nange, what are you thinking? That kid’s Xiao Xue’s man!” Her face flushed as she quickly shut down her wild thoughts, snapping at Yoshida Chūji, “Less talk, more action!”
“Sigh, I wanted to spare you, but you don’t appreciate my kindness. Don’t blame me for being ruthless, then. Kill!”
Yoshida Chūji charged again.
The battle erupted.
Five minutes flew by.
Ye Qiu was tied up fighting the three ninjas, defending while keeping an eye on Qiushan Nange.
Soon, he noticed bloodstains on both her and Yoshida Chūji.
They were both injured.
Gradually, Qiushan Nange started retreating, her strength visibly waning.
“That dumb woman—if she hadn’t fought me earlier, she wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Gotta admit, she’s lucky she ran into me.”
“Even at her peak, she couldn’t have handled these three ninjas and Yoshida Chūji ganging up on her.”
“Fine, for Qianshan Xue’s sake, I’ll lend her a hand.”
With that thought, Ye Qiu suddenly stopped counterattacking.
Just then, one ninja threw a punch at his head.
Ye Qiu caught the man’s wrist mid-strike. At the same moment, another ninja raised his sniper rifle and fired.
Bang!
The bullet rocketed toward Ye Qiu.
Acting like he didn’t see it, Ye Qiu twisted the captured wrist hard—crack!—snapping the ninja’s bones.
He yanked the ninja into his chest and, with lightning speed, smashed a fist into the man’s throat.
Pfft!
Blood sprayed from the ninja’s mouth as he dropped dead on the spot.
The bullet struck Ye Qiu’s back.
Clang!
It ricocheted off, leaving him unscathed.
Huh?
The sniper-wielding ninja froze for a split second—just long enough for Ye Qiu to appear beside him like a ghost, swinging a fist at his ribs.
Sensing danger, the ninja reacted fast, leaping half a step to the side to dodge.
But as he landed, a seven-inch golden needle stabbed into the back of his neck.
His body stiffened instantly.
Only then did he realize Ye Qiu’s earlier punch to his ribs was a feint, meant to force him to jump aside and expose his neck.
“Despicable…”
He collapsed before finishing the word.
The last ninja leapt into the air, slashing down at Ye Qiu’s head.
Boom!
Ye Qiu smashed the blade apart with a backhanded punch, then launched upward, driving a knee into the ninja’s chest.
Bang!
The man’s organs ruptured.
He plummeted to the ground, eyes rolling back as he died.
“I was just playing with you clowns. Did you really think I was a pushover?”
Ye Qiu spat curses at the three corpses.
On the other side—
After an intense exchange, Qiushan Nange and Yoshida Chūji both staggered back. She looked up just in time to see Ye Qiu dispatch the three ninjas, her heart jolting in shock.
Even at her peak, she couldn’t have taken down three ninjas that fast.
“So when he fought me earlier, he was holding back.”
For some reason, realizing this sparked a strange flicker of delight in Qiushan Nange’s chest.
Then her expression grew complicated.
“A young prodigy like this emerging in Hua Country… I wonder if that’s good or bad for Great East.”
As that thought crossed her mind, Ye Qiu appeared in front of her.
“How’s your injury?” he asked.
“None of your business,” she shot back, glaring at him as if to say, With skills like that, why didn’t you help me sooner?
“If I don’t care, who will?”
Ye Qiu snatched the longsword from her hand and charged at Yoshida Chūji.
