“Stop!”
The voice boomed like muffled thunder, carrying an irresistible force of will that felt like it could rupture eardrums.
“Not good, the Martial God has arrived,” Akiyama Nange warned.
Qianshan Xue also said, “Ye Qiu, run.”
However, Ye Qiu didn’t flee. His descending foot didn’t pause either, gently pressing on Yoshida Moriichi’s throat, pinning him down.
“Lord Martial God, save me!” Yoshida Moriichi shouted.
Soon, a figure appeared on the courtyard wall.
It was an old man.
He looked about seventy or eighty, his thin face etched with crisscrossing wrinkles, showing his age.
Dressed in a loose kimono, a simple long sword hung at his waist. With hands behind his back, he stood on the wall, looking down at Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu met his gaze and found the old man’s eyes like an endless abyss, instinctively stirring fear from deep within.
A supreme master!
Ye Qiu’s eyes narrowed as he asked, “Are you the Great Eastern Martial God, Miyamoto Musashi?”
“Insolent! How dare you speak the Martial God’s name? Apologise to Lord Martial God at once!” Yoshida Moriichi barked.
Ye Qiu pressed his foot slightly harder, and instantly, Yoshida Moriichi struggled to breathe, his face flushing red.
“Speak again, and I’ll crush your throat.”
Ye Qiu coldly glanced at Yoshida Moriichi, then turned his gaze back to Miyamoto Musashi, asking, “Weren’t you in seclusion? Why are you here?”
Miyamoto Musashi said indifferently, “Release Yoshida.”
Ye Qiu countered, “And if I don’t?”
Miyamoto Musashi raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised that this young man dared speak to him in such a tone.
“Young man, don’t court disaster. Release Yoshida, and I’ll leave you an intact corpse.”
Though soft, Miyamoto Musashi’s voice carried thick killing intent.
Qianshan Xue and Akiyama Nange were tense, both fixated on Miyamoto Musashi.
They had decided that if Miyamoto Musashi attacked Ye Qiu, they would immediately aid him.
Even if they couldn’t win, they’d fight to the death.
To their surprise, Ye Qiu wasn’t intimidated by Miyamoto Musashi’s killing intent. Instead, he smiled and asked, “Leave me an intact corpse? From your tone, you came here to kill me?”
Miyamoto Musashi said, “Since its founding, Amaterasu Shrine has never seen bloodshed like today. From the moment you killed my men, you should’ve known you’d die too.”
Ye Qiu replied, “I didn’t intend to make an enemy of Amaterasu Shrine. It’s Yoshida Moriichi who insisted on crossing me. If he hadn’t provoked me, why would I have killed?”
“And…”
Miyamoto Musashi cut in, “No need to explain. I’m not here to reason with you, because in Great East, I am reason!”
“Release Yoshida now.”
“I’ll leave you an intact corpse!”
Ye Qiu said, “I can release Yoshida Moriichi, but I have one condition.”
Miyamoto Musashi asked, “What condition?”
“Let them leave.” Ye Qiu pointed at Akiyama Nange and Qianshan Xue.
Miyamoto Musashi knew Akiyama Nange and Qianshan Xue. He uttered one word, “Fine!”
He agreed so readily, could there be a trick?
Ye Qiu cautiously asked, “You’re the Great Eastern Martial God. You wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?”
Miyamoto Musashi snorted, “I always keep my word and follow through.”
“Since I’ve agreed to let them leave, I won’t trouble them further.”
“Akiyama Nange, take your disciple and go!”
Akiyama Nange gave a slight bow to Miyamoto Musashi and said, “Senior Martial God, could you spare Ye Qiu’s life?”
“Ye Qiu’s actions today were entirely because of us, master and disciple.”
“Yoshida Moriichi captured us and intended to kill me and Xue. Ye Qiu had no choice.”
“Please, show mercy…”
“What a fine ‘no choice’!” Miyamoto Musashi snorted, “Was killing Yoshida Chuuni also ‘no choice’?”
Akiyama Nange said, “Senior, you know well that over the years, Mizuki Sect and Amaterasu Shrine have had no enmity.”
“I respect you greatly.”
“But Yoshida Chuuni led a group of experts to China to kill me, which puzzles me. Was it your order or Yoshida Moriichi’s?”
“Ye Qiu killed Yoshida Chuuni to save me, out of necessity.”
“Senior, if you spare Ye Qiu’s life, whatever conditions you set, as long as Mizuki Sect can meet them, I’ll agree to all.”
“And…”
“Enough!” Miyamoto Musashi growled, “Akiyama Nange, don’t push your luck.”
“This boy has bathed Amaterasu Shrine in blood. I must kill him to settle the score.”
“I’ve given you a chance. If you don’t leave, don’t blame me for showing no mercy to you and your disciple.”
Ye Qiu hurriedly said, “Nange, take Xue and go.”
“I’m not leaving!” Akiyama Nange knew full well that if she left, Ye Qiu would surely die.
Of course, staying wouldn’t help much either. She couldn’t stop Miyamoto Musashi from killing Ye Qiu.
But Ye Qiu had fallen into this dire situation to save her and Qianshan Xue. If she left, her conscience would haunt her, especially since she harboured a faint, unusual affection for Ye Qiu.
Akiyama Nange made up her mind, she would die with Ye Qiu!
She walked to Qianshan Xue and whispered, “Xue, you see the situation. Senior Martial God has stepped in. Ye Qiu is doomed. Staying here will only add another corpse.”
“Listen to me, leave now.”
“For the sake of Mizuki Sect’s legacy, and to preserve Ye Qiu’s bloodline.”
Qianshan Xue, pale-faced, asked, “Master, what about you?”
“I’ll die with Ye Qiu,” Akiyama Nange said. “Ye Qiu came here to save us. A man from China, dying in a foreign land must feel lonely. I’ll stay with him so he’s not alone.”
Hearing this, tears streamed down Qianshan Xue’s beautiful face.
Unbeknownst to them, Ye Qiu was inwardly frantic, saying impatiently, “Xue, Nange, don’t worry about me. Go!”
Akiyama Nange walked to Ye Qiu’s side, saying earnestly, “I’m not leaving. I’ll die with you.”
Qianshan Xue also stepped forward, saying, “I’m not leaving either. If we die, we die together.”
You two foolish women, I don’t want to die.
Ye Qiu lowered his voice, “Staying here will only hold me back. Leave now, the farther the better.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t die.”
“Nange, didn’t you see my skills back in the secret chamber?”
Akiyama Nange suddenly recalled, “You mean Qimen…”
“Shh! That’s my trump card. Don’t say it out loud. Go now,” Ye Qiu urged.
“Master, what are you talking about?” Qianshan Xue, unaware, asked.
“I’ll explain later. Ye Qiu, be careful.” Akiyama Nange said, then pulled Qianshan Xue away from the Yoshida estate.
