The wind howled as two holy tier powerhouses stood suspended in the air, their robes unaffected by the fierce gales, a testament to their immense presence that caused every soul in the vicinity to tremble.
The elder, upon hearing the man's words, fell silent again, his inner turmoil evident. Faced with the choice between death and a powerful sword technique, the elder hesitated, torn.
No one, especially those of the holy tier, could resist the allure of a powerful sword technique. Improving one's strength was no easy feat, and the temptation of a potent cultivation method was irresistible.
"I want him to serve the Kleris family for ten years. During this time, he must obey our family's orders completely," Selt proclaimed, causing a stir among the onlookers. The implication in Selt's words was clear to everyone.
Falling into the hands of the Kleris family meant that life and death would be at their discretion. As Selt negotiated with the man in the sky, Ye Han's wounds healed substantially, though the more severe ones remained. His soul's power also began to recover.
"Should I call you Ye Han or He Lian Wuji?" the man addressed the figure standing on the ground.
At the mention of both names, Ye Han and He Lian Wuji, Selt was shocked. He scrutinized Ye Han closely, matching the snow-white hair and the subtle energy within to the age mentioned in the intelligence reports.
"You're the outcast of the He Lian family from Kelt City, the one who destroyed it?" Selt asked with a mix of suspicion and astonishment.
"Didn't expect to be recognized," Ye Han responded indifferently.
"Do you accept Selt's proposal?" The man didn't dwell on Ye Han's identity, focusing instead on the matter at hand.
"That's impossible. No one can constrain me. Kill me, or the Kleris family will be exterminated," Ye Han retorted with unyielding anger in his voice, leaving no room for compromise.
"Do you really want to go through with this?" The man's tone was no longer as calm as before, a hint of anger stirred by Ye Han's defiance.
The atmosphere intensified as the man spoke, a trickle of dark red blood spilling from his mouth, yet the three members of the Kleris family showed no reaction.
Any semblance of goodwill Ye Han had felt toward the man evaporated. "I might not have your strength now, but a gentleman can avenge wrongs even after ten years," Ye Han said coldly.
The man's expression finally changed, anger creeping over his handsome face. "Very well, it's been many years since anyone has spoken to me with such disrespect," he said before gesturing with a casual wave of his hand.
"Puh," Ye Han's body was sent flying backward, crashing into the ruins behind him.
Selt's killing intent intensified upon hearing Ye Han's words.
Ye Han, originally He Lian Wuji from Kelt City, was the seventh son of a second-tier family head, He Lian Jing Lei. Two years prior, he was an ordinary youth with barely any battle qi or psychic power. A year later, he had a bloody conflict with the fourth son of the Patricli family, a major clan in Kelt City. Using brutal means, he crippled the fourth son and then mysteriously escaped from under the noses of four ninth-tier Patricli warriors. His actions sparked a continent-wide manhunt. He later razed Kelt City to the ground, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, before disappearing for three months. The Frostwind Empire and various powers searched for him, all for the special technique he possessed, but to no avail.
Now, unexpectedly appearing in Myatt City, what was more astonishing was that after three months, he had reached the ninth tier and possessed powerful sword techniques, even killing a mid-holy tier individual. This forced Selt to reassess Ye Han's potential and the formidable sword techniques he wielded.
A chill rose behind Selt, causing his heart to race. "This child cannot be allowed to live. He must be killed today," Selt resolved, recalling the man's words.
The area fell into silence for the first time since the battle began. Ye Han seized the opportunity to rapidly circulate the Vanshi decree to heal his injuries, aware that his words had likely enraged the man.
Ye Han was no fool. The man's tone and gaze when he first spoke revealed that he was no ordinary individual. The aura of a superior being, the decisiveness in his eyes – Ye Han's blunt words would have displeased anyone accustomed to leadership.
Thus, Ye Han hastened his recovery, knowing that every bit of healing increased his chances of survival.
There are no miracles in the world, let alone someone coming to save him. On this continent, he was already fortunate that not everyone was seeking to capture
him. Such is the greed inherent in human nature; under absolute power and benefit, no one considers the life and death of others, especially in a world where the strong prevail and strength is the foundation of survival.
While Ye Han diligently repaired his wounds, he kept a vigilant eye on Selt and the man in the sky, ignoring the other two ninth-tier peak mages of the Kleris family, who were as meek as mice after the man's arrival. This was the effect of true power, intensifying Ye Han's desire for strength.
Suddenly, the man in the sky frowned as if struggling to make a decision. That slight expression instantly filled Ye Han's soul with intense unease.
Turning his head, he saw Selt looking eagerly and reluctantly at the man, as if mourning a loss.
The more Ye Han observed, the more he felt something was amiss. Although the zombie's soul was confined, its sensitivity to danger was sharper than any other creature in the cosmos, a fact Ye Han knew all too well.
Quietly, Ye Han released his soul's power, spreading it toward the distance. At twenty-five yards, his soul felt fatigued, but just then, the man's aura vanished. Ye Han quickly retracted his soul's power, fearful of discovery.
But Ye Han's worries were unfounded. His zombie soul, shielded from the laws of the universe, went undetected by anyone unless someone had fully merged their soul with the laws.
"Selt, don't forget your promise to me. Act quickly. The commotion you've caused has already attracted the attention of the major families," the man said before giving Ye Han a deep look, his covert greed clear in his gaze.
As the man turned to leave, Selt and the two ninth-tier mages rushed towards Ye Han.
The sudden change left the onlookers stunned, and just as they were struggling to make sense of the rapid developments, another shock struck their already battered spirits.
Ye Han disappeared silently from before their eyes.
"Wait for it, wait for it. I will make you all slowly feel the terror of death. Everyone who came after me today," Ye Han's ethereal voice echoed in everyone's mind.
The art of escape allowed Ye Han to evade the sight of the holy tier and two peak ninth-tier mages.
"Boom," a thunderous explosion roared through Myatt City, creating a thirty-yard-long crack in the ground, spreading far from Selt's feet.
Selt's eyes scanned the fissure, searching for Ye Han, but after a moment, he looked to the others with disappointment. "Find him, even if it means searching the entire Myatt City," he ordered quietly before flying towards the Kleris family estate. People wondered why Selt had struck the ground.
After Selt and the others left, a trickle of dark red blood began to seep from the crack where Selt had stood, quickly staining the surrounding soil.
Struggling to maintain the clarity of his soul, Ye Han used the art of escape to navigate beneath the ground. Selt's powerful strike to the ground worsened Ye Han's injuries. Not knowing how far he had escaped, Ye Han's soul became increasingly hazy until he had no choice but to surface.
A waft of floral fragrance hit him as he emerged, and the gentle sound of a qin resonated in the air, loosening Ye Han's hold on consciousness, and he collapsed to the ground. The closest encounter with the earth he'd had in a while.
The music stopped the moment Ye Han fell, and soft footsteps approached. "Who are you?" a tender voice with a hint of timidity asked, the last thing Ye Han heard before losing consciousness.