Upon receiving news from the reconnaissance team, the entire Ye Village was instantly enveloped in an atmosphere of impending doom.
Ye Shi, Ye Feng, Ye Ba, Ye Meng, and the elder of the Martial Arts Pavilion, along with other powerful figures, gathered atop the courtyard wall, their expressions grave.
"Village Chief, what should we do now?" Ye Ba inquired, his face etched with seriousness.
The others turned their gazes toward Ye Shi.
At this moment, the aged elder stood as the backbone of Ye Village; it was only his presence that instilled a semblance of courage in everyone as they faced Wang Village.
Ye Shi scanned the faces of the assembled warriors of Ye Village and declared in a deep voice, "Everyone, rally your spirits! This battle concerns the very life and death of Ye Village; we cannot afford any recklessness. Each one of us must fight with every ounce of strength we possess. Either Wang Village is defeated, or Ye Village perishes. We have no other options—we must kill, kill, kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
The warriors of Ye Village echoed in unison from the courtyard wall, their weapons glinting menacingly in the sunlight. The arrows shimmered with a cold sheen, and each warrior's face was filled with resolve.
Suddenly, a thunderous sound of galloping hooves echoed from the distant mountain road.
Startled, Ye Shi and the others turned their heads, only to see a group of warriors, brandishing swords and spears, charging toward them like bandits, stirring up clouds of dust in their wake.
"It's the people from Wang Village!" Ye Shi said solemnly.
Hearing this, the warriors of Ye Village grew solemn, realizing that the great battle was about to commence—the two most powerful villages in Baiyun Town were on the brink of a life-and-death confrontation.
As the forces from Wang Village approached, Ye Feng raised his long blade, its tip pointed toward the heavens, and shouted, "Everyone, prepare yourselves! Join me in slaying the enemy!"
"Kill!" Ye Ba roared.
"Kill!" Ye Meng bellowed!
"Kill!" The beast-hunting warriors of Ye Village shouted in unison.
Under the command of Ye Feng, Ye Meng, and Ye Ba, the warriors of Ye Village efficiently readied themselves; stones for catapults had already been prepared, and iron bows were drawn taut, waiting for the men from Wang Village to enter range before unleashing a rain of arrows.
Ye Shi stood with his arms crossed, a figure of dignity atop the courtyard wall, his serious gaze fixed on the elderly leader of the approaching Wang Village warriors.
This man was unforgettable to him—the village chief of Wang Village, the only martial master in Baiyun Town, and the one Ye Shi regarded with the utmost caution.
As no one had yet encountered the true might of a martial master, Ye Shi felt a profound uncertainty without having faced Wang Xu directly.
"Village Chief, should we summon Ye Tian?" Ye Feng asked from the side.
Wang Village had a martial master, a level ten warrior, and a level nine warrior, while they only had two level ten warriors. Even with the advantage of the courtyard wall, it would be challenging to withstand their might.
"Not for now. We must first gauge Wang Xu's strength. If we can hold them off, we'll call for Ye Tian. If we cannot, then Ye Tian must escape on his own!" Ye Shi replied, shaking his head, the wisdom in his aged eyes gleaming.
This had been their plan all along: if Ye Village could not be preserved, they must ensure Ye Tian's survival. As long as he lived, Ye Village would eventually rise again.
Ye Feng nodded, then moved aside to continue directing the defense.
At that moment, the forces of Wang Village finally approached Ye Village, halting in a neat formation just beyond the range of their iron bows.
"Haha, Ye Shi, long time no see! You old coot are still alive!" A booming laugh erupted from below, as two black-blooded horses stepped forward from the ranks of Wang Village, carrying two figures on their backs.
The one on the left, with hair and beard white as snow, was not particularly tall but exuded an astonishing aura; even combined, the presence of all the warriors from Wang Village could not match his singular might. This was Wang Xu, the martial master of Wang Village, the sole powerful figure in Baiyun Town.
To his right sat a burly figure, strong and imposing, with gray hair and a rugged face adorned with a sneer, disdainfully staring at the warriors atop the courtyard wall of Ye Village. Without a doubt, this was Wang Tian, the captain of the beast-hunting team from Wang Village.
As the two men advanced on horseback, the warriors of Wang Village unfurled behind them, converging toward the gates of Ye Village, each filled with a fierce determination, their gleaming weapons reflecting a chilling light.
The air was thick with tension, the pressure of an imminent battle nearly suffocating.
Ye Shi regarded Wang Xu and Wang Tian below and scoffed, "Wang Xu, if you haven't perished, how could I possibly meet my end?"
"Heh heh, whether you wish to live or not is irrelevant. Today, I shall send you and Ye Village to meet your doom. From this day forth, Baiyun Town will belong to Wang Village!" Wang Xu replied with a malevolent grin, his laughter echoing ominously.
"The ambitions of Wang Village are known to all, but we of Ye Village are not to be trifled with. If you wish to destroy us, you must possess the necessary strength!" Ye Shi retorted coldly.
"Village Chief, why waste words with them? They're merely dead men walking. I'll personally slay that old fool Ye Shi!" Wang Tian sneered before letting out a loud roar, leading the warriors of Wang Village toward the gates of Ye Village.
"Fire!" Ye Feng's eyes narrowed as he issued a cold command.
In an instant, countless arrows rained down, slicing through the air with a whistling sound as they plunged toward the warriors of Wang Village.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
The warriors of Wang Village raised their weapons to fend off the arrows, continuing their advance, while some cried out in agony as they were struck, collapsing to the ground.
"Useless! Today, your Ye Family Village is doomed!" Wang Tian bellowed, his speed astonishing as he dashed towards the gate, raising his longsword to strike.
As the blade gleamed, a swift surge of sword energy pierced through the gate, splitting it open with a widening crack.
Just as Wang Tian prepared to strike again, Ye Feng leaped down from the wall, charging towards him.
"Beware of his sword energy; he has already broken through to the Half-Step Master realm!" Ye Shi shouted from above. Having seen the fleeting sword energy, he felt a chill of apprehension, realizing Wang Tian's advancement.
"Mind your own business!" With a roar, Wang Xu leapt up, launching himself onto the wall to confront Ye Shi.
"Loose the arrows!" Ye Shi commanded, and countless arrows rained down like a torrential downpour towards Wang Xu suspended in mid-air.
"Child's play! Let me demonstrate the power of a Master!" Wang Xu scoffed, unleashing a brilliant white aura that erupted from him, shattering all the incoming arrows.
The archers of Ye Family Village were left in shock. How could they contend against such overwhelming force? It was as if blades could not pierce, and fire could not burn.
"Throw the slings!" Ye Shi managed to suppress his astonishment, calmly issuing another command.
The warriors of Ye Family Village quickly regained their composure, raising their slings and shouting as they hurled them into the sky towards the descending Wang Xu.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A relentless barrage of projectiles filled the air. Wang Xu's expression finally shifted; the slings exceeded the arrows in potency, and at such close range, he had just unleashed his true energy, leaving him without sufficient strength to retaliate.
"Impressive, Ye Shi, old man! I underestimated you!" Wang Xu roared, slamming his palm against the wall, using the recoil to hastily retreat from the powerful slings aimed at him.
As time passed, both sides suffered losses, yet Ye Family Village maintained a strategic advantage with lower casualties than Wang Family Village.
While Wang Xu possessed formidable strength, each time he approached the wall, he was met with countless slings that repelled him. Ye Shi remained composed atop the wall, directing the defense with unwavering resolve, allowing Ye Family Village to momentarily withstand Wang Family Village's assault.
The brutal battle raged on, with casualties rising by the minute.
Blood had already stained the entrance of Ye Family Village.
…
"Ah!"
Amidst the fierce clash between Ye Family Village and Wang Family Village, a low roar erupted from the room where Ye Tian was situated.
Suddenly, the door shattered, and a tall figure shot forth, landing steadily in the courtyard.
"A Tenth-Level Warrior? Such profound true energy! I didn't expect my true energy to strengthen so dramatically after breaking through to Tenth-Level. All ten primary meridians have been unblocked, allowing my true energy to circulate in a grand cycle."
Feeling the abundant true energy surging within him, Ye Tian was filled with exhilaration.
The primary meridians flowed like ten mighty rivers, with bubbling true energy racing through them, forming a complete cycle.
At that moment, Ye Tian felt an overwhelming surge of power coursing through his entire being.
"Ha ha ha! Ye Old Man, you're as good as dead!" A mocking laugh echoed nearby, abruptly rousing Ye Tian from his reverie.
"Hmm?" Ye Tian furrowed his brow, turning his gaze toward the entrance of Ye Family Village, his nostrils flaring as his expression shifted dramatically.
"Not good! The people of Wang Family Village are attacking; the village chief is in danger!"
Upon hearing the distant commotion and catching the scent of blood in the air, Ye Tian immediately deduced that Wang Family Village had breached their defenses.
In an instant, Ye Tian launched himself like an arrow towards the entrance of Ye Family Village.
In no time, he arrived to find Wang Xu clashing with Village Chief Ye Shi atop the wall.
Wang Xu's prowess was formidable, yet Ye Shi was no slouch either; he had reached the Half-Step Master realm, with a depth of true energy far exceeding that of the freshly advanced Wang Tian, enabling him to contend with a genuine Master.
However, Ye Tian could see that Ye Shi's defeat was merely a matter of time; Wang Xu was merely wary of Ye Shi's potential last stand, refraining from unleashing his full strength.
"Given the circumstances... I must deal with Wang Tian first!" After surveying the battlefield, Ye Tian made a swift decision and transformed into an arrow, charging towards Wang Tian, who was engaged in combat with Ye Feng.