The two of them were in disarray.
Ye Hao glanced at the unfamiliar, formidable man who had appeared without warning. He lowered his voice and asked Ye Yu, "Yu'er, who is this?"
Ye Yu smiled faintly and replied, "He's one of us, Father. I'll explain later."
At that, Ye Hao decided not to probe further.
"I don't know this fellow Daoist's name or origin," Elder Liu said tentatively, adhering to the principle of learning about one's adversary before taking action when traveling in the world.
The man in black responded disdainfully, spitting out eight words: "No name, no surname, no sect, no school."
A casual cultivator!
The revelation caused Elder Liu's expression to shift. A casual cultivator daring to act presumptuously before the Kaoshan Sect? The arrogance of it all!
Elder Liu's demeanor turned haughty, shedding his earlier cautiousness. He addressed the man in black condescendingly: "Fellow Daoist, I understand the difficulty of cultivating alone. Don't meddle in others' affairs. While you may be a Martial King, you are still insignificant before the Kaoshan Sect. Leave now, and the Kaoshan Sect will consider making you an ally."
His words were filled with scorn, as though he was granting charity. He clearly didn't take the man in black, a supposed second-grade Martial King, seriously.
After all, Elder Liu had assessed the man's aura earlier. He concluded that the man was not much stronger than himself, possibly just a second-grade Martial King.
While Elder Liu was only a first-grade Martial King, he was at its peak, with one foot in the second grade. He believed his superior martial arts from the Kaoshan Sect, far beyond the reach of any casual cultivator, could bridge the gap.
But the man in black scoffed. "A mere first-grade Martial King dares to shout before me? And as for the Kaoshan Sect, it is unworthy in my eyes."
The moment the words fell, Ye Yu gave a slight nod, and the man in black struck with his palm.
The strike was pure spiritual energy—no sophisticated techniques or martial arts involved, just a straightforward palm.
Elder Liu initially felt reassured. As he'd suspected, the strike lacked any embellishments. However, the overwhelming aura that accompanied it made his heart tremble with dread.
The pressure from this palm alone caused members of the Wang and Liu families to collapse, vomiting blood. Some fainted outright, unable to withstand the oppressive force.
Elder Liu, preoccupied with his survival, had no time to care for them. He focused all his energy on defense.
He activated his spiritual energy, summoning a shield shaped like a tortoise shell. This spiritual shield had saved him countless times before, earning his confidence.
But his expectations crumbled almost instantly. The man in black's palm, which seemed light and casual, felt as though countless mountains were pressing upon it.
In just half a breath, Elder Liu's spiritual energy was depleted, and the tortoise shell shattered. The crushing pressure transferred directly onto him.
Blood spurted from Elder Liu's mouth as he was flung dozens of meters away, crashing into the ground and leaving a three-meter-deep pit before the City Lord's Mansion. Dust billowed into the air, and the guards at the gate fled in terror.
The outcome was decided in a single move.
Elder Liu had been utterly defeated—swiftly and completely.
He lay in the pit, his previously composed demeanor replaced by misery and despair. Blood dripped from his lips, his meridians shattered. He couldn't even lift his arms.
Confusion clouded his mind. How could he, with his proud defense, fail to block an ordinary palm strike? He had faced second-grade Martial Kings before and could at least exchange several blows with them.
But this defeat was unparalleled. The man in black hadn't used any martial arts or advanced techniques—just pure power.
Despair filled Elder Liu's heart, and a deep loneliness weighed on him. He felt as though he had aged ten years in that moment.
An invisible force yanked him from the pit, throwing him heavily before the Wang and Liu families. He spat another mouthful of black blood, his injuries worsening.
Wang Long and Liu Xi wanted to help him up, but the oppressive aura froze them in place.
"I... I am not willing..." Elder Liu choked out four words, his voice trembling with fear and despair.
"Kill him," Ye Yu said coldly.
The man in black advanced silently, spiritual power gathering in his palm, ready to end Elder Liu's life.
Feeling the killing intent, Elder Liu panicked. He didn't want to die. He had assumed his survival was guaranteed. Surely, the man in black would let him go out of fear of the Kaoshan Sect.
He had planned to return to the sect and exact revenge, summoning stronger members to annihilate this man and everyone in the City Lord's Mansion.
But the man in black showed no intention of sparing him.
"No! No! No! This isn't how it's supposed to be!" Elder Liu screamed internally.
Abandoning his dignity, he mustered all his remaining strength and shouted, "You can't kill me! Let me go, or the Kaoshan Sect won't forgive you!"
The man in black remained unmoved, his expression calm. His palm struck Elder Liu's chest with lethal precision, snuffing out the last vestiges of his life.
Elder Liu was dead.
The Wang and Liu families stared in disbelief. Their once-mighty backer had been reduced to a corpse.
What should they do now?
Why had this happened?
Why did such a powerful individual stand by Ye Yu, a supposed loser?
Before they could process the shock, Ye Yu stood up, his gaze cold and condescending as he looked down at the kneeling Wang and Liu families.
"Have you decided how you want to die?" he asked, his tone calm yet chilling, making it hard to believe the words came from a fifteen-year-old boy.