Ye Tian was very confused. 'Could the Grand Elder have discovered the Dragon Pearl inside me? That should be impossible. I've never revealed the slightest hint of my secret. I have to get to the bottom of this today.'
The Grand Elder glanced at Ye Tian and smiled. "Let's not mince words. You know exactly what I want. If you hand it over, perhaps I'll let you go. Once I get what I want, I'll disappear, and the Ye Family will still be your domain."
Ye Tian smiled faintly. 'So he really does know a lot.' "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. What I have isn't something you can just take whenever you want."
The Grand Elder's expression darkened upon hearing this. "Since you refuse to cherish this opportunity, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The man in black harbored an even deeper hatred for Ye Tian. The debt for his brother's murder had to be paid. "You brat, die!" With a flash of movement, he charged at Ye Tian again.
A flicker of anger ignited in Ye Tian's heart. 'I was going to let you live a little longer, but since you're in such a hurry to die, I'll send you to meet your brother right now.'
The Dragon Spiritual Power in his body began to circulate rapidly, and the Black Glaze Sword in his hand shimmered with a dark light. At that moment, Ye Tian stood like a god of war, his aura so overwhelming that it demanded submission.
He poured his Dragon Spiritual Power into the Black Glaze Sword. The Dragon-shaped Mark on his palm flared with a brilliant white light, and within a few breaths, it resonated with the sword. A formidable power surged through Ye Tian's arm.
The Grand Elder stared intently at Ye Tian. To kill a Two Vein Martial Artist, one's strength should be at least at the Second Vein Realm. Yet, he knew Ye Tian's true background and cultivation level all too well.
He had been baffled to hear that Ye Tian had killed the Protector, and now he was eager to see just what Martial Skill Ye Tian would use to do it.
The man in black, Ye Guanxin, attacked Ye Tian with a series of intricate flourishes of his Longsword. He was frustrated that Ye Tian had dodged his previous strike and realized he had underestimated his opponent. This time, he was far more cautious, refusing to believe that he was weaker than Ye Tian.
A faint smile touched Ye Tian's lips as he swiftly executed the Fourth Form of the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique with his Black Glaze Sword. A powerful Sword Qi erupted from the blade, accompanied by a deafening Dragon's Roar. The Sword Qi quickly coalesced into a massive dragon that charged at Ye Guanxin.
The sound of the Dragon's Roar made the Grand Elder's expression change. He had heard it before, and now it had appeared again. A sudden realization struck him.
"Guanxin, don't meet it head-on! Dodge!" he yelled frantically at Ye Guanxin, but it was too late.
The Grand Elder finally understood. That Dragon's Roar was the same sound he'd heard when Ye Tian killed Ye Guanhong. It had only sounded once, meaning Ye Tian had finished him in a single move.
And now, facing Ye Guanxin, the result would be the same. In terms of strength, Ye Guanxin was even slightly weaker than his brother. It was too late to save him. Ye Tian's transformation was truly staggering.
However, this only strengthened the Grand Elder's conviction. Ye Tian had to have the coveted Dragon Pearl. Otherwise, where could that Dragon's Roar and Dragon-shaped Sword Qi have come from?
Ye Tian's Sword Qi and Ye Guanxin's attack collided in an instant. The very air trembled violently. A huge crater appeared in the ground, and spiderweb-like cracks spread out from it.
Both men were sent flying by the force of the impact. Ye Tian was knocked back several dozen steps, a new gash on his body. It wasn't deep, however, and his powerful Recovery Power was already beginning to heal it.
Ye Guanxin, however, flew backward like a kite with its string cut, just as his brother had. He sprayed a crimson mist into the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
The Grand Elder flashed to Ye Guanxin's side to check his injuries.
A mixture of shock, fear, and fury crossed his face as he examined the wound. Ye Tian's attack had shattered Ye Guanxin's Heart Vein. He was beyond saving, with nothing left to do but wait for death.
'Killing an Early Two Veins Martial Artist in one strike... I could probably do that myself. But Ye Tian? He's only at the One Vein Seventh Layer, yet he has such incredible Attack Power. This is terrifying.'
'Such terrifying power had to be related to the Dragon Pearl.' At that moment, the Grand Elder's craving for the Dragon Pearl became even more intense.
"Grand... Grand Elder, you have to... avenge my brother and me!" Ye Guanxin gasped, spitting out mouthfuls of blood.
"Rest assured," the Grand Elder said with a sigh. "I will offer his head in tribute to you both! It's painful to see you suffer like this. Let me end your misery."
He was keenly aware of how much help the Ye Guanhong brothers had given him. Without them, he might not have held onto his position as Grand Elder for so long. He considered them his own brothers, yet now they had both died right before his eyes. The sight was heart-wrenching.
And their killer stood right before him. If he didn't execute this man, how could he possibly go on living?
The Grand Elder raised his arm slightly and sent a burst of Palm Power into Ye Guanxin's chest. The blow sent him into eternal darkness, but a look of bitter resentment remained frozen on his face.
In truth, Ye Tian wasn't in good shape either. Though he was mostly uninjured, he had consumed nearly all his Dragon Spiritual Power. The Energy being released by the Dragon Pearl was limited and not enough for a quick recovery.
Still, Ye Tian was satisfied. 'At least this proves I can now kill an expert at the Early Two Veins Realm.' Of course, that was only when using the Black Glaze Sword. He knew that if he were using a Fine Steel Sword, he'd be lucky to fight on par with someone at the One Vein Ninth Layer.
Just then, Ye Feifei, who had emerged from the cave, sensed the massive commotion from this direction. Worried for Ye Tian's safety, she raced toward the sound as fast as she could.
Having broken through to a new Realm, Ye Feifei's speed had increased significantly. Only one thought dominated her mind: 'Ye Tian cannot be harmed.'
"Ye Tian, I was going to spare your life," the Grand Elder said as he stood up, his face an icy mask. "But you killed my two brothers, so today, you must die! Even without that other thing, you must die!"
"If you want to kill me, you'll first have to prove you have the ability," Ye Tian said with a smile. "But I am a little curious. Why are you so certain I have the thing you want? What if you're wrong?" He truly wanted to know how the Grand Elder had discovered his secret.
'If more people learn about this secret, I'll never have another day of peace. I'll always have to watch my back, waiting for the next person to come hunt me downβ¦'