Du Pengcheng and Cui Wei jumped to conclusions, assuming that Qin Yue, like them, wanted to snatch the peerless genius Xiao Xiao for the Qin Family.
Qin Yueâs fine brows knitted together. "A genius with a ten-star Holy Soul would be utterly wasted if she stayed in one of your sects!"
"You donât need to worry about that," Du Pengcheng scoffed, shaking his head. "We will naturally do our utmost to cultivate her!"
Qin Yue shook her head, looking at the two men with disdain. "Utmost cultivation? I think you just want this peerless genius to strengthen your sects, donât you?"
Stung by the truth, the faces of Du Pengcheng and Cui Wei flushed red. Cui Wei coughed dryly. "A talent of our Northern Desolate Country should naturally belong to the Northern Desolate Country. Your Qin Family should keep its hands off."
Qin Yue let out a cold laugh. "Impeding someoneâs future and dressing it up with such self-righteous, high-sounding words. Truly contemptible! Let me tell you, I am taking charge of this matter today. Are you seeking to make an enemy of the Qin Family?"
Du Pengcheng did not back down an inch, stepping forward. "Humph! If the Qin Family Head were here, we might have some reservations. But you, a mere tower master, donât you dare use the Qin Family to intimidate us!"
Cui Wei crossed his arms, Spiritual Power swirling around him. "Hand the girl over to us, or weâll stop being polite!"
The recent eruption of Xiao Xiaoâs Vermilion Bird Holy Soul has likely already caught the attention of powerful individuals who came to the Northern Desolate Country in search of geniuses. If we donât deal with Qin Yue quickly, it will be troublesome once those experts arrive! We have to handle her now!
"Impossible!" Qin Yue didnât shrink back in the least.
"Attack!"
"Snatch her!"
Du Pengcheng and Cui Wei didnât hesitate, both springing toward Qin Yue at once. The powerful auras of mid-level martial masters burst forth as two fierce palm strikes converged on her from the left and right. To end the fight quickly, the two men went all out from the very start.
Qin Yueâs brows drew tight as she instantly unleashed her Martial Soul Force. Her aura surged dramatically, elevating her own cultivation to that of a mid-level martial master as she thrust her palms out to meet their attack.
SMACK!
SMACK!
The four palms collided fiercely. Qin Yue stood her ground, unmoved, while Du Pengcheng and Cui Wei were each forced to stagger back three steps.
"What a bizarre Martial Soul!"
The pupils of Du Pengcheng and Cui Wei shrank as their Martial Souls materialized above their heads. A three-meter-long black hammer appeared over Du Pengchengâs head, emitting a palpably unsettling aura. Above Cui Weiâs head, a phantom giant ape materialized. It roared before rapidly merging into his body. His frame swelled, splitting his clothes as he grew to over three meters tall, resembling a terrifying, human-shaped giant ape.
The moment they summoned their Martial Souls, the two charged.
Wielding the three-meter black hammer, Du Pengcheng lunged like a Herculean god, bringing the weapon smashing down toward Ye Qingchenâs head!
Meanwhile, Cui Wei rushed furiously at Qin Yue. With each step, the ground trembled beneath him. His speed was even greater than before, and he quickly closed the distance, his fists pounding mercilessly toward Qin Yueâs chest.
Qin Yueâs expression tightened. With a flick of her right hand, a shield swiftly appeared over Ye Qingchenâs head, blocking the hammerâs assault. Simultaneously, her left hand unleashed a flurry of a dozen palm strikes at Cui Wei.
Under the impact of the two mighty forces, Qin Yue was driven back more than ten meters. She landed on one knee, one hand clutched tightly to her chest as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. For a moment, she couldnât even stand up. The exchange had clearly taken its toll on her.
What was worse, now that she had been repelled, Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao had lost her protection.
Du Pengcheng and Cui Wei each grabbed one of them, seizing Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao.
The peerless genius is ours!
A surge of joy filled both their hearts.
"Let me go!" Xiao Xiao struggled desperately.
Although the young participants in the trial were all striving to join the six major sects, Ye Qingchen and Qin Yue had both told her not to. As a result, Xiao Xiao harbored a deep, instinctual aversion to them. Their actions just nowâinjuring Qin Yue and abducting them by forceâonly intensified her loathing.
"Little girl, stop struggling!" Cui Wei said, holding Xiao Xiao. "Joining one of the six major sects is something countless youths dream of. Donât be ungrateful for this great fortune!" Half-threatening and half-enticing, he produced an entry contract. "Come on! Sign this contract with the six major sects, and we guarantee weâll cultivate you with all our resources!"
As long as Xiao Xiao signed the entry contract with her Soul Power, she would be bound to the sect for life. Once the deed was done, not even the most powerful experts from outside the Northern Desolate Country could forcibly take her away.
"I wonât sign! I wonât!" Xiao Xiao kicked and punched at Cui Wei, struggling even more fiercely. She knew exactly what signing the contract meant.
"If you donât sign, then weâll kill him!" Cui Weiâs expression darkened as he shot a look at Du Pengcheng. Understanding the signal, Du Pengchengâs fingers formed a claw and clamped down on Ye Qingchenâs throat.
"Cough, cough!"
With his throat tightly constricted, Ye Qingchenâs face instantly turned deep red as he coughed with great difficulty.
"Young Master!" Xiao Xiao cried out, overcome with anxiety. Her delicate face was etched with worry and concern. "Let the Young Master go! Quickly!"
"Despicable!" Qin Yue clenched her fists, her teeth gritted.
Cui Wei smirked with satisfaction. "As long as you sign this contract, weâll naturally let him go!"
"Fine, Iâll sign! As long as you donât hurt my Young Master, Iâll agree to anything!" Xiao Xiao hurriedly agreed before Cui Wei could even finish, immediately taking the entry contract.
Seeing this, Du Pengcheng released his grip on Ye Qingchenâs throat and offered an apologetic smile. "My sincerest apologies. Our earlier actions were somewhat offensive, but it was necessary to ensure a peerless genius with a ten-star Holy Soul remains with the six major sects."
Truth be told, if Xiao Xiao hadnât appeared, I really would have considered recruiting Ye Qingchen into the Qingyun Sect. His solo battle against the second-order Monster Beast was simply too impressive.
Qin Langâs face darkened. "By forcing her like this," he said in a cold voice, "even if Xiao Xiao joins one of the six major sects, do you really think her heart will ever be with you?"
Hearing this, Cui Wei let out a proud smirk. "Do you think this is some ordinary entry contract? It contains special clauses. Once she signs, it will ensure her absolute and complete loyalty to the six major sects!"
Qin Yueâs expression changed drastically. "Thatâs a Soul Contract! How could the prestigious six major sects stoop to something so shameless!"
A Soul Contract bound the signerâs Divine Soul to unconditional obedience. Once signed, one would become a slave to the six major sects, forever subservient.
"Xiao Xiao, you absolutely must not sign that contract!" Hearing this, Ye Qingchen didnât hesitate to interrupt Xiao Xiao as she was about to sign.
He would rather die than watch Xiao Xiao walk into a tigerâs den and become a mere walking corpse.
"Brat, youâre courting death!" Cui Weiâs face turned icy as a powerful murderous intent erupted from him. He took a single stride, appearing before Ye Qingchen in an instant, and threw a ferocious punch.