Chapter 136: The Curtain Falls

The scene was terrifyingly silent; one could likely hear a pin drop.

"How is this possible!" Luo Huo, who had been locked in combat with Ye Zhan, stumbled back, staring in disbelief at the rain of blood falling from the sky. The head of his Luo clan had been slain by that boy with a single spear thrust.

"Haha, good, good, my good grandson, well killed!" After a moment of deathly silence, Elder Ye’s hearty laughter shattered the stillness. Yet, many still stared, stunned, at the youth holding the silver spear, standing amidst the falling blood.

"Kid, the trouble has been dealt with. There is no need for this old man to handle the rest; your clan elders are more than capable. I must go rest."

Master Mu’s voice, sounding somewhat weak, echoed in Ye Cheng’s mind. Clearly, that last strike had consumed a significant portion of his primordial spirit. Immediately after, Ye Cheng felt Master Mu’s spirit retreat into the jade pendant. As he regained control of his body, a wave of profound weakness surged through him.

The exhaustion caused Ye Cheng to sway, nearly collapsing, but he was steadied by the approaching Ye Wei.

"Thank you!" Hearing the grateful voice, Ye Cheng turned his head. He saw tears glistening on Ye Wei’s rugged face, yet a smile appeared on his pale lips. "There is no need for such formality between family. Luo Sen deserved to die."

Ye Cheng understood that the other man was thanking him for killing Luo Sen, who had been the culprit behind the Great Elder’s death—the only grandfather Ye Wei had ever known.

"A real man doesn't shed tears so easily; what are you crying for?" Ye Cheng teased with a forced smile. Ye Wei let out a soft sound, wiped his tears, and helped Ye Cheng retreat into the protective circle of the Ye guards.

"Hmph, this damn Luo clan. So useless—they lost two of their main forces so easily. And they had the audacity to swear to us that they would definitely wipe out the Ye clan."

The man in the silver robe grumbled, casting a look of annoyance at Luo Huo, the only remaining expert of the Luo clan, before turning his gaze to the man in the gold robe. "Big brother, what should we do now?"

"What else can we do? If we keep fighting, we have no chance of winning and might even lose our lives. It is best to retreat," the gold-robed man replied via telepathic message after a moment of contemplation.

"What do I do? What do I do? Now that the clan head and Luo Long are dead, even with the help of the Gold and Silver Protectors of the Blood Fiend Gang, I fear the Luo clan has no chance of survival."

Luo Huo’s expression fluctuated between fear and uncertainty. He had intended to look toward the silver-robed man, who had seemed more talkative and approachable, but seeing the man’s look of disdain, he felt a pang of panic and hurriedly cast a pleading look at the gold-robed man.

"Great Elder Luo, your clan is simply too incompetent. Since you lack the strength to take down the Ye clan, you cannot fulfill your promise. There is no reason for us brothers to remain here. You are on your own." The gold-robed man did not even glance at Luo Huo, his tone cold and his intent clear.

"Wait, two masters..." Luo Huo cried out in desperation, but the Gold Protector ignored him. The two of them simply produced a flying skiff and departed.

Watching the Gold and Silver Protectors, Ye Zhan moved to intercept them, but was halted by a wave of Elder Ye’s hand. "The two of them combined are more than a match for me; you cannot stop them."

Elder Ye watched them go with a profound but helpless look. However, this expression did not last long, as a piercing sound from the distance drew his attention.

"Luo Huo, your clan dared to come here to destroy us, and now you think you can escape?" Ye Hong shouted as he watched Luo Huo transform into a streak of bloody light. But Luo Huo suddenly accelerated, escaping several miles in just a few breaths.

"Blood Evasion!" Elder Ye sneered at the blood mist surrounding Luo Huo. He surged forward in pursuit, his speed far surpassing that of the fleeing man. The terrifying velocity of a half-step Ancient Dan realm expert was on full display. The two vanished from sight, but within a few breaths, Elder Ye returned, casting Luo Huo’s corpse onto the ground. With this, the high-level members of the Luo clan were all eliminated.

Watching Elder Ye handle a peak Yuan Realm expert in mere seconds, Wang Yang felt a surge of shock. This was not something an ordinary half-step Ancient Dan expert could achieve. In his estimation, the old man had reached a threshold and could break through to the Ancient Dan realm at any moment.

"Oh no," Wang Yang suddenly exclaimed. He realized that the Gold and Silver Protectors, who had been evenly matched with Elder Ye, were likely retreating back to the Blood Fiend Gang. Given the delicate relationship between his Nangong family and the gang, any shift in the balance of power could have dire consequences.

Unable to stay a moment longer, Wang Yang turned to Elder Ye. "Elder Ye, since the crisis is resolved, there is no need for me to remain. I have urgent matters to attend to and must take my leave."

"Oh?" Elder Ye said quickly, "Commander Wang, you helped my clan survive this crisis; I haven't even had the chance to thank you properly."

"Indeed, Commander Wang, we owe our survival to you," Ye Hong added.

"Elder Ye, Clan Head Ye, to be honest, I came here under orders from my own clan head. The Blood Fiend Gang, where those two protectors belong, has significant grievances with the Nangong family. Their return will surely trigger a change in the situation, and I must report this immediately," Wang Yang explained candidly. "But rest assured, Elder Ye, with the Nangong family keeping watch, they will not dare to act rashly or send experts to bother you again."

"I see." Elder Ye pondered for a moment before nodding helplessly. "Then please convey my thanks to your clan head. One day, I will surely visit to express my gratitude personally."

Wang Yang nodded, dispensed with further pleasantries, boarded his skiff, and vanished into the horizon.

Elder Ye watched the black speck disappear. He surveyed his surroundings, seeing the ground littered with corpses—mostly from the Luo clan, though a few Ye clan disciples had also fallen. He turned to Ye Hong and said, "The dead deserve respect. Ensure they are all given a proper burial."

Ye Hong nodded in agreement.