Chapter Twenty-One: Mo San

The figure that suddenly appeared was none other than Ye Cheng, and his intervention immediately sparked a wave of murmurs among the onlookers.

With both hands, he seized the approaching leg that threatened Ye Wei, crimson lines of blood energy coiling up his arms. Though only ten lines in total, the aura emanating from him was in no way inferior to the two martial attendants he faced.

"Thousand-Pound Drop!"

His grip tightened, and with a fierce yank, Ye Cheng grabbed those two martial attendants and, under the stunned gazes of the crowd, hurled them violently toward the ground.

The two martial attendants paled instantly, their bodies beyond control as they crashed downward.

A resounding crash echoed as their wretched figures met the earth, shattering the ground and sending shards of stone flying. The crowd stared, wide-eyed, as the two martial attendants tumbled in disgrace, the entire scene falling eerily silent. Some in the gathering swallowed hard, staring at Ye Cheng as if he were some monstrous aberration.

These two martial artists, each at the peak of Blood Qi Minor Accomplishment, were considered experts in Luoyang Town. Yet in a single exchange, the youth before them had defeated them with ease. The sheer simplicity and violence of the act left an indelible impression on all who witnessed it.

Behind Ye Cheng, Ye Wei was equally stunned, though soon his expression twisted into something complicated and strange. The sudden rise of Ye Cheng had cost him dearly in the coming-of-age trials, robbing him of his title as the most outstanding of the younger Ye generation. Yet now, Ye Cheng had stepped in to help him. Biting his lip, Ye Wei looked at the youth before him, emotions warring within.

Across from them, Luo Shao'an was likewise in disbelief. His two most trusted martial attendants, both at the peak of Blood Qi Minor Accomplishment, had been so easily defeated by a youth who appeared to be his peer. Luo Shao'an knew his own limits—defeating a single martial artist of such caliber was already his utmost; to vanquish two at once was unthinkable.

Ye Cheng brushed off his palms and turned to the disheveled Ye Wei. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Ye Wei furrowed his brow and, after a moment's silence, merely shook his head, his expression still conflicted.

Observing this, Ye Cheng understood that the rift between them could not be bridged by a single act. He had already come to terms with this before deciding to intervene—there was no need for enmity within the same clan. Yet realizing this himself did not mean Ye Wei would see it the same way. All would unfold in its own time.

A bitter smile played at Ye Cheng's lips as he turned away.

"Who are you to meddle in my affairs? Tired of living, are you?" Luo Shao'an snarled, his face dark. There was no youth in all of Luoyang Town with such strength that he could recall, and this interruption had truly soured his mood.

"This isn't the Luo family estate, nor is it a place where you can do as you please. Be careful, or you'll find yourself regretting it," Ye Cheng replied coldly, making no effort to reveal his name.

Luo Shao'an gave a mirthless laugh. "The obstacle you speak of—could it possibly be you? If so, you overestimate yourself. Since you wish to play the hero, I don't mind teaching you a lesson." His eyes glinted with malice.

Looking at Luo Shao'an, who remained arrogant despite being alone and without support, Ye Cheng raised an eyebrow. Clearly, the young master of the Luo family had more than just these two attendants at his disposal.

"Uncle Mo, it seems I'll need to trouble you," Luo Shao'an called respectfully, glancing up at the observation deck on the second floor of a nearby tea house.

As soon as Luo Shao'an spoke, Ye Cheng silently thought, "As expected," and looked toward the second floor, his eyes narrowing slightly. Anyone who could command such deference from Luo Shao'an was not to be underestimated.

There, a middle-aged man with a stubbled face set aside his half-finished teacup, rose to his feet, and, with a light tap of his toes, his figure flashed from the tea house, arriving in the blink of an eye.

"Mo San!"

"I can't believe even he is here..."

Some in the crowd recognized the man as Mo San, the captain of the Luo family's martial attendants and a martial artist at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm. He was a prominent figure in Luoyang Town. With Mo San's arrival, the looks cast at Ye Cheng were tinged with sympathy; in their eyes, even this formidable youth could not withstand what was to come.

From the murmurs, Ye Cheng gathered the newcomer's identity. Sensing the subtle fluctuations of blood energy about him, Ye Cheng was taken aback—this was the pinnacle of the Blood Qi Realm, a step away from breaking into the Yuan Realm. With the right opportunity, this man could transcend to a higher state. But the chasm between the Blood Qi and Yuan Realms was vast; countless martial artists were forever blocked at this threshold. Crossing it meant stepping into a new world, with a complete transformation of status and influence.

Luo Shao'an looked at Ye Cheng with ill-concealed malice, pointing at him as he addressed Mo San: "Uncle Mo, teach this punk a lesson for me."

Mo San nodded, then turned his sharp gaze on Ye Cheng. "That move of yours just now must have been the Ye family's high-level martial technique, the Thousand-Pound Drop. To defeat two martial artists at the peak of Blood Qi Minor Accomplishment with that technique, I can't think of anyone but the mysterious rising star of the Ye family—Ye Cheng himself."

Ye Cheng was not surprised that Mo San had recognized his technique. As a renowned figure in Luoyang Town, Mo San's experience was more than sufficient to make such a deduction.

"Heh, the Thousand-Pound Drop isn't all that rare, and the Ye family isn't the only one with access to it," Ye Cheng replied nonchalantly.

"True, the technique alone proves little. But to defeat two peak practitioners with merely ten lines of blood energy—such prowess is extraordinary. In Luoyang Town, only the Ye family's mysterious youth, who made his mark at the coming-of-age trials, could possibly achieve this. No second genius like that could be found," Mo San observed.

At this, Ye Cheng shrugged and offered no further denial.

Now the crowd realized that this formidable youth was indeed Ye Cheng, the Ye family's prodigy. A wave of excitement swept through them, and many eyes, alight with admiration and envy, turned his way. In recent days, Ye Cheng's name had spread throughout Luoyang Town, making him the idol of countless young men and women, and the benchmark parents used to spur their children on. If nothing unexpected occurred, such a talent would one day become a figure of great renown, someone ordinary martial artists could only look up to.

Luo Shao'an glared at Ye Cheng, jealousy twisting his features. He dared not urge Mo San too forcefully, aware of the man's unique status within the Luo family. If not for his father being the Luo family head, he wouldn't have the privilege of such a formidable protector.

Mo San, seeing Ye Cheng's tacit admission, smiled slyly and squinted. He suddenly remembered the Luo family head's words at a recent clan meeting: "This boy's talent is extraordinary. If he is allowed to mature, he may become another Ye Shan. The times have changed; the disputes between the Luo and Ye families are many. Sooner or later, there will be a decisive battle. If the Ye family's youth is allowed to grow, it will spell trouble for us. Should anyone have the chance to kill him, that would be best; if not, crippling him would suffice. Such a deed would be rewarded with an elder's rank."

With the patriarch's words echoing in his mind, Mo San's gaze toward Ye Cheng grew murderous. "If I can cripple this boy, my position in the Luo family will be even more secure. Perhaps I'll even be promoted to elder."

His expression twisting, Mo San stared coldly at Ye Cheng, flexing his hands. "Since you're the Ye family's genius, I have no choice but to act."