Chapter 740: Surprise Attack

Chapter 740: Chapter 741: Surprise Attack

‘I wonder what this place is?’

Ye Xuan wondered to himself.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Just then.

Two streaks of light shot out from a nearby tunnel, appearing right in front of Ye Xuan.

“Young Master Ye, is that you?!”

A cry of surprise came from the two figures. It was Xu Zheng and Xu Ping of the Xu family. With delighted expressions, they flew over at high speed.

“What are you two doing here?”

Ye Xuan stopped, asking in astonishment.

From his conversation with the Blood Sword Martial Emperor, he learned that Xu Guanglin of the Xu family had his Profound Vein shattered, temporarily losing his ability to fight, all because he had offended Ye Xuan.

As Ye Xuan saw it, having lost a Third Layer Martial Emperor like Xu Guanglin, the Xu family should have left these ruins as soon as possible. He never expected to run into Xu Zheng and Xu Ping here.

“What about Guanglin and Xu Zhen?” Ye Xuan asked, confused.

Although the Xu family had torn up their agreement, Ye Xuan still felt some goodwill toward them. After all, they hadn’t abandoned him when they had faced danger previously.

Besides, except for Xu Ping, whose attitude toward him was a bit poor, Xu Zheng had been quite good to him.

Xu Zheng immediately explained, “Young Master Ye, the Patriarch and Elder Xu Zhen have already left. You see, after you departed, a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor known as the Blood Sword Martial Emperor suddenly appeared in the great hall. He stole our harvest, as well as Diao Minghuang’s, and then rushed into this underground palace. The Patriarch feared that if we all came in and met with disaster, the Xu family would lose its main pillars of support. That’s why they retreated from the ruins, leaving the two of us to continue exploring. By the way, Young Master Ye, you didn’t run into that Blood Sword Martial Emperor, did you?”

Ye Xuan paused. What Xu Zheng said seemed a little different from Blood Sword’s account.

Ye Xuan figured the most likely reason Xu Guanglin wasn’t here was because the Blood Sword Martial Emperor had destroyed his Profound Vein, robbing him of his fighting ability. Yet Xu Zheng claimed Xu Guanglin had deliberately withdrawn to preserve the family’s strength, letting them enter instead.

‘Perhaps it’s just difficult for them to talk about something so embarrassing,’ Ye Xuan thought. He then smiled and said, “Of course I didn’t run into any Blood Sword Martial Emperor. If I had, would I still be alive?”

Naturally, the fewer people who knew he had deceived the Blood Sword Martial Emperor, the better.

“That’s true,” Xu Zheng said, a bitter look on his face. “In front of a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor, we Martial Emperors are no more than ants.”

After his lament, Xu Zheng looked at Ye Xuan in confusion. “By the way, Young Master Ye, where are your two Demon Beasts? I don’t see them.”

Ye Xuan gave a bitter smile. “I may not have run into the Blood Sword Martial Emperor, but I did encounter Zhan Shang from the great hall. He tried to attack me, and I was powerless to resist. Fortunately, my two Spirit Pets protected me, but in doing so, they…”

Zhan Shang’s attacks had been too bizarre. After Xiaohai and Erhei were injured by him, they were still recuperating in Ye Xuan’s Spirit Pet Bag.

“Don’t be too sad, Young Master Ye. We’re here now. The two of us can protect you,” Xu Zheng said with a sigh.

Just then, Xu Ping chimed in, “By the way, Young Master Ye, you’re an Array Master, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.” Ye Xuan looked at him suspiciously.

Joy instantly appeared on Xu Ping’s face. “Young Master Ye,” he said excitedly, “we just found a stone chamber in that tunnel. We’re sure there’s treasure inside, but the entrance is sealed by a complex Array. We spent a great deal of effort but couldn’t get it open. With your skills, I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“That’s right,” Xu Zheng added excitedly. “Young Master Ye, why don’t we go take a look? If there’s really treasure inside, we can split it three ways based on value. What do you say, Young Master Ye?”

‘A stone chamber sealed by an Array?’

Ye Xuan’s interest was piqued. “Lead the way. Let’s go see.”

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The three of them transformed into streaks of light, shooting back into the tunnel where Xu Zheng and Xu Ping had come from.

“Young Master Ye, follow me, it’s just ahead.”

As the three flew, Xu Ping led the way, Ye Xuan was in the middle, and Xu Zheng guarded the rear to prevent any danger.

The three flew at top speed. After covering dozens of miles, Xu Ping called out, “Young Master Ye, the stone chamber is just around that corner ahead.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Ping shot around the corner first.

Ye Xuan followed closely behind him.

“AHH!”

Suddenly, a terrified scream rang out, coming from Xu Ping who had just disappeared around the corner.

Then—

BOOM!

A brilliant flash of blade light materialized in front of Ye Xuan. It pulsed with a terrifying Profound energy as it slashed toward him.

“Young Master Ye, be careful,” Xu Zheng shouted in feigned shock and anger from behind Ye Xuan.

‘This is bad!’

Alarmed, Ye Xuan felt a powerful sense of crisis wash over him. He dodged in a flash, barely avoiding a direct hit at the last second.

Even so, the energy at the edge of the blade still grazed him.

“Ugh!”

The terrifying force of the impact made Ye Xuan grunt in pain. His face paled, and with a look of terror in his eyes, he scrambled backward.

“Damn it, what’s going on?” Xu Zheng’s face was grim as he instantly rushed in front of Ye Xuan, roaring, “Young Master Ye, get behind me! Stay safe!”

With that, Xu Zheng sped past Ye Xuan, as if to charge around the corner.

But just as he passed by Ye Xuan.

THWACK!

The look of shock and anger on Xu Zheng’s face twisted into a vicious sneer as he, without any warning, struck Ye Xuan’s chest with a backhanded palm.

“Xu Zheng, you…!”

Ye Xuan’s eyes went wide with rage and disbelief, turning bloodshot. His expression made it clear he never expected the ever-enthusiastic Xu Zheng to turn on him. He hastily brought the Sword of Judgment up to block, but only managed to get the flat of the blade across his chest before Xu Zheng’s palm connected.

The terrifying force of the blow made Ye Xuan cough up a mouthful of blood and sent him flying, slamming him into the tunnel wall with a deafening crash. He was grievously injured.

SWISH, SWISH!

With a whoosh of movement, Xu Ping—who had supposedly screamed in terror—strolled out from around the corner completely unharmed. A cold, sinister smile played on his lips as he and Xu Zheng closed in, surrounding Ye Xuan.

“Haha, surprised, Young Master Ye?” Xu Ping gloated, a vicious, triumphant smile on his face.

“But why?”

Ye Xuan clutched his chest, his face a mask of disbelief as he looked at Xu Zheng and Xu Ping in agony.

“Why? Do you even need to ask?” Xu Ping sneered, his eyes venomous. “You have so many treasures on you. If we kill you, they’ll all be ours, hahaha.”

“Is it all for the Earth Fire?” Ye Xuan gritted his teeth, his expression one of bitter resentment.

“The Earth Fire? Heh heh, that’s part of it. But besides the Earth Fire, you’re the grand Pavilion Master of Profound Light Pavilion. You must have plenty of other treasures on you, right?” Seeing Ye Xuan so badly injured was immensely satisfying for Xu Ping. He had long found the man to be an eyesore.

“And you, Elder Xu Zheng? Are you the same as him?” Ye Xuan looked at Xu Zheng in disbelief.

Xu Ping had shown his dislike for him the entire trip, convinced he had stolen what rightfully belonged to the Xu family.

But Elder Xu Zheng had taken great care of him. Ye Xuan never thought he would be so ruthless.

“Hmph.” Xu Zheng sneered, a cold smile spreading across his face. “You ruined my plans. Why do you think I’m doing this?”

“Your plans?”

“That’s right. You’re the one who cured Xu Zhen of the Transformation Powder, aren’t you?” A venomous look flashed across Xu Zheng’s face. “I went to great lengths and spent so much effort to cripple Xu Zhen. I was on the verge of success, and then a brat like you came along and ruined everything! Hmph, even though Xu Zhen didn’t say anything, how could I not know? He only discovered the poison after a ‘top-tier appointment’ at your Profound Light Pavilion. I’ve wanted to kill you since we were back in Celestial Capital Prefecture. And you still have the gall to ask me why?”

Xu Zheng scoffed, “As for being so friendly on the journey here? That was just a ploy to make you lower your guard so I could kill you when the opportunity arose. I can’t believe you actually fell for it. A Peak of Second Layer Martial Emperor like me, needing to curry favor with a mere Tier Seven Martial King like you? How naive.”

“I see.”

Ye Xuan nodded and slowly stood up. The expression of resentment and shocked anger on his face vanished, replaced by an endless, cold indifference. “I was just curious why you would attack me. So you were the one who poisoned Xu Zhen. No wonder…”

“You…”

Both Xu Zheng and Xu Ping stared, stunned. “You’re… not hurt?”

“Did you really think the two of you could hurt me?” Ye Xuan sneered. “I was suspicious from the moment you appeared. I just wanted to see what you were plotting. You really didn’t disappoint.”

“Impossible,” Xu Zheng and Xu Ping said in unison, exchanging a look of disbelief.

How could a mere Peak of Tier Seven Second Layer Martial King like Ye Xuan withstand an attack from two Tier Eight Second Layer Martial Emperors?

In fact, with their strength, they didn’t need such a complex plan; they could have killed Ye Xuan out in the open. Xu Zheng and the others had only gone through the trouble of luring him into the tunnel because they feared some unforeseen complication might arise.

But looking at Ye Xuan now, his grievous injuries seemed to have been an act. How was that possible?

“Hmph, you’re just putting on an act! Without your two Spirit Pets, you’re nothing! Die!”

Xu Ping roared and lunged forward. HUM! He released the Domain Realm of a Tier Eight Martial Emperor. A hazy silhouette of a blade appeared above his head—his blade-type Martial Soul. The power of his Martial Soul swiftly fused with the battle saber in his hand, coalescing into a brilliant blade of light that he brought slashing down.

“A Second Layer Martial Emperor? I’ve lost count of how many of you I’ve killed before this.”

Ye Xuan gave a cold smile. The Zhenyuan Stone appeared in his hand, and with a thunderous boom, he hurled it forward.