The two most powerful members of the Ye Family were the Supreme Elder, a Ninth-Layer Martial Artist, and Clan Leader Ye Changyun, an Eighth-Layer Martial Artist.
If they could find a way to enhance the combat power of these two, with the help of the other Ye Family members, they might just have a chance to turn the tables and defeat Wang Hu.
BANG!
BANG!
The battle ahead was fierce. Ye Xiao and Ye Ying had just charged forward when they were sent flying by Wang Hu, crashing to the ground and spitting up blood. Wang Hu lunged, lashing out with both palms to finish them off.
Ye Changyun and the Supreme Elder intervened just in time, blocking Wang Hu's strikes. Otherwise, the two youths would have surely perished.
"Ye Xiao, Ye Ying, now is not the time for heroics! Take the younger generation and escape, quickly!"
"That's right! As long as we survive, the Ye Family can be rebuilt! You are the future and hope of our family. Nothing can happen to you!" Ye Changyun and the Supreme Elder shouted urgently, their fists moving like the wind to keep Wang Hu occupied.
Wang Hu's overwhelming power had already extinguished any hope of victory in their hearts. Their only thought now was to hold him off for as long as possible, giving the clan's youth a chance to escape Qingyun Town. If they could accomplish that, they would die without regret.
"Clan Leader!"
"Supreme Elder!"
Ye Xiao, Ye Ying, and all the younger members felt their eyes grow red. They could all see that the Clan Leader and the Supreme Elder were using their very lives to carve out a path of survival for them. At this moment, they could only curse their own weakness, unable to help their elders.
BANG!
In the heat of battle, Wang Hu's palm slammed down, striking another Ye Family member on the crown of his head and killing him instantly.
"Go! We can't let the sacrifices of our Clan Leader and the others be in vain!" Ye Xiao grit his teeth and ordered the younger members to flee while moving to help the injured Ye Qingchen to his feet.
However, Ye Qingchen seemed not to notice his gesture. His eyes were fixed on the battlefield as the Dual Pupil Martial Soul activated within his Sea of Consciousness. His vision instantly sharpened, causing everyone's movements to slow down and allowing him to capture every detail of the fight. At the same time, he shouted, "Clan Leader, for the Picking Leaf Hand, focus your core and let your energy soar to the heavens!"
Hearing this, the fighting Ye Changyun paused for a fraction of a second before choosing to follow Ye Qingchen's advice without hesitation.
HUM!
Ye Changyun's Picking Leaf Hand shot out. The air trembled as its power surged, immeasurably stronger than before. His palm then slammed into Wang Hu's.
BANG!
With a loud crash, Ye Changyun was not overwhelmed. Instead, he fought Wang Hu to a standstill, both of them stumbling back five or six steps.
How is this possible? Wang Hu frowned. Ye Changyun is merely an Eighth-Layer Martial Artist, yet he just fought me, a martial master, to a draw?
Meanwhile, a look of elation spread across Ye Changyun's face. Under Ye Qingchen's guidance, he could feel that his Picking Leaf Hand's power had definitely reached the low-grade Profound-rank.
Wang Hu snorted coldly. Using the backward momentum, he launched a ferocious punch at the Supreme Elder, who had just rushed forward. The Supreme Elder was about to meet the blow head-on when Ye Qingchen's voice suddenly echoed in his ears.
"Supreme Elder, retreat five steps, unify the power of your waist and hips, and strike the enemy's midsection with all your might!"
The Supreme Elder made a split-second decision, rapidly retreating five steps. At that exact moment, the force of Wang Hu's punch dissipated. The Supreme Elder's own fist then slammed directly into his waist.
BANG!
The punch landed squarely on Wang Hu's waist, sending him staggering back seven or eight meters. Seeing this, the eyes of every Ye Family member lit up. This was the first time they had managed to injure Wang Hu since the battle began, and it rekindled their hope of victory.
Wang Hu felt a sharp pain in his waist, his face contorting with rage. A mighty martial master, wounded by a mere Martial Artist! This is utterly humiliating!
"Die!" Wang Hu bellowed, throwing a flurry of punches. The wind from his fists howled like a pouncing tiger as he hammered ferociously at the Supreme Elder.
Fierce Tiger Fist! This was a low-grade Profound-rank Martial Technique from the Heavenly Profound Sect. Its power was savage and overbearing, just like a pouncing tiger. This was Wang Hu's signature skill.
The Supreme Elder's expression changed drastically. The combat power Wang Hu unleashed at this moment was double what it was before; it was simply not something he could withstand.
"Supreme Elder, avoid a direct clash! Retreat ten meters and defend with everything you have!"
"Clan Leader, charge in from the side and attack his back with the Picking Leaf Hand!"
Ye Qingchen's words reached them once more. This time, the Supreme Elder retreated at full speed without the slightest hesitation.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Wang Hu's fists tore through the air where the Supreme Elder had just been, seeming powerful enough to rupture the air itself. After ten meters, Wang Hu's momentum was spent, and the power of his Fierce Tiger Fist weakened. At the same time, the Supreme Elder crossed his arms before his chest.
BANG!
The punch landed on the Supreme Elder's arms. Its force was greatly diminished, and it failed to inflict any significant damage.
Just then, Ye Changyun charged in from the side, his Picking Leaf Hand striking directly at Wang Hu's back. Alarmed, Wang Hu hurriedly twisted his body and threw a hasty punch to meet the attack.
BANG!
As fist and palm collided, Wang Hu was sent stumbling back seven or eight steps by Ye Changyun's palm strike.
"Excellent!" Ye Xiao, Ye Ying, and the other Ye Family members rejoiced at the sight.
Joy appeared on the faces of both Ye Changyun and the Supreme Elder. They never expected that with Ye Qingchen's guidance, the tide of battle could turn so drastically, giving them a real hope of victory.
Wang Hu clenched his fists, his face dark. Ye Qingchen's guidance had perfectly targeted the openings in his attacks, leaving him with the suffocating feeling of having immense strength that he couldn't bring to bear. With his cultivation as a martial master, he had thought annihilating the Ye Family would be child's play. He never imagined that Ye Qingchen's intervention would turn a one-sided slaughter into a situation where he was now at a disadvantage.
If Ye Qingchen was allowed to continue commanding from the sidelines, he might actually fall to the Ye Family today.
"Kid, I'll kill you first, then annihilate the Ye Family!" Wang Hu made a decisive choice. He abandoned his fight with Ye Changyun and the Supreme Elder and charged madly toward Ye Qingchen.
"Quick, stop him! Don't let him hurt Ye Qingchen!"
Ye Changyun and the Supreme Elder had never anticipated that Wang Hu would target Ye Qingchen. By the time they reacted, Wang Hu was already seven or eight meters away, and it was too late to intercept him.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
Ye Xiao and Ye Ying reacted instantly. They stood in front of Ye Qingchen without hesitation, thrusting their longswords at Wang Hu.
BANG! BANG!
Wang Hu sent them both flying with a kick each before unleashing a palm strike, charged with his full power, at Ye Qingchen.
Too fast! I can't dodge! Ye Qingchen grit his teeth, his Willow Wood Martial Soul surging out to wrap around Wang Hu's arm.
SNAP!
The Willow Wood Martial Soul bound Wang Hu's arm for only an instant before he shattered it with a mere tremor of his strength. His punch then slammed into Ye Qingchen's chest.
CRUNCH!
His breastbone shattered. Ye Qingchen coughed up a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying backward, on the verge of death.
"Die!" Wang Hu roared, his body brimming with killing intent as he lunged toward the fallen Ye Qingchen.