The night spread a biting chill, as if the sky itself were holding its breath. A gentle wind rustled through, stirring dry leaves that danced and twirled in the still air. Amid the silence, one leaf floated lightly toward Yifan, drifting as though unaware of the fate awaiting it.
The handsome young man lifted his hand, a simple motion, as if catching a leaf for play. A few onlookers stared in bewilderment, was he really jesting with a leaf in a moment so tense?
Before their confusion could fade, a soft sound rang out.
Ctass!
Yifan snapped his fingers at the leaf. In an instant, the fragile scrap shot forward like an arrow, leaving a faint trail in the air.
Bruk!
The sound of an object hitting the ground echoed sharply. All heads turned almost simultaneously, eyes locking onto the source. Shock froze them in place; some even held their breaths until their chests ached.
Yu Tianlei turned, brow furrowed in curiosity. When his eyes fell upon the object lying there, it was as if all the blood in his body stopped flowing. His breath caught, his chest shook.
A severed hand?
Instinctively, he glanced at his own side. Pain surged violently, and only then did he realize.
His right hand was gone! For a moment, his mind went blank, then…
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
A scream tore through the night, like lightning splitting the heavens.
The distant crowd shivered. Some stepped back instinctively, as if being a mere span away from Yu Tianlei might make them lose a limb themselves.
Yu Tianlei dropped to one knee, his face flushed from suppressing the agony. A cultivator could endure much, but a missing limb ignited a deep, relentless pain. Worse, he knew all too well that if such an attack came from a top-tier expert or supreme artifact, restoring it would be nearly impossible.
Through gritted teeth, he forced spiritual energy to flow, attempting to reconnect his hand. The harder he tried, the colder the reality bit, his hand would not mend. Energy seemed to be swallowed by the void itself.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heartbeat roared in his ears, not a beat of love, but a stabbing fear that penetrated to his marrow.
'Am I… going to become a crippled prince?'
The thought nearly made him vomit blood. To him, losing honor was tantamount to losing life itself.
Wild-eyed, he roared:
"Who?! Who dares strike the Prince in secret?!"
His voice bounced off the city walls, but no answer came. Only the night's silence remained, as if the world itself had suddenly gone deaf.
Yu Hanhai stood frozen nearby, cold sweat dripping. Where had the attack come from? Then, realization struck. His gaze fell on Yifan, the young man who had snapped the leaf earlier. His chest tightened, breath caught.
'Just… because of a leaf?' Yu Hanhai thought in mounting terror.
Jingxue, observing with her cold gaze, slowly furrowed her brows. She had watched Yifan with the utmost attention, and even while guessing the possibilities, her heart trembled.
"What is that? An attack with a single leaf?" she murmured.
'This… is utterly insane.'
Her lips pressed tightly together, her face briefly paling. Now she understood one thing: this handsome man was not only strong. He was dangerous.
Amid the suffocating silence, Yifan remained upright, calm, his gaze even, a faint, piercing smile on his lips.
"Prince Tianlei," he said lightly, as if commenting on the weather.
"Earlier, you recklessly intruded into my VIP room. Consider this… a small gift from me."
The words cut Yu Tianlei like an icy blade. He realized, had the attack been aimed at his neck instead of his hand, tonight his name would have been nothing more than a memory.
A chill ran down his spine; his fingers trembled despite his attempt to clench a fist. For the first time, the prince felt like an ant before someone.
Yao Yue covered her mouth with her hand, a smile blooming across her face. She had long wanted to slap Yu Tianlei's arrogance. Watching the prince fall to Yifan's skill felt like a debt finally repaid. Her gaze on Yifan was now full of admiration and gratitude.
Yun Xi, on the other hand, merely smiled faintly. She was unsurprised; she had long known that this was but a glimpse of Yifan's true power.
Xue Yao remained silent, her face flushed slightly. Her eyes never left Yifan, her lips trembling.
'Young Master… truly that strong,' she thought, heart quivering.
'I must become stronger. I cannot disappoint him. Even if I must die, I will press forward for his sake!'
A small flame ignited in her heart. For the first time, a burning resolve shone in her eyes.
Yu Hanhai felt powerless seeing Yu Tianlei's state, his knees weak. The Yusheng Dynasty was indeed strong, yet he could not imagine what retaliation might come if they opposed the handsome young man. With a serious expression, he stepped forward, clasping his hands.
"Senior," he said in a low, humble tone.
"Please forgive my junior's previous rash actions."
Silence followed for a moment.
Then Yifan spoke again, light but pressing:
"Go. This time, I let you leave. But next time… you will not be so fortunate."
Yu Hanhai froze. Was it truly so easy to be let go? Though surprised, he dared not waste the chance to survive. He quickly stood beside Yu Tianlei, ready to whisk the prince away.
Yet just as they prepared to flee, Yifan's voice rang out again.
"Stop."
One word was enough to strike their hearts. Their bodies stiffened instantly. Even the night air seemed to freeze, sharp as needles against the skin.
With a casual movement, Yifan raised his hand.
"Take this scrap with you."
Something was thrown their way. Yu Hanhai's eyes widened as he caught sight of it. It was… a fragment of the Immortal artifact from the auction earlier! The aura radiating from it was still so potent that his chest tightened.
Before Yu Hanhai could speak, Yun Xi stepped forward halfway. Her purple gown fluttered in the wind, revealing the gleam of her pale legs. Her voice was soft, yet carried a cold threat:
"If the Young Master has given it to you, accept it. Do not wait for me to intervene."
The tone made Yu Hanhai tremble. Hastily, he clasped his hands.
"Th-thank you, Senior…"
Without daring to look back, he immediately whisked Yu Tianlei away. The two streaked into the night sky like wild birds escaping a trap.
The crowd continued to murmur.
"Those two experts… just let them go?"
"And the Immortal artifact fragment too? What does it mean?"
"Is that man not afraid of Yusheng Dynasty's revenge?"
A straw-hatted man shook his head slowly, narrowing his eyes, then said:
"Hmph. This is the game of top-tier experts. What do you know?"
Yifan stood silently, watching the shadows of the two disappearing into the sky. His expression remained calm, as though the incident were nothing more than a passing breeze. Elder Chi Yang clasped his hands in farewell and flew back to Liuyao Pavilion, entrusting everything to Yao Yue.
Seeing Chi Yang depart, Yao Yue stepped forward, smiling sweetly.
"Young Master, thank you for helping shoo away the pests."
Yifan glanced at her, a faint smile on his lips. "It was nothing. No need to thank me."
Yao Yue's heart skipped a beat. She wanted to ask something, but her tongue felt frozen. Yifan merely smiled, seeming to read her reaction, as if he could guess her thoughts.
"If there's something you wish to ask, just say it."
"Ahh…" Yao Yue bowed her head briefly. Indeed, nothing could be hidden from Yifan's gaze. She whispered softly:
"I… I worry if the Yusheng Dynasty seeks revenge, it won't be a small matter."
Yifan's smile turned warm, a contrast to his prior icy composure.
"Do not worry."
The simple words felt like a promise. Yao Yue's cheeks warmed, her heart felt safe. In her mind, this man was not just strong, he was the safest place to lean on.
Yun Xi only smiled, shaking her head slightly. She knew Yifan was no fool. For others, letting Yu Tianlei go would be like releasing a tiger.
But in Yifan's eyes, Yu Tianlei was no tiger, he was a clown hopping on stage, loud, but meaningless.
---
Elsewhere, the pale moon hung behind thin clouds. The wind carried the scent of blood.
Yu Tianlei still staggered, blood dripping from his arm. His face was pale, his eyes blazing with hatred.
"Damn… cursed!!!" he roared, his voice echoing across the horizon.
"This prince will not forget!"
Yu Hanhai turned, face grim. "Tianlei, have you forgotten his strength? Seeking revenge like this will only backfire."
But Yu Tianlei growled, teeth clenched, eyes ablaze. He would not hear reason. His mind had hardened like stone, consumed entirely by hatred.
"Hmph! This is a grave insult to the nobles of Yusheng Dynasty! What does it matter if he's a Heavenly Venerable? Our dynasty has them too, even several! What is there to fear?"
The words came like a blast of steel, full of hatred that drowned reason. He cared nothing for the near-death he had faced moments ago. For him, the dignity of a prince could not be trampled.
"Liuyao Pavilion, and that man… just wait for this prince's revenge!"
Yu Hanhai could only exhale slowly. He watched the staggering Yu Tianlei beside him, feeling helpless. Deep down, he knew the handsome young man's calm demeanor was not to be underestimated. He also suspected a scheme behind their easy release. This news must be taken back and discussed among the Emperor of Yusheng Dynasty!