Chapter 132: The Rematch with Luo Long

"Rest assured, my strength has improved significantly since before; holding this guy off will be no problem," Ye Cheng said with a nod.

"Fine. If you can't handle it, retreat immediately." Seeing this, the Third Commander, Wang Yang, hesitated no longer and moved directly to help Ye Hong intercept his opponent's attack, leaving the three of them to jointly face Luo Sen.

"Heh heh, I really don't know where you get your confidence from. You’re only at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm, yet you’re arrogant enough to want to take me on," Luo Long cackled. Ye Cheng’s actions deeply displeased him; in his eyes, this was nothing short of contempt.

"You’ll know once we fight," Ye Cheng replied.

Outside the gates of the courtyard, the expressions of the Ye family disciples turned strange. For a youth at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm to speak this way to a long-renowned expert at the Great Accomplishment of the Yuan Realm—anyone would find it incredible.

Ye Ming, who was currently locked in a struggle with a Luo family disciple, felt his face pale upon hearing Ye Cheng’s words. All the Ye family’s Yuan Realm experts were already tied up by the Luo family and could not break free. For the younger generation to hold off an elder like Luo Long was a massive stretch; even though Ye Cheng was at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm and far stronger than his peers, in Ye Ming's view, he wouldn't last a single blow against Luo Long.

However, Ye Ming’s distraction did not last long before he was pulled back into the fray by the Luo family disciple.

"You truly refuse to shed tears until you see your own coffin. Very well. Since you escaped that time and caused me to lose face, I will slay you today to ensure you don't become a great threat to my Luo family later. Brat, prepare to die! If you must blame anyone, blame yourself for being born into the Ye family!"

Luo Long gave a sinister laugh, eyeing Ye Cheng as if he were already a corpse. He suddenly reached into his spatial ring, pulled out a cyan blade, and with a cold sneer, leaped from his horse. Vast Yuan energy condensed upon the blade, manifesting as a blade-light that he slashed viciously toward the top of Ye Cheng’s head.

Seeing that Luo Long acted without hesitation, Ye Cheng did not falter. He snatched a long spear from the storage pouch at his waist and lunged forward. In mid-air, he thrust his spear, directly shattering Luo Long’s blade-light.

"Clang!"

In mid-air, sparks showered down, and a fierce golden aura erupted, forcing both of them to retreat.

"What? He actually blocked it! Ye Cheng was actually able to force back a strike from that Luo family elder!" The Ye family disciples present stared, eyes wide with disbelief. But in an instant, that shock turned into wild joy, and they struck even more forcefully at the stunned Luo family disciples.

"Incredible! Since returning, Ye Cheng’s strength has become so formidable." Amidst the chaotic battle, Ye Ming watched Ye Cheng with a joyful expression. He was genuinely happy for the success his peer had achieved.

Meanwhile, Ye Wei, though momentarily stunned, punched a Luo family disciple’s head to pieces a moment later. His eyes remained filled with madness; for the murderer of his grandfather, he had only a need for vengeance.

"This power...?"

Luo Long had used fifty percent of his strength, yet he had still been forced back several steps by Ye Cheng’s single spear strike before he could steady himself.

Looking at the youth before him, a flash of astonishment crossed Luo Long’s face, immediately followed by a dark, gloomy expression. This brat was actually exerting such powerful combat strength while only at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm.

"It hasn't even been a month, and this kid's strength has advanced so rapidly. He couldn't even withstand a single move of mine before. At this rate of cultivation, perhaps in a year—no, not even a year—I might not even be able to defeat him myself." Luo Long’s gaze flickered, and intense killing intent surged in his heart.

Luo Long knew that although he had only used half his strength, it should have been enough to severely wound an expert at the Lesser Accomplishment of the Yuan Realm. Yet, the opponent had blocked it, proving his heaven-defying talent.

The Luo family had now completely broken ties with the Ye family. If he let this youth escape alive today and gave him time to grow, the Ye family would eventually possess a terrifying expert, which would undoubtedly be a catastrophe for the Luo family.

Such a scourge was best eliminated early.

Thinking of this, Luo Long’s face twisted into a ferocious expression. He looked at Ye Cheng and laughed coldly, "I didn't expect that in just one month, your strength would improve so much. But it’s a pity; such a genius will still die by my hand today!"

"Bang!"

As soon as his words fell, Luo Long shot forward. Vast Yuan energy gathered on the blade, imbued with a light, agile essence, and he slashed furiously toward Ye Cheng.

"Wind Slash!"

Facing Luo Long’s wind-like rapid attack, Ye Cheng’s expression turned solemn; it was clear this guy was no longer holding back. Circulating the Spirit Devouring Art within his body, Ye Cheng channeled all his blood qi, gripping his silver spear so tightly that his fingers began to bend from the force. A powerful aura surged from within him.

As Ye Cheng wielded the silver spear, blood qi infused into it, and the weapon erupted with brilliant light. Blood qi rapidly converged at the spearhead, which then struck the back of Luo Long’s blade with unerring accuracy.

Ye Cheng was merely applying some of the experience gained from practicing the Thousand Shadow Spear Technique, condensing and exploding his blood qi. This could boost his attack power by several levels; to deal with a Yuan Realm expert like Luo Long, this was his only option, even though it was extremely taxing on his blood qi.

However, Ye Cheng’s own blood qi was equivalent to that of several warriors at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm combined. Even Luo Long, in terms of sheer concentration of blood qi, could likely not compare to him.

"Boom!"

The silver spear and cyan blade collided, and the ripples of Yuan energy and blood qi spread out like water, scattering the gravel on the ground.

"Thump, thump!" During that momentary collision, Ye Cheng was forced back dozens of steps before he could stabilize his stance.

Luo Long, however, had only retreated half a step.

The gap between them was laid bare.

"This kid is truly strange."

Though he had only stepped back half a step, Luo Long’s eyes grew increasingly dark. In that split-second exchange, he clearly sensed that the opponent’s blood qi was incredibly condensed; upon contact, it seemed to explode like a bomb. The sheer force of that blood qi was something a peak Blood Qi Realm practitioner should never possess.

"It seems I cannot delay any longer!" Luo Long scanned the other battlefields and saw that the Luo family had yet to gain the upper hand. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

The cyan blade in his hand bloomed with cyan light, and vast Yuan energy surged rapidly. He did not believe a youth at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm could stir up any trouble under his hand. As long as he used his full strength in this strike to eliminate him, he could free himself, and the Ye family would have no hope of winning.

"Berserk Blade!"