The Third Elder is an undercover agent sent by the Li Family!
Ye Qingchen was instantly terrified!
He finally knew who was behind Ye Quan's disturbance!
But at this moment, he didn't have time to think, as the Third Elder's palm was already striking directly at his face!
On the brink of death!
The Third Elder possessed the power of a Fifth Layer Martial Artist, completely out of Ye Qingchen's league!
Can't confront him head-on!
Better to escape first!
As long as he could get out of the courtyard and let more of the Ye Family see, the Third Elder would hold back and wouldn't dare to kill him outright!
He glanced at the courtyard gate, currently blocked by Ye Quan and three thugs, making it impossible to rush out that way!
"My room's back window!"
Ye Qingchen made a decision instantly, spun around, and grabbed Xiao Xiao to flee backward!
However, it was as if the Third Elder had foreseen his escape route. He stomped on the ground, soared into the air, flipped, and landed right between Ye Qingchen and his room!
"Where do you think you're going?!"
The Third Elder sneered coldly, charging toward Ye Qingchen again!
A trapped rat in a jar!
"Such speed!"
Ye Qingchen was stricken with fear!
With no way out, Ye Qingchen retreated desperately. At the same time, the Dual Pupil Martial Soul trembled, his vision changed, everything became transparent again, and the Third Elder's speed slowed down significantly.
But the Third Elder was still far too fast!
Even as Ye Qingchen did his utmost to retreat, he still watched helplessly as the enemy's palm drew ever closer to his chest!
At his current speed, it was impossible to dodge the attack!
Gnashing his teeth, Ye Qingchen quickly rallied all his energy, gathering it in his right arm, then punched hard at the weakest point of the Third Elder's palm force!
"Bang!"
Fist and palm collided. Ye Qingchen felt as if he'd struck an iron plate, endless pain shooting up from his fist as a mighty force surged into his body along his arm!
"Pff!"
Ye Qingchen spat a mouthful of blood, his whole body hurled backward, crashing to the ground, his right arm hanging limp—dislocated!
The Third Elder frowned slightly.
He hadn't used full strength with that palm, but at least eighty percent. It should have been more than enough to kill a novice Martial Artist, let alone Ye Qingchen, who was only at the Martial Apprentice Realm!
Yet unexpectedly, he hadn't killed Ye Qingchen!
He also noticed that Ye Qingchen's cultivation didn't match the information sent by the Li Family!
Not the Fourth Layer Martial Apprentice, but the Sixth Layer!
Even with Li Zhe's Spirit Gathering Pill as support, it was unthinkable for anyone but a rare genius to advance two layers overnight!
Clearly, the Ye Family's former prodigy had returned!
He absolutely must not let Ye Qingchen grow stronger, or he would become a huge threat to the Li Family!
With this thought, a cold glint flashed in the Third Elder's old eyes, and he charged at Ye Qingchen again!
Killing intent radiated from his entire body!
Meanwhile, Ye Qingchen, enduring excruciating pain, tried to get up and dodge, but after several struggles, he couldn't stand, only able to watch helplessly as the Third Elder closed in!
"Damn it! I can't escape at all!"
The aura of death enveloped his whole body. Ye Qingchen was stricken with terror, frantically unleashing his Willow Wood Martial Soul's power inside his sea of consciousness, manifesting visible tendrils aiming to entangle the Third Elder!
"Ha, like a mantis stopping a cart!"
The Third Elder shuddered, snapping all the willow vines bound to him!
With Ye Qingchen only at the Sixth Layer Martial Apprentice Realm, the soul power of the Willow Wood Martial Soul simply couldn't stop the Third Elder!
The next moment, the Third Elder was already in front of Ye Qingchen, a palm slamming straight down on his head!
Ye Qingchen hastily lifted his left arm to block!
"Crack!"
His left arm was instantly dislocated, and with the crushing force, Ye Qingchen slid seven or eight meters across the floor, his back slamming into the side wall!
A spiderweb crack appeared on the wall, and Ye Qingchen spat out blood again, his face deathly pale, his whole body barely alive!
The Third Elder moved in a flash, appearing before Ye Qingchen once more, raising his palm to slam down on Ye Qingchen's crown!
If that blow landed, Ye Qingchen would die for sure!
And now Ye Qingchen couldn't dodge at all!
He could only watch as the palm closed in overhead!
Just as despair filled Ye Qingchen's heart—
"Don't hurt young master!"
Xiao Xiao, having somehow grabbed a bundle of firewood, rushed in from the side, her childish face full of determination as she rammed the Third Elder's arm!
"Thud!"
Caught off guard, the Third Elder's arm was knocked aside, his palm missing Ye Qingchen's head!
Xiao Xiao, struck by the palm's force, tumbled into Ye Qingchen's arms, the firewood scattering, blood spraying from her mouth onto Ye Qingchen's chest, vivid and shocking!
Without cultivation, Xiao Xiao's injuries were even worse than Ye Qingchen's!
"Xiao Xiao! Are you crazy?!"
Looking at the barely-breathing Xiao Xiao in his arms, Ye Qingchen's eyes instantly turned red!
Rushing in now was tantamount to suicide!
"Cough, cough, without young master, I'd have died long ago! My life belongs to young master. If you die, I would never go on alone, cough cough....."
Xiao Xiao managed a faint smile on her pale little face.
"Silly girl..."
Ye Qingchen's nose twitched, tears welling up.
The Third Elder sneered coldly:
"Since you want to die, I'll send you on your way!"
He raised his palm, a cold glint in his eyes, striking at Xiao Xiao's back!
Feeling the gust at her back, Xiao Xiao showed no fear, instead her little face relaxed:
"To die in young master's arms, I have no regrets..."
"No! Don't!"
Ye Qingchen screamed in rage, eyes tearing up.
He wanted to protect Xiao Xiao, but couldn't move at all, only able to watch as the Third Elder's palm drew closer to Xiao Xiao's back!
"Cough, cough, young master, I'll go first. We'll meet again in the next life..."
Watching the care and anger in Ye Qingchen's eyes, Xiao Xiao contentedly closed her eyes, awaiting death's arrival.