The six bloody characters, "Ye Chen, blood debt must be paid in blood," stood out starkly, causing panic throughout the entire Ye family.
Just looking at the literal meaning, it was undoubtedly Ye Chen's enemy.
The other party was a Martial God powerhouse, a top-tier super expert even within the entire Xia Feng Kingdom, holding a high position and valued by the royal family.
It was hard to imagine what Ye Chen had done to provoke such a fearsome enemy.
The Ye family was thrown into a state of panic.
Moreover, just three days ago, a young man dressed in exotic, luxurious clothing had arrived at the Ye family estate. He claimed to be the young master of a force called Tai Xue Mountain from outside the Xia Feng Kingdom. He was accompanied by several extremely powerful individuals, with two of them even being super experts at the Martial God realm. This put the Ye family on high alert, preparing for a serious confrontation.
However, this young master of Tai Xue Mountain did not immediately attack the Ye family. He simply made a forceful appearance with his powerful subordinates, touring the premises to intimidate the Ye family before leaving a message: "Ye Chen has the audacity to kill my younger brother on the Trial Path. Now, my Tai Xue Mountain also demands that Ye Chen pay the blood debt with blood."
"Now, I give your Ye family two choices. Within three days, either hand over the heads of Ye Chen's parents, or hand over the heads of a hundred clansmen. I can decide not to exterminate the entire Ye family of over a thousand people."
"Three days from now, when I, the young master, come knocking, if I do not see the heads of Ye Chen's family or a hundred heads, prepare for the Ye family to be wiped out."
After the Tai Xue Mountain young master left, the entire Ye family was left in a state of shock and filled with terror.
Not handing over Ye Chen's parents' heads meant handing over the heads of a hundred clansmen. This was far too severe.
What kind of force was this Tai Xue Mountain, to be so arrogant and outrageous?
Immediately, the Ye family sought help from the Xia Feng royal family. However, the messenger never returned. They realized he had likely been intercepted and killed on the way. Now, the Ye family was completely besieged within Luo Feng City.
Furthermore, they learned from some channels that this Tai Xue Mountain was a genuine first-rate force on the Tian Du Continent, one that had produced Heavenly God powerhouses and could rival the top forces of the Xia Feng Kingdom.
This news filled them with dread. No wonder they dared to be so arrogant. They were a behemoth comparable to the Xia Feng Kingdom. How could a mere Ye family be mentioned in the same breath?
Even if they could contact the royal family now, it was likely the Xia Feng royal family would not offend a behemoth rivaling them for the sake of a mere Ye family. Thus, the Ye family, which had only recently risen, was destined to fall once again.
The fate of the Ye family was truly full of twists and turns!
"Patriarch, today is the last day. What should we do? Do we really have to hand over the heads of a hundred clansmen?"
In the council hall, a steward couldn't help but tremble. This was too serious. If they didn't hand over the heads of Ye Ao and Xia Wei, they had to hand over a hundred heads. Neither option was acceptable.
At this moment, all the important family figures looked at Ye Ao. In this situation, if Ye Ao and Xia Wei were willing to cut off their own heads, all problems would be solved.
Ye Ao's face was gloomy, his fists clenched tightly, covered in sweat. As the clan patriarch, he had to consider everything from the overall situation. Naturally, he couldn't hand over the heads of over a hundred people. Now, the best choice seemed to be his own head and that of his wife.
Had it really come to this?
At that moment, an urgent voice came: "Reporting to the Patriarch, the young master of Tai Xue Mountain has arrived."
Had he finally come?
Everyone's hearts trembled.
"Let's go, meet this young master!" Ye Ao waved his sleeve and strode out.
In the Ye family main hall, which was even more spacious and magnificent than before, adorned with various precious paintings and calligraphy, and dotted with pearls.
Ye Ao sat high on the patriarch's seat, flanked by the three elders and other important figures, including his wife Xia Wei.
On the other side, five people sat upright on sandalwood chairs, led by a handsome man in luxurious clothing. The other four sat on other chairs, motionless, awaiting orders.
However, an intangible yet powerful aura emanated from them, enveloping the entire hall, making the atmosphere exceptionally oppressive and tense.
These people were here to harvest lives.
"City Lord Ye, have you made your choice? The three-day deadline is up. I wonder if you choose to hand over your two heads or the heads of a hundred other clansmen?"
After lightly tasting the fine tea served by a servant, the Tai Xue Mountain young master finally spoke, causing everyone to tremble.
The atmosphere in the hall grew even more oppressive. Everyone looked nervously at Ye Ao, as the choice now lay in his hands as the patriarch.
Ye Ao sighed softly, feeling the immense pressure on his shoulders. Looking at the terrified yet expectant eyes of the other clansmen, he said, "Young Master Zhang, is there really no other choice? As long as it's not human lives, even if you want more than half of our Ye family's assets, you can take them as you wish."
The Tai Xue Mountain young master merely glanced at Ye Ao indifferently and said, "City Lord Ye, do you think my Tai Xue Mountain, as one of the few first-rate major forces on the entire continent, not much inferior to the Xia Feng Kingdom, would care for the meager assets of a mere Ye family?"
This reply chilled everyone's hearts.
"Unless your Ye family has the courage to dare wage war against my Tai Xue Mountain head-on. However, I can tell you this: this third choice would most likely result in the Ye family being wiped out!" The Tai Xue Mountain young master spoke calmly and composedly, yet his words sent chills down everyone's spines.
Was there really no other choice now?
Ye Ao bore immense pressure on his shoulders. He turned to look at his ever-gentle and graceful wife Xia Wei beside him. She looked at him with trust, her eyes shimmering with warmth, and said softly, "Since it's a disaster Chen'er caused, we, as his parents, should bear all the responsibility. We cannot let the other clansmen be implicated."
Ye Ao nodded: "That's right. One must answer for one's own actions. We cannot bring disaster upon the other clansmen. It's just hard on you."
Xia Wei shook her head: "It's not hard. As long as Chen'er is safe, everything will be fine."
"Patriarch!"
The other elders and stewards felt their hearts tremble. At this moment, the patriarch had chosen his own and his wife's heads to exchange for the family's safety. This was great righteousness, but it also made them feel ashamed.
But at this time, exchanging two heads for a hundred was the best choice.
The Tai Xue Mountain young master's eyes flickered: "Very good. I didn't expect City Lord Ye to be so righteous and self-sacrificing, saving me some trouble. Someone, bring two cups of fine wine. City Lord Ye, this is my Tai Xue Mountain's premium Snow Region fine wine, brewed for a thousand years, fragrant and aromatic, mixed with a colorless, odorless poison. Drinking it will allow you to depart peacefully, without a hint of pain."
"Yes, Young Master."
A powerhouse behind him took out an exquisite jade wine pot, poured two cups of mellow, fragrant fine wine, and presented them.
After gazing at the wine for a moment, Ye Ao and Xia Wei held the cups, smiled at each other, clinked cups, and drank them in one gulp.
"Good, good, good. The two of you truly have great courage." The Tai Xue Mountain young master stood up and applauded vigorously.
Ye Ao said, "Young Master Zhang, before I die, I have one last wish. I hope you can grant it."
The Tai Xue Mountain young master said, "Speak, City Lord Ye."
"I hope you can keep your promise and spare the other members of the Ye family. They are all innocent."
"Patriarch—" Many clansmen wanted to wail. They hadn't expected that even at this moment, the patriarch was still concerned for their safety. It made them ashamed that they could only sacrifice the patriarch to ensure the family's survival.
However, at this moment, the Tai Xue Mountain young master revealed a cruel smile, shook his head, and stood up: "City Lord Ye, you can only blame yourself for being too naive, actually believing those words. Ye Chen killed my younger brother, an irreconcilable enemy of my Tai Xue Mountain. How could we possibly let it go?"
"You—" Ye Ao's face changed color, but he coughed up a mouthful of black blood. The potent poison had taken effect. He could only smile bitterly in resignation. At the same time, black blood also trickled from Xia Wei's mouth. The poison acted quickly, causing no pain but leaving their bodies weak and limp, their vision beginning to blur.
The Tai Xue Mountain young master sneered: "I just wanted you to obediently drink the poisoned wine. Now you're poisoned. In a moment, you'll be completely dead. And you are the Ye family's top expert. With you, an expert who has touched the Martial God realm, fallen, won't the others be at my mercy?"
"Despicable! Shameless!"
The other elders and stewards cursed but also felt terror.
"Hmph, you can only blame Ye Chen for killing my brother and offending my Tai Xue Mountain. Men, kill everyone in the Ye family, leave no one alive." The Tai Xue Mountain young master gave the order.
"Yes, Young Master!"
Boom—
Behind him, several powerhouses erupted with astonishing auras, pressuring the entire Ye family hall, sweeping in all directions.
Two Xiantian powerhouses even shot out like lightning, intending to slaughter the Ye clansmen. Ye Ao, enduring his weakened body, stepped forward, True Yuan erupting as he exchanged a palm strike with one of them. He was sent flying back three steps with a boom, coughing up large amounts of black blood, his injuries worsening.
"Husband." Xia Wei rushed forward to support Ye Ao.
"Since you want to die so quickly, I'll grant your wish." A red-haired Martial God strode forward, his powerful Martial God aura enveloping Ye Ao as he slapped out. The air rumbled as if about to explode.
"Husband, though we were not born on the same year, month, and day, we can die on the same year, month, and day!"
Xia Wei tightly embraced Ye Ao, closing her eyes. At this moment, she awaited death, yet felt some regret because she couldn't see her son one last time before dying.
Boom—
A loud explosion erupted, divine light dazzling. However, Ye Ao and Xia Wei didn't feel any force land on them. Just as they were puzzled, their hearts trembled. Suddenly, they had a special feeling and couldn't help but open their eyes. They saw the figure of a youth they had longed for day and night, kneeling on one knee before them.
"Father, Mother, your child has returned." A warm smile appeared on Ye Chen's handsome face.