Chapter 26: Provoking the Head of the Sima Family

The Sima clan head let out a cold snort before slowly emerging from the carriage. He was draped in a magnificent brocade robe embroidered with intricate golden thread patterns, a gold crown encrusted with precious gems sat upon his head, and a purple belt cinched at his waist, all radiating an air of extreme luxury.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he made a show of slowly stepping down from the carriage, yet he deliberately took a large stride toward the Holy Master, planting his foot heavily onto the Holy Master’s shoe and grinding it down with feigned nonchalance.

The Holy Master’s expression turned deathly pale, yet he did not retaliate. One must realize that he was the most exalted Holy Master of the Sacred Land!

The Sima clan head, pretending to have just noticed, said hypocritically, "Oh my, Holy Master, my deepest apologies. I didn't see where I was stepping." Yet, the smugness on his face was impossible to conceal. The surrounding disciples of the Sacred Land glared with fury, some even unable to suppress the urge to rush forward, only to be forcibly held back by their respective peak masters. Ye Xinghe, however, felt a sense of schadenfreude; the very peak masters who had been barking the loudest moments ago were now as silent as the dead.

The Sima clan head’s entourage burst into mocking laughter, the sound echoing harshly at the entrance of the Sacred Land. Surrounded by his followers, the Sima clan head strutted into the Sacred Land, pointing and critiquing the surrounding architecture and layout as he went, implying through his gestures that the Sacred Land was nothing more than a hollow reputation. The Holy Master gritted his teeth and followed silently behind.

Upon entering the Sacred Land’s council hall, the Sima clan head sat in the primary seat without a hint of hesitation. Crossing his legs, he looked down at the Holy Master with disdain and asked, "Holy Master, tell me, how exactly do you intend to provide my Sima clan with an explanation regarding the matter of Luo Sanfeng?"

Suppressing the rage within, the Holy Master said in a deep voice, "Sima clan head, as stated previously, Luo Sanfeng signed a life-or-death contract with Ye Xinghe. He was unfortunately defeated and killed in a fair duel; it was truly an accident. The Sacred Land has always upheld justice, and I hope you will see it clearly."

The Sima clan head burst into laughter. "A fair duel? Who knows if you engaged in underhanded tricks in the shadows. The Sima clan holds a pivotal position in the cultivation world. Now that an elder has been brutally killed, if I simply let this slide, where would the dignity of my Sima clan remain?"

Ye Xinghe could not help but interject, "Sima clan head, do not spout baseless accusations. The many disciples present that day can testify that the duel was conducted openly and honestly, without any deceit. What is your true intention behind such unreasonable harassment?"

The Sima clan head slammed his hand onto the table, stood up, and pointed at Ye Xinghe, roaring, "You rebellious scoundrel, how dare you talk back! Holy Master, I see you have no control over your subordinates. If I do not receive an explanation today, my Sima clan’s army will trample this Sacred Land to the ground!"

Ye Xinghe heard this and looked up to the sky, laughing with heroic abandon. "Sima clan head, do not waste your breath with empty threats here. Do you think the people you brought can frighten me? If the Sima clan dares to come, I, Ye Xinghe, will ensure they never return, reducing them all to dust!"

The Sima clan head widened his eyes as if he had heard the most arrogant words in the world. He was stunned for a moment, then retorted with a sneer, "What a big mouth! Ye Xinghe, who do you think you are? You are nothing but a minor peak master, yet you dare to spout such wild rhetoric, dreaming of single-handedly opposing the Sima clan’s army."

"Today, I will show you what it means to be a mantis trying to stop a chariot—a fool overestimating his own strength!"

Ye Xinghe sneered, his aura surging instantly. A powerful wave of spiritual energy rippled outward like a turbulent sea, causing the surrounding tables and chairs to tremble. "Sima clan head, do not underestimate me. Though I am but a peak master, the paths I have cultivated and the laws I have fathomed are beyond your imagination. Your Sima clan’s attempt to annex the Sacred Land is an act against the heavens; I am merely acting in accordance with the Heavenly Dao to protect this land."

The Sima clan head felt a tremor of unease at Ye Xinghe’s sudden surge in presence. To have killed Luo Sanfeng, this man’s strength was clearly not to be trifled with.

"Then let me see what you are capable of. Men, seize Ye Xinghe! If he resists, kill him without mercy!"

Several experts of the Sima clan responded in unison, their figures flickering like ghosts as they lunged toward Ye Xinghe. In an instant, a gale howled through the space.

The leading expert in black moved with lightning speed. As he swung his long blade, an ink-black blade aura tore through the air, whistling sharply as it slashed toward Ye Xinghe. Where the blade aura passed, the space rippled as if it were on the verge of collapse. This strike contained his long-practiced Shadow Blade Art, possessing a terrifying power capable of cleaving mountains and splitting rocks.

Ye Xinghe tapped his toes lightly, drifting backward like a feather. Simultaneously, he formed hand seals rapidly, murmuring an incantation as a cyclone of spiritual energy manifested before him. The black blade aura struck the cyclone, sparking a dazzling display of spiritual light, yet it was held firmly at bay, unable to advance a single inch.

Seeing this, another expert in white leaped high into the air. He unfurled a folding fan, and countless white wind blades drifted down like snowflakes, raining down upon Ye Xinghe in a dense swarm. Though they appeared gentle, these blades were incredibly sharp, each imbued with powerful wind-elemental energy capable of slicing through steel with ease.

This was his signature technique, the "Wind-Swept Clouds Fan," which had struck fear into the hearts of countless opponents. Ye Xinghe mused that the Sima clan truly held hidden talents; the people brought this time were no mere mediocrities.

Ye Xinghe’s eyes narrowed, and his spiritual energy erupted violently. With a loud shout, he thrust his palms forward, sending a powerful shockwave of energy to meet the wind blades. The collision of spiritual energy and blades produced a crackling sound, like a string of firecrackers. Under the impact, the wind blades dissipated into mere wisps of breeze.

At this moment, an elderly man in grey joined the fray. He looked familiar, but to Ye Xinghe, he was just another piece of trash he couldn't be bothered to remember.

The elder slowly pushed his palms out, condensing a grey orb of spiritual energy between them. The orb grew larger and larger until it resembled a massive meteorite smashing toward Ye Xinghe. Though it appeared slow, it contained a terrifying gravitational force that crushed deep pits into the ground in its wake. Ye Xinghe recognized that this elder practiced gravity-based palm techniques, excelling at suppressing enemies with weight to catch them off guard.

Feeling the immense pressure radiating from the orb, Ye Xinghe crouched slightly and then leaped upward, rushing toward the orb like a cannonball. Just as he was about to make contact, he extended his right hand, his fingers hooking like claws, and grabbed firmly into the orb.

With a loud "Crack!" the right hand of Ye Xinghe, in full view of everyone, plunged directly into the spiritual orb, seizing it tightly. Then, with a forceful swing, he hurled the orb toward a patch of empty ground.