At first, Tang the Eighth thought there had been a mistake. He was skeptical of the lead, but on the principle that it was better to be wrong than to let Tang Yi escape, he followed the tracker’s directions into the forest.
However, the constant sight of Demon Beast corpses along the path made Tang the Eighth have second thoughts. He felt there must have been a mistake.
’Tang Yi is a good-for-nothing who can’t cultivate. How could he possibly fight his way through Demon Beasts into the Wind Moon Forest? This has to be a joke.’
But as they advanced a little further, they heard a series of violent rumbles and felt intense fluctuations of power.
This convinced Tang the Eighth that they had to go check it out, regardless of whether it was Tang Yi.
When they reached the location, they were stunned by the scene before them.
The person before them was none other than Tang Yi.
Not only that, but this Tang Yi looked as if he had just survived a massive battle. His clothes were in tatters, and his face was covered in black smudges.
Furthermore, surrounding Tang Yi was a large, scorched-black area. Within this zone, there was nothing—no weeds, no trees, not even rubble. There was only a thick layer of...
’Scorched black... Hmm, is that charcoal ash?’
Behind Tang Yi, there was a deep, circular crater. A strange, silver creature lay lifeless within it...
All of this...
It was simply... It was enough to shatter their perception of reality!
’Is this really the good-for-nothing Tang Yi their Seventh Young Master wanted dead?’
Tang the Eighth was no longer so sure.
"You... Are you Tang Yi?" Tang the Eighth asked hesitantly.
’The man before him was an eighty or ninety percent match for Tang Yi’s appearance, but it was hard to see clearly in the dark. It might not be him. After all, everyone knew that Tang Yi was a good-for-nothing who couldn’t cultivate. But this person...was exuding a terrifying aura. He’s strong! At least on par with me. How could someone like that possibly be Tang Yi?’
"That’s right, I’m Tang Yi. And you are?" Tang Yi said, dusting the dirt from his hands. His words were an unwitting slap in the face to Tang the Eighth.
’It really is Tang Yi!’
’How is this possible!’
Tang the Eighth’s heart pounded in his chest; he was too stunned to speak.
After a long moment, Tang the Eighth’s expression darkened. "Well, this is unexpected," he said grimly. "I never thought our Young Master Tang Yi was hiding his true strength. A master in disguise. To think you fooled all of us. I presume Tang Jiuzhe is already dead at your hands, then."
"Oh? You’re with Tang Fangzhou?" Hearing Tang the Eighth, Tang Yi instantly understood that these men were foes, not friends. Any trace of gratitude he’d felt for them inadvertently saving his life vanished like smoke.
’So, these people were sent by Tang Fangzhou to kill me, but they ended up saving my life instead. It truly is karmic irony. The ways of the Celestial Dao are amusing.’
"This humble one is Tang the Eighth. Greetings, Young Master Tang Yi." Tang the Eighth gave a mock salute. Seeing Tang Yi in this state, he was certain Tang Yi had killed Tang Jiuzhe. The false pleasantries over, his voice turned sharp. "I’d like to ask, Young Master Tang Yi, where have you hidden Tang Jiuzhe’s corpse? Are you aware of the consequences for killing a Tang Family disciple without cause?"
"Heh." Tang Yi scoffed. "Consequences for killing a Tang Family disciple? And am I not a Tang Family disciple? What about the fact that he came to kill me?"
"Impossible! I know Tang Jiuzhe’s character. You’re the son of the Tang Family Patriarch—how would he dare to lay a hand on you! Even if he did, he would have just been fooling around. But you killed him, which means you murdered your own clansman. According to Tang Family rules, anyone has the right to execute such a person on the spot!"
Tang the Eighth said, his eyes narrowed, speaking as if he were delivering a righteous verdict.
The accusation against Tang Yi had escalated from "killing a Tang Family disciple" to "murdering his own kin."
Tang Yi had to admit, even he was no match for this level of twisting the truth.
"How ridiculous. So when Tang Jiuzhe attacks me, he’s just ’fooling around’? If I cut off your head right now, would that also be me just ’fooling around’?" Tang Yi retorted contemptuously.
"Regardless, the fact is you’ve killed a fellow clansman. I have the right to execute you on the spot as a disciplinary measure."
Tang the Eighth spoke with an air of absolute righteousness. In his telling, no matter how Tang Yi tried to argue, his guilt as a heinous murderer was already a foregone conclusion.
Of course, Tang Yi wasn’t about to submit. He snorted and retorted, "Fine, you say I murdered my own clansman. Then let me ask you: which one of your eyes saw me kill Tang Jiuzhe? Show me your proof."
"You—!" Tang the Eighth froze, shocked by Tang Yi’s shamelessness. He roared, "You admitted it yourself just now! My brothers behind me all heard you! Tell him, men, isn’t that right?"
"Yes!"
The men behind Tang the Eighth chorused in agreement.
"And the proof?" Tang Yi held out a hand, looking completely unfazed. He wasn’t afraid of them in the slightest.
’In my eyes,’ Tang Yi thought, ’these people are about to become my Experience Value. But before that, I need to make sure I’m in the right. I can’t be the one who’s morally wrong, or it’ll leave a bad taste in my mouth.’
"Proof?" Tang the Eighth was growing impatient. ’We’re going to have to fight anyway,’ he thought. ’Once I kill Tang Yi here, my word becomes the proof!’
"The proof? When you’re dead, my word *is* the proof!" With a sneer, Tang the Eighth waved his hand, signaling the retainers behind him to attack.
’Even though Tang Yi seems to have some power now, how old is he? Even if he was hiding his strength, how strong could he really be? I’m a Nine-Star Battle Disciple. Am I supposed to be afraid of a brat who still smells like his mother’s milk?’
So Tang the Eighth wasted no more time and dropped all pretense, ordering the attack.
"Oh, so you can’t win the argument and want to resort to force? Fine. I’d like to see what right you have to execute me on the spot." Tang Yi sneered, his gaze sweeping over Tang the Eighth and his men with utter disdain.
Tang Yi didn’t consider them a threat in the slightest.
According to the information from his Celestial Eye Technique, these men were only Four- or Five-Star Battle Disciples. The strongest among them, Tang the Eighth, was merely a Nine-Star Battle Disciple.
And Tang Yi?
He had already advanced to the rank of Battle Master—a Two-star Battle Master, at that. How could the likes of Tang the Eighth possibly compare?
There was a major realm separating them—an insurmountable chasm. The difference in their power was heaven and earth; it was immeasurable.
He casually flung out four Wind Blades, sending them flying toward the four approaching retainers.
His every move was nonchalant and effortless, as if he were performing some trivial task.
FFFT-FFFT-FFFT-FFFT!
In an instant, a white light flashed. Four dull thuds were heard as the Wind Blades pierced through the four retainers’ bodies before they even had time to scream.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. The retainers, struck by the blades of light, remained motionless, frozen in their forward stride.
Just then, a gentle breeze rustled through.
A thin red line appeared on each of the four retainers. A moment later, their bodies split apart along those lines and collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

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