Chapter 2460: Chapter 2460
The middle-aged man from the Divine Sword Manor, standing as the last line of defense, steeled himself for a fight to the death against Ye Liuyun.
But to his shock, Ye Liuyun merely extended a single finger toward him before striking first—without even waiting for him to draw his sword.
Ye Liuyun’s blade descended in a straightforward slash.
The man had barely registered the attack when he instinctively raised his sword to block. Yet before his blade could even leave its sheath, Ye Liuyun’s strike was already upon him.
In the blink of an eye, the man was cleaved clean in two, his body splitting apart before he could even react.
“So much for the legendary Divine Sword Manor,” Ye Liuyun scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain.
His cold gaze then shifted to the trembling steward standing nearby. “Go,” he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. “Deliver my words to your masters.”
“W-what? I—I daren’t—” The steward stammered, misinterpreting Ye Liuyun’s order as a threat against him.
Ye Liuyun’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Oh? Then you’d prefer to join them?”
“N-no! I’ll go at once!” The steward yelped, nodding frantically before bolting like a startled hare.
Regret gnawed at him—he never imagined getting caught up in such a disaster. But now, he had no choice. Someone had to report back to the Divine Sword Manor, and provoking a ruthless killer like Ye Liuyun was unthinkable.
Only after the steward had fled did Ye Liuyun leisurely collect the storage rings from the fallen swordsmen. With an air of indifference, he strode back toward his residence.
The surrounding martial artists, who had gathered to watch the spectacle, stood frozen in silence. None dared to breathe too loudly, fearing retribution for their earlier taunts. It wasn’t until Ye Liuyun disappeared from view that they finally exhaled in relief.
“Where did that monster come from?” one muttered, voice hushed. “A single slash—no second strike needed.”
Another smirked, excitement flickering in his eyes. “He’s clearly here to provoke the Divine Sword Manor. The age-old rivalry between blades and swords just got a lot more interesting!”
"Can he really defeat the Sword-master?"
The crowd buzzed with renewed speculation. After witnessing Ye Liuyun’s terrifying strength, no one dared to criticize him anymore.
The corpses cleaved apart by Ye Liuyun’s blade remained where they had fallen—no one dared move them, fearing they might be implicated.
Mo Sha had already blended into the crowd, watching as Ye Liuyun delivered the final strike against the middle-aged man.
To his astonishment, Ye Liuyun had somehow *transferred* his blade intent outward. Even Mo Sha himself doubted he could withstand such an attack.
He had also gauged the dead man’s strength—formidable, yet something he could have killed in a single strike. Though he hadn’t drawn his sword, Mo Sha had already sensed the man’s sword intent.
As a renowned assassin, his judgment of martial prowess was razor-sharp.
Nearly half an hour later, a sharp, murderous aura surged toward them.
Ye Liuyun’s spiritual sense detected over two hundred martial artists from the Divine Sword Manor charging toward them, their killing intent palpable.
A faint smirk curled his lips as he closed his eyes, relying on instinct alone to track their movements.
"Divine Sword Manor handles its own affairs! All bystanders—step back!"
The command boomed across the field before the group even arrived.
The surrounding martial artists, seeing such overwhelming numbers and ferocity, instinctively retreated, clearing a wide berth.
The newcomers landed before the corpses. Their leader was a bald martial artist with an unnaturally pointed skull—rumored to be the ideal head shape for a sword cultivator.
Only then did the steward trail in from behind.
"First, collect our junior brothers’ remains!" the bald martial artist commanded the others.
The group immediately rushed to gather the bodies.
"Is he still inside?" the bald man asked the surrounding martial artists.
"Yes! We’ve been guarding this place to make sure he doesn’t escape!" someone quickly chimed in, eager to curry favor.
"Much obliged!" The bald man responded politely.
Then, he issued his orders: "Surround the courtyard!"
"Second Brother, shall I lead a charge inside?" A young disciple stepped forward, seeking permission.
The bald man pondered for a moment but ignored the question. Instead, he raised his voice and called out to Ye Liuyun inside the courtyard, "You dare provoke our Divine Sword Manor, yet you cower in hiding? Have you no courage to face us?"
Ye Liuyun’s laughter rang out from within. "Hah! The Divine Sword Manor is nothing but a joke. Now you want to gang up on me? Come at me, then! Charge in together if you like, or take turns—it makes no difference to me! But if you’re too weak, stay outside. I’d hate for you to waste time collecting more corpses!"
His words darkened the expressions of the Divine Sword Manor disciples, but none dared to retort—clearly, they feared their Second Brother too much to speak out of turn.
Earlier, in the tavern, Ye Liuyun had learned from a bearded martial artist that the Divine Sword Manor was managed by the Sword-master’s three disciples, who also trained newcomers in their master’s stead. These three were the strongest in the manor.
The eldest disciple bore the nickname "Heavy Blade," wielding an enormous iron sword. The second, known as the "Living King of Hell," left no opponent alive. The third, called "Featherstep," was renowned for his agility.
Whenever the Divine Sword Manor needed a formidable presence, it was usually the Living King of Hell who led the charge.
Hearing Ye Liuyun’s taunts, the bald man turned to the eager young disciple and said coldly, "Go in. The Divine Sword Manor doesn’t stoop to ganging up on a nameless nobody."
"Understood!"
The young disciple responded promptly, his figure flickering as he darted into the courtyard.
Yet, Ye Liuyun didn’t even open his eyes. With a casual flick of his wrist, his blade sliced through the air—so precise that even the Prince of Hell himself felt a chill run down his spine.
He could tell Ye Liuyun hadn’t even released his divine sense. That strike was purely instinctive. What unsettled him even more was the fact that Ye Liuyun’s blade seemed to transcend space itself, arriving the moment it was swung. Clearly, he had mastered spatial forces.
The disciple he had sent in, however, happened to excel in spatial manipulation, which was why he could enter the courtyard in an instant.
Yet Ye Liuyun’s blade not only pinpointed his location but also left the disciple no room to dodge—proof enough of his terrifying skill.
*Thud.*
The disciple’s head flew out of the courtyard before his body even hit the ground.
He never expected that, despite his mastery of spatial power, he wouldn’t even get a chance to react. Before he could strike, his head was already soaring through the air.
The corpse collapsed with a dull thud, but Ye Liuyun remained standing in the courtyard, eyes still closed.
Outside, a quick-witted disciple from the Divine Sword Manor snatched the severed head mid-air, stashing it into his Interspatial Ring before it could land.
But the crowd had already seen it. Some barely registered what had happened before realizing the fight was over.
A heavy silence fell over the onlookers. Every breath was held, every gaze fixed on the scene, the air thick with tension.
Even the Prince of Hell frowned. At this rate, he’d have to step in himself. Anyone else sent in would likely meet the same fate.
"May I ask for your name, sir?"
The Prince of Hell called out from beyond the courtyard.
With skills like that, he doubted Ye Liuyun was some nobody.
But Ye Liuyun didn’t answer directly. Instead, he sighed softly.
"Tsk. Is this all the Divine Sword Manor is good for—empty talk?" His voice was calm, almost bored. "If you’re here to chat, why not take a guess? Do you think I could kill you with a single strike?"
Deep down, Ye Liuyun knew this King of Hell wouldn’t be an easy opponent. From the moment he arrived, Ye Liuyun hadn’t sensed a shred of killing intent from him.
