Chapter 2462: Chapter 2462
Ye Liuyun employed spatial manipulation, making it impossible for anyone to detect his whereabouts.
In truth, he had merely altered his appearance and blended back into the crowd. He surmised that after killing the Living King of Hell, the next opponent to come for him would likely be the Sword-master. Even if the Sword-master didn’t appear personally, formidable warriors like Zhong Feng would surely arrive—and in greater numbers.
Staying holed up in the courtyard would leave him too vulnerable. He needed to assess the enemy’s numbers and strength before deciding his next move. The Divine Sword Manor had suffered heavy losses and a humiliating blow—they wouldn’t let this slide.
His plan to lure the enemy out had succeeded. Now, his goal was to eliminate as many of their disciples as possible before facing the Sword-master himself.
Meanwhile, chaos reigned within the Sword-master’s Manor. The merchant guild steward’s report had sparked fierce debate among the manor’s warriors.
Their Third Senior Brother, Piao Yu, immediately rallied the disciples, eager to charge at Ye Liuyun in vengeance. But their eldest senior brother, Zhong Feng, stopped them.
"The enemy is strong and clearly prepared," Zhong Feng said firmly. "We must plan carefully before acting."
Piao Yu, however, was incensed. "Second Brother is dead! What’s there to plan? We charge in and avenge him!"
"Even with all the men he took, Second Brother still fell. Do you really think you stand a chance?" Zhong Feng, ever the composed leader, remained level-headed.
"And what of Second Brother’s honor? If we don’t act now, the world will think the Divine Sword Manor is afraid!" Piao Yu shot back.
"Rushing in blindly is just handing the enemy more heads!" Zhong Feng snapped.
"Better that than cowering like turtles, too scared to even seek vengeance!" Piao Yu refused to back down and once again urged the disciples to charge.
"If I can’t stop you," Zhong Feng said coldly, "then I have no choice but to report this to the Grandmaster!"
Zhong Feng’s icy remark instantly deflated Piao Yu’s bravado.
The Sword-master had been in seclusion for years, and no one dared disturb him. If Piao Yu’s recklessness provoked their master’s wrath, the consequences would be dire.
"Ugh!" Piao Yu sighed in resignation, finally abandoning his impulsive plan.
"Come back to the main hall with me. We’ll consult the elders," Zhong Feng said curtly before turning on his heel.
With no other choice, Piao Yu instructed his disciples to stay alert before following him to the council chamber.
Soon, the five elders of the Divine Sword Manor gathered to discuss how to deal with Ye Liuyun.
They first questioned the steward in detail—how the conflict with Ye Liuyun had begun, how he had slain the "King of Hell" and so many disciples.
After hearing the account, one elder concluded, "It seems he relied on formations to eliminate most of our disciples. His personal combat skills are formidable, blending blade intent with spatial power. Even the Prince of Hell fell effortlessly to him. Individually, none of us may be a match."
Another elder nodded in agreement. "Indeed, this man is dangerously strong. Though the incident started with A-Qian’s provocation, I suspect he targeted our manor from the beginning. Otherwise, why slaughter so many and openly slander our reputation?"
"Even if he’s strong, we can’t just swallow this humiliation!" Piao Yu snapped.
A senior elder raised a placating hand. "Calm yourself. After killing so many of ours, whether for vengeance or to defend our honor, we won’t let this slide. But if this was premeditated, he’s prepared for us. Acting rashly would play into his hands, letting him whittle down our strength. Think—if we lose too many, the manor’s defenses weaken. What if he attacks next? What if his real target is the Manor Lord?"
"Some nameless coward, scheming against our master? Ridiculous!" Piao Yu scoffed.
Another elder interjected gravely, "The less we know about an enemy, the more dangerous they are. You can never guess what cards they hold."
"I think we should start with reconnaissance—send someone to monitor his movements and understand his intentions and capabilities."
"Agreed. Know your enemy before you strike. Not only should we keep an eye on that brat, but we should also have people scout around Divine Sword Manor to see if anyone’s watching us. And from now on, no one leaves the manor without good reason. We can’t afford any surprise attacks."
"Who should we send to tail him? If the person isn’t skilled enough, they might get spotted easily," Zhong Feng asked the five elders.
The elders all turned their gazes toward Piao Yu in unison.
"Piao Yu’s spatial abilities are formidable. He’s the best choice for surveillance," one elder suggested.
Zhong Feng immediately objected. "In his current state, he’s not fit for reconnaissance. He might lose control and strike. I’ll go instead."
"What if I promise not to act?" Piao Yu was eager to see Ye Liuyun’s strength for himself.
And if the opportunity arose, he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate Ye Liuyun on the spot.
One elder interjected, "Then let’s impose restrictions!"
"What kind of restrictions?" Zhong Feng and Piao Yu asked simultaneously.
"If Piao Yu can’t restrain himself from attacking, we’ll collectively decide to expel him from Divine Sword Manor. And we’ll report directly to the Manor Lord to revoke his disciple status!"
"...Isn’t that a bit extreme?" Piao Yu was stunned.
But Zhong Feng nodded. "I agree."
The elders pressed Piao Yu further. "Even if he lays his head at your sword’s edge, you are forbidden to strike. Any movement must be reported to us first."
"If you can’t abide by this, you’ll no longer be the Manor Lord’s disciple—nor a member of Divine Sword Manor. Do you accept?"
"If you can’t do it, that’s fine. We’ll find someone else. You’re the most suitable, but not indispensable!"
Piaoyu hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing.
"I accept. At the very least, I’ll do my part to avenge Second Brother!"
The elders then selected ten more skilled disciples and sent them to scout the surrounding area for any suspicious activity.
Meanwhile, one of the elders volunteered to negotiate face-to-face with Ye Liuyun, hoping to uncover his true intentions.
Once everything was arranged, the steward left the Divine Sword Manor with one elder and two disciples leading the way.
Piaoyu followed them at a distance, while the other ten disciples fanned out in different directions to investigate.
The movement immediately caught the attention of Youming and his group.
While evading the scouts and keeping their distance from the Divine Sword Manor to avoid detection, they quickly relayed the news to Ye Liuyun.
"Such a small group doesn’t seem like they’re here for a fight—more like a negotiation. Probably trying to gauge my strength!"
Ye Liuyun pondered for a moment. Regardless of their intentions, he decided the best course of action was to eliminate as many of them as possible to weaken their forces.
