Li Zhe got here so fast!
Ye Qingchen's heart tightened. Li Zhe's speed had far exceeded his imagination.
"Family Head Li, why have you trespassed on Ye Family grounds?"
Having already been alerted by a servant, the Ye Family Head, Ye Changyun, quickly arrived with his men, his brows furrowed. After Ye Qingchen's father, Ye Changqing, perished on Qingyun Mountain, his second uncle, Ye Changyun, had succeeded him as the Family Head. With his cultivation at the Eighth Layer of the Martial Artist realm, he was one of the few powerhouses in Qingyun Town.
Due to the marriage agreement between Ye Qingchen and Li Susu, the Ye and Li Families had always been on good terms and had never had any conflicts. He couldn't understand why Li Zhe would come looking for trouble.
"That bastard Ye Qingchen crippled Su Su's Dantian! Get him out here to face his death!" Li Zhe was seething with uncontrollable rage, gritting his teeth as he spoke.
Ye Changyun and the other Ye Family members were utterly astonished. "How could that be?"
"Family Head Li, please calm your anger. Perhaps there has been some misunderstanding! Rest assured, the Ye Family will give you a proper explanation!" Ye Changyun said, then called out to a clansman behind him, "Go! Bring Ye Qingchen here!"
Soon, the clansman returned with Ye Qingchen in tow.
Ye Qingchen had no intention of fleeing. Running now would be an admission of guilt, so it was better to stay with the family, find an opportunity to seek their protection, and hold on to his only glimmer of hope.
"Ye Qingchen, prepare to die!" Seeing him, Li Zhe's eyes erupted with fury as he launched a fierce punch straight at Ye Qingchen.
This brat crippled Su Su and even scammed a bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills from me! He's absolutely despicable!
No one expected Li Zhe to attack so abruptly. By the time anyone could react, he was already less than a meter away from Ye Qingchen.
An overwhelming sense of impending death washed over Ye Qingchen. He realized Li Zhe was so fast that he couldn't possibly dodge this attack! In that instant, his Dual Pupil Martial Soul trembled deep within his mind, perfectly revealing the strengths and weaknesses in the force behind Li Zhe's fist.
Ye Qingchen arched his back, doing his best to avoid the most powerful point of impact.
BANG!
The punch landed on Ye Qingchen's chest, breaking his ribs. He was sent flying back more than ten meters, crashing heavily to the ground and spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Huh? He's not dead?
Li Zhe was stunned. Even a full-fledged Martial Artist would have been killed by that punch, yet Ye Qingchen had only suffered a few broken ribs and coughed up some blood? This outcome was completely unexpected.
However, he quickly lunged toward Ye Qingchen again. If one punch won't kill him, two will!
Alarmed, Ye Qingchen struggled to his feet. "Cough, cough... Family Head Li, to attack someone on Ye Family grounds, right in front of our own Family Head... Do you truly have no regard for him?"
As he spoke, Ye Qingchen scrambled behind Ye Changyun, using him as a human shield.
Ye Changyun frowned. Facing Li Zhe's attack, he threw a punch of his own.
BANG!
Their fists collided, and both men were forced back five steps.
"Family Head Li, trying to kill one of my clansmen right in front of me is going too far!" Ye Changyun said, his expression cold.
Ye Qingchen might be worthless, but he was still a member of the Ye Family. If Li Zhe killed him in public, what would become of Ye Changyun's authority as the Family Head?
Li Zhe made no attempt to hide the murderous intent in his eyes. He pointed a finger straight at Ye Qingchen. "This beast, Ye Qingchen, coveted my daughter's beauty. When his lecherous advances failed, he flew into a rage out of shame and crippled Su Su's Dantian! Tell me, for such a villain, isn't death the only fitting punishment?"
The Ye Family members were all shocked. Crippling one's own fiancée's Dantian? That was utterly monstrous.
Ye Qingchen rolled his eyes. It was clearly Li Susu who tried to seduce me into Dual Cultivation to steal my Martial Soul! This Li Zhe is a master of twisting the truth!
He immediately put on an aggrieved expression. "Family Head Li, could there be a misunderstanding?
"First, for ten years, I've used my Martial Soul Force daily to help nurture Li Susu's body. If I truly coveted her beauty, I would have acted long ago. Why wait until now?
"Second, Li Susu is my fiancée. She will be my wife sooner or later. I've already waited ten years; why would I be in such a rush now?
"Third, let's take a step back and assume I did have lustful intentions. Li Susu's cultivation is at the Seventh Layer of the Martial Apprentice realm, while mine is merely at the First Layer. How could I possibly overpower her?
"Family Head Li, you mustn't fall for some villain's scheme! After my decade of devotion, my heart would grow cold if you repaid my kindness with such enmity!"
Cripple Li Susu's Dantian? There's no way I'll admit that! I'll die before I confess! By the end of his speech, Ye Qingchen was even insinuating that Li Zhe was repaying kindness with enmity.
Hearing Ye Qingchen's words, the Ye clansmen, including Ye Changyun, all nodded in agreement. Both logically and emotionally, it made no sense for Ye Qingchen to harm Li Susu.
"Family Head Li, it seems you have indeed misunderstood Ye Qingchen!" Ye Changyun announced, stepping forward to speak on his behalf.
Li Zhe almost coughed up a mouthful of blood. This brat, Ye Qingchen, is too damn good at arguing!
He took a deep breath. "Fine! In that case, you will come with me and prove your innocence! Otherwise, I will get justice for my daughter today, even if it means we are both grievously injured in the process!"
Since I can't kill him here, I'll just take him away and kill him later!
Hearing this, Ye Qingchen's heart sank. If Li Zhe takes me away, I'm a dead man! And with a demand like that, the Ye Family has no reason to refuse it!
Ye Changyun's brow furrowed. It seems Li Zhe won't rest until he takes Ye Qingchen away today. It's simply not worth damaging the relationship between our two families over someone as worthless as him.
After weighing the pros and cons, Ye Changyun quickly made his decision. He said with a smile, "Ye Qingchen, a clear conscience fears no accusation. You should go with Family Head Li."
With that, Ye Changyun stepped aside, leaving a clear path to Ye Qingchen.
A triumphant smirk appeared on Li Zhe's face. So what if Ye Qingchen is a smooth talker? Under my immense pressure, the Ye Family would never start a war with the Li Family over a worthless nobody!
However, just as Li Zhe was gloating, Ye Qingchen's voice reached his ears. "Family Head Li, you concocted this absurd reason to take me away just because you covet the high-grade Yellow-Class martial technique scroll I possess, don't you?"
Li Zhe was flabbergasted, and Ye Changyun was utterly shocked.
As he spoke, Ye Qingchen produced the Picking Leaf Hand martial technique scroll from his robes, his voice filled with righteous indignation. "Fine, I will go with you! But as a member of the Ye Family, I must leave this martial technique scroll to the family, even if it costs me my life!"
After speaking, Ye Qingchen tossed the scroll to Ye Changyun. I couldn't offer this treasure to the Grand Elder, so offering it to the Family Head is the next best thing!
Ye Changyun caught the scroll and glanced at it, his entire body trembling with excitement. A high-grade Yellow-Class martial technique! The entire Ye Family only possessed two such techniques! This was a Supreme Treasure!
He subtly shifted his position to stand in front of Ye Qingchen, his gaze turning mocking as he looked at Li Zhe. "Family Head Li, what a cunning plan! You almost succeeded! As the Head of the Ye Family, how could I possibly allow you to just take one of my clansmen away?"
Li Zhe almost spat out another mouthful of blood in rage. So damn shameless! Just a moment ago, Ye Changyun was letting me take Ye Qingchen, and now that he has a high-grade Yellow-Class martial technique, he's completely reversed his position! What a money-grubbing wretch! This change of heart was faster than flipping through a book!