Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 197: Chapter 197: One-Hit Kill

At this moment, Ye Qingchen was only a few hundred meters away from Zhang Hu. Seeing Ye Qingchen’s unguarded appearance, a cold smile spread across Zhang Hu’s face. In his eyes, Ye Qingchen was already a dead man.

Zhang Hu had already secretly gathered his Spiritual Energy. He abided by the principle that even a lion must use its full strength to hunt a rabbit, and as a deathsworn of the Qin Family, Zhang Hu understood this all too well. Therefore, by the time Ye Qingchen was a hundred meters away, Zhang Hu’s Martial Technique was ready. He was just waiting for his target to enter his attack range before he would strike like thunder and slice him in two.

Ye Qingchen, however, seemed completely unaware. He continued to walk forward casually, drawing closer and closer.

Eighty meters, fifty meters, thirty meters!

Although Zhang Hu was confident he could kill Ye Qingchen from fifty meters, he waited until the distance closed to thirty just to be safe. Then, he leaped forward, pouncing on his target.

The sudden attack caused Ye Qingchen to take a single step back. However, his face showed no trace of the panic Zhang Hu had expected. The mocking expression that appeared instead sent an ominous premonition through Zhang Hu, but the arrow was already nocked; he had no choice but to fire.

Gritting his teeth, Zhang Hu unleashed his Martial Technique. As a warrior at the Second Layer of the Grand Martial Master Realm, the force he unleashed was overwhelming. The wind from his blade alone caused the railings along the walkway to splinter and break apart!

”Sword Dusting the Wind!”

Without hesitation, Ye Qingchen retaliated with his strongest Martial Technique. With the enhancement of his superior-grade spiritual weapon, the Qingfeng Sword, Ye Qingchen’s power was simply terrifying, despite him being only a First-Layer Grand Martial Master.

The Qingfeng Sword met Zhang Hu’s blade. Without the slightest pause, it split the Spiritual Artifact saber in two and continued its unstoppable trajectory toward Zhang Hu.

Zhang Hu’s eyes filled with fear. The Qingfeng Sword had completely sealed off his escape, making it impossible to dodge.

Withstand the blow? What a joke. If his Spiritual Artifact saber was cleaved in two, what chance does my mortal body have?

The look in Zhang Hu’s eyes shifted from fear to despair, and finally, to bitter unwillingness.

SQUELCH!

Meeting no resistance, the Qingfeng Sword cleaved straight through Zhang Hu’s head.

Even in death, I can’t understand. I was the ambusher. I am a cultivator of a higher Realm. Why? Why was I killed in a single strike?

Ye Qingchen, of course, gave Zhang Hu no time to ponder such questions. The Qingfeng Sword split the man in two, and its remaining Sword Qi continued unabated, carving a long gash into the stone walkway behind him.

This very scene was witnessed by Zhang Long, who had just arrived.

Zhang Long had assumed his brother had already succeeded or, at the very least, had driven Ye Qingchen into a panicked retreat. He never could have expected to personally witness Ye Qingchen kill Zhang Hu, a Second-Layer Grand Martial Master, with a single move.

Wasn’t he supposed to be only at the Ninth Layer of the Martial Master Realm? How could someone at that level possess such formidable combat power?

Although his brother’s death filled Zhang Long with a deep hatred for Ye Qingchen, he knew his own strength was roughly the same as Zhang Hu’s. Zhang Hu had been slain in one strike even while launching a surprise attack. If he were to confront Ye Qingchen openly, death would be his only end.

As long as the green hills remain, there’s no need to fear a lack of firewood.

Zhang Long made up his mind. Now was absolutely not the time for a head-on clash. The intelligence from Qin Xi had to be wrong. His best move was to escape and have Qin Xi send more powerful experts. Only then would he have a chance to slay Ye Qingchen and avenge his brother!

Zhang Long was a decisive man. Having made his choice, he turned and fled without the slightest hesitation.

But how could Ye Qingchen let a tiger return to the mountains? From the moment Zhang Long appeared, Ye Qingchen had no intention of letting him escape. He would never show mercy to those who wanted him dead.

Zhang Long tried to flee, but his speed was no match for Ye Qingchen’s Mystifying Steps. Ever since Ye Qingchen had advanced to the Grand Martial Master Realm, his Mystifying Steps were even faster. Moving at full power, he closed to within ten meters of Zhang Long in just a few breaths. This was now well within the effective range of Sword Dusting the Wind.

Without hesitation, Ye Qingchen unleashed the technique, sending a blade of Sword Qi slashing toward Zhang Long’s back.

The powerful Sword Qi threw Zhang Long off balance. He knew it was impossible to dodge at his speed. Rather than be struck down passively, he decided to fight back—he might just be able to defend against the attack. With this thought, Zhang Long quickly took out his Spiritual Artifact and circulated his Cultivation Technique to defend.

But Zhang Long had still underestimated the power of Sword Dusting the Wind. His Spiritual Artifact was sliced apart by the Sword Qi without question. He was thrown to the ground with a horrifying gash across his chest from which blood gushed freely, and he lay gasping for breath.

Ye Qingchen had done this deliberately, holding back his power; otherwise, a single strike would have been enough to kill Zhang Long instantly. He left him barely alive for one reason: to find out why these two had ambushed him.

Ye Qingchen did not recognize either Zhang Long or Zhang Hu, so he deduced they had been sent by someone else to assassinate him. That was why he left Zhang Long alive—to uncover the mastermind. An unknown enemy hiding in the shadows was like a ticking time bomb.

Sheathing the Qingfeng Sword, Ye Qingchen walked toward Zhang Long.

Zhang Long tried to stand, but his weakened body would not obey. He could only watch helplessly as Ye Qingchen drew near.

Weakly, Zhang Long looked up at Ye Qingchen and asked, ”You... you’re not at the Ninth Layer of the Martial Master Realm?”

A faint, amused smile touched Ye Qingchen’s lips. ”That intelligence of yours is a bit outdated, isn’t it?”

Ye Qingchen stood over him. ”I’ll give you two choices,” he said. ”First, tell me who sent you, and I’ll spare your life. Second... well, you should know that I’m an Alchemist. I have countless ways to make you wish you were dead.”

Hearing this, Zhang Long let out a loud laugh, his eyes filled with disdain. ”You’ve offended someone you can’t afford to. Even though my brother and I have failed, more powerful experts will come for your life soon enough. Kid, your arrogance won’t last much longer!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Long suddenly coughed up a mouthful of black blood and went still, all signs of life gone. He had taken poison to commit suicide.