Chapter Sixteen: The Big Fish Takes the Bait (Second Update)

The utter annihilation of the Ye Family’s greatest deterrent, the Golden Scale Guard, had long sown seeds of ambition in many hearts. Yet, cowed by Ye Tianya’s formidable strength, no one had dared to act. Now, with this topic raised, the already tense atmosphere grew even more fraught.

The mood dropped to freezing point; the others fell silent, unwilling to provoke Ye Li at such a moment. After all, their purpose in coming here was to ambush Ye Feng as he sought to break through in the forest.

“The time is nearly upon us. Ye Feng will arrive soon—let’s go in first!” Yuan Yuan spoke up again, unafraid and straightforward—having done nothing wrong, he feared no ghosts knocking at the door.

Once everyone had entered the woods, Ye Feng arrived at last, unhurried and calm.

Without bothering to investigate, he plunged casually into the forest.

The Falling Wild Goose Mountains stretched endlessly, ancient trees of a hundred years rising everywhere, and even millennia-old giants were not uncommon. Even at the outer edge, the roars of unknown beasts echoed in waves.

Today, for Ye Feng, was undoubtedly a day to decide his fate. If he could uncover the mastermind behind the scenes, he would no longer need to live in constant fear.

Likewise, for Ye Li and his companions, today was a good day. To ally with the Yuan Family held far greater significance than this particular action.

With the roars of lions and tigers as accompaniment, Ye Feng entered the dense woods and soon vanished from sight.

For cultivators skilled in concealment, such an environment was their favorite. But those who only knew brute force... for beasts that could spit fire and split stone with their claws, such people were their favorite prey.

This was Ye Feng’s second venture into the Falling Wild Goose Mountains. Immersed in its depths, he was instantly struck by the sorrow of autumn.

He walked deeper at random, seeing towering ancient trees grown for centuries blotting out the sky, dense and tangled. The ground was littered with wild grass, thorns, dead branches, and decaying leaves, enough to chill the heart.

Yet none of this posed any danger to Ye Feng. After releasing a trace of his aura, all the beasts wisely retreated from his surroundings. If he sent out a mental command, some beasts would even crawl trembling at his feet.

He had come only to lure out his hidden enemies.

Soon, under the pressure of his deliberately released presence, the group of five discovered his whereabouts. As expected, besides Ye Li, there were four young men about his age.

“So it’s not so simple after all! To think the Grand Elder would conspire with the Yuan Family…” Looking at the five before him, Ye Feng smiled with sudden clarity.

The five immediately encircled Ye Feng, making it clear that Ye Li was a cautious man.

However… he had chosen the wrong place, the wrong person. Disaster was inevitable.

“Just the few of you? Not nearly enough.” Though a bit surprised, Ye Feng was disappointed—if this was all the Grand Elder had to offer, he’d come here for nothing.

It was outright disregard, blatant contempt. Yuan Yuan was furious—first among the Yuan Family’s younger generation, he had never been so underestimated.

“Attack!” Without waiting for Ye Li’s command, Yuan Yuan charged forward. The other three Yuan Family youths had no choice but to follow.

“Bone-Shattering Palm…”

Spiritual power gathered in his hands, and in an instant Yuan Yuan’s hands became sharp as eagle talons—his pride and signature technique.

Yet if he could not reach his enemy, no matter how powerful, his skill was useless.

Ye Feng, stepping with “Dragon’s Glide,” appeared behind Yuan Yuan at the moment his claws struck, twisting his neck lightly. And that was the end…

All happened in a heartbeat. Yuan Yuan’s limp body fell, while the three other Yuan Family juniors had only just begun to move.

Witnessing this, the three were terrified to the point of losing their nerve. They retreated quickly, glaring angrily at Ye Li: “Ye Li, you tricked us! This is not a power that eleven spirit lines should possess!”

Not only were they stunned, even the previously confident Ye Li wore a look of bewilderment. “You… yesterday you didn’t use your full strength after all.”

Ye Feng shrugged indifferently. “If I hadn’t played weak, how would you have shown yourself?”

He ignored the Yuan Family’s shouting. Recovering from his initial shock, Ye Li acted swiftly. As Ye Feng spoke, he drew a bamboo tube from inside his shirt.

He tapped the bottom gently, and a flare shot from the top, soaring into the sky.

“Now that’s more like it! The lot of you really aren’t worth my trouble.” Ye Feng stood at ease, arms crossed, watching Ye Li calmly.

“I admit you are strong. But you will pay for your arrogance.” Ye Li was fully on guard, glaring fiercely at Ye Feng.

“You’re useless now.” Without responding, Ye Feng used “Dragon’s Glide” again, vanishing like a gust of wind.

With a crisp snap, just as with Yuan Yuan, Ye Li—the former number one of the Ye Family—collapsed limply. To his dying breath, he never understood how Ye Feng had grown so powerful overnight.

Of course, he would never know the truth: Ye Feng had never truly regarded him as an opponent.

“Ye Feng, you’re courting death.” A furious shout echoed from afar, and the void rippled like water. Soon, the Grand Elder appeared before them.

As he arrived, the Grand Elder’s gaze was cold and sharp, his formidable presence pressing toward Ye Feng. Ye Feng’s strength had exceeded all expectations—he had killed Ye Li almost before the Grand Elder’s eyes.

This boy was far too uncanny, changing from day to day.

At this point, supporting Ye Li, scheming for the family head’s position—all these plans were meaningless. Today, he must kill Ye Feng. With such cunning, if allowed to grow any further, soon no one would be able to suppress him—even the Grand Elder himself, whose cultivation had reached the postnatal stage.

Ye Li’s death meant nothing; he was not a blood relative. At most, another junior from his faction could be cultivated. But Ye Feng’s growth was unnaturally rapid.

Just days ago, he possessed only the power of eleven spirit lines. Yet today, against five opponents, he had slain two in a single gesture. And judging by his demeanor, it seemed he had deliberately waited for the Grand Elder to arrive, intentionally letting Ye Li fire the signal flare.

“Your growth truly astonishes me. If you could continue to endure, perhaps you might surpass me. But you are far too arrogant.” Locking his aura onto Ye Feng, the Grand Elder advanced step by step.

He knew well the importance of swift action—he was old enough that even his eyebrows were sparse. Yet he could not be sure if this was a trap.

P.S.: Scared me to death! Downloaded a “little black room” forced writing app, and after finishing, I couldn’t exit—not even after restarting. Truly a little black room… By the way, please add to your favorites!