Chapter Twenty-Nine: Old Fifth of the Night (Third Update—Please Add to Your Collection)

Screech… screech…

Seeing Ye Feng collapse to the ground, the monkey instantly went berserk. Its gemstone-like red eyes shifted rapidly, finally turning a deep crimson, as if soaked in blood.

Swish, swish, swish…

The next moment, a gale surged forth. Strips of white light, like rainbow ribbons, lashed out with blinding speed. In the blink of an eye, dozens of shimmering bands slammed into the scholarly middle-aged man. Even with his Spirit King cultivation, he was caught completely off guard.

Before the monkey’s fury, the scholar’s body was sent flying like a kite with its string snapped. His clothing at the chest was reduced to mere rags, blood dripping steadily down the tattered strips, leaving him in utter disgrace.

Clearly, the monkey’s spirit technique was far more than a mere display of dazzling light and color.

Cough, cough…

Staggering to his feet, the scholar’s face was flushed red to the point of seeming aflame. In his eyes, killing Ye Feng was supposed to be an effortless task. Never had he imagined that a boy barely in his teens could push him into such a wretched state.

“Excellent, an exceptional white-furred monkey. Even in its juvenile stage, it’s reached the peak of the fourth tier. I’ll have to bring it back for a thorough examination…”

“Old wretch! You’ve lived so long, yet you act like a shameless dog, raising your hand against a younger generation!” At that moment, Ye Feng, his body racked with pain, finally regained consciousness. He sat back on the ground, pointed accusingly forward, and hurled curses.

He knew full well that if the great powers within the ‘Immortal Domain’ did not intervene, neither he nor the monkey would have any chance of survival. Since resistance was futile, he simply resorted to roguish insults, hoping to provoke a reaction.

In his memory, elders of power rarely stooped to personally attack the younger generation, mindful of their own reputation.

Moreover, while he could be considered outstanding among the youths of Skyshrouded City, compared to the super clans of larger metropolises, he was hardly worth a glance… It hardly seemed necessary to provoke a Spirit King into action.

“You brat! You may have a silver tongue, but today your life is mine to take. As for the reason, the underworld’s minions will explain it to you once you’re dead!”

Clearly, having been pushed to such humiliation by Ye Feng and the monkey, the scholar was not about to let matters rest. With a murderous glint in his eyes, he strode forward with deliberate calm.

Screech, screech…

Seeing this, the heavily panting monkey made as if to rise once more, but Ye Feng reached out to restrain him. A Spirit King, even wounded, was far beyond their ability to contend with.

“Old demon, you just couldn’t wait, could you? Had to devour the immortal fruit in haste. If I die, how will you survive, you decrepit creature…” Facing certain death, Ye Feng spoke without restraint, trying to incite the Dragon Serpent Demon King in the chaos to come to their aid.

But the Dragon Serpent Demon King, wholly absorbed in cultivating, remained oblivious to outside matters.

“Boy! It’s time to end this…” Up ahead, the scholar’s brow furrowed. Ignoring his still-bleeding wounds, he advanced, spirit power gathering swiftly in his hand.

Watching the energy coalesce, Ye Feng simply closed his eyes, resignation in his voice. “Is this my end? Reborn only to die young all over again!”

Screech, screech…

Beside him, the monkey too seemed to sense the threat to its life, turning to the cave mouth and crying out desperately.

“Heh… Afraid now, are you? Die, Flame Wolf Fist…”

There was no thunderous spectacle, yet the spirit force contained in that punch still made Ye Feng’s scalp tingle with dread.

“Scoundrel! You old wretch, have you learned nothing in all your years, to lay hands on a youth?” Suddenly, a thunderous voice burst from the distant void, shaking the heavens.

A blinding beam of golden light shot down, and a colossal, radiant hand swiftly formed, slamming down toward the scholar.

“So… you really are remnants of the Ye family?” the scholar cried in terror, abandoning all composure as he turned to flee without a backward glance.

Overhead, golden clouds stretched for miles, swiftly gathering above Ye Feng. “Marquis Silan, you’re bold indeed, daring to plot against a member of the Ye family. Jialie, you’ll remain here today—a lesson for the Marquis!” The words had barely fallen when another giant hand emerged from the clouds, pressing down upon the receding gloom.

“Ah… Ye Fifth, the Marquis will never let you go!” came the scholar’s final, desperate shriek as the dark cloud rapidly dissipated.

In the blink of an eye, the gloom vanished, leaving nothing behind in the vast emptiness.

“A mere firefly dares contend with the moon for brilliance—seeking death!” From atop the golden clouds came a thunderous, resonant voice. Another giant hand swiftly reached down, plucking Ye Feng up.

The golden clouds carried Ye Feng gently down into the Ye family’s courtyard. As soon as his feet touched the ground, his strength deserted him; he collapsed, blood seeping from his chest and abdomen.

“Like a ghost or god—what an experience…” Though gravely wounded, Ye Feng’s mind remained clear. He realized that, within the golden mists, he was alone.

“Young master! Are you all right?” A guard, one Ye Feng had never seen before, rushed to his side and helped him up.

Slowly regaining his footing, Ye Feng saw that, aside from his second uncle Ye Tianya, a ruddy-faced, vigorous old man was also standing before him, eyes fixed intently on him.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Ye Feng replied weakly, glancing up at the elder beside his uncle. “May I ask who this senior is?”

Hearing this, the old man’s expression shifted, and he shook his head with a hint of exasperation. “Gone from the family so long you no longer recognize your elders! Hah…”

Ye Feng fell silent, but he sensed that this elder was at least a friend, not a foe.

“Feng’er, this is your Fifth Uncle, a senior of our family. In the future, you must greet him with the respect due to an elder. For now, focus on recovering from your injuries. Once you are well, I’ll explain everything.” With that, Ye Tianya signaled to a guard to help Ye Feng back to his room to rest.

Meanwhile, as Ye Fifth destroyed the scholar, far away in a distant palace, a black-robed man seated upon the king’s throne suddenly rose, his gaze dark as he looked toward Skyshrouded City.

“Yang Yi, Hun Yan, you two needn’t search further for the Ye family remnants. Select a group of outstanding young talents and send them to challenge the Tianwu Empire. Remember, if their elders do not intervene, you must not act either.” After a moment, the black-robed man resumed his seat, his voice cold as he addressed those below.

“Holy Lord, why all this trouble? If we find any Ye family survivors, why not simply erase them ourselves?” asked one of the crimson-clad elders, fresh from battling the Black Python Demon King in the Fallen Goose Mountains.

A chilling laugh echoed from the throne. “If you have the strength to defeat Ye Fifth, then go ahead. If not, do as I say. If I do not act, Ye Fifth will not dare touch you.”

At the mention of Ye Fifth, the faces of the crimson-clad men below all changed dramatically, and they exchanged uneasy glances in silence.