Chapter 144 Arrogance?
The dust and smoke dissipated.
In the void, three figures clad in grey robes and wearing masks finally revealed themselves.
Despite the masks, that cold and venomous aura could not be concealed.
Below, Master Chen stood in mid-air, shielding Ye Haocheng and Bai Ze behind him. He stared coldly at the trio, his voice terrifyingly low:
"Ancestor of Great Chu, Chu Beiming, Chu Xifeng."
"As the Grand Supreme Ancestors of the Great Chu Imperial Family, your combined ages are several thousand years, yet you would actually join forces to launch a sneak attack on a junior who is only twenty years old?"
"You have completely disgraced the Great Chu Imperial Family!"
Master Chen recognized the identities of these three at a glance.
The three great Guardian Martial Venerables of the Great Chu Dynasty had all come!
Such a lineup was more than enough to wipe out a first-rate sect, yet now they were here just to kill Ye Haocheng. It was clear how resolute the Great Chu Imperial Family's intent to kill was.
In mid-air.
The leading grey-robed old man slowly took off his mask, revealing a face covered in age spots but with eyes as sinister as a hawk's.
He was the Imperial Uncle of Great Chu, Ancestor of Great Chu.
Since he had already been recognized, there was no need for him to hide any longer.
Ancestor of Great Chu looked down at Master Chen from above, his eyes showing no trace of guilt, but instead filled with a natural, overbearing arrogance.
"Master Chen, one can eat whatever they want, but one shouldn't say whatever they want."
Ancestor of Great Chu sneered, his voice like the grinding of metal. "This boy killed a Prince of my Great Chu Dynasty and insulted our national prestige; furthermore, he is a bloodthirsty demon. Everyone has the right to execute him!"
"Our intervention is to act on behalf of Heaven. How can there be any talk of losing face?"
"As for you, Master Chen."
Ancestor of Great Chu shifted his tone, adding a hint of threat, "Do not forget that although Qingping Academy stands aloof from worldly affairs, it is ultimately situated on the territory of my Great Chu Dynasty!"
"Since you are within Great Chu's borders, you must follow Great Chu's rules! This Ye Haocheng is a wanted criminal whom the Great Chu Imperial Family must kill. Today, we are here to capture him by imperial decree. If you interfere, you will be an enemy of the Great Chu Dynasty!"
"Do you still want your academy's three thousand students? Do you still want your academy's ten-thousand-year foundation?!"
A threat!
A blatant threat!
As soon as Ancestor of Great Chu spoke, the academy disciples below immediately broke into an uproar, each one filled with righteous indignation, yet they dared not speak out.
As the premier human dynasty of the Eastern Continent, the Great Chu Dynasty's foundation was unfathomable, and it possessed a million-strong army. If they were to truly tear off the mask and target the academy, although the academy was not afraid, it would indeed face great trouble.
Hearing this, Master Chen trembled with rage, his beard quivering.
"Good! What a 'all under heaven belongs to the King'!"
"Today, this old man wants to see if you can touch a single hair on this child's head in my presence!"
"If you want to touch him, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"
Boom!
The noble spirit within Master Chen surged once more, and a massive phantom of the academy faintly appeared behind him. He was clearly prepared to fight to the death.
Although he didn't want to involve the academy in a war, as a scholar, he cultivated a breath of noble spirit. If he yielded to power today and handed over Ye Haocheng, his Dao heart would shatter, and there would be no need for the academy to exist!
Looking at the two sides, who were at each other's throats and ready to start a battle between Venerables at any moment.
A flicker of wariness flashed in Ancestor of Great Chu's eyes, but it was mostly replaced by ruthlessness.
He gave a look to the two people beside him, clearly preparing for a three-on-one fight to forcibly break through Master Chen's defense.
At this critical moment.
A slender and powerful hand lightly rested on Master Chen's shoulder.
"Master, please wait."
A voice that was excessively calm rang in Master Chen's ear.
Master Chen was stunned and turned back to look.
He saw that Ye Haocheng had already put away the sword talisman that had turned to ash at some point. A faint smile hung on his face—a smile that held no fear, but rather a kind of... composure that even Master Chen could not fathom.
A warm current flowed through Ye Haocheng's heart.
"I will keep your great kindness in my heart, Master."
Ye Haocheng bowed slightly to Master Chen, his tone sincere. "I remember all the previous times you protected me. But today's matter is a private grudge between me and the Great Chu Imperial Family."
"Since it is a private grudge, let me resolve it myself."
Saying this, Ye Haocheng gently pushed Master Chen aside and walked out step by step from behind the golden light screen.
He exposed himself directly to the terrifying killing intent of Ancestor of Great Chu and the other two!
This scene stunned everyone present.
"Is he... is he crazy?"
"He wants to resolve it himself? How is he going to resolve it?"
"That sword talisman just now was his last trump card! Everyone saw that jade talisman turn to ash with their own eyes!"
"Without the sword talisman, he's just a first-tier Martial Emperor. No matter how heaven-defying his combat power is, facing three Martial Venerables is like an ant trying to shake a giant tree!"
In the crowd, many geniuses looked at Ye Haocheng as if he were a fool.
In their eyes, having a great tree like Master Chen to lean on but choosing to play the hero and go out to die—what was that if not being out of his mind?
Even Dugu Jian of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, who had always been wary of Ye Haocheng, frowned deeply at this moment and murmured, "Ye Haocheng, what on earth are you thinking? Or... are you truly so arrogant that you think you can slay three Venerables?"