Chapter 94: Annihilated by Thunder

At dusk, the setting sun stained the sky crimson. Ye Yun, clad in white, walked out from the city gate, his shadow stretched long behind him by the waning sunlight.

The grand auction and the marketplace gathering were scheduled for three days, and this was only the first. Thus, there were few people leaving the city at this hour.

“I heard that lad spent fifty medium-grade spirit stones for a Fire Dragon Talisman at the marketplace. Seems he’s a fat sheep ripe for slaughter.”

“Brother Wang, shall we split the spoils two to three this time?”

This Brother Wang was none other than Wang Heng, the Master of Watercloud Palm, while the speaker, dressed in white and with the bearing of a refined gentleman, was Bai Zhan.

Both men had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, making them the strongest in their line of business in Luzhou City.

“Brother Bai, you’re plainly trying to steal my business.” Wang Heng frowned, casting a displeased glance at Bai Zhan.

“We all profit together. Since that Ye family boy has caught my eye, do you still wish to have him all to yourself?” Bai Zhan replied with a gentle smile.

“Hmph, I can share some of the gains, but splitting two to three is impossible. I’ll give you thirty percent at most.” Wang Heng’s brows knitted tighter.

“At least forty percent, or we’ll each rely on our own skills—whoever gets him, keeps him.” Bai Zhan’s smile remained undiminished.

Wang Heng’s frown deepened as he considered this. “We’re all in this trade to make a living. Fine, forty percent it is.”

“Haha, Brother Wang, you truly are forthright.” Bai Zhan’s smile grew even brighter.

After Ye Yun left the city, he deliberately quickened his pace, giving the impression of someone eager to flee.

Wang Heng and Bai Zhan, both at Foundation Establishment’s peak, concealed their presence as they followed. An hour later, Ye Yun entered a dense bamboo forest.

“What a foolish boy. Such a remote bamboo grove—perfect spot to make our move.” A cold smile appeared on Wang Heng’s face.

“No rush. Let’s see if any other colleagues are lurking to snatch the prize,” Bai Zhan replied.

As they spoke, both men extended their spiritual senses, confirming that no one else was covertly following.

Just then, after walking for a while in the bamboo forest, the Ye family youth suddenly stopped and slowly turned, gazing in their direction.

“Could he have noticed us?”

Wang Heng and Bai Zhan exchanged glances, both feeling a jolt of anxiety. They had been in this line for years and prided themselves on their stealth—being discovered should be impossible.

But Ye Yun’s gaze merely lingered briefly before shifting elsewhere.

“A false alarm after all…” Wang Heng glanced at Bai Zhan. “Should we make our move now?”

What they didn’t know was that every action they’d taken along the way had been clearly observed by Ye Yun’s spiritual sense.

“You’ve been following me for quite some time. Won’t you come out now?” Ye Yun suddenly called out loudly to the surroundings.

“Heh, I thought I’d hidden well, but you’re a sharp young man for your age,” said a figure who walked forward—it was Wang Heng, Master of Watercloud Palm.

Bai Zhan remained hidden in the shadows, evidently waiting for an opportunity to strike.

A faint smile curved Ye Yun’s lips. Bai Zhan’s absence provided the chance to defeat them one by one.

Besides Wang Heng and Bai Zhan, Ye Yun sensed another presence, one whose concealment was far superior to the others’. He chose not to reveal this.

“If you hand over your possessions, I can spare your life,” Wang Heng threatened, his eyes glinting coldly as he pressed forward.

“You know full well I’m a core disciple of the Ye family. Aren’t you afraid I’ll report this to the city lord and come after you?” Ye Yun retorted with a cold smile.

“Boy, you dare threaten me? Since you’ve said so, I’ll just kill you and cut all loose ends,” Wang Heng laughed, his figure moving as his aura surged like a torrent.

The distance between them was short. Wang Heng closed in quickly, raising his palm in a strike.

Known as the Master of Watercloud Palm, Wang Heng’s fame stemmed from his mastery of the Watercloud technique. His palm strike sent true energy billowing like crashing waves and rolling clouds, exuding formidable power.

“A martial cultivator at Foundation Establishment’s peak?”

A cold gleam flashed in Ye Yun’s eyes. He too extended his hand, fingers curling into a claw, and a faint dragon’s roar emanated from within.

With a dull thud, palm and claw collided. Ye Yun remained unmoved, crimson flames rising from his form, while Wang Heng was sent flying, blood trickling from his lips.

“What a formidable youth!” Wang Heng wiped away the blood, his pupils narrowing as he fixed his gaze on Ye Yun.

“Watercloud Palm Wang Heng is nothing special,” Ye Yun replied calmly.

“Kill him!” Wang Heng shouted, charging again. At the same moment, a streak of light shot forth—it was Bai Zhan, launching a sneak attack with a flying sword from the shadows.

Ye Yun’s expression didn’t change. The Crimson Flame Bell appeared above his head. He joined his fingers and pointed, sending forth a sword light swift as lightning.

With a sickening thud, the sword light pierced Wang Heng’s brow, his body falling from midair, twitching briefly before life fled.

With a clang, Bai Zhan’s flying sword struck the Crimson Flame Bell, sparks flying but unable to breach its defenses.

Witnessing this, Bai Zhan’s face turned pale with terror. Wang Heng’s strength matched his own, but was dispatched so swiftly. Realizing he’d encountered a deadly adversary, Bai Zhan didn’t even retrieve his sword—he turned and fled.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of intense heat drawing closer. Looking back, he saw Ye Yun’s arms spread wide, transforming into a massive Crimson Flame Roc that soared toward him, reaching him in an instant.

“What kind of divine power is this…” Bai Zhan’s mind formed the thought, but was immediately consumed by searing pain, his consciousness fading into confusion and darkness.

With a thud, Bai Zhan’s corpse fell to the ground. The crimson flames engulfing Ye Yun did not extinguish; instead, he turned to gaze at another concealed spot and said quietly, “How much longer do you plan to hide, friend?”

As he spoke, Ye Yun reached out, using true energy to retrieve Bai Zhan and Wang Heng’s storage pouches from afar.

With a whoosh, a figure darted away at speed. Clearly, the person had witnessed Ye Yun dispatch Wang Heng and Bai Zhan in a flash and now sought to escape.

A strand of silver light flickered deep within Ye Yun’s pupils as the Infinite Divine Eyes awakened. He saw clearly—the fleeing figure in a blue robe was the very man who had sold him the Fire Dragon Talisman.