'I've finally shaken off the others from the great families. Yangg Jun, you'd better not regret following us!'
As soon as he left the private room at the auction house, Nie Yun knew at least four or five groups of people were following him. However, he wasn't flustered. He had too many enemies in his past life and had specifically learned anti-tracking methods. After confirming his opponents' positions, he easily shook off the others, leaving only Yangg Jun's group of three behind.
This skill of being tracked by several groups simultaneously, yet being able to intentionally lose most of them, would seem unbelievable to anyone else. But for Nie Yun, it was effortless.
"Alright, this is the place!"
After shaking off the others, Nie Yun led Yangg Yan to a dense forest outside the city and stopped. This place was located in a mountain hollow, and with it being the dead of night, it was a good spot for murder and robbery.
"Your strength is nothing special, but you're not slow when it comes to running away. If I wasn't skilled in tracking, I'm afraid you really would have escaped!"
Just as they stopped, a cold snort echoed from behind, and three figures emerged from the surrounding woods.
"Yangg Jun?" Yangg Yan didn't know who was following them. Seeing that it was his own half-brother, he couldn't help but be stunned.
"Since you know who I am, hand over the Fiery Flame Axe and Stem Lotus immediately! Any later, and you can watch out for your worthless lives!" Hearing his name called, Yangg Jun thought they must have gotten a clear look at his face when he smashed the window at the auction house. He flicked his sleeve and snorted.
"Hand over those two items and compensate us with 1,000,000 taels of silver. Otherwise, not only will you two die, but everyone associated with you—your father, mother, brothers, and sisters—will all die too. We won't even spare the chickens or dogs!"
Yangg Lin also roared, echoing his young master's words, his face twisted with a savage expression and his tone incomparably arrogant.
"Not even sparing the chickens or dogs? Hmph. You mean annihilate my nine generations?" Nie Yun's face showed a strange expression.
"That's right. Our young master is the number one heir of the Yangg Family, one of the Four Great Families. His status is revered. For him to personally ask you to hand over your things is your greatest honor. Daring to defy him is courting death. Annihilating your nine generations is the lightest punishment!" Yangg Lin shouted.
"Take off your Disguise and show them. I'd like to see just how they plan to annihilate your nine generations!" Shaking his head, Nie Yun turned and instructed Yangg Yan.
"Hn!" Yangg Yan hadn't expected that Yangg Lin and the other servant, who usually seemed decent, would be so arrogant. He wiped his right hand across his face, and the Disguise fell away, revealing his true features. He looked at them. "You want to annihilate my nine generations?"
"It's... Second Young Master?" Yangg Lin and the other servant were both stunned.
They never would have imagined that the owner of private room seventeen in the second row was actually the Clan Leader's other son, the young master's half-brother, Yangg Yan!
"So it was you who bought these two items. That makes things easier!" Seeing that the owner of private room seventeen in the second row was Yangg Yan in Disguise, the corners of Yangg Jun's mouth lifted into an inscrutable smile. "Yangg Yan, bring the Fiery Flame Axe and Stem Lotus over here for me to take back to the family. Your ability to purchase these two items can be considered a great contribution to the family. The clan will certainly give you a generous reward, and maybe even let you return to the family!"
Yangg Jun casually made an empty promise. If Yangg Yan really did give him the items, the so-called reward would surely be worth far less than the two treasures.
"Give them to you to take back to the family? Are you dreaming?"
Not expecting his own brother to say such a thing, Yangg Yan's brow furrowed in displeasure.
"Insolent! Calling you 'Second Young Master' is already giving you face. Don't you understand your current status? We're showing you respect by asking you to hand over the Fiery Flame Axe and Stem Lotus. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"
Yangg Lin glanced at Yangg Jun, and after receiving a nod, his face suddenly twisted savagely as he let out a great shout.
"What did you say?" Not expecting a mere servant to dare speak to him in such a manner, Yangg Yan's eyes narrowed.
He knew this Yangg Lin. Back when he was still in the family, this guy had specifically sought him out, his attitude as deferential as a lapdog's. He never thought that less than half a year after leaving the family, his attitude would change so drastically.
"Are you deaf? Did you think you were still a young master after leaving the family? Stop dreaming! You're just a disgraced disciple cast out by the family. You see the clan's number one heir and you don't immediately kneel and offer up your treasures? Instead, you dare to refuse? Who gave you the guts!"
The other servant also roared.
"Good, good!"
Seeing their attitude, how could Yangg Yan not understand? 'They wouldn't have the nerve to treat a master this way unless someone was backing them up! Even if they had ten times the courage, they wouldn't dare!'
"Yangg Jun, so these are your fine subordinates! Brother, you are truly a *good* brother to me. I will report today's events to the family in full detail and see how they deal with it!"
"Report to the family? Heh heh, go ahead!" Yangg Jun gave a faint smile, his voice cold and devoid of any brotherly affection. "As a disgraced disciple cast out by the family, you can somehow casually produce over a million taels of silver. I now suspect you of secretly stealing family assets and lining your own pockets when you were in a position of power in the clan! Hand over the Fiery Flame Axe, the Stem Lotus, and all the money you have on you immediately. Admit your mistake, and I might be lenient. Otherwise, I will deal with you according to clan rules and have the right to execute you on the spot!"
"Secretly stealing family assets and lining my own pockets?"
Yangg Yan never expected that this guy would resort to spouting such blatant lies, twisting the facts, and calling a deer a horse, all to get his hands on the Fiery Flame Axe and Stem Lotus. He was so angry his lungs were about to explode.
No wonder his two subordinates dared to speak to him like that. Like master, like servant. If the master is so shameless, how could his underlings be any better?
"The Young Master is truly perceptive! No wonder this guy insisted on leaving the family back then. It turns out he had stolen so much of the family's assets!"
"After stealing so much money from the family, instead of immediately kneeling before the family's number one heir to repent, he dares to stand here and argue? He's outrageously bold and utterly shameless!"
Seeing that their young master was showing no mercy, Yangg Lin and the other servant immediately roared in agreement.
"Good, good, what a fine duet you're singing! Yangg Jun, I used to consider you my brother. From now on, you are you, and I am I. We have nothing to do with each other anymore!"
Yangg Yan was so enraged by their shamelessness that he laughed out loud.
'What kind of family is this? With a number one heir like him, is there any hope for this family?'
"Have something to do with me? Are you even worthy? You're just a bastard born from a cheap bitch! Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. Your bitch of a mother didn't die from illness. I was the one who fed her a slow-acting poison and poisoned her to death! After she died, I used a few little tricks to force you out of the family, and you were even grateful to me. Haha! You fucking idiot! You want to have a connection with me? What the hell do you think you are!"
Yangg Jun had no intention of letting Yangg Yan go. He sneered continuously as he revealed everything he had done.
"You... killed my mother?" Veins bulged on his forehead. Yangg Yan finally understood the truth, and his eyes instantly turned red.
No wonder his mother's health had gotten worse day by day, and no one could find a cause. He had always thought she was suffering from a serious illness, but it turned out his "brother" before him had been the one to commit such a ruthless act!
'And I, pitifully, never suspected a thing!'
"It's too late to know now! Since the young master has told you this much, he has no intention of letting you live. Die!"
Yangg Lin understood his young master's plan and lunged forward, his hand reaching out to grab him.
He was at the Peak of Qi Sea Fourth Layer, a full two minor realms higher than Yangg Yan, who was at the Qi Sea Fourth Layer Mid Stage. As he struck, True Qi suffused the air, surging forward like a tidal wave.
"Mother, today your son will avenge you! Die!"
With a great cry to the heavens, Yangg Yan flipped the Fiery Flame Axe into his hand and chopped straight ahead!
"The Fiery Flame Axe is a powerful weapon. If you had Refined it, I might have been a bit wary. A pity you've had it for such a short time. Hand it over to me..." Seeing his opponent not even trying to dodge, but instead attacking with the Fiery Flame Axe, Yangg Lin gave a sinister laugh. Relying on his superior power, he immediately tried to disarm Yangg Yan and snatch the axe from his hands!
'If I can snatch the Fiery Flame Axe just like this, I'll definitely be rewarded by the Young Master. My future will be limitless...' As Yangg Lin was fantasizing about how his young master would reward him, his vision suddenly blurred. His right eye saw the left side of his own body.
THUD!
He had been split in two by the axe. His corpse fell to the ground in two halves, splattering blood everywhere.
"You... you Refined the Fiery Flame Axe..."
Yangg Lin finally understood what had happened, but it was too late. There was no time for regret.
He could only blame himself for being the one to stick his neck out. He had wanted to earn merit but ended up as a corpse instead.
"Mother, you died right in front of me, and I didn't even realize you had been poisoned. I failed you! Today, I will kill this enemy with my own hands and avenge you!"
After cleaving Yangg Lin in two with the axe, tears streamed down Yangg Yan's face. As if possessed by a demon, he threw his whole body into a charge toward Yangg Jun.
"So what if you Refined the Fiery Flame Axe? Let me make this clear: the Qi Sea Fifth Layer Body Emergence Realm is beyond anything you can imagine!" Seeing him charge, Yangg Jun wasn't afraid. Instead, he sneered and threw a punch!
The Qi Sea Fifth Layer Body Emergence Realm, also known as True Qi Emission, allowed one to release True Qi during battle like a fired crossbow bolt. With a sharp whistle through the air, the blast of True Qi formed from his punch struck Yangg Yan directly in the chest.
BANG! PFFT!
The emitted True Qi was impossible to dodge. Yangg Yan was struck in the chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.
The close-quarters combat power of the Qi Sea Fourth Layer True Qi Realm was formidable, but it was still a far cry from the Fifth Layer, which allowed for the external release of True Qi!
If the Fourth Layer was a Martial Artist with a sword, then the Fifth Layer was a sniper with a gun!
No matter how sharp the sword, even if it could cut through iron like mud, it was useless against a ranged attack. How could one fight when they were wounded before they could even get close?
This was the exact situation between Yangg Yan and Yangg Jun. Although the former's strength had greatly increased after Refining the Fiery Flame Axe, he was still far inferior to the latter, who was capable of ranged attacks!
"Even if I die today... I will kill you... and avenge my mother!"
Blood sprayed from his mouth, but Yangg Yan did not retreat. Instead, his eyes grew redder and redder, and he seemed to have gone completely mad.
His mother was the most important person in his life, and she had been poisoned to death by the man standing before him. An immense hatred burned within him, causing the power in his body to spin wildly, as if about to explode at any moment!
BOOM!
Under the impact of his hatred, Yangg Yan didn't even seem to notice that at the peak of his frenzy, the True Qi in his body suddenly erupted. It was as if he had broken through some kind of Chains, undergoing a qualitative leap!
"Die!"
With a long cry, the Fiery Flame Axe suddenly slashed out, creating a blazing trail of fire dozens of meters long that viciously struck Yangg Jun!
"This... How is this possible!"
He never expected that Yangg Yan's hatred would reach its peak and allow him to suddenly break through his Chains, advancing directly from Qi Sea Fourth Layer Mid Stage to Fifth Layer Early Stage. Yangg Jun's eyes went wide, but before he could react, he was completely enveloped by the surging flames. His body, like an overinflated balloon, exploded with a BANG!
"Mother... Your son has avenged you!"
Seeing the sky filled with bits of flesh, Yangg Yan collapsed to his knees. The memory of his mother's face and smile surfaced in his mind, and he could no longer hold back his tears as they streamed down his face.