Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 648: Annoyed into Rage

He was no kind man. If he had lost today, his opponent would have definitely ground him into the dust without hesitation.

Mercy toward an enemy is cruelty to oneself!

Jiang Xiaoyi’s body shook uncontrollably. He didn’t dare look directly at Ye Qingchen. Seeing Kuang Tie out of the corner of his eye, he rushed over in excitement, clutching at him.

"Young Master Kuang! Young Master Kuang! That kid figured it out! The plan I told you about worked! Just capture him and force him to reveal what he comprehended from the map. Then you’ll have something to report back to your clan!"

Jiang Xiaoyi clung to Kuang Tie’s sleeve, growing more excited as he spoke. His eyes even held a touch of madness. His original intention in coming here was just to join in on the fun, but thanks to this kid’s meddling, he had repeatedly become a laughingstock. Fortunately, he had already plotted something with Young Master Kuang.

Now that the kid has successfully comprehended the map, things won’t end well for him!

Thinking of this, the unease in Jiang Xiaoyi’s heart gradually subsided.

"Young Master Kuang, just as we discussed, this kid is my gift to you. The Mountain and Rivers Sheji Map is right there. If you can force the method out of him, why would you need to worry about your clan’s prosperity?"

He spoke with great excitement, but Kuang Tie remained silent, standing solemnly to one side as if lost in thought.

Everyone who heard Jiang Xiaoyi’s words immediately understood his scheme. It turned out he had never planned on letting his opponent off the hook. If Ye Qingchen failed to comprehend the map, he would be held to the terms of the bet. If he succeeded, he would be offered up to Kuang Tie. No matter the outcome, Jiang Xiaoyi had ensured he would win.

Many people were impressed by his sheer shamelessness. But in the end, no one dared to speak up. Kuang Tie’s status was plain to see, and nobody dared to act rashly.

Ye Qingchen also smiled, saying nothing as he quietly watched Kuang Tie.

Kuang Tie stood still, hesitating for a long moment before finally speaking.

"How did you comprehend it? I’ve been here for three days and nights and couldn’t find the key. How did you see it at a glance?"

His tone was surprised but held no trace of blame, as if he were just making casual conversation.

The crowd was completely baffled, unable to make heads or tails of what Kuang Tie meant.

Ye Qingchen laughed lightly and answered without hesitation, "It’s quite simple. The key to comprehending this map isn’t in viewing it as a whole, but in following the flow of its power to find the fundamental origin point."

Hearing this clue, it was as if Kuang Tie had been struck by sudden enlightenment. He frantically turned his gaze back to the Mountain and Rivers Sheji Map. Following the contours of the mountains and rivers, an indescribable power spread through his body, causing the corners of his mouth to lift into a smile.

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoyi panicked and hastily tugged at Kuang Tie’s sleeve. "Young Master Kuang, don’t listen to his nonsense! If someone had the good fortune to comprehend the Mountain and Rivers Sheji Map, why would they just give the secret away for free?"

"This kid is extremely cunning! You mustn’t trust him!"

Kuang Tie’s eyes narrowed slightly. It was impossible to tell if he was taking the words to heart or ignoring them completely. Ye Qingchen, however, appeared completely composed, standing his ground and waiting for their reaction.

"Young man, get out of here before they realize what’s happening! Otherwise, you’ll be in deep trouble!"

"That’s right, you have to hurry! Comprehending the Mountain and Rivers Sheji Map for just a quarter of an hour is enough to break through an entire realm! That’s unheard of! If you have to, run to the Jiang Ancient Clan for protection, just make sure to—"

Some onlookers couldn’t bear to watch any longer and spoke up with warnings, but a threatening glare from Jiang Xiaoyi silenced them, and they swallowed their words.

"Young Master Kuang," Jiang Xiaoyi whispered, leaning in close so the others wouldn’t hear. "Now is not the time for mercy. This guy just showed up and clearly has no backing. With his level of talent, if we let him live, he’ll surely become a disaster for us in the future. We’d be better off getting rid of him right here, right now!"

Kuang Tie remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the Mountain and Rivers Sheji Map like a statue. But the persistent fly buzzing in his ear was too annoying. Calming his mind, he shoved the person beside him away with a flick of his hand.

Jiang Xiaoyi stumbled from the sudden force, staring at Kuang Tie in shock. "Young Master Kuang, what’s the meaning of this? Didn’t we agree to get rid of him together?"

Hearing this, Kuang Tie let out a cold snort. "Get rid of him? I’m not as shameless as you. If someone is stronger than me, that is their own ability. If they are weaker, I would never bully them. I only agreed to your bet because I wanted to see what kind of tricks you had up your sleeve."

At these words, everyone in the crowd let out a collective sigh of relief. From Kuang Tie’s tone, it was clear he and Jiang Xiaoyi were not cut from the same cloth.

Jiang Xiaoyi panicked. He scrambled forward, clinging desperately to Kuang Tie. "Young Master Kuang, that’s not what you said before! This kid is just being clever! What kind of cultivator would just hand over a Secret Technique? Don’t let him fool you! If something goes wrong with your Cultivation Technique later, no one will be able to fix it!"

"I’ll be the judge of whether it’s useful or not. But a person like you isn’t fit to associate with me. Even the schemes you employ are so vile!"

With that, Kuang Tie flung him to the ground.

Jiang Xiaoyi lay in a pathetic heap, staring at Ye Qingchen in disbelief. His eyes were bloodshot and his teeth were bared, as if he wanted to leap up and drink his blood.

"That’s what you call getting your just deserts!"

"Tell me about it! Jiang Xiaoyi has screwed over plenty of people lately. It’s satisfying to see him get a taste of his own medicine!"

"What a disgrace to his clan! He can’t do things honorably, always has to resort to such dirty tricks!"

"Someone like him should be expelled from the Ten Great Ancient Clans! He doesn’t even deserve to be here!"

"Exactly! Exactly!"

The waves of criticism and condemnation crashed over him. Jiang Xiaoyi trembled all over, the buzzing in his ears driving him to the verge of madness. He sat on the ground for a long time, his gaze finally fixing on Ye Qingchen, fists clenching at his sides. The next second, he sprang from the ground and charged straight for him.

"This is all your fault! ALL YOURS! If it weren’t for you, I never would have ended up like this!"

His hysterical roar echoed through the crowd. Just as his fist was about to connect with Ye Qingchen, a powerful hand shot out and clamped around it in midair.

The attack stopped dead.

The jaws of the onlookers dropped, and they couldn’t help but stare. Just now, Kuang Tie had moved with the speed of a thunderclap, catching Jiang Xiaoyi’s fist right before he could seriously injure Ye Qingchen.

Seeing his attack blocked, Jiang Xiaoyi refused to give up. He swung his other fist, aiming to smash it down!

To hell with it! I’ve already lost all my face and dignity. Nothing I do today can save my reputation, so I might as well go down swinging!