"What?"

Upon hearing Ye Xiu’s admission, the Long Family Manor erupted into turmoil. Aside from the Clan Leader and Nangong Yue’s group of seven, the same question popped into the minds of everyone else from the Long Family and the thirteen external families.

Why? Ye Liangchen was the man most admired by the Clan Leader and an ally of the Long Family. Why would he incite the thirteen external families to betray them?

"Why?" the Long Family’s fifth-in-command asked as he and his second, third, and fourth brothers approached. "Ye Liangchen, why did you do this?"

"Because he is Ye Xiu!" the Clan Leader declared before anyone else could speak.

A wave of shock swept through the Long Family Manor. Those who were injured and sitting or lying on the ground were so startled by the Clan Leader’s words that they scrambled to their feet. Even the half-dead, mummy-like Long Yifei shot upright.

What? Ye Liangchen is Ye Xiu?

Nangong Yue and her six companions were utterly dumbfounded.

What? Brother Ye is Ye Xiu? Heavens!

The person the Long Family had been desperately searching for had been an Undercover Agent within their ranks all along, even becoming the man most admired by the Clan Leader. At that moment, everyone present felt a mix of admiration and fear toward Ye Xiu. This man’s cunning, skill, audacity, and courage were truly unparalleled in history.

"Haha, hahaha..." Long Yifei, still wrapped head to toe in bandages, began to laugh manically. "Ye Xiu, haha, you’re actually Ye Xiu! As Ye Liangchen, the Clan Leader’s favorite, I couldn’t touch you. But now that you’re Ye Xiu, your death is certain!"

In that instant, Long Yifei felt an exhilarating sense of impending revenge.

"Long Yifei is right." Long Yian, the Clan Leader’s great-grandson and one of the Long Family’s six great talents, walked up to Ye Xiu with a cold sneer. "Ye Xiu, you’re said to be meticulous and a master strategist, but in my eyes, you’re the greatest fool in the world—so foolish it’s laughable. You revealed your identity in front of all the Long Family’s masters. Do you really think you can leave the Long Family Manor alive tonight?"

At his words, the eyes of all the Long Family members lit up. They crowded around, drawing their weapons to prevent Ye Xiu from escaping. They were ecstatic. The Clan Leader had said that if they captured Ye Xiu and obtained his secrets, the Long Family would have nothing to fear, not even Huang Quan. To them, Ye Xiu was a living treasure that could make them Invincible.

"Who are you?" Ye Xiu asked, not recognizing Long Yian.

"My great-grandfather is the Clan Leader. Who do you think I am?" Long Yian sneered.

"Oh." Now understanding, Ye Xiu turned to the Clan Leader. "Ten years ago, you were responsible for the deaths of my mother and my grandparents, causing me a decade of pain. Today, I will kill your most beloved great-grandson to make you suffer for ten years in return. That isn’t excessive, is it?"

This statement gave the members of the thirteen external families pause. In truth, they had never known the real grudge between Ye Xiu and the Long Family. All they knew was that Ye Xiu constantly caused trouble for them, and the Clan Leader desperately wanted some treasure he possessed. Now, they finally understood his motives. The grudge for a murdered mother. The grudge for murdered grandparents. Anyone with a shred of honor would seek such vengeance.

"Not excessive. Not in the least," the Clan Leader replied with a cold, contemptuous smile. "I just can’t fathom how you intend to kill Long Yian, right here in front of me and so many Long Family experts. Even if we weren’t here, your strength is no match for his. So tell me, how will you kill him?"

"Hahahaha..." The members of the Long Family erupted in mocking laughter.

THUNK!

Before the laughter could die down, Ye Xiu snatched the sword from Nangong Yue’s hand and thrust it through Long Yian’s throat.

"This is how I kill him," Ye Xiu said, his icy gaze sweeping over the Long Family members. "Laugh. Go on, laugh."

The laughter died abruptly. Shock and rage contorted the faces of all the Long Family members. They hadn’t expected Ye Xiu to actually dare to kill Long Yian, much less succeed. This was a blatant provocation, treating all of them as if they were nothing more than deadwood.

Neither Nangong Yue’s group nor the members of the thirteen external families had expected Ye Xiu to actually kill Long Yian. Moreover, that idiot Long Yian had shown no vigilance whatsoever, allowing Ye Xiu to kill him so easily. Indeed, everyone present assumed Ye Xiu had only succeeded because Long Yian had let his guard down. No one believed Ye Xiu possessed the strength to kill him outright.

"Ye Xiu, you’re courting death!" The Clan Leader flew into a rage, looking like a madman as he swung his blade at Ye Xiu’s neck.

He unleashed a full-power strike driven by pure fury. The Blade Qi was fierce, whipping around like a wild storm and forcing those nearby to instinctively retreat.

Ye Xiu stood his ground like a boulder. Pulling the sword from Long Yian’s throat, he met the Clan Leader’s blade head-on.

BOOM!

The sword and blade clashed. The resulting shockwave of intertwining Sword Qi and Blade Qi exploded outward, ravaging the surroundings.

The crowd was horrified. The Clan Leader’s power was incredibly formidable. Even the other Second Realm War Gods present, though they shared his rank, were clearly far weaker. What astonished them even more, however, was Ye Xiu’s immense strength. He had withstood a furious, full-power strike from the Clan Leader without even flinching.

Clearly, Ye Xiu’s power was on par with the Clan Leader’s, perhaps even greater.

"This..." The Clan Leader, seeing Ye Xiu block his attack unscathed, stumbled back three steps in shock. "You... you’re this powerful?"

In this world, I am already invincible... Ye Xiu replied coolly, "It’s not that I’m too strong. You’re just too weak."

"Arrogant!" the Clan Leader roared. "All War Gods of the Long Family, combine your strength and kill Ye Xiu!"

WHOOSH!

All the Long Family’s Second Realm War Gods moved to attack. Even the Second Realm War Gods from the thirteen external families, excluding Nangong Yue’s group, drew their weapons to join the assault.

"If you want to kill Brother Ye, you’ll have to get through us first," Nangong Yue said coldly, stepping forward.

Gu Meng and five others drew their weapons at the same time. Their stance was clear: even knowing Ye Liangchen was Ye Xiu, they stood firmly with him.

"Nangong Yue, are you rebelling?" the Clan Leader bellowed.

"Yue, what are you doing? Stand down at once!" Nangong Yue’s father, Nangong Yu, reprimanded her.

The elders of the other families also shouted for their kin to back down. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Dad, for over a thousand years, the Long Family has treated our thirteen external families like pigs and dogs," Nangong Yue said with conviction. "But Brother Ye has treated us like his own family. Even if he is Ye Xiu, he is still worthy of our loyalty."

"Huang Quan ordered Long Tianba to forbid any Long Family member from setting foot in Hundred Flowers Valley ever again," Gu Meng announced loudly. "Our families have already returned there, so we have nothing left to fear. It’s time to resist the Long Family and win back our freedom!"

The usually meek and introverted Bai Xi then spoke with stunning wisdom, striking at the greatest vulnerability of all the external families present. "Brother Ye was the one who sent operatives from the Fire Seed Company to escort our families back to Hundred Flowers Valley. That means our relatives’ lives are in his hands. If Brother Ye dies here, who will guarantee their safety?"