The Long-Awaited Day of Reckoning: Only One Can Walk Out Alive
Leading the group, Yeop Rang and the Great Elder arrived atop the Life-Death Platform. As soon as Yeop Rang appeared, the arena filled with feverish excitement.
The Heaven's Chosen One who summoned a heavenly anomaly!
No such figure had ever appeared in Qingcheng before.
Gazing down at the massive crowd below his feet, Yeop Rang let a smile play across his lips. Even in his previous life, he had looked upon crowds just like this.
Now, the heavens had granted him a heavenly anomaly as well. It was permission to become the brightest star in all the Qingcang Realm!
Yeop Rang bellowed toward the Ye Family Mansion with all his might.
"Yeop Hyeon! Come out and meet your death!"
His shout echoed like thunder across the sky. The crowd turned their eyes toward the Ye Family Mansion. Still, Yeop Hyeon did not emerge. Whispers rippled through the masses.
"No way he's scared, right?"
"Nah, come on! The guy once called the bloodthirsty wild dog... he's not the type to fear death."
"Ha! It depends on the opponent, doesn't it? That Yeop Rang is a Heaven's Chosen One. One who even called down a heavenly anomaly!"
"Let's wait and see. If something's up, the Ye family will explain."
The Great Elder, standing beside the platform, frowned as he stared at the Ye Family Mansion.
"Go check what scheme he's plotting."
One of the elders at his side vanished toward the mansion.
Yeop Hyeon had returned to his quarters an hour earlier. Since then, he had been carefully spoon-feeding Yeop Ryeong the medicinal porridge laced with medicine.
"Oppa, today's the day you duel Yeop Rang to the death."
Yeop Ryeong said in a small voice.
"Don't worry! Now, open wide! There you go..."
A moment later, Yeop Hyeon rose and spoke.
"I'll be right back."
Yeop Ryeong nodded. Yeop Hyeon planted a light kiss on her forehead before turning to leave. Just as he opened the door, Yeop Ryeong's voice reached his ear.
"Oppa... you'll... come back, right?"
"Of course."
Yeop Hyeon stepped out.
Yeop Ryeong slowly closed her eyes. She reached under the bed with her right hand and grasped a pair of scissors. Long ago, she had considered suicide to stop being a burden to Yeop Hyeon.
But every time she saw him, the desire to die faded. Death itself didn't scare her. What terrified her was Yeop Hyeon becoming alone after she was gone. Her grip tightened on the scissors.
In a world without Yeop Hyeon, she had no reason to exist.
If he survived, so would she. If he died, she would follow!
"It's Yeop Hyeon!"
At someone's shout, all eyes turned to the Ye Family Mansion's grand gates. Yeop Hyeon emerged, clad in simple hemp robes.
A cold sneer curled the Great Elder's lips. The heads of the invited Zhang family, the deputy city lord of Qingcheng, and the Li family patriarch fixed their gazes on Yeop Hyeon as well. Watching him head toward the Life-Death Platform, Zhang Lie gave a slight nod.
"That Yeop Hyeon's spirit and courage are impressive as always. Our Zhang family's younger generation always got a thrashing from him."
Li Yu nodded in agreement.
"Decisive, clever too—truly an outstanding talent. I can't understand why the Ye family would cast him out. If Yeop Rang handled internal affairs and Yeop Hyeon the external, the Ye family could become a great clan without issue."
Qingcheng's city lord, Gang Yeom, spoke up.
"Yeop Rang is the Great Elder's direct grandson. A man of narrow vision like him can't tolerate anyone who threatens his kin. With that attitude, the Ye family becoming a great clan is a distant dream."
Li Yu and Zhang Lie nodded.
Meanwhile, Yeop Hyeon ascended the Life-Death Platform and faced Yeop Rang. Yeop Rang flashed him a grin before turning to the Great Elder.
The Great Elder glanced at a man and a beautiful woman seated near the platform. They were representatives from Yancheng and Luocheng, not Qingcheng—powers the Ye family dared not touch.
Meeting the elder's gaze, they nodded in response. The Great Elder smiled and declared,
"By Ye family rules, those who step onto the Life-Death Platform bear sole responsibility for their life and death. No one may interfere. If life or death is decided here, the loser's side forfeits all right to vengeance. Let the duel begin!"
The duel commenced!
Yeop Rang smiled at Yeop Hyeon.
"The day has finally come. Today marks your death. You..."
Yeop Rang's expression twisted mid-sentence. Yeop Hyeon had charged like a ferocious beast, ignoring his words entirely. The crowd gasped in shock. Normally, duelists exchanged greetings before clashing.
But Yeop Hyeon, veteran of countless battlefields, thought pointless talk only invited death.
Besides, no rule required chit-chat in a life-or-death duel. To seize the initiative, Yeop Hyeon struck first. He closed the distance in an instant and unleashed a qi-infused punch.
It was Fist Collapse, a low-grade Ye family technique. Yet in Yeop Hyeon's hands, it carried enough power to shatter stone and steel. Sensing the overwhelming force, Yeop Rang's face grew serious.
This was no strike to underestimate. Yeop Rang stepped forward with his right foot, crossing his arms to block.
Bam!
A dull thud echoed as Yeop Rang's body was shoved back endlessly. The onlookers were stunned. Already pushed back on the first exchange? The Ye elders' faces twisted in dismay. The Great Elder's grew terrifyingly dark.
Yeop Hyeon charged again. Building momentum with a running start, he thrust his fist straight out.
Pure physical might!
In a small city like Qingcheng, martial techniques were scarce. Most fights relied on raw strength and experience.
Yeop Rang's face paled like dirt. Yeop Hyeon's power far exceeded expectations. As the fist flew again, Yeop Rang clenched his own and met it head-on. Light flashed from his fist. At the Qi Transformation Realm, one could control qi. Yeop Rang had channeled his own qi to amplify his physical prowess.
Boom!
The fists collided, and Yeop Rang's face contorted first. His body flew back wildly. The crowd clearly saw his hand trembling violently. The Great Elder shot to his feet, his expression one of utter disbelief.
"Where does that power come from? That's no fifth-grade Unceasing Realm strength!"
Even to Li Yu, it seemed unnatural. The two visitors from Yancheng and Luocheng exchanged glances. The fight raged on.
Yeop Hyeon kicked off the ground with his right foot and lunged forward.
Closing several zhang in a blink. Instead of a direct hit, Yeop Hyeon swept his right foot toward Yeop Rang's shoulder. Yeop Rang's eyes gleamed. Rather than yield his shoulder, he punched for Yeop Hyeon's abdomen.
Thud!
Yeop Rang tumbled across the platform, rolling several times. Yeop Hyeon staggered back a dozen paces but seemed unscathed. His powerful body had withstood the blow!
"Impossible!"
The Great Elder stared in disbelief.
"How can he be unharmed?!"
Li Yu's brows shot up repeatedly. Yeop Rang had taken little damage too, thanks to his inner armor absorbing most of the force.
Seeing Yeop Hyeon standing casually, Yeop Rang scowled.
"How can you be unharmed?!"
That strike had held Yeop Rang's full power, infused with his qi!
Yet Yeop Hyeon endured it effortlessly! As Yeop Hyeon clenched his fist, his sleeve tore, revealing bulging veins on his forearm. Yeop Rang glared murderously.
"You've been hiding your strength... you..."
Yeop Rang's pupils shrank. Yeop Hyeon was suddenly right in his face.
Thud!
Under all eyes, Yeop Rang was blasted to the platform's edge. Fury boiling over, the Great Elder roared,
"Yeop Rang! What are you doing chattering nonsense in a life-or-death duel?!"
The other elders shared his frustration, though unspoken. He'd paid for talking once—why keep handing the advantage away? What folly!
Yeop Hyeon pressed relentlessly. Yeop Rang, eyes now fierce, raised both hands.
Boom!
A massive qi surge erupted from Yeop Rang.
"Control Qi Realm!"
Someone shouted.
"Heavens... eighteenth year, already at Control Qi Realm..."
"As expected of the genius who triggered a heavenly anomaly..."
A smile finally bloomed on the Great Elder's face as he watched. The Yancheng and Luocheng representatives shivered in awe, brightening his expression further. Yeop Rang snarled at Yeop Hyeon.
"Come on! Feel the difference between you and me!"
A powerful qi stream poured from Yeop Rang's body. The Control Qi Realm commanded qi itself—far beyond what a mere fifth-grade Unceasing Realm fighter like Yeop Hyeon could resist!
Yeop Hyeon's face remained impassive as he clenched his fist. In that instant, a tremendous power surged through him like crashing waves.
Divine Fusion Realm!
Since reaching it, Yeop Hyeon's strength had multiplied over tenfold. Under all watchful eyes, he rocketed toward Yeop Rang. Onlookers shook their heads in doubt. Breath held, the distance closed.
Bang!
Someone soared into the air!
The arena froze. It wasn't Yeop Hyeon—it was Yeop Rang.
"How can this be?!"
The Great Elder gaped at Yeop Rang crumpled in the corner, disbelief etched on his face.
The crowd around the Life-Death Platform stared blankly, woodenly. Accepting the Heaven's Chosen One's defeat was impossible. Ignoring them, Yeop Hyeon leaped toward the fallen Yeop Rang.
"Insolent whelp!"
Roaring in rage, the Great Elder stormed onto the platform and swung at Yeop Hyeon. Yeop Hyeon met the punch with a fierce glare and his own fist.
Thud!
A heavy thud sent the Great Elder flying to one side. As Yeop Hyeon gathered momentum for another strike, Ye elders swarmed the platform. Guards nearby nocked strong crossbows and joined them.
Yeop Hyeon slowly clenched his fist. Sweeping cold eyes around, he spoke.
"So the life-or-death duel has turned into a gang fight now?"
The Great Elder bellowed in outrage.
"Your dantian was shattered long ago—where does this monstrous power come from?!"
Yeop Hyeon replied with open contemptuous sneer.
"That's none of your concern!"