Chapter 243: How Is This Possible
Lone Wolf sneered. "So what? What can you do to me now?" He hoped Ye Mo would leave, giving him a chance to escape. However, he suspected it wouldn't be that simple.
Ye Mo laughed. "I have a hundred ways to kill you. I could crush you with a stone right now, but I won't."
Lone Wolf's face paled at the mention of stones, but Ye Mo's reassurance eased his fear. His expression remained uncertain as he considered his options.
"Because I'll kill you personally," Ye Mo declared, then leaped from the cliff.
Lone Wolf was momentarily shocked, then filled with glee. If Ye Mo jumped, he'd be safe.
As he plotted his counterattack, three icy winds targeted him. He couldn't dodge them all; the cliff's slippery surface prevented him from evading the one aimed at his chest. Even if he survived the blow, he planned to pull Ye Mo down with him.
But a sudden chill struck his back. His vision blurred. "How is this possible..." he gasped, his lower body tumbling into the chasm.
Ye Mo, meanwhile, had seized Lone Wolf's sword and used his Wind Controlling Technique to return to the path. Lone Wolf was gone.
Examining the sword, Ye Mo decided it wasn't bad. If he couldn't forge a better one, he might give it to Xu Ping. He'd taken it from Lone Wolf, and there was no need to hide it; many knew Lone Wolf had been waiting for him. Lone Wolf's death would be attributed to him. Plus, Ye Mo had heard Lone Wolf was a loner with no sect affiliation.
He sheathed the sword and continued, maintaining high alertness. He'd killed Lone Wolf, but Zhang Zhihui, he suspected, wouldn't let this go. Too many knew the Liu Blue Carrot was in his possession.
Ye Mo was right. Emerging from the cliff path onto the metal chain bridge, he saw Zhang Zhihui, surrounded by people. They weren't just spectators; they looked like opportunistic scavengers.
Zhang Zhihui, carrying an ancient double-edged sword, had white hair but possessed far greater strength than Lone Wolf.
Zhang Zhihui's eyes widened upon seeing Ye Mo, then landed on the sword on his back. "I expected Lone Wolf, but you killed him."
"Since you killed Lone Wolf, I won't be harsh. Hand over the Liu Blue Carrot and leave. Where is it?" Zhang Zhihui realized Ye Mo carried nothing but a sword.
Ye Mo scanned his surroundings, then coldly regarded Zhang Zhihui. "You are Zhang Zhihui?"
Zhang Zhihui's face darkened. "How dare you address me so? Zhang Zhihui isn't a name to be tossed around lightly." From his perspective, Ye Mo was a junior who should address him with respect.
"Old bastard, you're shameless! You want to rob me, so you act all high and mighty?" Ye Mo fumed. The audacity of this old man to demand respect while attempting robbery disgusted him.
Zhang Zhihui's face turned black. A peak Earth Level middle stage cultivator on the verge of tertiary stage, even the Xia Family elders deferred to him. This young man's blatant disrespect enraged him. Though he rarely appeared, he commanded respect. If he weren't about to break through, he wouldn't bother with a petty dispute over the Liu Blue Carrot.
Enraged, Zhang Zhihui drew his double-edged sword, its spin creating a deadly whirlwind. The sword radiated a killing intent directed at Ye Mo.
Ye Mo's heart sank. Even against Lone Wolf, he'd had a chance; against this old man, he had none. Zhang Zhihui's attack sealed his escape route.
Ye Mo considered his options; only one might work: overwhelming Zhang Zhihui with Fireball Charms and wind blades, potentially injuring or killing him. But that would reveal his trump card. Even if successful, he'd be severely injured and unable to escape the throng of onlookers.
Clank! Clank! Clank! After a fierce clash, Ye Mo stumbled back, his sword scarred, his clothes shredded, and two deep gashes on his chest.
"Insolent brat! You dare be so arrogant with mere Black Level power?" Zhang Zhihui, ever mindful of his image, had intended only to subdue Ye Mo, but now he aimed to kill.
After one exchange, Ye Mo knew he had to flee. Retreating was impossible; he spotted two more individuals approaching from the cliff path – likely sent by the auction house.
Zhang Zhihui's cold, contemptuous gaze confirmed his need to jump. But he needed a landing spot. A fall from this treacherous cliff would kill him even with Wind Controlling Technique.
The two pursuers drew closer. Ye Mo suspected Zhang Zhihui had deliberately forced him back to create a trap. He added Zhang Zhihui to his kill list.
He desperately searched for an escape route, spotting a cliff protrusion a hundred meters below. He had to hit it before continuing his fall.
"Old fart, take another sword!" Ye Mo leaped, charging towards Zhang Zhihui, aiming a blow at his head.
"You seek death!" Zhang Zhihui saw Ye Mo's exposed vitals and sneered.
Zhang Zhihui's double-edged sword sent Ye Mo's flying, then turned to deliver the killing blow.
The onlookers braced for Ye Mo's demise. He'd seemingly offered himself to Zhang Zhihui. Escape seemed impossible.
"This is pitiful," whispered Xiao Yu, a nun from the Lian Hang Jing Mosque, unable to watch.
The elder nun comforted her. "Master said, never underestimate others, even from hidden sects. This young man’s downfall stems from arrogance."
"You got lucky," a black-clad woman observed coldly.
"Qianbei Zhang, don't kill him!" the two pursuers shouted, arriving too late.
But Zhang Zhihui's sword already sliced down. Yet, Ye Mo defied expectations. Instead of landing beneath the sword, he appeared to be propelled off the cliff by the force of the blow.
"How is this possible?" Zhang Zhihui stared in disbelief. No force should have sent Ye Mo off the cliff that way. The onlookers were equally stunned; such a mid-air change of direction was impossible, even for a tertiary-stage Earth Level master. Had they hallucinated?