Chapter 23

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Chapter 23: Now You Are the Weak

“The day after tomorrow, five acquired-stage masters!”

“Innate… those are innate experts! Two of them… The Yi family actually has two innate fighters hidden!”

A group of Yi family elites surrounded the intruders—a total of seven, including five acquired-stage masters.

Numbers alone would not have changed the dire situation. However, the presence of two unmistakable innate experts among them sent shockwaves through the opposition.

“Isn’t that Yi Tianyang? He… he’s just a first-class master. How could he have become an innate expert?”

“And the other one—Yi Tianyu. He barely reached first-class. How did he become an innate master too?”

“These guards from the Yi family… they have five postnatal guards!”

The Huang and Lei family members, who had come expecting an easy victory, were now filled with unease. The sudden appearance of these powerful figures shattered their confidence.

Before this encounter, they had been informed that the Yi family had only one innate expert and one practitioner of the Great Yi Sword Technique, comparable to an innate master—Yi Qianmo.

Now, with two newly ascended innate experts and five formidable postnatal guards, the odds had shifted dramatically.

“Impossible! How could this happen?”

Huang Lixing’s face twisted with disbelief as he recognized the Yi brothers. He struggled to reconcile their current strength with his memory of their weakness.

Lei Yuntian, equally stunned, recalled carrying Yi Tianyang into the Yi family’s estate just days ago. At that time, Yi Tianyang had been battered and broken, barely clinging to life.

“Just yesterday, he was a dead dog! How has he suddenly become an innate expert?” Lei Yuntian muttered, his voice trembling.

“You’re bluffing!” Huang Lixing spat, his voice laced with desperation. “This is a trick—you’re disguising yourselves as innate masters!”

Without warning, Huang Lixing lunged at Yi Tianyang, throwing a powerful punch.

“Bang!”

Yi Tianyang did not flinch. He met the attack head-on, their fists colliding with a deafening thud. The impact forced both men to step back.

Before Huang Lixing could recover, Yi Tianyu seized the opportunity and struck, his fist landing squarely on Huang Lixing’s waist.

Caught off guard, Huang Lixing was sent flying, crashing into the ground.

Huang Xingchu, the Huang family patriarch, rushed to shield his son. Yet, as he observed the exchange, his heart sank. The clash had confirmed his worst fears—the Yi brothers were no imposters. Their true energy and combat prowess were undeniably those of innate masters.

“They’ve just broken through!” Huang Lixing wheezed, clutching his side. Blood dripped from his mouth as he struggled to stand.

“If they hadn’t just broken through, Yi Tianyu’s punch would’ve been enough to cripple me!”

Huang Lixing’s earlier arrogance had blinded him to the danger. He hadn’t expected Yi Tianyu to pose a serious threat. But now, he realized the brothers were indeed innate experts, albeit lacking in combat experience.

“Yu family! Cursed Yu family!”

Lei Yuntian’s voice rang out, dripping with anger and frustration. “That old fox Yu Changqing is behind this!”

The realization dawned on everyone. Only the Yu family, with their ties to the immortals, could have enabled such a rapid transformation.

Even Huang Xingchu, usually composed, felt a chill run down his spine. His gaze flickered between Yi Tianyang and Yi Tianyu, his confidence wavering.

Beside them, Yi Lingyu clutched her brother’s hand tightly. Her cheeks flushed with pride and relief as she watched her family rise to the occasion.

At that moment, her fears melted away, replaced by unwavering trust in Yi Qianmo.

“What does it matter if they have two more innate experts?” Huang Xingchu’s voice broke through the tension. “They’ve just broken through! They can’t compare to Yi Danian. If we work together, we can defeat him and turn the tide!”

He knew retreat was not an option. The Yi family’s newfound strength posed an existential threat to the Huang and Lei families. If they left now, the retaliation would be swift and merciless.

Lei Yuntian nodded grimly. “Agreed. Kill Yi Danian, capture the brat, and the rest will crumble.”

Their forces still outnumbered the Yi family, and they held an edge in experience.

“Really?” Yi Danian’s voice was calm, yet it carried a dangerous edge.

He stepped forward, his aura flaring to life. A suffocating pressure filled the hall as his late innate-stage power surged.

“Late innate stage!”

The sheer force of Yi Danian’s energy sent shockwaves through the room. Those below the innate stage trembled under its weight, barely able to stand.

Lei Yuntian staggered back, his confidence shaken. “Impossible! How could you have reached the late innate stage overnight?”

“Why not?” Yi Danian’s lips curled into a cold smile.

Yi Qianmo released his sister’s hand and stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the assembled enemies.

“From this day forward, the Lei and Huang families are banished from Green Cloud City. Surrender now, or face annihilation.”

The finality of his words struck fear into the hearts of the invaders.

“Banished?” Lei Yuntian sneered, though his voice lacked conviction.

Yi Qianmo’s aura surged, amplifying the oppressive atmosphere. “No mercy,” he declared, his tone icy.

“Late innate stage…”

Lei Yuntian’s disbelief turned to dread. Even Huang Xingchu hesitated, his bravado faltering.

Among their ranks, some began to waver. The sight of two late innate-stage masters, coupled with Yi Qianmo’s terrifying presence, was too much to bear.

One by one, weapons clattered to the ground.

“I… I have no quarrel with the Yi family,” one of the Lei family’s guards stammered.

“Me neither!” another cried, stepping back.

In mere moments, half of the guards surrendered, leaving only the direct descendants of the Lei and Huang families to face the Yi family’s wrath.

“Young friend…” Huang Xingchu forced a strained smile. “The Huang family is willing to retreat. Surely, we can come to an agreement?”

Yi Qianmo’s gaze sharpened. His lips curved into a chilling smile as he echoed Huang Lixing’s earlier words:

“The weak are prey to the strong—that is the truth of the world.”

His smile widened, his voice cutting like a blade.

“But now, you are the weak.”