Cao Zheng Wen, standing stiffly behind Bai Yun Feng, sneered and spat, "Yang Kai, you really don't know what's good for you. Young Master Bai's offer is already more than fair — what more do you want? Don't be shameless."
He barely finished before Yang Kai flicked his wrist — smash! The wine cup in his hand spun through the air and shattered against Cao Zheng Wen's face, drenching him in wine and shards.
The room fell dead silent. Bai Yun Feng's face twisted with rage. Fan Hong froze mid-smirk. Dong Qing Han's grin deepened, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Yang Kai, you court death!" Cao Zheng Wen roared, lunging forward — but Bai Yun Feng snapped a hand up to stop him.
"Little brat, if you want to kick a dog you must first consider his master." Bai Yun Feng glared at Yang Kai, his eyes shining a dangerous light, "If you do not give me a satisfactory explanation today, Otherwise—"
"An explanation?" Yang Kai interrupted, voice flat but scornful. "Here's your explanation — I'm not selling anything to you worms."
He turned and stepped toward the door.
"You think you can just leave?" Bai Yun Feng's sneer turned vicious. He slid in front of Yang Kai, blocking his way like a brick wall. "Hand over that martial skill right now — or you'll never leave this place alive."
Yang Kai stopped just short of Bai Yun Feng's chest. His eyes narrowed, cold and sharp.
"Last chance," Bai Yun Feng added, voice low and threatening.
Yang Kai's lip curled into a mocking grin. "You want it?"
He raised his fist — and barked, "Fuck off!"
Bang!
His punch roared out like a cannon. Bai Yun Feng's eyes widened. He barely snorted and struck out with a palm to meet it head-on.
Yuan Qi exploded. A shockwave slammed into the walls, tearing the cabin apart. Debris and splinters flew as the wooden structure cracked open.
Whoosh! Figures leapt out into the courtyard — Dong Qing Han, Fan Hong, Cao Zheng Wen, the other traitorous disciple, and Yang Kai and Bai Yun Feng locked in a clash.
"You dare attack me!" Bai Yun Feng shouted, voice cracking with fury. He staggered back a half-step, his arm numb. In that brief exchange, Yang Kai's blow hadn't just held him — it had pushed him back. His face turned red, then pale. He couldn't believe that a mere Separation and Reunion Boundary cultivator could match him head-on.
Bai Yun Feng's eyes burned. He stopped talking. Enough words. His body flickered — ready to unleash his movement skill and smash Yang Kai to the ground.
But before he could shift his foot, Yang Kai vanished in a blur.
Bang!
Yang Kai reappeared right in front of him, crossing the ten feet gap in an instant. Bai Yun Feng's pupils shrank. He snapped out a palm on reflex.
But Yang Kai didn't even bother dodging. He slammed aside the palm, slipped inside Bai Yun Feng's guard, and swung a brutal elbow.
Except — it didn't land on Bai Yun Feng.
Cao Zheng Wen, trying to flank Yang Kai from behind, took the blow instead. His chest caved in with a sickening crack as Yang Kai's True Yang Yuan Qi ripped through him like fire through dry grass.
Thud!
Cao Zheng Wen flew backward, crashing into a table and rolling across the ground, coughing up three streams of blood. His eyes rolled back, breath shallow and broken.
One strike!
This change startled everyone present.
Cao Zheng Wen's cultivation, although not much significantly stronger, was still at the Separation and Reunion Boundary Fifth Stage. But he was forced to vomit blood after only a single punch from Yang Kai.
Dong Qing Han stared at Yang Kai, stunned. Four years apart, and his cousin had become someone completely different. A Separation and Reunion Boundary cultivator shouldn't have been able to crush Cao Zheng Wen with one blow — but Yang Kai had done exactly that, with contemptuous ease.
Standing tall among the swirling dust, Yang Kai looked utterly indifferent. His eyes swept across the onlookers like they were nothing. Arrogant — but with the strength to back it up.
Bai Yun Feng and Fan Hong were both rattled. Bai Yun Feng's gaze flicked down at the twitching, broken Cao Zheng Wen, then he let out a cold snort. "Pathetic. Just a worthless stray dog from a minor Sect."
His voice dripped with disdain — but his eyes burned with anger. He'd lost face, and he'd chosen his next move. He clenched his fists, slowly drawing out his Yuan Qi, his cultivation base surging. He stepped forward, True Element Boundary First Stage energy rolling off him like an invisible tide.
Dong Qing Han's face darkened. He stepped forward, trying to intervene. "Brother Bai, you really want to do this here? This is my territory—"
Bai Yun Feng cut him off with a mocking laugh. "I don't give a damn whose place this is. He laid hands on my people — he dies."
Dong Qing Han clenched his fists at his side. He wanted to help, but he couldn't risk it. To the outside world, he and Yang Kai had just met by chance — if he got involved too openly, it would raise suspicion. And if Yang Kai's true identity leaked out now, it would invite more enemies than help.
Damn it! Dong Qing Han cursed inwardly. The Yang Family's power was vast, but so were the number of people who'd love to cut them down.
Just as he was racking his brain for a way to break the deadlock, he caught Yang Kai's eye — and saw his cousin wink. Don't worry. Stay out of this. The message was clear.
Dong Qing Han exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stand still.
Bai Yun Feng took another step forward. "You two — stand aside," he barked.
"Yes, Young Master!" The two old men behind him bowed respectfully and stepped back. They were True Element Boundary protectors, assigned by the Bai Family to guard their young master's life.
Dong Qing Han's two Immortal Ascension Boundary bodyguards watched coldly but didn't move — they would only act if Dong Qing Han himself was threatened.
Bai Yun Feng cracked his neck, eyes fixed on Yang Kai like a wolf eyeing prey. "I'll say it one last time — submit to the Bai Family, hand over the martial skill, and you get to crawl away alive."
Yang Kai's answer was a sneer. He stepped forward, True Yang Yuan Qi swirling up around him in a wave of heat. His eyes burned, his killing intent laid bare.
No words were needed — Yang Kai's stance said everything: Come if you dare.
Bai Yun Feng's face twisted with rage. "Good. Very good."
His figure flickered — for a moment he seemed to fade into the drifting dust, misty and insubstantial, like smoke vanishing into thin air.
Yang Kai's eyes sharpened. He clenched his fists tighter, every muscle primed. Bai Yun Feng might act flamboyant, but as the Bai Family's young master he was no pushover — a whole great realm above Yang Kai's cultivation.
But none of that mattered to Yang Kai now. Just picturing this arrogant insect hanging around Su Yan's door like a mangy dog made his killing intent boil over.
Any man should know another man's woman is off-limits. You don't even deserve to look at her door.