Such an alarming display inevitably drew the bewildered gazes of the onlookers, many of whom held grievances against the Hou Clan and even showed a hint of anticipation.
"To catch the bandit, first catch the king; Ke Jiangyun is thinking too simply,"
"The five hundred men of the Hou Clan haven't moved an inch; that's not foolishness, it's absolute confidence in Hou Lao Si. It'd be fine if it were just one or two people, but for over four hundred to act this way, it can only prove that Hou Lao Si's strength is far from what the rumors suggest!"
After all, he was a Grandmaster Realm expert whose vision far exceeded that of others. Yue Wenzhu and Gao Haicheng, who were observing from a distance, immediately noticed that something was amiss. They were staring intensely at Hou Yujie with a heavy look.
The true strength of Hou Lao Si sparked their curiosity.
"Didn't you sincerely invite the third-rank forces of the three counties to discuss important matters with you? I thought your Fengbo Hall was brave enough to arm wrestle with our Hou Clan. And here I just arrived at your doorstep, you're already fighting for your life, how disappointing!"
In the place covered by the palm wind, Hou Yujie's slightly sharp and sinister cold laughter spread, adding a few more chills to the night and making the surrounding onlookers feel a shiver in their hearts.
Under the watchful eyes of the masses, a long, blood-colored sword shadow suddenly flew out from within the aqua-colored palm wind. It evolved into hundreds of figures in mid-air, lined up like a mighty eagle spreading its wings. Then, it quickly condensed into a blood-colored sword light. With a whoosh, it pierced straight toward Ke Jiangyun.
Ke Jiangyun's face drastically changed as if he had seen something terrifying; fear welled up in his pupils as he quickly retracted his palm and retreated frantically. His reaction suggested that he was not just trying to dodge the blood-colored sword light, but even the sight of Hou Yujie seemed to him like a ghastly specter risen from hell.
"The Great Grandmaster realm, how is this possible... "
As he retreated, he roared in disbelief. As soon as Hou Yujie spoke, he sensed the change in breath from within the palm wind and realized that Hou Yujie's cultivation surpassed his own. He immediately understood he stood no chance, completely extinguished his will to resist, and chose to turn tail and flee.
The Hou Clan only has the Twin Dragons, after all.
Hou Yuxiao, the Family Head, even when he killed Ding Buhai two years ago, although he had the strength of a heavenly Great Grandmaster, his cultivation was only at the level of the Great Grandmaster of the Fourth Realm. Hou Yuduan was on par with him; even if their cultivation was similar, two Great Grandmasters of the Fourth Realm under thirty years of age were still not enough.
This Hou Lao Si, is also...
In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Ke Jiangyun's mind, a feeling of regret continuously condensing in his heart. Sensing the sword light drawing close to his back, he was filled with dread. However, he couldn't overcome his fear of death and shouted towards Fengbo Hall:
"Brother Shen, save me!"
As soon as his words fell, a golden Sword Qi suddenly flew out from behind him. Spanning over half a mile, the golden gleam tore through the night sky with a sharp, screeching sound that revealed its piercing sharpness just from the noise it made.
Following the sword front, a white-robed figure suddenly appeared, and Yue Wenzhu and Gao Haicheng, who had been watching for a while, immediately became spirited.
"The Golden Jade Sword Technique, it's someone from the Shen Clan, Hou Lao Si is in trouble!"
"A man in white, has Shen Gufan himself actually come?"
Head of the Shen Family, Shen Gufan, held an esteemed reputation in Xingnan Prefecture; more than a decade ago, he had already reached the cultivation of a heavenly Great Grandmaster. Although he seldom took action in recent years, no one doubted his power. If Shen Gufan had indeed come personally, Hou Yujie would surely stand no chance.
However, what they failed to notice was that when Hou Yujie saw the golden Sword Qi, there was not a trace of surprise on his face; instead, he showed a hint of scorn and whispered looking at the Sword Qi, "Getting restless so quickly. The Shen Clan is nothing special after all!"
After whispering, a cold glint shone in his eyes. He did not dodge the golden Sword Qi; instead, wielding the Blood Shadow Sword given to him by Hou Yuduan, he met the blood-colored Sword Qi that he had just released precisely head-on.
The golden and blood Sword Qi clashed mid-air, the wild winds from the impact stretched out for over a mile, emitting a sharp, piercing noise that shook the ground far and wide. Among the onlookers, anyone with cultivation below the Grandmaster Realm was left with ringing ears and painful expressions on their faces.
The tumultuous Sword Qi continued clashing in mid-air, neither willing to give ground. Hou Yujie, fixing his gaze on the now clearly-visible Shen Guyun, curled the corner of his mouth slightly. From the Dike Shenxue acupoint below his abdomen, his True Yuan surged out, and the Blood Shadow Sword Qi instantly expanded, once again surging forward with force.
"You, the Clan Leader of the Shen Family, wouldn't dare to be so arrogant in front of me. How dare you, a mere heavenly Great Grandmaster, meddle in Hexi and disrupt the Hou Clan's plans. You're seeking death!"
All around, including Yue Wenzhu and Gao Haicheng, displayed incredibly astonished expressions upon hearing Hou Yujie's extremely arrogant tone.
Hou Yujie's True Yuan emerged from the Dike Shenxue acupoint in his lower abdomen. Those with keen eyes could see that he indeed had the cultivation of a Great Grandmaster of the Fourth Realm, which was certainly unexpected. But the problem was, the man in white he was fighting was a heavenly Great Grandmaster...
You, a Great Grandmaster of the Fourth Realm, being so arrogant toward a heavenly Great Grandmaster.
The onlookers were simply bewildered, but Shen Guyun, who was face-to-face with Hou Yujie, was seething with anger. Regardless of age, seniority, or even fame, Hou Yujie wouldn't even qualify to carry his shoes, yet the stark reality was that he was being rebuked by the man before him. Not just rebuked, but with the word "seeking death."
"You inexperienced youth, if the Twin Dragons were here, I'd have to show some respect to the Hou Clan. What are you to speak to me in such a manner? I want to see whether it is you who will die today or me!"