Chapter 708 - 708 Unreasonable
Ye Qing and Du Tianyi were waiting at the entrance. Before long, the elder strode out and told them they could go inside.
Both men felt a flicker of joy. They had thought that even the main gate of the Shen Family would be inaccessible, but to their surprise, they were granted entry so easily. Following the elder, they walked straight into the great hall. As soon as they entered, they saw the people of the Shen Family with Third Brother taking the lead, alongside Shen Qianyue and Shen Baichuan.
Observant as ever, Du Tianyi noticed the expressions on these people's faces and slowed his pace, whispering to Ye Qing, "Ye Zi, something's not right, be careful!"
Ye Qing too sensed the odd atmosphere, but he walked into the hall with his head held high regardless.
"Junior Du Tianyi pays respects to the elders of the Shen Family!" Du Tianyi bowed to everyone, having spent a lot of time with Tie Yongwen, he was impeccable when it came to manners.
Ye Qing also bowed slightly to everyone, but the people of the Shen Family didn't pay them any heed.
Shen San looked at them coldly, his gaze mainly on Ye Qing, and said in a deep voice, "You're Ye Qing?"
Ye Qing wasn't sure why the people of the Shen Family were focusing only on him, but he nodded and replied, "That's me."
"Hahaha..." Shen San burst into laughter, suddenly pointed at Ye Qing and said loudly, "You've got some nerve, daring to step into our Shen Family Manor. Do you really think our Shen Family is without people?"
Taken aback, Ye Qing said, "Elder, I don't understand what you mean. My visit to Shen Family Manor is mainly to deliver some news to the Shen Family members. When have I ever wronged the people of the Shen Family?"
"News? Hmph," Shen San said coldly, "what fake news have you concocted to deceive our people of the Shen Family?"
Ye Qing frowned. These people of the Shen Family were just as Lin Zhen Nan had described, difficult to approach. They had decided his news was false before he'd even spoken a word. How arrogant!
Indignant, Ye Qing said, "I came to deliver news to the Shen Family for your own good. What need is there to fabricate anything? If the Shen Family members think I'm a meddlesome fool, then I might as well not say anything at all, lest I dirty your ears!"
"It's better if you don't!" Shen San replied coldly. "Our Shen Family has nothing to say to you. Hmph, since you're here, let's talk with our fists!"
As he spoke, Shen San stood up, ready to come down. Du Tianyi, however, was greatly alarmed and hurriedly cupped his hands in salute, saying, "Elder, I don't know what offense Ye Qing has caused the Shen Family, but why must we fight upon meeting? We are here to deliver a message to the Shen Family with the best of intentions. This response is quite disheartening!"
Shen San gave Du Tianyi a cold glance and asked, "Are you a disciple of Tie Yongwen?"
"Indeed I am," Du Tianyi answered.
"Hmph," Shen San said, "Old Tie has a good relationship with our Shen Family, and as his disciple, we naturally won't trouble you. But, you best not meddle in Ye Qing's affairs!" Looking coldly at Ye Qing, he added, "Today, he must die!"
"Hahaha..." Ye Qing suddenly burst into loud laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" Shen San asked with a puzzled look.
Looking coldly at Shen San, Ye Qing replied, "Before coming here, someone warned me that the people of the Shen Family are willful, arrogant, and conceited, looking down on everyone. They advised me not to deliver the message, letting you bring about your own ruin. Now it seems their words were not wrong at all. Xihang Shen Family, pah, worth less than dogshit!"
"What did you say!" the people of the Shen Family rose to their feet in a rage, glaring at Ye Qing.
Shen San's face turned icy, and he shouted angrily, "Who said that?"
"It doesn't matter who said it; it's already proven true," Ye Qing retorted, looking coldly at the people of the Shen Family. "I traveled thousands of miles from Shenchuan City to the Xihang Shen Family merely to deliver some information. I never expected to be treated like this by the Shen Family. Hah, Xihang Shen Family, Martial Arts Holy Land, hahaha..."
The Shen Family members were furious. Shen San slammed the table with rage and bellowed, "Ye, don't be so arrogant. I'm telling you, you won't be able to leave our Shen Family Manor alive today. However, we people of the Shen Family are also reasonable in our actions, so today I will ensure you die with a clear understanding!"
"Hmph, it seems I will never understand this matter!" Ye Qing said coldly, "I have no grudges against you people of the Shen Family, yet you all want to kill me. Is this the way of the Shen Family? Ha, truly the tyranny of the powerful. No wonder the people of Sha Men want to eradicate you completely! Hmph, even without Sha Men lifting a finger, I'm afraid there are already many others who wish to fight you to the death."
"Enough with your nonsense!" Shen San shouted angrily, "Those merciless demons from Sha Men, we failed to root them out completely in the past, which was our mistake. This time, if they dare to stir up trouble again, we certainly won't show any mercy like before. We must exterminate them all. As for you, a man of the Ye name, do you want to know why we want to kill you? Hmph, listen well!"
Shen San gritted his teeth and said, "Ye Qing, do you dare to claim which martial arts you truly practice?"
Upon hearing this, both Ye Qing and Du Tianyi's expressions changed. Ye Qing's Li Style Bajiquan was absolutely taboo in the eyes of the Xihang Shen Family. Tie Yongwen had previously warned Ye Qing about this, telling him to conceal his martial arts. During this time, Ye Qing had also been deliberately hiding it. However, he hadn't expected that the Xihang Shen Family would ultimately seek accountability for this matter.
"Ye brothers' Xingyi Quan is something he learned from my master, and I can vouch for that!" Du Tianyi hurriedly said.
"Shut up!" Shen San scolded Du Tianyi with a glare and then looked coldly at Ye Qing and said, "A true man dares to admit what he has done. Tell me honestly, which martial arts do you really practice?"
Ye Qing frowned deeply, clenched his teeth in silence for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "That's right, I practice Bajiquan! Li Style Bajiquan!"
As soon as he said this, the people of the Shen Family immediately became noisy, and both Shen Qianyue and Shen Baichuan's faces flashed a cold smirk. Ye Qing had admitted it himself, what more was there to say?
Seeing Ye Qing's frank admission, Du Tianyi anxiously glanced at him; he felt helpless about Ye Qing's honesty. Why admit it at this time? Wasn't this courting death?
"What else do you have to say?" Shen San looked coldly at Ye Qing and said, "Descendants of the Li Style Bajiquan have always been sworn enemies with our Shen Family. Moreover, you have killed so many of our people. What's wrong with me wanting to kill you today?"
"I am an inheritor of the Li Style Bajiquan, that is true. But when have I ever killed anyone from the Shen Family?" Ye Qing said in a deep voice, "You should speak with evidence and not frame someone at will. Although I am an inheritor of the Li Style Bajiquan, I have never considered the Shen Family an enemy, nor have I done anything to wrong your Shen Family. On the contrary, when Miss Shen Qingyi was kidnapped, it was I who saved her and brought her back. If anything, I have shown kindness to your Shen Family. You may not be grateful, but do not insult me without cause!"
"As for the matter with Qingyi, who knows if that was a trap you set!" Shen San said coldly, "But Old Eight, Old Jiu, and Anyun, they died by your hand, didn't they?"
"What Old Eight, Old Jiu?" Ye Qing's eyes widened as he responded, "They weren't killed by me, they were killed by people from Western Province!"
"You're still trying to fabricate stories at this point?" Shen San said coldly, "They were killed by people from Western Province, so why did the Cold Moon Blade appear in your hands? Are you trying to tell me that after killing our Shen Family's people, someone from Western Province left behind the invaluable Cold Moon Blade and just walked away? Would you do such a thing?"
"The Cold Moon Blade was taken by me. I killed the leader from Western Province, then snatched the Cold Moon Blade!" Ye Qing said in a deep voice: "Moreover, Shen Ba even gave me a Ziyu Chenxiang Pill, entrusting me to relay a message to you. All of these are facts, I do not need to lie to you!"
"What arrogance!" Shen San replied coldly, "The people from Western Province managed to kill my brothers, Shen Ba and Shen San, and Anyun, they must have formidable strength. Yet you claim you went there, killed the people from Western Province, and took the Cold Moon Blade? Tch tch tch, Mister Ye, you are that powerful? I really want to test that!"
As he spoke, Shen San, looking eager to try, walked toward Ye Qing, readying himself to make a move.
"Whether you believe me or not, what I said is true. The people from Western Province indeed had great strength, but it was their arrogance that allowed me to launch a surprise attack," Ye Qing said in a deep voice: "Also, Shen Ba told me to tell you that no matter what, don't directly confront the people from Sha Men; it's a trap!"
"Enough of your nonsense!" Shen San yelled, "At this point, you still want to deceive us? Sneak attacks are useless if you don't have the strength. Besides, Old Ba and the others were harmed by the Sha Men, and he's telling you to inform us not to fight against them? Do you think that's plausible? Would Old Ba not want us to avenge him? Have you even thought about the logic of what you're saying?"
"These were his exact words, I'm merely relaying the truth. And yes, my strength isn't enough, but the Seven-Star Ancient Sword chose me, and it was with the Seven-Star Ancient Sword that I ambushed that man!" Ye Qing replied gravely.
"The Seven-Star Ancient Sword!" Shen San's expression changed again, and in anger, he said, "How did the Seven-Star Ancient Sword end up in your hands? Wasn't it stolen by Cui Yulong? How come it suddenly appeared with you? What's your relationship with Sha Men?"
Shen San was indeed sensitive to catch onto this matter so quickly; the more Ye Qing explained, the more troublesome it became.
"I have no relationship with Sha Men. It's just that I have some connections with Cui Yulong, and the Seven-Star Ancient Sword was a gift from him," Ye Qing responded.
"Ha! A young whippersnapper like you has connections with Cui Yulong? What kind of connection would it take for him to gift you the Seven-Star Ancient Sword? Mister Ye, do you ever speak the truth?" Shen San's expression turned icy as he spoke angrily, "Enough, I'll stop wasting words with you. Ye Qing, defend yourself!"