"If I refuse, what will you do?" Ye Xiu asked with a smile.

"Brother, you’re the person I’ve respected and admired most in my life," Er Gouzi said, looking troubled. "I truly don’t want to use dishonorable means to force your hand."

Ye Xiu shrugged. "I’m curious what dishonorable methods you’d use."

Er Gouzi hesitated before saying awkwardly, "Brother, I’m truly sorry, but I sent my men to escort your wife. Please, don’t misunderstand. I have absolutely no ill intentions toward her; I just wanted to meet her. As long as you give me the Cultivation Technique for realms beyond the Seventh Realm, I’ll host a lunch today to apologize to both you and her."

"Are you talking about Wei Bayin?" Ye Xiu asked.

Er Gouzi lost his composure, exclaiming in shock, "How... how did you know?"

"Gouzi, you’ve spent your whole life learning from me, imitating me, but you haven’t grasped the essence," Ye Xiu said with a look of disappointment. "First, you sent Qin Jiuyou to be a sacrificial pawn. Then you called me personally to draw me out, waiting for me to leave so Wei Bayin could appear and take Qin Qing. It’s such a crude scheme. I stopped using ploys like that ten years ago. How are you only learning them now?"

"Sigh," Er Gouzi lamented. "I suppose I really haven’t learned a thing about your caution, your meticulous planning, or your strategies."

"So, I’d like to hear what other dishonorable methods you have in store," Ye Xiu said calmly.

"There are no more." Er Gouzi spread his hands, picked up the blade leaning against the chessboard, and said, "I know you came here to kill me. But you know me, Brother; I’m not one to sit and wait for death. So, please, give me the chance to die fighting you."

"Alright, I’ll give you that chance."

Ye Xiu stood up. From ten meters away, a thumb-thick, meter-long withered branch flew into his hand.

Seeing this, Er Gouzi frowned. "Brother, my strength may be average, but for you to use a dead branch to fight me... isn’t that a bit too contemptuous?"

"In the past when we sparred, didn’t I always use branches?" Ye Xiu said.

"Times have changed. I’ve grown stronger," Er Gouzi said.

"Then let me see just how much stronger you’ve become. If you can sever the branch in my hand, I will make an exception and spare your life," Ye Xiu said with a smile.

How arrogant... Er Gouzi seethed inwardly. Ye Xiu clearly still saw him as that same child from before.

"Very well. Be careful, Brother. I’m making my move!"

With a deafening roar, Er Gouzi drew his blade. In an instant, Blade Qi swept across the mountaintop, pulverizing all the trees, flowers, and grass.

Yet Ye Xiu remained unmoved, as if the Blade Qi feared him and dared not approach.

"The Slaughter City Blade?" Ye Xiu exclaimed in shock. "You have the Slaughter City Blade?"

"It’s too late for you to realize that now!"

Er Gouzi’s entire demeanor changed, becoming frenzied and bloodthirsty. He unleashed countless tangible, faintly red Dao Mang.

"Impressive. To think you’ve comprehended the Seven Killings Blade Intent to such a degree," Ye Xiu said, clicking his tongue in appraisal. "I wasn’t wrong about you. Your talent for Martial Arts is truly astonishing."

His figure became elusive, weaving through the countless faintly red Dao Mang like a phantom.

The faintly red Dao Mang that missed Ye Xiu slashed into the ground, leaving deep gashes in the stone. Dust and shattered rock instantly filled the air on the mountaintop.

"Brother, aren’t you going to make a move? Or is this the full extent of your strength?"

Er Gouzi rushed in, attacking Ye Xiu at close range. His speed was incredible, and his Attack Power surpassed that of the Dao Mang.

"Is this your full strength?" Ye Xiu asked.

"Yes!" Er Gouzi nodded.

"Then you can die."

Ye Xiu finally made his move. With a CRACK, the frail-looking branch in his hand struck the Slaughter City Blade.

Er Gouzi felt a world-shattering power strike the Slaughter City Blade, transmitting through the weapon to his hand and up his entire right arm.

His right hand gripping the blade was instantly mangled and drenched in blood. The sleeve of his right arm disintegrated, and the vessels within burst, spraying gore everywhere.

"You..." Er Gouzi staggered back, staring at Ye Xiu in horror. "Your strength... it’s terrifying! Could this be the power of the Ninth Realm?"

"Enough nonsense. Will you kill yourself, or should I do it for you?" Ye Xiu asked coldly.

"Suicide is for cowards. It would be better if you killed me with your own hands," Er Gouzi said with a sigh, his face resolute. "Just... Brother, before I die, could you tell me the cultivation method for the Seven Killings Blade Intent beyond the Seventh Realm? Let me die with clarity. I don’t want to die with regrets."

"You’re better off dying with regrets."

Ye Xiu’s face was like frost. With a flick of his wrist, the branch in his hand snapped into three pieces. They shot out like arrows, piercing Er Gouzi’s throat, heart, and lungs.

He must be completely dead this time. Watching Er Gouzi collapse, twitch a few times, and then go still, Ye Xiu was certain he couldn’t be any deader.

He then picked up the Slaughter City Blade and went down the mountain. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Not long after he left, a man and a woman ran up the mountain.

The man was Jiao Fuping, and the woman, surprisingly, was Ming Yue.

Seeing the three holes in Er Gouzi’s body, Ming Yue was speechless. "This is the super expert you brought me to see? He died at Ye Xiu’s hands so easily. Some expert."

"Don’t be too quick to draw conclusions. In a moment, you will witness a miracle," Jiao Fuping said with a smile.

A miracle? His throat, heart, and lungs were pierced. How could he possibly be resurrected? Ming Yue was stunned.

The next moment, her sharp eyes noticed that the wound on Er Gouzi’s throat was slowly healing. The wounds to his heart and lungs were hidden by his clothes, so she couldn’t see them.

"What... what’s going on?" Ming Yue asked in shock.

Jiao Fuping did not answer, simply saying, "Keep watching."

Stunned, Ming Yue could only continue to watch.

Half an hour later, the wound on Er Gouzi’s throat had healed completely, leaving not even a scar.

"Sigh." The supposedly dead Er Gouzi suddenly sat up. "I still failed in the end."

A reanimated corpse? Ming Yue’s scalp tingled in horror.

"Don’t be afraid. I’m not dead," Er Gouzi stood up and reassured her.

"You... what is going on? Your throat, heart, and lungs were pierced. How did you heal yourself and come back to life?" Ming Yue asked in astonishment.

Er Gouzi didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, "Would you like to have a physique like mine?"

"Are you saying you can give me this same undying ability?" Ming Yue inquired.

Er Gouzi nodded.

Ming Yue’s breathing grew rapid. "Tell me," she said. "What must I do for you to give me this ability?"

"Join forces with me to kill Ye Xiu," Er Gouzi said.

"I can’t," Ming Yue said with a bitter smile. "He’s too strong. I’ll never be his match. Besides, even you were killed. We can’t beat him, even if we team up."

Ming Yue had long since been scared witless by Ye Xiu’s overwhelming power.