Chapter 68: Want to Snatch It?

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Want to Snatch It?

"Spare us?"

Hearing Yi Xiaoyao, the three youths sneered. Their expressions turned vicious as they raised their palms to strike Yi Xiaoyao.

"Hmph! More like *we* should be the ones sparing *you*. Get out of the way!"

Before the words had even faded, just as the three of them began to move, several cold, sharp streams of Sword Qi shot from between Yi Xiaoyao’s fingers.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The Destructive Sword Qi moved like lightning, instantly streaking toward the three men.

The three youths cried out in alarm. They immediately abandoned their attack on Yi Xiaoyao and swung their longswords to block the Sword Qi.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Each stream of Sword Qi struck their longswords with enough force to make them tremble violently and send a numbing shock up their arms. Despite their efforts, three streams of Sword Qi still grazed past their necks.

All three youths stopped dead in their tracks, their eyes wide with terror. They subconsciously reached for their necks, only to feel a sticky, warm liquid on their fingertips.

This Sword Qi, infused with the Power of Destruction, was terrifyingly potent. Fortunately for them, blood didn’t gush from their wounds as they’d feared. They were left with nothing more than a shallow gash on their necks.

But after that single instant, all three youths stared at Yi Xiaoyao in utter shock. Their gazes, filled with deep wariness, now held even more disbelief and fear.

At this moment, the three of them finally understood their earlier confusion upon seeing Yi Xiaoyao alive.

They also had to admit to themselves that the blood on Yi Xiaoyao’s clothes was, in all likelihood, from the guards outside.

Based on the Sword Qi he had just displayed, it was clear Yi Xiaoyao had the strength to do it.

A cold smirk played on Yi Xiaoyao’s lips as he walked up to the three men. His chilling voice slowly drifted into their ears.

"Considering we’re all from the Seven Kills Star Hall, I’ll give you one warning. But if you force my hand again, it won’t be as simple as leaving just a Sword Mark."

As Yi Xiaoyao’s words hung in the air, the three youths swallowed hard, their bodies beginning to tremble slightly.

The three of them understood. If Yi Xiaoyao had wanted them dead, the Sword Qi would have sliced straight through their throats.

"Please, don’t! I’ll give the key back to Ye Ping."

The long-faced youth holding the key had terror written all over his face. With a trembling hand, he tossed the key to Ye Ping.

The other two youths’ lips trembled, not daring to speak as they watched Yi Xiaoyao with dread.

Catching the key, Ye Ping’s mouth fell slightly agape in surprise. Her eyes, fixed on Yi Xiaoyao, were filled with a strange glint and utter disbelief.

’This is the person her father asked her to protect? With his kind of strength, does he even need my protection?’

Suddenly, Ye Ping recalled the exasperated look on Yi Xiaoyao’s face every time she had said things like, "Stay behind me," or "I’ll protect you."

Yi Xiaoyao had told her more than once, "I don’t need your protection," but at the time, Ye Ping had just thought he was being arrogant.

’Now it seems I was completely and utterly wrong!’

At this thought, a blush crept onto Ye Ping’s pretty face. She looked at Yi Xiaoyao, embarrassed. "Um... I didn’t realize how strong you were before. I’m really sorry."

"It’s fine," Yi Xiaoyao replied nonchalantly, then turned and walked out of the cave entrance.

The three men followed him out. Although they had already guessed that Yi Xiaoyao had dealt with the four guards outside, the actual sight of the corpses sent another violent shock through their hearts.

Each corpse showed signs of a single, fatal blow, the wounds incredibly clean. This was especially true for the three guards who died together—they had clearly been cut down by a single horizontal slash.

’Terrifying!’

That was the only word to describe what Ye Ping and the three young men were feeling.

Someone at the Foundation Establishment Second Realm actually possessed such strength. This fact instantly shattered everything the four of them thought they knew.

"In this left outer area, there was only one key among the five guards. Since they’re all dealt with, let’s go check the inner area now."

Yi Xiaoyao said, turning to the four stunned people behind him.

This time, no one dared to object to Yi Xiaoyao’s words. They all immediately nodded in agreement.

Ye Ping was one thing, but the three young men who had been so hostile toward Yi Xiaoyao earlier now followed along in complete silence.

"Hey, you should take this key."

Ye Ping ran up to Yi Xiaoyao’s side, her face still slightly flushed, and offered him the key.

Yi Xiaoyao glanced at her, considered for a moment, and took the key.

"I can hold onto it for you for now. I’ll give it back after we complete the mission."

’Of course, Yi Xiaoyao wasn’t worried about being unable to get the key for himself. He was just concerned that if Ye Ping kept it, she would attract the covetous attention of Lin Chuang’s team.’

Ye Ping was now like an obedient kitten, sticking close to Yi Xiaoyao. She no longer tried to make him follow her as she had at the start.

The group of five quickly reached the entrance to the inner region of the mine. Just then, Lin Chuang’s team from the right side also arrived.

"You’ve already cleared the left area?"

Lin Chuang asked, greatly surprised to see Yi Xiaoyao’s group of five.

After all, his team consisted of the five strongest people out of the ten, and clearing the right side as quickly as they did was already an incredible feat.

Lin Chuang and his group had originally planned to go help Yi Xiaoyao’s team on the left side. They never imagined that the five "weaklings" would actually be faster than them.

’Although Yi Xiaoyao had no desire to work with Lin Chuang’s group, cooperation was the best way to ensure the mission’s success.’

"It’s been dealt with. Let’s enter the inner part of the mine now."

Yi Xiaoyao said coolly to Lin Chuang and his men.

Lin Chuang’s brow furrowed. He snorted coldly. "Was I talking to you? What right do you have to speak here?"

"And what determines that right?" Yi Xiaoyao asked with a faint smile.

Lin Chuang sneered. "Hmph. Strength is what gives you the right, kid!"

Yi Xiaoyao also let out a cold laugh. "Are you implying that my strength is inferior to yours?"

At that, Lin Chuang and the men beside him burst out laughing. They thought Yi Xiaoyao was telling some kind of joke.

Meanwhile, the group behind Yi Xiaoyao wore strange expressions. Now that they knew his true strength, they thought to themselves, ’This is going to be a good show.’

Lin Chuang also noticed that the long-faced youth and his companions were standing there in silence, which seemed a bit off.

"Since you’ve dealt with the five guards in the left area, did you get a key?" Lin Chuang asked the long-faced youth.

The long-faced youth nodded. "There’s only one key."

"Oh? We didn’t find a single key on our side. Looks like your luck isn’t half bad." Lin Chuang raised an eyebrow and continued, "So who has it?"

"I have it." Yi Xiaoyao casually tossed the key in his hand, a faint smile on his face. "What? Thinking of taking it?"

As soon as he spoke, Lin Chuang and his men all turned to stare at him.

The corners of the long-faced youth and his companions’ mouths twitched. ’This Yi Xiaoyao is clearly trying to start something.’

The three men couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat for the oblivious Lin Chuang. They could already guess how this was going to end.