"My sword?"
Sakuratsuki, seeing the sword he'd aimed at Ye Ling's neck snap, was completely stunned, his eyes filled with horror, unable to believe what he was seeing!
His sword, while not a peerless divine weapon, was still a renowned blade crafted with the finest materials from heaven and earth by a master craftsman, capable of slicing through metal with ease!
But...
Sakuratsuki looked at the broken sword in his hand, his body trembling slightly, an inexplicable fear growing in his heart.
His full-force strike had failed to leave even a white mark on Ye Ling's skin...
How could there be such a vast difference between them?
How strong was Ye Ling?
Sakuratsuki dared not imagine.
He couldn't imagine!
Seeing Sakuratsuki's expression of utter shock, Ye Ling showed no surprise. "At this point, do we still need to fight?"
"You, you..."
Sakuratsuki was now like a ghost, his mind reeling from the immense shock, causing the spiritual energy flowing within him to become turbulent.
Sakuratsuki could no longer maintain the dense fog around him. The mist filling the Bamboo Underneath Residence quickly dissipated, and Wang Liren's vision instantly cleared.
As the fog cleared, Wang Liren, standing nearby, finally got a clear look at Sakuratsuki's form. He was about to warn Ye Ling to be careful when he noticed Sakuratsuki's face was filled with horror, and he was continuously retreating.
"What is this?"
Noticing Sakuratsuki's odd behavior, Wang Liren was also bewildered, unable to react for a moment.
The dense fog had obscured his view of Ye Ling and Sakuratsuki, and he didn't know the specifics of their battle, only feeling Sakuratsuki's boundless killing intent.
In Wang Liren's opinion, Sakuratsuki was, after all, a ninth-rank Mortal Immortal, and a killer skilled in assassination. Overcoming the strong with the weak was his specialty...
Even if Sakuratsuki couldn't defeat Ye Ling, he should at least have been able to cause Ye Ling some trouble.
But...
Wang Liren looked at the current Sakuratsuki, unsure how to describe his feelings.
Although he hadn't witnessed the actual combat, he wasn't a fool. From Sakuratsuki's current expression, he could tell that Sakuratsuki had suffered a crushing defeat!
"Impossible... this is impossible!"
At this moment, Sakuratsuki staggered backward, staring at Ye Ling with disbelief, still unable to accept the current reality.
He was a Mortal Immortal, one of the strongest in the world.
Globally, there should be no one who could withstand his sword strike and remain unharmed!
Not even a god could!
But no matter how much Sakuratsuki refused to believe it, the living reality was laid out before him... even if he was unwilling to admit it, he had to face it!
Ye Ling's strength far surpassed that of a Mortal Immortal, far surpassed him!
Ye Ling was an existence that transcended gods!
Realizing this, Sakuratsuki abandoned all resistance, and the broken sword slipped from his grasp.
Clang!
The precious sword hit the ground, and Sakuratsuki fell to his knees.
He lowered his head dejectedly and murmured, "I lost... Whether you kill me or not, I am at your mercy, senior."
Sakuratsuki had always been fond of Chinese culture. His centuries of study had even made his erudition surpass that of most Chinese people!
He was proficient in everything from the Four Books and Five Classics to music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
But only today did he truly understand that ancient Chinese saying...
"There is always someone better, the world is vast... it does not deceive me." Sakuratsuki said with a bitter smile, prepared to face death.
He looked at Ye Ling and said, "Senior, please proceed."
Ye Ling smiled. "I don't intend to kill you."
"You won't kill me, senior?"
Hearing Ye Ling's answer, Sakuratsuki was taken aback, unable to comprehend it for a moment.
In his view, he and Ye Ling were irreconcilable enemies, and his previous attacks on Ye Ling had been lethal, with no intention of holding back.
If their roles were reversed, he believed he would never let Ye Ling go.
This was tantamount to releasing a tiger back into the mountains!
Sakuratsuki immediately asked, "Senior, aren't you afraid that after I return, I will come back with a vengeance to seek revenge against you?"
Ye Ling replied, "If you want revenge, then seek it. Your life or death is of little consequence to me, but I do rather like your character. I feel it would be a shame to kill you."
"However, there is one thing I must remind you. Jue killed someone from my Dragon Department. My killing him was a life for a life, a deserved end. If you are determined to avenge your disciple, I can spare you once or twice, but that doesn't mean I'll spare you a third time."
"I spared you twice for your previous attacks. If you continue to be foolish, and attack again in the future, you won't live to return."
"Also, let me tell you a cruel truth... even if you cultivate your entire life, you won't be able to harm a single hair on my head. So I advise you to abandon this idea."
Wang Liren, standing nearby, couldn't help but mutter to himself, "The Emperor truly gives no face at all. After throwing someone's dignity on the ground, he still stomps on it with his foot..."
Wang Liren could tell with his backside that Sakuratsuki, as a Mortal Immortal, no matter how polite and courteous his demeanor, must possess an incredibly proud nature at his core.
That was the pride of a strong individual.
For someone like Sakuratsuki, suffering such a great setback and having his dignity completely shattered, even if he didn't die here, he would likely commit seppuku upon his return.
Sakuratsuki's reaction was also much as Wang Liren had anticipated.
After hearing Ye Ling's words, a flicker of shame and indignation flashed in his eyes, followed by despair.
Although Ye Ling's words were full of arrogance, Sakuratsuki had to admit that Ye Ling was speaking the truth.
After experiencing the gap in their strength, Sakuratsuki understood that the difference in power between him and Ye Ling was not something he could bridge through diligent cultivation.
He would never be able to avenge Jue in his lifetime!
At this moment, Ye Ling walked up to Sakuratsuki again and asked, "By the way, may I ask you a question?"
Sakuratsuki froze. "What is it?"
Ye Ling said, "As a killer like you, you should be heartless and unfeeling. And since you've cultivated to the level of Mortal Immortal, you should be even more cold-blooded. You likely have many disciples under you, not just Jue."
"Someone like you wouldn't be this enraged over the death of a mere disciple. I want to know... why could Jue's death provoke such a strong reaction from you?"
Hearing Ye Ling's words, Sakuratsuki's pupils contracted sharply, and he instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
With Ye Ling staring at him, he felt as if his very soul were being seen through.
His secrets were completely exposed!
His heart filled with fear, his gaze wavered, and Sakuratsuki dared not meet Ye Ling's eyes. He trembled and stammered, "I, I don't know what you're talking about?"
Seeing Sakuratsuki's reaction, Ye Ling smiled even more brightly. "It seems there is indeed a hidden reason... Someone like you shouldn't have master-disciple affection, and Jue is not related to you by blood... However, I did discover a restriction within Jue."
"Your strong reaction to Jue's death, is it because of that restriction?"
As soon as Ye Ling uttered these words, Sakuratsuki's expression changed drastically. He didn't even bother with Ye Ling's presence in front of him and unhesitatingly brought his palm towards the crown of his own head, attempting to commit suicide.
Unfortunately, Ye Ling was quick, and he caught Sakuratsuki's hand.
Looking at the terrified Sakuratsuki, Ye Ling chuckled, "It seems I guessed correctly."
"What are you afraid of?"