The battle began swiftly!
Despite the presence of only a dozen or so merfolk, they had trapped Ye Cangtian and his companions. The fighting was fierce.
Each of these merfolk possessed strength beyond the Yellow level, with one captain reaching the Profound level. They fought in the water with exceptional agility, moving as if they were truly at home.
Their speed was astonishing, their attacks brutal, and their coordination remarkably tight.
In contrast, Ye Cangtian and his group were fighting in water half a meter deep, which inevitably impacted their speed. Furthermore, the four individuals were wary of each other, maintaining a cautious distance and lacking coordinated attacks, afraid to unleash their full power.
"If we continue like this, we'll only be wasting our energy," Ye Cangtian said to Yuwen Chengji on the other side during the fight.
He knew that no one was using their full capabilities, but such a stalemate would be extremely disadvantageous to the four of them. After all, Yang Chen was only at the Yellow level, and Shuang Chi was at the Profound level. It was already difficult for them to deal with the merfolk, and without exerting their full strength, their danger would multiply.
"Then let's capture the king first. You take care of the merfolk captain, and we'll handle the rest!"
"Don't worry, I won't touch him as long as you're still alive!" Yuwen Chengji also recognized the direness of the situation and called back loudly. In his eyes, Yang Chen was merely a minor obstacle at the Yellow level; even if he survived, it would have no bearing on the battle between him and Ye Cangtian. On the contrary, killing Yang Chen would enrage Ye Cangtian. If they couldn't resolve the issues in this secret realm, how could they possibly take the treasures?
"You want me to expend my strength?" Ye Cangtian grinned mockingly and said, "Then it's settled."
Although the merfolk captain was somewhat difficult to deal with, Ye Cangtian truly didn't pay him much heed.
The next moment, Ye Cangtian, wielding his skull dagger, charged forward, cutting a bloody path directly towards the merfolk captain.
That fellow has become much stronger! It seems I'll need to control the timing more precisely if I want to kill him. Watching Ye Cangtian's charging back, Yuwen Chengji's expression turned grim. He could clearly sense that even now, Ye Cangtian was still holding back.
"Hiss!"
Seeing Ye Cangtian approach, the merfolk captain let out an enraged roar. It then leaped into the water, disappearing like a phantom, reappearing constantly with sharp attacks.
Clang, clang, clang…
The sound of clashing weapons echoed continuously. Yuwen Chengji, not far away, grew even more somber. He had been constantly observing Ye Cangtian, assuming the merfolk captain would be a challenging opponent. Yet, to his surprise, Ye Cangtian dealt with him with remarkable ease. After only a dozen exchanges, the merfolk captain lay bleeding on the ground, with no discernible effort expended.
"Be careful!"
At that moment, Ye Cangtian's furious shout rang out. The merfolk had been mostly cleared, with only the last one being dealt with by Yang Chen. Just as Yang Chen launched his attack, Shuang Chi, who had just freed his hands, instantly launched a counter-attack with his spear.
People's thoughts differ. Yuwen Chengji had no intention of intervening, but Shuang Chi did. He had just witnessed Ye Cangtian's fighting prowess, which instilled in him fear and apprehension. If Ye Cangtian had an additional helper, he would be even more formidable. Therefore, he decided to eliminate Ye Cangtian's wingmen first, ensuring at least a two-on-one situation and increasing their chances of victory. He disregarded Yuwen Chengji's earlier warning.
"I guessed you'd use a dirty trick!" As Ye Cangtian's voice faded, Yang Chen let out a furious roar. He then sprang up, evading Shuang Chi's attack, and swung his dual axes down with immense force. It was like thunder! Yang Chen had been saving this move precisely for such sneak attacks from Yuwen Chengji and his companion.
"No!" Shuang Chi shrieked. He had never imagined that a mere Yellow-level nobody could evade his sneak attack. Not only that, but he had even launched a counter-attack against him. Having committed to his full power without holding back, Shuang Chi found himself unable to dodge. If that blow landed, it would be the end of him!
*Thwack! Cling!*
Shuang Chi's spear pierced the chest of the last merfolk, while the thunderous axe blow, falling like lightning, was deflected by Yuwen Chengji's sword. Yuwen Chengji was no ordinary fighter; when he saw the lightning-like strike, he knew its ferocity was no simple matter. If it had hit Shuang Chi, even if he survived, he would likely have been severely injured. Fortunately, the distance between the three was short enough for him to intervene, thus blocking the attack. However, even so, Yuwen Chengji's expression was exceedingly grim. He hadn't expected such power from a mere Yellow-level insignificant ant. He realized he needed to take this little pest seriously.
As Yuwen Chengji pondered this, Ye Cangtian had already reached Shuang Chi. A flash of dark light, and Shuang Chi instantly cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground. Blood gushed from his shoulder, and the arm holding the spear lay severed on the ground. The vast difference in their abilities, coupled with Ye Cangtian's enraged strike, left Shuang Chi with no chance to defend himself.
"Ye Cangtian, you lunatic!" Yuwen Chengji roared in fury. Ye Cangtian's speed was too great for him to intercept. Seeing Shuang Chi's arm severed, Yuwen Chengji's heart filled with indignation. In his opinion, although Shuang Chi was in the wrong, since neither side had suffered any significant damage, the matter should have been dropped. After all, engaging in a full-blown conflict would be detrimental to both parties.
"I am not insane!"
"We made a pact earlier, and you yourself said you wouldn't touch Yang Chen until you dealt with me."
"Now that you've broken the rules, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Ye Cangtian stated coldly. He had long been annoyed by Shuang Chi, but out of respect for their agreement, he had grudgingly tolerated him. However, when the other party reneged on their word, it filled him with extreme anger. After all, if Yang Chen hadn't reacted in time, he would have lost his brother. Therefore, he could never forgive Shuang Chi. It was time to settle both old and new scores. This was only because Shuang Chi was a member of the Hidden Organization; otherwise, Shuang Chi wouldn't have even kept his life.
"You..."
Ye Cangtian's words instantly filled Yuwen Chengji with killing intent, yet he was speechless, as Shuang Chi had indeed launched the sneak attack first.
"What? Are you unhappy?"
"If that's the case, feel free to make a move now. I wouldn't mind!" Seeing Yuwen Chengji's enraged expression, Ye Cangtian chuckled lightly, revealing a profound disdain.
Yuwen Chengji's face turned crimson with suppressed anger, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Ye Cangtian, Shuang Chi has already been punished for this. Can we let it go?" He had no choice; it wasn't the right time for a full confrontation. Ye Cangtian was already difficult to handle, and with Yang Chen, whom he had misjudged, Yuwen Chengji felt his chances of victory were slim, so he endured it.
"Very well." Ye Cangtian's face showed a faint smile. He knew that Yuwen Chengji wouldn't easily resort to force. He continued, "However, if he dares to break the rules again, the loss will be more than just an arm; it will be his life!"
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Chengji let out a low hum and walked to Shuang Chi's side, saying, "You should go back and recuperate. I will avenge you!" Shuang Chi cast a deep glance at Yuwen Chengji and, after a moment of thought, finally nodded. With his current injuries, staying would offer no assistance to Yuwen Chengji and would only become a burden. Therefore, it was better to leave. If he returned in time, perhaps his arm could even be reattached. The next moment, Shuang Chi retrieved his arm and departed swiftly.