C18 Ye Qingxue!

Yuh Qing was seething with rage when he heard Yih Shaan's shameless remarks.

His face darkened, and he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. "Yih Shaan, you should realize that it's unwise to cross the Sword Edge Alliance and the Yuh family here in the Outer Court!" he said furiously.

Yih Shaan's eyes remained calm as he responded, "We certainly can't afford to offend the Yuh family, but Senior Sister Ye isn't intimidated by them."

"Senior Sister Ye?" Yuh Qing's eyebrows twitched involuntarily. The image of a striking figure flashed through his mind, and his expression swiftly morphed into one of dread.

It was her—the formidable woman who started martial arts at ten, broke through to the Spirit Martial Stage at fifteen, and reached its sixth level by eighteen!

If the kid who maimed Yuh Chen's arm was indeed connected to that fearsome woman, then even Yuh Xiu would have to bite back his anger over today's events.

Yuh Qing's face was a mask of conflicting emotions. He knew that if the terrifying woman had directed the Fatty and Skinny Brothers to intervene, there would be no resolution today.

Just a quarter-hour earlier, Yuh Qing had been imperiously demanding that Chu Lin break his own arm. Now, the tables had turned. Chu Lin was not only unharmed, but he had also disabled Yuh Chen's arm right in front of Yuh Qing!

Yuh Qing's chest heaved with barely contained fury. As one of the ten great captains of the Sword Edge Alliance and a notable figure in the Outer Court, he was humiliated by a mere servant disciple, which infuriated him.

Then, Yih Shaan's voice taunted him, "Junior Brother Yuh Qing, such a dark expression isn't good for your health. Take care not to let your anger harm you."

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from Yuh Qing's lips. Yih Shaan's mocking tone only fueled his anger further.

"This incident will not be forgotten!" Yuh Qing wiped the blood from his mouth, huffed coldly, and stormed off. Yuh Chen and the rest of the Sword Edge Alliance members hurried after him, fearing the return of that merciless individual if they lagged behind.

Thus, the standoff in Black Wind Town was defused in an unexpected turn of events.

The Sword Edge Alliance, known for their arrogance and lack of reason, found themselves at a disadvantage.

A servant disciple had incapacitated several members of the Sword Edge Alliance and, in front of Yuh Qing, one of the ten great captains, had broken Yuh Chen's hand. Yet, this disciple walked away unscathed.

The onlookers had committed the young man's features to memory.

As the dust settled and the crowd dispersed, the Fatty and Skinny Brothers stood with bowed heads and sorrowful expressions before a woman in a secluded alley. The woman cradled a treasured sword with an ice-blue scabbard. Dressed in white, she exuded an aura of ethereal chill. Leaning against the wall, her exquisite face tilted upwards, her elongated, beautiful eyes narrowed in a look of languid elegance.

She gazed silently at the sky, saying nothing, while Yih Feng and Yih Shaan stood by, too intimidated to even breathe loudly.

No one would have guessed that the Fatty and Skinny Brothers, renowned in the Outer Court's top ten, would show such deference.

Only they understood the terror of the woman before them.

Ye Qingxue's name might not ring as loudly as the Fatty and Skinny Brothers among the ordinary disciples of the Outer Court. They might not even know who Ye Qingxue was, but to those in the top twenty of the Expert Rankings, her name was more renowned than some Elders.

Ye Qingxue finally shifted her gaze to the two young men before her. "Did you complete the task?" she inquired coolly.

"We will certainly fulfill your request, no matter the difficulty," Yih Shaan assured her with a sycophantic smile.

"And how is he?" Ye Qingxue asked, her tone flat.

"Chu Lin?" Yih Shaan paused, then his face lit up with realization. "He's perfectly fine, thanks to us. Not only that, but while we were distracting Yuh Qing, he managed to cripple Yuh Chen's hand. Our brother-in-law is formidable indeed!"

Suddenly, a surge of energy struck Yih Shaan. He let out a shriek as he was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground.

Ye Qingxue's expression remained impassive as the spiritual energy in her hand dissipated. She glanced at Yih Shaan and stated, "Let's not have a repeat of this. Leave now."

"I spoke out of turn. Yih Feng and I will leave at once," Yih Shaan said, quickly getting to his feet, his smile awkward. He knew that while Ye Qingxue might seem cold to her allies, she wouldn't seriously harm them. But her mercilessness towards enemies was enough to send shivers down his spine.

Yih Feng and Yih Shaan hastened their pace as they left the alley, continuing their conversation until they reached the alley's end.

"Bro, why did Senior Sister Qingxue smack you?"

"Maybe it's because I'm too handsome."

"Doesn't it hurt, brother?"

"With my profound cultivation, an attack from Ye Qingxue barely registers."

"Man, you're incredible!"

Only after Yih Feng and Yih Shaan vanished from view did Ye Qingxue's urge to chase after them and deliver a couple more slaps slowly fade. With a flick of her wrist, a golden slip of paper materialized between her delicate fingers.

Neat, tiny script adorned the paper, and once Ye Qingxue finished reading, the words gently vanished.

"Qian'er has managed to solidify Spiritual Energy into script—her progress is impressive." Tucking away the golden paper, a subtle smile played on Ye Qingxue's lips as she stretched languidly, her graceful silhouette subtly outlined by her white garments.

A pensive frown creased her brow, and she sighed softly, a touch of self-mockery in her tone, "Ye Qingxue, you might stand as the most formidable of the Outer Court's young generation, and you're able to look after Qian's beloved, but you're still bound by fate. Sometimes, I truly envy Qian."

As midnight cloaked the mountain trails in cold winds and dancing tree shadows, a stone stele, weathered with thorns and cracks yet unbroken, stood nearby, bearing the bold inscription: Black Wind Gorge!

"Here lies the gateway to Black Wind Gorge from Black Wind Town," announced the figures of Chu Lin and Yang Hu, emerging onto the scene.

Having dodged Yuh Qing's assault, the duo had set their sights on the Gorge. In a daring move, Chu Lin had snapped Yuh Chen's hand, knowing that lingering in Black Wind Town might provoke further attacks from the Sword Edge Alliance, complicating their situation.

"Today, we owe a debt to the Fatty and Skinny Brothers," Yang Hu remarked gratefully. Neither he nor Chu Lin believed the eccentric pair had come solely to their aid—their motives were always enigmatic.

"Should the opportunity arise, I'd be glad to return the favor to the Fatty and Skinny Brothers. For now, let's head into the mountains!" With a confident grin, Chu Lin led the way into Black Wind Gorge.

This time, Chu Lin was determined to achieve a new level of strength within its depths.