C17 You Are That Person!

"There's a fight up ahead!" Ye Bufan halted and announced.

Rather than being scared, Yunqing was visibly thrilled. "Come on, let's check it out!"

Ye Bufan wasn't one to meddle, but the skirmish was unfolding directly in his path, and Yunqing seemed intent on witnessing the fray. Reluctantly, he quickened his steps.

"Hurry!" Yunqing, now ahead of Ye Bufan, looked back and hissed. The lure of the spectacle had clearly made her forget that just yesterday, she had played the part of a damsel in need of protection.

The clash grew louder as they advanced swiftly and silently, creeping closer to the scene of the action.

"Wind Lightning Leopard?" Yunqing furrowed her brow and murmured as they neared the fight.

Ye Bufan, who was versed only in the medicinal herbs of this world, was clueless about everything else. Observing the three young men and a girl, each wielding a heavy sword and battling a spotted leopard, he inquired, "Wind Lightning Leopard? Is that the one down there?"

Yunqing shot Ye Bufan a look, thinking to herself, "This guy really is clueless, not even knowing what a Wind Lightning Leopard is."

"The Wind Lightning Leopard is a third-level wild beast, with strength on par with a martial artist at the Eighth Rank of the Power Stage. But because it's incredibly fast and its fur is so tough, ordinary blades can't scratch it. Even a Ninth Rank Power Stage warrior might struggle to best it. A First Stage Qi Stage warrior could defeat it without much trouble, but capturing it is another story."

This basic knowledge was common even among the ordinary folk of the Vast Continent, yet Ye Bufan was utterly unaware. If not for his captivating tales from the night before and the agility he had shown on their journey today, Yunqing would have pegged him as a quintessential playboy.

Thanks to Yunqing's briefing, Ye Bufan realized just how swift the Wind Lightning Leopard was. The three youths, one at the sixth and two at the fifth rank of the Power Stage, and the girl, merely at the fourth rank, were in constant peril, facing the threat of injury or worse at any moment.

Yunqing appeared disinterested in such a low-level skirmish, her attention fixed on Ye Bufan instead.

Absorbed in observing the Wind Lightning Leopard's every twitch and turn, Ye Bufan felt Yunqing's eyes on him and turned to ask, "What's up?"

"Aren't you going to lend a hand?" inquired Yunqing.

Ye Bufan quickly shook his head, "I don't know them. Why should I help? Besides, that Wind Lightning Leopard is formidable. I'd just be another dish on its plate."

Ye Bufan wasn't one to meddle without cause, especially with the weight of a critical mission for the Ye family on his shoulders. He wasn't about to invite trouble.

Yunqing cast a scornful glance at him, then playfully suggested, "See how pretty that girl is? If you save her, who knows, it might be like Xu Xian rescuing the White Snake Lady, leading to... " She trailed off, grinning at Ye Bufan.

"That girl? Pretty? I think you're even more beautiful than she is," Ye Bufan deflected, steering the conversation away.

Flattered by Ye Bufan's blunt compliment, Yunqing's heart fluttered slightly. She urged, "Come on, help them out. They're about our age. It'd be such a waste for them to just perish out here..." She gave Ye Bufan a pitiful look, as if she were the one in peril, not the strangers.

Yet, a glance at Ye Bufan's sword revealed her true curiosity, prompting him to shake his head. If he didn't indulge her interest, she'd likely never let it go. Better to intervene now and save those people.

Despite the Wind Lightning Leopard's blistering speed, Ye Bufan had faith in the swiftness of his sword. And should real danger arise, wasn't he accompanied by a master fighter?

"Alright, big brother is on it!" Ye Bufan declared with a dramatic flair, "And if I meet my end, make sure to pour a cup of fine wine on my grave every year!"

Before Yunqing could respond, Ye Bufan dashed like a whirlwind toward the fray. His urgency wasn't born of panic, but necessity; as they spoke, the four combatants were flagging, and the Wind Lightning Leopard seized a gap to charge at the young girl. Just as disaster loomed, a boy leapt forward, taking the brutal impact in her stead.

"What incredible speed!" Yunqing murmured softly as he watched Ye Bufan's retreating figure.

The young man took a heavy hit, coughed up blood, and collapsed, motionless on the ground.

The situation was already dire, and with one less fighter, it looked even more grim. Ye Bufan, having decided to intervene, was determined to prevent further casualties.

"You beast, how dare you!" Ye Bufan bellowed, halting the ongoing battle. He swooped down like a majestic bird spreading its wings, the setting sun casting a cold gleam on the tip of his Chun Jun sword, aimed directly at the head of the Wind Lightning Leopard.

Ye Bufan's dramatic entrance rekindled a glimmer of hope in the three who were on the brink of despair. But upon seeing his youthful face, their newfound hope wavered. At just seventeen or eighteen years old, could he really stand a chance against the Wind Lightning Leopard?

The Wind Lightning Leopard, seeing Ye Bufan's sword strike, rolled away and leapt out of the sword's arc, then quietly observed this unexpected human adversary. His maneuver also gave the beleaguered trio a moment to breathe.

A girl knelt beside the fallen youth, her eyes brimming with tears as she called out to him, but he remained unresponsive.

The other two youths wore faces etched with grief. The elder of the two said, "We owe you our thanks for stepping in, friend. But this creature's strength is no less than that of the Ninth Rank of Power Stage. My brother and I will hold it off as long as we can. Please, take our sister to safety. We'll be forever in your debt!"

Ye Bufan's gaze never left the Wind Lightning Leopard. Without looking back, he declared, "I'm here to confront this beast. If you need to leave, then go!" With an expert at Qi Stage nearby, there was no immediate danger. Ye Bufan was not averse to using the Wind Lightning Leopard as a sparring partner, and he was quite pleased with the young man's words.

The young man paused, momentarily taken aback. He hadn't expected that after revealing the Wind Lightning Leopard's formidable power, the other would still boldly challenge it to battle. A surge of valor rose within him. Stepping forward, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Ye Bufan and declared, "Alright, today I'll join this friend in a fight against the Wind Lightning Leopard. Second brother, take Mengjie and get to safety first!"

The other youth was not about to stand down. Gripping his heavy sword, he stepped up beside them and urged, "Mengjie, hurry and take Mengtian to safety. Once we've dealt with this beast, we'll come find you!"

Mengjie, drying the tears on her cheeks, resolved, "I will stay and avenge my brother with you!"

Seeing their unwillingness to flee, Ye Bufan felt a growing respect for them. Although his intervention was primarily to avoid Yunqing's persistent badgering, anyone would prefer to save those who cherished loyalty over those who cowered in fear of death.

Feigning irritation, Ye Bufan chided, "You three are a bit much, don't you think? You've had your fill of the fight, and now I've been itching to join in. Are you really going to compete with me for the chance?"

The trio caught the protective undertone in Ye Bufan's words and cast him a grateful glance before stepping aside to recuperate. Nonetheless, they remained vigilant, ready to leap into action and assist Ye Bufan if needed.

The Wind Lightning Leopard, eyeing the newcomer, felt a wave of unease—a primal instinct warning of danger. Reluctant to abandon its prey, the beast simply watched Ye Bufan, neither advancing nor retreating.

It could afford to wait, but Ye Bufan could not. He had pressing matters to attend to.

With a flourish of his sword and a swift movement, Ye Bufan closed the distance to the Wind Lightning Leopard, matching its speed.

The air swirled with sand and wind—the opening move of the Wind Devil Sword Technique!

Previously, Ye Bufan had used this very technique, substituting his body for his blade, to defeat Lin Tianzhan, an Eighth Rank Power Stage warrior. Now, facing the formidable Wind Lightning Leopard, he dispensed with any probing attacks and went straight for the kill.

The sword shadow swiftly engulfed the Wind Lightning Leopard, scattering weeds in the wake of the gleaming blade as if the earth itself had been furrowed by a plow.

Such incredible speed in his swordsmanship! As Ye Bufan made his move, the three youths beside him exchanged glances, their faces a mix of awe and disbelief. The prowess Ye Bufan demonstrated sent a ripple of shock through them, and a question simultaneously arose in their minds: Under the onslaught of such rapid swordplay, how many moves could they possibly withstand? One? Maybe two?

Ye Bufan's blade may not have carried much force, but its velocity far exceeded the martial theories of their world.

The Wind Lightning Leopard, despite its massive frame, was far from clumsy. It darted through the spaces between Ye Bufan's sword shadows like a colossal meteor.

"Such incredible speed!" Ye Bufan exclaimed in admiration as the Wind Lightning Leopard managed to match the pace of his Wind Devil Sword Technique, weaving through openings to evade.

This was not to say the Wind Devil Sword Technique lacked strength; rather, Ye Bufan at present couldn't fully unleash the technique's thrilling potential.

Having executed his sword technique with full force, Ye Bufan felt no discouragement at failing to wound the Wind Lightning Leopard. On the contrary, a surge of exhilaration filled his heart.

The second form of the Wind Devil Sword Technique!

With a shift in stance, Ye Bufan unleashed a barrage of sword shadows that seemed to assail the Wind Lightning Leopard from every conceivable angle.

The Wind Lightning Leopard roared in frustration, outmaneuvered by Ye Bufan from the start, unable to capitalize on its strengths. Though Ye Bufan's sword strikes were not heavily laden with power, the leopard sensed that any failure to dodge those deceptively gentle blows would result in a devastating force capable of piercing its hide.

While the Wind Lightning Leopard felt stifled, Ye Bufan reveled in the thrill of the fight. It was his first truly liberating battle since his rebirth, and he couldn't resist bellowing a triumphant howl.

As his howl echoed, Ye Bufan's technique transformed; all sword shadows vanished. With a fluid motion, his sword pointed directly at the center of the Wind Lightning Leopard's brow.

Chasing the Wind, Striking like Lightning! The third form of the Wind Devil Sword Technique!

Designed to counter opponents with lightning-fast agility, it simplifies the complex! All distracting sword illusions are cast aside for one incredibly swift strike!

As the sword illusions vanished, the Wind Lightning Leopard didn't feel any relief. Instead, a sense of unease washed over him, a premonition of imminent danger. He propelled his massive body to its fastest, desperately trying to evade.

Yet, no matter how the Wind Lightning Leopard maneuvered, Ye Bufan's sword tip relentlessly tracked his glabella as if guided by an unseen force.

In that instant, all else faded from existence, leaving only Ye Bufan's sword in focus. Even Yunqing, observing from a distance, felt an eerie illusion that the sword was not aimed at the Wind Lightning Leopard, but directly at her own forehead!

"Such formidable sword intent!" Yunqing marveled inwardly.

The already blistering sword thrust accelerated further, piercing the Wind Lightning Leopard's brow. The blade penetrated a mere inch, but a surge of potent sword Qi, driven by the wielder's intent, burst forth from the back of the leopard's skull, striking the tree behind with a thunderous impact.

The tree, as thick as a man's waist, toppled along with the beast. In that moment, an exhilarated Yunqing soared towards them, calling out mid-flight, "Ye Feng, I've realized it—you're the one..."