Villain : After Slacking Off, The Protagonist Collapse - Chapter 254

Chapter 254: Ye Qings Death

With a hum, Yan Ruyu clenched her delicate hand slightly, crushing Ye Qing’s soul completely, leaving it utterly destroyed, disintegrating to dust. Not even a trace of his soul remained.

As they watched Ye Qing’s fall, the expressions of the surrounding forces turned complicated, though sneers were plentiful. None laughed louder than Jin Changhe, whose grin stretched so wide it nearly split his face.

“Out of seclusion and already fallen, this Ye Family prodigy was nothing special after all!” Jin Changhe knew that Ye Qing was no ordinary figure, but what of it? Despite his abilities, he was still reduced to ashes.

Ye Qing’s reputation had been hyped to the heavens, but in his very first public battle, he was utterly annihilated.

“Ye Qing was simply unlucky!” someone murmured. “In the vast Nine Heavens Realm, there are few in the younger generation who can match him, and even fewer who could kill him—countable on one hand!”

“He happened to cross paths with one of the few he should never have encountered. Then again, it wasn’t just bad luck—it was his own doing!” Bai Chen commented softly, reflecting on the fight. If Ye Qing hadn’t stirred up trouble, he wouldn’t have encountered Yan Ruyu.”

“In truth, things could have been even worse; if Jiang Chen himself had deemed Ye Qing worth his time, Ye Qing might have been obliterated with a single slap.

Amidst the crowd, Du Guyun’s gaze was dark and flickering with uncertainty. His fists clenched involuntarily as he hesitated, thinking to himself, “Master, could I match Yan Ruyu at the same level?”

In the past, Du Guyun would have been supremely confident. As long as they reached the same level, he was sure he could defeat Yan Ruyu. But after witnessing today’s battle, his confidence was shattered. He realized that Yan Ruyu’s strength far exceeded his imagination, leaving him utterly devoid of self-assurance.

“Hard to say. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid clashing with Yan Ruyu!” came an aged, heavy voice.

Knowing Du Guyun’s deep resentment for Yan Ruyu, he added, “However, you won’t need to defeat her at the same level. As long as you surpass her in strength later on, you’ll prevail. With the Immortal Heaven-Devouring Technique, surpassing her should be simple!”

Du Guyun, still feeling bitter, asked, “Even after devouring so many sources, I’m still no match for her at the same level?”

Due to past events, Du Guyun harbored intense resentment toward Yan Ruyu. She seemed like his nemesis, always appearing at critical moments to thwart him—whether it was dominating him in the inner sect competition or seizing Jing Muyu’s favor.

Every encounter ended with him suffering a loss, never Yan Ruyu. This fueled his desire to kill her on the spot.

He had initially planned to confront her once he reach the Quasi-Saint Realm, but now he realized he would have to abandon that idea.

“The Yin-Yang Holy Body is one of the strongest constitutions in the world—unmatched!” the elder said with a tone of resignation. “Defeating her is exceedingly difficult. Your current strength won’t be enough.”

He understood Du Guyun’s mindset, yet the gap between the two was too great now. Even the powerful Ye Family prodigy had been slain, so what chance did Du Guyun have?

While Ye Qing’s end was tragic, his battle prowess had been undeniable. It was simply because he had encountered Yan Ruyu. Against a slightly weaker prodigy, the outcome might have been different.

Knowing this, the elder was reluctant to see Du Guyun throw his life away. Not out of sentiment for Du Guyun, but with the Heavenly Soul Flower within reach, he didn’t want Du Guyun to lose his mind and seek revenge over Yan Ruyu. That path would certainly lead to no return.

“Understood!” Du Guyun replied.

Du Guyun took a deep breath, forcing himself to forget these events.

With a thunderous boom, a supreme aura of the Saint Realm burst forth following Ye Qing’s death. It was the aura of a Great Saint from the Ye Family.

A cold snort echoed, and an endless river of sword energy poured forth like a suspended galaxy. In an instant, the entire world filled with boundless sword energy, each strand as sharp as a divine blade, radiating a terrifying chill.

These sword energies hung suspended between heaven and earth, emanating a menacing, murderous intent that permeated all of existence.

In that moment, everyone felt a chill run down their spines, hearts gripped with fear. They knew this was a warning from Mu Jianxue. If the Ye Family’s Great Saint dared to make a move, these swords would turn into the most devastating assault.

“Primordial Holy Land, so very bold!” the Ye Family’s Great Saint roared in anger. “Today, our family’s prodigy falls here, but we will seek justice in time. Let the disciples within your Holy Land beware!”

A gust of sword energy, as if spurred to action, surged from the sky like a mighty river. It flowed through the void like a true dragon, piercing through and tearing open a massive void, from which a severed half-body tumbled out, golden blood pouring down like rain.

This blood, rich with indestructible essence, spread around, rapidly enhancing the surrounding spiritual energy and prompting some beings to break through their realms.

The surrounding experts from various forces twitched slightly at the corners of their mouths, feeling both amusement and exasperation. It seemed the Ye Family, from top to bottom, lacked a sense of caution. Could they not read the situation?

With sword energy covering the entire sky, did they not understand the wisdom of stepping back?

Moreover, the one making the move was none other than Mu Jianxue, a known harbinger of death. If it were the Holy Master of the Primordial Era, he might show some restraint. But with Mu Jianxue, mercy was not on the table.

“Are all members of the Ye Family this foolish?” said Ziyang Zhenren with a hint of irritation. “Do they really think forming an alliance of the human race makes them its supreme rulers?”

“Daring to provoke Mu Jianxue—have they grown tired of living?”

“Of all people to antagonize, they chose Mu Jianxue?” The Great Saint of the Qin Dynasty was similarly baffled.

“No wonder the Ye Family prodigy was so arrogant; the problem must stem from their elders, who now presume they can look down upon the Nine Heavens Realm. They had no qualms about provoking even a reaper like Mu Jianxue, and now they’ve lost a Great Saint for no reason!”

The Great Saint from the Immortal Phoenix Clan added, “The Ye Family’s behavior has been vexing the Primordial Holy Land from the start, and now they add fuel to the fire. This reminds me of the True Dragon Clan of old!”

At this, many of the gathered forces nodded in agreement. Indeed, there was a similarity, yet the True Dragon Clan’s arrogance once had merit, while the Ye Family seemed to lack the same strength. At least for now, they had yet to reach the level of the True Dragon Clan.

—

“Ding! Successfully met requirements for slacking off; you have gained 300 years of cultivation!”

As the system’s notification sounded, a vast amount of energy surged into Jiang Chen’s body. In a flash, his cultivation broke through, advancing directly to the ninth level of the Saint Realm, just one step away from the Saint King level.

“The reward’s a bit underwhelming,” Jiang Chen remarked with slight disappointment. Compared to past rewards, this one felt modest. Still, a breakthrough was beneficial nonetheless.

Meanwhile, as the Ye Family’s Great Saint fell, Ye Tian’s mind buzzed, waves of despair and fear surging within him. He couldn’t understand why the Primordial Holy Land acted with such audacity. Did they truly have no fear of the Ye Family? No fear of the so-called Human Alliance?

Suddenly, an overpowering aura swept through the air, and a radiant divine light condensed into a figure on the horizon. It was none other than Ye Changhe.

“You’ve killed both our family’s prodigy and a Great Saint. Does the Primordial Holy Land truly consider itself above all others?” he demanded, his voice laced with anger. “Does the Ye Family truly mean nothing to you?”

There is a saying: when the young are beaten, the elders will rise. The deaths of Ye Qing and the Ye Family’s Great Saint had finally pushed Ye Changhe into action.

“The Ye Family prodigy was simply outmatched. In a battle between prodigies, his death is nothing unusual,” came the reply, unperturbed. “The Ye Family’s Great Saint threatened the Holy Land—his death is not worth mourning. What more do you have to say?”

Across the sky, the countless suspended swords buzzed, filling the heavens with a deadly aura, their destructive power shaking the very fabric of the world.