The disciples around them exchanged baffled looks. They had only known that Ye Wushuang was the least favored legitimate daughter of the Ye family, but they had never imagined the truth was this ugly.
On the viewing platform, the guests from the other factions in Clear River City began whispering among themselves.
“Is the Ye family this stingy even with their legitimate heirs?”
“Tsk, tsk. Taking resources meant for the legitimate daughter and giving them to other disciples? That’s an awfully shameless way to run a family.”
“No wonder Ye Wushuang’s cultivation has never improved. Her resources were being siphoned away.”
Their discussion reached the ears of the Ye family members, and the elders’ expressions grew increasingly grim.
Ye Qingtian took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “What’s done is done. There’s no need to bring up the past. Wushuang, Wuming is your younger brother. You share the same blood. Giving the sword to him would be an act of sibling affection.”
“Sibling affection?”
Ye Wushuang looked as though she had just heard the funniest joke. “All these years, when Ye Wuming seized my pills, took my spirit stones, and mocked my cultivation, did he ever spare a thought for sibling affection?”
Ye Wuming’s face turned livid. He barked, “Ye Wushuang! Stop spouting nonsense! Giving those resources to you would only be a waste. They can reach their full potential in my hands and in Sister Wuxin’s!”
“Potential?” Ye Wushuang raised an eyebrow. “So, in your eyes, I’m just a worthless good-for-nothing, am I?”
“Isn’t that exactly what you are?”
Ye Wuming sneered. “With your cultivation only at the early Qi Condensation stage, you’re inferior even to an outer disciple of the Ye family! Giving you more resources would be no different from throwing them into a bottomless pit!”
Ye Wushuang stopped looking at him and turned to Ye Qingtian instead. “First Elder, there’s no need to say anything more. I will not surrender the Dragon Emperor Sword. If there is nothing else, this disciple will take her leave.”
With that, she turned and began walking out of the Sword Mound.
“Stop!”
Ye Qingtian shouted, “Ye Wushuang, if you insist on taking the Dragon Emperor Sword, you will forfeit your right to participate in the third-round combat trial of the Sword Canon, and you will receive none of the rewards!”
This was an outright threat.
The rewards for the third round of the Sword Canon were extraordinarily generous. In previous years, they had included at least Profound-tier cultivation techniques or martial skills, and there was even a chance that Earth-tier treasures would appear.
Everyone looked toward Ye Wushuang, waiting to see how she would respond.
Ye Wushuang came to a halt.
Slowly, she turned around and looked at the elders on the high platform. Then she glanced at Ye Wuming’s smug face and at Ye Wuxin, whose expression had grown complicated.
Ye Wushuang smiled.
There was thirty percent mockery in that smile and seventy percent carefree indifference.
She said calmly, “I, Ye Wushuang, have no interest in anything belonging to the Ye family.”
As soon as her words fell, she did not linger. Holding the sword, she turned around and walked toward the exit of the Sword Mound.
Her back was resolute and unhurried, yet filled with reckless grace. The entire Sword Mound fell deathly silent.
Everyone had been stunned by Ye Wushuang’s words: “I have no interest in it.”
The rewards of the Ye family’s Sword Canon were treasures coveted even by every major faction in Clear River City. And yet she had actually said she did not care for them?
“Arrogant!”
Ye Wuming finally lost control. With a single stride, he rushed forward and blocked Ye Wushuang’s path.
“Ye Wushuang, stop right there!”
Ye Wushuang did not slow down, as if she had not even seen him.
“I said stop!” Ye Wuming roared.
Sword qi exploded from his body, and his cultivation at the peak of Qi Condensation was released without restraint.
Sharp sword intent solidified into reality, forming streaks of golden sword light around him.
It was actually the embryonic form of sword intent!
“Leave the Dragon Emperor Sword behind!”
Ye Wuming enunciated each word. “It’s not something you’re worthy of possessing!”
Ye Wushuang finally stopped.
She raised her eyes to Ye Wuming, her gaze as calm as though she were looking at a complete stranger.
“Move.”
Her tone was flat and emotionless.
Ye Wuming trembled with rage. “Ye Wushuang! Don’t push your luck! Today, you’re handing over that sword whether you want to or not!”
The guests on the viewing platform watched with great interest.
“Has the Ye family turned on itself?”
“How entertaining. A brother and sister falling out over a sword.”
“But Ye Wushuang is pretty gutsy. She’s only at the early Qi Condensation stage, yet she dares to challenge someone at the peak.”
“Or perhaps she’s simply lost her mind. They’re two minor realms apart!”
Amid the discussion, Ye Wuxin slowly stepped forward.
She stopped three paces in front of Ye Wushuang and fixed her cool eyes on her half-sister.
“Wushuang, listen to me. Give the Dragon Emperor Sword to Wuming.”
Ye Wuxin’s voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable authority. “His sword intent has just begun to take shape. He needs the Dragon Emperor Sword to fully awaken it. As his elder sister, you should yield to your younger brother.”
Ye Wuxin continued, “I know the family has treated you unfairly all these years, but Wuming is the Ye family’s future hope. The stronger he becomes, the stronger the Ye family will be. That benefits everyone.”
“If you’re willing to give up the sword, I can compensate you with resources from my own share.”
Ye Wuxin paused before adding, “In addition to the family’s terms, I’ll personally offer you five bottles of supreme-grade Yellow-tier Origin Condensation Pills and a high-grade Profound-tier spirit sword. How does that sound?”
These terms were even more generous than those offered by the Second Elder.
A wave of sharp intakes of breath spread through the crowd.
As the Ye family’s eldest daughter, Ye Wuxin truly possessed resources far beyond what an ordinary disciple could hope to obtain.
Yet Ye Wushuang merely shook her head.
She looked at Ye Wuxin, then at Ye Wuming, and finally lowered her gaze to the Dragon Emperor Sword in her hand.
Then she slowly uttered a single word:
“Get lost.”
Her voice was not loud, but it rang clearly throughout the entire Sword Mound.
Ye Wuxin’s expression finally changed.
Since childhood, when had she ever been publicly insulted like this?
“Ye Wushuang, you—”
Ye Wuxin was just about to lash out when Ye Wuming interrupted her.
“Sis, why waste your breath on a piece of trash?”
A flash of ruthlessness crossed Ye Wuming’s eyes. “Since she refuses a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, don’t blame me for showing her no mercy!”
Before his voice had even faded, the sword qi around Ye Wuming surged violently.
He brought his fingers together and swept them through the air. A golden streak of sword light tore through the air and shot straight toward Ye Wushuang’s face.
He had used his full strength in that strike!
With the power of peak Qi Condensation combined with his nascent sword intent, its might was enough to threaten an early True Essence cultivator.
Everyone held their breath.
In their eyes, Ye Wushuang—a good-for-nothing at the early Qi Condensation stage—would be lucky to survive the attack without suffering severe injuries.
“Wuming, stop!” Ye Qingtian cried out, but it was already too late to intervene.
The golden sword light arrived in an instant!
Just as it was about to strike Ye Wushuang—
Hum!
A clear sword hum rang out.
The sword at her waist unsheathed itself, transforming into a streak of violet light that met the golden sword beam head-on.
Ye Wushuang’s personal sword was merely an ordinary low-grade Yellow-tier weapon, yet at this moment, it erupted with a terrifying might.
Violet radiance surged across the blade, and sword qi roared like a dragon!
Sword control at the perfected level!
“What?!”
Ye Wuming’s pupils shrank to pinpoints.
The next moment, the violet sword light collided violently with the golden sword beam.
Ssshhk—
The golden sword beam was torn apart with ease, as fragile as paper.
The violet sword light did not lose any momentum. It continued straight toward Ye Wuming.
Ye Wuming’s expression changed drastically. He hurriedly circulated all the spiritual power in his body and formed three spiritual power shields in front of himself.
However—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The three shields shattered one after another.
The violet sword light slammed heavily into Ye Wuming’s chest.
“Pfft!”
Ye Wuming spat out a mouthful of blood. His entire body was sent flying and crashed heavily into the ground ten zhang away.
Inside the Sword Mound, no one could believe what they were seeing.
Ye Wuming was at the peak of Qi Condensation, with nascent sword intent. He was one of the greatest young talents of the Ye family.
And yet he had been defeated by Ye Wushuang with a single sword strike?!
