Chapter 70: Breaking Away from the Yang Family

His arm was pinned by a surge of force, but Yang Ze immediately channeled his spiritual energy into it, sending a powerful burst that flung Yang Yuan-zhen's hand aside. Taking advantage of the moment, both men stepped back several paces. Yang Ze pushed off with his right foot, launching himself forward, and Yang Yuan-zhen mirrored his charge.

The two figures collided in the study, then broke apart, but Yang Ze spun deftly and charged again, Yang Yuan-zhen likewise refusing to yield. Their silhouettes crashed together in rapid succession, ceaselessly clashing within the confines of the room.

The sound of blows echoed—thud after thud—shaking the entire study. After more than ten consecutive collisions, Yang Ze paused on the floor, his right hand drawing the blade from his back. He did not unsheath it, but struck directly at the advancing Yang Yuan-zhen with the sheathed sword.

Seeing the blade coming, Yang Yuan-zhen raised his hand to block, only to be struck back several steps. Yang Ze held the sword in his hand and spoke lightly, "Do you still think you can take me down so easily? I have no wish to tear things apart with you. Can't we part on decent terms?"

Yang Yuan-zhen's expression grew grim. He had not expected Yang Ze's strength to reach such heights, forcing him to take it seriously. Furious, Yang Yuan-zhen's spiritual energy—the level just before reaching the true path—began to circulate, growing stronger within him. Yang Ze could feel the mounting pressure emanating from his adversary.

Yang Ze’s gaze was solemn. With a flick of his right hand, a portion of the blade was revealed, a faint aura of spiritual energy flowing over the steel, radiating an extreme sense of danger.

Yang Yuan-zhen’s eyes narrowed. He sensed a threatening presence from Yang Ze, tightening his heart—was Yang Ze concealing some deadly move?

His mind grew restless. It would not be easy to subdue Yang Ze today. If they truly fought, the commotion would surely attract the attention of others in the clan. The Yang family, wielding its full strength, could easily kill or capture Yang Ze, but such a course would escalate matters beyond control.

If things blew up, it would be the last thing Yang Yuan-zhen wanted. He could not disregard the family’s reputation for such actions. No matter what, Yang Ze was his brother, Yang Yuan-kai's own son; years ago, Yang Yuan-kai had saved his life. Yang Yuan-zhen could not commit so heinous a deed.

Many in the clan still remembered those events. Usually, Yang Ze could be treated as invisible, but if anything outrageous were done to him, it would surely splinter the clan’s unity and bring endless trouble.

Gradually, Yang Yuan-zhen withdrew his aura, hands clasped behind his back as he glared coldly at Yang Ze. "Yang Ze, do you truly wish to do this?"

"Do you think there’s any room left for negotiation between us? If you had treated me as you do Yang Hai and Yang Shan, I would never have acted so. But you did not," Yang Ze replied.

"And if I were to offer concessions now? I could even grant you more resources. After you leave the Yang family, where will you find the cultivation methods you need? I remember you lack the fifth layer of the Sea Heart Technique. Without proper methods, your cultivation will stall at the advanced stage of Qi Drawing. Will you join another faction to seek breakthroughs?"

At this point, Yang Yuan-zhen resorted to threatening Yang Ze with cultivation techniques, unaware that for Yang Ze, who possessed the Black Stone, these were meaningless.

Yang Ze glanced at Yang Yuan-zhen and said, "You need not waste words. None of these things tempt me any longer. Put aside your schemes. Even if you were to give me the Martial Institute’s examination quota now, I would not change my mind. Do you understand?"

Hearing this, Yang Yuan-zhen’s expression changed, his teeth clenched as if he wished to kill Yang Ze.

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"Very well, very well, you’ve grown bold. Get out! From today, you are no longer the Yang family’s second young master. When we meet again in the world, we are enemies, no longer father and son!" Yang Yuan-zhen nearly roared the words.

Yang Ze bowed toward Yang Yuan-zhen. "Thank you, Master Yang, for granting this. I am grateful."

With that, Yang Ze opened the study door and withdrew. Upon stepping outside, he found several people already gathered.

Though his fight with Yang Yuan-zhen had not left the study, the disturbance had been considerable. Those outside had sensed the commotion and come to investigate, and now, hearing Yang Yuan-zhen’s furious shout, their gazes toward Yang Ze were tinged with sentiment.

Yang Ze, however, cared nothing for their eyes. He held little affection for this place; even inherited memories recalled only his existence as a shadow within this family, invisible and unremarked. There was nothing to mourn.

After Yang Ze departed, a long time passed before Yang Yuan-zhen emerged from the study. The family members who saw him were astonished—the renowned master of Yuyang, the Yang clan’s leader, appeared haggard, frightening them into silence.

As for Yang Ze, he cared not for Yang Yuan-zhen’s changed demeanor, nor for the impact this incident might have on the Yang family. He returned directly to the Tong Yang Alliance.

Within the day, Yuyang’s martial world was shaken once more, this time by the Yang family’s affair.

The Yang clan declared that Yang Ze was henceforth severed from the family, no longer the second young master, and all ties with the Tong Yang Alliance were cut, withdrawing all personnel previously assigned there.

At the same time, Yang Ze announced the independence of the Tong Yang Alliance, severing relations with the Yang family, and notified the martial world that he and Yang Yuan-zhen were from now on estranged, their father-son relationship dissolved.

The news sent ripples through Yuyang’s already turbulent martial world. Many minor factions were filled with anxiety, fearing further upheaval.

The first to experience change was the North City Tong Yang Alliance. Without the Yang family as their backing, and with Yang clan members withdrawn, the alliance was left in a vulnerable state, some even plotting defection at this time.

Fortunately, Old Xie left the Yang family along with Yang Ze. The combined strength of two advanced Qi Drawing cultivators held the alliance together, preventing major unrest.

Nonetheless, Four Corners Market saw an influx of unfamiliar faces from the martial world, all apparently harboring ulterior motives.

...

In West City, upon hearing of the Yang family’s upheaval, Bai Fei’s expression grew heavy as he pondered alone in his study.

Too many changes had occurred in the martial world in recent months. In North City, the masters of the Feng and Fan families were dead; in East City, Jin the Blade of Jin Manor had perished; Mu Manor’s Mu Dou, colluding with bandits, had been slain; Xu Manor’s Xu Wenwu had mysteriously died.

These were all prominent figures in Yuyang’s martial world. Their deaths greatly impacted their affiliated factions, stirring predatory ambitions among other groups, with the threat of open conflict looming.

The Yang family, once riding high thanks to the prodigy Yang Ze, seemed poised to unify the South City. But with Yang Ze’s defection, the clan suffered a heavy blow, and their situation was now far from favorable.

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Perhaps the only stable quarter was the West City. With Bai Fei overseeing the Flying Sand Gang, peace was maintained, but he had not yet broken through to the true path, and holding the city’s factions in check was already his limit.

Bai Fei sighed deeply. Ouyang Xin’s powerful return after a successful breakthrough had brought immense pressure to Yuyang’s martial world. They had originally agreed to unite against the government’s encroachment, but with things as they were, the authorities had yet to intervene, and Yuyang’s martial world was on the brink of a reshuffling.

Try as he might, Bai Fei could not find a suitable solution. In the end, he decided to seclude himself for cultivation; only by advancing to the true path could he hope to resolve these issues.

...

Within the magistrate’s office, Yuan Heng was not at his desk but had come to Ouyang Xin’s retreat, where the two were playing chess.

"So you knew all along that Yang Ze was not Yang Yuan-zhen’s biological son. No wonder you once said Yang Ze was nothing like Yang Yuan-zhen," Yuan Heng said, placing a white stone on the board.

"In those days, the Yang family was in decline. The brothers’ wives and children were hidden elsewhere. Yang Yuan-kai’s offspring was kept secret—I only caught faint hints. It was a chance discovery, but now, as fate would have it, the consequences have blossomed," Ouyang Xin replied, dropping a black stone and capturing a swath of white.

Yuan Heng saw his pieces vanishing and hesitated before placing another stone. "The martial world is chaotic enough as it is. Should we seize the opportunity and round them all up?"

Only after speaking did Yuan Heng place his stone.

Ouyang Xin shook his head. "Not yet. We cannot let chaos erupt prematurely. We must even help stabilize their situation for now—under no circumstances should disorder break out at this moment."

He placed another stone.

Yuan Heng looked puzzled, saying nothing as he put down another piece.

"Yuan Heng, you carry a heavy aura of killing intent. You usually suppress it, but someday you will fail. Do not make the wrong move," Ouyang Xin said with regret, placing another stone that sealed Yuan Heng’s fate.

Seeing Yuan Heng’s shock, Ouyang Xin produced a letter and said, "Three days from now, the Martial Institute will arrive. In these three days, not a single disturbance must occur in the city. Do you understand?"

Yuan Heng suddenly understood—Ouyang Xin knew precisely when the Martial Institute would come, which explained his insistence on caution. No matter what, all concerns must yield before the Martial Institute’s arrival.

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