Without true qi, there was no way to contend with them. The three opponents were all tall and burly men, likely not even reaching 1.85 meters. Ye Tiancheng, on the other hand, was neither as tall nor as strong. Any one of them could probably defeat Ye Tiancheng, leaving him battered and unrecognizable.
"Are you sent by Ouyang Xinnuo?"
Ye Tiancheng needed to ascertain their identities. Panic was useless, and he wasn't panicking. He began to ponder who had sent these men, wanting to have some understanding of the situation rather than being caught completely off guard.
The eldest disciple spoke first, "You guessed right, brother. It seems you're still clear-headed. Unfortunately, it's no use. Since you're so clever, we three brothers will kill you today no matter what. Before that, we'll give you a good beating."
Ye Tiancheng felt like a fish on a chopping block. The one holding the cleaver wasn't in a hurry to kill the fish with one swift blow, but rather to torment it slowly, perhaps by boiling it in warm water. The eldest disciple spoke with a deliberate, unhurried tone, clearly relishing the thought of tormenting Ye Tiancheng. Such people were often mentally unstable, and Ye Tiancheng felt a profound fear of dealing with someone with a mental illness.
"I suggest you don't make a move. It won't benefit you if you hit me. If Ouyang Xinnuo offered you money, I can offer you money too. Let's resolve this peacefully. There's no need for a life-or-death struggle. We're all adults."
Knowing they were formidable opponents, Ye Tiancheng dared not be flippant. His aim was to persuade them. At this point, talking too much was futile. For these seasoned individuals, perhaps only tangible benefits would grant him the leverage for negotiation.
"If it's about money, Ouyang Xinnuo won't offer less than you. We listen to the strong. If we were to be beaten half to death by Ouyang Xinnuo, what's the point of taking money? Are you trying to fool us into thinking we're idiots?"
The eldest disciple's words held some logic. Ye Tiancheng suddenly didn't know what to say. It seemed money was the only thing that could move them. It was then he realized he was utterly destitute, unable to even protect his own life.
"I've thought of a very interesting method. I'll cut many small wounds on your body, and blood will flow. If I notice you're losing too much blood, I'll stop immediately. We'll continue this for a few days, how about that?"
The eldest disciple uttered these words with a faint smile on his face, which was utterly terrifying. Ye Tiancheng felt disgusted and nauseous at his hypocritical grin.
"It seems this matter cannot be negotiated. You insist on killing me, don't you?"
"You guessed right. A wicked person like you should ascend to heaven immediately. I've kept you alive for long enough. Wasting so much time talking to you is the biggest failure of my career."
With that, the eldest disciple produced a small knife exuding a dark aura. If that knife were to strike, Ye Tiancheng would lose all ability to resist. His true qi had not recovered much, and his body was severely depleted. He was no match for these three men.
At that critical moment, a woman's voice suddenly rang out.
"Who are you people? What do you want with my Brother Ye? I've already called the police. You'd best leave quickly."
Liu Lanying, who had suddenly appeared, stood in front of Ye Tiancheng. The three men exchanged glances and then erupted into thunderous laughter.
"You little girl, what can you possibly do? We can make you disappear without even lifting a finger. You dare to come here and shout? I truly admire your courage."
These men were utterly reckless and were mocking Liu Lanying, enraging her to the extreme. She shouted loudly,
"Are you bandits deaf? Someone will be here to arrest you soon. I've already called the police. If you know what's good for you, leave now and don't cause any more trouble here, or you'll regret it!"
Liu Lanying's voice was incredibly loud. At this moment, she had to stand with Ye Tiancheng, otherwise, they would have no way to deter these seemingly reckless ruffians.
"Woman, if you continue to act crazy, do you believe I won't kill you all?"
The eldest disciple was not afraid of Liu Lanying, as a woman couldn't do much. He warned her with a fierce look.
Liu Lanying had never encountered such arrogant people. Her entire body trembled, but at the crucial moment, she clenched her fists and maintained her composure.
Liu Lanying signaled Ye Tiancheng with her eyes, urging him to run. Their target was Ye Tiancheng, and if he escaped, she believed she wouldn't be in too much danger.
Ye Tiancheng quickly understood. It wasn't about abandoning Liu Lanying, but about saving the woman who was willing to stand up for him by escaping himself.
Ye Tiancheng leaped out the window and fled. Seeing Ye Tiancheng run, the men quickly pursued. Liu Lanying, anxious, followed them.
At this moment, Liu Lanying was like a devoted protector, running behind them, chest puffed out, completely unafraid, shouting defiantly,
"If you dare to disrespect my Brother Ye, I'll never forgive you. Don't bully me because I'm a woman; when I get serious, I'm not human. Be careful, or I'll beat you until your teeth fall out!"
The men heard Liu Lanying's voice and realized they couldn't catch Ye Tiancheng. They quickly turned back and captured Liu Lanying, who was trying to escape.
"Ye Tiancheng, if you don't come out, I'll kill your beautiful companion."
Ye Tiancheng had no choice. He quickly ran back, snatched Liu Lanying from the grasp of the thugs, and then showed a look of concern.
"Are you alright?"
Liu Lanying was indeed terrified. These men exuded a dark aura, making them impossible for ordinary mortals to resist. Liu Lanying wanted to try her usual tactic of slapping them, but found she couldn't move at all. She was truly frightened. Discovering such miraculous power in the world, against which she was powerless, opened her eyes to new possibilities while also instilling a new kind of fear.
"Don't be afraid, Miss Liu. I'm here. As long as I'm here, I won't let anyone touch you. Rest assured, I won't let you be wronged. I will protect you."
"Stop putting on a love drama here, will you? It's disgusting to watch. And Ye Tiancheng, look how weak you are, yet you still talk so arrogantly. Have you lost yourself and have no idea of your own capabilities?"
The eldest disciple watched Ye Tiancheng speak to Liu Lanying with a mocking expression.
"How about this, Ye Tiancheng? Let's see if you have the ability to protect this beauty. Why don't you let me tease her a bit?"
Ye Tiancheng suddenly let out a sinister laugh. "Don't provoke me further. You can do whatever you want to me, but you are not allowed to touch my friends."
For some reason, Ye Tiancheng's eyes turned crimson. He took a few large strides forward, raised his hand, and the three men were lifted into the air as if they were kites. In mid-air, Ye Tiancheng released them, and they plummeted to the ground with a thud. They struggled desperately throughout, but to no avail, crashing heavily onto the ground, stuck to it, and clearly in immense pain.
Liu Lanying, standing nearby, was utterly stunned. This seemed to have shattered her psychological limits. Liu Lanying felt as if Ye Tiancheng had been a hero from a movie, but this was reality. How could someone possess such immense power?
She even thought these two might die here. To her surprise, the seemingly frail Ye Tiancheng possessed such formidable strength. She had initially believed the burly men could knock him down with a single punch, but the reversal of fortune completely shattered her worldview, leaving her somewhat dazed.
"Brother Ye, that's enough. Don't cause any deaths."
Ye Tiancheng's eyes remained crimson. He repeated the same actions, tormenting the three men. Each fall was harder than the last. Their faces and bodies were covered in blood. At this point, Liu Lanying finally reacted, realizing she couldn't stand by and watch. She rushed to stop Ye Tiancheng, fearing he might truly cause a catastrophe.
At that moment, Ye Tiancheng seemed to be controlled by a beast. Hearing Liu Lanying's voice, he finally came to his senses. He had intended to unleash his fury, wanting to prove that he was not weak and could protect those he cared about.
However, as he rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight, Liu Lanying stopped him. He seemed to have suddenly recovered, and released the three men.
"The three of you, remember this: I hope this is the last time I ever see you. If I see you again, I will break your necks without hesitation and send you to hell."
The three men had finally witnessed Ye Tiancheng's power and dared not act so presumptuously. Even the eldest disciple quietly whispered for them to attack together, but the other two completely ignored him.
The two younger disciples knelt and begged for mercy, receiving Ye Tiancheng's forgiveness. They turned and left without even looking at the eldest disciple. Only the eldest disciple was left, unable to sustain the situation. Although he was extremely displeased with Ye Tiancheng, he had no choice but to say in a low voice,
"Don't underestimate me. I'm not in good condition today. Ye Tiancheng, just you wait. You've humiliated me today, and I will make you pay a heavy price later. Just you wait."
He said this because after losing face in front of his two junior disciples, he likely knew he would never regain any authority among them. Ye Tiancheng, on the other hand, remained unperturbed and calmly watched the eldest disciple.
"Then I'll wait for you. But be careful what you say. If you dare to speak to me like that again, I will directly snap your neck."
The eldest disciple's face turned green with fear. He no longer cared about pride or face; his life was the most important thing. He turned and fled.