This martial arts tournament is time-stopping.

"The Yang family is truly blessed!"

After sighing in his heart, Ye Chu suppressed his desire to protect the secrets of his family's hidden land and kill Master Yang and Yang Heng.

After wandering around the table, she found that her biased grandfather and uncle were lecturing Ji Meng in a condescending manner.

Han Heng patted Ye Chu on the shoulder and said:

"We're brothers-in-law, so let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart. Your grandfather and your uncle used to push you to the brink, making you work day and night to support your cousin Ye Hao."

We were just tenant farmers before, powerless and had to endure it.

Now that we've both become martial artists, it'll be easier for you to sever all ties with his family..."

"We'll definitely split up!"

Ye Chu responded and then burst into laughter right there at the table.

This will attract the attention of many villagers.

Ye Chu then walked to Ji Meng's side, facing her grandfather and uncle's family, and began to call out:

"Oh, isn't this my biased grandfather?"

Hey, isn't this my successful cousin?

Thinking back to the years I served as a farmhand for you in the Yang family, I certainly did my best to support your martial arts training and self-improvement.

But a few days ago, I fled from that evil spirit and disaster to the city to seek refuge with you, but your family drove me out of the house and forced me to live on the street.

What? Do you think you're so great by lecturing my wife like this again?

As Ye Chu spoke, he pointed at his grandfather and uncle, questioning them, "But how dare you speak ill of my wife when you are so heartless and unjust?"

Ye Hao immediately slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "The people in our village who are fleeing for their lives are all crammed into the City God Temple. I'm only letting you squeeze in there for a while. What do you mean you're going to live on the street? Keep your mouth shut!"

In front of everyone, Ye Chu nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes, yes, if we cover ourselves up any more tightly, you guys will bully us to death! We won't even have a straw mat to cover ourselves, and we'll just be thrown into a mass grave, right?"

"Ah Chu, how can you speak to your cousin in front of so many elders and villagers? Come here, sit down first, I have something important to tell you..."

Ye Chu waved his hand and shook his head:

"No, Grandpa, you favor my eldest uncle and the others, and you treat me like an old water buffalo. Now I'm too tired to work for your Ye family, the eldest son's family."

It's perfect timing, since all the folks here today, I'd like to say something from the bottom of my heart.

My grandfather, who is so disrespectful to his elders, doesn't treat me like a human being at all, and now he wants to drive his unrelated grandson to his death.

I'd like to take this opportunity to tell my fellow villagers that I'm completely severing ties with the Ye family from now on, and we have no further connection whatsoever.

Ye Chu's words were absolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

As for whether my great-uncle and grandfather acknowledge me or not, that doesn't matter.

Anyway, Ye Chu has already made his point, so everyone knows that's enough.

"You, you unfilial son, I will not allow you to sever ties with your family..."

"I forgot to mention, my father's generation was separated from the family by you. I'm just telling you again, don't interfere in my affairs anymore. Otherwise, you'll really become a damn old codger..."

As Ye Chu spoke, he led Ji Meng, whose eyes were brimming with tears, and Han Heng to find another place to sit.

Ye Hao and his family were instead being pointed at and talked about by many villagers, leaving them somewhat dumbfounded.

They had heard some rumors that the 500 taels of silver the Yang family lost in Qingniu Village might have ended up in Ye Chu's hands.

He thought he could take advantage of the Yang family's banquet to subdue Ye Chu's family and then help Ye Chu manage the money.

Who would have thought that Ye Chu would pull such a stunt right after they met, and that the villagers would point fingers and gossip about them...

Ye Chu could sense the frustration and annoyance of Ye Hao's family, and even their occasional glances at him as they were seething with suppressed anger.

But today's severing of ties can be seen as bringing an end to the first half of my life.

If we meet again, we'll be strangers!

At that time, no matter what these people's plans were, if they fell on us, those with strength would temporarily avoid confrontation, and those without strength would be killed.

As noon approached, just before the meal was served,

Master Yang, supported by Yang Heng, came out. After exchanging a few polite words, he brought up the matter of his wife's wish to be buried in her ancestral home:

"When people die, they always return to their roots. But our Qingniu Village has suffered such a great calamity. I had previously invited many martial arts experts to deal with the evil spirit, but in the end, we were unable to drive it away."

However, based on the last investigation, we were able to gauge the general strength of that evil spirit. Furthermore, with the help of my son Yang Heng's fiancée's family—the Zhu family, one of the four major families in Shuanglong County—we were able to gather a group of even more powerful martial artists.

At the same time, if any of my fellow villagers know any martial arts masters, they can introduce them to my home. The reward will not disappoint them.

It will take three to five days to gather powerful martial artists. It is expected that on the morning of the seventeenth of this month, we will return to Qingniu Village to completely drive away the evil spirit, allowing everyone to return to their homeland and live in peace and prosperity, and to take care of the crops that have been neglected for many days...

As Master Yang spoke, he turned his gaze to the few skilled martial artists in the village and immediately extended an invitation:

"Ye Hao, Han Heng, Ye Chu, you're all martial artists from our Qingniu Village. Why don't you join us on the 17th to drive away that evil spirit?"

Ye Hao immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "It is my duty to do my part for the village. I agree to this."

Ye Chu and Han Heng exchanged a glance. This matter in Qingniu Village was not easy to handle, especially since Nie Qingcang repeatedly mentioned that the evil spirit in Qingniu Village did not come naturally, but was deliberately imprisoned by certain people.

Furthermore, Ye Chu suspected that the person who deliberately imprisoned the evil spirit was likely someone behind Han Heng.

Ye Chu couldn't think of anything else.

Therefore, Ye Chu had no intention of getting involved in this exorcism.

Han Heng had no idea what kind of power was behind him.

However, he remembered Nie Qingcang's instructions: do not leave the city, and do not concern yourself with the evil spirits in Qingniu Village.

In addition, there was a personal grudge between him and Yang Heng!

Essentially, his previous life as a land slave was out of necessity and because his ancestors were not as well off as others, so there's nothing to say about that.

However, even after entering the martial arts school, and with the martial arts indentures given to Master Nie by Master Yang, Yang Heng still kept using the phrase "lowly slave."

They said it while practicing martial arts, while resting, while eating, while taking medicine; it was constantly nagging in his ear.

Therefore, it would be good if Han Heng didn't kick the Yang family when they were down, and even helped the Yang family take back Qingniu Village. How could that be possible?

Han Heng stood up and directly refused:

"Master Yang, my skills are weak, far inferior to those Taoist priests who chant scriptures. Why don't you spend some money to invite them instead? I won't go."

Ye Chu glanced at the Taoist priests inside the mourning hall, still intently chanting scriptures. Their bodies were robust and powerful, their energy abundant; this was quite different from the kind of Taoist priests Ye Chu had imagined who were skilled in cultivation.

However, it is rumored that in the entire Huangtian Temple, only Tang Zhou is a true enlightened cultivator; the rest of the Taoists are merely nominal disciples of Tang Zhou, who only practice martial arts and do not cultivate Taoism.

This statement does align with the fact that these Taoist priests only practice martial arts.

"It seems that my ability to master the Yellow Turban Warrior technique is not only due to the benefit of the time-traveling experience, but also because I am a natural talent in cultivation!"

However, I absolutely must not reveal that I am capable of cultivation...