C4 If You Can't Retreat Then Fight!!

The three brothers looked as if they were chickens being strangled, their eyes bulging nearly out of their sockets in sheer disbelief.

Lee Yunteng was so astounded he could barely breathe, exclaiming, "How could you possibly have awakened your martial soul!"

"Why not? Qin Huan and I are both once-in-a-millennium geniuses."

Qin Xiao shamelessly sang his own praises, giving Lee Yunteng a sly, half-smile.

"You little weasel, you played me!"

Even the slowest of the bunch, Lee Yunteng, realized he'd been duped, his eyes blazing with fury.

"How can you call it a scheme? I didn't want to make that bet, I didn't raise the stakes, and I certainly didn't want to sign that blood contract. You pushed me into a corner; I was left with no choice!"

Qin Xiao wore an expression of pure innocence, looking at Lee Yunteng and the others as if he were the one wronged, making them feel like they were choking on their own rage.

He had the upper hand and still played the victim. They had never encountered someone so utterly shameless!

Lee Yunyang, his face ashen, asked, "Big Brother... what about the bet?"

They had risked nearly all their wealth, and now, bound by the blood contract, there was no backing out.

Lee Yunteng was painfully aware of the bet. He was full of regret, realizing that his underestimation of Qin Xiao had led him straight into a trap.

Lee Yunfei recalled how Qin Xiao had baited them into the blood contract, and how he'd scorned Qin Xiao's intellect. Now, it was clear who the true fool was.

"Hand it over!"

Despite his remorse, Lee Yunteng couldn't defy the blood contract. Gritting his teeth, he handed over the hard-earned Profound Crystals, Origin Energy Pills, and the superior jade pendant to Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao's grin widened as he accepted the treasures, delighted by the abundance of Profound Crystals and impressed by the quality of the Origin Energy Pills. His smug satisfaction was enough to make Lee Yunteng and his brothers seethe with a mix of dizziness and rage.

After handing over the Profound Crystal and the pill to Qin Xiao, Lee Yunyang's face twisted in discomfort. "Big brother, do we really have to strip?"

Mentioning it only made things worse. Lee Yunteng's face darkened further. Given the chance to turn back time, he would never have included their clothes in the wager.

With no other choice, he clenched his teeth and commanded, "Off with them!"

As scions of the Shang Clan, the trio had never faced such disgrace. Their cheeks burned with humiliation, as if they were about to bleed.

Bound by the blood contract, they had no choice but to comply. One by one, they stripped, their frustration and helplessness on full display, revealing their pale bodies to the world.

Once they stood there completely bare, Qin Xiao remarked coolly, "You know, you didn't really have to remove your clothes. After all, seeing something so small and delicate might just give you pockmarks."

His words cut deeper than the act of undressing, a blatant affront to their manhood.

With their clothes gambled away and the situation irreversible, Lee Yunteng's shame turned into defiance. He smirked darkly, "You don't seriously think you can just walk away with my possessions, do you?"

Lee Yunyang caught on quickly, his sneer sharp as ice. "Qin Xiao, in this world, the strong reign supreme. A weakling like you has no right to these treasures."

"We truly underestimated you before, not expecting your martial soul to awaken. I won't make light of you again. But you've crossed a line. With your current strength, you're in no position to challenge us!" Lee Yunfei stated icily.

He felt a grudging respect for Qin Xiao's audacity, but such admiration was merely the condescension of someone in power. In his view, Qin Xiao, now a martial cultivator at the first layer of the Congealing Water Stage, was still no different from the Qin Xiao they once deemed worthless.

And now, this 'worthless' man had the audacity to mock them. Despite his reluctant admiration, Lee Yunfei believed Qin Xiao had sealed his own fate.

"Me, a weakling? Unqualified to provoke you?" A glint of cold defiance sparked in Qin Xiao's eyes.

He hadn't been angry initially, but now he was truly infuriated. He could clearly see the calculations running through the minds of the trio.

Once the blood contract was sealed, they would no longer be his protectors. They were scheming to reclaim the items they had once pilfered from him.

Naturally, Qin Xiao's peach wood talisman and other treasures were prime targets for their greedy intentions.

"You're nothing but an ant to us!" Lee Yunteng declared, advancing with a menacing presence. His tall, muscular frame, coupled with his surging vitality, made him an imposing figure.

Lee Yunfei called forth his martial soul, and a green serpent shadow sprang to life, chilling the air around them. With a detached expression, he remarked, "The worst thing a person can do is lack self-awareness."

Lee Yunyang, though he had awakened his martial soul, was of a much lower realm. He stood by, egging on the confrontation with glee. "Qin Xiao, my eldest brother is at the third layer of the Congealing Water Stage, and my second brother has reached the second layer. They can handle a nobody like you with ease. Hand over your possessions if you know what's good for you, or you'll end up worse than trash."

But before he could finish his taunt, a blur swept past him, followed by a sharp crack against his cheek. His head whipped to the side from the impact, a searing pain spreading across his face.

Turning his head in disbelief, Lee Yunyang locked eyes with Qin Xiao's icy gaze, the reality of the situation dawning on him.

Qin Xiao had slapped him!

The audacity!

A mix of rage and shock washed over Lee Yunyang. Never in his life had he endured such disgrace!

But he knew better than to retaliate in the face of defeat. He scurried behind his elder brother, Lee Yunteng, aiming for the safety of his shadow. Just as he was about to reach refuge and unleash a torrent of curses, an unexpected kick sent him sprawling face-first into the dirt.

The shame was unbearable, surpassing all the indignities he'd faced in the last fifteen years combined.

Yet, an even greater humiliation awaited him. As Lee Yunyang struggled to rise, an overwhelming force pinned him down, rendering him immobile.

Qin Xiao was standing on his back, pressing him down like a stray dog stripped of all dignity.

But now, Lee Yunyang didn't dare utter another insult, fearful of provoking an even harsher response. With a pitiful whine, he pleaded for rescue, "Big brother, please, come and save me!"

"Brother!"

Lee Yunteng's cry rang out as he witnessed Lee Yunyang being subjected to such humiliation. His face was a mix of heartache and astonishment.

It wasn't that he hadn't tried to protect Lee Yunyang; he had sprung into action the moment Qin Xiao made his move. Yet, he was utterly unable to intercept him.

When had Qin Xiao become so agile?

Regardless, Qin Xiao had brought shame upon all three of them. Today, he would have to face the consequences.

"Big brother, let's go at him together!"

Lee Yunfei had also noticed something different about Qin Xiao. The pig they thought they were slaughtering turned out to be a tiger, ready to kill without a second thought!

But agility alone was nothing. With both brothers in the fray, surely Qin Xiao wouldn't stand a chance?

"Alright!" Lee Yunteng responded. The brothers exchanged a glance and drew their swords from their waists.

Sword light danced and intertwined in a flash, the blades' cold edges gleaming menacingly. The Green Snake Sword in Lee Yunfei's hand emitted a demonic red glow, clearly coated with some kind of poison, while Lee Yunteng's sword bore the weight of a boulder, radiating an unstoppable force.

Together, they launched a coordinated attack, one venomous, the other forceful, instantly cutting off Qin Xiao's escape.

It was clear they were aiming for a fatal blow.

Qin Xiao remained outwardly calm, but his muscles tensed, ready for the fight. His combat experience was limited to the memories his body carried and the chickens he'd slain in the Immortal Path World.

Still, he faced Lee Yunteng and the other with no fear. In the world of martial arts, warriors rise through relentless combat!

However, as he confronted the swordplay of the two, a heaviness settled in Qin Xiao's heart, realizing he had indeed underestimated the pair.

They were disciples of a prominent family, with martial foundations deep and unshakable. As they struck, Qin Xiao felt trapped with no escape.

With no option to retreat, a fierce eagerness for battle ignited in Qin Xiao's eyes. If it was a fight they wanted, a fight they would get!