Just as the venomous snake loosened its grip, Henry Sutton finally understood: on Ethan Woods's arm, beneath his sleeve, there was already a layer of talisman paper wrapped around it, so the snake hadn't been able to bite through at all.

“Ethan Woods anticipated this all along, letting the snake bite his arm, but in reality, he was restraining the snake?”

A sudden realization dawned in Henry Sutton's heart.

At that moment, the black-robed man shouted angrily.

“Old man, how dare you!”

The black-robed man, both shocked and furious, rushed toward the main hall.

Ethan Woods, unhurried, pointed with his hand and said, “Fall!”

Instantly, countless talisman papers rained down from beneath the plaque in the hall—these were thunder talismans accumulated over who knows how long.

The black-robed man was suddenly alarmed and stopped abruptly, but still, a talisman landed on his shoulder.

With a bang!

The black-robed man screamed in pain and fell, his shoulder scorched black, a foul stench rising.

Inside the hall, Henry Sutton took a porcelain bowl, half-filled with bright red blood—a mixture of his and his cousin's virgin blood.

Henry Sutton quickly pressed the snake's head down, forcing its two fangs into the bowl.

Venom flowed continuously, seeping into the blood and mixing together.

“Damn it…”

The black-robed man's eyes turned vicious, but seeing the charred spot on his own shoulder, he knew he'd underestimated his opponent and was now seriously injured. Having lost the venomous snake he relied on, he realized he was unlikely to win.

He looked unwilling to accept this, but the snake would not die so easily, and he could still cast spells tonight.

For now, though, he had to escape first.

He took a deep breath and shouted, “Old man, Young Sutton, this isn't over.”

As his words fell, the black-robed man turned and left, taking several quick steps before leaping over the wall.

“Ethan Woods, he's trying to escape!”

Seeing this, Henry Sutton looked alarmed. This black-robed man had become his enemy; if he sought revenge in secret or returned in the future, what would he do?

“No need to worry.” Ethan Woods released the limp venomous snake and turned to look toward the courtyard wall.

Suddenly, a breeze arose.

The green trees in the courtyard swayed slightly.

The gentle wind brushed the treetops.

A tender branch at the treetop lightly swept right across the black-robed man's eyes.

“Ah!”

The black-robed man cried out, fell down, and clutched his eyes, tears streaming.

Even for a cultivator, unless one's cultivation was extremely high, the eyes could not be as tough as metal or stone.

The treetop had lightly scratched his eyes, making them instantly bloodshot and his gaze even more ferocious.

Henry Sutton stood there in a daze, countless thoughts arising in his mind.

The wind blew through the trees, and a branch just happened to scratch this man's eyes, causing him to fall from the wall.

Was this a coincidence?

Henry Sutton looked at Ethan Woods, only to see Ethan Woods's expression unchanged.

This was no coincidence!

Was it a formation?

Or feng shui?

Henry Sutton recalled that earlier this afternoon, under Ethan Woods's guidance, he had moved some potted plants, knocked off a corner of the rockery, and added a bucket of fresh water to the pond.

By changing various arrangements and moving different objects, could the path of the wind be altered to cause such an effect?

Wasn't this a bit too incredible?

If this was a kind of calculation, wasn't it far too complex?

A strange, indescribable thought suddenly arose in Henry Sutton's heart.

“If we were outside, I would definitely not be your match. Even here in this temple, if you had been more cautious, I might not have been able to deal with you. But you are inexperienced, new to the Central Plains, and far too arrogant.”

Ethan Woods picked up a brazier of incense ash, sprinkled it on his broom, and slowly stood up to walk outside, saying, “You dared to break into the temple—did you ever consider… this is my domain!”

As he spoke, his tone suddenly grew heavy and he said in a deep voice, “This is a place I have arranged for decades.”

The black-robed man's eyes were bloodshot, full of tears and ferocity, and he growled, “Old man!”

Ethan Woods held his broom and walked forward, saying, “You come to my place and still act so arrogant. Did your master never teach you what caution is?”

Step by step, Ethan Woods swung his broom and said, “Since you came today, don't even think about leaving.”

Hearing this, Henry Sutton couldn't help but admire Ethan Woods's imposing presence.

Yet the black-robed man still snarled, “Do you really think you've won?”

Ethan Woods continued forward, his expression cold.

“You've lost your venomous snake, your greatest asset.”

“You took my thunder talisman to the shoulder—it's as if you've lost an arm. Besides, the lingering power of the talisman is still on you, enough to slow your every move.”

“And now, with your eyes scratched by the branch, while not a serious injury, your vision is surely affected.”

“You couldn't defeat me before.”

“How do you expect to win now?”

Ethan Woods's tone was calm, as deep and still as an ancient well.

Henry Sutton had just safely set aside the bowl of poisonous blood to be used as an antidote when he heard Ethan Woods's words, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: “I wonder when I, Mr. Sutton, will be as skilled at posturing as this old man?”

But the black-robed man only laughed coldly, his laughter carrying a chilling undertone. He flicked his hand, suddenly tossing something to the ground.

“Old man, do you really think you've won?”