Ye Guan was equally stunned. He had never imagined that a secret realm in the South Mountains would actually alarm the three great aristocratic families!
This was abnormal.
He turned to look toward the mountain range. He knew that whatever had appeared here was no ordinary secret realm. Otherwise, it would never have drawn the three most powerful families of South Continent!
At that moment, dozens of formidable auras suddenly swept in from the horizon. Under everyone’s gaze, dozens of powerful experts tore through the clouds and descended directly into the vast mountains.
Looking at those dozens of figures, Ye Guan’s expression grew extremely grave.
Among them, the weakest were all Myriad Dharma Realm!
Because every single one could fly!
And the leading hunchbacked elder was a legendary Hidden Nether Realm expert!
Hidden Nether Realm!
This was the first time Ye Guan had ever seen one!
At this moment, besides shock, he also felt excitement and eagerness!
He was currently True Dharma Realm. Killing Myriad Dharma Realm experts would not be difficult. What he was unsure of was whether, using his sword, he could kill a Hidden Nether Realm expert.
He very much wanted to test it!
Of course, he was not stupid enough to actually try it openly. If the other party discovered he possessed a sword dao inheritance, the three great families’ target might shift from the South Mountains secret realm to him, Ye Guan!
At that point, the people around began retreating outward.
The three great families had already issued their warning. Staying here any longer was courting death!
If it had been any ordinary clan, people might not have given up so easily. But these were the three great families!
In South Continent, apart from Guanxuan Academy, these three families had absolute authority!
Ye Guan glanced once more at the secret realm. Truthfully, abandoning it just like this left him somewhat unwilling. Of course, he was also very clear about his current strength.
There was no way he could contend against the three great families right now!
He decisively turned and left without the slightest hesitation.
Ambition was fine, but one needed the corresponding strength to back it!
Just then, as if sensing something, Ye Guan suddenly looked up. The next moment, that luxurious carriage had already stopped directly in front of him.
The curtain was drawn back. Nalan Jia poked her head out and smiled at him. “Get on!”
Ye Guan paused, completely surprised!
Nalan Jia laughed. “What are you standing there for? Don’t you want to see the secret realm?”
Ye Guan smiled. “I do!”
With that, he leapt lightly and landed on the carriage.
Once inside, Ye Guan saw the woman in the cloud-coloured dress. She was currently studying him with great interest.
Nalan Jia sat beside the woman and smiled at Ye Guan. “Let me introduce you. This is my fiancé, Ye Guan!”
The woman looked Ye Guan over and nodded slightly. “Handsome and talented!”
Nalan Jia turned to Ye Guan and laughed. “Her name is Nan Qingyue. She is the eldest young lady of the Nan family!”
Ye Guan gave a slight bow. “Lady Nan, a pleasure to meet you!”
Nan Qingyue smiled. “Have a seat!”
Ye Guan nodded and sat opposite the two women. He glanced around. The interior of the carriage was very spacious. Behind them stood a screen, and beyond the screen was a round wooden bathtub.
At that moment, Nan Qingyue suddenly smiled. “Young Master Ye Guan is True Dharma Realm?”
Ye Guan nodded. “Yes!”
Nan Qingyue inclined her head but said nothing more.
A seventeen-year-old True Dharma Realm cultivator was indeed a monster in Ancient Desolate City and a genius across South Continent. But in the eyes of the three great families, he was merely acceptable!
Because they had seen the wider world and witnessed countless heaven’s chosen!
Nan Qingyue glanced at Nalan Jia, then back at Ye Guan, and said no more.
At that moment the carriage stopped. Nan Qingyue announced, “We’re here!”
With that, she stepped out!
Ye Guan and Nalan Jia followed. Ye Guan looked around. Over a hundred experts now surrounded them!
The weakest among them were True Dharma Realm!
Confusion filled Ye Guan’s eyes. Just what kind of ruin could make the three great families mobilise on such a scale?
He looked into the distance. Not far away was an enormous abyss. Around it stood countless shattered mountains. From within the abyss, purple gas occasionally surged forth.
Seeing that purple gas, Ye Guan was shocked!
This might not be a mere purple crystal mine beneath. There could be a spirit vein!
Spirit vein!
In South Continent, there were spirit mines, spirit veins, dragon veins, earth veins, heavenly veins, and immortal veins.
Spirit mines were the lowest grade, only producing ordinary spirit crystals.
Spirit veins were different. They could continuously provide spiritual energy, and around a newly discovered spirit vein, massive quantities of spirit crystals were very likely to exist!
The gas erupting from this abyss was purple. That meant there was at least a purple spirit vein down there!
Possibly even a supreme-grade purple spirit vein!
At this moment, he finally understood why the three great families were going to such lengths!
Just then, a man appeared in the field. He wore snow-white robes and held a folding fan, a faint smile on his face.
Seeing him, Nan Qingyue smiled. “Young Master Zheng Lin!”
The man called Zheng Lin laughed. “Lady Nan arrived rather quickly!”
He paused, then looked at Nalan Jia beside her. “And this lady is?”
Nalan Jia smiled slightly. “Nalan Jia!”
“Young Lady Nalan!”
Zheng Lin’s eyes widened. “You are the Nalan Jia who possesses one of the three legendary divine physiques, the Holy Spirit Divine Body!”
Nalan Jia smiled but said nothing.
Zheng Lin laughed. “A pleasure to meet you!”
Then he turned to Ye Guan beside her. “And this is?”
Nalan Jia answered, “This is my fiancé, Ye Guan!”
Fiancé!
Zheng Lin paused, then looked at Ye Guan. “Ye Guan… Ye clan… Could it be the Ye clan from the north?”
Ye Guan shook his head. “I am from the Ye clan of Ancient Desolate City!”
Ancient Desolate City!
Zheng Lin blinked, then smiled and said no more. Ancient Desolate City, a backwater little place!
At that moment another woman appeared. She wore a green dress, her long black hair cascading like a waterfall. Tall and slender, she held a jade flute and had a cool, detached gaze.
Nan Qingyue looked at her and smiled. “Lady Si Qing!”
Si Qing said calmly, “Everyone is here. Shall we go?”
Nan Qingyue nodded. “Let’s go!”
With that, the group walked toward the distant abyss.
The experts of the three families did not follow!
Along the way, Nan Qingyue and the other two chatted and laughed, while Ye Guan and Nalan Jia seemed somewhat isolated. Soon, however, Nan Qingyue drew Nalan Jia into their conversation!
Only Ye Guan was left looking somewhat lonely!
He did not mind.
He knew this world was full of circles big and small. This was their circle. They had no interest in him, and he had little interest in forcing his way in.
Different circles meant he would not try to blend in by force.
His goal was simply to see the secret realm.
At that moment the little pagoda’s voice suddenly rang out. “A familiar aura!”
Ye Guan frowned slightly. “Familiar aura? Tower Master, what do you mean?”
After a brief silence, the little pagoda replied, “Nothing!”
Ye Guan shook his head and smiled. This Tower Master was always so mysterious.
In the distance, Nan Qingyue beside Nalan Jia suddenly laughed. “Little Jia, he’s not… he’s not suitable for you!”
Nalan Jia looked at her. Nan Qingyue said calmly, “In Ancient Desolate City he may be impressive, but out in the wider world he is merely average! Moreover, his family background is too poor. A tiny Ye clan is destined to limit his future! The Ye clan cannot provide him better resources. In this era, background and family matter! Without a powerful background paving the way, no matter how hard one works, there are limits.”
Nalan Jia glanced at Nan Qingyue, somewhat surprised. “Qingyue, do you think he is very poor?”
Nan Qingyue looked at Ye Guan walking a little farther away and smiled. “Just look at his emotional intelligence. I think it’s terrible! If I were him, I would put aside my pride and try to befriend us instead of pretending to be aloof. Of course, that is normal. Many people lack ability yet have sky-high arrogance, thinking they are no worse than others. What he doesn’t realise is that if he pleased us, it would be of enormous help to his future!”
She shook her head slightly. “I say this not because I want him to fawn over me, but simply to point out that he originally had an excellent opportunity to climb upward, yet he chose not to take it!”
Nalan Jia laughed. “If he really tried desperately to curry favour the moment he saw you, that would mean I misjudged him completely!”
Nan Qingyue frowned slightly.
A moment later, Nalan Jia suddenly walked over to Ye Guan and smiled. “Qingyue is a student at the academy under Tutor Yang, which is how we know each other. When she saw you earlier and knew you wanted to see the secret realm, I invited you along… I did not mean to put you in an awkward position!”
How could she not see that Ye Guan was being sidelined?
She also knew how serious this circle culture was, and the higher one climbed, the worse it became.
These aristocratic young masters and ladies were extremely pragmatic!
Just as Ye Guan was about to speak, Nan Qingyue in the distance suddenly exclaimed, “Spirit vein!”
Hearing this, Ye Guan and Nalan Jia looked over. Nan Qingyue was holding a compass that was spinning rapidly.
Beside her, excitement and heat filled Zheng Lin’s eyes.
Even the usually calm Si Qing showed a flicker of emotion!
Nan Qingyue suddenly declared, “Let’s go down and take a look!”
With that, she shot into the air and flew downward!
Si Qing and Zheng Lin immediately followed.
Nalan Jia looked at Ye Guan. “Shall we go see?”
Ye Guan nodded. The two also leapt into the abyss.
After an unknown amount of time, everyone landed. In the distance stood a pitch-black cavern. Beside the entrance grew a tree several zhang tall, bearing dozens of blood-red fruits.
Seeing the fruits, Nan Qingyue’s eyes instantly blazed. “Fire Spirit Fruits! Consuming one adds at least ten years of cultivation!”
Fire Spirit Fruits!
Earth-grade heavenly treasure, each worth at least a hundred thousand spirit crystals!
Beside Nan Qingyue, Zheng Lin grew visibly excited. Si Qing remained calm, her eyes betraying no ripple.
The three exchanged glances. Nan Qingyue flicked her sleeve. A gust swept out, and soon the dozens of Fire Spirit Fruits fell from the tree, carried by the wind to the trio!
She divided them into three equal portions, twelve fruits each!
Nan Qingyue suddenly walked over to Nalan Jia, opened her palm, and two Fire Spirit Fruits flew toward her. She smiled. “Little Jia, these will help you too!”
Nalan Jia did not stand on ceremony. She smiled. “Thank you!”
With that, she accepted them.
At that moment Zheng Lin also approached Nalan Jia. He produced two Fire Spirit Fruits and offered them with a slight smile. “Lady Nalan! A small token of my regard. Please accept!”
Nalan Jia glanced at the two fruits, shook her head, and smiled. “Your kind intention is appreciated!”
Zheng Lin paused, then laughed. “Is Lady Nalan worried Young Master Ye will misunderstand?”
He glanced at Ye Guan beside her and said lightly, “I am sure Young Master Ye Guan is not so petty! Of course, forgive my bluntness, but Young Master Ye Guan’s thoughts are not something I particularly care about.”
With that, he once again extended the Fire Spirit Fruits toward Nalan Jia, this time offering five, his face full of confident smile. He was certain the woman before him could not refuse this temptation.
When dealing with women, one word: money!
If that was not enough?
Two words: more money!
Nan Qingyue glanced at Ye Guan, a playful smile on her lips.
Nalan Jia’s brows furrowed slightly.
This was no longer just aimed at Ye Guan; it was an insult to her, Nalan Jia!
Just as Nalan Jia was about to flare up, Ye Guan suddenly took her arm and laughed. “Little Jia, since it’s a gift for you, just accept it! Otherwise people will say I am petty!”
Nalan Jia looked at him. Seeing his smile, she understood and accepted the five Fire Spirit Fruits.
Ye Guan directly took the fruits from Nalan Jia’s hand and, under everyone’s gaze, bit into one. Then he looked at Zheng Lin and laughed. “Damn, these really are fragrant!”
Zheng Lin’s face instantly turned as ugly as if his parents had just died!
Ye Guan blinked. “Angry? Aiya, don’t be angry! The angrier you get, the happier I feel…”
With that, he took another big bite.
Everyone: “…”
