Sister Nian wouldn’t joke with him!
That meant something was seriously wrong!
At that moment, the little girl charged at him again. As she rushed forward, the space-time around Ye Xuan ignited!
Watching her approach, Ye Xuan slowly closed his eyes. The next instant, his blood boiled within him.
*Bloodline power!*
As the girl reached him, Ye Xuan abruptly drew his sword and slashed. A wave of blood-red sword light surged forth!
*Boom!*
The girl was forcefully repelled thousands of meters by the strike!
This time, when she stopped, she looked dazed. A deep sword mark now marred her arm.
Just then, in the distance, the black-robed man and Mu Niannian halted their fight.
After stopping, Mu Niannian glanced at the well, her delicate brows furrowing.
Ye Xuan was about to speak when Mu Niannian suddenly said, “You all leave first!”
*Leave!*
Ye Xuan looked at her. She smiled, “Listen to me!”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Alright!”
He turned to Bi Xiao and Tian Yan. “Let’s go!”
As the three prepared to depart, a voice boomed from the well’s depths: “Leave?”
The voice thundered like a bell, shaking the heavens and earth!
Ye Xuan, Tian Yan, and Bi Xiao’s faces changed dramatically!
Ye Xuan spun toward the well. At that moment, it split wide open, and a middle-aged man stepped out slowly!
With his appearance, Bi Xiao and Tian Yan’s expressions shifted again.
*Danger!*
That was their immediate sensation!
The man bore a “卍” symbol between his brows, but unlike the others, his was blood-red.
He surveyed his surroundings, his gaze settling on Mu Niannian. Smiling faintly, he said, “I never expected this later age to produce a powerhouse like you!”
Mu Niannian grinned. “What should I call you?”
He chuckled. “They used to call me the Ancient Emperor!”
*Ancient Emperor!*
Mu Niannian nodded with a smile. “There are still plenty of strong ones in this world!”
The Ancient Emperor studied her. “You’re impressive. I’m short a servant—if you’re willing, you could serve me!”
Mu Niannian blinked. “You’re dreaming!”
He laughed. “Then die!”
With that, he stepped forward. The space around Mu Niannian turned illusory, then morphed into a blood-red domain!
Her eyes narrowed. She drew her sword and slashed.
*Rip!*
The strike shook the blood-red space, but it didn’t break!
Her brows furrowed.
At that moment, Ye Xuan’s Qingxuan Sword vanished from his hand and struck the blood-red space.
*Rip!*
The space trembled and split open!
It could still bypass that blood-red domain!
The Ancient Emperor flinched. Then, with a casual grab, an unseen force enveloped the Qingxuan Sword. In an instant, it appeared in his hand!
Ye Xuan’s heart jolted. He tried to recall the sword but was horrified to realize he could no longer sense it!
The Ancient Emperor examined the Qingxuan Sword, smiling. “Fine blade! Especially this tip—sharpest in the world!”
He looked at Ye Xuan, grinning. “Interesting!”
Ye Xuan said gravely, “Sir, we have no grudge—”
The Ancient Emperor cut him off with a shake of his head. “We didn’t before, but now we do! We’ve waited so long for this universe to regain its vitality—we won’t let it go! Nor will we spare you creatures.”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
*Devouring the universe!*
The Ancient Emperor and his ilk strengthened themselves by consuming universes and their beings—a bizarre cultivation method.
*Treating the whole universe like livestock!*
The little girl suddenly piped up, “Master, I want to rip him apart!”
She charged at Ye Xuan.
His eyes narrowed. He didn’t strike immediately. As she neared, he stepped forward, and a flood of sword light engulfed them both!
*Square-Inch Sword Domain!*
Instantly, Ye Xuan and the girl were plunged into a mysterious spatial abyss, where countless sword qi tore through the air.
The girl punched at Ye Xuan, her fist shattering all the sword qi!
Ye Xuan opened his palm, a sword appearing in his hand. He leapt forward and slashed downward.
*Boom!*
The girl was sent flying by the strike!
At that moment, the long-haired woman vanished. As she did, Ye Xuan’s pupils shrank. Countless sword qi erupted from his body!
A finger jabbed forward!
*Boom!*
The sword light shattered, and the finger struck Ye Xuan’s chest!
*Boom!*
He was flung backward. When he stopped, a tiny蛊虫 (gu insect) mark appeared on his chest.
The long-haired woman smirked. “Feel death!”
As her words fell, the mark writhed. Ye Xuan’s eyes widened.
The gu insect had entered his bloodstream, intent on devouring his blood!
But after consuming a single drop, the insect seemed to encounter something terrifying. It thrashed wildly, trying to flee his body!
Too late!
*Boom!*
Ye Xuan’s blood devoured the insect instead. A surge of terrifying energy erupted from it, fully absorbed by his blood!
His blood boiled, and his aura skyrocketed!
Ye Xuan froze, stunned.
*Did she just deliver me a tonic?*
The long-haired woman frowned. “How is that possible!”
The Ancient Emperor chuckled. “His bloodline’s special—your gu can’t consume it!”
She said gravely, “That shouldn’t—”
He laughed. “It’s indeed astonishing! I’ve never seen such a bloodline!”
She stared at Ye Xuan. “He’s mine!”
The little girl snapped, “He’s mine!”
The woman glanced at her. “His skin for you, his blood for me—deal?”
The girl thought it over, then nodded. “Deal!”
Tian Yan suddenly spoke up, “Aren’t you all disrespecting the King of Connections a bit too much?”
The long-haired woman turned to her. Tian Yan said coolly, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you—this King of Connections isn’t ordinary!”
The woman sneered. “You think we’re ordinary?”
She lunged, jabbing a finger at Ye Xuan.
He narrowed his eyes, leapt up, and slashed down, striking her finger.
*Boom!*
His sword shattered, and he was flung thousands of meters back. As he stopped, a shadow streaked past, tearing space-time apart.
Ye Xuan’s pupils shrank. His blood boiled, and a blood-red sword formed in his hand!
*Forged from his own blood!*
He sheathed it, then drew it swiftly.
*Rip!*
The draw shattered the surrounding space-time.
*Boom!*
The strike forced the long-haired woman back tens of thousands of meters. She plummeted into an unknown spatial abyss, her body riddled with nearly a hundred blood-red sword qi—dense and horrifying!
Tian Yan and Bi Xiao’s expressions grew grave.
Ye Xuan’s combat power was getting ridiculous!
He wasn’t a Circle Drawer, but ordinary Circle Drawers were no match for him. Even some Inner Circle fighters might not beat him!
Bi Xiao suddenly asked, “Tian Yan, what do you think?”
Tian Yan glanced at her. “Think of what?”
Bi Xiao smiled. “You don’t think their target is just the King of Connections and that swordswoman, do you?”
Tian Yan frowned.
Bi Xiao continued, “If they leave, what happens then?”
Tian Yan stayed silent.
The Ancient Emperor’s group aimed to devour the Zhouyuan Realm. If Ye Xuan and the swordswoman left, they’d be next.
Bi Xiao said coolly, “We’re watching him get beaten now, but soon he might watch us take the hits. He’s not from here, has no ties here—he could walk away. We can’t. This is our home, isn’t it? Plus, your Tianqi Clan was wiped out by these very people. Do you think they’ll spare you?”
Tian Yan’s face remained blank, silent.
The long-haired woman glared at Ye Xuan. “You’ve made me very angry!”
Ye Xuan grinned. “If you want to fight, fight—can you stop posturing in front of me?”
He charged, a wave of blood light sweeping through. In an instant, the sky for tens of thousands of miles turned into a sea of blood!
*Bloodline power!*
The woman’s eyes flashed with ferocity. She opened her hand, summoning a long saber. Gripping it with both hands, she lunged and slashed down. “Break!”
The blade fell, shaking the heavens!
*Boom!*
The blood sea split apart. A sword light shattered, and Ye Xuan was flung back. Her saber turned to ash, and his sword severed her right arm at the root!
But Ye Xuan didn’t escape unscathed—his body cracked, a deep saber wound exposing his organs!
*Both wounded!*
At that critical moment, the little girl charged at Ye Xuan, clearly aiming to finish him off!
A glint of menace flashed in his eyes as he prepared to strike. But Tian Yan suddenly stepped in front of the girl, who glared at her. “Get lost!”
Tian Yan vanished. The girl’s pupils shrank as she crossed her arms to block.
*Boom!*
Tian Yan’s punch sent her flying thousands of meters!
Tian Yan moved to pursue, but she sensed something and spun around, slamming her hand downward. The space-time before her boiled!
*Boom!*
A blood-red spike pierced through, shattering the space-time and plunging into her right hand!
Boom!
Tian Yan was hurled back tens of thousands of meters, pinned to a spatial plane by the spike.
Defeated in one move!
Bi Xiao suddenly shouted, “I surrender!”
