Just then, the door of the thatched hut swung open, and a woman stepped out slowly.
She wore a simple long dress, her hair cascading over her shoulders, exuding a serene and elegant air.
Ye Xuan recognized her instantly!
It was Miss Ding!
Miss Ding froze slightly upon seeing Mu Niannian, clearly not expecting her arrival.
Mu Niannian stepped into the garden, smiling. “I hope I’m not interrupting?”
Miss Ding glanced at Gu Di and the others nearby, offering a faint smile. “No need to be so formal!”
With that, she set down her flower basket and turned to Ye Xuan, smiling again. “Come here!”
Ye Xuan hesitated, then approached her. Miss Ding chuckled softly. “Do you hate your father?”
Ye Xuan blinked. “I wouldn’t dare!”
Miss Ding shook her head with a laugh. “Wouldn’t dare… So, there’s resentment in your heart!”
Ye Xuan stayed silent.
He wasn’t as reckless as Little Pagoda, blurting out whatever came to mind!
When his father got serious, it was no joke— and you couldn’t even fight back!
A father disciplining his son—wasn’t that just natural?
Miss Ding suddenly pointed to a small blade of grass nearby. “See this grass?”
Ye Xuan glanced at it, puzzled.
Miss Ding smiled. “This grass has endured countless storms and rains, yet it’s survived! Not only survived, but thrived! Look here—” She pulled a vibrant flower from her basket. “This is a peony—gorgeous, but it can only live in a greenhouse. In terms of resilience, it’s nowhere near this grass. I’ve told you before: your father’s life and yours are worlds apart. He grew up without a father, relying on his mother and sister. Later, your grandmother met a tragic end… His life was bitter, but that bitterness forged him!”
She paused, smiling faintly. “Little one, you think your life’s tough, but compared to your father’s, yours is practically charmed!”
Ye Xuan fell silent, though inwardly he asked, “Little Pagoda, is Aunt Ding pulling my leg?”
Little Pagoda paused, then replied, “The master’s life was indeed perilous, and his temper was far fiercer than yours—way fiercer! He seems easygoing now, always smiling, because he’s got no real rivals left! Back then, he was either fighting or on his way to a fight. Burning his body, his soul—that was routine for him. As for you, little master… honestly, your enemies might be oddballs, but they don’t even make you fight! Every time you’re halfway into a desperate struggle, someone bails you out…”
Ye Xuan frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying I’m just a spoiled second-generation kid?”
Little Pagoda said gravely, “Your question leaves me speechless… Aren’t you?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Little Pagoda went on, “You and the master share one trait: shamelessness. But you’ve taken it to the extreme!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
“And your personalities differ too,” Little Pagoda continued. “The master used to be volatile—especially after awakening his bloodline, he’d even cut down his own allies! You, though? When your bloodline kicks in, it’s like you’re drunk— all flash and no substance! Plus, you’re always either showing off or bragging… Maybe that’s just the life of a second-gen!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Miss Ding spoke again. “He wants you to toughen up—that’s his good intention. His methods, though, aren’t the best. But that’s because he’s not great at communicating!”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly. “I get what you mean, Aunt Ding. I don’t hate him— I don’t even have the right to. Without him…”
He trailed off.
Because he realized—without his father, there was still Qing’er…
Ugh!
What a messed-up life!
Miss Ding clearly caught his drift and shook her head with a wry smile.
Just then, the little girl clutching a tattered rag doll spoke up from a distance. “Did we come here to watch you chat?”
Miss Ding turned to her. The girl sized her up, a creepy smirk curling her lips. “Your skin’s nice— it’d make a great doll!”
Miss Ding smiled. “You might not get the chance!”
The girl opened her mouth to retort, but Little Pagoda cut in. “Little girl, watch your mouth… You can insult the little master, but don’t you dare trash-talk my mistress!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened. What the hell, Little Pagoda?!
The girl glanced at Ye Xuan’s abdomen, sneering. “What kind of trash are you? You think you’re worthy to speak to me?”
Little Pagoda sighed softly. “You dimwit! You’re on par with that old Tian Ye. Is he calling you?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The girl frowned. “Tian Ye? What kind of rubbish is that? Comparable to me?”
Little Pagoda: “…”
Gu Di, standing nearby, suddenly chuckled. “Girl, where’s this person you mentioned?”
“Person?” The girl smirked derisively. “They’re just wasting time!”
She turned to Miss Ding, sneering. “Weren’t you going to call someone? Hurry up! We’re waiting!”
Miss Ding glanced at her and smiled. “Alright!”
With that, she pulled out a small wooden sword. Smiling at it, she channeled a surge of mysterious energy into it.
The sword trembled faintly, and then—
*Boom!*
The sky split open, spacetime tearing apart. A beam of sword light shot down, and in the next instant, a man in green robes appeared!
Instant arrival!
Ye Xuan’s mouth twitched. Looks like Aunt Ding held a high place in his father’s heart!
Instant response!
The green-robed man stepped forward to Miss Ding, smiling gently. “You alright?”
Miss Ding shook her head. “I’m fine!”
He turned to Ye Xuan. “Oh, you’re here too!”
Ye Xuan was speechless. *What, you didn’t notice me?*
Little Pagoda darted to the green-robed man. “Master! That little girl just insulted Mistress!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened further. Damn it, this thing’s a snitch now?!
The green-robed man’s eyes narrowed. He looked at the girl with the doll. “Shaoyao, she insulted you?”
Ding Shaoyao smiled faintly. “She’s just a kid— doesn’t know better. It’s normal!”
The man said coolly, “Doesn’t know better?”
The girl glared at him coldly. “Yeah, I insulted her! Bite me!”
The man blinked. “That cocky, huh?”
As she opened her mouth again, a sword suddenly pierced through it!
*Boom!*
Her body was pinned in place, blood gushing from her mouth, unable to speak!
Everyone’s faces changed in an instant!
Gu Di’s eyes narrowed, a rare seriousness flickering in them.
Bi Xiao’s expression turned grim!
The green-robed man glanced at the girl and chuckled. “That’s it?”
Everyone: “…”
The girl stared at him, struggling to move, only to realize in horror that she couldn’t!
Gu Di spoke up. “Sir, do you only pick on children?”
The green-robed man turned to him, flicking his thumb. His sheathed sword flew out. Gu Di’s pupils shrank. He stepped forward, unleashing a punch!
With that punch, spacetime within millions of li shattered. From the rifts, countless mysterious forces surged like waves, converging into his fist.
This punch carried the power of countless spacetime planes!
At that moment, Gu Di was one with those planes.
To defeat him, you’d need strength surpassing them all!
Then, the green-robed man’s sword arrived.
Under everyone’s gaze, it sliced through that immense power like cutting tofu, piercing straight into Gu Di’s fist.
*Shnk!*
The sword drove into his body!
*Boom!*
Gu Di shuddered violently, his body deflating like a punctured balloon, power leaking out.
Everyone was stunned!
Gu Di—killed with one sword?
One-shot?
The long-haired woman and black-robed man beside him froze, petrified!
They’d followed Gu Di since ancient times, and in their eyes, he was invincible!
Truly invincible!
When he’d destroyed the Zhouyuan Realm, he’d used one move to obliterate its top powerhouse!
Since then, he’d never needed to act again—no one was worth it!
But now, he’d been one-shotted by a single sword!
Bi Xiao’s face went pale, her mind blank as if struck by lightning.
This terrifying Gu Di—taken down with one strike?
She knew she’d lost her gamble!
Tian Yan, nearby, glanced at Ye Xuan. Bloody hell, this kid’s backer was unstoppable!
Gu Di himself was dazed. He hadn’t held back with that punch— the green-robed man had felt dangerous!
Yet he never imagined that sword could so effortlessly shatter his power!
The green-robed man looked at him. “That’s it?”
Everyone: “…”
He turned to Ye Xuan, who inwardly panicked—his father might be about to chew him out!
Staring at him, the man said, “If you’re going to stir up trouble, can’t you pick bigger fights? Look at these enemies of yours… so weak! Every time I show up, one swing and it’s over—boring as hell, you know that?”
He paused, then added, “Really boring. It’s like running across billions of star domains to squash an ant… frustrating!”
Everyone: “…”
