Hearing the green-robed man’s words, a warm current flowed through Ye Xuan’s heart.
The green-robed man smiled. “The three of us will eventually have a showdown, but before that, I hope you can gain the strength to protect yourself. As I’ve said before, this long road of life—I want you to walk it yourself! Taste all the bitterness and sweetness for yourself. That’s what makes life meaningful.”
He patted Ye Xuan’s shoulder lightly. “Your old man being invincible isn’t impressive. You becoming impressive—that’s what really counts, got it?”
Ye Xuan nodded.
The green-robed man grinned faintly. “Then our father-son chat ends here!”
Ye Xuan said solemnly, “Dad… how’s Mum doing?”
The green-robed man chuckled. “You little rascal, I thought you’d forgotten your mother!”
Ye Xuan fell silent.
The green-robed man softened his tone. “She’s doing well—just misses you a bit! She’s training hard now, harder than ever. I know she’s sensed something, which is why she’s pushing herself—so she can help you later!”
He shook his head slightly. “She even set up a mysterious faction just for you… It’s giving me a headache!”
Ye Xuan’s heart warmed.
The green-robed man continued, “Chat’s over! I’m off!”
Ye Xuan asked gravely, “Dad, what’s this ‘Demon Vein’ that black-robed guy mentioned?”
The green-robed man shook his head. “Honestly don’t know!”
Ye Xuan pressed, “It sounded pretty formidable. You killed their people—won’t they come after me for revenge?”
The green-robed man laughed. “Scared?”
Ye Xuan straightened up. “Of course not, I—”
The green-robed man nodded. “Good, no fear! My son wouldn’t be afraid. If they come for you, just take them out. I believe you can handle it!”
Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
The green-robed man turned to Ding Shaoyao in the distance, smiling. “Let’s go!”
Ding Shaoyao hesitated, then said, “I don’t want to keep wandering around!”
He walked over to her, speaking gently. “I’ve found a quiet spot for you—somewhere no one will disturb you!”
Ding Shaoyao looked at him. “Really?”
He nodded.
She thought for a moment, then turned to Mu Niannian. “Miss Nian, fancy joining me for a while?”
Mu Niannian pondered, then smiled. “Of course!”
She glanced at Ye Xuan, opening her palm. Little Pagoda appeared, and in the next moment, An Lanxiu, Zhang Wenxiu, and Ye Ling materialized.
Mu Niannian looked at Ding Shaoyao, who glanced at An Lanxiu. “Let her follow Jing.”
The green-robed man eyed An Lanxiu and nodded slightly. “Fine!”
Ding Shaoyao turned to Zhang Wenxiu. “And her?”
After a brief pause, the green-robed man said, “Let her go with Xiu-jie!”
Ding Shaoyao smiled faintly. “Fitting enough!”
She then looked at Ye Ling.
The green-robed man thought for a second, then said, “She can come with me!”
Love extends to the family—though Ye Ling wasn’t his blood, he knew her bond with Ye Xuan was deep.
Ye Xuan’s heart leapt with joy. With Ye Ling under his father’s wing, her future would be unstoppable!
Suddenly, the green-robed man turned, frowning. “Time reversal?”
With a flick of his fingers, a streak of sword light pierced a nearby patch of spacetime.
A trickle of blood seeped out, then vanished!
Everyone was bewildered.
Mu Niannian stared deeply at that spot, lost in thought.
Ding Shaoyao stepped beside the green-robed man. “What’s wrong?”
He smiled. “Nothing—someone in the future tried reversing time to replay what happened here!”
Ding Shaoyao nodded, saying no more.
The green-robed man swung his sword.
*Shnk!*
A spacetime tunnel opened in the distance. At its end, Ye Xuan spotted a woman!
Snow-jie!
At the tunnel’s far end, Yang Nianxue seemed to sense something. She turned, then tried to bolt—but a sword light locked her in place!
She glared at the green-robed man. “Dad!”
He said coolly, “You’ve got some nerve! I raised you by my side, and now you can’t even beat your little brother. Don’t you feel ashamed?”
Yang Nianxue huffed, “Little brother’s all flash—he keeps getting Tianming’s help! How can I compete?”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened.
The green-robed man rubbed his temples. “Your mother wants me to bring you back! Up to you!”
Mother!
Yang Nianxue’s expression shifted. After a moment, she grumbled reluctantly, “Fine, I’ll go back!”
With a gesture, he summoned a sword light beneath her feet, teleporting her into the scene.
She glanced at Ye Xuan, giggling. “Little bro, got beaten up again and called Dad for help, huh?”
Ye Xuan stepped beside her. “Big sis, I risked my life for you before! You’re leaving now—shouldn’t you give me something nice?”
He knew she had plenty of treasures!
Yang Nianxue blinked. “A brother risking his life for his sister—isn’t that just natural?”
Ye Xuan was dumbfounded…
She patted his shoulder earnestly. “Little bro, keep at it! I’m off to enjoy the good life with Dad!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
As she opened her mouth again, the green-robed man cut in, “Why are you getting so flashy now?”
Yang Nianxue sidled up to him, grinning. “Dad, should I stay and struggle with little bro? I don’t want to be a second-gen who relies on parents—I want to make it on my own!”
Ye Xuan shook his head frantically. “Big sis, go enjoy life with Dad! Don’t… don’t stick with me!”
He’d had enough of Yang Nianxue!
Useless at everything except selling out her brother!
She glared at him, about to retort, when the green-robed man said, “Let’s go!”
With a wave of his sleeve, everyone vanished!
Swift and decisive—no hesitation!
Only Ye Xuan, Tian Yan, and Bi Xiao remained.
Ye Xuan gazed at the starry horizon, murmuring, “Alone again!”
Little Pagoda piped up, “Little master, did you forget I’m here?”
Ye Xuan said flatly, “Are you a person?”
Little Pagoda: “…”
Tian Yan opened her palm, revealing a tiny white vortex.
Ye Xuan looked at her curiously. “Tian Yan, what’s that?”
She glanced at him, retracting the vortex. “Not going with your dad?”
Ye Xuan smiled. “My road’s mine to walk!”
Tian Yan said earnestly, “I think you’d make a perfect second-gen!”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened.
She turned to Bi Xiao, removing a ribbon from her forehead. “Bi Xiao, what do you think of these two words on my forehead?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Bi Xiao stayed silent.
Tian Yan, now far stronger than before.
She sneered, “Bi Xiao, you’ve spent your life bending with the wind. Never thought you’d lose the most crucial bet!”
Bi Xiao nodded. “I lost!”
She smiled at Ye Xuan. “Who’d have thought Young Master Ye had such a grand background? Pity I didn’t latch onto your leg!”
Ye Xuan laughed. “Miss Bi Xiao, you’re clever—but you’ve no principles!”
With that, he turned and left.
He didn’t kill her—there was no need!
After he departed, Tian Yan faced Bi Xiao. “You won!”
Tian Yan stared at her. “You’re something, alright. Suicide, or shall I do it?”
Bi Xiao chuckled softly. “I’d like to see the strength beyond the inner circle!”
Her palm opened, unleashing a powerful aura.
*Boom!*
The spacetime around her boiled!
Inner Circle Realm!
Tian Yan eyed her. “So, you’ve been hiding your realm!”
Bi Xiao smiled. “Always keep a card up your sleeve, no?”
Tian Yan shook her head. “Too late!”
She vanished.
In the distance, Bi Xiao’s pupils shrank. Her throat split, blood spurting out.
Tian Yan reappeared behind her. “See it?”
Bi Xiao’s eyes clouded with confusion, color fading. “Spare my clan…”
Tian Yan shook her head. “The Shenhuang Clan will be wiped out! If you’d won, the Tianqi Clan would’ve been!”
She walked off.
War wasn’t a game—losers die!
Bi Xiao’s eyes dimmed completely.
She’d gambled her whole life, winning often—enough to lead the Shenhuang Clan to supplant the Tianqi Clan.
But she lost once—the critical time—dooming her and her clan.
As she faded, Ye Xuan’s words echoed: *She was smart, but had no principles!*
In her final moment, she whispered, “Father, sorry—I couldn’t protect our clan… My people… I failed you…”
She vanished.
—
A quarter-hour later, Tian Yan reached the Tianhe Gate. With her newfound power, the Zhouyuan Realm’s elites were ants to her!
Massacre!
She single-handedly slaughtered the five clans’ strongest!
They couldn’t even resist!
The Tianqi Clan’s king returned, reclaiming its place as the realm’s mightiest!
At the Tianhe Gate, Tian Yan sat on a stone step, surrounded by a mountain of five-clan corpses, rivers of blood flowing.
She gazed at the scene, lost in thought.
Satisfaction?
None!
No thrill of revenge—just emptiness!
These people had been ants before her—gone with a wave of her hand!
She thought of the plain-skirted woman and the green-robed man.
Weren’t she and her clan just as insignificant before such beings?
The Tianqi Clan had won, but in the vast cosmos, they were still ants. Provoke the wrong foe—like that day against the plain-skirted woman—and they’d have no chance to resist!
Back then, they’d have been like the five clans now—helpless slaughter!
Her eyes closed slowly. “Father, I’ll protect the Tianqi Clan!”
She rose and left. Soon, an order spread from the clan.
Tian Yan stepped down as leader, passing it to Tian Ji.
The clan didn’t need a chief—it needed a powerhouse!
The stronger she became, the safer they’d be!
