Shen Lan looked at Ye Xuan, silent.
Ye Xuan hesitated, then asked, “Are you willing?”
After a moment, Shen Lan said, “I’ll think about it!”
Ye Xuan nodded slightly, “Alright!”
He knew this couldn’t be rushed.
Something occurred to him, and he asked curiously, “Miss Shen Lan, why do you always wear a mask?”
Shen Lan said flatly, “Too beautiful, too much trouble!”
Ye Xuan was stunned, then laughed, “I should wear one too!”
Shen Lan frowned, “Why?”
Ye Xuan grinned, “Too handsome, too much trouble!”
Shen Lan: “…”
Ye Xuan suddenly laughed, “Let’s go to the Cloud Tomb!”
With that, he vanished to the horizon.
Ye Xuan shrugged and followed.
…
In the starry sky, Ye Xuan rode his sword, Shen Lan beside him.
She glanced at him, “Sword cultivator, rare!”
Ye Xuan blinked, “Handsome?”
Shen Lan paused, then said, “You’re a bit unserious!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Shen Lan looked into the distant stars, “Young Master Ye, the Cloud Tomb is very dangerous!”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Know why I agreed to go with you?”
Shen Lan turned to him, and he grinned, “Because it’s dangerous!”
Shen Lan looked at him, silent.
Ye Xuan touched his face, “Why do you keep staring?”
Shen Lan shook her head, “Your mouth could make countless women fall.”
She added seriously, “Young Master Ye, I can tell you bear no malice, but you should be careful, if you don’t like a woman, don’t let her develop feelings, many women are deeply devoted, once they fall, they give everything, if reciprocated, fine, but if not, they might sink into ruin.”
Ye Xuan shook his head, “Miss Shen Lan, your words make sense, but I see you only as a friend, a good friend, nothing more! If my actions caused a misunderstanding, I’ll be more careful.”
Shen Lan looked at him, “I didn’t misunderstand!”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Good!”
Shen Lan frowned, “Am I that bad?”
Ye Xuan was stunned, “What do you mean?”
Shen Lan said expressionlessly, “Nothing!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
Suddenly, Ye Xuan frowned and stopped, as did Shen Lan, who turned, her brows furrowing.
Ye Xuan looked into the distance, where a shadow vanished at the starry horizon.
His face darkened.
Someone had been tracking them!
Shen Lan looked at him, “Your enemy?”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “Probably from Shura City!”
Shen Lan was puzzled, “You have a conflict with them?”
Ye Xuan nodded, “They want my bloodline!”
Shen Lan studied him, “Your bloodline? What kind?”
Ye Xuan shook his head.
Shen Lan paused, “Can’t say?”
Ye Xuan nodded.
Shen Lan asked, “Why?”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “I was sincere with you before, which led to a misunderstanding, so, as you said, I should be cautious! I’ll keep some secrets to avoid further misunderstandings.”
Shen Lan grew angry, “I won’t misunderstand!”
Ye Xuan shook his head, “Still, I should watch my words, please don’t ask, Miss Shen Lan!”
Shen Lan stared at him, hands clenched, frustrated but with no reason to lash out.
Ye Xuan looked away, “Are we near the Cloud Tomb?”
Shen Lan took a deep breath, “I don’t know!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
They continued forward.
But now, their conversation dwindled.
Before, Ye Xuan would initiate talk, but after this, he kept a certain distance in both words and actions.
Shen Lan’s face was icy, silent.
Ye Xuan glanced around, using the Great Dao Brush to scan dozens of star domains with his divine sense, finding no more trackers.
He fell silent.
His enemies were likely the Ancient Gods or Shura City.
Ancient Gods?
Ye Xuan shook his head, dismissing the idea, they wouldn’t stoop to such sneaky tactics, it had to be Shura City!
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
After the Cloud Tomb, he’d need to visit Shura City.
He disliked hidden enemies, better to eliminate them than let them linger for the new year!
Ye Xuan glanced at Shen Lan, her face cold and silent.
He hesitated but chose not to speak, she seemed angry, best not to provoke her, he took out *Songs of Chu* and read.
Seeing him read, Shen Lan’s expression grew colder.
An hour later, Shen Lan stopped, and Ye Xuan followed, looking ahead, where a mass of dark black clouds loomed in the starry depths, eerie and sinister.
The clouds were thick, spanning millions of miles across the star domain.
Ye Xuan knew this was the Cloud Tomb.
Shen Lan stared at it, her eyes growing solemn.
She said softly, “Let’s go!”
She moved toward the tomb.
Ye Xuan grabbed her hand, shaking his head, “It’s a bit dangerous!”
Shen Lan glanced at his Great Dao Brush, “It told you?”
Ye Xuan nodded.
Shen Lan said gravely, “Is it really the Great Dao Brush?”
Ye Xuan was silent.
Shen Lan glared, “Didn’t you say to be sincere?”
Ye Xuan hesitated, “But everyone has secrets, right?”
Shen Lan stared, “Are you afraid I’ll misunderstand and have improper thoughts? Rest assured, I absolutely won’t, just be normal with me.”
Ye Xuan still hesitated.
Shen Lan snapped, “Stop hesitating! Be normal, I liked the old you!”
Realising her words, she couldn’t take them back, only glaring at him.
Ye Xuan: “…”
He stopped being coy and said seriously, “Two things: this Cloud Tomb is indeed very dangerous, and this brush is truly the Great Dao Brush.”
Shen Lan asked gravely, “How dangerous?”
Ye Xuan looked at her, “Are you sure you want to go in?”
Shen Lan nodded, “My father went there and never returned.”
Ye Xuan was silent, then said, “I’ll go first!”
He headed toward the Cloud Tomb.
Shen Lan was stunned, then grabbed his arm.
Ye Xuan turned, and she stared at him, “We go together!”
Ye Xuan said seriously, “With the Great Dao Brush, I can retreat safely if there’s danger.”
Shen Lan shook her head, “If we go, we go together, or you leave!”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “Together then!”
Shen Lan nodded, “Good!”
They approached the Cloud Tomb.
As they reached it, the black clouds churned, parting to reveal a giant stone staircase.
They exchanged a glance and ascended the steps.
Soon, they reached a vortex, like a gate, dark and eerie.
A shadowy figure appeared before them.
The figure rasped, “God King Bloodline!”
Shen Lan’s bloodline trembled, and a terrifying bloodline power surged from her!
Boom!
A formidable bloodline pressure swept outward!
But when it reached Ye Xuan, it vanished instantly.
The shadow glanced at Ye Xuan, a hint of shock in its eyes.
Shen Lan said gravely, “You have the God King Bloodline too!”
The shadow looked at her, “Your bloodline is only sixty percent awakened, you’re not qualified to return to the clan!”
Shen Lan frowned, “Return to the clan?”
The shadow said expressionlessly, “You don’t know? Your ancestor committed a mistake and was banished to this universe, the clan leader decreed that only those with over sixty percent awakened bloodlines can return, otherwise, you’re forever barred!”
Shen Lan asked gravely, “My father returned?”
The shadow nodded.
Shen Lan fell silent.
The shadow added, “Though your bloodline isn’t fully awakened, your potential is vast, I can give you a chance to return and see your father!”
Shen Lan looked at the shadow, hesitating.
The shadow stepped aside, “Go in, enter, and you can return to the clan and see your father!”
Shen Lan looked at the vortex, still hesitant, when Ye Xuan smiled, “She has unfinished business, we’ll come another day!”
He grabbed her hand and turned to leave.
A terrifying pressure enveloped them.
Ye Xuan sighed softly.
The shadow rasped, “Young man, clever ones often die fast, but I’m curious, how did you spot the problem?”
Ye Xuan smiled, “If her father truly returned, how could he not contact her? And look at this place, does it seem normal? Even a fool would see something’s off! Next time you set a trap, make it brighter, more festive? This gloom… are you joking?”
The shadow stared at Ye Xuan, “Thanks for the advice, but you’re not leaving!”
Ye Xuan frowned, “You think I’m leaving because I fear you?”
The shadow froze.
Ye Xuan grinned, “You misunderstand! I’m not leaving out of fear, but to avoid more bloodshed!”
The shadow sneered, “Do you know who you’re facing?”
Ye Xuan countered, “Do you know who *you’re* facing?”
The shadow scoffed, “What, want to compare backers? Youngster, you can’t compete! I’m backed by the Ancient God Clan, ever heard of it? You bumpkin, bet you haven’t!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
…
