"The show has just begun," Hong Qianye said as she formed hand seals. Ice-blue flames rose from her palms one after another, drifting out like wandering spirits.
The moment they appeared, the surrounding air froze, and frost Qi surged outward in all directions.
Shi Tianjue frowned. He lifted his hand and condensed a bloody battle spear, thrusting it forward with a swirling vortex of blood Qi.
Crack.
The entire spear froze solid on impact. Even the Evil Qi wrapped around it began to collapse under the cold.
A biting chill spread from his arm up half his body in an instant.
"What kind of flame is this? How can it be this strong?!"
"Die!"
Shi Tianjue roared, forcefully shaking off the frost and gripping the blood spear again as he slashed apart the ice-blue flames.
His blood-soaked hair whipped around him. His eyes gleamed with a feral, bloodthirsty light, and killing intent poured off him in waves.
Whoosh.
The spear tore through the air and appeared before Hong Qianye almost instantly.
An earthy-yellow flame flared to life in front of her. It carried an unbreakable, steadfast force, like a shield forged from divine metal, and stopped the spear cold.
Clang!
"Hmm?" Shi Tianjue's expression tightened.
Sizzle.
Lightning flickered. Several Thunder Dragons roared out of thin air—except when he looked closer, he realized they weren't true lightning, but flames shaped like lightning.
Rumble!
Smoke burst across the battlefield. Shi Tianjue staggered out of it, scorch marks from the lightning flames burned deep into his flesh.
He stared at the elegant, red-clothed woman before him, shock spreading through his eyes.
"Where did you learn this technique?!"
Shi Tianjue couldn't accept being suppressed by Hong Qianye.
He had the superior Realm. How was he still losing ground?
"Guess."
Hong Qianye's lips curled with confidence.
Yes…
His strength had soared.
With the Three Thousand Flames Sutra enhancing him, and with fire-element divine abilities that shifted unpredictably, even the Blood Demon who once shook the entire Central Region was being pushed back.
I, Hong Qianye, will walk the path of invincibility from today onward!
Shi Tianjue fell silent for a moment—then suddenly let out a chilling laugh.
"If I'm not mistaken, during the time you left the Central Region, you must have found a massive fortuitous encounter."
"If this continues, and you eventually ascend again, I fear those old monsters won't be your match anymore."
"What a pity. What a pity…"
Hong Qianye frowned. "What pity?"
"What a pity that someone like you… is about to die by my hand!" Shi Tianjue roared with laughter.
As his voice fell, a strange suction force erupted from his body.
"I—what is this…?!"
The One-Eyed Elder screamed. His body dissolved at a visible rate, turning into streams of blood Qi that poured into Shi Tianjue.
At the same time—
Across every corner of the kingdom, people screamed as their bodies shriveled, turning into clusters of vital blood mixed with cultivation energy that shot into the sky.
Not only the Wei Kingdom—dozens of surrounding kingdoms were struck by the same horrifying phenomenon.
"Help! Someone help me!"
"I don't want to die!"
"This is Heaven's wrath! Retribution!"
A tide of blood essence was dragged across the heavens by an unseen force, descending upon Shi Tianjue. Waves of bloody evil Qi rose around him like smoke from a pyre, twisting the very sky.
Shi Tianjue's Realm surged—from the peak of Soul Formation to Perfection, and then straight into Body Integration.
Crack—
The bottleneck shattered.
A terrifying aura, a hundred times stronger than before, swept across the land.
Shi Tianjue had broken into early-stage Body Integration.
Above the vast sky, a colossal blood-red giant emerged. His hair flowed like streams of blood, monstrous evil Qi coiling around him. His eyes radiated a bone-chilling light, and behind his head floated a blood-red halo—like a crimson sun that brought only despair.
"Oh Heaven… what kind of monster is that…" The Wei Emperor and countless others knelt, trembling.
Sensing the destructive power contained within that massive body, Hong Qianye's face tightened. "Your Undying Blood Body… you've reforged it?"
Shi Tianjue looked down at the tiny figure far below. His voice echoed like a divine bell. "The Undying Blood Body is one of the highest-tier Immortal physique. How could reforging it be easy?"
"But with my efforts, I've restored seventy percent. Once I devour every living being in the Eastern Region, the Undying Blood Body will return to perfection."
It was his greatest trump card.
In the past, with the Undying Blood Body, he fought both righteous and demonic powerhouses for three days and three nights. His strikes could shatter mountains; his regeneration was monstrous. It had taken several Holy Land elders wielding Immortal Artifacts together to finally destroy it.
"Hong Qianye, I gave you a chance. Reaching this point is entirely your fault."
"Die!!!"
The single syllable struck like a heavenly decree. The world trembled.
A massive bloody palm crashed downward, enveloping Hong Qianye like Five Finger Mountain.
Boom—
The oppressive force was suffocating.
"Not good!"
With nowhere to run, Hong Qianye let his Qi surge wildly. A blazing purple flame erupted from every pore.
The unnatural flame roared upward, its temperature enough to evaporate an entire ocean in a heartbeat.
Then—
The two forces collided.
A destructive shockwave tore apart the heavens. The sky above Wei Kingdom shattered like broken glass.
Countless people stared in horror, hearts pounding from the pressure alone.
Hong Qianye clenched his teeth and unleashed fire-attribute divine abilities one after another.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh—
The bloody giant was swallowed in a sea of fire, deep scars burning across his massive body.
"It's useless. Stop resisting."
A cold, indifferent voice echoed.
Before Hong Qianye's eyes, the giant's wounds closed instantly. The body regenerated in full—without a single mark left behind.
"Die!!"
The giant roared and hurled a punch filled with world-cleaving force.
Runes flashed along the fist, making it look like a meteorite plunging from beyond the heavens, trailing a massive blood-red light.
In that instant—
Hong Qianye felt cold killing intent swallow him whole.
His hair whipped around him as he formed hand seals. A golden flame shield blossomed around him.
From afar, it looked like a great sun hanging in the sky, its light pushing away all evil.
Thud!
A crushing force slammed into it.
The punch struck the golden shield, distorting the air into a vortex that twisted space itself.
Crack… crack…
Fractures spread across the shield.
"Heh… break!"
Shi Tianjue sneered. His bloody fist erupted with even greater power.
Bang!!
The shield shattered.
Hong Qianye was sent flying from the sky—smashed into the ground with an impact that cracked the earth for miles. Dust billowed everywhere, blinding everyone nearby.
"This…"
The Wei Emperor and others stared in shock. It was like watching a sun get punched out of the sky.
Terrifying.
So this was an Immortal-level battle.
"Cough… cough…"
Blood dripped from Hong Qianye's lips. His hair was a mess. He forced himself up from the crater, covered in dust. When he looked at the giant floating above him, a wave of helplessness rose inside him.
"You're no match for me."
Shi Tianjue's voice rumbled like thunder. He gazed down with contempt—as if looking at an ant waiting to be crushed.
At Body Integration, his strength was hundreds of times beyond what it had been. With the Undying Blood Body activated, he was nearly invincible in his Realm.
Let alone against someone still in Soul Formation.
"Blood Demon… you rabid dog…" Hong Qianye spat blood to the side, glaring.
He had fled the Central Region for years, escaping countless pursuits, only to fall into the hands of an old foe in this desolate land.
"We cultivators seek longevity. Since you refuse to walk the path with me, then after you die… merge into my body. Allow me to carry your will forward on this long Immortal Dao."
His majestic voice shook the heavens.
The giant raised his palm. Bloody light surged across it, surging with terrifying Qi flames.
Then the palm fell—
Boom—
The pressure hit like a collapsing world.
Hong Qianye's hairs stood on end. Whether from instinct or pure desperation, he shouted without thinking—
"Master! Save me!!!"
The bloody palm stopped in mid-air.
Shi Tianjue's expression tightened. "Master? Whose sect did you join?"
In his mind, anyone capable of making the once–arrogant Hong Qianye willingly bow his head must be someone who stood above heaven and earth.
Combined with the fire techniques Hong Qianye had displayed, Shi Tianjue grew even more wary. If this Master truly had a terrifying background, he would need to reconsider his approach.
"Good disciple, you finally remembered your Master."
Ye Junlin tossed aside the melon seeds in his hand and flashed in front of Hong Qianye. "His Master is me."
"Hm?"
Shi Tianjue frowned. "You're his Master?"
He could sense Ye Junlin's cultivation—Soul Formation Realm. In the vast Central Region, that level was common and unremarkable.
"Hong Qianye, to think you've fallen so low… actually taking a Soul Formation Cultivator as your Master."
"How shameful."
Shi Tianjue sneered.
Hong Qianye's face flushed so red it was almost dripping blood. He didn't even know why he had shouted for his Master a moment ago.
At the same time, guilt surfaced. He disliked how Ye Junlin ordered him around… but Ye Junlin had saved him. Stepping forward now meant he was going to shoulder Shi Tianjue's wrath.
"Can I take that as you looking down on me?"
Ye Junlin raised an eyebrow.
"How can an ant know the height of the heavens? In my prime, one spit from me could drown you."
Shi Tianjue's tone was dripping with arrogance.
He had once been an Immortal. His pride was carved into his bones. Anyone below the Immortal Realm was nothing in his eyes.
The only reason he spoke politely to Hong Qianye was because they had once stood at equal heights.
As for anyone else—Shi Tianjue couldn't be bothered to look at them.
"Don't mind me!" Hong Qianye shouted anxiously. "Just leave!"
Ye Junlin pointed at the bloody figure in the sky, his tone lazy. "Leave? What's there to be afraid of? Watch how your Master kills him for you."
Hong Qianye froze in disbelief.
"Arrogant!"
Shi Tianjue roared, swinging the giant palm down.
The wind and clouds twisted violently. Space collapsed into black fractures. A suffocating pressure swept over the land.
"It's over…"
Despair filled Hong Qianye's eyes.
[Ding! Warning: Host is under attack from an early-stage Body Integration Realm enemy!]
[Triggering Special Ability — Strength Through Adversity!]
[Congratulations! Host has broken through to the mid-stage Body Integration Realm!]
The system's voice echoed in Ye Junlin's mind.
Ye Junlin grinned. His aura exploded outward, a tidal surge of mid-stage Body Integration power that shook the entire region.
Rumble—
The collision shook heaven and earth.
"What—!?"
Shi Tianjue staggered several steps back, as though struck by a divine hammer. His bloody palm trembled violently, cracks spreading through the Undying Blood Body's flesh.
Just now, a brutally overbearing force had smashed straight through his palm—nearly shattering his entire arm.
"You're not Soul Formation… You're Body Integration!"
Shock flashed across Shi Tianjue's face.
"What?!"
Hong Qianye was even more stunned.
He truly hadn't expected this silver-haired youth to hide so deeply—pretending to be Soul Formation while secretly being a Body Integration expert.
"That bastard… no wonder he kept provoking me. So he had this kind of backing. Good thing I didn't push him too far…"
Hong Qianye felt cold sweat on his back.
In the next moment—
Before all the stunned gazes, the black-robed youth shot into the sky like a comet. Silver hair streamed behind him like a flowing river of light. Every step radiated a world-ending presence.
"So this is the Body Integration Realm? It's far stronger than Soul Formation."
Ye Junlin felt invigorated—almost exhilarated.
"Hmph! Body Integration? I'll let you, a backwater native, witness true power!"
Shi Tianjue roared.
He focused his will and commanded the Undying Blood Body.
The giant form erupted with sky-filling bloody fists descending like a meteor shower.
"Human King Seal."
Ye Junlin's calm voice echoed through the heavens.
Behind him, an emperor phantom manifested—vast and majestic, like an ancient Sovereign standing above the Nine Heavens.
The imprint descended with a force like an ancient flood crushing the world.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The bloody giant staggered backward. Its massive arms were twisted and mangled by the strike—its blood Qi evaporating into nothing.
"This—!"
Shi Tianjue trembled.
The sheer dominance of that blow made even his demonic mind shake.
Ye Junlin's lips curled slightly.
With the system's auto-training, the Human King Seal had reached Major Achievement. Its power was in a completely different league from before.
And even with that level of force, he still couldn't instantly destroy the Undying Blood Body.
That alone showed how terrifying Shi Tianjue's immortal Body truly was.
Zzzzz—
In the next moment, flesh wriggled unnaturally.
The giant's severed arms regrew in a few breaths, restoring their original form.
Shi Tianjue roared, "See?! You can't kill me!"
"Then how about this?"
Ye Junlin lifted his hand. His voice thundered across the heavens.
"Great Desolation Imprisoning Heaven Finger."
This divine ability had already reached Perfection.
High in the sky, a massive energy vortex appeared, releasing an aura so oppressive it made all beings instinctively bow.
"First Finger—Imprisons Heaven and Earth!"
"Second Finger—Shatters Mountains and Rivers!"
"Third Finger—Destroys Living Beings!"
"Fourth Finger—Breaks the Firmament!"
Four golden fingers descended, each one like a heavenly pillar crushing the world beneath it.
"Damn you—what is this technique?!"
Fear distorted Shi Tianjue's expression. He raised his arm, summoning a surging river of blood that coiled like a dragon as it rushed to block.
Boom!!!
The sea of blood evaporated instantly.
All four fingers slammed into the bloody giant.
The giant's 320-meter body caved in violently, nearly exploding on the spot.
Shi Tianjue's true body was exposed—blood at the corner of his mouth, hair in disarray, eyes filled with pure horror.
"W–Who are you?!"
He stared in disbelief.
He had awakened after centuries, only to encounter a monster like this in a remote wasteland…
Even the Undying Blood Body he prided himself on—nearly destroyed in a single exchange.
What kind of absurd joke was this?
Had the outside world's prodigies grown to this level while he was sealed away?
Hong Qianye's eyes widened, his shock impossible to hide.
No wonder Ye Junlin had been so fearless. It turned out he had never taken Hong Qianye seriously at all. If Hong Qianye had turned hostile earlier, he would've been crushed instantly.
Realizing this, cold sweat ran down Hong Qianye's back.
It seemed his instincts had been right all along.
For now, he'd better behave honestly.
"This one is Ye Junlin, Peak Master of Misty Peak, Xuantian Sect," Ye Junlin said casually, flicking his fingers as if killing Shi Tianjue had been no different from swatting a fly.
Shi Tianjue's expression darkened further.
He had researched the Wasteland Province after hiding here and naturally knew the local sects.
Xuantian Sect was among them—small, weak, utterly ordinary.
But how could someone like Ye Junlin exist in such a place?
It made no sense at all.
"Ye Junlin, I will remember you!"
Humiliated beyond measure, Shi Tianjue could only swallow the loss. This was the greatest disgrace of his existence.
"Blood Escape Grand Technique!"
Swish!
His entire body ignited with blood, transforming into a streak of bloody light that tore across the sky.
"Not good, he's escaping!" Hong Qianye paled.
Shi Tianjue was vindictive to the extreme. If he escaped now, he would bring disaster later.
"Hmph. Trying to run? Keep dreaming."
Ye Junlin activated the Great Void Technique, instantly appearing in Shi Tianjue's path.
"You—!" Shi Tianjue's face twisted in disbelief. This was his supreme escape technique. How had Ye Junlin caught him so quickly?!
"Die."
Ye Junlin raised his hand, forming a seal.
"No!!!"
Despair tore through Shi Tianjue's voice. He understood—if he died this time, there was no coming back.
Bang!
His body exploded mid-air. His Primordial Spirit was shattered instantly.
The Blood Devil, once infamous throughout the Central Region, was gone.
"Shi Tianjue… just died like that."
Hong Qianye murmured. They had once stood at the same height—True Immortal experts of the same era. Seeing Ye Junlin end him so decisively made Hong Qianye sigh in disbelief.
"Great! The devil has been slain by the Immortal!"
The Wei Emperor wept with relief.
Cheers erupted across the land.
Everyone fell to their knees, bowing deeply to the silver-haired youth in the sky.
Ye Junlin's expression shifted suddenly. "System, what about my reward? Be proactive. Don't make me repeat myself."
This so-called "professional" System wasn't even timely with its rewards.
[Ding! Coming, coming! Immediately distributing rewards to the handsome and dashing Host!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Supreme Bone. Would you like to merge it now?]
[Supreme Bone: A mysterious Dao bone filled with ancient runes. It grants top-tier talent and Physique. The bearer is destined to become a peerless Supreme.]
Ye Junlin's eyes brightened. "Merge."
A scorching light burst from his chest, releasing a terrifying aura that shook the surrounding space.
Brilliant strands of light intertwined, blazing like a miniature sun.
Inside his chest, a translucent Dao bone appeared—covered in intricate patterns that pulsed with profound spiritual energy.
The Supreme Bone.
Anyone who possessed it would see their combat strength soar.
Ye Junlin couldn't be more satisfied.
After all, he had seen firsthand how terrifying Shi Tianjue's Undying Blood Body was—an incomplete immortal physique, yet unbelievably resilient.
Physiques mattered.
And out in the world, even stronger Prodigies existed. There was no doubt someone out there had a physique superior to Shi Tianjue's.
With the Supreme Bone, Ye Junlin felt even more confident about crushing them.
"What's happening now?!"
Hong Qianye's heart trembled at the fluctuations coming from Ye Junlin.
What kind of aura was this?!
After witnessing his overwhelming display earlier, Hong Qianye's evaluation of Ye Junlin shot to an entirely new tier.
The more he saw, the more convinced he became that Ye Junlin carried a heaven-defying Opportunity. Otherwise, how could a monster of his talent appear in this barren land?
"Damn it. My strength still isn't enough. I must cultivate harder. As long as I reach Body Integration, I can at least contend with him."
Hong Qianye clenched his fists.
Whoosh.
Ye Junlin descended slowly, silver hair flowing freely, a faint smile on his face.
The Wei Emperor practically kowtowed in worship. "Thank you, Immortal, for saving the Wei Kingdom! We will record today's events in our history so future generations may remember your grace."
He was completely awestruck after witnessing Immortal battle. His reverence toward Ye Junlin bordered on worship.
Ye Junlin waved him off. "Enough with that nonsense. Being a competent emperor is the best way to repay anything. Treat your people well."
The Wei Emperor trembled. "This humble one will remember the Immortal's teaching."
"Immortal… will you allow me to join the Xuantian Sect?"
The Little Princess asked timidly, her soft voice trembling like a young songbird.
"Ling'er! Don't be rude!" the Wei Emperor snapped.
Did she think one could just walk into an Immortal sect? Fate was required.
Zhao Ling'er lowered her head, panic filling her eyes.
Ye Junlin smiled faintly and activated the Eye of Insight.
Name: Zhao Ling'er
Cultivation: None
Talent: Supreme Grade Water Spiritual Root
Identity: Princess of the Wei Kingdom
"Hm? She really does have a great Immortal Opportunity."
A flicker of surprise flashed in Ye Junlin's eyes.
Spiritual Roots ranged from Inferior → Mortal → Low → Medium → High → Supreme → Immortal → Saint.
A Supreme Grade root was already a rare, elite level of talent.
"Immortal, are you saying Ling'er has the qualifications to join your sect?" the Wei Emperor asked carefully.
"Yes. If she wishes, I can take her with me," Ye Junlin replied.
He thought for a moment. Sending her to Heavenly Fragrance Peak was perfect.
"Ling'er! Thank the Immortal!" The Wei Emperor nearly cried again.
Their Zhao Imperial Clan now had two Cultivators. This was heaven's blessing.
"Ling'er thanks the Immortal!"
Zhao Ling'er bowed joyfully, her face flushed with excitement.
Ye Junlin nodded.
"Immortal, you saved the Wei Kingdom. Please allow us to host a banquet in your honor."
"Do as you like."
Ye Junlin wasn't in a rush.
He simply stayed at the palace for a while, enjoying the top-tier royal treatment.
…
…
On the mountain peak where clouds rolled endlessly—
Hong Qianye let out a long breath of turbid Qi. Crimson light flickered in his eyes, and fiery patterns coiled around his body, giving him a mystical and dangerous air.
"Finally, my injuries have recovered."
"And my Realm…"
He rose slowly. His black hair draped down like flowing ink, his fair skin glowing faintly, and the vermillion flame mark between his brows pulsed with heat.
After the previous battle—and after comprehending a few things—Hong Qianye had broken through again. He was now at the peak of the Soul Transformation Realm.
Placed in a true cultivation holy land, this speed would shake the entire sect.
Unfortunately…
After witnessing Ye Junlin's unfathomable means, whatever sense of relief Hong Qianye had felt instantly evaporated.
To surpass that guy… he still had a long road ahead.
"Endure a little longer. Once I break into Body Integration, I'll repay today's humiliation—twice over."
Hong Qianye clenched his fists quietly.
In his mind, he replayed an image of Ye Junlin looking terrified and begging him for mercy. The corner of his lips lifted into a faint, wicked smile.
Heh. Just imagining it made him look forward to that day.
"Little Hong, come see your Master."
A familiar voice echoed in his ear.
Hong Qianye clicked his tongue. You won't even let me have dignity?
His body blinked from the mountaintop and reappeared before the palace gates.
He forced himself to bow. "Master."
Inside the grand hall, Ye Junlin lounged lazily on a chair, head propped up on one hand, reading a book written by a Wei Kingdom scholar.
"This wuxia novel is pretty interesting. Seems the commoners here also enjoy face-slapping and showing-off stories. If I transmigrated into this kingdom, I could get rich writing novels. Hmm… I'll start with 'Martial God Asura.' It'll definitely sweep the land. Pen name… 'Crazy Potato.'"
Hong Qianye stared at him, completely speechless.
What nonsense was this man spouting now?
"Oh, you're here."
Ye Junlin sat up and waved his hand. A wooden basin appeared on the floor, steaming with hot water. Ye Junlin dipped his feet in and ordered calmly:
"What are you standing there for? Get to work."
"You—!"
Hong Qianye's jaw clenched. Rage surged through him like a volcano about to erupt.
He wanted to tear the act apart right there—but the gap in strength was too brutal.
This man had just killed the Blood Demon like stepping on an ant. That alone reminded him not to be impulsive.
After a long internal struggle—
Hong Qianye swallowed his pride and walked forward with stiff steps.
"Kneel and wash."
Ye Junlin's tone left no room for negotiation.
Hong Qianye's entire body trembled. Shame crawled over him like a swarm of insects.
"I was the Flame Demon Cult Leader. I stepped into the True Immortal Realm. Tens of millions died under my hands! And now you want me to kneel and wash your feet? You actually—"
Just as he was about to explode, he met Ye Junlin's indifferent gaze.
Boom.
Hong Qianye's mind blanked.
For an instant, he felt as if he were kneeling before a Supreme who commanded all life.
"Why are you staring like an idiot? Hurry up."
Ye Junlin urged.
Hong Qianye's psychological defenses shattered. "I… I'll wash."
He knelt, hands trembling, and began washing Ye Junlin's feet.
"Good disciple." Ye Junlin nodded in satisfaction.
Kid, want to compete with me? Even a dragon would coil obediently in front of a transmigrator!
"Wait… this water…"
Hong Qianye's eyes widened. His breath quickened.
Oh heavens—
This was Taiyi Boundless Water.
Mortals who drank it could retain youth and live two hundred years. Cultivators could cleanse their impurities, strengthen their bodies, and greatly advance their cultivation.
A single bottle would cause bloodshed in the Central Region.
And here it was… being used as foot-soaking water.
Hong Qianye's worldview cracked again.
Staring at the full basin of Taiyi Boundless Water, he felt dizzy.
If he drank all of it…
He'd advance several times faster.
Wait.
This was foot-wash water.
Hong Qianye nearly gagged at his own momentary desire.
"Ugh—"
Ye Junlin lifted a brow. "What's with that face? Disgusted by your Master's feet?"
"No, no," Hong Qianye gritted out.
He forced himself to continue washing, feeling the absurdity press down on him like a mountain.
Who would believe that the Flame Demon Cult Leader—who once slaughtered his way through dozens of major forces—was now kneeling and scrubbing someone's feet?
Ye Junlin sighed contentedly.
Taiyi Boundless Water was a system reward. There was so much of it that he used it for foot baths whenever he felt like it. And this cheap disciple's technique was… surprisingly decent.
"The water's getting cold. Heat it up."
"…Oh."
Hong Qianye obeyed reluctantly, channeling heat into the basin until steam billowed upward.
"Ahhh—"
"So refreshing…"
Ye Junlin leaned back, groaning in satisfaction.
Hearing that sound, Hong Qianye nearly dropped dead from the shame of witnessing it.
Why don't you just ascend from pleasure?! he screamed internally.
Just then—
A petite figure appeared at the doorway.
Zhao Ling'er had rushed over excitedly. Under Ye Junlin's guidance these past days, she had finally sensed the flow of true Qi and stepped into Qi Refinement. She couldn't wait to share the news.
But as soon as she entered—
She froze.
Her eyes widened. Her little mouth fell open.
Oh. My. God.
From her angle—
Hong Qianye was kneeling in front of Ye Junlin, head lowered, posture incredibly ambiguous.
And Ye Junlin looked… blissfully satisfied.
Zhao Ling'er's young mind instantly filled in the rest.
Her little face turned blazing red.
"So embarrassing…"
She covered her face and ran away as if fleeing from a crime scene.
This moment would probably haunt her forever.
"Ling'er? Why is that girl running?" Ye Junlin muttered.
He had sensed her presence but was too relaxed to care.
Ye Junlin lowered his head and studied Hong Qianye's face seriously.
Skin like jade, elegant willow brows, phoenix eyes, sharp nose, and bright red lips. Combined with the flame mark between his brows, his beauty was almost unreal.
With this face, who would believe he was a man?
Ye Junlin sighed. "Little Hong, why must you be male? Your Master truly feels regret."
Hong Qianye almost coughed blood.
A scholar can be killed but not humiliated!
I'm already washing your damn feet, what more do you want?!
But he had to endure. He lowered his head and continued scrubbing.
Half an hour later—
Ye Junlin's transmission ring buzzed.
"Oh? A message from the Sect Master."
Xu Younian's anxious voice came from the ring:
"Senior Brother Ye, return immediately. A great event has occurred in Wasteland Province. An ancient Secret Realm is suspected to be opening. If Xuantian Sect can seize its opportunities, our sect may rise to full prosperity!"
"Ancient Secret Realm?" Ye Junlin raised a brow.
Hong Qianye's expression changed sharply.
Even with his experience, he dared not take an ancient Secret Realm lightly. Inside were countless treasures—enough to change the destiny of any cultivator lucky enough to enter.
An Immortal Secret Realm.
If he could seize even a fraction of its opportunities—combined with the Three Thousand Flames Sutra—his breakthrough speed would explode.
"I didn't expect such a place in this barren province," Ye Junlin mused.
Hong Qianye sneered inwardly.
Once news spread, powerful forces from other provinces would swarm in. This weak Wasteland Province would get trampled.
In this world, strength ruled.
Wolves ate meat. Dogs… ate excrement.
[Ding! New sign-in task: Host, sign in at Luo Tian Secret Realm to receive a very pleasant reward!]
"Huh? What is it this time?" Ye Junlin asked.
[Hehe, not telling you~]
"Hiding things now?"
Ye Junlin clicked his tongue.
Since the System wanted him to visit the Secret Realm, he'd definitely go.
After finishing his foot bath, Ye Junlin called Zhao Ling'er and prepared to leave the Wei Kingdom.
"Say goodbye to your father. You won't be back often."
Inside the palace, Zhao Ling'er looked at her aging father. Her chest tightened.
She remembered riding on his shoulders as a child… back when he didn't seem so old.
"Imperial Father… Ling'er should stay with you."
"Nonsense!"
The Wei Emperor glared. "I'm not dying anytime soon. Joining Xuantian Sect is a heaven-sent fortune. Don't waste it."
"…Oh." Zhao Ling'er nodded softly.
The Wei Emperor bowed deeply toward Ye Junlin. "Immortal, I will treat my people well and live up to your guidance. Please… take care of my daughter."
"She entered Xuantian Sect and won't suffer," Ye Junlin said. "But how far she grows depends on her."
"The Immortal speaks true."
Zhao Ling'er stepped onto the cloud mist Ye Junlin summoned. As it rose, she waved tearfully.
"Imperial Father… I'll visit when I can!"
The Wei Emperor watched proudly as officials knelt behind him.
"Farewell, Immortal!"
"Farewell, Immortal!!!"
Their voices echoed across the sky.
Watching Wei Kingdom shrink below, Zhao Ling'er wiped her eyes and glanced shyly at the master and disciple.
Her gaze lingered on Hong Qianye—his transcendent beauty and cold aura making her sigh.
"Senior Sister Hong is so pretty… but doesn't talk much."
Then she remembered that scene again—
Her face burned crimson, and she ducked her head.
Hong Qianye noticed her strange expression and frowned slightly, but couldn't be bothered to ask.
Inexplicable girl.