The tension in the air was thick as Xiao Xun'er glared at Ye Chen, her delicate features twisted with fury and defiance.
"Or else what?" she demanded, trying to regain her composure.
Her voice trembled, though the icy edge of her usual highborn pride remained.
Ye Chen's lips curved into a cold, knowing smile.
This woman had tried to cripple his cultivation just moments ago, using methods both ruthless and cunning. How could he possibly let her get away?
"Ye Chen of the Mitter family, I warn you…" she began, attempting to issue another threat, but Ye Chen had already lost patience.
"You're far too noisy," he interrupted smoothly.
The experience with the Nine-Star Dou Sect trial card was precious and limited; he didn't have time to waste on empty threats.
With a single thought, Ye Chen moved. He grabbed Ling Ying's limp body and advanced toward Xiao Xun'er with incredible speed.
"You...!" Panic flashed across Xiao Xun'er's face. She had been prepared for conflict, but nothing could have readied her for this sudden, relentless assault.
Before she could react, a sharp blow struck her forehead.
Darkness swallowed her consciousness, and she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"I warned you. You will regret crossing me," Ye Chen murmured, cradling her fragile body.
His gaze lingered on her pale, delicate face, a trace of a cold, calculating smile on his lips.
The Nine-Star Dou Sect trial card had been Ye Chen's ultimate trump card.
He had planned to reserve it for the perfect moment. Yet Xiao Xun'er's recklessness had forced his hand, consuming his most valuable asset earlier than anticipated.
A small frown crossed his face at the loss, but his mind was already moving forward.
Wasting a card was one thing, but leaving her alive without consequence was unthinkable.
He activated his consciousness, linking with the Heavenly Treasure Box.
With a thought, he sealed both the unconscious Ling Ying and Xiao Xun'er inside.
Ye Chen's eyes flicked toward the Xiao family's backyard, a flash of surprise crossing his features before a knowing smile appeared.
"Looks like that old man, Yao Chen, must have sensed my aura.
He's probably panicking by now," he muttered. With that, he vanished from the Xiao family estate with a shadowy flicker.
…
Inside the Xiao family backyard, Xiao Yan's room was filled with quiet tension.
"There's a reaction!" Xiao Yan muttered, seated cross-legged on the bed.
He could feel a peculiar heat rising inside his body, and a faint excitement shimmered across his face.
He had taken the elixir Ye Chen had given him, and although he had been skeptical, hope outweighed doubt.
Anyone would wish to rise above mediocrity, and Xiao Yan's greatest desire had always been to become a peerless warrior.
Yet his body had always held him back, leaving his cultivation trapped at the Third Tier of Dou Qi.
Now, as the elixir coursed through him, a burning sensation spread across his body.
It was exhilarating but increasingly intense. "It's working… but…" His words faltered as the heat surged, becoming almost unbearable.
His face flushed crimson, and he exhaled hot breaths as the internal fire blazed, threatening to overwhelm him. Panic surged. "If this continues, my body… will it explode?!"
In desperation, he stumbled toward a corner, quickly loosening his garments. Unbeknownst to him, the ring he wore shimmered faintly with a strange light before vanishing, unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Ye Chen had arrived at the Mitter Auction House estate.
"Ya Fei, don't worry. I'm fine," he transmitted through mental projection, calming the elder sister searching for him.
Then, with a flick of his mind, he activated the Heavenly Treasure Box again, bringing Xiao Xun'er and Ling Ying fully into the small world he controlled.
The Heavenly Treasure Box contained a miniature world capable of absorbing ambient energy.
Though small, it was rich with spiritual and natural energy, perfect for cultivation.
Even while hidden inside, Ye Chen could train without limitation.
"Time is running out," he muttered to himself. The effects of the elixir and the unconscious states of his prisoners wouldn't last forever.
Ling Ying, in particular, might awaken at any moment, which would spell disaster if he wasn't ready.
Gently placing Xiao Xun'er on the ground, Ye Chen produced a small, exquisite jade bottle.
From it, he retrieved a jet-black pill....the Puppet Elixir, a reward from a previous system task.
This was not just any pill; even a Dou Sect cultivator of mid-tier rank would be compelled to obey its master upon ingestion.
With a smirk, Ye Chen pried open Ling Ying's mouth and forced the pill in.
A sharp strike to the back of his head ensured Ling Ying remained unconscious, preventing any premature reaction.
"Now, we wait for the effects to take hold," he murmured, anticipation sparking in his eyes.
Once the pill worked, Ling Ying....a Dou Emperor-level powerhouse....would be under Ye Chen's absolute control.
One of the most feared figures in the Gamma Empire would be his personal enforcer.
With such a trump card, Ye Chen could move freely, no longer restrained by threats of retaliation.
"That's worth far more than any trial card," he mused, a wicked glint in his eyes.
Finally, his attention turned back to Xiao Xun'er. Even in unconsciousness, her face carried the remnants of fear and shock from earlier.
Typically poised and cold, she now appeared fragile and delicate..a rare glimpse behind the walls of her proud exterior.
"She cost me a Nine-Star Dou Sect trial card. I'll make up for it tenfold," he murmured, a hint of cruel amusement curling his lips as he looked at her flawless features and slender form.
Ye Chen's mind raced with possibilities, yet he remained methodical. With Ling Ying under his control and Xiao Xun'er in his grasp,
he had established a firm advantage. He could cultivate, plan, and execute his strategies without fear.
The battlefield of the Gamma Empire was now effectively his to navigate.
Even in her defenseless state, Xiao Xun'er's innate grace and beauty struck him, but his goals were clear. She was a tool, a resource...and perhaps, one day, a way to recover what he had lost.
The black pill in Ling Ying's system and the small world around them ensured Ye Chen had the time and energy to orchestrate his next moves. Patience and strategy would win the day.
For now, power rested firmly in his hands, and his enemies would soon learn that challenging Ye Chen carried consequences they could not fathom.
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