Looking at the young woman's smile, blooming like a flower, a thought suddenly flashed through Ye Nantian's mind—one that seemed impossible.
Yu Zhenyan… could she have perished?
"Ye Nantian, your Ye family's death day has arrived!"
In but a few breaths, Yuchi Hai had already caught up.
If earlier he had hesitated because of the Ye family's influence, now all scruples were gone. As long as Ye Nantian died and the supreme spiritual vein fell into his hands, the Yuchi clan would immediately rise as the foremost family in the Central Domain.
Even Wuxiang Sect would be forced to bow to them.
Ye Nantian's hands moved faster than his thoughts. He flung out several talismans of different colors, exploding midair into dazzling five-colored lights.
"Move! If you don't, I'll kill you!"
He roared at the violet dragon, eyes wide with desperation.
The violet dragon exhaled two puffs of gray smoke from its nostrils, tilted its eyes at him lazily, then coiled its tail around a boulder and shut its eyes as if to nap.
Its master had once told it: if this fellow ever shouted "Move quickly," that meant it could safely go back to sleep.
Ye Nantian and his followers: "…"
If not for the fact this was a supreme spiritual vein, Ye Nantian truly wanted to cut it down then and there.
The old retainer swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "Young Master, Yuchi Hai is coming to kill us!"
Ye Nantian's pupils shrank, fear flashing across his gaze.
"I'll give you the spiritual vein. As long as you take it away, I'll never make another move against you!"
But seeing how his talismans could not hold Yuchi Hai back, Ye Nantian immediately chose to yield.
Yuchi Hai's face twisted in ruthlessness. "Too late! From today onward, the Central Domain will have only one foremost family—the Yuchi clan!"
"What?" Ye Nantian's eyes widened as searing flames reflected in his gaze.
Yuchi Hai struck out, wave after wave of fire rolling forth, cutting off every avenue of escape.
"Young Master, take out the Patriarch's hidden soul spirit! This old servant will shield you from here!"
In that moment of crisis, the old retainer erupted with terrifying power, forcing Ye Nantian behind him.
"Uncle Li!" Ye Nantian cried out in grief, then immediately drew a jade ruyi. With one emerald flash, the old retainer fell dead before him.
"Young Master… my… daughter… she's yours to protect now…"
One after another, all of Ye Nantian's followers perished.
Ye Nantian swallowed his grief. A formidable divine soul emerged, palm raised to meet Yuchi Hai's strike. Two terrifying forces clashed in midair, shaking the mountains and shattering seven Dao tablets that had stood atop the peak.
Wind lashed wildly. Strands of hair whipped across Yao Ranran's cheeks. She smiled faintly."What a spectacular performance. These two men truly are powerful."
"…"
No one responded.
Turning her head, Yao Ranran saw that Nie Rong and the other two had been blasted against massive boulders by the aftershock.
Yao Ranran: "...You three really lack exercise."
Nie Rong and the others: "…"
Or perhaps it wasn't that they lacked exercise—it was that you were far too strong.
After all, this was a clash between two Yuányīng Zhēnjūn.
Nie Rong had once been a Nascent Soul cultivator too, but his vitality was shattered, his strength broken after the torment of the Holy Palace's two elders. He was nowhere near his peak.
Thinking back to those days trapped in the cave, Nie Rong's chest filled with smoldering fury.
He would one day cultivate under his master's guidance, succeed, and hunt those two old men for vengeance.
"Father, hurry to Duanya Mountain!" Ye Nantian shouted, standing behind the phantom figure.
The divine image summoned by the jade ruyi was none other than Ye Family Patriarch, his father Ye Xuanqing.
Yuchi Hai stared intently at the shred of Ye Xuanqing's soul, lips curling in scorn. "Patriarch Ye, today I'll take both your son's life and the supreme spiritual vein!"
Ye Xuanqing's soul flared with rage. "Yuchi Hai, do you mean to start a war between our families?"
"Hmph, Ye Xuanqing, do you think our Yuchi clan doesn't know about the little schemes between your Ye family and the Xing and Yu clans? You hope for marital alliance? You'll have to see whether my Yuchi clan agrees!"
Yuchi Hai thrust both palms forward, flooding them with boundless spiritual power. Light blazed so bright it dimmed the very sun.
Outside Duanya Mountain, crowds gathered, murmuring in awe.
"That's Yuchi Hai and Ye Xuanqing, fighting over the supreme spiritual vein!"
"What? It really is a supreme spiritual vein?"
"The Central Domain will fall into chaos. If one of the three great families seizes it, the heavens themselves may be overturned!"
Ye Nantian heard the clamor, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with madness. He bellowed, "If anyone dares to block Yuchi Hai for me, my Ye family will offer half the spiritual vein in return!"
"…"
The crowd erupted—but not in joy. Instead, fear and dread spread.
The Nascent Soul realm was second only to Divine Transformation. Who would be so foolish as to oppose Yuchi Hai?
Ye Nantian stared at the retreating crowd, despair rising in his heart. Was he and the supreme spiritual vein truly going to be humiliated and fall into Yuchi Hai's hands today?
"What good is half of the vein? I've heard the Ye family has stood in the Central Domain for tens of thousands of years, and its treasury overflows with rare treasures beyond price. If you'll swear a binding pact to grant me half your treasury, I'll help you."
As the crowd muttered and whispered, Yao Ranran suddenly stepped forward, eyes on Ye Nantian, her tone calm but firm.
Clatter—Ye Nantian dropped the Needles from his hand.
"Hahaha! Did I hear wrong? That little girl says she wants to help the Ye family's young master?"
"I heard it too. Is she seeking death, speaking like this?"
"She's outrageous. Has gold to spend but no life to spend it on!"
Ye Nantian's face darkened.
"Fairy, at a time like this, jokes like that are in very poor taste."
In the skies above, Yuchi Hai still clashed fiercely with Ye Xuanqing's soul.
Ye Nantian knew his father could not hold out much longer.
Yao Ranran's lips curved slightly. "Ye Daoyou, are you certain you won't gamble? All it takes is one pact, and I can make the violet dragon cooperate with you."
When she said she could block Yuchi Hai, Ye Nantian hadn't believed her. But when she mentioned the violet dragon, his eyes narrowed, a gleam flashing.
"You can control this dragon?"
Yao Ranran smiled faintly. "Of course."
"Hah! That girl's mad. Control a supreme spiritual vein? Impossible."
"She's far too young and ignorant. Where are her parents, letting such a child wander on her own?"
"…"
"You fools know nothing! My master says she can control it, so she can!"
The outside chatter meant nothing to Yao Ranran, but Nie Rong could not bear to hear others slander her.
Ye Nantian's suspicious eyes flickered as he watched Nie Rong's fervent expression. Only now did he notice Nie Rong always addressed the girl as "Master."
If even an elder of Wuxiang Sect called her Master, and if she had indeed drawn the violet dragon from the depths, then perhaps… perhaps she truly could make the dragon submit.