People in the main hall were originally still chatting when they heard unusual sounds from outside. Meng Wan’s expression tightened as he immediately grabbed his sword and rushed out.

Yan Cha followed closely behind, and the group of fellow disciples ran to the entrance, only to see that the torrential rain had stopped.

Or rather, it was no longer falling into the immortal mountain.

A layer of golden barrier covered the sky, and beyond the barrier, lightning flashed and thunder roared. Meng Wan looked up and saw several golden dragons swirling around, attacking a small black dot. That black dot moved with nimble skill, and with each rise and fall of palm wind, flames illuminated half the sky, stubbornly blocking the dragons that were attempting to break through the barrier.

Li Ye? Meng Wan frowned, his feelings quite complicated.

If he truly protected the entire Taihe Immortal Sect, wouldn’t Er’er end up owing him another favor?

Hmm? Wait.

Looking more carefully, Meng Wan saw the fluttering robes as the black dot turned sideways.

The flowery, elaborate palace dress style, with faint outlines of golden hairpins on the head—this wasn’t Li Ye’s attire. Or rather, in the entire immortal mountain, only one person was dressed so elaborately.

…

…

“Junior Sister.” Yan Cha beside him also recognized her and was greatly alarmed. “She… how can this work? Senior Brother, should we go help?”

His hand gripping the sword tightened, but Meng Wan shook his head: “The defensive barrier she cast, we would need to break through it to get out.”

But at this critical moment, trying to break through the barrier would only distract her.

Yan Cha was extremely worried: “How can Junior Sister be a match for so many dragon clan members? I see several Dragon Kings have come—they’re bullying her too much.”

She had always treated Er’er like a younger sister, giving her all the good food and protecting her when she got into trouble. In Yan Cha’s eyes, Er’er was still that child who liked to slack off on her studies, too weak to even pass the five-hundred-year tribulation, hiding in her arms and crying in fear.

Who would be willing to let such a child go into battle?

Meng Wan was also very concerned, but beyond concern, he was more surprised.

Not long ago, when they ventured into the Netherworld, Er’er’s mastery of fire path spells wasn’t this proficient; even a group of evil spirits had left them in a sorry state. But now she was facing several Dragon Kings along with dragon clan elders of extremely high cultivation, yet she had held on for so long without losing ground.

Not only that, but the immortal energy surrounding her body was exceptionally domineering and intense, not like her at all, but rather exactly like Li Ye.

Feeling inexplicably uneasy, Meng Wan summoned a cloud and soared upward, trying to find a weakness in the barrier. However, just as he flew up, a familiar fire-red sleeve robe blocked his path.

With a crack of sound, lightning illuminated the world as bright as day, also illuminating Li Ye’s face, exceptionally cold and merciless.

“Stay put,” he said.

Meng Wan frowned and said coldly, “She’s in danger, am I supposed to stand by and watch?”

Misty eyes swept over, and Li Ye seemed half-mocking, half-sneering: “If you had put aside this meddlesome heart of yours earlier, she might not have failed to pass even the five-hundred-year tribulation.”

“You don’t understand,” Meng Wan said, lowering his eyes, his tone unfriendly as well. “My junior sister has lacked talent since childhood and cannot cross tribulations alone. Outsiders may think I’m overprotective, but all the senior and junior disciples in our sect know to protect her.”

Li Ye turned his eyes away indifferently: “She crossed the ten-thousand-year tribulation alone. If all of you had been willing to trust her once, she wouldn’t be this weak now.”

Cultivation requires confidence, but from the beginning, she thought herself incapable. Those senior brothers and sisters who blindly protected her bear great responsibility for this.

His expression slightly changed, and Meng Wan tried repeatedly to suppress his anger but ultimately failed, retorting: “I understand the Supreme God’s meaning. When an eaglet learns to fly, its wings should be broken and thrown down the cliff. But I’ve been with her for several hundred years—I can’t bear to treat her as an eagle. Your Highness has known her only briefly and naturally doesn’t care, so why mock me?”

Li Ye found these words irritating.

Is several hundred years impressive? Always talking about outsiders and insiders—would he care about such things?

He did care.

Rarely angered by others, Li Ye took a deep breath and smiled faintly: “If you can’t bear to raise her as an eagle, you should at least have the ability to protect her for life. But now, ironically, she’s the one protecting all of you.”

“…” His throat choked, Meng Wan’s face grew slightly hot, and he immediately tried to go around him to rush out.

Unsurprisingly, Li Ye made a hand seal and bound him in mid-air.

“Release me!” Meng Wan shouted.

Unmoved, Li Ye even sealed his mouth, then stood with his hands behind his back, turning his head to watch the battle outside.

Er’er was amazed to find her spiritual power abundant, very curious about how powerful she had become, and was using the attacking dragon clan members to test her abilities. The dragons suffered no serious injuries, but they were forced to keep their distance from the immortal mountain. After half an hour, both sides had gains and losses, but Er’er still stood on the highest gate of the mountain, not retreating a single step.

“Brother, this isn’t working,” someone from the dragon clan murmured.

Long Ding nodded and solemnly roared: “Then we shall hold nothing back. If the Nine Heavens wish to judge us, that will be a matter for later.”

Once he said this, the atmosphere in the sky immediately changed. Er’er had been excited, but suddenly she was immobilized by extremely powerful killing intent.

So they were only now getting serious? Er’er was dumbfounded. She thought she was powerful enough to take on a hundred opponents, not realizing they were holding back out of consideration for the Nine Heavens.

Dragon-serpents could overturn clouds and rain; just one could change the color of heaven and earth. If so many unleashed their full power, could her barrier withstand it?

Feeling uncertain, Er’er still used all her cultivation power to first summon a spear tablet.

Long Ding roared, and what came from his mouth was no longer water but extremely dazzling light. It brightened into a circular point, then suddenly spread like a gushing spring toward the entire immortal mountain. With him leading, the remaining dragons in the sky all spat out points of light, descending with the momentum of wanting to flatten the entire immortal realm.

Er’er’s pupils contracted, thinking she probably couldn’t withstand this, but strangely, she didn’t retreat.

Her body enveloped by intense light, she tightly closed her eyes.

The earth shook and the heavens moved, mountain beasts fled in panic, all birds took flight, the ground cracked, and rivers flowed backward. With Taihe Immortal Gate as the center, hundreds of miles in all directions suffered extremely serious collateral damage.

The Dao Diviners discussing matters in the Nine Heavens also sensed the disturbance, stopped their conversation, and turned to look toward the Heaven of Qian.

Qian Tian entered hurriedly from outside, and before even approaching, he bowed his hands and said: “Report, hundreds of dragon monsters are besieging Taihe Immortal Mountain, and they have already… taken action.”

The Dao Diviner remained silent for a long time, and the other immortals in the hall also held their breath, standing in silence.

Qian Tian waited for a moment, and unable to restrain himself, raised his head to report again, but heard the Dao Diviner sigh.

“Let it be,” he said. “The world has its cause and effect. Li Ye killed Long Shu—that is the cause. The dragon clan besieging the immortal mountain—that is the effect. There’s nothing worth interfering with.”

“But there are hundreds of dragons, and the mortal realm will also suffer,” Qian Tian frowned.

The Dao Diviner shook his head, seeming somewhat tired, and turned to retreat into the back hall. The gods looked at each other in dismay, but Tai Shang Lao Jun came forward with curiosity to ask: “Has a fight broken out with Li Ye?”

“Not with Li Ye,” Qian Tian’s mood was extremely complicated. “It’s that little immortal under him who’s bearing the brunt.”

Little immortal? Remembering that young girl, Tai Shang Lao Jun’s eyes flickered, and he smiled: “Truly capable.”