A perfectly normal cat suddenly transformed into a hedgehog. This little hedgehog looked up innocently, as if she couldn’t understand what he was saying, her dark eyes blinking: “Hmm?”

Li Ye raised an eyebrow: “Are you angry?”

“No.” She denied it quickly, smiling with pure innocence. “What do I have to be angry about?”

As she spoke, the spines on her body stood straight up and pricked into his chest.

Li Ye’s eyebrows twitched as the spines jabbed him. He drew in a sharp breath, but couldn’t help smiling: “She just came to get something.”

“Yes, that’s fine.” Er’er was still smiling sweetly. “She’s capable, able to fight battles for you at the front, unlike a little cat like me who can only hide in your arms.”

Li Ye: “…”

He couldn’t help covering his cheek with his hand.

“What are you doing?” The hedgehog in his arms glared at him with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

…

…

“My teeth feel sensitive.”

Angered, she pricked him again. Er’er buried her head in the crook of his arm and fell silent.

How could she not feel jealous? Even if he had no such intentions toward Zhong Qin, it still made her heart ache for a long time. Loving someone made one petty and unreasonable—just seeing Zhong Qin made her uncomfortable all over.

This wasn’t right, but she couldn’t change it.

“Supreme God.” Zhu Yan returned.

Er’er paused, immediately set aside her irritation, transformed back into a cat, and jumped onto Li Ye’s shoulder.

Li Ye turned his head to see blood stains on Zhu Yan’s body, and his face was somewhat pale: “The formation has been broken. We can head to the Thorn Forest now.”

“Who did you encounter?” he asked.

Zhu Yan started, wiped the blood from his face, and lowered his eyes: “No one special, just former subordinates of the Kan clan.”

The Kan clan controlled Water, which overcomes Fire. Meeting someone from the Kan clan, his injury was inevitable. Since Li Ye killed Kan Ze, the Nine Heavens had been in a state of water and fire incompatibility. Following Li Ye, Zhu Yan had suffered many injuries, but this time, he didn’t hide it.

After quietly observing him for a moment, Li Ye summoned a cloud and headed in the direction of the Thorn Forest.

“Immortal Er’er,” Zhu Yan said softly, “that place is dangerous. Are you going too?”

Suddenly addressed, Er’er’s tail trembled. She gripped Li Ye’s shoulder tightly and mumbled: “Yes, I’ll just stay with him.”

Zhu Yan nodded and said no more.

The broken formation outside the Thorn Forest resembled a half-shattered crystal lamp, sharp and harmful. Li Ye conjured a defensive barrier and charged straight into the forest.

Zhu Yan followed behind him, his expression extremely vigilant. But they hadn’t gone far when a beam of purple light shot toward him.

He summoned a defensive barrier, but perhaps because of his injuries, the barrier shattered with a bang at the first hit.

Li Ye reacted quickly, raising his hand to throw his barrier over, blocking the attack for him.

“Thank you, Supreme God.” Zhu Yan cupped his hands and stood behind him.

A group of people came from the direction of the purple light, led by Gen Qi. Li Ye had never considered this person worth his attention, but now he had no defensive barrier, and Er’er was still on him. If he engaged in battle, she might be hurt.

After a moment’s thought, Li Ye placed Er’er beside Zhu Yan.

Er’er felt a bit anxious, not wanting to leave him, but given the urgent situation, making a fuss seemed inappropriate. So once on the ground, she stood at the edge of the barrier, trying her best not to look at Zhu Yan.

Protected by the defensive barrier, Zhu Yan was considerably more at ease and took the initiative to speak: “The situation doesn’t look good. People are coming from behind as well.”

Following his words, Er’er indeed saw a group of people approaching from behind, seemingly from the Lower Ji Palace, primarily practicing the Earth Dao. This forested area was their ideal battlefield.

After glancing at Li Ye, who was dealing with those in front, Er’er transformed into human form, deciding to help him solve the trouble coming from behind.

However, just as she took a step forward, the surrounding barrier suddenly retreated. Er’er turned back in astonishment to see Zhu Yan rushing anxiously in another direction to help Li Ye fend off enemies.

With the defensive barrier taken away, she suddenly fell into a haze so thick she couldn’t see anything.

Hurriedly summoning her defensive barrier, Er’er felt somewhat bewildered.

What was happening?

Even if the Thorn Forest had a formation, it should only be effective against minor immortals below the True Lord rank. Her cultivation should be higher than the True Lord level. She hadn’t gotten lost here the last time, so why would fog suddenly appear now?

“Li Ye?” She tried calling out.

The surroundings were unnervingly quiet, with no one answering her.

Er’er frowned and rose to fly into the sky. But the cloud had barely ascended halfway when it suddenly dispersed. She stepped into empty air and fell back into the mist, grimacing in pain.

The formation here seemed different from before.

Frowning, she made a hand seal and summoned wind to disperse the haze. After blowing for quite a while, she could finally see the surroundings.

Ancient trees with intertwined roots, damp soil, a quiet forest without a single person.

This should still be the Thorn Forest, but not where she had been moments ago. Focusing her hearing, there were faint sounds of battle in a certain direction, but they were too distant, and the sounds carried by the wind were indistinct.

After listening carefully for quite some time, Er’er summoned a cloud, no longer flying upward, but quickly approaching the direction from which the sounds came.

***

Li Ye quickly dealt with Gen Qi. When he looked back and didn’t see the white cat, his face was about to darken when Zhu Yan said: “Supreme God, the people of the Taihe Immortal Sect have been captured.”

“When did this happen?” He frowned.

“Not long ago.” Zhu Yan answered, “Just now, people from the Lower Ji Palace came with Taihe Xianshi’s token. Immortal Er’er was anxious and followed after them.”

“How foolish!” Li Ye scolded angrily, “They’re fishing, and she’s rushing to take the bait?”

With that, he prepared to go after her.

“It’s too late.” Zhu Yan cupped his hands and persuaded him, “Going now, that place will surely be a trap. With Immortal Er’er there, the Supreme God will inevitably be hampered. In this humble immortal’s opinion, it would be better to capture the Heaven Dao Diviner first. With a bargaining chip in hand, negotiations would be easier.”

Li Ye halted his steps and closed his eyes.

He had indeed been foolish, thinking first of rescuing someone at this critical moment.

Gen Qi in front had already been defeated. Pursuing further would lead to the Heaven Dao Diviner. There was no reason for him to give up now.

Turning with a sweep of his sleeve, Li Ye’s murderous aura immediately rose, rushing like a heavenly fire toward where the Heaven Dao Diviner was located. Along the way, he showed no mercy. Even Tai Shang Lao Jun, standing in his path, was severely wounded by a single strike and could no longer rise.

“Li Ye!” Tai Shang Lao Jun clutched his chest and called out, “You must not commit a grave error!”

With a cold laugh, Li Ye tore through the defensive barrier before him and, trailing divine fire across the ground, stepped into the thicket where the Heaven Dao Diviner was hiding.

As if anticipating his arrival, the Heaven Dao Diviner sat on a tree stump, not appearing particularly flustered. Beside him stood Taihe Xianshi, looking somewhat haggard, but without any visible restraints.

Li Ye took this in at a glance. His right hand opened to summon the Phoenix-Slaying Blade, and with an expressionless face, he challenged the Heaven Dao Diviner to battle.

“You are the most formidable immortal,” the Heaven Dao Diviner sighed. “Naturally, I am no match for you. But Li Ye, you cannot touch me.”