Although Ye Xingchen had changed bodies, under Jun Changxiao’s subtle influence, his soul had also learned to capture people and extort money.

Alas.

Once you walked down this path, there was no turning back.

However, from this battle one could see that Ye Xingchen, with lower-tier Truth-Seeking Realm strength, fighting four of the same level one-on-four, wouldn’t necessarily be at a disadvantage. With even a little help, he immediately hammered them flat.

Just kidding.

All the cultivation and hard work during this time wasn’t for show!

“Whoosh!”

“Whoosh!”

Ye Xingchen led the four severely injured Tianhua Dao Sect elders away from the forbidden land.

However, halfway there, he suddenly stopped mid-air, intentionally or unintentionally looking toward the distant mountain wilderness, his expression gradually becoming gloomy.

“Senior Brother Ye, what’s wrong?” Liu Baiwan asked.

“Nothing.”

Ye Xingchen withdrew his gaze: “Let’s go.”

After he left with his fellow disciples and captives, distant mist appeared in the mountain forest, gradually coalescing into a graceful figure, murmuring: “He actually broke through to Truth-Seeking Realm, and has a contract beast of equal strength.”

Who?

Female Emperor Ling Yao.

This woman determined to overthrow the Realm Hall had rarely appeared since the Star Spirit Realm invasion. The reason was that in some plot developments, even Jun Changxiao could only play soy sauce, let alone someone at peak Core Formation Realm.

“Disciple.”

Qingwei Zhenren gradually appeared: “Don’t put your heart into schemes anymore. Follow your master to cultivate. Otherwise, in the ten-year agreement, you’ll have difficulty defeating the Eternal Sect Master.”

Female Emperor Ling Yao shook her head: “Disciple’s opponent isn’t Jun Changxiao, but this Ye Xingchen.”

Qingwei Zhenren’s face showed astonishment.

She had forcibly included her disciple in Tonggu Zhenren and Guhong Zhenren’s duel agreement, but currently didn’t know that Jun Changxiao planned to have Ye Xingchen fight.

Female Emperor Ling Yao could guess, because between the two existed grievances that had to be settled. If her guess was correct, the entire Eternal Sect probably hoped she would die at his hands.

Correct.

Gou Sheng and his disciples thought exactly that.

They couldn’t be blamed—one had to blame the despicable author who, ever since Ye Xingchen joined the sect, constantly made him display towering rage. The deep enmity between them had to result in one’s death.

……

Eternal Sect.

After Ye Xingchen returned, he sat alone on a mountain peak.

Earlier when looking toward the distant mountain forest, though he hadn’t captured Female Emperor Ling Yao, he had sensed her aura.

“When fighting the Tianhua Dao Sect experts, that woman must have been watching from the shadows. Will she think that I, once an ant, now possess Truth-Seeking Realm cultivation?” Ye Xingchen said expressionlessly.

He wasn’t showing off.

Rather, the hatred in his heart ignited again, making him eager to seek revenge!

“After this matter is settled.”

Ye Xingchen clenched his fist, raised his head toward the sky, his gaze fierce: “Our grievances must have a resolution.”

……

Endless Grassland.

Female Emperor Ling Yao stood in an area with strange rocks.

“Disciple.”

Qingwei Zhenren said seriously, “Once you enter the stone cave, life and death are uncertain. Are you sure you want to enter?”

“…”

Female Emperor Ling Yao fell into brief silence, murmuring: “He shouldn’t hope I’ll be easily eliminated by him, so… I won’t disappoint him.”

With that said, she entered the stone cave without looking back.

“Buzz!”

Light flashed, forming a cage.

Qingwei Zhenren shook her head: “I completely cannot fathom what thoughts my disciple harbors.”

……

The four injured experts were imprisoned in the Eternal Sect.

Because they were waiting for Tianhua Dao Sect to bring money for ransom, out of humanitarian considerations, Jun Changxiao didn’t send them to the Heaven Origin Prison Tower to receive Er Ya’s tender care.

Of course.

Regarding Ye Xingchen’s behavior, Gou Sheng gave high praise and taught his disciples that when encountering conflicts with warriors outside, spare those who can be spared—if really not possible, just capture them.

However.

He probably didn’t know.

When Tianhua Dao Sect learned several elders had been captured, they almost couldn’t help but cheer on the spot.

The Ten Great Immortal Sects had ordered them to cause trouble for the Eternal Sect, and the bigger the better. Now with people captured and ransom demanded, wasn’t the problem very serious!

“Quick!”

Lin Shangyi said, “Notify the Immortal Sects!”

In just half a day, the news reached Lingtian Immortal Sect.

After learning of it, Lin Haoyan replied: “Send people to demand their return, absolutely refuse to pay ransom.”

Currently speaking, the conflict between the two sects hadn’t escalated to the point where the Ten Great Immortal Sects needed to intervene, so they had to expand the problem, preferably making it known throughout the world.

Upon receiving the instructions, Lin Shangyi’s expression became interesting.

Those captured were his Tianhua Dao Sect elders. If they took a tough stance and refused payment, what if it enraged Jun Changxiao and he tore up the tickets? That loss would be enormous!

“Sigh.”

Lin Shangyi sighed helplessly.

If he could choose, he really didn’t want to offend the Eternal Sect. But now directly ordered by the Immortal Sects, he didn’t dare resist. All he could do was comply.

“Let’s go.”

“Follow this seat to the Eternal Sect!”

……

“Sect Master.”

In the study, Ye Xingchen detailed yesterday’s events one by one, then said with confusion: “In disciple’s view, this matter must have irregularities.”

“Oh?”

Jun Changxiao said, “What irregularities?”

Ye Xingchen stroked his chin: “Who in the Upper Realm doesn’t know the Sect Master’s master is Tonggu Zhenren? Would Tianhua Dao Sect disciples not know? Would they not recognize the ‘Eternal’ characters on our clothing?”

“Perhaps this Dao-rank sect doesn’t take our Eternal Sect seriously.” Jun Changxiao said.

Ye Xingchen said, “When sect disciples go out and have conflicts with other forces, that’s very common. But why, just after releasing a distress signal, did four Truth-Seeking Realm elders appear?”

“Indeed.”

Jun Changxiao said, “It’s a bit strange.”

According to his understanding, the forbidden land where Liu Baiwan and others went on their mission was extremely far from Tianhua Dao Sect. Even if they came to help immediately, it would take at least half an hour.

“Or perhaps.”

Ye Xingchen said, “When this sect’s disciples go out to train, they always have Truth-Seeking Realm elders protecting them in the shadows?”

“Impossible.”

Jun Changxiao denied it: “Unless they were stuffed full.”

He had previously sent Gu Zhaoxi to protect sect disciples on missions, but that was a special period. Later didn’t he choose free-range cultivation?

For a Dao Sect established in the Upper Realm, disciples must number in the tens of thousands. Twenty-four hour personal protection—would they have enough elders?

“Honestly.”

Jun Changxiao clasped his hands together: “This really is a bit irregular.”

Disciples having a conflict, dispatching four Truth-Seeking Realm elders—if there wasn’t something fishy hidden in this, Gou Sheng absolutely wouldn’t believe it.

“Have Liu Baiwan come.”

“Yes!”

Before long, Liu Baiwan entered.

As an outer sect disciple, though he often saw the Sect Master at the main peak, being able to interact closely now made his state of mind immediately unstable.

“Describe the process of the conflict with Tianhua Dao Sect.”

“Yes!”

Liu Baiwan immediately began narrating: “Disciple and several fellow disciples entered the forbidden land and discovered a large area of Earth Response Stones. We had just stored them in our spatial rings when the Tianhua Dao Sect people jumped out saying they discovered them first and told us to return them quickly, then… we started fighting.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

—