"Xiao... Xiao'er?"
Ye Zhantian wore a bitter expression and let out a helpless sigh. At this moment, he simply could not fathom why Ye Xiao had refused to call off the engagement.
In Ye Zhantian's eyes, Gu Mingyue was not only a cripple now, but also a deadweight. Although Ye Xiao was the primary heir of the Ye family, he was not the only one. The Ye family had nine branches and nine heirs. To become the Divine Son of the Ye Family, one had to win the submission of the other eight heirs.
Given Ye Xiao's talent, he had already stepped into the Soul Sea Peak of the Immortal Dao's third realm by the age of eighteen. If he could awaken a Holy Body or Divine Physique, securing the position of Divine Son would be virtually guaranteed. Yet, in the end, although Ye Xiao had drawn down heavenly phenomena, he had instead awakened a pair of Double Pupils, making it difficult for him to crush the other eight monstrous heirs in the short term.
"I heard that a proud talent recently emerged among the collateral family members of the main branch?" Ye Zhantian mused for a moment, then suddenly spoke.
"Does the Patriarch mean Ye Fan? Indeed, that boy awakened a Supreme Bone a few days ago." Ye Liangshan, the First Elder of the Ye family's main branch, gently nodded, a trace of appreciation similarly dwelling in the depths of his eyes.
"Have him come to the ancestral hall to see me."
"Hm?"
...
Tianxuan Dao Province, Immortal Phoenix Imperial Palace.
A woman dressed in a bright crimson phoenix robe, with flawless, delicate skin, sat upright upon the imperial throne, coldly looking down at a crowd of immortal dynasty ministers. She was supremely beautiful, with exquisite facial features and peerless elegance; especially the cinnabar makeup between her brows, which fully displayed her grace and nobility.
"Elder Sister, your cultivation has already been crippled. Why not pass the imperial throne to me and take a good rest?"
Below the grand hall, another young woman dressed in a golden robe lightly bit her red lips, looking at Gu Mingyue with a provocative gaze.
"Your ministers earnestly beseech the Empress to place the state affairs above all else and pass the throne to Gu Yuetang."
"This minister seconds this!"
"Oh?"
Gu Mingyue raised her alluring eyes, looking at the kowtowing ministers below the hall with a cold and tranquil expression, completely unruffled. She did not care about this imperial throne at all, because she was a transmigrator. In her previous life, she had been failed by Ye Xiao, and after her rebirth, her cultivation had been sealed. Now, she could just use this opportunity to break off the engagement with Ye Xiao and go into seclusion to cultivate properly. In just three years, she would be able to restore her Supreme cultivation, and by then she could take back everything and hunt down Ye Xiao, that fiend, for revenge.
"Hum."
At that very moment, a humming sound suddenly echoed from outside the grand hall. A figure in white descended from the skies, walking straight toward the center of the hall.
"Welcome, Young Master Ye."
Outside the hall, two Immortal Phoenix divine attendants trembled, actually intimidated by a wisp of gaze from the white-robed youth, and fell to their knees.
"Hm? Ye Xiao?"
Seeing who had arrived, the crowd of Immortal Phoenix ministers trembled, immediate speculation forming in the depths of their hearts. Meanwhile, a faint curve appeared at the corner of Gu Yuetang's mouth as she actively went to greet Ye Xiao.
"Brother Ye Xiao..."
At this moment, she took large strides, revealing a pair of slender, snow-white legs beneath her skirt, swaying as she moved, exceptionally enchanting. If her guess was correct, Ye Xiao must have come here specifically to call off the engagement. As the dignified primary heir of the Ye family, how could he possibly marry a crippled empress? If she could seamlessly step into her shoes and become Ye Xiao's fiancée, who in the Tianxuan Dao Province would dare to question her in the future?
Not only did Ye Xiao possess a powerful background, but his talent and appearance were also outstanding, boasting an immortal countenance and divine bearing. In particular, those deep, pitch-black Double Pupils of his resembled a vast, ancient Great Abyss; a single glance could cause one to sink into them hopelessly, leaving them with no choice but to... wait for him to pluck her.
"Young Master... you've come to call off the engagement, haven't you?"
Gu Yuetang covered her mouth with a light chuckle, cautiously stealing a glance at Ye Xiao.
"Hm?"
Ye Xiao frowned slightly. The very next instant, without the slightest hesitation, he thrust out his hand and viciously struck Gu Yuetang across the face.
"Slap."
Accompanied by a crisp sound of a slap, the coquettish charm in Gu Yuetang's eyes froze completely before it could even dissipate. Under the dumbfounded gazes of the Immortal Phoenix ministers, her figure was sent flying directly backward, crashing to the ground with half of her face shattered.
Absolute silence fell across heaven and earth!
Everyone stared at the young master in white with his hair bound up, possessing an unrivaled immortal countenance, a dense trace of confusion and incredulity dwelling in the depths of all their eyes.
"Flirting all day long, who is your brother? And besides, who said I came to break off the engagement?"
Ye Xiao's expression was cold, his tone indifferent as he spoke.
"Hm?"
In an instant, Gu Mingyue's previously languid posture straightened up bit by bit, sitting up straight and making the bright crimson phoenix robe cling to her increasingly full and curvaceous figure. At this moment, her face also carried a trace of surprise; her delicate brows knitted slightly as her gaze locked fiercely onto Ye Xiao, as if trying to find some flaw in his eyes.
He didn't come to call off the engagement?
Based on her understanding of Ye Xiao, this fellow was ruthless and driven solely by profit; how could he possibly marry a cripple as his wife?
At the same time, as Ye Xiao's gaze fell upon Gu Mingyue, she felt a chill rise up from the soles of her feet, nearly lifting the top of her skull.
[Daughter of Heavenly Mandate: Gu Mingyue]
[Golden Finger: Nirvana Seal]
[Template: Supreme Rebirth Stream]
[Identity: Empress of the Immortal Phoenix Ancient Dynasty, Host's fiancée in the previous life]
[Plot Trajectory: In the previous life, the Daughter of Heavenly Mandate perished on her wedding night when the host forcefully devoured her bloodline. Having been reborn and awakened her memories, she will break the Nirvana Seal in three years and seek revenge on the host.]
Hiss... It's not an engagement-breaking stream!!
Originally, Ye Xiao had thought this Gu Mingyue was following a simple engagement-breaking plotline. As it turned out, this was no engagement-breaking story; this was a revenge story of a strong person reborn, with a great heroine tearing apart a scumbag!
At that moment, he finally understood why Gu Mingyue, after having her cultivation crippled, not only failed to conceal this secret, but instead made it known to everyone in the Tianxuan Dao Province. She most likely wanted to use this as an excuse to break off her engagement with him, thereby retreating into the shadows to recover her cultivation.
Yet, looking at the trace of astonishment flickering in Gu Mingyue's eyes at this moment, a bold plan suddenly arose in the depths of Ye Xiao's heart.
He raised his foot, walked up to a white-haired old minister at the head of the pack, grabbed him by the hair, and hoisted his entire body into the air. "What did you just say?"
This scene caused the expressions of the gathered ministers to tremble with hatred, yet... none of them dared to make a single move.
"Hmph, you arrogant and rude brat of the Ye family! I am Wei Sili, the senior chancellor of both Immortal Phoenix dynasties, you—"
"Slap."
Before the old chancellor could even finish his sentence, Ye Xiao swung his hand in a backhand slap, directly filling the man's mouth with blood and leaving his flesh mangled.
"I asked you what you just said."
Ye Xiao frowned slightly, cold light erupting within his Double Pupils as his Dharma Form manifested. In an instant, the atmosphere throughout the entire grand hall became thoroughly oppressive, and even the formidable Immortal Phoenix experts were awed by this might.
"Gu Mingyue's cultivation is crippled and she is unfit for great responsibilities; the imperial throne must be passed to her younger sister, Gu Yuetang."
Wei Sili clenched his teeth, his aged face filled with resentment.
"Crack."
As his voice fell, Ye Xiao's hand tightened with ferocious force, actually crushing the skull of the two-dynasty senior chancellor directly into powder.
"Gulp."
The entire grand hall suddenly plunged into dead silence. Even Gu Mingyue rose abruptly at this moment, a frigid trace lurking within her beautiful eyes. He still hadn't changed; he was still just as cruel, bloodthirsty, and inhuman.
"My, Ye Xiao's, fiancée—even if she has been reduced to a mortal, no one is permitted to bully her."
Ye Xiao's tone was indifferent as he suddenly cast his gaze toward Gu Yuetang. In an instant, the face of the Second Princess of the Immortal Phoenix Ancient Dynasty turned completely pale, her delicate body trembling as a stream of yellow liquid leaked from beneath her long skirt, flowing down her snow-white legs.
Splash, splash...
Ye Xiao, you're so noble, you're so lofty, and you're using my life to build your righteous persona?
"From this day onward... whoever dares to bully Gu Mingyue by even a fraction, whether they be immortal masters or holy lords, heavenly gods or earthly demons, I shall execute them all just the same."