On the rooftop stood a young girl, her white garments fluttering in the wind like an immortal descended to the mortal realm.
"Hahaha! Where did this yellow-haired little girl come from? How dare she meddle in the affairs of the Wang Family?"
Wang Ba, the high-level Late God Platform Realm expert of the Wang Family, let out a cold laugh upon seeing the young girl appear, clearly not taking her seriously.
In his eyes, what kind of ripples could a mere little girl possibly stir up?
He waved his hand to signal the Wang Family cultivators to continue their attack.
However, just as his voice fell, the young girl moved, flashing toward Wang Ba like a streak of white lightning.
Her speed startled everyone present.
"You're courting death!" Wang Ba roared, forming hand seals with both hands and unleashing a fierce blast of fist qi.
To his surprise, however, the young girl moved with agility, effortlessly dodging his attack while simultaneously reaching out with her delicate hand to grab Wang Ba's arm directly.
With a sharp *crack*, Wang Ba's arm was snapped right off by the young girl.
He let out a miserable shriek and retreated in a hurry, his eyes filled with terror.
"This... this is impossible!" Wang Ba clutched his broken arm, staring at the young girl in disbelief.
Never had he imagined that he would fall into the hands of a little girl.
Seeing this, the other Wang Family experts roared and charged at the young girl.
Yet the young girl seemed fully prepared; she merely took a deep breath and exhaled streams of white vapor.
The white vapor instantly transformed into a cold current that swept toward the Wang Family cultivators.
"Whoosh—"
Wherever the cold current passed, everything seemed to freeze.
The bodies of those Wang Family cultivators were instantly covered in a layer of ice, rendering them completely unable to move.
They watched in terror as the Yuan Qi within their bodies was completely frozen by this cold current, making it impossible to mobilize even a shred of it.
"This is..."
Even Ye Tianxuan was moved.
Exhaling breath like spiritual energy, freezing the enemy's limbs in the blink of an eye—such an ability could surely only belong to people from *that* sect!
"Interesting!"
"You're from the Xuanqi Sect!"
Wang Ba moved his stiff jaw, a look of panic on his face, never expecting to run into a disciple of the Xuanqi Sect on the outskirts of the Ye Estate.
"That's right! The yellow-haired girl in your eyes is an inner disciple of the Xuanqi Sect, and moreover, a grandmaster of the sect!"
Zhao Wanling's voice was crisp and resolute, carrying across the entire Ye Estate.
At these words, the expressions of Wang Ba and the others changed drastically.
The Xuanqi Sect was one of the top sects in the Northern Region; the status of its inner disciples and grandmasters was far beyond what their families could compare to.
At this thought, a trace of apprehension flashed through their eyes.
As if to prove her identity, Zhao Wanling did not reply, merely giving the long sword in her hand a gentle wave. Instantly, a freezing chill burst forth from the tip of the sword, spreading outward once more.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze in an instant, and even Wang Ba and the others felt a bone-chilling cold.
"This... this is the Xuanqi Sect's Heart-Cleansing Sword Art!"
Wang Ba cried out in alarm. As an expert of the Wang Family, he naturally recognized this renowned cultivation technique of the Xuanqi Sect.
"Why haven't you withdrawn yet? Don't blame me for being impolite if you don't!" Zhao Wanling shouted coldly, pointing her long sword directly at Wang Ba and the others.
At the same time, the black ice encasing the Wang Family experts shattered.
Wang Ba's expression turned gloomy; he knew that today's events had already exceeded his control.
This Xuanqi Sect grandmaster was clearly standing on Ye Tianxuan's side. Regardless of the reason, with people from the Xuanqi Sect intervening, their Wang Family would have to weigh their own capabilities if they wanted to cause trouble for Ye Tianxuan again.
Yet, being an expert of the Wang Family, leaving in such a dejected manner would make him lose far too much face.
As he hesitated, Zhao Wanling said faintly, "What? Still not leaving?"
Her piercing gaze shot toward him like a blade.
An immensely powerful pressure enveloped Wang Ba entirely.
"Ah!" Wang Ba let out a miserable scream as he felt his hands and feet being pierced by countless ice needles, causing excruciating pain.
"Spare my life! Spare my life! We're leaving right now!"
"Scram!"
"Young lady, may I ask your honored name? Today's kindness, I, Ye Tianxuan, will engrave upon my heart." Ye Tianxuan said solemnly.
The young girl smiled faintly and replied, "My name is Zhao Wanling, and I am an inner disciple of the Xuanqi Sect."
"You don't need to thank me either; I simply appreciate your talent and courage."
Zhao Wanling gave a faint smile, her gaze sweeping over Ye Tianxuan as if appraising his cultivation.
"Zhao, thank you for stepping in to save us today. However, the two of us—mother and son—have already crossed the Ye Family and the Wang Family. I'm afraid they won't let the matter rest."
Li Wanqing said with a hint of worry.
Hearing this, a flash of bright light crossed Zhao Wanling's eyes as she said, "Young Master Ye need not worry. With me here, they wouldn't dare lay a finger on you. However, you truly need to leave this place of right and wrong as soon as possible."
With that, Zhao Wanling drew a token from her bosom and handed it to Ye Tianxuan.
"Young Master Ye, this is a token for the selection of inner disciples of the Xuanqi Sect. A week from now, the Xuanqi Sect will hold a selection grand assembly. As long as you pass the selection, you can become an inner disciple of the Xuanqi Sect. By then, neither the Ye Family nor the Wang Family will dare to make a move against you."
Ye Tianxuan raised an eyebrow slightly, took the token, and turned it over to examine it.
Judging by the current situation, he did not yet possess the strength he had back on the Nine Summits in his previous life. Although he had cultivation techniques like the *God and Demon Body Refining Formula* to support him, he still needed to borrow some external force when necessary.
Zhao Wanling was clearly pointing out a lifeline for him right now.
As one of the largest sects in the Northern Region, the Xuanqi Sect's influence was not to be underestimated.
As long as he could become an inner disciple of the Xuanqi Sect, he could indeed shake off the entanglement of the Ye Family and the Wang Family.
And perhaps he could even obtain additional opportunities.
"Xuan'er! This is a rare opportunity. What are you standing there in a daze for? Why don't you thank Miss Zhao quickly?"
Li Wanqing tugged at Ye Tianxuan and gently reminded him.
The gratification in her eyes was something Ye Tianxuan could not ignore.
To Li Wanqing's suggestions, Ye Tianxuan accepted almost without hesitation.
"Thank you, Miss Zhao! This subordinate—this person will certainly live up to expectations!" Ye Tianxuan said solemnly.
Zhao Wanling smiled and nodded, saying, "Good! Then I shall wait to see Young Master Ye in a week."
With that, Zhao Wanling's expression suddenly shifted. She whirled around to face the direction of the Ye Estate, infused her voice with Yuan Qi, and declared with majestic force, "Eavesdroppers in the shadows, listen well!"
"Ye Tianxuan is someone valued by Zhao Wanling of the Xuanqi Sect. If he fails to appear safe and sound during the Xuanqi Sect inner disciple selection in a week, I will definitely pay another visit to the Ye Estate!"
As Zhao Wanling's voice faded, it reverberated across the entire sky above the Ye Estate like a heavy hammer striking the heart of every member of the Ye Family.
The eavesdroppers hidden in the shadows who had just escaped from the sea of fire were all shaken by this sudden warning, not daring to make any more petty moves.
The Ye Family Ancestor and Ye Zhengwen turned pale with fright. They had originally thought they could use the Wang Family to eliminate Ye Tianxuan and his mother, cutting off future troubles.
They had never expected a Zhao Wanling to burst in halfway, and that she was actually an inner disciple of the Xuanqi Sect, even a grandmaster of the sect!
In their hearts, they knew clearly that the influence of the Xuanqi Sect was far beyond what families like theirs could contend with.
Having said her piece, Zhao Wanling moved, transforming into a white beam of light that soared into the sky and vanished into the horizon.
"Xuan'er, we must leave this place quickly." Li Wanqing took Ye Tianxuan's hand and said anxiously.
Although Zhao Wanling had given them a glimmer of life, the Ye Family and the Wang Family would definitely not let it go.
They had to leave this place of right and wrong as quickly as possible.
"Halt! You cannot leave!"
Just as Ye Tianxuan and Li Wanqing were about to leave, a weary yet somewhat anxious voice came from behind.
Turning back to look at the source, the Ye Family Ancestor furrowed his brows, gazing ahead with a solemn expression. He had heard every word of the conversation between Ye Tianxuan and Zhao Wanling loud and clear.
That a Xuanqi Sect grandmaster valued Ye Tianxuan to this extent was something he had never anticipated.
Flanked by Ye Zhengwen and several clan elders, he was walking toward the mother and son step by step.
They came to a halt right before the gates of the Ye Estate.
"Ancestor, what should we do?" Ye Zhengwen stood to the side and asked with a complicated expression.
The Ye Family Ancestor fell silent for a moment, leaning heavily on the cane in his hand. All his majestic authority had long since been burned to ashes in that sea of fire moments ago.
Yet a gleam of shrewdness flashed in his cloudy eyes. "Zhengwen, go immediately and call that mother and son over. Tell them I want to speak with them personally."
Ye Zhengwen was startled, clearly not expecting the Ancestor to make such a decision. "Ancestor, aren't we going to..."
"Silence!" The Ye Family Ancestor sharply interrupted him. "Times have changed; we must know the priorities.
"The wrath of the Xuanqi Sect is not something our Ye Family can bear. We can deal with that matter later; the crucial thing right now is to stabilize the emotions of this mother and son."
Though Ye Zhengwen felt reluctant, he dared not disobey the Ancestor's command, so he simply acknowledged the order and hurried away.
Ye Tianxuan cast a cold, sideways glance at the approaching Ye Zhengwen, instinctively shielding Li Wanqing behind him.
"Well, well, my good second uncle. Judging by the look of it, the heat just now wasn't enough—you actually still have the strength to stand before me."
The muscles beneath Ye Zhengwen's eyes twitched uncontrollably, and his hands, clasped behind his back, exerted fierce force as he clenched them into fists.
"Hmph! If the Ancestor hadn't given the order, do you think I would lower my face to come before a junior like you?"
With that, Ye Zhengwen gave a disdainful laugh and flicked his wide sleeve sharply, as if brewing some plot within it.
"Ahem, the Ancestor wants to see you two. Come along."
"For the Ancestor's sake, you and I will declare a temporary truce. But as long as I live, I will definitely avenge Zhengyun!"
Ye Zhengwen gnashed his teeth so hard they clicked, wishing he could leap forward and tear Ye Tianxuan to pieces.
Why was it that his only son, upon whom he pinned his hopes, had been crippled, while this trash Ye Tianxuan not only managed to absorb such a rare medicinal pill as the Creation Muscle-Regenerating Pill, but also somehow stumbled into blind luck and acquired fortunes whose names even he didn't know?
His heart itched with hatred!
"That old fellow wants to see us?"
The corner of Ye Tianxuan's mouth curled up in a cold sneer. "Have you forgotten that just a short while ago, you mobilized the entire clan to kill me, even plotting to put me to death?
"Now you want to see me? Did you ask for my permission?"
"You!"
"That is the Ancestor of the Ye Family!"
"Bah! Ancestor my foot!"
"Unable to tell right from wrong, blind to loyalty and treachery, and on top of that, so narrow-minded. If you ask me, he's simply a muddle-headed fool."
"You! You—how dare you slander the Ancestor!"
Ye Zhengwen was so enraged he nearly lost control and struck, but noticing the crimson flames dancing and playing around Ye Tianxuan's fingertips, he instantly extinguished that thought.
Ye Tianxuan looked coldly at Ye Zhengwen, disdain flashing in his eyes. "Slander? I am merely speaking the truth. Don't you know what your Ye Family has done?"
"You... don't be ungrateful!"
"Don't forget, you carry the blood of the Ye Family too!"
Ye Zhengwen said in exasperation, "The Ancestor has already lowered his status to come see you. What more do you want?"
"What more?" A mocking smile curved the corners of Ye Tianxuan's mouth. "Your Ye Family first betrayed my father, attempting to seize his secret treasures and power, and then hunted down my mother and me, pressing us step by step.
"Let me guess—this sudden change in attitude... could it be—"
"Because you saw that the Xuanqi Sect grandmaster was somewhat polite to us mother and son, and you feel there's profit to be made?"
"You..." Ye Zhengwen was choked speechless by Ye Tianxuan's words. He truly had no defense, nor had he expected Ye Tianxuan to expose their intentions so directly.
"Alright, enough nonsense." Ye Tianxuan waved his hand impatiently. "Tell that old fellow I have no time to see him. If he truly wants to talk, let him come find me himself."
With that, Ye Tianxuan took Li Wanqing's hand and turned to leave.
"Halt!" Seeing this, Ye Zhengwen hurried forward to block their path. "You cannot leave! The Ancestor wants to see you, and you must go!"
"Hmph!" Ye Tianxuan let out a cold snort and struck out with a palm. A crimson flame instantly burst from his palm, blasting directly toward Ye Zhengwen.
"Ah!" Ye Zhengwen let out a miserable shriek as he was struck by the flame, flying backward several *zhang* before crashing heavily to the ground.
"You dare raise a hand against your elder!" Seeing this, the other members of the Ye Family roared and charged forward.
"Stop!"
At that moment, the Ye Family Ancestor frowned and slowly walked over.
He swept a glance over Ye Tianxuan and his mother, finally letting his gaze land on Li Wanqing.
"Wanqing, are you truly leaving?"
"Ancestor, I..."
"Sigh..."
Seeing the hesitation in Li Wanqing's words, the Ye Family Ancestor let out a long sigh, his voice filled with helplessness.
"I admit, what our Ye Family did to you and your mother previously was indeed excessive. However, now I hope we can sit down and have a proper talk."
"Talk?" Ye Tianxuan sneered. "What is there for us to talk about? All your Ye Family ever wanted was the secret treasure left behind by my father and my power, and now you see the Xuanqi Sect Master looking at me with favor.
"I'm terribly sorry, but you won't get any of these three things."
"Ye Tianxuan, don't toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" Ye Zhengwen struggled to climb up from the ground and roared angrily.
"Shut up!" The Ye Family Ancestor glared at him, then turned back to Ye Tianxuan. "I know you are full of hostility toward the Ye Family right now. But I hope you can understand that the Ye Family is, after all, your family; we share the same blood and glory."
"No, no, no. Your Ye Family—cough—is something I truly 'cannot afford to climb up to'."
Ye Tianxuan gave a derisive chuckle and waved his hands repeatedly.
The Ye Family Ancestor fell silent for a moment, momentarily speechless. Having lorded over the Ye clan for over a hundred years, he never expected to be retorted into silence by a junior right in front of the entire Ye Family, and his old face darkened abruptly.
Suddenly recalling something, his cloudy yet astute eyes lifted once more, shifting his gaze toward Li Wanqing.
"Wanqing, Xuan'er doesn't know any better. As his mother, even if you don't consider the reputation and glory of the Ye clan, you should at least consider Xuan'er."
"You know as well that the Lin Family will be sending people over during this period to negotiate the marriage alliance with our Ye Family."
"The marriage between our Tianxuan and the Lin Family's legitimate daughter was decided when they were both children; surely you haven't forgotten?"
A marriage?
Hearing this, Ye Tianxuan instinctively turned his head to look at Li Wanqing. "Mother, did you and Father already marry me off?"