Li Feihuang's mind went blank.
Young Master Ye? She, the Empress of Great Chu, was supposed to address Ye Chen as Young Master Ye?
Her thoughts screeched to a halt as she carefully observed her clan's Ancestor. Only then did she notice that while Ye Chen appeared unscathed, the Ancestor… well, something was off. His spiritual robe, though outwardly intact, was clearly damaged. Not a trace of spiritual qi lingered in its fabric. And there was something else—a faint aura on the Ancestor, the telltale residue of the Moon Phoenix Body's healing source being activated.
So… the Ancestor had taken a beating? Her Ancestor, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, had been beaten by Ye Chen and was now calling him Young Master?
The realization hit Li Feihuang like a tidal wave, her heart churning with disbelief as she stared at Ye Chen. How could this be possible?
Sure, Ye Chen defeating the Champion King might suggest he had the combat strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator. But to overpower a mid-stage Nascent Soul Ancestor? That was beyond comprehension.
What in the heavens was going on?
Still reeling from shock, Li Feihuang barely registered the Ancestor's next words. "My dear son-in-law," he said, "if you insist on returning to the Divine Will Sect, why not take Feihuang with you? She could serve as your attendant, looking after your needs. Besides, Feihuang has told me how much she misses her time at the Divine Will Sect."
Li Feihuang's eyes widened in outrage.
When did I ever say that?
She, the direct descendant of the Li Clan, the Empress of Great Chu, bearer of the Moon Phoenix Body and master of the True Phoenix Treasure Technique—someone who could walk into any Holy Land and claim a spot as a direct disciple—serving as someone's attendant?
Her pupils burned with fury. Even if it was the Ancestor speaking, she would never agree to such a thing. And Ye Chen? Oh, he'd probably jump at the chance. But if he thought she'd willingly submit, he was dreaming. If Ye Chen dared to use his strength to force her, she'd rather die than yield.
Yet, as Li Feihuang glared at Ye Chen, bracing herself for his inevitable enthusiasm, he merely glanced at her with calm indifference. "No thanks," he said flatly. "I'm heading to the Wang Clan."
His rejection was so casual, so decisive, it left no room for argument. From what had just transpired, Ye Chen could tell Li Feihuang wasn't a bad person. She had her principles, a moral baseline. But her judgment? Questionable at best.
Back when he was a child in his past life, his mother had warned him to steer clear of people with poor sense. Why would he want an attendant who'd only cause him headaches?
With that, Ye Chen boarded his war chariot without a second glance.
The Ancestor sighed, a tinge of regret in his expression. To think that Ye Chen, still at the Golden Core stage, could so effortlessly defeat a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—his future was boundless.
He had already submitted to Ye Chen, so why not go all in? If Li Feihuang could stay by Ye Chen's side, she might one day whisper in his ear on behalf of the Li Clan, securing their future when Ye Chen rose to greater heights. But Ye Chen didn't even want her as an attendant. What a pity.
With a resigned sigh, the Ancestor led the way toward the Wang Clan, leaving Li Feihuang standing alone. Her delicate hands trembled, her eyes blazing with humiliation.
To be offered up by her own Ancestor as Ye Chen's attendant was already the height of disgrace. She'd assumed Ye Chen's earlier refusal to form a Dao partnership with her was due to his impossibly high standards. Surely, he'd leap at the chance to have her as an attendant now. She'd been ready to fight back, to resist with every fiber of her being.
And yet… Ye Chen hadn't even spared her a second look. He'd rejected her outright, without hesitation. She, the Empress of Great Chu, might not match his combat prowess, but to be deemed unworthy even as his attendant? She didn't want to serve him, but how dare he not want her?
Li Feihuang was certain of it—Ye Chen's rejection was rooted in spite, a petty retaliation for her earlier demands. Those harsh conditions weren't her idea; the Ancestor had forced her hand. What was she supposed to do? Besides, the moment she heard Ye Chen had been captured, she'd rushed to his rescue.
What more did he want?
Her teeth clenched so hard that her rosy lips turned pale. Her eyes burned as they followed Ye Chen's departing figure, but her feet remained rooted to the ground. She swore to herself: one day, she would make him regret this.
Today, you brush me off like I'm nothing. Tomorrow, I'll make sure you can't even dream of reaching me!
...
The Wang Clan.
"Two Nascent Soul cultivators ambushed him. Ye Chen must be dead by now," the Wang Clan Patriarch mused, his mood buoyant. Feeling inspired, he turned his attention to guiding his third brother's wife in her cultivation to see if they could produce another prodigy like Wang Ming.
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As he immersed himself in the training, his thoughts drifted to his eldest son, Wang Lun. Where had that boy run off to? Why hadn't he returned?
His musings were cut short by a terrifying pressure descending upon the Wang Clan. The Patriarch's arms, propped up moments ago, collapsed under the weight of it.
This was the aura of a Nascent Soul powerhouse.
His expression shifted, but he didn't panic. This was Great Chu, after all, where the Great Chu Ancestor held sway. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't dare cause trouble here. But when the Patriarch rushed outside and looked to the sky, his face paled.
Above the Wang Clan, a golden war chariot gleamed like a blazing sun. Atop it sat Ye Chen—the man he'd assumed was dead. And beside the chariot stood a golden-robed elder, looking for all the world like a humble charioteer.
The Patriarch's heart sank as he recognized the figure.
The Ancestor? Wasn't the Ancestor in secluded cultivation? Why was he with Ye Chen? And what was he doing at the Wang Clan?
Confusion swirled in the Patriarch's mind as he prepared to offer a respectful greeting. But before he could speak, the Ancestor's icy gaze swept over him. "The Wang Clan has colluded with rogue cultivators to harm the Great Chu royal family and undermine the interests of our empire. Today, your clan will be eradicated as a warning to others."
The Patriarch's eyes widened in shock.
The entire Wang Clan erupted into chaos. No one understood what was happening, but survival instincts kicked in, and people scrambled to flee. It was futile. The Ancestor had already sealed the Wang Clan's grounds. No one could escape.
Though the Ancestor hadn't been able to defeat Ye Chen, his mid-stage Nascent Soul strength was no empty boast. With a single motion, he raised his hand.
In an instant, the sky darkened. A colossal hand, carrying the weight of heaven and earth, descended with unstoppable force. The entire Great Chu capital trembled under its might.
When the hand dissipated, the Wang Clan was gone—reduced to rubble, not a single sound remaining.
Before acting, the Ancestor had used his spiritual sense to tally the clan's numbers. "The Wang Clan has leeched off Great Chu for too long," he declared. "Their kin scattered elsewhere will be hunted down by the Phoenix Guard. But Wang Lun, curiously, isn't here."
The Ancestor's methods were ruthless. Having lived for centuries, he'd seen too many cases of vengeance born from mercy or carelessness. When he struck, he left no loose ends.
His attention lingered on Wang Lun, the only one with the potential to form a Nascent Soul. Closing his eyes, he tapped into the capital's grand formation to search for Wang Lun's aura.
Moments later, he opened his eyes, puzzled, and turned to Ye Chen. "I sensed Wang Lun's presence in the depths of Peach Blossom Pool in the northern city, but it seems he's been dead for some time."
Ye Chen chuckled. "If that's the case, there's no need to check. I know who killed him."
He'd lingered in the Great Chu Empire long enough. The Nether Poison in his body was acting up again. With a thought, Ye Chen urged the war chariot forward. Under the awestruck gazes of countless cultivators in the capital, he soared away like a son of the sun god, radiant and untouchable.
The Great Chu Ancestor watched him go, a sigh escaping his lips. Once, he'd been the supreme figure, revered by all. Now, someone stood above him. It felt… strange.
Where would Ye Chen's path lead? No matter. The Ancestor had already offered up his divine soul. There was no turning back.
The Great Chu Ancestor drifted leisurely toward the imperial palace. As for whether wiping out the Wang Clan so decisively would have negative consequences or destabilize Great Chu? That wasn't his concern. As long as he lived, Great Chu would stand unshaken. But upon returning to the underground palace, he found a figure already waiting for him.
"Ancestor," Li Feihuang greeted with a blank expression, bowing respectfully.
The Ancestor nodded. "You're here about Ye Chen?"
"That young man is a peerless prodigy," he continued. "Even I can only manage a stalemate against him. If you could have stayed by his side, perhaps even borne his heir, it would have been a great opportunity. A pity it slipped away. But don't dwell on it. Focus on your own path. If you cultivate diligently, you may one day stand shoulder to shoulder with him."
The Ancestor spoke with casual indifference, his words carrying little weight. In truth, the True Dragon Treasure Technique that Ye Chen had unleashed wasn't so easily dispelled. The Ancestor's internal injuries were severe, and he needed to focus on healing.
Li Feihuang glanced at the Ancestor's robe, its array patterns worn to nothing, and recalled the image of Ye Chen seated atop his war chariot. Her head lowered. "Ancestor," she said, "I want to go to the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land."
The Ancestor raised an eyebrow.
With talents like Li Feihuang's or the Champion King's, they were more than qualified to join a Holy Land as disciples. Yet they had chosen to stay. Unless one was a prodigy on the level of Hua Yunfei, whose potential could be further unlocked at a place like the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, or a genius from a minor clan seeking resources their family couldn't provide, staying in Great Chu was the better choice. The empire could offer its prodigies superior resources—like the infusion of imperial qi.
Holy Lands might have similar opportunities, perhaps even better ones, but those were reserved for the elite few. Most disciples could only watch from the sidelines. For someone like Li Feihuang, remaining in the clan was the smarter move.
"Why go?" the Ancestor asked, frowning slightly.
As the Empress, Li Feihuang already commanded vast resources. She had a real shot at breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage within a decade. But if she went to the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, she'd forfeit her throne, and the resources Great Chu could provide would dwindle significantly.
Li Feihuang didn't hesitate. "I want to become stronger. I want to walk further on the path of immortality."
What she didn't say was her true motive: she wanted to surpass Ye Chen. She yearned for the day when she could see regret etched across his face as he looked up at her in awe.
The Ancestor seemed to sense her unspoken resolve. He nodded. "Very well, go then. I'm acquainted with an elder in the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land. I'll write her a letter. With your talent, you're more than qualified to become her disciple—a direct disciple, no less."
Li Feihuang's eyes lit up. A direct disciple of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land? This was an unexpected boon. Holy Land elders were seasoned and powerful, their guidance invaluable. With such a mentor, her future would be limitless.
She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Ancestor, for your care. I swear to do my utmost to elevate Great Chu to a Deity Transformation power!"
The Ancestor waved her off dismissively. Great Chu's future leadership was uncertain, to say the least. "Wait for my word," he said curtly before drifting away.
As Li Feihuang stepped out of the underground palace, her eyes gleamed with unshakable confidence. The next time she faced Ye Chen, she would repay today's humiliation a hundredfold.