“Got it. That means we don’t have an alternative aside from fighting,” said Tianming.

“It doesn’t matter. We have no regrets if we die for the sect and Her Eminence.” Xuanyuan Muxue squeezed out a smile.

“Are you guys trying to hypnotize yourselves?” Tianming asked.

“We aren’t. But the blood flowing in our veins taught us to die with pride, not with our tails between our legs. I might only be seventeen, but I’m not afraid of death.” Xuanyuan Muxue said with her eyes red.

“Not bad. Your words touched even me,” commented Tianming.

“What about you? Are you going to join?” Xuanyuan Muxue asked.

“What else? Am I just going to let them force us to hand Her Eminence over to be killed?” Tianming roared. Tianming looked like a ferocious bloodthirsty beast.

“You lost your composure. It looks like Her Eminence is important to you,” said Xuanyuan Muxue.

“Sorry.” Tianming took a deep breath to calm himself down, but his blood was still boiling. He gnashed his teeth whenever he thought of Feiling dying before him, and he clenched his fists tightly.

DIE! ALL OF YOU DIE! Tianming’s eyelids twitched violently as he bit his lips bloody.

“Don’t be nervous. That’s the worse scenario. No matter what, we still belong to the Archaic House of Xuanyuan. We’ve pledged to protect Her Eminence, so no one can touch her unless they kill us all,” said Xuanyuan Muxue.

“Yeah.…”

“Have you fallen in love with Her Eminent?” Xuanyuan Muxue asked.

Her words left Tianming stunned and he replied, “What the hell are you talking about? What nonsense.”

“Yeah, I’m talking nonsense. But you just look like it.”

“Look like what?”

“A man who’s provoked by the threat of separation between lovers.”

“Stop saying rubbish. Her Eminent is a goddess. She cannot be defiled, do you understand?” Tianming said with a serious face.

“Do I need you to tell me that? This is the Deepstar Pool. If I said that outside, my mother would probably whip me to death,” said Xuanyuan Muxue.

“Yeah.” Tianming gulped down a mouthful of saliva and was lost in his thoughts while staring at the Deepstar Pool.

“Muxue.”

“Yeah?”

“If they start killing Heaven Branch’s disciples and kill all of us, will they still be able to threaten us?” Tianming asked.

“No, because that signifies war,” said Xuanyuan Muxue.

……

Tianming and Xuanyuan Muxue left the Deepstar Pool together and headed to the Fiend Palace. When they were finished at the Fiend Palace, they left there together as well.

“See you tomorrow,” said Tianming, bidding his farewell to Xuanyuan Muxue.

“See you tomorrow.” Xuanyuan Muxue smiled as she walked into the darkness.

“The Archaic House of Xuanyuan?” Tianming looked at her figure, fusing into the darkness. He had gained a new understanding of their clan today. Simultaneously, the image of Xuanyuan Yufeng wielding his spear reappeared in Tianming’s mind.

I’d rather die fighting than live with my tail between my legs!

Tianming’s eyes flashed brightly in the darkness with an outburst of murderous aura burning in his chest. He called out, “Ying Huo.”

“Yeah?”

“I want to become the strongest.”

……

Deep in the tranquil night, Xuanyuan Muxue sat on the oceansoul fatedragon, returning to Xuanyuan Lake. No ordinary disciples were allowed to come close to the Xuanyuan Lake, and it was hard to see anyone around late at night.

“Muxue.” Someone called out to her. When Xuanyuan Muxue raised her head, she saw a man dressed in white standing in the darkness. He was wearing a smile, and the vertical eye on his forehead flickered.

“What is it, big brother Yuheng?” Xuanyuan Muxue asked. This wasn’t a coincidence—Xuanyuan Yuheng had been here waiting for her.

“Nothing. I’d like to talk with you.” Xuanyuan Yuheng flew over and stood on the back of the oceansoul fatedragon, looking down at Xuanyuan Muxue.

“Yeah? Go ahead.”

“I see that you’re pretty close to Li Tianming lately. Everyone’s saying that you guys are a couple. Do you know that?” Xuanyuan Yuheng asked.

“I don’t. They must be overthinking it. We just happen to be on the same path,” said Xuanyuan Muxue.

“I don’t believe it. It’s normal for a young girl like you to fall for a bad boy,” replied Xuanyuan Yuheng.

“Don’t you have anything better to do? There’s many things better to do in life. Big Brother Yuheng, are you really that bored to be interested in rumors?” retorted Xuanyuan Muxue.

“I’m not interested in it. I’m just asking since when have you had such a good relationship with him? Did he tell you what happened?” Xuanyuan Yuheng smiled.

“What is it?”

“On a night a few days ago, I tried killing him in the Fiend Palace. But he escaped,” said Xuanyuan Muxue.

His words left Xuanyuan Muxue dumbfounded. She replied, “Big Brother Yuheng, stop joking around with me. If you did that and allowed him to escape, then you’d be in prison right now.”

“Do you know why he didn’t tell anyone about it?” Xuanyuan Yuheng looked Xuanyuan Muxue in the eyes.

“I don’t.”

“It’s because he’s too confident. That means that he thinks I’m spinning a cocoon around myself, and there’s nothing I can do about him. It means he’s looking down on me, Xuanyuan Yuheng!” Xuanyuan Yuheng smiled, and his tone became heavier.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course I am.”

“Why did you do that? Are you insane? Do you have any reason to be jealous of him? Uncle Xiao told you to be respectful. Why are you going insane when he isn’t holding it against you?” Xuanyuan Muxue asked.

“Oh, even you’re like that? You’re denouncing me for an outsider?” Xuanyuan Yuheng chuckled.

“It’s not that he isn’t holding it for me. He’s just waiting for an opportunity to take revenge in the future. So do you think I can let him off?” Xuanyuan Yuheng argued emotionally.

“Then what are you going to do?” Xuanyuan Muxue asked.

“That’s simple.” Xuanyuan Yuheng suddenly laughed. The next second, the vertical eye on his forehead shot out a golden ray.

“That’s the Vajra Extinguishing Eye!” Xuanyuan Muxue’s eyes grew wide.

The ocular art didn’t attack Xuanyuan Muxue, who was standing close to him. Xuanyuan Yuheng turned around and shot it at the oceansoul fatedragon, catching it by surprise. After all, Xuanyuan Muxue had never thought that Xuanyuan Yuheng would attack her.

The golden beam was faster than lightning, instantly piercing through the oceansoul fatedragon.

“Gworrrh.…” The light in the oceansoul fatedragon’s eyes faded as it died.

“Lan Ling!” Xuanyuan Muxue’s face changed. She felt as if her heart was being ripped apart. She never expected that Xuanyuan Yuheng would suddenly attack her, much less kill her lifebound beast.

“Don’t let the other one out, or it’ll die as well. And be quiet. Don’t make a sound,” sneered Xuanyuan Yuheng as he appeared behind Xuanyuan Muxue.

“Xuanyuan Yuheng, you’re insane!” Xuanyuan Muxue felt difficulty breathing as tears rolled down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe that Xuanyuan Yuheng had killed one of her lifebound beasts.

When she suddenly turned around, Xuanyuan Yuheng’s punch landed on her abdomen, causing her to throw up a mouthful of blood. She felt the shock in her internal organs, like they had nearly been ripped apart by Xuanyuan Yuheng’s power.

“How weak. I nearly crippled you with a gentle push.” Xuanyuan Yuheng stepped forth and grabbed her neck before giving her two slaps. His smile was eerie, and the vertical eye on his forehead was red. “Muxue, look! You’re dying.…”

“Why.…” Xuanyuan Muxue struggled. If it weren’t for Xuanyuan Yuheng’s sudden assault, she wouldn’t have been caught by surprise. She never imagined that he would be so despicable.

“Why? Because you’re young, and you’re still ignorant. Adults like us will do whatever we need to achieve our goals,” sneered Xuanyuan Yuheng.

“What kind of goal made you lose your mind like this? Reducing you to such a despicable fellow and losing your bottom line!” Xuanyuan Muxue was suffocating, and her body trembled in pain.

“That’s simple. Since you two have a good relationship, I’ll be using you as bait to lure him out. Then I’ll bring his head to Her Eminence and tell her that I’m more suitable to be her disciple. I’m a much more suitable candidate to conquer the world with her!” Xuanyuan Yuheng laughed.

“Have you lost your mind?! He has Jian Wufeng’s protection, there’s no way you can touch him. Otherwise Her Eminence will kill you!”

Xuanyuan Muxue’s tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at the oceansoul fatedragon’s corpse.

“Shhh.…” Xuanyuan Yuheng pinched her lips. “There’s no need for you to talk. I’ll let you witness it with your own eyes.”

……

“Muxue didn’t come today?” This was the first time Tianming saw that Xuanyuan Muxue was missing in the Deepstar Pool. He was uncomfortable without her around. But Tianming didn’t overthink it and continued refining astralsources.

“I can already come in contact with the green tribulation pattern spirit hazards. This is a good day today, so let’s give it a try!” Tianming’s face was flushed when he came out of the Deepstar Pool. When the fourth egg heard that he would give it a try, it jumped around excitedly in the lifebound space.

Taking the egg out, Tianming played around with it in his hand.

“Don’t worry. I’ll aim to let you see the world today. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

……

Tianming didn’t go to the Fiend Palace but the Heaven Cauldron instead, where he bumped into Ouyang Jianwang.

“How many tribulation sword ki now?”

“Five hundred.”

“Too little. Continue working hard!” Ouyang Jianwang’s eyebrow twitched.

“Haha.”

“Tianming, you’ll have nothing in the future if you don’t work hard now,” said Ouyang Jianwang.

“Big brother, as the stars shine brightly in the sky, open your eyes wide open and watch,” said Tianming.

“What? Not bad!” Ouyang Jianwang widened his eyes.

“Thanks for letting me win.” Tianming cupped his hands together. He then turned around and stepped into the Heaven Cauldron. But all of a sudden, Ouyang Jianwang patted his shoulder with a playful smile and said, “The weather is dry lately. Beware of fire.”