Short of directly conveying his meaning, hed already made things as clear as he could. Ye Zichen trusted that bringing up the hundred-bolt tribulation was enough for Xiao Ting to realize what he was trying to say.

It seems Xiao Ting had never even considered the possibility that the youth hed actively obstructed from ascending to the God Realm was standing right in front of him!

He hadnt merely been reborn beneath the lightning. Now, he was standing proudly before Xiao Ting as a challenger.

Ye Zichen smiled and faced Xiao Ting, as if he were seeing off a guess. Yang Jian gestured for Yang Jiain to follow him, then personally led the Lightning Emperor back to the Xiao Familys gates. It wasnt much of a walk: a few dozen meters at most.

Xiao Tings gaze shifted, but given his shrewdness, he naturally wouldnt reveal anything out of the ordinary.

No matter how shocked he was inside, on the outside, he maintained his calm, collected demeanor, as if he werent surprised at all. He didnt say any more either. He and Ye Zichen had already made their positions clear, and they both knew each others identities, and what their relationship would be like going forward.

The Lightning Emperor followed Yang Jian, his expression aloof. Yang Jian really had seen him back to his family estate.

But when they reached the gate, Xiao Ting stopped to chat with Yang Jian, seemingly without reservation. As he stepped inside, a smile flashed through his eyes. Yang Jian nodded and bowed, then watched his departure.

Look at him! What a lackey he is, sneered the Great Sage. The two of them cant have been talking about anything good.

The others chuckled and nodded. Before long, Yang Jian dashed back up to them. His obsequious smile had vanished, replaced by undisguised contempt. When he reached Ye Zichens side, he turned to the Great Sage and said, Do you know what that geezer said to me just now?

He saw how fit you are, and decided to accept you as his pet? The Great Sage launched a verbal assault right off the bat. Who knew who hed learned to do that from?

Is there something wrong with your brain?

Am I wrong? Back in the Heavenly Court, werent you happy to show off your physique to all those lady immortals? If you really become his pet, Im sure hell take good care of you.

Listening to the Great Sages jeers, Ye Zichen couldnt help but remember the days when hed only just barely gotten acquainted with the Heavenly Court.

Back then, when they were recruiting general agents, all the immortals showed off their various skills. Yang Jian was the only exception; hed treated it like a beauty pageant and showed off his physique instead.

Looking at it like that, the Great Sage was right!

Yang Jians face went green, but although he wanted to beat the monkey up, he couldnt. All he could do was glare, then explain, Just now, he tried to surreptitiously invite me to his side. Also, I have to say, he offered quite the sweet deal!

Then he took advantage of your unsteady heart and offered you enormous incentives. Then you agreed to stick around us and act as a secret agent on his behalf. Based on that toadyish grin on your face just now, Im sure Im right! Before hed even finished speaking, the Great Sage summoned the Ruyi Jingu Bang, and his eyes flashed. Take this! See if I dont cripple you, you double agent!

He swung his staff, and Yang Jian furrowed his brow and summoned the Erlang Lance. He swung it, blocking the staff. He couldnt take it any longer, and directly started attacking the Great Sage.

Why are they fighting, just like that? Pu Jingwan couldnt quite follow what had happened.

They seemed to fight out of nowhere, for no apparent reason. Everyone could tell that the Great Sage was mostly joking just now.

So why were they fighting at the drop of a hat?

Dont mind them. Theyre always like this, said Ye Zichen. Hed known them for a while, so he wasnt the least bit surprised.

Always? Pu Jingwan exclaimed, then grimaced. Those two are awfully unique, huh?

She sighed and watched them fighting above Heavenly God City. It would be difficult to break them apart, but quite a few city patrols noticed them and hurried over.

However, both Yang Jian and the Great Sage were strong even among rulers. Even just the shockwaves of their battle were far more than the guards could bear.

Even the citys rulers fell silent when they sensed their battle. They decided to simply let them duke it out.

Xiao Ting really didnt hold back. As his friends fought, Ye Zichen recalled what Yang Jian had said, then shook his head. It seems hes really underestimated me. Did he really think he could buy my friends right from under my nose? Im Skyspan Academys infamous Excavator! Im the one who snipes talent! This is the first time someones tried to lure my allies away like this.

This wasnt just empty bragging. When Ye Zichen first entered the Anti-Upheaval Society, hed lured away countless Grizzly Bear Society Members, putting them in a rather pitiful situation. This was the source of their grudge, although after Xuan Ji revealed his background, all of that was in the past. Pang Zheng and Di Long had buried the hatchet, and now acted quite friendly with him.

If Xiao TIng thought he could try and snipe Ye Zichens allies so openly, without even the slightest reservation, it was clear he really wasnt taking Ye Zichen seriously.

This is a good thing for you, said Xuan Ji. He doesnt know you have the Outsides support, and believes youre relying on nothing but me and the Yao-Sealing Pagoda to challenge him. This is absolutely to your advantage.

Mm, I know. Ye Zichen nodded.

When Yang Jian returned from the Xiao Family, Xuan Ji and Pu Jingwan joined forces to put a barrier around them. No sound could escape, which is why they felt comfortable discussing this openly despite their proximity to the Xiao Family estate

From such a close distance, it was entirely possible that the Xiao Family was eavesdropping, even in their recently purchased territory. It would be best to wait until their new headquarters were fully built. Then Ye Zichen could hire a formations grandmaster to put up various sound-proofing seals and ensure the Xiao Family couldnt spy on them.

Perhaps she feared that Ye Zichen wasnt taking what shed said seriously enough, but Xuan Ji decided to reiterate her understanding of Xuan Ji. Dont underestimate the Xiao Family. No matter what else you say about them, theyre the Lightning Emperors clan, and theyve passed their inheritance down for countless generations. Their reserves and insider knowledge are far more than you can see on the surface. If you asked me which of the god races clans are enough to give me reservations, theres obviously the various Holy Lands. Theyve existed since the start of the Third Era, and its obvious how deep their roots run. But then there are the clans that Zhou Wu supported after ascending to the throne. I dont know enough about them, which makes me nervous. Finally, theres the Lightning Emperors Xiao Family.

I know I brought the Xiao Family last, but the way I see it, the Xiao Family is the most troublesome of all the factions I listed. Dont forget; theyre in charge of every realms lightning tribulations, and heavenly lightning is under their control. Back then, when Bian underwent his tribulation, it was the Xiao Family that sent it. Do you get what I'm saying?

How could he not get it?

Xuan Ji was primarily trying to tell him that if the Xiao Family really wanted to, they could control the lightning pool, and by extension, heavenly lightning. In a fight, in addition to the Xiao Familys attacks, theyd have to face lightning raining down from above!

What really scared people was that if the Xiao Family actively controlled punishment lightning, they could decide just how many bolts fell.

Ye Zichen knew that during a tribulation, each lightning bolt was stronger than the last. If the Xiao Family kept firing them without end, not even the God Emperor could hold out forever!

This was a hidden danger. But if that was the case, didnt it mean the Xiao Family was unbeatable?