The Great Emperor's Gift!

"My master is the Immortal Great Emperor!"

Ye Xi used a secret voice transmission technique to tell Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Qingge separately.

As soon as the words fell,

both women's expressions shifted slightly, and a storm surged through their hearts.

Yet neither showed it on her face.

Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Qingge both fixed their eyes on Ye Xi.

Their sharp gazes seemed to see right through him as they sized him up from head to toe.

Everyone present was a mighty figure in their own right.

Seeing Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Qingge, who had been ready to fight at the slightest provocation, suddenly fall silent,

they couldn't help feeling puzzled...

Their gazes also settled on Ye Xi. He wore a white robe, had handsome features, and carried himself with exceptional grace.

Besides that, there was an air of mystery about him that even they couldn't fathom.

"What a refined and handsome young man!"

"I wonder which family raised such a prodigy!"

The Great Elder of the Jade Pool Holy Land quietly exchanged a few words with the people beside him. They all nodded in approval.

Few people caught the eye of these old monsters.

Ye Xi was one of them. More than that, he gave off the impression of being humble and courteous, yet still keen-edged.

Under everyone's scorching gazes...

Ye Xi's eyes suddenly sharpened. His robe billowed as an immensely powerful aura erupted from him!

His astonishing magical power burst forth, forcing the mighty figures present to stagger back several steps.

Only a handful of cultivators in the late Mahayana Realm could barely hold their ground and avoid being driven back!

"How powerful! I'm no match for him!"

The Great Elder, Cang Yuan, staggered back a step, then stamped his foot hard. The boulder beneath him cracked and crumbled to dust.

When he looked at Ye Xi again, there was a hint of awe in his eyes.

Quite a few Mahayana cultivators exchanged glances, and each could see the deep shock in the others' eyes.

Ye Xi was far stronger than they had imagined!

At first, when Ye Xi appeared, no one could sense his aura. Most had assumed he was carrying some kind of treasure

that could conceal his aura and block their perception.

But the moment Ye Xi deliberately released his aura, the overwhelming, unstoppable force of it was unmistakable.

Among those present,

only a handful of people—Yuan Ruoyu, Ye Qingge, and Elder Heavenly Secret—could remain utterly unmoved beneath that astonishing aura.

Then Ye Xi smiled faintly, withdrew his aura, and asked, "I want the last spot in the battle lineup!"

"Who's in favor, and who's against?"

After speaking, Ye Xi swept his gaze calmly across the gathering.

His gaze was calm yet arrogant. As it fell on them, it seemed to carry an invisible pressure that came crashing down.

Ye Qingge was the first to speak. "I approve!"

Right after her, Yuan Ruoyu nodded. "I agree as well."

From the moment Ye Xi had activated his technique, they had already confirmed his identity.

There was no faking it.

The two big shots had reached an agreement!

What else could anyone say? Besides, after seeing the strength Ye Xi had displayed,

they had no grounds to object.

After some pleasantries, they exchanged a little basic information about themselves.

"Then it's settled!"

Elder Heavenly Secret said, "Three days from now, Great Emperor Zhitong, Cang Yuan, and Ye Xi will represent our factions in facing the three ancestors of the An Clan!"

Before long, the outcome of the discussion spread to all the factions that had come.

It caused another considerable stir.

Of the three who would fight, only Cang Yuan, the Great Elder of the Jade Pool Holy Land, was familiar to everyone.

The other two were both rather mysterious.

There was no need to mention Great Emperor Zhitong. She was enigmatic, and her first appearance had been at the Xuanqing Sect in Qing Province.

That had left behind a tale for the ages.

Now, another person named Ye Xi had suddenly emerged, and he too was in the late Mahayana Realm.

This left many people uneasy...

It seemed the Cultivation World was full of hidden talents. There really were plenty of powerful figures lurking beneath the surface, keeping a low profile!

"The Immortal Great Emperor was right after all. Laying low until the world ends is the safest course..."

At the mountaintop,

the leaders of the various factions who had come all departed one after another.

Before leaving, Ye Qingge glanced deeply at Ye Xi and sent him a secret voice transmission. "You brat, you have one hour to come and explain everything to me, in every last detail!"

"Otherwise, I'll castrate you and make you a little eunuch!"

Ye Xi broke into a cold sweat and forced an ugly smile as he watched her Imperial Chariot disappear into the distance.

Only then did he let out a long breath of relief...

Ye Xi turned around and found Yuan Ruoyu also watching the direction in which Ye Qingge had left, looking thoughtful.

In truth, both women were exceptionally clever.

At that moment, they had each guessed a little of the truth. They knew the other's relationship with Lin Feng was definitely no ordinary one.

Then Yuan Ruoyu turned to the Great Elder, Cang Yuan, and said,

"Great Elder, you may return first. I have a few things to discuss with Young Master Ye Xi."

Cang Yuan glanced from one to the other, hesitating.

He was worried about Yuan Ruoyu's safety. Ye Xi had displayed far too much strength.

Besides, he didn't understand why the Holy Venerable seemed to treat Ye Xi differently.

"Go," Yuan Ruoyu urged again.

Only then did the Great Elder bow and depart. Clouds rose beneath his feet, and he vanished into the horizon in an instant.

Now, at the mountaintop,

only Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Xi remained.

Yuan Ruoyu stared at Ye Xi, her eyes shining, and asked hopefully, "Are you really his disciple? Why have I never heard him mention you?"

"And—"

"Where is your master now? Is he safe?"

Ye Xi bowed deeply to her and said,

"Your disciple, Nicholas Ye Xi, pays his respects to Mistress!"

Then Ye Xi shook his head. "I don't know where Master is now, either!"

"As for why he never mentioned me, it was probably because the time wasn't right. Now the time is ripe!"

Yuan Ruoyu's expression eased slightly, but hearing that Ye Xi didn't know where Lin Feng was left her feeling disappointed again.

For a moment, she didn't even pay attention to his strange name.

Ye Xi then comforted her. "Mistress, don't worry!"

"Master is an expert at laying low. He'd never put himself in danger lightly. We can just wait and see!"

"When the time is right, he'll show up on his own."

Yuan Ruoyu nodded. Being called "Mistress" again and again lifted her spirits.

Then she thought of everything that had happened lately.

Unable to hold back, Yuan Ruoyu asked, "Do you know what your master is really trying to do?"

After a moment of silence,

Ye Xi suddenly grew solemn. A glint of madness flashed through his eyes, and his whole aura changed!

A domineering presence that looked down upon the world swept outward.

Ye Xi gazed at the distant mountains and said with fervor, "Master once said he would purge the heavens and earth, then remake the universe!"

Purge the heavens and earth, then remake the universe!

What a magnificent undertaking!

Even a woman like Yuan Ruoyu couldn't help being shaken by those words.

"Phew..."

She drew a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in her heart.

Then Ye Xi spoke again, his voice full of regret. "Unfortunately, Master didn't tell me about a lot of things. The only clue I have now is the Diary."

"All I can do is carry out the will revealed in the Diary!"

Yuan Ruoyu nodded as well.

For now, that was all they could do. The Diary had caused such a huge upheaval this time—what exactly was hidden in Cangwu Mountain?

Just then!

Ye Xi suddenly remembered a serious problem, and his expression changed.

The hour was almost up.

He had no desire to become a little eunuch; his legs even pressed tightly together.

Ye Xi quickly took out an exquisite box and held it out to Yuan Ruoyu with both hands.

He said, "Mistress, Master asked me to give you this before he left."

"Master went to a lot of trouble over this gift."

Ye Xi added, "He said you'd definitely like it."

Yuan Ruoyu's eyes lit up, and she couldn't hide her smile. She took the box with delighted surprise.

She was so beautiful she seemed beyond compare.

Her heart full of joy, she said, "At least that man still has a bit of conscience!"

They said their goodbyes.

As soon as Yuan Ruoyu returned to the Jade Pool Holy Land's camp, she couldn't wait to take out the box and look inside.

"What could that man have left for me?"

She couldn't remember the last time she had felt such a thrilling mix of anticipation and nervousness.

Now, as Yuan Ruoyu gazed at the exquisite box in her hands, she almost couldn't bring herself to open it.

Sometimes, the unknown was a kind of beauty, too.

But after a struggle with herself, Yuan Ruoyu still couldn't resist opening the box.

Click—

A crisp sound rang out. The item lying quietly inside the box came into view.

It was a collection of net-like things woven from thread.

They came in all sorts of colors, and the meshes varied in size. Some were as big as two fingers, while others were fine as needle eyes.