Inside Jiuhua Prefecture, at the Yun family residence.
At the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), the first rays of sunlight pierced through the carved wooden windows of Yunshui Pavilion.
Yun Suying Matriarch of the Yun family, sat upright in front of the Yun Suyi inlaid dressing table, her fair face reflected in the mirror.
A personal Maid knelt on the ground, holding a tray of golden silk wood, with twelve White Jade shimmering with a warm glow in the morning light.
"Use that nine-tailed phoenix hairpin with pearls in its beaded ornament." Yun Suyi's fingertips brushed against the jade hairpin, her voice like an icy spring striking a jade cup.
The new Guest Elder of the Heavenly Supervision Department is far more powerful than we imagined; we must treat him with caution.
Six Maid stepped forward upon hearing the sound. The woman's long, dark hair flowed like a waterfall between the teeth of the comb. After carefully combing it, she quickly restored it to its usual dignified appearance.
When the brocade cloud-patterned shoulder ornament was placed on the shoulders of the Matriarch of the Yun family.
Light footsteps came from the corridor outside the door. Several Maid looked up and saw the iconic gorgeous clothes. The second young master of the Yun family walked in quickly, holding a scroll embroidered with gold edges.
"Mother." He bowed in greeting, but his expression was quite grim.
"According to the scouts, the [Purple Cloud Cave] couldn't even last a day; the once magnificent Mountain Gate is now just a flat plain!"
His tone carried a lingering sense of horror.
This is normal; for martial artists born in the Eastern Continent, this event is simply too impactful.
Which force in the Eastern Continent with the Divine Connection Realm expert in charge isn't a colossal behemoth dominating its region?
It's astonishing how easily they disappeared...
The second son of the Yun family gritted his teeth and continued, "As for the master of Purple Cloud Cave... he is also nowhere to be found!"
"Disappeared without a trace?"
Yun Suyi gave a barely perceptible chuckle.
She didn't hold such an optimistic view.
She figured the other person had probably died at the hands of Elder Ye.
Moreover, the whole process went quite smoothly.
Otherwise, they certainly wouldn't have gone without receiving a single message.
Judging from this, this Guest Elder named Ye Li is probably at least at the sixth level of the Divine Connection Realm.
This is already close to the position of the Eastern Continent Director of the Celestial Observatory...
Thinking of this, a ripple crossed Yun Suyi's cold eyes, but it quickly returned to calm.
"Okay, you can go now."
After a brief silence, she looked at her dignified and elegant reflection in the mirror and said softly:
"By the way, take that Yun family disciple who caused trouble in [Bamboo Sea Prefecture] yesterday to the back courtyard of the main hall. I'll interrogate him and punish him severely later."
Yun Jingxian, the second son of the Yun family, wanted to say something, "..."
For example, given that the Eastern Continent is now surrounded by other regions, where exactly did the Eastern Continent Heavenly Supervision Department find Human Race retainers of this caliber?
But then the Matriarch of the Yun family turned her head and said, "Aren't you going yet?"
His body trembled instantly, and he had no choice but to swallow back the words that were in his heart.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After bowing again, Yun Jingxian turned and left the courtyard.
"..."
Yun Suyi withdrew her gaze, surprisingly refraining from imposing any punishment.
She had no children of her own, but the two families she adopted were exceptionally intelligent and talented.
Under the influence of the Tengshe Secret Technique, they have all reached the late stage or even the peak of the Heaven and Earth Realm.
With thousands of years of accumulated experience, outsiders have come to regard her as their own flesh and blood, making her a figure of great significance.
Therefore, there's no need to be too critical.
Splash--
She picked up the Tengshe Prayer Beads from the tray beside her and put them on her smooth, flawless wrist.
Yun Suyi rose gracefully, and as she turned, the wide sleeves carried the swirling scent of sandalwood.
She walked straight out of the courtyard, her demeanor composed and elegant.
Although somewhat unexpected, that guest elder's sixth-level Divine Connection Realm cultivation was not invincible.
That's roughly equivalent to who I am now.
There is an insurmountable gap between them and the [True Lord Tengshe] whom the Yun family has worshipped for generations.
Moreover, it's different from the unbridled Purple Cloud Cave.
During the 478 years that Yun Suyi was in charge of the Yun family, she personally handled everything and carefully grasped the real power of the family, never leaving the slightest trace in matters such as [the sacrifice to the Heavenly Pride].
Given that the other party is a high-ranking official, it's difficult to find a reason to take action.
Now, under her covert manipulation, the entire Wanjing Grand Commandery is plagued by serpentine Mutant Beast that are difficult for local Manager to control and are causing trouble in various places.
Even True Person at the Divine Connection Realm would find this situation quite troublesome.
Moreover, Elder Ye had just experienced a major battle and did not dare to linger in Qinggu Prefecture afterward. He returned directly to the Sicheng Mansion and has not shown his face since.
It was clear that he had suffered a great loss of energy or was seriously injured in the battle with the Master of Purple Cloud Cave.
In this situation, the Yun family took the initiative to extend a friendly gesture.
Even if some discerning people can see through the deception, so what?
An ancient family with a sixth-level Divine Connection Realm expert in charge, and no evidence of wrongdoing—if you were the Eastern Continent Heavenly Supervision Department, would you consider them an enemy or a friend?
The answer is obvious.
Yun Suyi had absolute confidence.
Any normal True Person at the Divine Connection Realm would know how to make a choice in this situation.
Upon arriving outside the courtyard, the Yun family's steward had already been waiting there for quite some time.
"Any news from the Heavenly Supervision Department?"
"Reporting to Madam, Elder Ye has accepted the invitation." The Yun family steward bowed respectfully, holding the visiting card, and said he would arrive within two hours.
Yun Suyi walked down the steps, and the clattering sound of her swaying hairpin startled the steward, who quickly stepped aside. Sunlight shone through the jade hairpin on her head, casting tiny, dappled patterns on the ground.
"Have Jing Xian lead a group to greet him, according to the Yun family's highest standards of hospitality."
Her voice was like a jade chime resonating through a mountain spring, clear and cool yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.
Where is Shuangyue now?
The Forbidden Grounds of the Yun family.
The White Jade steps in front of the altar were cool in the early morning.
Smoke curled from the sandalwood table, and sandalwood shavings burned smoldering in the incense burner.
"A bunch of idiots..."
Yun Shuangyue, the eldest daughter of the Yun family, stood on the steps, gazing at the remnants of souls that were gradually dissolving and disappearing in the blood-red altar.
Her Phoenix Pattern skirt brushed against the blood-frost on the ground, and the tip of her boot crushed a twitching limb—the left hand of some rogue cultivator trying to escape.
"It's a pity that [True Lord] doesn't want inanimate objects, otherwise I could have had my fun with them too."
As she spoke, a cruel smile appeared on the young woman's lips.
With a flick of his fingertip, an ice spike materialized, and the lingering soul, not yet completely dissipated, let out a silent scream.
The gurgling sound that escaped from the throat of the wealthy merchant who was skinned alive three days ago was far more interesting than these lingering souls.
With her peak cultivation at the Heaven and Earth Realm, and her status and position in the Yun family, she could easily have easily slaughtered several mortals in the past.
Those girls frozen into ice sculptures and then smashed, those ice corpses hanging from the city walls, swaying in the wind, those...
Unfortunately, a new Guest Elder recently arrived at the Wanjing Prefecture Heavenly Supervision Department.
His own mother repeatedly emphasized that they were prohibited from doing anything that violated the laws of the Eastern Continent in the near future.
This really frustrated Yun Shuangyue.
Only after the crimson altar returned to calm did the enormous phantom of the Teng Snake rise up.
Yun Shuangyue then withdrew her gaze, respectfully bowed to the illusory figure, and then got up and left this Forbidden Grounds the Yun family.
With a flick of her sleeves, three ice needles pierced precisely into the eye sockets of the mute servant guarding the altar.
Seeing the other person stagger to their knees but unable to utter a scream, she finally let out her first soft laugh of the day.
"Young Miss, Madam has given orders."
Just as they stepped out of the Forbidden Grounds's Sealing Array, the Yun family steward hurried over, carrying a storage box that exuded an icy chill.
The box, forged from black iron, is adorned with nine ice chains that bind the Teng Snake totem, giving it an exceptionally eerie appearance.
"Trouble take this item and wait at the Rear Mountain. Madam will inform you of the specific details then."
Yun Shuangyue narrowed her eyes slightly and reached out to take the treasure box that was handed to her.
Sizzle!
The chilling aura instantly corroded the bone in her palm, only to be scorched into a bloody mist by the boiling, murderous desire within her.
From inside the box came the sound of scales scraping together, mixed with a hissing sound like a baby crying—had her mother given her the reverse scale shed by the Teng Snake?
This reverse scale was once painstakingly crafted into an arrow by the family's artisans; the trace of creation within it was enough to pierce through the Dharma Body defenses of True Person at the Divine Connection Realm!
Alas--
The wind from the Rear Mountain carried a stench that wafted towards us.
Holding the treasure box, Yun Shuangyue gazed at the gradually bustling main hall of the Yun family, her tongue gently licking the blood that had congealed on her lips.
Could it be that she can actually kill a True Person at the Divine Connection Realm today?!