Ye Xuan was speechless, but could only nod.
Seeing Ye Xuan nod, Hong Ye snorted, turned and left, thinking coldly to herself, "He really doesn't know what's good for him."
She felt that her superior's dignity had been challenged.
"What an exasperating woman," Ye Xuan thought to himself as he returned to his room.
He was just about to continue cultivating for a while when a voice suddenly appeared in his mind.
"Hey kid, you've arrived in the Immortal Domain?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Xuan was first taken aback, then overjoyed.
"Senior, you've finally woken up! And you've woken up just in time! Quick, take me away from this awful place!"
"I'm practically imprisoned and can't leave Hei Yun City. Also, some fool tried to steal my woman; I'm going to kill him."
Quiet.
A long period of silence.
The person in my mind never responded again.
Ye Xuan was a little confused and asked, "Senior, what do you mean by this?"
A moment later, the voice in his mind came faintly, "It's nothing. I suddenly feel weak and need to fall asleep again."
Ye Xuan, "..."
He already knew that the big boss couldn't help him.
I just don't know if the big shot is unable to do it, or unwilling.
He immediately changed the subject, "Senior, with my talent and strength, when do you think I can go to the Sacred Frost Palace?"
The Queen said, "Quickly, it will only take a few hundred to a thousand years. You can go when you can contend with Great Emperor Realm Perfection."
Ye Xuan, "..."
He stopped talking about that topic and said seriously, "Senior, I want to break through to the Emperor Realm, but I'm afraid the Lightning Tribulation will attract the attention of Commander Hei Yun and the others. Do you have any suggestions?"
Should I venture out to break through, or stay here?
This time, the Queen was serious. "You can stay here. I will protect you; they won't notice. When do you plan to break through?"
Ye Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait until after this period of time."
During this period, the Hei Yun Army is conducting its year-end assessment, attracting countless cultivators. Breaking through here would be unwise.
He plans to wait until things calm down before making any decisions.
The Queen did not reply.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Hong Ye arrived in front of Ye Xuan's palace.
She wore a simple dress, her waist was slender, and she was tall and straight, but her eyes were as arrogant and indifferent as ever.
Behind her stood six powerful cultivators.
The six cultivators stood on either side of Hong Ye, their heads bowed, but their occasional glances at Hong Ye were filled with admiration and fervor.
Ye Xuan sensed their cultivation levels with a slight effort.
The cultivation levels of these six people were distributed very evenly.
Two Peak Emperor Realm Third Layer, two Peak Emperor Realm Sixth Layer, and two Peak Emperor Realm Ninth Layer.
In other words, there are two individuals each at the Early-Stage Emperor Realm, and all of them are at the peak of their cultivation.
" Ye Xuan, the year-end assessment is about to begin. You'll be coming with us."
Hong Ye glanced at the handsome Ye Xuan from head to toe, and said in an arrogant and indifferent tone.
Ye Xuan was dressed in white, with red lips and white teeth, and was exceptionally handsome.
But in Hong Ye's eyes, this image became a symbol of a young heartthrob, making her realize that this guy was a dissolute and womanizing playboy, so she disliked him even more.
The six followers behind Hong Ye also looked up at Ye Xuan.
With just one glance, a sense of unease instantly rose within them. They thought to themselves, "Damn, this guy is really good-looking. Could he be a formidable opponent?"
In a mere instant, Ye Xuan perfectly used his good looks to stir up a wave of hatred.
But when they saw Hong Ye's attitude towards Ye Xuan, all six of them couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
They then remembered that Lord Hong Ye respected the strong.
Someone like Ye Xuan, no matter how handsome or extraordinary, wouldn't stand a chance with Lord Hong Ye, and wouldn't even qualify as a male concubine.
"Okay." Ye Xuan didn't seem to care much and nodded lightly.
People who don't know him would think he's the boss.
Seeing Ye Xuan's attitude, Hong Ye frowned and let out a soft snort of dissatisfaction.
Then, swaying her hips, she led the way with a clattering sound.
The six men also gave Ye Xuan a cold look, let out a snort, and followed behind.
Ye Xuan lazily lagged behind at the very end.
To be honest, he really didn't want to watch any year-end assessments; it was pointless.
If conditions allowed, he would prefer to try breaking through to the Emperor Realm.
After all, only by improving one's cultivation level can one truly succeed.
But fate is fickle; this Hong Ye is rather irritating.
Before long, the group left the Red Moon Mansion and arrived at the Hei Yun Commander's mansion.
Two enormous lions stand on either side of the gate, while the main gate itself is dark and ancient.
A hidden yet powerful restriction enveloped the entire house, and two cultivators at the Middle Emperor Realm stood on either side of the entrance.
"Lord Hong Ye."
"Lord Hong Ye."
Upon seeing Hong Ye and her group arrive, the two cultivators immediately bowed in respect.
Hong Ye nodded without saying anything more, and led Ye Xuan and his group inside.
After entering the house, the group wandered around for more than ten minutes before finally arriving at a huge martial arts training ground.
The training ground was huge, even larger than the training ground at the She Ling Mansion.
When they arrived, the place was already packed with hundreds of cultivators.
Ye Xuan saw the She Ling, the other eleven powerful individuals of the same level as the She Ling who were in the main hall that day, and dozens of minor leaders like Hong Ye who were there to settle accounts.
"Hey, isn't this Junior Sister Hong Ye? Long time no see! Sister Hong Ye is still as stunning as ever."
A flippant voice rang out, and a handsome male cultivator with an extremely pale face walked towards them.
This male cultivator has an excellent appearance, but he is somewhat frivolous, looking as if he has overindulged in sensual pleasures.
His cultivation level was comparable to Hong Ye's, and he was followed by seven or eight people, clearly indicating that he was of equal status to Hong Ye.
Of course, they shouldn't belong to the same camp.
Hong Ye didn't even glance at the male cultivator, let out a cold snort, and turned to leave.
Zhao Long, unfazed by Hong Ye's attitude, rubbed his nose and said, "Hey, still as arrogant as ever."
"I wonder if you'll still be so arrogant after I trample your people under my feet."
The men behind Zhao Long also looked at Hong Ye with burning eyes, but they quickly averted their gazes.
In the Hei Yun Army, beauties like Hong Ye are rare, so she is naturally highly sought after.
Of course, they also knew that while Lord Zhao Long might still have a thought for such a person, they certainly had no chance whatsoever.
If you dare to be disrespectful, you could be beaten to death.
As Hong Ye led Ye Xuan and his group of seven on their journey, they encountered many more cultivators. Some spoke sarcastically, while others greeted them politely.
Hong Ye dealt with each of them one by one, and finally led Ye Xuan and his group to the She Ling dressed in palace attire.
Today, the She Ling is dressed in palace attire, exuding elegance and nobility, just like an empress in the inner palace of an ancient emperor.
Her alluring face remained impeccably groomed, her lips full and rounded, exuding an aura of power.
When the She Ling saw Hong Ye and her group arrive, it nodded slightly, then looked at Ye Xuan at the back of the crowd.
" Ye Xuan, are you eligible to participate in the assessment today?"
The cool voice reached Ye Xuan's ears, attracting the attention of many cultivators around him.
When did a big shot like Senior She Ling start paying attention to a nobody like Ye Xuan?
Swish swish swish.
In an instant, countless gazes converged on Ye Xuan.
His eyes held a complex mix of confusion, doubt, and curiosity.
Hong Ye was also slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting that Lord She Ling would pay attention to such a minor figure as Ye Xuan.
But soon she realized that this playboy's background was indeed not simple.
Otherwise, how could it have attracted the attention of Lord She Ling?
Damn it, the Hei Yun Army, when did it become a place for spoiled brats to hone their skills?
Hong Ye was extremely displeased.
Ye Xuan looked at the She Ling, gazing at her face that was both alluring and captivating, yet incredibly aloof, and respectfully said:
"Replying to Senior, my cultivation level and strength are too low, so I had no intention of participating in the assessment; I simply came to broaden my horizons."
Upon hearing this, a fleeting look of disappointment crossed the She Ling's eyes, but it nodded nonetheless.
"Very well, then you can watch and see."
Ye Xuan hummed in agreement.
In an instant, the surrounding cultivators became even more curious about Ye Xuan.
I thought to myself, "Who is this person?"
However, since the She Ling was there, no one dared to ask any further questions.
As time passed, more and more cultivators arrived at the square; they were all cultivators from the Hei Yun Army.
After an unknown amount of time, a loud thud, accompanied by a deafening chime, caused everyone to stand up straight in solemn silence.
At the same time, a figure descended from the sky like a god and appeared on the high platform in the center.
It was none other than the Hei Yun Commander.
"Greetings, Lord Hei Yun."
"Greetings, Lord Hei Yun."
The moment the Hei Yun Commander appeared, countless roars and cries resounded from the scene.
The waves of cheers grew louder and louder.
Everyone bowed their heads and spoke respectfully.
The Hei Yun Commander was a god in the hearts of these people, an invincible being.
Even a proud and arrogant person like the She Ling looked at the Hei Yun with awe and worship, bowing and lowering his proud head.
Commander Hei Yun glanced around and slightly raised his hand.
Everyone rose.
Commander Hei Yun spoke, "Today is the day of the year-end assessment, so I won't waste any more words. Now, let the assessment begin. The rules are the same as in previous years."
Commander Hei Yun spoke succinctly, and then instantly soared into the air, sitting cross-legged in the void.
The year-end assessment of the Hei Yun Army is a major event for the entire Hei Yun Army.
For those Hei Yun Army cultivators, this was an opportunity.
Because of the year-end assessment, Commander Hei Yun will personally observe the battle.
In this situation, once you perform exceptionally well and stand out from the crowd, you will gain the appreciation of the Hei Yun Commander and be given special attention, allowing you to leap over the dragon gate and soar to great heights.
Such opportunities are rare. After all, someone like Commander Hei Yun wouldn't normally care about the lowly people below him.
Of course, even so, it is extremely difficult to stand out and attract the attention of the Hei Yun Cloud Commander.
After all, he is Peak Great Emperor Realm expert. Unless you are an exceptionally outstanding prodigy, how could you possibly look down on him?
As soon as Commander Hei Yun finished speaking, all the cultivators present immediately sprang into action.
Hong Ye and the others came out and soon arrived at the center of the square.
In just a moment, one hundred and twenty small camps appeared clearly in the center of the square.
Each small group consists of as few as seven people, like Hong Ye, or as many as ten or more.
Ye Xuan did not follow, but stayed by the She Ling's side, because he was not participating in the battle.
He also learned that these 120 squads were the squads under the command of She Ling and the other twelve.
The year-end assessment is precisely where these teams are competing.
An elderly man quickly stepped onto the stage and announced, "War! Step forward in order."
As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and a beam of light suddenly slid down from the void, covered with densely packed characters.
Upon closer inspection, one could see the roster of players and the opponents they would face.
Soon, the two cultivators who were scheduled for the first battle stepped onto the stage and began a fierce clash.
Both cultivators were at the Early-Stage Emperor Realm, and they held nothing back, each move drawing blood. Their battle was fierce and intense, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.
If it weren't for the protective barriers and the absence of weak individuals present, many people would likely have been accidentally killed.
Several minutes later, a cultivator was at a disadvantage and was about to be killed when he was saved by the old referee.
The reason the Hei Yun Commander was stationed here was twofold: firstly, to see if any outstanding prodigies would seek revenge, and secondly, to prevent such a situation from escalating to his death.
After all, they are all our own people, all elites. It would be such a pity if they died in the year-end assessment.
Battles at the Early-Stage Emperor Realm are manageable; the referee elder can handle them. However, once Late Emperor Realm cultivator goes all out, even the She Ling and his ilk may not be able to arrive in time to provide assistance.
Ye Xuan found it rather boring and kept yawning.
In his eyes, the Early-Stage Emperor Realm was still too weak.
Just like those two before, he could easily take them down with a single punch.
However, he didn't show it; instead, he pretended to be watching intently.
" Ye Xuan, what do you think?"
The cold voice reached Ye Xuan's ears again. Ye Xuan looked up and saw the She Ling staring intently at him with her beautiful eyes.
He felt a chill run down his spine and immediately said, insincerely, "Strong, too strong. As expected of the Emperor Realm expert, Ye Xuan is ashamed of his own inferiority."
Looking into Ye Xuan's clear eyes and serious attitude, the She Ling's aversion to him lessened slightly.
She softened her tone and said, "Well, although your cultivation level is low, you're not qualified to participate in this kind of battle yet. But it's still good to observe and gain experience."
Ye Xuan nodded, "What you say is true, sir."
In the void, the Hei Yun couldn't help but twitch at the corner of their mouths when they heard Ye Xuan's words.
He felt utterly inferior; he sensed that this guy was mocking his Hei Yun Army.
hateful.
The battle continued, and soon it was the turn of Hong Ye's men to take the stage.
The first-ranked player, at the Early-Stage Emperor Realm, was defeated.
The second person to fight suffered a crushing defeat.
After losing both battles, Hong Ye was trembling with rage, her heart filled with fury.
In particular, when she saw the mocking glances from all around her, and the provocative looks from Zhao Long and the others, she felt an even stronger urge to kill all those bastards.