The next day.
The Blood Prison Trial began.
The Sword Hall elder came to the Cottage and took Hong Ying and Ye Qiubai away.
On the way.
The Sword Hall elder kept pulling Ye Qiubai aside to ask questions.
"What have you learned from that brat Lu Changsheng lately?"
"You haven't been neglecting your cultivation of the Sword Dao, have you?"
"If it really isn't working out, come to my Sword Hall. I'll arrange the best Sword Dao resources for you!"
Ye Qiubai could only refuse with a wry smile.
After all, everything he had now came from Lu Changsheng.
Besides, he did not believe the Sword Hall's resources could provide anything on the level of the Azure Cloud Sword, the Fortune Pill, or the Primordial Sword Scripture.
Watching from the side, Hong Ying smiled softly as well.
She could understand why the Sword Hall elder thirsted for talent so desperately.
After all, Ye Qiubai's talent in the Sword Dao was indeed exceptional.
Even she.
Had never seen anyone better suited to practicing the sword.
Ye Qiubai.
Had simply been born for the sword!
They arrived at the entrance to the Blood Prison Trial.
A crowd already stood there.
Among them were Huo Qingming, Xin Hongyi, and the others.
When Xin Hongyi saw Ye Qiubai, she froze for a moment before walking over.
"You've broken through to the Purple Mansion realm? Let's spar again after the Blood Prison."
Ye Qiubai smiled and nodded, not refusing.
Beside him, Hong Ying could not help teasing, "Not bad. You're quite popular, senior brother?"
Ye Qiubai did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Don't tease me, junior sister. It's just her competitive streak at work."
Suddenly, Ye Qiubai looked toward the front left.
A gaze filled with killing intent was directed at him from there!
When he saw who it was, Ye Qiubai froze.
Someone from the Qiu Lineage?
Looking at Ye Qiubai, Qiu Libei sneered, raised a hand to his neck, and made a throat-slitting gesture.
"What, someone wants your life?"
Hong Ying said beside him, "Want me to deal with them for you?"
Ye Qiubai was her senior brother now, so naturally, she had to look after him a little.
Ye Qiubai felt rather helpless.
It made him feel as though he were the junior brother and Hong Ying the senior sister.
That left him with a bit of a bruised ego.
Ye Qiubai said, "It's fine. These are my own affairs. I'll handle them myself."
Only then did Hong Ying nod.
At that moment, the Confucian Academy elder stepped forward and addressed everyone.
"This Blood Prison secret realm is not only important to the academy's honor. It is also an excellent opportunity for each of you."
"It contains inheritances left by ancient powerhouses. Receiving one will have a tremendous effect on your cultivation."
"Of course, more importantly, those of us from the academy must not slaughter one another. Once inside, try to travel together."
At this point.
The Confucian Academy elder's expression grew grave, and his tone shifted as he said solemnly, "The dangers within are commensurate with the opportunities. When you come out, I don't want any of you to have been left inside forever."
"All right. This time, Zhong Wu will lead the team."
At once, a young man appeared, brimming with a scholarly air and carrying a small bookshelf on his back.
That little bookshelf was crammed with books.
Even Zhong Wu's hand held a book.
Standing beside Ye Qiubai, Huo Qingming reminded him, "Zhong Wu is the Confucian Academy's eldest disciple. He's already reached the peak Purple Mansion realm. I've heard he's already been named the successor to the Confucian Academy's head."
Ye Qiubai nodded.
Hong Ying was also slightly surprised. "This man actually possesses a trace of the Book Sage's intent?"
But she was only surprised.
Immediately afterward, a man holding a feather fan walked over to Hong Ying.
"My lady, I will make sure to protect you once we're inside."
It was Lin Ce from the Formation Hall!
Hong Ying glanced at him without responding.
Lin Ce did not mind. He stood beside Hong Ying with a gentle smile on his face.
His gaze toward Hong Ying actually carried a burning intensity.
Ever since Lu Changsheng had taken Hong Ying to see Qin Tiannan and Lin Ce had happened to catch sight of her.
Lin Ce had begun pursuing Hong Ying relentlessly.
Ye Qiubai's expression turned peculiar.
Just who would be protecting whom?
His junior sister was a powerhouse at the peak Water Overflow realm.
Just then.
A massive ship sailed through the sky!
At its prow, two flood dragons pulled the ship forward!
It was a ship belonging to the Heavenly Origin Dynasty!
The ship slowly came to a stop above them.
Huo Qingming shook his head. "The Heavenly Origin Dynasty is far too ostentatious."
No sooner had he spoken than several figures flew down.
"Huo Qingming, we have the capital to flaunt."
The man leading them wore brocade robes and looked exceedingly regal.
Huo Qingming snorted coldly and said nothing.
The man did not press the matter either. After all, Huo Qingming belonged to the Hidden Dao Academy.
Even their Heavenly Origin Dynasty had to show it some respect.
The man in the lead walked up to the Confucian Academy elder and bowed. "Greetings, teacher."
Nearly all the Heavenly Origin Dynasty's princes and high-ranking court officials had attended lectures given by members of the Confucian Academy.
Thus, addressing him as teacher was hardly excessive.
The Confucian Academy elder nodded slightly and chuckled. "Your cultivation has improved again, Sixth Prince. But you must still read more of the sages' works."
Without the slightest arrogance, the sixth prince nodded humbly. "I shall take your teaching to heart. Thank you, teacher."
The Confucian Academy elder nodded.
Beside them, Xin Hongyi curled her lip. "This sixth prince, Tian Ming, loves putting on a show. But his strength is quite good. He's already reached the late Purple Mansion realm."
Hearing this, Ye Qiubai nodded slightly.
Just then, Tian Ming suddenly looked at Ye Qiubai and said with an inscrutable air, "You must be Ye Qiubai, the former prodigy of our Heavenly Origin City?"
"I heard back then that you seemed to have lost all your talent, Brother Qiubai. Now your talent has returned, and you've joined the Hidden Dao Academy."
"You even slew the Qiu Lineage's heir with a single strike and killed Ye Yan right before your own ancestor?"
Hearing this, Ye Qiubai's gaze tightened.
Although his words sounded harmless.
It was wrong for the sixth prince, Tian Ming, to bring these matters up in front of everyone.
This was killing him with praise!
Sure enough, countless people turned their gazes toward him.
The Qiu Lineage's people also looked at Ye Qiubai.
The killing intent in their eyes grew even stronger!
Hong Ying teased, "Senior brother, have you offended him?"
Ye Qiubai shook his head. She was also puzzled; they had clearly never even met.
Just then.
Several more figures appeared aboard the ship.
They all wore golden armor.
A sun emblem was emblazoned on their helmets.
Seeing them, Ye Qiubai's gaze tightened.
Surprise appeared on Huo Qingming's face.
Xin Hongyi was also quite puzzled.
"Why would people from the Sunset Dynasty come to the Southern Region?"
Ye Qiubai understood.
Why, despite never having met this sixth prince, Tian Ming.
He had become hostile toward him.
The moment he saw the Sunset Dynasty's people, Ye Qiubai understood everything.
Anger could not help rising in his heart.
Jiang Chan, you won't rest easy until I'm dead, will you?!
When my cultivation reaches fruition someday, I will put the Sunset Dynasty to my sword!
Hong Ying had also learned about the Sunset Dynasty from Lu Changsheng.
Killing intent could not help appearing in her eyes as well.
Now.
Ye Qiubai was her senior brother.
That meant he shared her lineage; calling him family would not be an exaggeration.
Then.
You think you can lay a hand on this empress's people?
In Hong Ying's mind, the people of the Sunset Dynasty had already been marked with the King of Hell's summons!