[That night.
After all the hard work of cutting down the Evil Demon Forest, Ye Xiao returned to his little home.
Although Ye Xishui relied on her Twin Martial Souls, using the Bright Phoenix's special properties to suppress Evil Soul Masters and her Blood Puppet Martial Soul to increase her Soul Power,
she was still a far cry from a god descending to the mortal world, let alone the other small fry.
Thus, suppressing them all took Ye Xiao little effort.
As for why he suppressed them instead of killing them?
Naturally, it was so Ye Guyi could level up on them!
No matter how tiny a mosquito's leg was, it was still meat~
Of course, the Ye Xiao of this time didn't have the present Ye Xiao's Intercepting Sword Technique. He simply and brutally knocked the Evil Soul Masters unconscious, smack, smack, smack, and they were then sent to Mingdu's prison.
"There's still some food in the kitchen. How did things go on your end?"
By the bed, Ye Guyi gently tucked a strand of hair aside and asked softly.
"Guyi, you're so beautiful. As the saying goes, beauty is a feast for the eyes. Just looking at you has filled me up~"
"My mission went pretty well too. I accomplished both objectives."
Ye Xiao shrugged and sat down beside Ye Guyi, slipping an arm around her slender waist while he was at it.
"Pah~"
Ye Guyi gave a soft, playful spit, her eyes rippling with expression. In that instant, she was utterly captivating~
"Hehe~"
Ye Xiao chuckled and kissed Ye Guyi's tender red lips.
She had already come through his door. Did Ye Guyi still think she could run?
"Mmm~"
Ye Guyi tentatively struggled for a moment, then shyly closed her eyes. The sky screen went dark at just the right time.]
"Mother, among the information sent by the Sun Moon Empire, we did find someone surnamed Ye who had an Angel Martial Soul."
"But he's been dead for several years. I suspect he might be the father of the Ye Guyi on the sky screen."
At the Holy Spirit Cult's underground base in the Evil Demon Forest, Zhongli Wu looked at Ye Xishui with a grave expression.
Honestly, the way Ye Xiao had crushed them like dry weeds on the sky screen was terrifying!
It was practically a dimensionality-reduction strike!
If possible, he didn't want to give Ye Xiao the time to grow into what he had become on the sky screen.
"Can his remains be found?"
Ye Xishui asked quietly.
From what she understood of Ye Xiao's character on the sky screen, he would never risk himself to rescue Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan.
But it might be a different story with Ye Guyi...
Ye Guyi couldn't keep her cool, and Ye Xiao could never leave her to take the risk alone.
"I heard the Sun Moon Empire also sent people to the Far North to wait by the stump for a rabbit?"
"Fools. I'll make them return to my embrace of their own accord."
Ye Xishui's gaze grew colder. She was the head of the Evil Soul Masters; she had plenty of ways to force them back.
Once Ye Xiao was in her hands, it would naturally be up to her whether to subdue him or kill him outright.
"Mother, I've already ordered people to search along Ye Fu's trail, but..."
Zhongli Wu hesitated. It wasn't that he felt any compassion, but searching the mountains and fields for one person's remains would be troublesome if Ye Guyi had only made a cenotaph or an unmarked grave.
"Fool, who said it had to be real?"
Ye Xishui snapped, casting Zhongli Wu a disdainful glance.
Ye Fu didn't matter. What mattered was an excuse to lure Ye Guyi out.
"Mother, how wise!"
Understanding dawned on Zhongli Wu, and his eyes filled with admiration.
His old schemer of a mother really was devious!
"Ahem, Lady Snow Empress, you've helped me so much. I, Ye Xiao, can't thank you enough!"
"How about this? I'll help you develop a cultivation technique Soul Beasts can use."
Ye Xiao cleared his throat, his face red.
Not far away, Ye Guyi was already steaming at the head.
Although the two on the sky screen had probably grown closer after its first broadcast,
their behavior back then had been subtle enough that it hadn't been a big deal!
But this time, the two had kissed, and then the screen had gone black while they were still holding each other...
Ah, youth~
Watching the two, both equally embarrassed-one struck dumb, the other trying hard to change the subject-Wu Qingyao couldn't help sighing.
"Wouldn't that be troublesome for you?"
Inside the cavern, only the purest and most innocent Snow Empress remained untainted by lewdness. She asked with some hesitation.
"Not at all, not at all. It's only right."
"Besides, I actually want to learn more about Soul Beasts. Maybe I can find a way to increase the age of my Soul Rings through this too."
Ye Xiao explained earnestly.
In truth, he suspected his future self had probably found a way to increase his Soul Rings' ages through the Ice and Snow Emperors' sacrifices. But now, there was no chance of them sacrificing themselves to him, so he could only take it slowly.
"Thank you. I'll have the Soul Beasts cooperate with you."
"Also, I intend to make you the fourth heavenly king of the Far North. The Soul Beasts will treat you as they would me."
The Snow Empress spoke after some consideration.
She had thought it over carefully, and it seemed Ye Xiao had always contributed more to their relationship. She felt a little embarrassed about it herself.
"Ah, that's too much~"
Ye Xiao grinned, but didn't refuse.
"By the way, Snow Empress, there's something I should tell you in advance. My cultivation techniques are all branches of the sword path in essence, and I'm currently researching a method that attempts to use a higher position to keep cultivation techniques in check."
"The Sword Qi I gave the Ice Empress earlier is actually a manifestation of that method. Ye Yulin's aptitude isn't among the best of the Titled Douluo, so even the Cloud Sword Art shown on the sky screen was enough to catch his eye."
"And because of that, my Sword Qi might be able to make him lose focus for an instant."
"My reason for researching this method is to give those close to me some protection. I can promise I won't be the first to use it against Soul Beasts of the Far North who bear me no ill will."
"But if you mind, Snow Empress, I can teach the Soul Beasts sword techniques instead. That would reduce the effect to a minimum, though the thought of Soul Beasts learning sword techniques feels a little strange..."
Ye Xiao continued, laying out this series of methods directly.
For one thing, he was currently in the honeymoon stage of his relationship with the Far North, and concealing it without thought would be improper.
For another, he had used this method once in front of the Ice Empress. Unless she was a fool, she would surely tell the Snow Empress about it when she returned.
"Your sword techniques are ingenious, but they aren't suited to the Soul Beast Clan."
"If possible, I would still prefer you to teach the Soul Beast Clan a way to cultivate."
The Snow Empress gave Ye Xiao a conflicted look. Rationally, she couldn't risk the Soul Beast Clan, but emotionally, she wanted to agree to his proposal outright...
Ye Xiao's candor during this time, combined with the subtle influence of the sky screen, had indeed made her fondness for him grow very quickly.
"What methods can you teach us now?"
The Snow Empress took a deep breath. She would hear what Ye Xiao had to say first.
"Hmm... I can adapt the methods I have now to make them more suitable for Soul Beasts."
"As for what I can teach, I have three methods."