Humiliation

At the Ye Clan's temporary residence in South-Pacifying City.

Ye Jinyu paced out of seclusion and entered the main hall.

The Autumn Evolution Dao Profound Robe stirred without wind, and a dark, profound presence rippled out like water. Wherever Ye Jinyu passed, fine cracks flickered into existence in the void, only to close an instant later.

Ye Anlan, Ye Jinming, Qing Lingxi, and Ye Jinxuan had long been waiting in the main hall. They bowed together, their expressions even more reverent than before.

Ye Jinyu nodded slightly, gaze sweeping over the four.

Ye Anlan was as irrepressible as ever, though his eyes held a measure more composure.

The brothers Ye Jinming and Jinxuan were as steady as before, but their Qi had evidently improved somewhat. They had likely made breakthroughs in recent days.

Qing Lingxi kept her eyes lowered and her manner submissive. Not a trace of the Azure Luan royal family's pride remained in her, only obedience and submission.

"How are things outside?"

Ye Jinyu walked slowly to the main seat and sat down.

Ye Jinming stepped forward and reported respectfully, "Young master, the arrangements of Cangxuan's various factions in the Wind Abyss Ruin Realm are gradually becoming clear."

"In Great Qi of the Eastern Region, Sima Ruiming took power as regent under the title of chief minister. In little more than a year and a half, he stripped the Qi crown prince, Li Tian, of his power and took control of the court.

"He purged the clans that refused to submit on charges of treason, exterminating their entire households. Three thousand corpses were hung from the royal capital's walls, and the bloodstains on the palace walls did not fade for over a month."

"In Great Yin of the Northern Region, there have been constant clashes with our Cangxuan cultivators.

"Great Yin was founded on tyranny. Its people are fierce, its methods of ruling them are quite brutal, and most of its cultivators practice killing techniques.

"According to our scouts, several groups of Cangxuan cultivators have already perished at Great Yin's borders, including quite a few accomplished Foundation Establishment cultivators."

"The situation in the Western and Central Regions is relatively calm. Sects and clans hold their own territories, and no one has yet emerged who can unite them."

In the main seat of the hall, Ye Jinyu tapped lightly with a fingertip.

"Sima Ruiming certainly moved quickly."

"More than quickly," Ye Anlan put in, looking a little excited.

"Young master, during the better part of a year you spent in seclusion, Sima Ruiming hasn't been idle. Not only did he purge the Great Qi court, he also sent people to the Southern Region!"

"Oh?" Ye Jinyu raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Just yesterday, Sima You, a retainer from Firmament Heaven, arrived at the Xie Clan's waterside palace in the Southern Region. He's at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage and hasn't left the Southern Region yet.

"I heard Sima Ruiming ordered him to deliver some sort of gift to the Xie Clan's legitimate daughter as a token of concern."

Ye Anlan grinned, drawing out the suspense.

"Guess what happened, young master?"

"What happened?"

"Fairy Xie turned him down outright. She had an elder of her clan see him off, saying affairs in the Southern Region kept her busy and she couldn't meet him."

A hint of amusement flashed in Ye Jinyu's eyes. "She refused?"

"Absolutely!" Ye Anlan lowered his voice. "I asked around, and that gift list was no small thing.

"A Nine-Leaf Waterheart Lotus, a Shark-Silk Cloud Garment of the finest Foundation Establishment grade, and several other rare treasures.

"There was also something about 'my beloved' and 'fair lady'... so sickeningly sweet...

"Sima Ruiming made such an obvious overture to suppress those rumors under the guise of giving gifts, and give Fairy Xie a way to back down while he was at it."

"What a pity."

At that, Ye Jinyu took out the jade pendant Xie Qingying had given and could not help chuckling.

"It seems Miss Qingying doesn't fall for that sort of thing."

Before the words had faded, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the hall.

A young Ye clansman rushed in and dropped to one knee. "Young master, a suspicious group of cultivators has been spotted thirty li outside the city. There are a little over ten of them, all wearing Great Qi official robes. Their leader carries a Sima Clan token and says he has come on the orders of Great Qi's chief minister to request an audience with you."

"Sima Ruiming's people? What have they come for?"

"They say they wish to discuss cooperation between the two regions, concerning Cangxuan's plans," the Ye clansman delivering the message replied.

Ye Jinyu pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "They've come at just the right time. Anlan."

"At your service!"

"Take some more people and invite the envoy who delivered gifts to Fairy Xie over here."

"Especially the gifts he brought!"

Ye Jinyu smiled warmly.

"Be courteous. He is from Firmament Heaven, after all. Don't neglect your manners."

Ye Anlan's eyes lit up. "Understood!"

At the border of the Southern Region, three thousand li from the waterside palace.

A group of cultivators dressed in dark robes was departing atop a thousand-zhang flood dragon, vast water vapor swirling around it.

Sima You led them, his face dark. He held two treasure boxes made of thousand-year cold jade, each sealed with the characters for "Firmament" as the mark of a unique restriction.

"My lord, the Xie Clan doesn't know what's good for them. How are we supposed to explain this to His Highness when we return?" an attendant asked quietly.

Sima You sneered.

"Explain? Xie Qingying relies on His Highness's admiration to look down her nose at everyone.

"His Highness has already given her ample face this time. Since she doesn't want it, so be it. Once His Highness forges the imperial sword and rules the Ruin Realm, we'll see how long she can remain so proud!"

As he spoke, the clouds ahead suddenly parted. The flood dragon roared and assumed a guarded posture.

More than ten figures stood blocking their path, accompanied by over a hundred Azure Luans. Their wings blotted out the sky and wind Gang rose on all sides as they slowly approached.

At their head was Ye Anlan, dressed in blue-gray robes, his smile especially brilliant.

"Fellow Daoists of the Sima Clan, please wait a moment!"

Sima You's pupils contracted slightly. He raised a hand to halt the group and said in a low voice, "The Ye Clan? Why are you blocking my path?"

Ye Anlan cupped his hands, though his tone held no respect whatsoever.

"On my young master's orders, I have come expressly to invite you. Envoy, please accompany me to South-Pacifying City for a conversation."

"Young Master Ye?" Sima You's expression tightened.

"We are here on the orders of His Highness Ruiming and still have important business to attend to. We cannot afford a delay. Please let us pass."

"Important business?" Ye Anlan's smile did not change.

"Weren't you just delivering gifts to the Xie Clan, only to be turned down, and now you're slinking off home with your tails between your legs? What kind of important business is that?"

Sima You's face darkened. "You..."

Before he could finish, the presences of the dozen or so Ye Clan disciples behind Ye Anlan erupted at once. They wore matching robes, and all were Foundation Establishment cultivators.

They wore matching Foundation Establishment inner armor that shimmered with blue light. Standing in formation, their Qi signatures linked and merged, making the wind and Qi of heaven and earth congeal. Together with the hundred-plus Azure Luans, whose blue feathers shone, they all looked fierce.

Sima You's heart tightened.

This was the Southern Region, already Ye Clan territory.

If a fight really broke out, the other side's people would arrive in an instant, for one thing. I also heard that His Highness and the Ye Clan have plans and schemes in the works. The envoy should have arrived by now. I can't ruin His Highness's grand plan.

"Young Master Ye has invited me, so I ought not to refuse."

Sima You forced a smile.

"It's just that these jade boxes were bestowed personally by His Highness, and I must return them as soon as possible..."

"No matter," Ye Anlan interrupted with a smile. "Simply bring them along. My young master said he was also quite curious about what gifts His Highness Sima sent."

Five hours later, in the great hall of South-Pacifying City.

Sima You stood in the hall, his face ashen.

The jade boxes had been opened.

Ye Jinyu sat in the main seat, examining the two treasures with great interest.

Sima You suppressed his anger and bowed. "Young Master Ye, since you have seen them, please return the gifts. These were given to Fairy Xie by His Highness, and we still need to report back."

"Return them?"

Ye Jinyu looked up with a gentle smile.

"Perhaps you've misunderstood. I didn't invite you here to look at the gifts, but to receive them."

"Your Highness sent an envoy to the Southern Region, and he didn't bring me a gift?"

Sima You froze, seeming to understand something. His face flushed red. "What? You're shameless!"

Ye Jinyu rose and picked up the Shark-Silk Cloud Garment.

The garment was light in hand, its touch warm and smooth as water. It truly was a rare treasure.

"Not bad, though I don't like the color. Next time, remember to send some purple or blue ones."

"Purple has a little more charm."

"I recall your gift was rejected, wasn't it, envoy? I'm kindhearted, so I'll deliver it myself later, to Fairy Qingying!"

"When Fairy Qingying puts it on, she'll remember your Highness."

A hint of mockery entered Ye Jinyu's eyes.

At those words, Sima You's expression changed dramatically. When the master is humiliated, the servant must die!

He shouted angrily, "Ye Jinyu! How dare you-mmph, mmph."

Before he could finish, Ye Jinyu rose and took a step forward.

Beneath that foot, the [Bifeng Yin Fire] Dao foundation within Ye Jinyu's body began to circulate rapidly.

A dark, profound, and chaotic presence surged out and rippled through the air like water. The entire main hall trembled, as though faced with a calamity.

Pressed down by that presence, Sima You's anger vanished at once, and his face turned pale. His Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation was like a tiny boat tossed about on a vast, storm-torn sea.

His soul trembled, feeling as though it were being frozen and torn apart.

Unable to speak, he could only make muffled sounds. Then a furious dragon, its entire body streaked with a dark blue hue, took shape and roared toward Sima You.

Wind and fire reinforced one another, darkness intertwined, as though he stood before an abyss.