Chapter 2470: Chapter 2470
What truly piqued Xiao Qiwu’s interest was the treasure capable of slaying the Sword-master.
Though he had no idea what it was, he was certain it must be an extraordinary artifact—definitely not some common equipment Ye Liuyun had mass-produced for his army. If such ordinary gear existed, Ye Liuyun would already be invincible. Why would he even need an alliance with the Sacred Dynasty?
So, he decided to keep Liuyun confined here, wearing him down slowly. He wasn’t worried about resistance. Besides, the Sacred Dynasty was also searching for Ye Liuyun, and Xiao Qiwu had no intention of letting them find him first—not before he seized that treasure for himself.
The moment Ye Liuyun stepped out of the grand hall, an attendant approached, confiscating his identification token and revoking his access to the headquarters’ secret realm. The excuse? "Protection"—to prevent him from being "kidnapped" out of headquarters.
Ye Liuyun saw right through it. This was Xiao Qiwu’s ploy to imprison him, forcing him to hand over both the treasure and his equipment. Though deeply disappointed, he kept his composure and quietly returned to his quarters.
*Sigh. No matter how high one’s status or power, the hunger for treasures and resources never ends.*
Back in his room, he couldn’t help but reflect bitterly. Still, he wasn’t in a rush to leave. Instead, he reached out to the Black Kill operatives under his control, as well as Mo Shaowen and others, checking for any updates or unusual developments.
Learning that there was still no news about the otherworldly invaders, he decided to stay put for a while longer and rest.
Meanwhile, Youming was summoned to the grand hall.
Xiao Qiwu, her royal uncle, didn’t mince words. He revealed Ye Liuyun’s true identity and assigned her a mission: keep a close watch on him and persuade him to comply with his demands.
"This matter is crucial for our family," he said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "You must secure his cooperation—no matter the cost."
Xiao Qiwu issued his command to Youming in an imperious tone.
Seeing her hesitation, he added with a deliberate patience, "Ye Liuyun is a capable man, and you’re at the age to marry. Staying by his side wouldn’t be a bad match for you. So take the initiative—stick close to him. When the time comes, I’ll publicly endorse your union and ensure he gives you the status you deserve."
Though the proposal aligned with her own desires, the way it was delivered left Youming deeply unsettled. Yet she knew better than to refuse. As the daughter of a powerful family, personal choice was a luxury she couldn’t afford.
After leaving the grand hall, Youming sought out Ye Liuyun directly.
Xiao Qiwu had already revealed Ye Liuyun’s identity to her, but she wanted to hear it from the man himself.
Ye Liuyun didn’t hold back. If Xiao Qiwu and the Sacred Dynasty knew, the truth would spread soon enough. Given Youming’s position, she’d find out eventually anyway.
He laid it out plainly: "Your uncle has his eyes on the treasures I took from the Sword-master’s demise—along with my military gear. Right now, I’m effectively under house arrest. Unless I hand them over, he won’t let me walk free."
His blunt honesty eased some of the tension in Youming’s heart.
In turn, she told him about Xiao Qiwu’s orders—though she left out the part where she was expected to offer herself to Ye Liuyun.
Ye Liuyun found her forthrightness refreshing. Had she concealed the truth, he would’ve kept his guard up. But now that they’d laid their cards on the table, their interactions felt smoother.
"Aren’t you afraid your uncle will punish you for telling me this?" Ye Liuyun asked casually.
"Unlikely," she replied with a shrug. Then, shifting the topic, she asked, "Are those treasures and equipment truly unsellable? If they could be traded, I doubt my uncle would go back on his word."
Ye Liuyun nodded as well. "I know he won’t go back on his word. I could tell that much when I sold Feiyan to him before. But here’s the thing—these artifacts and equipment are different. Feiyan was just gear I’d phased out, but what he’s demanding now are my life-saving treasures and armaments. Handing those over wouldn’t just leave me defenseless—it’d strip our entire army of its advantage! Do you really think I’d willingly place my life in someone else’s hands?"
After his explanation, Youming could understand his stance. After all, everyone had their own trump cards for survival—things they’d never lightly surrender.
"Alright then," Youming conceded. "Knowing how you feel, I won’t push you further. I don’t know what final decision you and Uncle Wang will reach, but I hope you’ll still consider me a friend."
"Of course," Ye Liuyun affirmed. "Thank you for respecting my choice."
They chatted a while longer before Youming finally took her leave.
But the moment she stepped out, a steward intercepted her, pressing for details about her conversation with Ye Liuyun. The interrogation weighed on her. She sidestepped the truth, claiming they’d only discussed their recent promotions to steward positions. She doubted the man would cross-check with Ye Liuyun.
From then on, every time she visited Ye Liuyun, the steward would question her afterward. If she skipped a few days, he’d even remind her to "check in" with him. The mounting pressure led her to confide in Ye Liuyun about the situation.
Realizing his presence was only causing Youming more trouble, Ye Liuyun saw no reason to stay. It made little difference where he waited, and relocating might spare him another confrontation with Xiao Qiwu whenever the man found time.
So this time, after Youming left, he shut his door securely and activated the Black Tower’s teleportation—vanishing straight to Zhiyang’s royal capital.
Upon arriving here, he used the Thousand Illusions technique to transform his appearance into that of other martial cultivators, adopting their identity tokens instead of the one Black Kill had issued him—this way, he could avoid detection by the organization.
Even his Black Kill emblem was stashed away in his spatial realm, ensuring no trace of him could be found.
It wasn’t until several days later, when Youming knocked on his door to no response, that the Black Kill headquarters’ steward realized Ye Liuyun had vanished without a trace.
No matter how hard they searched, Ye Liuyun remained untraceable.
Youming felt both elated and strangely wistful about it. Silently, she murmured to herself, *"I hope we never end up as enemies."*
When Xiao Qiwu received the news, he interrogated Youming but found no evidence that she had helped Ye Liuyun escape. Left with no leads, he had no choice but to drop the matter.
Ye Liuyun’s escape could only mean one thing—he had no intention of handing over the treasure.
One of the elders suggested issuing a Black Kill bounty for Ye Liuyun’s life, but Xiao Qiwu dismissed the idea outright.
*"A man who can slay the Sword-master—what kind of losses would we suffer trying to kill him? Right now, he’s the one in the shadows, and we’re exposed. Hunting him down would only invite disaster."*
For now, Xiao Qiwu had no way to deal with Ye Liuyun. All he could do was wait for another chance to negotiate.
Though he possessed Ye Liuyun’s communication talisman, he knew any message sent now would be met with distrust. He’d have to bide his time before trying again.
