Indeed, though Ye Yu’s cultivation level was not exceptionally high, his vision was sharp.
With a single glance, he recognized the figure hurtling through the air as none other than Xie Buyu, absent for many days.
Before the dust could settle, the succubus Bai Shuang appeared, just as before, her guzheng slung behind her back drawing every eye.
Seeing Ye Yu and Hong Zhencheng, she laughed aloud, “What a pleasant surprise! I never expected to run into the two remaining scions of the Boundless Hall here. Perfect opportunity to catch you both in one fell swoop—saves me the trouble!”
Ye Yu surveyed his surroundings instinctively.
Simple logic told him that Bai Shuang had once boasted she disliked the crude business of swinging fists—and even if she wished to fight Xie Buyu, she could not prevail alone.
Sure enough, in the next moment a towering figure took her side—a newcomer rather than the Divine Wood Kong Bihuai. Yet like Bihuai, this woman was taller and more formidable than Bai Shuang.
Side by side, the pair seemed almost mismatched—unless Bai Shuang delighted in that contrast, drawing strength from a goddess’s protection.
Ye Yu paused. That woman’s presence felt familiar. A flash of insight struck—he had read about her in the Wuzhong Mountain Divine Pact manual: ranked thirty-first on the Evil List, the Scarlet Spider Queen, Sang Qimeng.
Once a demon spider king, she had perished and used esoteric rites to escape into the Netherworld, forging a ghost-god body. Feeding on divine souls, she was ruthless and ferocious, with late Ancient God Realm cultivation.
She had not appeared on the Evil List for a hundred thousand years—yet here she was today. Ye Yu cursed his luck; this ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) opponent marked a hellish beginning.
Escape was impossible. He would have to bluff her—or perish here.
His mind raced for stratagems.
But Hong Zhencheng felt no fear. A sinister smile curved his lips as he stepped forward and, facing Bai Shuang, declared coldly, “You’re out of your depth. My Divine Lord stands here—so show us what true power looks like!”
Ye Yu’s gaze flicked to Hong Zhencheng, his expression conflicted—thank you, he thought. Somehow, Hong Zhencheng always had boundless faith in him, as if Ye Yu could hold up the very heavens.
Brother, you’re really giving me face... but now you’ve put me on the spot! What am I supposed to do?
At that moment, a streak of light shot forward—it was Xie Buyu, newly fallen. Though her qi was disordered, she stood resolute.
Xie Buyu fixed Ye Yu with a piercing look before transmitting her voice directly into his mind, “You must flee with Hong Zhencheng. Though the Boundless Hall has fallen, I was once your Divine Pact Leader. I will buy you time.”
She spoke not out of courtesy, but with solemn conviction. A keen mind could deduce that Ye Yu was far weaker than legends claimed—evident from two past events:
First, during the horde of Burial God Clan attacks, if Ye Yu’s power were truly great, he would not have waited for her to intervene before breaking the siege.
Second, at the fall of the Boundless Hall—when Ye Yu slapped Dongfang Yelai, it revealed they were not united. Ye Yu had vanished the moment Divine Wood Kong Bihuai appeared, a clear case of avoiding confrontation. The wiser course would have been to avoid Bihuai, not flee himself.
In neither instance did Ye Yu stand his ground against true threats.
Thus, leaving him behind made no sense. Better to perform one final act of goodwill before her death.
Xie Buyu’s resolve had long since hardened—she would not heed Elder Ge’s advice, but came straight to Bai Shuang to demand the Heaven-Shattering Axe.
With her fellow disciples dead, the Hall collapsed, and her master’s relic stolen, these three tragedies weighed like mountains on her heart. Death might be a release.
Exhaling a last sigh, she stepped forward—only to be caught by Ye Yu’s hand and drawn back. “You’re no match for them. Stop being reckless. Let me handle this.”
He spoke aloud, calmly, not in secret.
At that moment, Xie Buyu felt a peace she hadn’t known for ages. Ye Yu’s quiet assurance touched her—ever since Master Yan Yong fell, Xie Buyu had borne the mantle of Divine Pact Leader, shielding others. After three hundred thousand years of pain and regret, she was exhausted.
Seeing Ye Yu step forward restored hope.
Hong Zhencheng, witnessing this, felt his heart swell with pride. “Truly, Divine Lord, you are both handsome and brave!”
What they did not know was that had Ye Yu any choice, he would never have taken center stage here. As Xie Buyu urged escape—Ye Yu had indeed considered it, but a glance at the luminous reflections of the Divine Realm told him the moment was lost.
Here, amidst this radiant world, the refractions betrayed every movement.
They had nowhere to flee.
