As the thunder dissipated.
A hundred-meter deep, charred crater now marked the spot where Ye Xiuming had stood.
Yet, surprisingly, even after enduring such an attack, Ye Xiuming was not dead.
A broken jade pendant beside him was still faintly glowing.
Clearly, this pendant was a precious artifact that had saved Ye Xiuming’s life in the crucial moment.
Even so.
Ye Xiuming was severely injured, his entire right arm completely shattered.
His clothes were tattered.
Blood streamed from his seven orifices.
"Haha... hahaha! You’re truly a monster, kid. Quite the surprise!"
Coughing blood, Ye Xiuming let out a maniacal laugh.
"I’m impressed by your abilities. Pledge loyalty to me, and I’ll make you a servant of the Ye family.
Supreme techniques, a path to the heavens—whatever you desire, I’ll grant it to you!"
Hearing this, Ye Yu couldn’t help but think this guy was insane.
In truth, it wasn’t that Ye Xiuming was deranged.
In his long years of cultivation, he had encountered countless talents.
All had considered it an honor to serve the Ye family.
Besides.
Ye Xiuming held himself in high regard as a descendant of the Ye family.
He didn’t believe anyone would dare kill him.
Killing a member of the Ye family would be an act of irreconcilable vengeance!
Even though the Ye family had been secluded for ten thousand years, their formidable heritage gave Ye Xiuming unwavering confidence.
But what he didn’t know was.
Ye Yu was nothing like the cultivators he’d encountered before.
Crossing him could indeed be fatal!
Swish!
In an instant, Ye Yu appeared in front of Ye Xiuming.
He planted his foot firmly on Ye Xiuming’s head.
The force was so strong that Ye Xiuming’s face began to distort!
Feeling the thick aura of killing intent around him.
And sensing the gathering sword energy once again.
Ye Xiuming finally realized.
The man before him truly intended to kill him.
He quickly shouted, "You can’t kill me! I’m a direct descendant of the Ye family.
If you kill me, the Ye family will hunt you for eternity. Even if you reach the late stage of the Ascension Realm, you won’t escape death!"
Hearing this.
Ye Yu raised an eyebrow slightly.
Even a late-stage Ascension Realm cultivator wouldn’t survive?
So this was the hidden power of a secluded family?
However, Ye Yu was never one to fear such threats.
He preferred to eliminate all dangers while they were still in the cradle.
With a mere thought.
A single strand of sword energy swiftly ended Ye Xiuming’s life.
But Ye Yu didn’t leave right away.
Instead, he used one hand to set up a formation.
A barrier formed around him, ensuring that Tuoba Qiyue, standing some distance away, couldn’t see what was happening inside.
Then, Ye Yu once again activated the Myriad Soul Technique.
He began a soul search on the remnants of Ye Xiuming’s spirit.
The reason for all this effort.
Was to find out one thing.
What transaction had Lin Fengyuan made with the Ye family using the Wugou Sword Heart three thousand years ago?
Since Ye Xiuming claimed to be a direct descendant and had come searching for Lin Fengyuan, he likely knew something.
And sure enough.
In just a few breaths’ time.
Ye Yu uncovered the information he sought about Lin Fengyuan.
The Ye family’s Treasury of Treasures!
It contained records of all transactions between the Ye family and other cultivators.
Lin Fengyuan’s file was classified as Heavenly Level.
On the first page of this file were two names.
Lin Fengyuan/Lin Miaoxue!
Over thirty thousand years ago.
The mortal kingdoms were in constant turmoil.
Countless commoners were displaced.
Many young children were left orphaned.
At that time.
An eleven-year-old Lin Fengyuan and his seven-year-old sister, Lin Miaoxue, were among them.
In order to survive.
Lin Fengyuan willingly joined a third-rate demonic sect.
With a decent aptitude, he soon caught the eye of the sect master, who took special interest in him.
Two years later.
Thirteen-year-old Lin Fengyuan was full of ambition.
He told his sister, Lin Miaoxue.
“One day, I will become the greatest demonic cultivator and stand at the top of the Central Continent.
When that day comes, no one will ever dare bully us again.”
Lin Miaoxue looked at her brother’s determined expression, filled with hope for the future.
After that.
Under the sect master’s tutelage, Lin Fengyuan advanced swiftly in his cultivation.
With his help, Lin Miaoxue also embarked on her cultivation path.
From the moment she first held a sword.
Lin Miaoxue’s Wugou Sword Heart awakened fully.
The Wugou Sword Heart—a pure and untainted sword heart.
A rarity seen only once in a million years, the perfect foundation for an unparalleled sword cultivator.
From the day her Wugou Sword Heart awakened.
Lin Miaoxue’s progress in the path of the sword was unstoppable.
Her cultivation soared day by day.
At this rate.
It wouldn’t be long before Lin Miaoxue would surpass her brother, Lin Fengyuan.
But he was not jealous; instead, he felt immense pride for his sister.
Yet he repeatedly warned her, telling Lin Miaoxue that unless absolutely necessary, she must never reveal her sword heart in front of others.
And she must never disclose the existence of her Wugou Sword Heart.
Lin Fengyuan, being a bit older, understood well.
A person without sin is envied if they possess treasure!
A physique like hers would surely attract the greed of others.
She had to hide it until she was strong enough.
However, Lin Fengyuan underestimated the ruthlessness of the cultivation world.
To high-level cultivators.
A mere Qi Refinement stage Lin Miaoxue couldn’t hide the presence of her Wugou Sword Heart.
The Ye family soon caught wind of it.
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With their extensive heritage, the Ye family knew precisely what to do in situations like this.
The Wugou Sword Heart was immensely valuable.
If they tried to seize it forcefully.
Even the slightest mistake could compromise its quality and waste their efforts.
The best approach.
Was to wait for the Wugou Sword Heart to reach perfection, then take it.
So, they devised a plan.
They would make Lin Miaoxue willingly surrender her Wugou Sword Heart.
Three months later.
Through the Ye family’s manipulation, Lin Fengyuan was severely wounded by a mysterious attacker.
His spiritual sea shattered, leaving him on the brink of death.
When Lin Miaoxue found him, she tried using various elixirs to save him.
But nothing worked.
She then turned to the sect master for help.
Under the Ye family’s arrangement, the sect master had no choice but to deliver a prepared response.
“With such severe injuries, his only hope of survival is to seek help from the Ye family.
They’re said to possess treasures from across the world—perhaps they have a way!”
Hearing this.
Lin Miaoxue clung to this last sliver of hope.
She immediately took Lin Fengyuan to the Ye family.
By then.
The Ye family already had people waiting for her.
Lin Miaoxue pleaded with them, saying she would do anything if they could save Lin Fengyuan.
The Ye family agreed, but with a condition.
In exchange for their assistance, she would have to surrender her Wugou Sword Heart.
And even then, the success rate of saving him was only fifty percent.
Desperate and anxious.
Lin Miaoxue, who had only Lin Fengyuan as her family, agreed without hesitation.
She immediately accepted the Ye family’s terms.
The Ye family then attempted to heal Lin Fengyuan.
But the result was failure.
Because from the beginning, the Ye family never intended for Lin Fengyuan to live!
True power could not tolerate attachments.
To sharpen Lin Miaoxue’s Wugou Sword Heart.
Lin Fengyuan had to die!
When she learned that her brother was dead.
Lin Miaoxue was devastated.
The Ye family, however, would not allow her to spiral into despair.
Showing apparent sympathy for their sibling bond.
They offered to investigate the cause of Lin Fengyuan’s death.
After several days of "effort," they fabricated a powerful, nonexistent figure.
They claimed he was the one responsible for killing Lin Fengyuan.
And they gave Lin Miaoxue five hundred years to seek revenge for her brother.
In five hundred years, she would return to fulfill the promise of surrendering the Wugou Sword Heart!