Ye Huilan, flanked by the hooded Xu Nanqiao in a black robe and a host of Niepan Pagoda immortals, barred their path.
Shangguan Jiujin’s expression turned grave, and she whispered via spirit transmission, “Be careful, sisters—these people clearly mean harm!”
Zhuo Lanqing nodded, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
Jiang Yumo snorted coldly. “Harm or no harm, if they want to die, I’ll oblige them now.”
With that, Jiang Yumo withdrew her Immortal Power Chains and blurred forward to the front line, her gaze hostile.
Ye Huilan’s voice rang out coldly, “I am Elder Ye Huilan of Niepan Prefecture. How dare you slay my disciples! Now lower this ruined sect before us, kneel and await death, and I might consider granting you an intact corpse!”
“So you’re the master of that bastard,” Jiang Yumo said with a sneer. “Beating up the juniors and seniors both, eh? Your disciple is unruly, and so are you. Enough talk—let’s fight!”
She brought her hands together in a seal, and at once a splash-ink landscape painting—a Momo Shan Shui—materialized behind all the Niepan Pagoda immortals. Those unable to dodge in time were sucked into the painting and utterly erased from the Celestial Realm.
Ye Huilan, caught off guard, wavered in midstride. Xu Nanqiao hurried forward to steady her, his face growing serious. He had assumed this would be a simple confrontation, only to meet an Immortal King–realm powerhouse. Now matters were difficult: the best plan was subtle strikes to mask any demonic aura. Only Ye Yu should know of Xu Nanqiao’s status as Demon Lord. If too many learned it, unnecessary trouble would ensue.
But it seemed that plan had been too naïve. Taking down Jiang Yumo without revealing demonic energy was clearly impossible.
In his mind, Xu Nanqiao made a swift decision. He watched as nearly all the Pagoda’s immortals perished before he struck, shattering the splash-ink painting behind them. Ye Huilan’s eyes widened—though the demonic aura was subtle, it was still perceptible.
Xu Nanqiao whispered to her, “Sister, the situation’s complicated. I’ll explain everything when we return, alright?”
Ye Huilan, an elder of Niepan Prefecture and naturally shrewd, understood his concern. The ancient enmity between demons and immortals ran deep, but that mattered little. The recent fluctuation in demonic energy clearly showed Xu Nanqiao’s Demon Lord–realm cultivation was genuine. Having such a powerful sister-in-law was more cause for joy than shame.
“A family doesn’t speak like outsiders,” she chided softly. “No need for explanations. I recognize you as my sister-in-law, regardless of titles!”
At her words, Xu Nanqiao’s last hesitation vanished. He drew in a steady breath of demonic energy. “Watch closely, sister. I will defeat these three women and leave them to your judgment!”
His determination shone in his eyes, exactly the outcome Ye Huilan had hoped for. She allowed a faint smile and whispered, “Be careful!”
Her encouragement only steeled Xu Nanqiao’s resolve. He charged Jiang Yumo, and the two of them clashed at high speed. To prevent other immortals from sensing demonic fluctuations, Xu Nanqiao had preemptively erected a barrier array around them, allowing him to fight with complete abandon.
A battle between an Immortal King and a Demon Lord was a clash of equals—no half measures were permitted.
Meanwhile, Ye Huilan did not idle. She strode toward Shangguan Jiujin and Zhuo Lanqing. As a peak Immortal Lord, she easily gauged that their cultivation levels were comparatively low. Defeating them—and plundering any treasures among these ruined sect grounds—would be effortless. Why not?
“Are you two prepared to have your souls dispersed?” Ye Huilan taunted.
Shangguan Jiujin and Zhuo Lanqing merely waved their hands and replied calmly, “The one who should be prepared is you.”
Ye Huilan’s face soured. Something was off—
In the next instant, a jet-black ghostly claw snatched her up and yanked her backward, slamming her onto the auspicious clouds above. Dozens of vengeful souls swarmed forth, consuming her entirely.
From the distance, Winter Holly—one of the Ghost King Realm rulers of the Netherworld—drifted closer and asked curiously, “Who is this woman, and why are you two attacking her at my doorstep?”
In the Netherworld, Ghost Kings each claimed their own territories. Despite coming to the Celestial Realm, Winter Holly still regarded these eight hundred li around the Wuwei Pagoda as her domain—so it was indeed at her doorstep.
Shangguan Jiujin did not hide the matter; she recounted everything. Winter Holly’s view matched Jiang Yumo’s. “If that’s the case, just kill them. And while we’re at it, let’s wipe out that Niepan Pagoda, too, to avoid future trouble. What kind of ‘pagoda’ is it, anyway, worthy of being called a Celestial Sect?”
Prepared to strike Ye Huilan dead on ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) the spot, Winter Holly raised her hand—when suddenly a figure streaked in, his surging demonic aura scattering the ghosts and rescuing Ye Huilan.
It was Xu Nanqiao. Though he had, by virtue of his Dream Demon talent, slightly outmatched Jiang Yumo and was close to victory, he had to turn back to save Ye Huilan from danger. In doing so, he took a palm from Jiang Yumo himself, disrupting his inner energy and hampering his demonic flow.
Xu Nanqiao carefully drew Ye Huilan aside, his gaze fixed on Winter Holly and Jiang Yumo. A late-stage Ghost King and a late-stage Immortal King—if the fight continued, it would be dire.
He transmitted to Ye Huilan, “Sister, you should leave now. I’ll cover our retreat!”
Still shaken, Ye Huilan eagerly agreed. As she turned to flee, she sensed a familiar aura and called out, “Brother, I’m over here!”
A streak of light descended and landed beside her. Clad in white robes, with white hair and beard and an aura of transcendent poise, he was none other than the sect lord of Niepan Pagoda—Xuan Chongzi, known twenty thousand years ago as Ye Yu.
