No one would have guessed that this vicious, glowering group of experts would back down as soon as Zhao Qianling shouted.
“This way, please,” she said, gesturing for them to follow her into Innocence City.
Were they really getting in that easily?
Xue Yang’s attitude had been so firm and unrelenting just seconds ago. Just to keep them out, he’d gone so far as to reveal his god-given artifact. But they really had gained an appreciation of his strength; this wasn’t even his real body! It was just an avatar, yet it had suppressed them completely and utterly. If this were the real Xue Yang, King Luoyu might not have been the only one injured. They all might have shared his fate!
Even though this was just Xue Yang’s avatar, he’d been determined not to let them in. From the look of things, none of his uninvited guests would have been able to take so much as half a step past the Sea of Innocence’s waters.
It’s true that the Divine Arbiter had just stood and watched throughout the process, but Great Emperor Bi’an hadn’t fought either.
If he got involved, the results would be truly difficult to predict.
Zhao Qianling’s sudden appearance was a surprise, especially when she overrode Xue Yang and forced him to set aside his steely determination. She had even invited them inside!
Of course, Xue Yang’s attitude hadn’t changed, but Zhao Qianling had convinced him.
They lowered their voices as they discussed this, but everyone heard their conversation anyway. Zhao Qianhe was worried that if Xue Yang injured them, he’d offend the factions backing them.
That was actually a perfectly reasonable explanation….
“Once you go inside, you’d better behave yourselves. If you reveal even the slightest hint of your aura, if you do anything that harms my daughter in the slightest, well…. I don’t care one whit about who’s backing you.” Xue Yang snorted coldly, then walked inside, still carrying his trident.
The other great emperors’ expressions were solemn, but they didn’t argue with him. Instead, they followed him into the city, then into the Xue Family estate.
Their estate was already a glorified pile of rubble. After losing himself to his demonic nature, Ye Zichen had wrought havoc. A full thirty percent of the buildings had collapsed, and the ground was covered in fragmented stone. Countless flower pixies flitted about with nowhere to go. They beat their little wings as they hovered in the air, their gazes mournful.
The Star Diagram they’d used to help Ye Zichen open his celestial eye was gone. When Xue Yang left, Ye Zichen had yet to open his celestial eye, but now, his right eye was covered in bandages. He stood before the collapsed buildings. Pu Jingwan and Xiao Yumei stood at his sides.
That wasn’t all; there was also a group of handsome men and beautiful women he’d never seen before. They looked roughly the same age as Ye Zichen. Their auras were vast and they looked heroic. Without a doubt, they were elites of the younger generation.
When Xue Yang saw them, he knit his brows. The other great emperors also turned to look at Ye Zichen.
After exchanging pointed glances with her ex, Zhao Qianling arrived, leading the curious major powers behind her.
“I hope you’re satisfied now. You see it too; we’re in no state to welcome guests,” said Xue Yang, his expression somber and his tone unfriendly. He snorted, and the newly-arrived great emperors knit their brows. It seemed the Emperor Star had already opened his celestial eye.
They calmly surveyed the wreckage. To tell the truth, there were too many people here who they’d never seen before. At a glance, it was impossible to tell just which of them was the Emperor Star.
“Third Dragonborn.” The head of the Nine Li greeted Emperor Chao Feng, then turned and surveyed the collapsed buildings. “Ocean Emperor, this wreckage…”
“Is it any of your business?” Xue Yang’s tone was decidedly unfriendly. “This has nothing to do with you. What, do you think I report to you?”
“Hah…?” The head of the Nine Li smiled but said nothing.
At that moment, Xuan Ji appeared carrying Ye Zichen in her arms. His left eye was covered in gauze.
“Xue Yang, if you have guests, we won’t disturb you any longer. My nephew’s wounds from his trip to the Bai Family Estate have yet to heal, and just now, he suffered quite the shock. I’d best take him back to rest.”
The Divine Arbiter’s gaze sharpened. Before she left, the God Emperor repeatedly warned her that the odds that Ye Zichen was the Emperor Star were high and that she needed to keep a particularly close eye on him.
When Xuan Ji and Ye Zichen appeared, she focused her divine sense to examine his condition, as well as the other emperors’ every change of expression.
If Ye Zichen really was the Emperor Star, then Xue Yang’s allies surely knew about it, and it would have a dramatic impact on their attitude.
But to her surprise, as she surveyed the situation, she found that none of the great emperors so much as glanced at Ye Zichen.
Then why had they gone so far as to rush to Spirit City and attack the Bai Family on his behalf? They’d even wiped the Bai Family out!
“Alright.” Xue Yang nodded.
“Wait a moment.” At that moment, Beihan Shi of the demons’ Beihan Clan spoke up. He couldn’t tell who was the Emperor Star, so he couldn’t let anyone leave yet.
The more anxious they were to get Ye Zichen out of here, the higher the odds that he was the one they were looking for. Also, one of Ye Zichen’s eyes was covered.
“Beihan Shi, what are you trying to pull?” snorted Xuan Ji.
“Nothing! Master of the Profound Pavilion, please, calm your fury. It’s just, that youth looks a bit unfamiliar. Might I trouble you to introduce….”
“He’s my nephew. Is that a problem?”
“Your nephew? You have relatives?” Beihan Shi’s eyes narrowed, and his suspicions intensified. He was increasingly sure that Ye Zichen was the Master of the Stars.
“He’s my son. Any more questions?” The Lord of the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, Ye Rong, suddenly walked over. After expending so much starlight, she was still rather weak.
“So, he’s Star Lord Ye’s son,” said Beihan Shi with a smile. “Might I ask about his eye….”
“It’s an injury. How much more do you want me to explain to you? The Divine Arbiter knows all this already. She even knows how and when he got hurt,” said Xuan Ji.
“Before I left, His Majesty ordered me to personally examine Young Master Ye’s injuries. Could I trouble you to do me a favor and let me carry out my orders?” said the Divine Arbiter with a smile.
“Hah? On what basis?” said Xuan Ji.
“The God Emperor is concerned, so just let the Divine Arbiter take a look,” said another expert.
“Do you think my son’s wounds are something you can look at just because you want to? Xuan Ji, let’s go. I’d like to see just who dares try and stop us.” Ye Rong snorted, then glared at all three upper realms’ experts. Pu Jingwan and Xiao Yumei followed her away, standing at her sides. In the blink of an eye, Ye Zichen had four imperial-level experts looking after him.
The other visiting major powers couldn’t help but knit their brows. It seemed that Ye Zichen was the most likely suspect, but they couldn’t be certain. Still, there was no way they could just let Xuan Ji lead him away. If he left, it would become much harder to confirm their suspicions.
Four imperial-level auras locked onto the “guests”, clearly on high alert. However, it was then that….
The Divine Arbiter disappeared! No one had noticed her disappearance, nor did they know where she’d gone. Before they could locate her, a tender white hand reached for Ye Zichen’s bandages and ripped them right off!
