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Ye Zichen used the calmest tone imaginable to order a massacre.

 

Perhaps many of the Bai Family members were innocent, but that didn’t matter anymore. His reasons were simple:

 

At the end of the day, the Bai Family worked for Zhou Wu. Conflict was inevitable.

 

In the end, one side had to die. Ordering their slaughter was merely speeding things up a little.

 

“Yes, sir!” The yao and outsider rulers cried in unison, the sound filling the skies. Just hearing this cacophony of voices made the cultivators of Spirit City tremble.

 

The skies gradually lit up. It was dawn, and it should have been bright, but the skies were still rather hazy.

 

A deep, oppressive force emanated from the skies. Everyone felt the severity of the situation. Hints of light peered through the cloud cover, but it was mostly obscured. The light was weak and faint. 

 

Bai Yulong was shaken.

 

He was shaken because he’d never imagined that Ye Zichen and Xue Mo were this close. He was shaken because the factions backing Ye Zichen were all supposed to be on God Emperor Zhou Wu’s side, or at least, weren’t supposed to be his enemies. And yet, this had happened. 

 

God Emperor Zhou Wu had ordered Bai Yulong to viciously attack Xue Mo in order to test the Sea of Innocence’s bottom line. This was also to get a clearer sense of what was to come so he could react accordingly. 

 

The God Emperor must have known of Ye Zichen and Xue Mo’s friendship, as well as which factions were backing him. Zhou Wu had absolutely known all of this, and yet, he’d still ordered Bai Yulong to provoke Ye Zichen’s wrath. Did that mean he wasn’t at all worried about the factions behind Ye Zichen rebelling? Or perhaps…

 

That he was testing them?

 

Could it be that the Profound Pavilion, which had always served the God Emperor, now stood on the same side as the Sea of Innocence? 

 

Or could it be that Ye Zichen was doing all of this on his own, and that the Profound Pavilion and Society of Saints were uninvolved? 

 

Bai Yulong knew he’d been flustered at first.

 This was just too much information for him to process all at once.

 

But now that he really thought it through, it was actually rather simple.

 

Ye Zichen had come here for Xue Mo. It didn’t matter whether he was doing this on his own or whether his backers supported him. He was still standing against the Bai Family.

 

Given that that was the case, his backers weren’t important. If the Sea of Innocence and Society of Saints stood with the Sea of Innocence, it made no difference if he injured Ye Zichen. They were enemies anyway; it would be fine even if Ye Zichen died. 

 Alternatively, if Ye Zichen did this entirely on his own, well, he was provoking the Bai Family. Even if they injured him, so what? All they had to do was apologize. If Ye Zichen’s backers were loyal to the God Emperor, was there any need for the Bai Family to fear them? 

 

After organizing his thoughts, Bai Yulong no longer hesitated, nor did he wrack his brains for ways to alleviate this conflict. His demeanor changed; suddenly, he was like an unsheathed sword, every inch of him emanating wanton pride and sharp hostility. He grinned, his eerie white teeth cruel and vicious, then cocked his head to the side and stared at Ye Zichen and his yao servants like a poisonous snake fixed on its prey.

 

He no longer concealed his cultivation, either. Earlier, he’d been intimidated by Ye ZIchen’s background and didn’t dare harm him, but now that he had a clear grasp of the situation, there was no need to worry about that.

 

“Do you dare?” Bao Yulong roared at the rulers and yao servants, and his handsome face distorted hideously. His dull eyes were now sharp and sinister as he fixed his gaze on the yao servants. Meanwhile, his aura expanded and exploded outward.

 

“Yulong, get back.” A calm, unrushed shout descended from above. Before long, a white-robed, middle-aged man strode out of the estate, lotuses blooming beneath his feet, and walked up to Bai Yulong.

 

The instant he appeared, the pressure in the air around the estate increased many times over. Even the Great Sage, Yang Jian, Pu Jingwan, and Xiao Yumei stopped attacking in response, then returned to Ye Zichen’s side on high alert. 

 

Although less than fifteen minutes had passed since their arrival , they were imperial-level rulers up against diviners and supremes. It had been a massacre. 

 

The air was full of the stench of blood, and the Bai Family had already suffered gracious losses. Even so, the middle-aged man merely glanced at the carnage, but his gaze didn’t so much as ripple. He placed his hands behind his back and laughed calmly.

 

“I am the head of the Bai Family, Bai Haoran. I was in seclusion earlier, and was only just informed. My young friend, how do you plan to explain yourself? You’ve brought such an army right up to our doors, slaughtered so many of my people, and announced your intentions to murder my nephew. Why have you done this?”

 

“I know your identity already, my young friend. You’re Ye Zichen, Lady Providence’s nephew, the Lord of Seven Star’s son. You ought to understand that our Bai Family serves the God Emperor too. Do Xuan Ju and Star Lord Ye know of this?” 

 

“Does the God Emperor even exist in your eyes?” 

 

In response to Bai Haoran’s shout, Ye Zichne merely scanned him, then shook his head. 

 

Bai Haoran’s gaze was mellow, and his words were elegant. His long hair and white robes fluttered behind him, and he had a sage-like, valiant air.

 

Ye Zichen, in stark contrast, was overflowing with murderous intent, and his right eye was unspeakably sinister-looking.

 

One righteous, one wicked. The difference between them was readily apparent. At least, on the surface.

 

“So, you’re Bai Haoran, the leader of the Bai Family. Haoran? That means ‘forever,’ doesn’t it? What a good name!” Ye Zichen met his gaze and snorted. “But there’s no need to say anymore. This has nothing to do with my mother and aunt. There’s no need to even discuss God Emperor Zhou Wu, either. I’m here simply to avenge a friend. I originally had no intention of slaughtering your clansmen. Since you’re here in person, I can give you face and spare them. I’m here to take Bai Yulong’s life, no matter what. Give him to me, and I can gather my forces and leave. Well? Are you open to discussion or not?” 

 

Ye Zichen didn’t know Bai Yulong’s status, nor did he care enough to find out.

 

Bai Haoran said he was the family head. That was all Ye Zichen needed to know.

 

Ye Zichen was here to take Bai Yulong’s life. He’d found his target, so no matter the consequences, Bai Yulong had to die.

 

He’d truly said all of that out of respect for Bai Haoran. Now, he just had to wait and see how the man responded.

 

If he handed over Bai Yulong, Ye Zichen could let the others go.

 

If the family head didn’t understand give and take, Ye Zichen would just kill him too.

 

“My young friend, your words are sharp and overbearing indeed,” Bai Haoran let out a burst of hearty laughter. “I said all that to you purely out of respect for your mother and aunt, as well as to give you a way to back down. However, since you refuse to repent of your wanton arrogance, and insist I give up my nephew….”

 

“Elder Brother, why waste words with him? Even if he has the Profound Pavilion and Star Altar backing him, is our Bai Family afraid of him?” Suddenly, a purple-robed middle-aged man shouted in fury. The other Bai Family members started speaking up as well. 

 

Ye Zichen found the commotion irksome. He steeled himself, and his eyes flashed with cold light. “I'll just ask you once more: will you hand him over or not? Give me Bai Yulong, and I’ll kill him and leave. Refuse, and I’ll kill anyone who stands in my way!”

 The Outsider Rulers and yao servants stepped forth, their combined killing intent shaking the heavens.