Chapter 98: Battle Against the Kings, Defeated with a Single Slash

“Twenty billion!”

Su Xiaoxiao’s voice cut through the hall like thunder. With that one bid, everyone fell silent.

The bodies of two great powers’ representatives stiffened, their faces clearly unpleasant.

Even though they were lofty major forces, pulling out twenty billion top-grade spirit stones at once was already taxing yet even now, that amount might not be enough.

Their gazes toward Su Xiaoxiao grew darker.

A mere Tian-nü of the Mei Clan dared to compete with them so openly? Was she tired of living?

They all knew the Mei Clan was no longer what it had been. In this branch of the Tianluo Daozhou, there weren’t many experts left to shield her.

Su Xiaoxiao, oblivious to their hostility, carried her bid through. In the end, the drop of Phantom Spirit Fox blood entered her possession.

With Ye Wushang covering the extra cost, Su Xiaoxiao had successfully secured the item.

The auction moved toward its finale.

During the process, Ye Wushang also acquired several rare spirit herbs, letting all present witness the formidable wealth of the Ye Clan.

At last, the auction concluded perfectly. Not a single item went unsold; each fetched staggering prices that left tongues clicking in disbelief.

After paying the spirit stones, Ye Wushang received his Soul-Nurturing Flower and smiled in satisfaction.

At his side, Su Xiaoxiao’s gratitude shone through.

“Thank you, Master Ye. I will find a way to gather those four billion spirit stones as soon as possible to return to you!”

Ye Wushang shook his head lightly.

“It’s nothing. I’m not in a rush. You should focus on yourself first. I can wait.”

Although some selfish motives lingered in his heart, Ye Wushang had to admit after seeing her past through the Eye of Destiny, compassion stirred within him. For now, he had no urgency to reclaim that debt.

Su Xiaoxiao, seeing he truly didn’t mind, felt even more grateful. She didn’t waste words, only carved this favor deep into her heart.

What she needed now was to swallow the Phantom Spirit Fox’s blood, awaken her fourth tail, then break through to Starsea Realm.

With her foundation, once she reached King Realm, she would be no ordinary figure.

Then, earning more top-grade spirit stones would be far easier.

Ye Wushang showed no intention of leaving, nor did Su Xiaoxiao invite him. After exchanging sound-transmission jade slips, she departed quietly.

Watching her leave, her graceful curves and slender waist swaying away, Ye Wushang couldn’t help but click his tongue.

“What’s wrong? Heart moved?”

Peach Yaoyao’s voice suddenly rang out that she had already recovered from her injuries.

Ye Wushang turned, only to see Peach Yaoyao dressed in resplendent brocade, elegance perfectly outlining her figure. Today, she carried the aura of a commanding lady, which made Ye Wushang’s eyes brighten.

Yet for some reason, a flicker of annoyance rose in her heart when she looked at him.

Ye Wushang subconsciously rubbed his nose instantly making Peach Yaoyao stiffen, before she glared at him harshly.

“A fair lady, a gentleman’s desire. For such an extraordinary woman, isn’t it natural to feel moved?”

Ye Wushang replied casually, not concealing his thoughts.

Peach Yaoyao gave a cold snort.

“Oh really? Do you even know what she is? Do you realize what kind of danger you’ll face if you try to marry her?”

She stared at him, curious whether revealing Su Xiaoxiao’s identity would shock him.

But Ye Wushang merely shrugged, lips curving slightly as a sound-transmission slipped into her ears.

“Isn’t it just the Nine-Tailed Fox bloodline? What’s there to fear? I already know your secret—why would hers matter more?”

Hearing this, Peach Yaoyao could no longer hold back. She glared at him once again, eyes faintly aggrieved, then turned without another word and walked away.

Ye Wushang only smiled, knowing she was merely testing him.

At the same time, relief washed through him if Peach Yaoyao hadn’t shown up, escaping Tianji Pavilion’s clutches today would have been near impossible.

Once outside the Pavilion, Ye Wushang didn’t bother concealing his tracks, striding off into the distance.

Many divine senses lingered on him briefly, but in the end shook their heads and withdrew. For a single Soul-Nurturing Flower, none were willing to risk clashing with Ye Zhen.

After all, when the Oriental Clan had crossed him, not only had Oriental Mingkong been forced into seclusion to heal, but a single palm from Ye Zhen had obliterated half their estate losses, counted in billions.

Few dared provoke such a foe.

And now, Ye Wushang himself was displaying a terrifying same-realm invincibility. Killing him outright might be one thing, but if they failed, he would become a mortal enemy and once grown, he’d spell their annihilation.

So they let him go.

Along the road, Ye Wushang witnessed several shocking battles, treasures stirred greed, and conflict was inevitable. Fortunately, no Sovereigns intervened, only Starsea Kings clashing.

He ignored them and pressed onward.

At last, he halted, eyes flashing with surprise.

Ahead, Su Xiaoxiao was besieged and two King-realm experts had her surrounded.

Her aura was unstable; she had clearly fought already. At her current state, resisting two Kings was impossible.

Ye Wushang’s gaze narrowed. He could tell she wasn’t using her full power not because she wanted to hide it, but because she couldn’t.

Suppressing her realm for a hundred years demanded a huge price, limiting her combat ability. Otherwise, her cultivation would already have surged into Starsea Realm.

But to break through now would forfeit her Nine-Tailed Fox inheritance.

Su Xiaoxiao’s beautiful eyes filled with urgency and bitterness as the two Kings closed in.

“Su Xiaoxiao, hand over the Phantom Spirit Fox’s blood! This isn’t something your Mei Clan should possess. Otherwise you’ll never leave here alive!”

Cold voices boomed. Su Xiaoxiao answered not with words, but with action, launching another desperate attack.

“Courting death!”

The Kings roared in fury. A mere cave-realm junior dared fight them head-on?

Yet even holding back, she was no ordinary foe the First Marquis of that year, after all. She still managed to withstand them but only barely, and only temporarily.

Her choices dwindled: either die here, or unleash her suppressed realm and break through at the cost of her bloodline legacy.

Her heart ached with despair. Perhaps Heaven truly forbade her to awaken the fourth tail.

Just as she prepared to release her shackles, a blade-light tore through the sky, cleaving toward one King.

Sensing lethal danger, the King instantly dodged away.

“Ye Wushang!”

Recognition dawned in both their eyes. Even one casual strike from this cave-realm youth carried a suffocating deathly crisis.

Su Xiaoxiao, stunned to see him arrive, hurriedly forced her realm back down.

Ye Wushang strode forth, blade in hand. Zhan Yue exuded terrifying blade-might, shaking heaven and earth.

“Slash!”

A single stroke forced back one King. His face expressionless, Ye Wushang advanced on the other.

Boom!

Endless blade-light surged, crushing down like the end of the world. The King hastily unleashed a mighty palm to meet it.

Crash!

The collision thundered like doomsday. Yet to his horror, the King was shaken back, his hand trembling violently.

“Impossible Eightfold Blade Intent!”

His eyes widened in disbelief. Even many peak God-sealing experts had never comprehended that level. But Ye Wushang, still in the Cave Heaven Realm, had.

Shock gave way to fury.

For a junior to defy them so arrogantly it was unbearable.

“Ye Wushang, you’ve gone too far!”

“Did you think ruling the cave realm makes you invincible? Courting death!”

Twin killing auras erupted. Their combined strike shook the heavens, enough to cleave the void apart.

Su Xiaoxiao’s expression changed drastically; she hadn’t expected such overwhelming force. She nearly released her suppression again.

But then, a hand rested gently on her shoulder.

A mysterious power flowed into her, firmly pressing her realm back down.

Her body trembled. The first time a man had ever touched her. A strange masculine aura enveloped her disorienting, yet safe.

She turned, meeting Ye Wushang’s unwavering gaze.

“Don’t worry. Leave it to me.”

His calm, confident words struck straight into her heart. For the first time in years, she felt at peace.

Ye Wushang turned back. The blade moved.

Shhh.

A peerless slash erupted, a brilliance cold enough to sunder the cosmos.

“Sealing Heaven, Severing Dao Kill!”

His supreme killing art roared forth, irresistible and vast.

The Kings’ faces changed, feeling life-threatening peril. They unleashed their ultimate moves in desperation.

Boom!

The clash shook the world, but Ye Wushang’s strike overwhelmed all. Their techniques shattered; their bodies hurled back hundreds of miles, coughing blood.

As they steadied themselves, Ye Wushang had already carried Su Xiaoxiao away, leaving only a cold command:

“Follow us again and you die.”

The two Kings’ faces twisted in rage. Against anyone else, they would have shredded him on the spot. But Ye Wushang… he had earned the right to say those words.

By the time reinforcements arrived, the battlefield lay in ruins, the two Kings battered and humiliated. Their eyes narrowed in shock at what had transpired.