Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

"M-Master... Master, your disciple... your disciple was overcome with greed for a moment. I wanted to keep these Primordial Pearls for myself. Seeing you arrive so suddenly panicked me... Please, Master, forgive me."

Ye Dongge looked utterly terrified.

His entire body trembled slightly.

At this, he added in a desperate explanation, "A-and what happened to Junior Brother... Junior Brother Changsheng... it truly has nothing to do with me! I never saw him again after we parted ways. Although we competed on a daily basis, I swear I never, ever had any thought of harming him! Please, Master, I beg you to see the truth!"

"Hmph? So you *did* have thoughts of harming Changsheng? And here I was, wasting all my trust on you! The Primordial Pearls, hand them over!"

Ye Xuanfeng snorted coldly.

With a wave of his hand, he retrieved the Primordial Pearls.

At first, having obtained the Nine Revolutions Divine Essence Pill, he had been in high spirits. If nothing else had come up, and given Ye Dongge's great contribution, he might have even granted him the Primordial Pearls if his disciple had begged for them. However, he had first discovered special Secret Techniques in Yang Xiao's mind that could enhance the Primordial Pearls' power. Furthermore, it seemed the pair had used a very powerful talisman—one refined by a True God—on the pearls, making them even stronger. With that, he had already dismissed the thought of giving them away.

But now, hearing that Ye Dongge harbored thoughts of coveting his Primordial Pearls...

Ye Xuanfeng's expression changed in an instant.

He recalled from Yang Xiao's memories that when Yang Xiao had caught up to them, he'd said he would let them leave if they just handed over the Primordial Pearls.

This infuriated Ye Xuanfeng even more.

Seizing upon the pretext...

...he took back the Primordial Pearls without hesitation.

Then, he eagerly extended his Heart Spirit to probe them.

Upon inspection...

...he was overjoyed to discover that each Primordial Pearl had indeed grown much stronger. They were faintly approaching the level of a Middle Grade Treasure Weapon.

'This time, the heavens have truly smiled upon me. First, I run into these two fat sheep. A Nine Revolutions Divine Essence Pill that can help me ascend to the Void Immortal Realm... And these Primordial Pearls... if I just refine them a little more and merge them into one, they might just break through and become a true Daoist Weapon! When that happens, forget the Profound Celestial Sect—I'll even have a place for myself in the Ye Family Main Lineage!'

He was thrilled.

Utterly ecstatic.

Eagerly, he placed his Spiritual Brand on the Primordial Pearls. Instantly, the Treasure Artifact Beads, now nearly twice as powerful, were once again completely under his control.

SWISH. He drew them into his Spiritual Sea—the place Martial Artists called the Qi Sea.

'Oh? Spiritual Qi is actually feeding back into my body? Not bad, not bad at all. The methods of these two little thieves are truly impressive. But the more impressive they are, the more reason I have to not let them live. And then there's Dongge... he harbors ill intentions and knows about all this. If I let him live, and that True Divine Powerhouse comes looking for me later, won't I be exposed?'

'No, I have to kill him too!'

Having easily refined the Primordial Pearls that were already his, a smug and satisfied Ye Xuanfeng felt murderous intent surge within him.

In the past, every step forward in his cultivation had been a struggle.

A genius disciple like Ye Dongge had always been a source of pride for Ye Xuanfeng—a boost to his reputation and a valuable asset.

But now...

...he had a chance to become a Void Immortal, to rise above all other Immortal Cultivators. He might even become a True Immortal Level powerhouse in the future. In that instant, he decided to discard his most treasured disciple.

Clearly, Ye Xuanfeng was just like Ye Dongge.

They were both naturally cold-hearted people.

For the sake of self-preservation, they would abandon anyone.

No wonder they became master and disciple.

However, though Ye Xuanfeng had such thoughts, he would not reveal them easily.

This was especially true after he noticed that Ye Dongge's aura had broken through to Daoist Tier Seven. His disciple's strength had improved considerably, though it was still a far cry from his own.

Nevertheless, he now counted as an expert in his own right.

'If I'm going to kill him...'

'...I must plan this carefully. If he senses something is wrong and secretly sends a message, things will get complicated.'

'Then there's that woman. She has a Protective Talisman from a True God Level Powerhouse on her. And from this brat's memories, I know she's a favorite of that powerhouse. If I make a move on her, I'm afraid that True God Level Powerhouse will discover it almost immediately.'

'So, I must proceed with caution.'

Ye Xuanfeng carefully reviewed everything he had glimpsed in Yang Xiao's memories.

He began to plot silently.

Meanwhile, Ye Dongge and Yue Lingxi both wore worried expressions on the surface.

Ye Dongge, in particular, was trembling all over.

He looked terrified.

In reality, however...

...the two of them were simply waiting.

Because this old fox, Ye Xuanfeng, as cunning as he was, had unknowingly fallen right into Yang Xiao's trap.

Once the Original Poison Gas hidden within the Primordial Pearls was completely absorbed by the old fox...

...then he...

...would fall into Yang Xiao's hands, just like Ye Dongge.

Whether he lived or died...

...would be entirely up to Yang Xiao.

And so, time ticked by.

Yue Lingxi and the others waited.

Ye Xuanfeng, meanwhile, was lost in thought. He could feel a continuous stream of energy from the Primordial Pearls pouring into his Spiritual Sea, causing his own power to rise steadily.

And rise.

Before long...

...his expression suddenly changed.

'A catalyst for a breakthrough? How is this possible? Why would I get an opportunity to break through right now?'

Ye Xuanfeng was both shocked and delighted.

And bewildered.

But he was, after all, an old cultivator with over a thousand years of experience. He knew how rare such an opportunity was. In a flash, his mind was made up.

'If I take the Nine Revolutions Divine Essence Pill and combine it with this breakthrough catalyst, I can easily ascend to the Void Immortal Realm. I'll lay a solid foundation, perhaps even the foundation for true immortality. This is an opportunity I can't afford to miss. I must not delay.'

With this in mind, Ye Xuanfeng looked at Ye Dongge.

"You have disappointed me greatly today. However, in light of your service in capturing these two thieves, I can forgive you this once. Do not make this mistake again. You are my disciple; how could I not think of you when I have something good? As long as you serve me well, the Primordial Pearls will be yours sooner or later."

"Truly? Ah, thank you for your forgiveness, Master! This disciple will do his utmost and will never dare harbor such thoughts again."

Ye Dongge prostrated himself on the ground.

His head was bowed low.

But a flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes.

Because although things hadn't started out exactly as planned, everything was now developing according to the plan Yang Xiao had laid out.

'That old bastard is finally done for.'

Ye Xuanfeng, however, didn't notice this. He was far too agitated himself.

Seeing Ye Dongge acting so submissive was naturally very satisfying.

'I'll have to kill him to silence him, but I still have a use for him right now. First, I'll break through. It won't be too late to kill them after that.'

He smiled faintly.

Ye Xuanfeng then gave his instructions.

"Changsheng's death pains me greatly. I must use a Secret Technique to see if I can find his killer. Watch these two thieves. Don't make any sudden moves. I will be right back."

With that, Ye Xuanfeng's figure flickered.

He tore open the void and vanished.

Ye Dongge was startled for a moment, but then he understood.

'That old bastard still doesn't trust me.'

"Don't worry," Yang Xiao said with a faint smile. "As long as he swallows that Nine Revolutions Divine Essence Pill, he can't escape my grasp, even if he flees to the ends of the earth."

At that very moment, Ye Xuanfeng appeared atop a mountain peak. With a flip of his hand, the Nine Revolutions Divine Essence Pill appeared, and he swallowed it in one gulp.

The aura around his body instantly began to surge.

The Void Immortal Realm.

It was within his grasp.