Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

"You, you killed him?"

Ye Dongge's face was a mask of astonishment.

He clearly hadn't recovered from the scene that had just unfolded.

Yang Xiao glanced at him, his expression utterly indifferent.

He casually recalled the Bloodthirsty Sword, which was on the verge of advancing, into his body. Having absorbed too much power in a short period, the Bloodthirsty Sword needed time to digest it.

At the same time, Yang Xiao also planned to continue tempering it with the True Greater Yang Fire in his body to prevent the Bloodthirsty Sword's foundation from becoming unstable when it advanced.

However, the look Yang Xiao had just given him made Ye Dongge jump.

Cold sweat immediately beaded on his forehead.

His not-so-stupid brain finally, in this moment after the dust had settled, figured everything out.

He realized what a foolish thing he had done before.

"I-I'm sorry, Young Master Yang. Just now, I... He was my master, after all. I-I couldn't bring myself to act against him..."

After mulling it over, Ye Dongge ultimately decided to play the sympathy card.

"Forget it. I just hope you won't make the same mistake again."

Yang Xiao stared at him for a while, only speaking faintly when his gaze had shaken Ye Dongge's Heart Spirit.

The words brought the man a wave of relief.

He hastily promised, "N-No, I won't. I swear I'll never make a mistake like that again."

Yang Xiao nodded and paid him no further mind.

Instead, he looked at Yue Lingxi.

"Let's proceed as planned."

Yue Lingxi nodded and took out a Small White Jade Palace. At the same time, the Golden Roc True Body within Yang Xiao reappeared, transforming into an exact duplicate of Ye Dongge. Aside from its slightly weaker aura, it looked just like a Dharma Body.

It walked toward Ye Dongge.

Having made a grave error earlier, Ye Dongge was eager to make amends and naturally wouldn't refuse.

He understood now. Even someone as powerful as his own master had been played like a fiddle in Yang Xiao's hands, and this was despite the fact that the man was a Martial Cultivator from the Barbaric Land.

A plebeian in their eyes.

But circumstances were stronger than he was; he had to bow his head.

However, Ye Dongge himself didn't even realize that after learning of Yang Xiao's true origins, a trace of contempt had unconsciously crept into his expression.

It was a far cry from the respectful and fawning demeanor he had when he suspected Yang Xiao was an outsider, the disciple of some great expert.

Yang Xiao, however, saw all of this.

Naturally, he had even less to say to Ye Dongge.

After watching the Golden Roc True Body enter Ye Dongge's body and take control of everything, Yang Xiao and Yue Lingxi also entered the Small White Jade Palace.

The moment he entered, Yang Xiao's eyes lit up.

'Not bad. This small palace is at least a Peak Semi-Divine Artifact. It's barely inferior to the Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace. This is perfect. I can enter secluded cultivation in here.'

Thinking of the Cold Yin Spirit Fire he possessed—a grade that was neither too high nor too low, but just right to help him advance to the Green Flame Realm—Yang Xiao felt a sense of urgency.

Despite how he had first used the Ten Thousand Poison Source Pearl's abilities to control Ye Dongge and then later used similar methods to kill Ye Xuanfeng...

...in reality, the shackles of his cultivation had always been limiting Yang Xiao's growth.

'If not for the immense opportunities I've had recently, with my current strength, I could at best fight someone in the Small Divine Ability Realm. Even with the Heart of Time, the Bloodthirsty Sword, and the Golden Roc True Body, I can barely contend with experts at the First and Second Layers of the Great Divine Power Realm. This is all because my current cultivation is too weak.'

Subjugating Ye Dongge before was only possible because the man was completely under Yang Xiao's control.

And Ye Xuanfeng was even more of a special case.

He had been lured into Yang Xiao's trap.

But such events relied on a certain amount of luck.

Yang Xiao couldn't always have such good fortune.

He couldn't always encounter people he could suppress, or people like Ye Xuanfeng who could be lured into his schemes.

The moment he encountered a cultivator of a different attribute...

...not even an overly powerful one, just someone at the Daoist Tier Third and Fourth Layer...

...if they were determined to kill him...

...Yang Xiao would be crushed.

Unless, like when he killed Ye Changsheng, there happened to be a massive amount of energy available for him to borrow. Otherwise, with his own power, he could at most contend with an expert at Daoist Tier Two, which was the Great Divine Power Second Level.

And even then, he would most likely have to rely on the Golden Roc True Body's speed and the Heart of Time's power to launch a sneak attack.

In a direct confrontation...

...he was probably only on par with an expert at the Peak of Small Divine Power Realm.

Furthermore, as the gap between his actual combat strength and his cultivation level grew larger...

Yang Xiao felt that his mentality seemed to have shifted slightly.

He seemed to be relying more and more on external objects.

'Although external objects are a part of one's strength, I have too many treasures on me right now.'

The Bloodthirsty Sword, the Ten Thousand Poison Source Pearl, and even the Golden Roc True Body.

All of these could be considered external objects.

Because none of them would allow him to prove his Dao and become an Emperor.

Only the Heart of Time, the True Greater Yang Fire, his two Sword Techniques, the Flame Emperor Divine Fist, and his various Divine Secret Skills...

...were the true foundation for Yang Xiao to prove his Dao and become an Emperor.

And the power of all these was directly related to his own cultivation.

"Lingxi, I'm going into secluded cultivation to achieve a breakthrough. I'm leaving the matter of keeping an eye on Ye Dongge to you."

Yang Xiao said to Yue Lingxi after sorting through his thoughts.

"Rest easy, Lord Xiao."

Yue Lingxi smiled faintly.

Her eyes crinkled beautifully when she smiled.

It was a pity her true face couldn't be seen.

Otherwise, it would surely be an even more beautiful sight.

Yang Xiao thought to himself, but in the next moment, he reined in all his thoughts and began his secluded cultivation.

He would assail the Green Flame Realm.

He took out the mass of Cold Yin Spirit Fire. Even now, the Spirit Fire was still struggling constantly.

But having fallen into Yang Xiao's hands, its struggles were futile.

Next came a large pile of Spirit Medicine.

This was all of Yang Xiao's remaining stock. After using it...

...there would be none left.

However, it was more than enough to attempt the first turn of the Green Flame Realm.

And just as Yang Xiao was engrossed in his cultivation, preparing to break through to the Green Flame Realm in one go and evolve the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame in his body into a Spirit Fire...

「Eastern Domain Immortal Dao City.」

The core of the entire Eastern Domain.

A person arrived in a great hurry.

"Xuantian, what's happened? Why have you personally returned to Immortal Dao City?"

As the City Lord of Immortal Dao City, Ye Taixuan had heard that his clan brother, Ye Xuantian, was requesting an audience. He couldn't help but take time out of his busy schedule to see him.

Within the entire Ye Family...

...Ye Xuantian's status was not low. Especially since he had once received "that person's" inheritance and founded the Profound Celestial Sect, he had always been Ye Taixuan's most important right-hand man.

Ye Taixuan had even entrusted him with the plan to destroy the Barbaric Land.

This showed the extent of his trust.

"City Lord, something has happened!"

In contrast, Ye Xuantian was much more respectful toward Ye Taixuan.

Although they were of the same generation and had comparable cultivation...

...and even hailed from the same main branch of the current Ye Family...

...Ye Taixuan was of the Direct Lineage, while he was an illegitimate child. There was still a difference in status. Otherwise, with Ye Xuantian's talent, the position of Immortal Dao City's City Lord probably wouldn't have fallen to Ye Taixuan.

"What happened?"

Ye Taixuan's expression grew taut.

"Xuanfeng is dead. Moreover, the one who killed him is someone from the Barbaric Land. And this person from the Barbaric Land is also after the Profound Sun Secret Realm. Originally, I had planned to capture him before reporting back, but even Xuanfeng died at his hands. It shows this person is anything but simple. I hope that the Ancestor himself will act to capture this person!"

As soon as Ye Xuantian's voice fell...

...Ye Taixuan's expression changed drastically.

But then, it turned to elation. "So, you're saying the inheritance of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion from the Barbaric Land has fallen into this person's hands?"

"Precisely."

"Good. You did the right thing. The Ancestor has been waiting for him to appear. I never expected he would show up in such a short time. You wait here. I'll go inform the Ancestor right now. We must ensure that this person comes but never leaves!"

Ye Taixuan was overjoyed, not caring in the slightest about Ye Xuanfeng's death.

What he cared about were the benefits of capturing Yang Xiao.

A Divine King's inheritance.

The chance to enter the Immortal Realm.

Any one of these was enough to fill him with excitement.

As for Ye Xuanfeng?

He was just a minor character.

If he died, he died.

What did it matter?