Just as Ye Hao set off from the Tager Desert toward the Black Corner Region,
a black figure quietly landed outside the Jia Ma Holy City.
A pair of black wings extended from his back, and he deliberately concealed his Dou Emperor aura.
His gaze swept across the surroundings before locking onto a direction. His figure vanished like a ghost, and when he reappeared, he was already above the Yunlan Sect.
Yun Leng and the others sensed the aura immediately. They rose into the air with several Dou King experts,
surrounding the black-robed figure.
"You come uninvited. What is your purpose?" Yun Leng sensed the restrained aura within the black-robed figure had reached the Dou Emperor level, and his expression turned wary.
The black-robed figure did not answer. His aura suddenly erupted, forcing Yun Leng and the others back as a show of dominance.
"You rely on being a peak Dou Emperor to cause trouble here?"
"Get lost!" the black-robed figure shouted coldly, then added in a deep voice, "Have Yun Yun come out and speak!"
Yun Yun was in secluded cultivation.
Hearing the voice,
her beautiful eyes snapped open. With a grip of her jade hand, a long sword shimmering with a strange light appeared.
She rose into the air and came before the black-robed figure.
"Sect Master, we have failed," Yun Leng said shamefully.
Yun Yun waved her hand and looked ahead. Seeing the figure shrouded entirely in black robes, she instinctively thought of that so-called Protector Wu.
A trace of disgust immediately arose in her heart.
"What do you want with me?" she asked coldly.
The black-robed figure's gaze swept back and forth across Yun Yun's voluptuous figure before speaking in a slightly hoarse voice.
"Sect Master Yun, I have come only to ask where Ye Hao has gone…"
Before he could finish, Yun Yun replied decisively, "I don't know."
"Oh? Is that so?"
The black-robed figure let out a low chuckle, as if he had expected this.
"Sect Master Yun truly knows how to joke. You have a close relationship with Ye Hao. How could you not know?"
Yun Yun's eyes turned cold as she stared at him vigilantly.
The sword in her hand emitted streaks of light.
"My relationship with Ye Hao is none of your concern."
"Indeed, it is none of my concern. However…"
The black-robed figure let out a sinister laugh.
"Then you wouldn't want everyone in the Yunlan Sect to know that you have an unclear relationship with a boy ten years younger than you, would you?"
Yun Leng: …
Yun Long: !
The elders of the Yunlan Sect all showed strange expressions, looking at their noses and hearts as if they had heard nothing.
Yun Yun's pretty face instantly turned icy, killing intent rising.
"Are you threatening me?!"
Right now, the only thing she feared was her disciple Nalan Yanran finding out, which would ruin her plan of claiming Ye Hao for herself.
"Hehe, yes. If you don't speak today, the Yunlan Sect will not remain peaceful."
The black-robed figure let out a sinister laugh.
The pressure of a peak Dou Emperor suddenly erupted!
Yun Yun's expression changed slightly, but she did not retreat even half a step.
Her sword pointed at the black-robed figure as she shouted coldly, "You dare act wildly in the Yunlan Sect?"
"With Yun Shan absent, what do I have to fear!" the black-robed figure sneered.
He raised his hand, sending a streak of black light toward the Yunlan Sect!
Yun Yun immediately flashed forward, forming a mysterious seal with her hands.
"Wind Driving Force!"
A gale surged forward with her palm, colliding with the black light and erupting in a deafening explosion.
"As expected of a peak Dou Emperor. Truly powerful!" Yun Yun's face turned pale.
Two elderly figures suddenly appeared, standing in front of Yun Yun.
"Who dares trespass upon the Yunlan Sect?"
Jia Xingtian appeared, his Dou Ancestor aura sweeping outward!
Hai Bodong's expression darkened as he waved his arms.
"Profound Ice Dragon Soar!"
Two ice-blue giant dragons surged from his palms, crashing fiercely toward the black-robed figure.
The black-robed figure countered with two punches, shattering the ice dragons. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, he did not linger.
"We'll end it here today. Tell Ye Hao that someone is looking for him. If he doesn't want to implicate others, he should come to the Tianxin Empire to find me. My name is Tie Gongji…"
Before he could finish speaking, his figure turned into black smoke and vanished without a trace.
Hai Bodong and Jia Xingtian both wore grave expressions.
"Thank you both for your help."
"You're too polite, Sect Master Yun. We are only acting according to Mr. Ye Hao's instructions," Jia Xingtian said with a cupped fist.
"Why didn't he come personally?" Yun Yun asked, puzzled. She still did not know that Ye Hao had already left the Jia Ma Holy City for the Tager Desert,
nor that he was already on his way to the Black Corner Region.
She thought he was in seclusion within the imperial palace.
Because of Ye Hao's prior instructions, Jia Xingtian and Hai Bodong naturally would not tell her.
Just as they were about to take their leave,
a figure came flying over unsteadily.
It was Miteer Tengshan.
His chest clothing was torn apart, revealing a charred palm print. His aura was weak.
"Tengshan? What happened to you…" Hai Bodong hurried forward to support him.
Tengshan coughed up a mouthful of black blood and said urgently:
"Elder Hai… Elder Jia… something terrible has happened! Ya Fei… Ya Fei has been taken!"
"What?!" the two exclaimed simultaneously, their expressions changing drastically.
Yun Yun's heart sank as she stepped forward. "Patriarch Tengshan, speak slowly. What happened?"
Tengshan gasped for breath and quickly explained:
"Just now… a figure wrapped in black mist broke into the auction house to capture Ya Fei. I tried to stop him but was struck down with a single palm!"
Jia Xingtian and Hai Bodong exchanged a glance.
To injure a Dou King in one move,
the opponent's strength was likely above Seven-Star Dou Emperor.
Jia Xingtian asked, "Did his Dou Technique or Dou Qi have any distinctive traits?"
They suspected it might be the same person as before.
Miteer Tengshan shook his head. "He didn't use any technique. His Dou Qi… had strong corrosive properties. My armor was destroyed instantly."
That didn't seem like the same person.
Miteer Tengshan grabbed Hai Bodong's arm, his voice trembling.
"When he took Ya Fei, he left a message…"
"'Tell Ye Hao, if he wants to save her, he must come alone to the Tianxin Empire within one month. If he is late, or brings others… I will hand this woman over to the most depraved magical beasts.'"
A chilling aura burst from Hai Bodong, freezing the air beneath his feet.
"The Tianxin Empire?! Bastard! This is a blatant provocation! Unforgivable!"
Jia Xingtian's expression turned grave.
"The Tianxin Empire borders the Chu Yun Empire. The journey is long, and the terrain is complex. Choosing that location means there must be a trap!"
Most importantly, both groups were targeting Ye Hao.
And both mentioned the Tianxin Empire.
They could not determine whether they were working together,
or if they were entirely separate forces.
When Yun Yun heard "black mist," her eyes narrowed.
Looking at the charred palm print on Tengshan's chest, a name surfaced in her mind.
"Could it be a subordinate of Protector Wu?"
She recalled the hall she and Ye Hao had once encountered in the mountains of the Tianxin Empire.
If it truly was the Hall of Souls…
their power was unfathomable, and their methods sinister and ruthless.
Although Ye Hao was strong, going alone into their territory would likely be dangerous.
Yun Yun did not want Ye Hao to be harmed.
Nor did she want him to risk his life to save someone.
In her eyes, Ye Hao's safety far outweighed that of Ya Fei.
At this moment, Yun Yun worried whether the earlier disturbance had already alerted Ye Hao.
She could only pray desperately that he had not noticed.
Hai Bodong, unaware of her thoughts, said in a deep voice:
"We must inform Lord Ye Hao immediately! He might still be in the Tager Desert!"
Jia Xingtian nodded. "I'll go personally!"
Only then did Yun Yun realize: "Wait! Ye Hao isn't in the Jia Ma Holy City? When did he go to the Tager Desert? Was it with Medusa?!"
The two exchanged a glance, then briefly explained Ye Hao's trip to the Tager Desert.
Yun Yun pressed her lips together, a trace of jealousy rising in her heart.
At the same time, she thought to herself that if this continued, wouldn't she always be beneath Medusa?
No!
Even if she had no choice but to share Ye Hao in the end, she must still stand above Medusa!
Suppressing her complicated emotions, Yun Yun said:
"The enemy is clearly setting a trap to lure Ye Hao."
"If we notify him rashly, wouldn't that play right into their hands?"
"Moreover, their target is Ye Hao. If he doesn't appear, they may not harm Ya Fei immediately. We can use this to investigate both groups in advance!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus chapters every 100 Power Stone!
10, 20, 30 Advanced chapters in my Patr(e)on!
patr(e)on.com/hollyrisk