“Did the wind pick up?”
Duan Xinyuan stopped walking, feeling the wind that suddenly surged through the heavens and earth.
This was not a natural wind.
Rather, it was a powerful wind field brought about by some force, closing in on their position.
“Sect Master, look at the sky!”
A Tianshuimen disciple pointed to the heavens, shouting loudly.
Duan Xinyuan immediately looked up, his eyes widening.
Not far away, a flying chariot appeared in the air, its body a lustrous emerald green, exquisite and noble like jade.
Fierce winds swirled at the four corners, as if four invisible wind dragons were dragging the flying chariot through the sky.
On top of the flying chariot, a young girl stood respectfully to one side.
Seated at the center was a woman in plain robes and skirt, her skin fairer than snow, her beauty peerless.
Duan Xinyuan had never seen such a beautiful woman, and for a moment, he was mesmerized.
But the pain from his severed arm snapped him back to reality.
Relying on the presence of two Grandmasters behind him, Duan Xinyuan stared directly at the stunning woman on the flying chariot and called out loudly,
“Who goes there?”
No matter how beautiful the woman, he could not lower his guard when her intentions were unknown.
“I am Wei Ying of the Hundred Martial Sects! Where is Su Cheng?!”
Wei Ying atop the flying chariot replied loudly, her presence overwhelming.
However, in truth, her legs trembled uncontrollably.
She was merely a Martial Sect member, yet now she dared to speak so boldly before so many Martial Kings and Grandmasters—truly reckless.
In the past, Wei Ying would never have had such courage.
But the person beside her now gave her enough confidence.
“Very good.”
Yu Yi crossed her beautiful legs, smiling calmly as she spoke to Wei Ying.
“Keep talking with them. Let’s see how Su Cheng reacts.”
Having Wei Ying reveal her Hundred Martial Sects identity was part of Yu Yi’s plan.
This way, it would give Su Cheng the impression that ‘they haven’t encountered any Wei Family members.’
Yu Yi gazed at the ground, at the battered and disheveled Su Cheng lying there, anticipating her response.
The next moment, Yu Yi clearly saw hatred and frustration flash across Su Cheng’s face.
Hatred—for someone had disrupted her plans.
Frustration—for failing to let Yu Yi witness the meticulous chessboard she had set up.
“As expected… Letting me see the protected Wei Family members was part of Su Cheng’s plan.”
Yu Yi thought silently.
She deliberately had the Wei Family members protected to let Yu Yi discover them—what was she trying to prove?
Yu Yi was unaware of Su Cheng’s past with Yu Yi Jue, so for now, she did not know what Su Cheng hoped to prove by doing this.
Wei Ying and Duan Xinyuan’s conversation continued.
“Hundred Martial Sects… I know them!”
Duan Xinyuan thought for a moment.
“Su Cheng had people investigate your information, intending you harm!”
“That’s right. She kidnapped my family.”
Wei Ying feigned anger.
“Now I’ve come to demand their return!”
“Your family?”
Duan Xinyuan was momentarily stunned, then realization dawned.
“Could it be… the people in that thatched hut…”
“What hut?”
Wei Ying asked with a puzzled expression.
“Uh, nothing. I must be mistaken!”
Duan Xinyuan feigned ignorance.
At this moment, Wei Ying was certain that the ones who harmed her father were this group led by Duan Xinyuan.
Though Duan Xinyuan wasn’t wearing a bamboo hat, the Tianshuimen disciples around him who were had identical clothing.
Didn’t that prove Duan Xinyuan was among those mysterious figures?
“Another hypocrite…”
Wei Ying gritted her teeth in a low voice.
It was bad enough to feign ignorance after hurting the innocent, but Duan Xinyuan obviously knew of the Wei Family’s situation and still refused to inform Wei Ying of their safety.
Such cowardice from someone who claimed to walk the Right Path made Wei Ying lose all hope in these so-called ‘righteous people.’
Wei Ying hadn’t expected that pretending not to see her own family would allow her to see the true faces of these ‘righteous individuals.’
“Young Lady Wei Ying! Please wait a moment! Once I capture Su Cheng, I’ll make her reveal your family’s whereabouts for you!”
Duan Xinyuan pounded his chest righteously.
Then, he moved toward Su Cheng once more.
But just as he stepped forward, a calm voice drifted down from the flying chariot.
“Please halt, sir.”
Duan Xinyuan stopped, looking up at the flying chariot.
The beautiful woman in white stood up slowly, her every movement radiating an aura of supremacy that looked down upon all beings.
“Su Cheng—she will come with me.”
Yu Yi said quietly.
Duan Xinyuan’s face hardened, his gaze leaving Yu Yi’s fair skin.
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
He seemed to forget he’d just been used by someone, turning to point at Wanhai Jiu and Li Tianhan.
“Su Cheng is wanted by these two Grandmasters. Think carefully—do you have the right to contend with them for her?”
He deliberately emphasized ‘Grandmaster,’ acting like a dog flaunting its master’s power.
Su Cheng was someone he needed to kill personally—how could he hand her over so easily?
“Forgive my bluntness—even if you can control a flying chariot, I don’t know you. Among female cultivators who command the winds and are ranked on the ‘Heroes Ranking,’ only the Child of the Wind God holds such fame.”
“I met her once many years ago; her beauty and bearing are etched in my memory. Clearly, you are not her.”
Duan Xinyuan issued his command to Yu Yi with great bravado.
“If you lack a notable title, you’d best behave and stay where you are until I get the information from Young Lady Wei Ying.”
“‘Heroes Ranking’… indeed, that’s not a place where my name would appear.”
Yu Yi paused, then nodded in acknowledgment.
After all, she was first on the ‘Blacklist of Evildoers.’ For her to rank among the ‘Heroes Ranking’ of the Right Path would be a miracle.
Also, she couldn’t currently command the power of the wind.
Her ability to manipulate the flying chariot was simply due to ‘good luck’—she retained memories of how to use it.
“Tch, if you can’t even make the Heroes Ranking, stop calling yourself ‘this seat.’ Never mind. You two just stay there…”
Duan Xinyuan was becoming impatient, but before he could finish, he saw Su Cheng—who had been lying motionless—slowly stand up.
“This… How is this possible!?”
Duan Xinyuan was shocked, backing away several steps.
Li Tianhan, as Sect Leader of the Cold Sword Sect, was famed for his unique art, ‘Frozen Sword Intent.’
If a limb was frozen by this technique, movement was impossible, leaving one helpless as the sword intent consumed them.
Yet now, Su Cheng dragged her frozen leg, forcing herself upright.
This was simply impossible!!
“Does Su Cheng have another trump card!?”
Duan Xinyuan immediately grew wary, changing his tone as he spoke to Yu Yi atop the flying chariot.
“This demoness must be hiding some secret technique! She’s cunning and dangerous! It seems only by joining forces can we subdue her! With one in front and one behind, we can surround her from both sides…”
Before he could finish, another shocking scene unfolded before him.
Su Cheng, gritting her teeth against the pain, stumbled toward the flying chariot.
She collapsed to her knees with a heavy ‘thud,’ bowing her proud head deeply toward the beauty above.
“Eh?”
Duan Xinyuan was stunned.
What was happening?