Chapter 2470: At Ease (2)

No wonder they say the speed of the Exterminate Disaster Army is astonishing! They came quickly and retreated just as fast. News barely spread far. Many people who might have appeared didn't even have time to show up before this "soldier disaster" targeting Yun Country was over.

Throughout the entire process of the soldiers surrounding Yun Country, Ye Qingyu didn't utter a single sound. She wasn't the type of person to make a big fuss, cry, or only care about venting her emotions at a time like this. She didn't comment on fairness or unfairness. She understood how fragile she was in front of Jing Country's army, and she knew she had no right to speak in front of Xun Jiucang. Since her fate completely relied on others, the only thing she needed to do was not cause trouble. Whether she was nervous, flustered, or worried about her father, she endured!

It wasn't until the dark clouds of the army had traveled far away, and Dai Mountain King Ji Jinglu had flown off in escape, that she finally turned and looked at Bai Gexiao. All her unease spread through her eyes, like a pool of autumn water rippling, but she managed to control her voice so it didn't tremble: "Aunt Bai, can you tell me what all this is about?"

Bai Gexiao was clearly paying attention to the situation in Yun Country at every moment. The moment Xun Jiucang arrived, she followed close behind and quickly contacted various countries on the Yun Shang Trade Road to prepare to go to Heavenly Capital City together and exert pressure on the Jing Country commander who initiated this war. To say she knew nothing was impossible. But she shouldn't have known beforehand that Ye Lingxiao was actually an Equality Country Protector, that he used the name Qian Chou, and was fighting against Jing Country. If she had known this, she would have either stopped Ye Lingxiao earlier or made more thorough preparations – not just having a joint letter from various countries on the Yun Shang Trade Road that hadn't even been sent to Heavenly Capital City yet. With Bai Gexiao's identity and influence within the Confucian Sect, she could have at least invited one or two Great Scholars to speak out.

And after she rushed over, there was a sense of "just as expected," like finally giving up hope after her feet touched the ground. Perhaps she had already prepared for the worst. The worst-case scenario was... only Ye Qingyu remaining in the entire Lingxiao Pavilion.

Ye Qingyu needed to know the answer.

"It's related to your mother." Bai Gexiao really couldn't remain silent at this time. "He never mentioned what happened that year to you because he couldn't face it. Your mother died at the hands of One True Dao. He's always been unable to let it go. I guess he joined Equality Country to gain the power to seek revenge."

She knew some of the inside story from that year. But she didn't know why Ye Lingxiao, with the identity of Equality Country, would launch such a massive counterattack against Jing Country. The worst guess was that Ye Lingxiao could no longer tolerate it and had transferred his hatred for One True Dao to the entire Jing Country, like Shao Wu of Jing Country's Wu Sijang. A slightly better guess was that Ye Lingxiao participated in this conflict between Equality Country and Jing Country to do his own thing within it, killing One True Dao disciples one by one.

But how did Ye Lingxiao accurately grasp the identities of One True Dao disciples? Was it because he had already gathered some intelligence before and was settling scores today, or did someone inside Jing Country help him? If it was the former, Ye Lingxiao's chances of survival would be very slim, and even if he was lucky enough to survive, he would never be able to appear publicly. If it was the latter, then there was still a possibility of escape, mainly depending on whether Ye Lingxiao's actions had reached a tacit understanding with certain high-ranking officials in Jing Country.

This period was full of turmoil. The Central Empire was patrolling the world on a grand scale, but key intelligence was kept very secret. The encirclement of Yun Country and the attack on Tian Gong City were like a sudden thunderclap, revealing nothing beforehand. The intelligence she obtained was quite fragmented and couldn't form a complete picture of the cause and effect... After all, Qingya Academy was primarily a place for teaching, educating people, and researching knowledge. It didn't participate in worldly conflicts and had no precise grasp of intelligence from various countries. And now, she was also like looking at flowers in a fog. She couldn't stop worrying, but she couldn't do anything more.

As for why Luqiu Wenyue urgently sent a message to Ji Jinglu telling him to stop Xun Jiucang, that was quite easy to understand – because Ye Qingyu's mother was Luqiu Wenyue's only daughter. Even if the Great Jing Prime Minister was cold-blooded, it was impossible for her to watch her only granddaughter have an accident. In fact, the first person she wanted to find when she contacted the various countries on the Yun Shang Trade Road to go to Heavenly Capital City and exert pressure was Luqiu Wenyue.

One True Dao!

Jiang Wang had heard this name before, but this seemed to be the closest time to him. That Pavilion Master Ye, who lacked the demeanor of a master, who seemed to bully him, and always intimidated him... Did he actually carry such a heavy past? He quietly looked at Ye Qingyu. Behind her, the violent demonic ape dharma body also lowered its red eyes for a moment. The three bodies and two phases all looked at Ye Qingyu with different expressions, as if all the gods and demons in the sky were concerned about their human world.

Ye Qingyu looked at Bai Gexiao.

"Where is my dad now?" she asked. She didn't show emotion, and her voice was as calm as still water, but a daughter's concern for her father flowed within it: "I haven't seen him for many days." She asked, "Does he want to come back and see me?"

In Ye Qingyu's memory, Ye Lingxiao often went out. Yun Country's power was weak, and the trade road was extra complex. Many things needed her father to handle personally, so being busy was normal – she often thought this way. She even hoped that her father would have some free time in his busy schedule, like drinking tea with Aunt Bai, playing the zither, chatting... She often saw her father in the study staring at that painting in a daze. She knew her father was very lonely. So, despite her quiet nature, she would often sneak into the study to bother him. So she would often say her father was childish and participate in those childish games.

Could everything still be the same as before? Would that handsome old dad, who looked so impressive, still suddenly appear outside, knock on her window, and hand her a bunch of flowers or a foreign gift?

Looking at the calm-faced Ye Qingyu, whose eyes only flickered, Bai Gexiao was silent for a moment. Could Ye Lingxiao still come back? She also really wanted to know. But she couldn't answer. Perhaps she didn't dare to answer!

"Zhao Zi, Qian Chou, and Sun Yin, these three Equality Country Protectors, rolled away Jing Country's Exorcise Evil Commander Kuang Ming at the entrance of the White Jade Capital Wine House and went to outer heaven to fight. This is what I know. At that time, I descended with my dharma body, but unfortunately, I couldn't find more traces." Jiang Wang spoke at this moment. "If Pavilion Master Ye is really Qian Chou... he should still be in outer heaven."

According to the publicly available news, it was these three, Zhao Zi, Qian Chou, and Sun Yin, who killed Exterminate Demon Commander Yin Xiaoheng, provoking the war between Equality Country and Jing Country. Then Jing Country attacked Tian Gong City and used Beru as bait to search and kill Equality Country members everywhere. And with Zhao, Qian, and Sun representing Equality Country, they fiercely counterattacked, first killing River Official Qiu Tie, and then rolling away Exorcise Evil Commander Kuang Ming.

Things had reached this point. There was no room for turning back between Equality Country and Jing Country. Qian Chou, as a key participant in this series of events, was absolutely impossible to escape.

But Jiang Wang only said: "I'll go bring him back." There wasn't much strong emotion in this sentence, nor was there any dramatic expression. He seemed to be just telling Ye Qingyu that he planned to go out for a trip to buy some vegetables – to buy the vegetables she liked the most. His words were light as water, revealing the truth.

Before his voice had even dispersed, his body had already soared into the sky like a brilliant light, with his various phases and bodies piercing the air like flying rainbows! All the brilliant colors in the sky only flickered for a moment before disappearing on the horizon.

Bai Gexiao twisted her body, wanting to move: "I'll go with you—" Jiang Wang's last remaining voice had already intercepted her: "Please trouble Dean Bai to guard this place. That Yan Chunhui is nowhere to be found. If you're not here to oversee things, I can't be at ease!"

Bai Gexiao thus stood still. For a moment, she looked at the distant sky. She knew Jiang Wang was considering that she wasn't free, that she bore the heavy responsibility of the academy, and couldn't do as she pleased. Otherwise, with her strength, she should have done more. Where in the world is a painter who can paint a flying bird outside of the painting? Even if she was already a contemporary painting master.

After all, she wasn't at ease!

Jiang Wang disappeared on the horizon in an instant. Ye Qingyu only managed to turn her eyes and look at the last scattering light on the horizon. At this moment, her palm felt warm. It was Jiang Anan who had flown over and held her hand. Stupid Gray was then loyally guarding by her side. Looking back at the Lingxiao secret place, the big and small kings, Xie Ruixuan, Ugly Uncle... all looked over with worry, flying towards her.

Ye Qingyu pursed her lips and only asked: "Aunt Bai, what can I do now?" She had never so profoundly realized her powerlessness. From childhood to adulthood, Ye Lingxiao always arranged everything properly. Even if the outside world was turned upside down, the Lingxiao secret place was always peaceful and quiet. Life was sunny, and cultivation was effortless. Her indifferent, non-confrontational temperament was because she had everything. Her carefree mood was because someone always sheltered her from the wind and rain.

It wasn't until today, when the situation suddenly changed, that she discovered Bao Xue Peak wasn't that tall, and Yun Country wasn't always sunny. Her vision and strength were not enough to participate in such a vortex. She didn't dare to act rashly for fear of making a fool of herself and ruining things. But she really couldn't just sit here and do nothing.

Sensing her mood, Bai Gexiao thought seriously for a moment and then said: "Your merchant gold refining immortal furnace should be taken out to gather wealth qi, or it can give him some support. In addition—" She looked at Ye Qingyu: "Do you want to go to Jing Country and see your maternal grandmother?"

She wasn't worried about Ye Lingxiao and Kuang Ming's fight, not to mention that Zhao Zi and Sun Yin had joined forces. Ye Lingxiao alone was enough to fight Kuang Ming for eight hundred rounds. She was worried about what would happen after Ye Lingxiao and Kuang Ming fought. If Kuang Ming wasn't from One True Dao, or if the high-ranking officials of Jing Country couldn't admit that Kuang Ming was from One True Dao for some reason... Perhaps only Luqiu Wenyue, who had been the Prime Minister for several decades and had very high prestige within Jing Country, would have the opportunity to save his life. If it was just Ye Lingxiao, Luqiu Wenyue might not even look at him. But sending Ye Qingyu over, she might think about her granddaughter.

Maternal grandmother... This was a too strange word. Originally intimate, yet so distant. As for her own mother, Ye Qingyu knew nothing. She only knew that she was infinitely beautiful, the "first beauty from ancient times to the present," the "best woman in the world" – her father always said so. And her mother's mother... What was she like?

Ye Qingyu squeezed Anan's hand tightly.

"Outer heaven" was a too vague concept. Everything outside the present world was outer heaven. Boundless and vast, infinitely distant, and of course infinitely dangerous. Jiang Wang was an absolute peak in the present world. His various realms had achieved dao, making him a free being among the various heavens. No matter when or where, he could guarantee peak fighting strength. This was also one of the reasons why the human race's ruling power had become more and more stable after occupying the present world. But even he, wanting to search for a specific person, even one intentionally hiding, in the boundless universe, was almost impossible. If it were truly that easy to find, Zhao, Qian, and Sun wouldn't have dared to roll away people so openly.

Fortunately, the sentient dharma body had just flown from the White Jade Capital Wine House, and it hadn't been too long since Zhao, Qian, and Sun had rolled away Kuang Ming. Perhaps there were still some clues left in outer heaven...

Star roads winding, the Big Dipper across the sky. Yu Heng, Kai Yang, Tan Lang, Po Jun. Four star-light holy towers stood in the core of the Big Dipper, spreading star light towards the infinite universe. Absolute peak expounded dao, and those who knew should report! The man in the green shirt and jade crown stood alone on top of the green stone tower, reaching out to scoop up a handful of star light: "Senior Guan Yan, I'll trouble you again. I want to find a few people..."

The star light of Yu Heng instantly sprinkled across the various heavens and ten thousand realms. All the worlds that could look up at the starry sky could bathe in this star light. As it fell on his body, there was only a gentle voice saying "no harm."

Then there was a violent, blazing demonic ape figure that flew and fell to that world like an isolated island in the universe: "Good friend! Today, no drinking! Help me find a few people!" In that enormous floating land world, a massive and boundless shadow suddenly rose. Within the shadow, dense points of light suddenly illuminated! A thousand stars, ten thousand stars, ten thousand stars, as if they were eyes patrolling the universe one by one. The highest god lord of the floating land, Qing Huo Qiming, manifested his creation myth body, and his voice also became indifferent and distant, only saying: "Names, features, and clues."

They all said that True Monarch Jiang had friends all over the world, but they didn't know that he also had many friends in outer heaven!

Then there was another dazzling figure standing in the center of the universe, flickering rapidly an infinite number of times— it was the golden-haired, golden-bodied Heavenly Being dharma phase. Although this body was only a contemporary extreme true, it had not yet proven a dharma body and grasped the absolute peak, but its grasp of the heavenly dao was unmatched in the ten thousand realms. Just like today's heavenly dao deep sea was almost a disaster, he was also unable to dive and swim. There were many eyes staring at the heavenly dao sea of the demon world. But apart from these other worlds, it did not hinder this body from quickly grasping and borrowing the power of the heavenly dao to patrol for relevant clues.

The vast universe, the ten thousand realms and various heavens, with endless strong ones and infinite beings. There were only a handful of people capable of interfering with True Monarch Jiang's world! He wanted to find Ye Lingxiao in the shortest time possible. If Kuang Ming was a member of One True Dao, he would also conveniently help, either killing or capturing him. If Kuang Ming wasn't from One True Dao, but Pavilion Master Ye was blinded by hatred and had become bloodthirsty, he would find a way to save Kuang Ming... Stopping the evil was also hoping to have some easing with Jing Country.

No matter what, even putting aside his relationship with Ye Qingyu, Ye Lingxiao had protected Jiang Anan for so many years, allowing him to cultivate wholeheartedly and grow rapidly. He had to do something. He hoped Ye Lingxiao was alive. Even if he were to be hit in the other eye again. Sometimes the connection between people is just a black eye.

How did Ye Lingxiao get the name "invincible across various countries"? He really did it! Although not as grand as Feng Qi, nor with a world-shattering name like Jiang Mengxiong, he also once dominated his generation. It's just that he stopped abruptly at one point that year, like a falling meteor, and finally remained silent in Lingxiao Pavilion like a prisoner, his name gradually fading away. How many years later, even if only complete self-praise remained, someone would inevitably come to test him – but who ever said he was boasting? Yun Country was right there, the Lingxiao secret place had never moved, and no one had found him for so many years to object to this name.

Why did Cave True Invincible Xiang Fengqi, whose sword only sought the strong, also want to find him to discuss the sword? Because he was a true strong person from the beginning. Xiang Fengqi's opponents for discussing the sword were Peng Chongjian, Lu Shuanghe, and also him, Ye Lingxiao!

Why was it that in the Yellow River Meeting, when Zhao Rucheng used those outdated absolute arts, such as the Small Wuxiang Pluck Flower Sword Finger, the Garuda Break Array Sword Finger, and even the Great Five Elements Mix Heaven Step, he could recognize them all? Because he "valued all things," he cultivated the god of wealth and understood how to cherish things the most. He learned more things than Zhao Rucheng, and more broadly. Every bit of power that could help him seek revenge was precious, and he didn't dare to waste it! In these years, he was like a slave guarding wealth, accumulating all the power he could, waiting for an opportunity. All the dharma he could learn, he learned. All the paths forward, he tried.

Only this path, like an immortal god, cultivating both merchant qi, is the strongest state of Ye Lingxiao. But even so, even such a him, facing the head of One True Dao today, was really too reluctant! His Gold Money Heaven Sword immortal dharma was gripped branch by branch by the head of One True Dao.

"Ye Lingxiao." The head of One True Dao crushed the copper coins inch by inch into powder. In that pair of majestic eyes like heavenly mirrors, there was undisguised disgust: "You really dare to take out such dirty things!" Heresy was more hateful than foreign races. Immortals were the biggest enemy of One True Dao! And Ye Lingxiao... enjoyed her disgust! He so desperately wanted to see One True Dao cry and shed tears, kneeling in front of his immortal body.

"You all think you can sweep away everything and be eternally one and true. But the path cannot be blocked. Everyone has their own truth." Ye Lingxiao spread his arms and watched his Gold Money Heaven Sword gradually wear down, feeling the invincible power of the head of One True Dao, yet grinned: "The biggest lie in the world is that you are the only one." "The only remaining truth in the world is that nothing is eternal!"

His target was the person hiding in Kuang Ming's body, the two-headed, four-armed body Kuang Min. The head of One True Dao should have been Ji Fengzhou's opponent. They didn't intend to meet, but it was also fortunate to meet! At such a critical moment, by creating more trouble for the head of One True Dao here, Ji Fengzhou would have more chances of winning there. What could be luckier than having a bitter wish fulfilled? My hatred is not powerless!

"Are you afraid of being discovered?" he asked with an evil laugh.

Rumble! The Hidden Sun Sundial appeared behind him, and the sundial needle rotated rapidly! Hundred Treasures · Cave Heaven! Equality Country Protector Qian Chou controlled tools with his Hundred Treasures divine ability. The stronger the tools, the stronger the divine ability. The Hidden Sun Sundial in his hand manifested power far exceeding its cave heaven rank! Even the head of One True Dao could not seize his control over this cave heaven treasure. Even the head of One True Dao was shaken at this moment. This sky curtain was like an outer garment covering their faces, making their fierce fight hidden in the universe. Now, he wanted to tear it all down and return this person to the human world. Let the world see One True!