“You’ve come!”
In the deepest part beneath the White Stone Ruins, Ye Han followed the calling voice and arrived at an underground palace.
It was a magnificent and imposing structure. Unlike the dim and oppressive darkness when they first entered the White Stone Ruins, this palace was luxurious and resplendent. It floated silently in midair, radiating dazzling brilliance. Golden light shimmered before Ye Han’s eyes like the sun itself, illuminating the entire subterranean world so brightly that for a moment he felt as if he were standing outside.
“So grand!”
Even Jiang Qingxue, who had seen much in her life, was shocked by the sight of the palace.
Its glazed golden tiles gleamed magnificently, radiant and splendid. Clear rippling light flowed around it, ethereal and dreamlike.
Powerful spiritual energy continuously surged outward from within the palace, pressing down so heavily that Su Yingmeng found it difficult to breathe. It felt as though countless ancient powerhouses resided inside.
With just one glance, Ye Han was certain that it was this palace calling to him.
This was a connection between bloodlines.
He recalled what Lingyue had once told him.
“Your bloodline is extraordinary.”
Perhaps it truly was extraordinary.
As Ye Han gazed at the palace, he genuinely felt a sense of bloodline resonance.
Subconsciously, he released his own spiritual energy. Immediately, he sensed a joyful response from within the palace.
The palace began flying slowly toward him.
Joy appeared on Ye Han’s face as he prepared to claim this supreme treasure for himself.
Jiang Qingxue remained expressionless on the surface, but inwardly she felt happy for Ye Han. With this treasure, his rise would surely be unimaginably swift.
At that moment, a cold voice sounded beside Ye Han’s ear.
“Ye Han, this is not something you should take.”
A small, fair jade-like hand turned lightly in the air, and the palace immediately stopped flying toward Ye Han.
“Lingyue!”
Ye Han instantly recognized the voice and roared with overwhelming hatred.
During this period, the scenes from the Grand Hall of the Azure Sovereign Holy Land replayed in his mind day and night. Gu Lingxiao’s crushing strength filled him with fear. The loss of the Heavenly Supreme Sword filled him with rage. Lingyue’s betrayal pierced his heart. Being expelled from the Azure Sovereign Holy Land before countless eyes had stripped him of his dignity.
Gu Lingxiao and Lingyue were undoubtedly the two people he hated most in this life.
Even in his dreams, he wanted to kill them both.
At the same time, Su Yingmeng and Jiang Qingxue turned to look in the same direction.
A petite girl in a white dress stood there, her eyes cold as she looked at Ye Han. Her porcelain-like face was delicate and beautiful, yet clearly warned others to keep their distance. The chill she exuded was strikingly similar to Jiang Qingxue’s.
Su Yingmeng looked at Lingyue in confusion, then at Ye Han, and finally fixed Lingyue with a hostile glare. She would firmly stand on the same side as Ye Han.
Jiang Qingxue, however, frowned deeply.
Originally, she did not know Lingyue. But after Gu Lingxiao had taken her into that dream, she came to understand.
She knew Lingyue was the Heavenly Supreme Sword Spirit and had accompanied Ye Han throughout his growth. Though Lingyue appeared small and delicate, she had been both master and friend to Ye Han.
But…
Jiang Qingxue began to doubt the authenticity of that dream.
Could it be…
Was she coerced by Gu Lingxiao?
The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
She must have been coerced by Gu Lingxiao.
“Give it back to me!”
Ye Han roared, channeling all his strength to pull the palace back toward himself.
Unfortunately, he was far too weak to contend with Lingyue.
“Overestimating yourself.”
Lingyue looked at Ye Han coldly, though a trace of deep bitterness flickered within her icy gaze.
In truth, she did not wish to seize Ye Han’s opportunity.
But just minutes earlier…
“The Fu Clan’s supreme treasure. Ye Han truly has good fortune.”
“Master speaks wisely.”
“You wish to restore the Fu Clan and the Gu Clan, do you not?”
“Yes.”
“If the Fu Clan’s supreme treasure falls into Ye Han’s hands, will it be of any use?”
At first, Lingyue did not understand. But having lived so long, she quickly grasped Gu Lingxiao’s meaning.
Ye Han had stood against Gu Lingxiao. That was no different from courting death.
If Ye Han attempted to restore the two clans, Gu Lingxiao might eradicate even their remaining bloodlines. And the Fu Clan’s supreme treasure in Ye Han’s possession would inevitably fall into Gu Lingxiao’s hands.
If that happened, Lingyue retrieving it would be nothing but a foolish dream.
“I’ll give you two choices.”
“I take it. The treasure is mine.”
“You take it. The treasure is yours.”
“If you truly wish to restore the two clans, can you afford to lose what they left behind?”
Gu Lingxiao’s words struck Lingyue’s weakness.
She desperately wanted to gather the scattered treasures and bloodlines of the two clans, then lead them back to the Chaotic Immortal Domain and find the mastermind who had destroyed them.
She truly wanted this supreme treasure.
That left only one choice.
She would seize it herself.
There was no doubt this would sever her relationship with Ye Han completely.
The last time she acted against him, it had been for his sake.
This time, it was for the restoration of the Gu Clan and the Fu Clan.
Yet when she first helped Ye Han, it had also been for the restoration of the two clans.
Her ultimate goal had never changed.
“I understand, Master.”
…
Lingyue let out a soft sigh, ending her recollection.
She belonged to the Gu Clan, but she possessed the Heavenly Supreme Sword, the Fu Clan’s supreme treasure, and thus could attract this palace.
Ye Han carried the Fu Clan’s bloodline. Though it had not yet awakened, he too could attract the palace.
In that regard, they were equal.
But Lingyue’s strength far surpassed Ye Han’s.
She had once been the most outstanding genius of the two clans. Her body had been reforged by Gu Lingxiao using countless Heavenly Treasures, and she could draw upon the power of the Heavenly Supreme Sword.
Ye Han had no way to compete. He could only watch helplessly as the palace slowly flew toward Lingyue.
“Lingyue, are you truly going to act as Gu Lingxiao’s lackey and stand against Ye Han?”
Seeing Lingyue’s overwhelming strength, Jiang Qingxue stepped forward and spoke.
“Hm? You know me?”
When Lingyue had followed Ye Han, she had known of Jiang Qingxue, but she had never revealed herself before her. How could Jiang Qingxue call her name so accurately?
“Heavenly Supreme Sword Spirit, Lingyue, correct?”
Jiang Qingxue asked boldly.
“Correct.” Lingyue nodded. “But even if you know my name, it changes nothing. The Heavenly Supreme Palace is mine.”
Heavenly Supreme Palace was the name of the palace.
As her words fell, the Heavenly Supreme Sword manifested behind Lingyue.
The Heavenly Supreme Palace accelerated toward her.
“Were you coerced by Gu Lingxiao?”
Realizing the situation was worsening, Jiang Qingxue knew she could not waste any more words.
If she delayed further, Lingyue would leave with the palace.
“You think too highly of yourself.”
Though Jiang Qingxue had guessed correctly, Lingyue would never admit it.
“Are you truly going to stand against us? Have you forgotten the days you spent with Ye Han?”
Jiang Qingxue was a contradictory person.
On one hand, she understood that she had to act quickly, or the Heavenly Supreme Palace would slip through Ye Han’s fingers.
On the other hand, she had not thought carefully about what to say before speaking. Her words could not change Lingyue’s decision and were almost meaningless.
As the Heavenly Supreme Palace was about to depart, Ye Han could no longer restrain himself.
Facing Lingyue’s overwhelming power, he chose to strike without hesitation.