On the other side, Ye Han still did not know that his opportunity had been seized. He also did not know that the two masters he would one day acknowledge had already experienced a shift in their destinies under Gu Lingxiao’s influence.
He only felt a vague sense of discomfort recently, as if something that should have belonged to him had quietly left.
Yet if he were asked to name exactly what it was, he could not say.
“The sky seems rather gloomy today.”
Ye Han sat alone on the rooftop, looking up at the heavens. For some reason, unease lingered in his heart.
“If the sky is gloomy, then Brother Ye Han, you are the light that disperses the darkness.”
Su Yingmeng walked over with a cheerful smile and sat down beside him.
“Thank you.”
Ye Han suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and returned her smile.
After his bloodline had briefly awakened that day, Ye Han began cultivating again.
Although Lingyue had already left him, he still remembered clearly the cultivation method she had once taught him.
His cultivation speed was even faster than before.
He believed that his present hardships were merely trials sent by the heavens.
One day, he would grow stronger.
He would storm the Azure Sovereign Holy Land and trample Gu Lingxiao beneath his feet.
He would make Lingyue understand who the true powerhouse was.
He would make her regret it until she wept bitterly.
“Ye Han, tomorrow is the opening of the White Stone Ruins.”
At that moment, another woman of peerless beauty arrived at his side.
Who else could she be but Jiang Qingxue, who had been stripped of her Saintess position by the Azure Sovereign Holy Land?
Although she had been removed from the Saintess title, the Jiang Family still nurtured her as their heir.
Her aura remained as pure and lofty as a snow lotus blooming atop a distant mountain.
Ye Han looked at the beauty beside him and nodded.
A horse grows fat on night grass, and a man grows rich on windfalls.
Without ruins left behind by powerful experts, without abundant cultivation resources, and without battles against peers of equal level, Ye Han’s progress would slow greatly.
“I know. I am fully prepared. I will definitely take first place in the White Stone Ruins.”
Ye Han clenched his fist, full of confidence.
“That is good. I came today because there is something I wish to discuss with the two of you.”
Jiang Qingxue continued speaking.
“What is it?”
Ye Han looked at her curiously.
“I intend to send Sister Su into a sect for proper cultivation.”
Jiang Qingxue looked at Su Yingmeng and spoke without much expression.
At first, Jiang Qingxue had not planned to seek Ye Han out.
To her surprise, however, her father, who had always prioritized利益 above all else, suddenly supported her pursuit of love.
“If you miss someone you love once, you miss them for a lifetime.”
“My daughter has finally felt her heart move. Why not give it a try?”
“I think that boy Ye Han is quite suitable.”
When Jiang Qingxue asked what would happen if this offended the Azure Sovereign Holy Land and Gu Lingxiao, the Jiang Family Patriarch’s answer moved her deeply.
“At worst, we fight them to mutual destruction. If our Jiang Family does not even dare to do that, how can we stand on the Sky Vault Continent?”
With her father’s support and persuasion, Jiang Qingxue strengthened her resolve and came to find Ye Han.
It was rare for her to encounter someone who stirred her heart so deeply. She did not wish to give up.
Originally, she thought their reunion would be warm and touching.
Instead, the first thing she saw was Ye Han laughing and chatting with Su Yingmeng.
That made her extremely uncomfortable.
At present, Jiang Qingxue merely liked Ye Han. She had not yet reached the later stage where she could not live without him, where she would even accept sharing one husband with others just to remain by his side.
Fortunately, when Ye Han saw her, he displayed clear surprise and joy.
That dispelled her dissatisfaction, and she happily stayed by his side.
But gradually, Jiang Qingxue sensed something was wrong.
The relationship between Su Yingmeng and Ye Han had clearly surpassed that of ordinary friends.
It was obvious that they harbored mutual affection.
Moreover, compared to Jiang Qingxue, Su Yingmeng possessed a major advantage.
She was more direct.
Su Yingmeng frequently took the initiative to speak with Ye Han. She openly expressed her admiration, and the love in her eyes was so obvious that even Jiang Qingxue could see it clearly.
Jiang Qingxue, born into the Jiang Family and having become the Saintess of the Azure Sovereign Holy Land at a young age, naturally carried a certain pride.
Her affection was far more reserved.
As a result, aside from cultivation, most of Ye Han’s time was occupied by Su Yingmeng.
How could Jiang Qingxue accept that?
Thus she came up with this plan.
“I won’t go.”
Su Yingmeng shook her head and refused directly.
How could she fail to see Jiang Qingxue’s intention? There was no way she would let her succeed.
Ye Han also nodded in agreement.
He was unwilling to part from her.
Jiang Qingxue paused, not expecting their attitudes to align so completely.
She was not particularly skilled with words. In her past interactions with men, they had often been attentive to her feelings, so her own ability to express herself was not strong.
“Sister Jiang, I left home to roam the world, not to seek a comfortable environment. If I wanted comfort, I could have cultivated peacefully at home instead of entering some sect.”
Before Jiang Qingxue could even respond, Su Yingmeng had already blocked her path completely.
“Very well. Then rest well tonight. There are some decent treasures within the White Stone Ruins tomorrow.”
After speaking, Jiang Qingxue turned and left.
On the rooftop, only Ye Han and Su Yingmeng remained, chatting freely.
Meanwhile, Jiang Qingxue, unable to vent her frustration, sat alone by the window in a daze.
From time to time, she used her divine sense to observe the two on the rooftop.
Instead of easing, the vexation in her heart deepened.
She even began to question whether coming here had been the right choice.
She did not want to remain and watch Ye Han and Su Yingmeng grow closer.
Yet she could not bring herself to leave.
“What is it? Have you fallen into trouble?”
A cold voice sounded beside her ear, startling Jiang Qingxue instantly.
The voice felt strangely familiar.
“Who are you? What do you want from me?”
Powerful energy erupted from Jiang Qingxue’s body, and the surrounding air turned icy.
To her shock, such immense power caused no disturbance within the room.
The visitor had infiltrated silently. If he had not spoken first, she would never have known he was there.
This sense of the unknown filled her with fear.
“That is not important. What matters is that I am here to help you.”
Gu Lingxiao’s figure appeared openly before Jiang Qingxue.
“Help me? Hmph. Since when are you so kind?”
Jiang Qingxue sneered when she saw that it was Gu Lingxiao.
Gu Lingxiao did not waste words. He simply took out a mysterious bead.
The bead emitted a purple, fantastical glow that enveloped Jiang Qingxue.
A sense of danger surged within her. Spiritual power burst forth from her body, releasing wave after wave of explosive force.
Golden shockwaves roared outward, yet Gu Lingxiao’s expression remained indifferent.
Her strength was far too weak compared to his. Before him, she had no power to resist.
The golden waves failed to harm Gu Lingxiao at all. They did not even stir his clothing.
With a dull thud, Jiang Qingxue collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.