"Xiu'er, following what you said, if we cannot persuade him, or even eliminate him, what then?" "Then she will become a great rival for Master, a rival even trickier than Ye Han." Xiu'er said this with great seriousness, then seeing Yang Yi’s heavy expression, she smiled, "But Master, rest assured, she dares not become your enemy." "Why?" Yang Yi and Murong Lianxue both asked. "Because she has already lost once to Father.

In the Sima family's ancestral maxim, one is forbidden from engaging in conflict again with an opponent they have already lost to, whether it be a predecessor or a descendant; otherwise, the Mandate of Heaven will dissipate!" "Father? My father?" Yang Yi saw Xiu'er nod, and a chill immediately ran down his heart.

There were times he genuinely longed to know what kind of man his father truly was. Even though there was no emotional connection, it was something he had always desperately wanted to discover.

"Master, Father may no longer be in this world. If not for certain matters back then, he would not have chosen to leave you.

Moreover, Father was a hegemon unmatched in his time. Because my father, Zhuge Qingming, once spoke a line praising Father that I greatly admire: 'The foremost man in the world is hard to find; there is only the Heavenly Sovereign, Yang Lingfeng.'" Xiu'er let out a faint smile.

Clearly, the line, 'The foremost man in the world is hard to find; there is only the Heavenly Sovereign, Yang Lingfeng,' directly likened Yang Lingfeng to a transcendent sovereign, one almost impossible to locate on earth. This only deepened Yang Yi's desire to quickly lift the mysterious veil shrouding his background.

However, he also knew that some things could not be rushed. After all, both Zhuge Wuming and Xiu'er constantly cautioned him not to hastily pursue matters of his background, stressing the importance of focusing on present tasks first.

Only by doing so could he eventually qualify to know everything and everyone. "Xiu'er, if I understand you correctly, this means the Sima family has already been defeated by Father once, so they will not oppose me?" Yang Yi felt that worldly affairs were unpredictable, and it was best to imagine the worst scenario; only then, when things happened, would he strive harder and faster to find ways to turn everything around.

"En, as long as we go meet her in a certain place later, I believe you will understand what to do next, Master," Xiu'er stated. "Playing clever tricks on someone like her is like showing off one's limited skills before an expert.

Therefore, I think it’s better to be direct," Yang Yi said, seeing Xiu'er nod, instantly understanding her meaning. He glanced at the watch on his wrist and remarked, "It's seven o'clock now.

We'll clean up first, and then we'll go meet this descendant of the Sima family at eight!" "En!" Thus, Yang Yi decided to meet the Sima family descendant, a decision that would chart the course for all his future actions. The unification of the world's underworld was merely a matter of time.

Recently, the Vatican and the Eight Great Blood Clans had been locked in bitter conflict, and the Dark Council had already been completely overrun. The Vatican was merely a stubborn obstacle; with a little more time spent, the world's underworld would fall into Yang Yi's hands.

Domestically, in the northern underworld, everything Yang Yi was currently doing was in preparation for the grand battle to come. However, it likely wouldn't be long before Ye Han's ambition, Ye Han's goals, Yang Yi's own lineage, and the matters concerning the Heavenly Ghost and Heavenly Dragon lineages would all reach a swift conclusion.

Soon after bathing, the time was nearly eight o'clock exactly. Emerging from the hotel, the group took a cab directly to a destination: the largest gambling city in Nevada, Las Vegas.

Currently, in a dark office, a woman in professional attire, whose streamlined figure clearly marked her as modern and highly professional, stood there. Her hair was tightly bound, giving her an air of extreme competence.

Due to the dim lighting, her features could not be clearly made out. Holding a glass of whiskey, she took a sip and murmured to herself, "What is coming will eventually arrive.

Ye Han, oh Ye Han, perhaps today is also the day our cooperation ends. After all, he is a descendant of the Yang family, and he even has a woman from the Zhuge family by his side.

Alas, what a predicament!" About thirty minutes later, Yang Yi and the others arrived before the grand entrance to Las Vegas. Yang Yi surveyed the city, the largest gambling hub since ancient times, feeling a surge of emotion.

The European-style architecture, the lavish decorations, the ceaseless tapestry of lights, the endless stream of people entering and exiting—the streets were buzzing with activity. It had to be admitted that Las Vegas possessed a unique allure, built in the very center of commerce, making everyone who spent money here feel a sense of supreme prestige.

Furthermore, this place offered a higher echelon of enjoyment. "Let's go in!" Yang Yi took Xiu'er's hand and walked inside.

Murong Lianxue remained concealed in the shadows; she disliked being stared at, nor did she enjoy being the focus of attention for those shameless sorts. Upon entering the main hall, Yang Yi could see that the facilities far surpassed those in the Macau casinos, being both more numerous and more complete.

The most stunning aspect was the sheer volume of gamblers present. At a glance, one could see the dome stretching up to the moonlight.

The surrounding floors housed numerous gambling tables, as well as areas selling fine tobaccos; the complete array of amenities truly offered a high-class experience. "Master, how do you plan to find Sima Lin?" Xiu'er asked quietly, holding her nose.

Seeing that Xiu'er seemed extremely averse to the odors of the casino, Yang Yi immediately had an idea and said, "Let's go upstairs to a private room for drinks." "En?" Xiu'er knitted her brows, pondering for a moment before relaxing them, nodding, "En!" The two took a shortcut upstairs. During their ascent, quite a few people had already fixed their gaze upon them.

If Yang Yi and his companions were the "fish," then they had already become prey in the eyes of those paying attention to Yang Yi, especially those captivated by the beauty Xiu'er beside him. "Old Ke, that guy sure has the luck of the devil, having such a beauty with him!" a lecherous middle-aged man said to another middle-aged man.

"Oh? Since when did you take an interest in Chinese people?" the other man asked.

The lecherous man chuckled, "It's good to be interested, but it's best not to act on it!" "Oh? Why not?" "Because some people are not to be offended.

Anyone who can come here has some level of capability, one way or another. And someone who can keep such a beauty by his side is certainly not simple." Hearing this, the second man couldn't help but laugh heartily, "You've got that backward.

You were the one who brought it up first, and now you're lecturing me?" "Haha, kidding, just a joke! Beauties are not destined for us, but the wine certainly is!" The two men chatted and laughed, shifting their gazes away.

While they felt that way, others were not so convinced. Indeed, many people shifted their steps—some followed them, while others moved away.

Perhaps people are inherently drawn to challenging fate, insisting on trying even when they know the beautiful woman has a man guarding her, just to suffer a little setback. Arriving at a reception desk, they booked a private room.

Yang Yi ordered a bottle of red wine and soon had the attendant summon a manager—this was Yang Yi's intention; getting straight to the point would reduce unnecessary trouble. "Sir, may I ask what you require?" a manager dressed in a suit inquired upon entering.

"Oh, it's like this. I need information about a person; I wonder if you can assist me!" Yang Yi said with a smile.

"This..." The manager hesitated for a moment, looking at Yang Yi, and asked, "May I ask who the gentleman is looking for?" "Someone named Sima Lin. Oh, right, she seems to be going by Han Yun now!" Yang Yi wore an unnervingly knowing smile, showing no fear that the manager wouldn't know.

He was well aware that someone steeped in the underworld, managing personnel at this level, would naturally know their boss's official title and their assumed name. Just as Yang Yi predicted, the manager would certainly say, "I'm sorry, sir, we don't have anyone by that name here." "Oh?

Is that so?" Yang Yi waved his hand dismissively. "Let's try this: I give you two choices.

One is to immediately report to her, or the other is for me to kill you and force her to appear. Perhaps one person isn't enough to draw her out, so I will shake all of Las Vegas with chaos, and perhaps that will compel her to show herself." "You..." The manager was about to flare up, angered by Yang Yi's audacious words, but in that crucial moment, he couldn't utter a single syllable.

"A descendant of the Yang family, indeed quite crude in method!" A voice drifted in from outside the door. A woman in professional attire walked in, saying no more, simply gesturing for the manager to leave.

Simultaneously, she addressed the air where Murong Lianxue was hidden, "You can come out too. Hiding is useless against me." Yang Yi frowned as he looked at the professional woman, then glanced at Xiu'er beside him and nodded.

He was thoroughly surprised; such a top-tier figure, and a descendant of the Sima family at that, turned out to be a woman? This was something that would astonish everyone, especially since she commanded the overlords of the assassin world.

"Lianxue, come out." "Yes, Brother Yi!" Murong Lianxue appeared and immediately sat beside Yang Yi. Although she wasn't one hundred percent confident in handling the woman before her, her position allowed her to react instantly should the woman make any surprising or astonishing move.

"Little girl, very cautious, haha!" The woman, named Sima Lin, also using the alias Han Yun, was a top figure comparable to any hegemon of her generation. "It seems you anticipated our arrival?" Yang Yi set down a wine glass and poured a serving for her, saying, "Haha, handsome boy, don't think a single glass of wine can buy off this young lady." Sima Lin glanced at Xiu'er with a smile full of amusement.

"I never expected that after so many years, we would meet again. The Zhuge family is indeed getting stronger with each generation."