Ding Wanyan let out a cold, enchanting rebuke. The Yin Sha energy she had been harboring surged forth, spinning violently around her like a whirlwind. This pure Yin Sha energy condensed into razor-sharp killing blades, slicing through the air with mournful, high-pitched whistles as they hurtled toward Li Yao. The Soul-Devouring Shadow Tiger, sensing its master’s rage, let out a sky-rending roar, its form swelling noticeably in an instant.

Roar! The highly condensed energy sphere shot toward Li Yao like a cannonball, whistling fiercely.

Li Yao, however, kept one hand behind his back, lightly fanning his folding fan. A semi-circular, translucent white shield formed around him, absorbing the slashing energy blades without trembling. Only when the Shadow Tiger’s roaring projectile struck did it vibrate a few times, weakly. A look of mild triumph crossed his face: “Wanyan, perhaps your power allows you to contend with a typical late-stage Golden Core cultivator. However, the Nascent Soul realm is not as simple as you imagine. The difference between us is truly too…”

“Boom~”

Before he could finish speaking, a violent explosion rocked the air. At some unknown moment, Ding Wanyan had condensed a fist-sized Yin Sha Heavenly Thunder. Using the distraction of the slashing blades, she silently slammed it into his shield. Such was the might of Yin Sha Heavenly Thunder that even some Nascent Soul cultivators, caught off guard, would be injured by it.

The highly compressed Yin Sha Heavenly Thunder cracked Li Yao’s shield. But the assault wasn't over. Boom, boom, boom. Like a chain of lightning, several gloomy flashes erupted in quick succession, and the shield finally shattered with a resounding crash. The malevolent energy whipped Ding Wanyan’s clothes, and dozens of killing blades swept toward her from all directions.

Li Yao, after all, was a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator hailing from a major sect. In that moment, he displayed formidable strength. A protective Qi barrier instinctively formed around him, and his body moved with the fluidity of a falling leaf in the autumn wind. In just two or three breaths, he evaded the array of Ding Wanyan’s killing blades. Yet, even having escaped, his posture was slightly disheveled; his robes bore several slashes, and a lock of his hair had been cleanly shorn off. At this moment, all traces of his former gentle elegance had vanished from his eyes and expression, replaced by a ferocious anger born of humiliation: “Ding Wanyan, you choose the hard way when offered the easy one.”

At some point, Ding Wanyan’s slender hands were now adorned with a pair of strangely shaped, blood-red gauntlets. They were covered in various arcane runes that pulsed with a subtle glow. These gauntlets were one of the few remaining Supreme-grade magic treasures of the Yin Sha Sect: the Mark of Blood. This treasure was neither purely offensive nor defensive. Its sole function was to drastically enhance a cultivator’s control over Yin Sha energy. This was one reason why Ding Wanyan could effortlessly condense several bolts of Yin Sha Heavenly Thunder even at the initial stage of the Golden Core realm.

The primary materials were extracted from the most vital essence blood and hide of a Nascent Soul-level Yin Sha Beast. To forge a single pair of the Mark of Blood required slaying at least ten Nascent Soul-level Yin Sha Beasts to gather the necessary components. The supplementary materials were also incredibly valuable.

The Yin Sha Sect had accumulated materials over several millennia, managing to gather enough for two sets; one attempt at forging had failed. The remaining set was the pair currently worn by Ding Wanyan. This clearly indicated her high status within the sect and the great expectations placed upon her. Moreover, gifting this item to Ding Wanyan, who possessed the innate Yin Sha Body, was supremely appropriate; only she could truly unleash the full power of the Mark of Blood. In her hands, its efficacy likely surpassed that of ordinary Supreme-grade magic treasures—a perfect complement.

Facing Li Yao’s enraged roar, Ding Wanyan’s beautiful, cold expression remained unchanged. She stretched out her arms in a strange, esoteric posture, standing tall and resolute against the wind. Waves of killing blades swirled around her ceaselessly, and spheres of Yin Sha Heavenly Thunder gathered before her. Her gaze held an unyielding determination.

She had made up her mind: if she could not escape, she, Ding Wanyan, would rather fight to the death than allow herself to fall into the hands of this hypocrite.

As if sensing Ding Wanyan’s cold, resolute intent, Li Yao’s face twitched several times. He felt a surge of jealous hatred toward Lei Dong. Why? Why should that fellow, who came from common stock and possessed inferior strength, command such favor from Ding Wanyan? Perhaps Li Yao had initially viewed Ding Wanyan merely as an object of pursuit, but as he got to know her, he increasingly recognized her excellence—a quality far beyond that of ordinary women, an attribute not solely based on her appearance. Of course, much of it stemmed from Li Yao’s own arrogance; faced with something he could not possess, he developed a pathological obsession.

“Ding Wanyan, I truly did not wish to resort to this,” Li Yao said, his facial muscles beginning to contort. He looked at her with eyes that were fiercely aggressive and covetous, brimming with undisguised desire for possession: “But you have forced my hand. I will tell you clearly now: the King and Queen of Zhennan in that human kingdom have already fallen into my grasp.”

Ding Wanyan’s cold composure instantly turned deathly pale, and a wave of dizziness washed over her mind. For the first time, a look of pure fury flickered in her eyes, and her voice emerged hoarse: “Li Yao, though I never held high hopes for your character, it now seems your depravity surpasses even my lowest expectations.”

“Depraved or despicable, so be it,” Li Yao’s face hardened, and he couldn't help but burst into maniacal laughter. “That is how this world works; the strong prey on the weak. In any case, whatever I, Li Yao, desire, I must obtain. Ding Wanyan, do you value the lives of the parents who raised you? Or would you rather remain chaste for your dead husband? I grant you one last chance. I promise to forget all past grievances and treat you well, assisting you wholeheartedly in reaching the Nascent Soul stage. As for your parents and family, I can bring them to the Great Qian Continent and secure a domain where they can rule mortals. The choice is yours, Ding Wanyan—think carefully.”

Ding Wanyan was so enraged she nearly swayed and fell. Although she was no longer a young girl, in all her life experience, she had never encountered such a self-important, vile wretch. Biting her lip until it bled, just as she was about to speak, a heavy sigh resonated through the air.

“Sigh~”

The sound arrested Ding Wanyan mid-movement. Though it was just a light sigh, it was the sound she had dreamt of, yearned for, day and night, for a very long time.

“Actually, there is another option.”

Lei Dong appeared abruptly, clad in sinister, jet-black armor, his figure strangely manifesting out of thin air. He floated in the space above, walking step by step toward Ding Wanyan. A smile graced his face, which was now more mature and resolute than it had been twenty years prior: “Senior Sister, I have returned.”

Ding Wanyan stared at him blankly. Was she hallucinating from missing him too much?

“Senior Sister, I am truly back.” Wings unfurled from Lei Dong’s back, and with a slight flash, he tore open space, positioning himself with pinpoint accuracy beside Ding Wanyan. With a tender concern, he draped an arm around her slender shoulder and pulled her into an embrace, murmuring softly, “Wanyan, you have suffered.”

Feeling Lei Dong’s warm breath, Ding Wanyan finally snapped back to reality. Crystal tears poured down her cheeks involuntarily. Her gaze remained fixed on his face, softly whispering, “It’s not hard, I just missed you a little.”

“It’s my fault,” Lei Dong leaned down, gently kissing away her tears, whispering, “Be good, stop crying now. We have company.” Simultaneously, a jealous snort reached his ears.

Li Yao, standing nearby, was nearly vibrating with suppressed rage. What was this? He had finally reached this crucial juncture, and this man named Lei was brazenly crashing back into the scene. Not only that, but he completely disregarded Li Yao, getting intimate with the woman Li Yao desired. A mere Foundation Establishment boy dared to be so arrogant! His face involuntarily twitched with ferocity. He’s back? Good. He’s back. Now, if he could just slay him in front of Ding Wanyan, he could extinguish any hope she held for that man. At this point, Li Yao no longer cared about winning her genuine affection. Even if he obtained merely a vacant shell, he would drag her back to the Great Qian Continent.

Lei Dong gently drew Ding Wanyan behind him, looking at Li Yao with an indifferent expression, a curl of mockery playing on his lips: “To be a man, to end up like you, is truly quite a failure.”

Li Yao took a deep breath, striving to conceal his anger and all other negative emotions. He regarded Lei Dong with equal disdain: “You, a mere Foundation Establishment ant, what qualifications do you have to call me a failure? I offer you a choice: either surrender Ding Wanyan with both hands, or die. Choose wisely; you only get one chance.”

Hearing this, Lei Dong instead let out a soft laugh, viewing Li Yao as if he were an idiot—truly blinded by lust. Perhaps his Nascent Soul cultivation and his superior status in the Grand Supreme Sect meant he had never encountered real resistance in Kang Province, breeding a habit of arrogance.

Without waiting for Li Yao to speak again, Lei Dong took Ding Wanyan’s hand and shrugged lightly with a gentle smile: “Actually, we do have another choice.”

“What choice? Let’s hear it.” Li Yao raised an eyebrow, unable to fathom what trickery this mere Foundation Establishment brat could conjure. At this point, he wasn't in a hurry. He wanted to utterly shatter this boy’s pretense in front of Ding Wanyan, forcing him to grovel and beg for mercy at Li Yao’s feet. He wanted Ding Wanyan to witness Lei Dong’s weakness and inadequacy firsthand. Perhaps Ding Wanyan had only been with this boy initially because he was too good at sweet-talking and pleasing women. By exposing his true colors, he could make Ding Wanyan give up completely. In this world, only strength was the true path to supremacy.

“That choice is—” The smile on Lei Dong’s lips curved upward slightly: “—to kill you.”

As he spoke those words, it sounded as if he were discussing killing a chicken, not a Nascent Soul cultivator.

…… (Thank you all for the votes! We are currently around sixty-something place. Keep pushing forward! Special thanks to the moderator Diandian, great effort, you know the score~ And also to CatCat, who is always active, thank you for the encouragement~)IO