Ye Jingyu naturally knew that Yao Yao was sent by the Eldest Young Master, but he hadn't expected her to be so direct, openly admitting she was here to pry into his secrets...

"Heh, Miss Yao Yao, I was just a bit lucky, promoted by the Third Young Master, and managed to scrape by with a General title after nine deaths and eight perils. What secrets could I possibly have?" Unsure of Yao Yao’s true intentions, Ye Jingyu merely offered a faint smile, speaking very casually...

"Heh, whether the General has secrets or not is what the Eldest Young Master wishes to know. Yao Yao is not privy to that, and if the General doesn't speak of it, Yao Yao won't press further. Yao Yao’s true purpose in coming today is simply to make a friend of the General?" Yao Yao pursed her lips into a slight smile...

"Make a friend? Heh, what kind of friend? A bed partner? A companion? Or perhaps..." A hint of wanton desire flickered across Ye Jingyu's face once more...

"Heh, General, Yao Yao genuinely represents the Hundred Flowers Sect," Yao Yao replied with an unwavering smile, showing no sign of offense whatsoever...

"Hmm?" The moment the name Hundred Flowers Sect was uttered, Ye Jingyu became instantly serious. Lately, he had learned much about the Martial Arts Sects from Luo Ruofeng, especially the former Ten Great Sects, of which the Hundred Flowers Sect was one...

Unlike the sudden rise of the Dragon Seizing Sect, the Hundred Flowers Sect, though ranked at the very bottom among the Ten Great Sects, boasted a history stretching back several thousand years...

The entire sect, from its founding to the present day, consisted exclusively of women, and they were masters of the Art of Enchantment—a skill that bordered less on martial arts and more akin to Soul Arts, yet the Hundred Flowers Sect had never produced a single Soul Master throughout its long history...

It was an extraordinarily unique sect. While their direct combat prowess might not be overwhelming, no other faction dared to look down upon them. The deep foundation of a sect that had endured for millennia was something the average person could scarcely imagine...

Setting aside other matters, seven hundred years ago, the only Empress on the Eastern side of the Dou Hun Continent, Wu Hua Nong, hailed from the Hundred Flowers Sect. Three hundred years ago, the Empress consort of the great Emperor Xuanyuan Jue also came from their ranks. It was with the support of the Hundred Flowers Sect that the Xuanyuan family was able to successfully unify the Tian Yuan Empire...

However, Xuanyuan Jue later pursued the highest path of the Sword, severing his roots of affection and personally executing his Empress, even issuing a decree to annihilate the Hundred Flowers Sect. Consequently, they were forced into seclusion, much like the Dragon Seizing Sect...

He had never expected that this Yao Yao would be from the Hundred Flowers Sect. No wonder the Third Young Master had mentioned that even the domineering Eldest Young Master dared not harbor designs on her...

"Miss Yao Yao, please state your business..." Knowing her affiliation, Ye Jingyu displayed a rare, earnest expression...

Yet, a strange sense of reflection washed over him. What he practiced was the Thundering Saber Art of Du Gu Ba Chen, linking him inexplicably to the Du Gu family. Then, his battle with Huangfu Buyue tied him loosely to the Dragon Seizing Sect. Now, even the Hundred Flowers Sect sought him out. The Dragon Seizing Sect and the Hundred Flowers Sect were both among the former Ten Great Sects, and the Du Gu family was no weaker than them...

These once-mighty factions were now all interconnected with him. Was this the arrangement of fate, or a malicious joke played by the heavens?

The Yao Yao before him was unaware of Ye Jingyu’s thoughts; she, too, adopted a rare serious expression, laying bare the Eldest Young Master’s reasons for sending her—a display of sincerity...

However, Ye Jingyu didn't take it too much to heart. The women of the Hundred Flowers Sect were never simple characters, and he wouldn't trust them so easily...

Yet, he didn't say much, simply listening attentively to Yao Yao’s intentions...

Ultimately, the Hundred Flowers Sect did wish to use the Shu Yun Kingdom to counter the Tian Yuan Empire. However, they had consistently placed their main hopes on the Eldest Young Master, whose domain was the most expansive, capable of steadily overpowering the other Young Masters. But Ye Jingyu’s sudden emergence shattered this equilibrium...

The Third Young Master, initially the weakest, instantly became the strongest contender. Of course, in terms of controlled influence, the Eldest Young Master’s power remained vast. Besides gaining a master like Ye Jingyu, the Third Young Master hadn't gained much substantial factional support. But Luo Xiaofeng’s attitude shifted everything...

This forced everyone to re-evaluate the Third Young Master’s position...

Especially the heaven-shattering single finger Ye Jingyu displayed in the final match, which was enough to make many powerful figures deeply cautious—it was a force that did not belong to a full-strength attack by a Martial Saint...

Yet, he was merely a youth in the Martial Master realm. No one knew the true extent of the power behind him; what people feared most was always the unknown. The Hundred Flowers Sect could not fathom Ye Jingyu, and thus, they naturally did not wish to oppose the Third Young Master whom Ye Jingyu supported...

Therefore, they sent Yao Yao to offer allegiance to the Third Young Master, hoping to support him alongside Ye Jingyu to ascend to the position of the Sovereign...

Of course, this was what Yao Yao expressed. Ye Jingyu certainly did not trust her words entirely. For the Hundred Flowers Sect to have stood firm for millennia, surviving even in the face of the mighty Tian Yuan Empire while maintaining its influence, proved they were absolutely not a group of simple women. How could such a sect, such a power, stake everything on a single individual?

If his guess was correct, while maintaining cordial relations with the Eldest Young Master, the Hundred Flowers Sect was simultaneously cultivating ties with the other Young Masters, perhaps even with the lords of the Hu and Jiang Kingdoms, and certain nobles within the Tian Yuan Empire...

The Hundred Flowers Sect possessed, above all else, beautiful women. And in this world, how many men could truly sever the threads of emotion like Xuanyuan Jue did, rejecting the allure of beauty?

However, even recognizing that the Hundred Flowers Sect was playing both sides, Ye Jingyu happily accepted their overture. A sect like the Hundred Flowers Sect, if used correctly, could be a sharp blade capable of tearing opponents apart, though a single misstep could leave him riddled with wounds...

Yet, Ye Jingyu understood that to genuinely secure the aid of the Hundred Flowers Sect, he must display sufficient strength—strength encompassing both his personal power and the influence around him. At present, both his individual strength and his available forces fell far short; what he had revealed was merely a fraction of his potential...

The road ahead for him was long, very long indeed...

After seeing Yao Yao off, Ye Jingyu immediately conveyed the Hundred Flowers Sect’s intentions to the Third Young Master. Regardless of the initial reasons for his alliance with Luo Ruofeng, their interests were now inextricably linked, compelling them to cooperate with utmost care...