"What do you think the Crown Prince will do to you first, once he ascends the throne?" Ye Jingyu did not answer immediately, instead turning the question back on her.

Yao Rao's enchanting expression did not shift, but the image of the Crown Prince's greedy yet sinister gaze flashed through her mind, causing her eyes to dim slightly. The only reason he hadn't dared touch her yet was due to the Hundred Flowers Sect's influence. If the Crown Prince truly took the throne, with his power and backing, he could treat her as he pleased. Given the current strength of the Southern Cloud Empire, the Hundred Flowers Sect would absolutely not offend the Crown Prince over one person. After all, the Sect needed to take revenge on the Heavenly Origin Empire; what was the sacrifice of one person like herself compared to that vengeance?

At that time, her only outcome would be to become a tool for the Crown Prince's amusement.

"That is a matter for the future. At least for now, the Crown Prince holds the absolute upper hand!" After a moment of contemplation, Yao Rao continued speaking.

"Heh, the upper hand? With Miss Yao Rao's intelligence network, I presume you know what happened at Caiyun Town a week ago?" A mocking smile played on Ye Jingyu's lips.

Yao Rao started, only then recalling the several peak Grandmasters who had died in Caiyun Town a week prior—all of them slain by the man before her.

Qin Lie, Yuan Xiang, Liu Qiuxue—these were all peak Grandmasters—along with two ordinary Grandmasters, a Prince who had reached the Grandmaster realm, and even a Soul Master at the Lingxian realm. This was the immense price the Crown Prince had paid to kill Ye Jingyu, yet in the end, besides killing a Zhu Ruo, not a single scratch had been inflicted upon Ye Jingyu; instead, they were all cut down by him.

Whether it was his own hand or the people around him, it was enough to show the power he had gathered...

However, even such power seemed insufficient to deal with the Crown Prince.

After all, behind the Crown Prince stood the entire Hai family, and the mysterious Qin family. Moreover, no one truly knew what the current Emperor of the Southern Cloud Empire was thinking.

On what basis could he contend with the Crown Prince?

"Bing Ming..." Ye Jingyu called out softly.

Immediately, a dark shadow flashed out of the void, and the formidable aura unique to a Martial Saint washed over them.

"Martial Saint?" Yao Rao's expression shifted slightly. While she knew Ye Jingyu certainly had experts accompanying him, she never imagined there would be a Martial Saint. After all, a Martial Saint was not a Grandmaster; besides those impossibly ancient monsters, the entire Southern Cloud Empire only had Luo Xiaofeng.

"What is a Martial Saint?" At this moment, Liang Xiaoke, who had just swallowed a bun, sneered, placing a hand lightly on the tabletop. The rosewood table instantly crumbled into dust, eroded by the Death Qi emanating from him.

"I forgot to mention, although my eldest brother is a bit lustful, even a Martial Saint would only flee when facing him!" Ye Jingyu interjected softly. Beside him, Bing Ming wore an expression of helplessness, clearly acknowledging the truth of Ye Jingyu's words.

Yao Rao was stunned. She truly hadn't expected Ye Jingyu to command such formidable power. She didn't doubt for a moment whether Liang Xiaoke possessed the strength to kill a Martial Saint; after all, Bing Ming's genuine Martial Saint aura had proven his identity, and his silence confirmed the veracity of Ye Jingyu's statement. A Martial Saint had no need to lie.

A Martial Saint was a lofty, supreme existence; there was no need for falsehoods.

"Of course, compared to your Hundred Flowers Sect, the power around me might not seem strong. But you should recall the incident a year and a half ago when I was captured by the Bai family!"

Seeing Yao Rao's stunned silence, Ye Jingyu continued to drop heavy ordnance.

Yao Rao nodded instinctively. She certainly knew Ye Jingyu was captured by the Bai family for killing Bai Xiaomo, and everyone assumed he was doomed. Yet, somehow, he had returned alive. To escape the clutches of the Bai family was in itself proof of his extraordinary nature. Regarding that incident, even Yao Rao couldn't ascertain exactly what had transpired.

"I didn't escape. By my own skill, I couldn't have escaped!"

Yao Rao nodded, indicating understanding, though her eyes were filled with confusion. Not escaped? Then how did he get out? Surely the Bai family hadn't just let him go?

"I was rescued by my Master!" Seeing the doubt in Yao Rao's eyes, Ye Jingyu stated calmly.

"Your Master is?" At this point, Yao Rao finally spoke, her eyes completely overtaken by shock. A figure capable of rescuing him from the Bai family—did such an entity still exist in this world?

"Dugu... Ba Chen!" Ye Jingyu uttered those four words. But as those four words appeared, they felt like a colossal mountain crushing every defense in Yao Rao's heart.

That was a legend, a myth. Anyone who had heard the tales of three hundred years ago knew that name...

He was the only one who had managed to wound Xuanyuan Jue. Because of this man's existence, people understood that Xuanyuan Jue was not a god; he could be injured, and he could fail...

Because of this man, the Hundred Flowers Sect had maintained the courage for generations to avenge their former Sect Master, possessing the gall to demand justice from the Xuanyuan family for the events of three centuries past...

If it weren't for this person, the Hundred Flowers Sect would never have struggled on so relentlessly, clinging to thoughts of vengeance, considering how overwhelmingly powerful Xuanyuan Jue was.

Yao Rao’s gaze became distant. She had never imagined Ye Jingyu was the disciple of such an exalted being...

No wonder he possessed such audacity, such confidence, such an overbearing manner. With that figure as his backing, he could disregard everyone in the world, fearing even the Xuanyuan family not at all.

In an instant, Yao Rao understood why Dugu Qian had shown restraint towards Ye Jingyu during the Martial Champion competition. She understood even better why he had walked out of the Bai family alive...

If that man had acted, even if Bai Xiaodi were still alive, stopping his advance would have been impossible. To say nothing of rescuing one person, even annihilating the entire Bai family wouldn't have been out of the question.

"I understand..." Yao Rao came back to her senses and nodded gently. As a member of the Hundred Flowers Sect, their greatest aspiration across three centuries was to reclaim justice from the Xuanyuan family. And the name Dugu Ba Chen was the very source supporting the Sect's conviction. To stand on the same side as Dugu Ba Chen's disciple was naturally the best choice.

"Heh heh..." Seeing Yao Rao nod, a look of satisfaction spread across Ye Jingyu's face.

"However, the business of our Man Lou is not as prosperous as it once was, and our sources of information are not as rich," Yao Rao remarked.

"Why?" Ye Jingyu was momentarily taken aback.

"Because of the rise of Ming Yan Lou!" Yao Rao's words were laced with a faint sense of helplessness...

When Ye Jingyu and Liang Xiaoke heard that name, they exchanged a look...

(Update expected again this afternoon~)