The sight of two supremely powerful Martial Saints being pulverized to dust right before her eyes sent a flash of horror through Xuanyuan Ruohan’s gaze. These were not Huangfu Buyue’s men; that meant it could only be the work of that person? Could he truly be Ye Jingyu, the Grand Protector of the Southern Cloud Empire? No wonder, no wonder Imperial Grandfather Xuanyuan Xiaozhan had suffered such a massive setback at his hands. Against such an entity, who in this world could possibly stand a chance? Was the Tianyuan Empire truly on the verge of decline? Even if her heart held no genuine affection for the Xuanyuan family, Xuanyuan Ruohan understood, deep down, that she was a citizen of the Tianyuan Empire...

It wasn't just Xuanyuan Ruohan who was astonished; even Huangfu Buyue was deeply horrified. The moment these figures appeared, he had sensed their terrifying power—each one possessing the capability to challenge a Saint-level expert. So many of them, and they were all Ye Jingyu’s subordinates? Just how powerful was he? The gap between himself and Ye Jingyu wasn't merely personal; even his surrounding influence lagged far behind.

Even Yao Rao, despite knowing that Ye Jingyu’s circle was filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers, felt a shock that defied description when she witnessed mighty Martial Saints being instantly executed before this force...

At that very moment, a colossal blue radiance suddenly illuminated the distant sky. Everyone turned their gaze simultaneously and saw a blinding beam of azure light shoot straight into the heavens... "That fast?" Ye Jingyu frowned slightly...

Huangfu Buyue also knitted his brow. Based on the energy signature just released, that blow definitively surpassed that of a Martial Saint. Had the battle on that side escalated to a life-or-death struggle already? "Ling'er, take the Princess and leave this place first. We will join you immediately after we finish dealing with things over there," Ye Jingyu instructed Luo Ling'er... "Mhm..." Luo Ling'er nodded, yet her form immediately materialized beside Xuanyuan Ruohan. Xuanyuan Ruohan, however, shifted her gaze toward Huangfu Buyue, her eyes filled with inquiry... "This is Princess Yongle of the Southern Cloud Empire. Ruohan, you should leave with the Princess for now. I will return to fetch you as soon as this is settled!" Huangfu Buyue naturally understood Xuanyuan Ruohan’s implied question and quickly made the introduction...

Xuanyuan Ruohan said no more, nodding gently. Yet, a trace of helplessness entered her eyes. With her intelligence, how could she not discern who Ye Jingyu and his group intended to target? Besides that Fang Jiuyou, her brother Xuanyuan Ruoxing must also be among their objectives? But what could she possibly say?

As Xuanyuan Ruohan conceded, Luo Ling’er, Yao Rao, and Hu Yanmeng departed the City Lord’s residence together. Yao Rao certainly had means to settle them elsewhere. As for Ye Jingyu and the others, they sped toward the battlefield where Fang Jiuyou and his company were engaged...

Presently, several kilometers outside Miao City, over a desolate stretch of land, Fang Jiuyou floated suspended in mid-air. His robes were shredded beyond recognition, and numerous wounds marred his body, evidence of the brutal skirmish just fought.

As for the others, Xuanyuan Ruoxing appeared utterly exhausted, his entire body crisscrossed with wounds. Moreover, one of his arms had been severed, blood cascading from the shoulder socket, staining a large portion of his attire crimson...

Bai Tianyu’s injuries were even more grievous; a bloody hole the size of an infant’s fist gaped in his lower abdomen. Even with his True Essence guarding his vital organs, the blood continued to pour out. His thighs, arms, and back were covered in wounds—sword cuts, saber slashes, fist imprints, and palm strikes. To have held on until this point was nothing short of miraculous...

Bai Tianhu had suffered the crushing destruction of half his shoulder. The dignified Martial Saint now relied on a massive saber just to remain upright... Like Bai Tianyu, grief and fury contorted both their faces. The reason was simple: lying before them was a corpse—their brother, Bai Tiankun...

The few Martial Saints Xuanyuan Ruoxing had summoned were either dead or wounded, inflicting a severe blow to their overall strength. In contrast, Fang Jiuyou’s nameless guards, though also injured, sustained only minor wounds, maintaining at least seventy percent of their combat effectiveness...

The surrounding terrain was utterly devastated. Beneath Fang Jiuyou, the ground was gouged with a massive crater over ten meters in diameter, seemingly blasted into ruin by some immense force...

Seeing Xuanyuan Ruoxing and his allies severely wounded, a triumphant grin spread across Fang Jiuyou’s face. "Xuanyuan Ruoxing, this is the price for your betrayal. Even if you possess a True Immortal possessing your body, you will never be my match. In my eyes, you are nothing more than a dog!" Fang Jiuyou stood aloft in the air, looking down upon Xuanyuan Ruoxing, his face a mask of derisive amusement...

Having truly witnessed Fang Jiuyou’s terror, a pallor had already washed over Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s eyes. Hearing Fang Jiuyou's words, he felt no anger; instead, he spoke, "Young Master Fang, what if I told you this was all a conspiracy?" "A conspiracy? Hahahaha! Now that death is imminent, you tell me it was a plot? Why didn't you mention it earlier? Weren't you so formidable? Weren't you so strong? Now you finally know your mistake, don't you?" Fang Jiuyou erupted into roaring laughter at Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s words...

A wry smile touched Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s lips. Even if he had spoken out earlier, would Fang Jiuyou have believed him? Of course, he might not believe it now either, but he truly did not wish to die under such ambiguous circumstances...

"My Lord, there’s no need to waste words with him. We are not far from White Emperor City. Even if my Third Brother and I die, we must ensure Your Lordship reaches White Emperor City safely! Once we arrive there, could this bastard possibly survive?" With his own brother slain, Bai Tianyu’s hatred for Fang Jiuyou had reached bone-deep levels. Even if Fang Jiuyou offered to let things go now, he would never relent... That was Bai Tiankun lying there—his own brother, with whom he had shared decades of life. Bai Tiankun held an exceptionally high place in his heart. If he couldn't avenge his own brother, what meaning was there in living?

"Hahahaha... White Emperor City? You truly consider your Bai family to be some great power, don't you? Today, I shall kill you all, and then I will annihilate your Bai family entirely..." Fang Jiuyou roared with laughter, his demeanor arrogant, clearly holding no regard for White Emperor City. Admittedly, given his status, a mere White Emperor City was beneath his notice. But to Bai Tianyu and the others, White Emperor City held a sacred position in their hearts. Seeing this man so brazenly desecrate it was an unbearable provocation...

"Heaven and Earth collapse, Mountains and Rivers shatter, Stars descend, Time fades, Destroy..." Bai Tianyu and Bai Tianhu shot forward almost simultaneously, desperately channeling the True Essence within their bodies, unleashing the Bai family’s Four Great Ultimate Techniques...