Upon closer inspection, this fellow possessed fair, tender skin and thin, sharply defined lips—quite presentable, as if they had never met before.

What in the world was going on?

It was at this moment that Fang Yun finally snapped back to reality. Seeing Ye Jingyu frozen in place, he mistook it for apprehension regarding his status, believing Ye Jingyu dared not attack him, which immediately emboldened him further.

“I warn you, you had better let me go right now. The City Lord of Xueyuan City is my father!”

Ye Jingyu, who had been momentarily stunned, felt a surge of fury upon hearing this. So his father was the City Lord—what of it? This old man had dealt with Emperors before; what was a mere City Lord to him?

The hand he had raised came crashing down. With a sharp smack, Fang Yun’s entire body was sent flying, landing heavily on the ground. Half his face instantly swelled up hideously...

The surrounding crowd, witnessing this scene, had already retreated far back. Everyone here knew of Fang Yun’s reputation as a little tyrant, but now this outsider had actually knocked him away. It was best to stay as far away from such trouble as possible.

Fang Yun, at this point, was truly frozen in dumbfounded shock. This person actually dared to hit him? He actually made a move? Even knowing who he was, he still dared to strike?

But before he could process why the attack happened, Ye Jingyu’s figure was instantly before him again. He grabbed Fang Yun by the collar and lifted him as easily as one would lift a chick. Facing Ye Jingyu’s overwhelming strength, Fang Yun suddenly felt utterly incapable of resisting.

Just then, a sound of rapidly approaching carriages echoed from the distance. The crowd watched as a convoy of luxurious carriages sped towards them, preceded by a squadron of strangely attired cavalry clearing the way.

Fang Yun happened to see this carriage procession approaching. Knowing it belonged to his Uncle Liang, a surge of joy went through him. His Uncle Liang had already reached the peak of the Desolate (Huang) level; with him here, what did he have to fear?

“Uncle Liang, save me!” Fang Yun almost screamed the words out, his voice ragged...

Smack... The response he received was another heavy slap from Ye Jingyu. The remaining half of his face also ballooned up, and the teeth clattering from his mouth fell out like pebbles. His head hung low like a pig’s head, bearing no resemblance to the arrogance he displayed moments before.

As if hearing his cry, a silhouette darted out of the carriages. In just a few steps, this figure arrived directly in front of Ye Jingyu.

It was a man with a somewhat pale complexion and a notably slender build, appearing to be only in his early thirties. A familiar necrotic energy subtly emanated from within him.

However, layered over this necrotic energy was a distinct, pure surge of Immortal Qi (Xian Qi). The Immortal Qi seemed to completely envelop the necrotic aura; were it not for Ye Jingyu’s vast spiritual sense, he never would have detected the latter.

Seeing Ye Jingyu holding Fang Yun with one hand, Fang Yun’s entire head horribly swollen, a flash of blazing anger crossed the man’s eyes. This was Liang Xing. He was the closest confidant of Fang Yun’s father, Fang Wu. Though the boy was sometimes unruly, he was still his nephew, after all! If anyone needed disciplining, it certainly wasn't some outsider.

The Fang Family and the Liang Family were both major clans under the banner of the Heavenly Alliance! Who dared to lay hands on members of these two families?

“Whoever you are, I request you release him!” Liang Xing said coolly, his eyes narrowed. While his words were polite, his tone was frigid, carrying no true courtesy.

Upon seeing this sickly-looking man, Ye Jingyu felt a strange fog clouding his mind. Why did everyone he encountered today seem vaguely familiar, yet he was certain he had never met them? Moreover, judging by the man’s demeanor, he clearly didn’t recognize Ye Jingyu either. What exactly was happening?

But hearing Liang Xing’s icy implication, Ye Jingyu simply offered a faint smile.

“You mean him?” Ye Jingyu asked, twisting Fang Yun with one hand while pointing at him with the other.

Seeing Ye Jingyu ask an obvious question, Liang Xing felt a spike of rage, but because Fang Yun was still in his grasp, he dared not act rashly, managing only to suppress his fury and nod.

“Since you asked me to release him, then I shall,” Ye Jingyu stated calmly, yet he violently hurled Fang Yun towards the nearby shop stalls. His movement was blindingly fast and immensely powerful. Before Liang Xing could react, Fang Yun’s body slammed heavily against the wall, shattering the magically reinforced barrier and causing his body to explode into a mist of blood, virtually every bone in him utterly pulverized.

Seeing this horrific state, Liang Xing was inwardly furious, yet he couldn't afford to tangle with Ye Jingyu. His figure flashed, and he instantly appeared beside Fang Yun, catching him just as he fell. He pulled out handfuls of elixirs from his robe and stuffed them into Fang Yun’s mouth, simultaneously using his full power to protect Fang Yun’s vital heart meridian.

It was fortunate that Ye Jingyu had refrained from using any other powers; otherwise, Fang Yun would have been smashed to death instantly. As it was, he only sustained grave injuries. Given his Celestial Immortal (Tian Xian) cultivation, death was unlikely.

The magnitude of the commotion had naturally alerted the City Lord of Xueyuan City. A man clad in a deep blue robe tore through the air, arriving at the scene in mere steps. Seeing his guards dead or injured scattered about and his son lying gravely wounded and unconscious, Fang Wu’s face too was etched with furious indignation.

“Brother Liang, my son he…” Fang Wu rushed to Fang Yun’s side, inquiring as he saw Liang Xing treating his boy.

“No life-threatening danger!” Liang Xing stated calmly, then stepped back from Fang Yun, standing alongside Fang Wu to face Ye Jingyu.

Both men had attained the Desolate (Huang) level. Feeling the surging power within them, a faint smile touched Ye Jingyu’s lips.

Interesting, very interesting. He hadn't expected that after a single awakening, so many masters would have emerged. Even the first two arrivals were Desolate level masters, at that, the peak of the Desolate level. This domain was far more stable than before, especially the city itself, which was reinforced with so many restrictions—even attacking at full strength would take some effort to break down. It seemed he had truly been asleep for a long time.

“Sir, you have harmed my Yun’er. We require an explanation!” Fang Wu stated coldly. Although he knew his son could be arrogant, he was still his son. To be so severely beaten by an outsider, he certainly wouldn't swallow that insult easily. Protecting one's kin was an honored tradition passed down from his own father.

“Heh heh, what kind of explanation do you want?” Ye Jingyu’s smile was exceptionally gentle. He was eager to test the extent of his own cultivation realm right now...

Fang Wu and Liang Xing exchanged a look, and their bodies shot towards Ye Jingyu simultaneously...