The Three Rotten Daoist stopped them again, uttering these words.
Wang Jiguang's face paled slightly from fright.
Ye Tiannan's heart was also heavy, but he forced himself to remain calm, looking at the Three Rotten Daoist. "Uncle-Master San Lan, your disciple does not understand what you are saying?"
The Three Rotten Daoist sighed, looking at Ye Tiannan with pity. "You are born with the Sword Body. Do not walk the wrong path."
Wang Jiguang felt a prickle on his scalp. The Three Rotten Daoist's tone carried a subtle threat.
Ye Tiannan still looked at the Three Rotten Daoist with confusion. "Uncle-Master San Lan, your disciple truly does not understand."
The Three Rotten Daoist eyed Ye Tiannan with suspicion, then his gaze fell upon Qin Rouyu. He let out a cold laugh and said, "Since you do not understand, I shall explain it to you properly."
"The current war between the Holy and Demonic realms was initiated by the leader of the True Demonic Sect, Demon Lord Qianyang."
"The world knows Demon Lord Qianyang is lecherous and philandering, with several stunning beauties by his side, namely Yao Zixuan, Lin Yuexian, Ji Lengyue, Qiu Yihan..."
"However, this is what the world knows. In reality, he has two other beauties who have never appeared publicly with him. But through deductions by the Buddhist and Daoist sects, one of them is the great star of the mortal world, Yun Jingbai."
"Just yesterday, this Yun Jingbai, along with her father, disappeared overnight without a trace..."
"However, this Demon Lord Qianyang has another confidante."
"Do you know who it is?"
Qin Rouyu's expression suddenly tightened. Only now did she understand why the Three Rotten Daoist had sought them out.
Wang Jiguang forced himself to remain calm, his expression not showing panic.
"He is trying to trick me into revealing if I know," Ye Tiannan thought. His expression was also perfectly calm. Years ago, when he met Chen Jiuyang privately, Chen Jiuyang had told them that he was walking the path of the Human Emperor, his destiny self-contained. No one in the world could divine his destiny or deduce his whereabouts.
For years, any faction had used bait to lure Chen Jiuyang out.
How could they have guessed that Chen Jiuyang was related to Qin Rouyu?
Ye Tiannan spoke, "Your junior nephew does not know."
"Heh heh... One of his confidantes was secretly taken away and disappeared by high-ranking members of the demonic path. If we use the life of his last confidante as a threat, do you think he will show himself?" the Three Rotten Daoist said.
Ye Tiannan pondered. "Your junior nephew does not know. Please, Uncle-Master, tell me the truth."
The Three Rotten Daoist narrowed his eyes and continued, "To deduce this last woman involved with Demon Lord Qianyang, even the Immortal Alliance expended considerable effort."
"When Demon Lord Qianyang was a mortal, his destiny stopped at the rank of Marquis, making further divination impossible. However, when he was enfeoffed as a Marquis, he had the privilege of seven wives. Thus, we could deduce it in reverse."
Back then, Chen Jiuyang possessed the jade pendant of the Pure Yang Medical Immortal, which had also alerted the Saint Lord of the Shu Mountain Holy Land. The entire Immortal Alliance suspected that Chen Jiuyang was the reincarnation of the Tribulation-Passing Pure Yang Medical Immortal who was in charge of punishments, which was why his destiny could not be divined.
It wasn't until Chen Jiuyang entered the Crippled Old Village and walked out alive that everything changed.
"It took us a lot of time, wouldn't you say, Qin Rouyu, Chen Jiuyang's university teacher!"
As the voice fell, Wang Jiguang, Ye Tiannan, and Qin Rouyu were all stunned.
The Immortal Alliance indeed knew about Qin Rouyu's close relationship with Chen Jiuyang but had remained silent, perhaps waiting for the day to use Qin Rouyu's life to force Chen Jiuyang to appear!
The moment the Three Rotten Daoist's voice faded, Ye Tiannan was horrified, realizing his plan had likely been seen through.
Sword Qi surged from him, and he roared, "Lifeblood Divine Ability – Myriad Swords Rainbow!" Just as Ming Chengdao and Chen Jiuyang were special divine bodies, upon reaching the Venerable Realm, they would possess their own innate divine abilities. This was Ye Tiannan's ability, which he had never revealed, keeping it as a trump card.
Sword Qi enveloped Qin Rouyu, Wang Jiguang, and the child, instantly transforming into a streak of light and flying rapidly towards Feng Province.
"As expected!" the Three Rotten Daoist roared.
"Ye Tiannan, I warned you repeatedly and gave you many chances, yet you still did not cherish them. Since you have betrayed the righteous path of the Immortal Alliance, I, the Three Rotten Daoist, shall execute you here according to the Immortal Alliance's regulations today!"
As the voice sounded, immense and boundless magical sword Qi attacked Ye Tiannan. Meanwhile, the long sword in the Three Rotten Daoist's hand pursued the direction Qin Rouyu and Wang Jiguang were fleeing.
At this level of cultivation, and as a high-ranking member of the Immortal Alliance, the sword in the hands of a sword cultivator would be at least a first-grade Dao artifact, possessing unique spirituality.
Ye Tiannan's face turned extremely grim. "Dao Integration stage cultivation!!!"
"But I am a perfected innate Sword Body. Even against a Dao Integration stage cultivator, I can fight across major realms. If I can stall for time, as long as we reach the territory of Feng City, Jiuyang will come to my aid!"
He was fortunate to be a special divine body. Like Chen Jiuyang, who had developed his to perfection, he could challenge cultivators of higher realms for a short period.
"Divine Ability—"
Ye Tiannan roared, "Sword Sect!!!"
Sword Qi raged between heaven and earth, shaking the firmament.
After unleashing this move, Ye Tiannan did not linger. He burned his lifespan and essence blood, his hair turning white at a visible rate. "Great Accomplishment Sword Cultivator Asura Escape!!!"
Having prepared for this day, Ye Tiannan had learned this life-consuming escape technique, and he immediately fled towards Feng Province at extreme speed.
He was utterly disappointed with the Immortal Alliance. To target Chen Jiuyang, they were willing to sacrifice their own true disciples. It was entirely different from the Immortal Alliance recorded on the stone tablets.
"A perfected Sword Body, if an enemy, is indeed quite troublesome..." The Three Rotten Daoist, after using his great magical power to obliterate Ye Tiannan's divine ability, had a livid complexion. A perfected Sword Body at the third level of the Venerable Realm, with a single divine ability, could trap him, a great Dao Integration stage cultivator, for several breaths.
Watching Ye Tiannan flee towards Feng Province like a shooting star, the Three Rotten Daoist also pursued him with surging magical power.
"If I let a mere Venerable Realm third-level brat escape, how will I have the face to remain in the Immortal Alliance in the future?"
Upon learning the truth, Qin Rouyu felt a sense of despair. Tears welled in her beautiful eyes. She had never imagined that Chen Jiuyang would send Ye Tiannan and Wang Jiguang to act in order for her to leave the Immortal Alliance.
But in the cultivation world, strength reigned supreme. Not far behind them was the Three Rotten Daoist's lifeblood Dao artifact sword. As time passed, the sword drew closer to them, and their sense of despair grew more intense.
"Husband!" Wang Jiguang was already in tears.
Qin Rouyu felt the sharp and terrifying sword intent, and her delicate body trembled uncontrollably. At their Nascent Soul stage cultivation, before the lifeblood divine sword of a great Dao Integration stage cultivator, they were like ants. How could they survive?
Just as the two and the child were plunged into despair and on the verge of death.
"Clang!"
A long saber shot out like an arrow, deflecting the lifeblood divine sword that was about to consume their lives. The spiritual energy in the heavens and earth instantly exploded. The surging power transformed into turbulent flows, scattering Ye Tiannan's lifeblood divine ability.
Qin Rouyu immediately spat blood, unable to control the circulation of spiritual energy within her body, and her figure plummeted from the sky.
"Could it be that I will never see him again in this lifetime?"
Qin Rouyu thought this in despair. Moments later, her body landed in a broad and sturdy chest.
"Fortunately, fortunately... I arrived in time..."
Hearing the familiar yet unfamiliar voice, Qin Rouyu's tears began to fall like rain, and she hugged him tightly.