The masked woman flew to Yan Zu's side and said faintly, "Retreat."
Yan Zu was still unwilling to stop. "Your Excellency, I believe I have the ability to deal with Ye Ling..."
The masked woman glared coldly at Yan Zu, startling him. He immediately stood at attention, daring not to speak further.
After subduing Yan Zu, the masked woman turned her gaze to Ye Ling and removed the mask from her face.
A face of indescribable beauty appeared in Ye Ling's sight, as if the entire world paled in comparison to her countenance.
The masked woman glanced at the chains inscribed with runes around Ye Ling, her eyelids drooping slightly. She then said to Ye Ling, "My name is Yue Qingning, Palace Master of the Tian Qing Dao Palace."
"Tian Qing Dao Palace..." Ye Ling murmured the name and then asked Mie Shi Ling Huo, "Have you heard of this power?"
Mie Shi Ling Huo grumbled, "When I was still gallivanting in the outer realms, I vaguely heard of this power. The Tian Qing Dao Palace already had some renown back then. I heard their Palace Master was once a slave who later used some means to replace the grand slave owner controlling her, liberating a large group of slaves and establishing the Tian Qing Dao Palace with their help."
"That incident caused quite a stir. That Palace Master was also known as the Shadow Fairy by the world. However, countless eons have passed since then, and I'm not clear about the current state of the Tian Qing Dao Palace."
"I understand..." Ye Ling nodded slightly and then looked at Yue Qingning, who was floating in the air, smiling as he asked, "You introduced yourself right away. Is there something you need?"
Yue Qingning smiled faintly and said, "Your cultivation is impressive. Are you interested in cooperating with me?"
"Cooperate?" Ye Ling raised an eyebrow. "How do we cooperate?"
Yue Qingning said, "We cooperate to hunt down other Great Dao Immortal Lords and Chaos Rulers."
"Oh?" Hearing Yue Qingning's words, Ye Ling was quite surprised. "You want to hunt them? Aren't you all part of the same group?"
Yue Qingning replied, "I am in a competitive relationship with them. As you know, there is only one Great Dao Heart offered as a bounty by the Lord of Remnant Evil, and only one head for you. Only by killing them all can I have a chance to claim the Great Dao Heart."
Ye Ling raised an eyebrow. "So, you think you have me cornered?"
Yue Qingning continued, "Since you also intend to hunt all of us, cooperating with me to hunt the other eight would be beneficial and harmless to you. In the end, only I will remain, making it easier for you to deal with me, wouldn't you agree?"
Hearing Yue Qingning's words, Ye Ling shook his head and smiled. Indeed, he couldn't find a reason to refute her.
Cooperating with Yue Qingning meant having a powerful peer to assist him in his hunt for Great Dao Immortal Lords and Chaos Rulers, making the process much easier.
The price he had to pay was merely to leave Yue Qingning for last.
Even if Yue Qingning had a hidden agenda, their interests aligned until the other eight were dealt with. All he needed to do was maintain a degree of vigilance towards Yue Qingning.
They were all using each other.
Without further thought, Ye Ling nodded in agreement. "Since you are so confident, what do I have to fear? Tell me, do you have any plans?"
Yue Qingning was not surprised by Ye Ling's agreement. "The illusion formation shrouding Earth was constructed by me. I know the hidden locations of the other Great Dao Immortal Lords and Chaos Rulers. If you are willing to cooperate, I can share this location information with you, allowing us to hunt them down at the fastest possible speed."
Seeing that Yue Qingning had such a meticulous plan, Ye Ling suddenly realized something and asked with a smile, "You occupied my manor and built a floating castle above Jiangcheng, acting so ostentatiously. Was your goal to be the first to contact me?"
"You had already planned to cooperate with me?"
Yue Qingning smiled faintly, not directly answering Ye Ling's question. Instead, she said, "You don't need to concern yourself with my thoughts. What we need to consider now is, who shall be the first to strike?"
"Indeed..." Ye Ling smiled slightly, his gaze falling on Yan Zu behind Yue Qingning.
As Ye Ling's gaze fell upon him, Yan Zu's heart was filled with a bad premonition. A chill ran through him, and he quickly said to Yue Qingning, "Your Excellency..."
"Silence."
Yue Qingning glanced at Yan Zu faintly, frightening him into swallowing his words. His face turned deathly pale.
After subduing Yan Zu, Yue Qingning turned to Ye Ling and asked, "What is your intention in looking at him?"
Ye Ling chuckled, "Yan Zu's cultivation is quite a threat to me. If I have to deal with both of you later, it will be a significant trouble. Since we will eventually be enemies, and you intend to cooperate with me, why not offer a token of sincerity first?"
Hearing Ye Ling's words, Yue Qingning let out a laugh. "You mean, you want me to kill my subordinate?"
Ye Ling chuckled lightly. "You said it yourself. The choice is yours."
Upon hearing the conversation between Yue Qingning and Ye Ling, Yan Zu completely panicked. He immediately knelt before Yue Qingning, begging for mercy. "Your Excellency, spare me! I can kill Ye Ling! Please give me a chance!"
Yue Qingning ignored Yan Zu's pleas and continued to ask Ye Ling, "Do you know that in the outer realms, no one has dared to speak to me like this?"
Ye Ling said indifferently, "Unfortunately, this is the inner realm now, and you want to cooperate with me."
"I believe your strength is not as great as the other eight. Therefore, in hunting the other eight, you will need my power. Otherwise, even if you take my head here, with the other eight lurking, you won't be able to claim the Great Dao Heart with my head."
"Yue Qingning, it's not me forcing you to make a choice now."
Hearing Ye Ling's words, Yue Qingning's eyes darkened. She met Ye Ling's gaze for a long time before silently raising her hand and pointing at Yan Zu.
Seeing Yue Qingning's action, Yan Zu's fear intensified. He began to kowtow frantically, trembling as he said, "Your Excellency, spare me! Please believe me! I will definitely hunt down Ye Ling!"
Buzz—!
A strange sound suddenly rang out. A gray orb of light appeared in Yue Qingning's palm, beginning to siphon Yan Zu's cultivation.
"Your Excellency, no! Nooooo!"
Yan Zu felt his power continuously draining away, his eyes filled with increasing terror. His expression became incredibly distorted as he begged Yue Qingning for mercy.
But Yue Qingning paid no heed, even increasing the intensity. The suction of the gray orb grew stronger, even beginning to tear at Yan Zu's soul!
Soon, Yan Zu's cultivation and soul were completely absorbed by the gray orb. His empty husk fell from the air and was swallowed by the lava.
Silence descended upon the surroundings of Jiangcheng.