The atmosphere in the room was somewhat tense.
Ye Ling stared at Ye Qingyan with a look of utter astonishment, unsure how to describe his feelings.
He knew Jiang Xingye had hired a seventh-rank异士 from the Hongchen Pavilion website, and he was even aware that the seventh-rank 异士 would arrive soon...
But Ye Ling could never have imagined that this so-called Qingye Sword Master, Ye Qingyan, this seventh-rank 异士...
Was his aunt!
What in the world was going on?
Ye Ling suddenly felt confused. He was certain that the seventh-rank 异士 before him was his aunt; her appearance and soul aura were exactly the same!
But why was Ye Qin a seventh-rank 异士?
Ye Ling had been back on Earth for some time now, and he had a relatively clear understanding of the cultivation ranks and levels on Earth.
A seventh-rank 异士 was a top-tier powerhouse across China, the leader of major sects!
If Ye Qin was a seventh-rank 异士, then why was Lin Yu still an ordinary person when he met him?
Even Lin Yu's family was bullied by a small family in the county...
This seemed incredibly unbelievable!
Moreover, if Ye Qin was a seventh-rank 异士, why would she watch the Ye family be annihilated?
Too many questions filled Ye Ling's mind at this moment.
However, Ye Qingyan did not seem to recognize Ye Ling and showed no reaction to his words.
She looked at Ye Ling indifferently and said coldly, "If you are unwilling to state your name, so be it. Why do you try to claim kinship with this venerable one?"
"You don't recognize me?"
Seeing Ye Qingyan's unfamiliar gaze, Ye Ling was stunned again, feeling quite taken aback.
"Sword Master, don't waste your breath with him. I've already paid the money, one hundred and twenty billion US dollars, and I only want his life!"
Jiang Xingye, standing behind Ye Qingyan, shouted hoarsely. If his own strength were sufficient, he would have loved to tear Ye Ling limb from limb himself!
Hearing Jiang Xingye's words, Ye Qingyan's eyes narrowed. She raised her sword and pointed it at Ye Ling, saying coldly, "I'm sorry, the employer wants your life, and I must take it."
"If there is a next life, you may seek revenge on me, Ye Qingyan."
Ye Qingyan said emotionlessly, gripping her sword and lunging at Ye Ling.
"Taiyi Sword Art - Lifeless Sword!"
Ye Qingyan held nothing back, unleashing her full power.
The entire room seemed to turn black and white, and the only thing left in this world was the white jade longsword in Ye Qingyan's hand.
Ye Ling and Jiang Xingye were frozen in space, everything became still, only Ye Qingyan, like a celestial being, floated towards Ye Ling, her sword energy like a waterfall, the tip of her sword aimed at Ye Ling's throat.
The air was pierced!
"Farewell."
Ye Qingyan whispered softly, her beautiful eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if she truly didn't recognize Ye Ling.
"It seems there's something strange going on..."
Suddenly, in this silent space, Ye Ling's voice echoed around Ye Qingyan, finally causing Ye Qingyan's expression to change slightly!
Ye Ling, who had been still, suddenly moved. He gripped Ye Qingyan's longsword with one hand and gently pushed forward with the other.
The longsword slipped from her grasp, and Ye Qingyan was pushed away by Ye Ling. The originally black and white world returned to normal.
"What?"
Ye Qingyan retreated to stand in front of Jiang Xingye, staring at Ye Ling in disbelief, never expecting Ye Ling to be able to break her attack!
Lifeless Sword was one of the top three most powerful moves in her Taiyi Sword Art, and it was also her strongest killing move that she could currently master!
She had genuinely intended to kill Ye Ling just now, without holding back at all.
Across China, very few seventh-rank 异士 could withstand this move!
Yet her attack was easily neutralized by Ye Ling, and her weapon was even taken...
'Tai Chi moves?'
'No... Tai Chi is about the combination of hardness and softness. His move just now seemed to use minimal force to overcome great force, but in reality, it was incredibly powerful. There is an absolute gap in strength between us!'
'He held back against me!'
Ye Qingyan quickly calculated in her mind, realizing she was no match for Ye Ling!
Ye Qingyan put away her condescending attitude towards Ye Ling and asked him, "Your move just now... if you had unleashed the full force of it upon me, I would have been severely injured. Why did you hold back?"
"Aunt, do you truly not recognize me?"
Ye Ling asked Ye Qingyan again, but he dared not rashly mention Ye Qin or Hongchen Pavilion, fearing that Ye Qingyan, like Mo Jie, might have some kind of restriction placed upon her.
Ye Qingyan frowned and asked, "I do not know you. Why do you keep calling me aunt?"
Seeing Ye Qingyan's reaction, Ye Ling's brow furrowed.
He could tell from Ye Qingyan's eyes that she was not lying.
She genuinely had no memory of him.
'Could I have made a mistake?'
At this moment, Ye Ling also hesitated. Although Ye Qingyan's appearance and soul aura were exactly the same as his aunt Ye Qin, her strength was incredibly exaggerated.
He had never discovered such an extraordinary side to his aunt before.
Unwilling to give up, Ye Ling asked again, "Do you know Xiao Yu?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about. I came here solely to complete the employer's mission, not to form a connection with you," Ye Qingyan responded, showing no reaction to Lin Yu either.
"However, your strength is far greater than mine. I fear I cannot complete this mission."
Ye Qingyan took out her phone, canceled the mission issued by Hongchen Pavilion, and then turned to Jiang Xingye, saying, "I used my full strength just now, and I am not his opponent."
"I cannot kill him, nor can I protect you from him. I apologize."
"The mission has been canceled. Except for a small portion of the commission, the rest of the money will be refunded to you."
Hearing Ye Qingyan's words, Jiang Xingye's face changed drastically. He quickly said, "Don't! You haven't even started fighting yet, how do you know you're not his opponent!"
"I can increase the price, give you all my assets, and beg you to kill him!"
Jiang Xingye was now panicking. If Ye Qingyan didn't kill Ye Ling, what was the point of returning the money?
The direct descendants of the Jiang family were all dead now, leaving only him. If Ye Qingyan didn't kill Ye Ling, he was doomed!
Once the Jiang family was gone, what use would money be?
"I'm sorry, this is not something that can be solved by increasing the price."
Ye Qingyan said faintly to Jiang Xingye again, then turned to Ye Ling and said, "I am withdrawing from this mission. Can you return my sword?"
Seeing Ye Qingyan's actions, Ye Ling was now certain she was not his aunt.
Not recognizing him might be explained by someone tampering with her memory, but Ye Qingyan didn't even recognize Lin Yu...
Lin Yu had lived with Ye Qin all along, and he hadn't changed much in the past six years. Even if Ye Qin's memory had been tampered with, her memory of Lin Yu would not have been erased.
Otherwise, Lin Yu's life over the past six years wouldn't add up.
However, even if this Ye Qingyan and Ye Qin were not the same person, their appearances and soul auras were identical. This was not something that could be explained by mere coincidence!
There was definitely a close connection between the two!
Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Ye Ling left his own mark within the longsword, then threw the sword back to Ye Qingyan, and said with a smile, "Can we exchange contact information?"
Ye Qingyan took the longsword and cupped her fists towards Ye Ling, saying, "I apologize, I am accustomed to being alone. Perhaps we will meet again."
With that, she did not linger any longer, stepped onto her sword, and departed, leaving the despairing Jiang Xingye alone.
"She... she left?"
Jiang Xingye collapsed onto the ground with vacant eyes, his body trembling uncontrollably, as boundless fear threatened to consume him.
Even a seventh-rank 异士 couldn't deal with Ye Ling, how could he survive?
'Damn Hongchen Pavilion... your service is so unprofessional...'
'You are unrighteous, so don't blame me for being unrighteous!'
Jiang Xingye gritted his teeth, then looked at Ye Ling tremblingly and stammered, "Immortal, spare my life..."
"Whatever you want to know, I will tell you!"