"Hmph, I am merely a mortal. Otherwise, how could you have defeated me so easily?" Zhou Yan said indifferently, looking at Zhou Ao.
"A mortal? You..." Zhou Ao froze in place, his face filled with disbelief.
"You... could you be that legendary existence from the legends?" Zhou Ao asked, looking at Zhou Ao.
"Yes, I am indeed that legendary existence," Zhou Ao nodded in admission and then said, "Now, I'll give you a chance. Tell me, why did you frame me?"
Zhou Ao took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," Zhou Ao shook his head and said.
"Heh, you don't understand what I'm talking about?" A cold arc appeared on Zhou Ao's lips.
"I know you want to kill me to silence me," Zhou Ao said coldly.
"Hahaha..." Zhou Ao suddenly burst into wild laughter, "Zhou Yan, I truly didn't expect you to be so clever."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ao's face instantly turned ashen, and his heart churned with stormy waves. He couldn't believe that the person in front of him had actually guessed correctly.
"Do you want to know how I guessed it?" Zhou Ao looked at Zhou Yan, a playful expression on his face.
Zhou Ao shook his head. "I don't want to know. I only know that you are a venomous snake, waiting for an opportunity."
"Hahahaha..." Zhou Ao laughed heartily, then looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Since you've seen through me, there's no need for me to hide it anymore."
"Zhou Yan, you're not talented at all, nor are you some legendary existence. You're just a cripple, an ordinary cripple. If it weren't for your father, Zhou Batian, how could you have cultivated to this realm? You are merely an unfavored illegitimate son," Zhou Ao said with a cold sneer.
"Are you done talking?" Zhou Yan's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Zhou Ao.
"I'm telling the truth. Don't you agree?" Zhou Ao taunted, "Not only you, but everyone connected to you is a cripple."
"I... You're talking nonsense! How could my father be a cripple? Father has always protected me and my siblings. He's not a cripple. We are the cripples!" Zhou Yan roared.
"Heh, protection? Do you think I'll believe that? Although Zhou Batian's cultivation is immensely powerful, he doesn't have any cultivation techniques. His cultivation is merely stuck at the middle stage of Immortal King," Zhou Ao sneered.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan's entire face instantly turned as pale as paper.
"What? Nothing to say now?" Zhou Ao said teasingly, looking at Zhou Yan.
"You... you... you..." Zhou Yan pointed at Zhou Ao, looking utterly disbelieving.
"What do you mean 'what'?" Zhou Ao sneered, "Let me tell you the truth. I saw through everything long ago. You are nothing but a puppet. Your so-called cultivation is just pretense."
"No... no, don't talk nonsense. I truly cultivated to the peak of early stage Immortal Lord. You can't fool me," Zhou Yan quickly denied, unwilling to accept this cruel reality.
"Ha... you truly cultivated to the peak of early stage Immortal Lord?" Zhou Ao said disdainfully, "I think this must be some secret technique from Zhou Batian, right?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yan's body stiffened abruptly.
Zhou Yan knew that this time, escape was unlikely. His greatest weakness had fallen into the opponent's hands. Regardless of whether he had truly cultivated to the peak of early stage Immortal Lord, he would not be able to survive.
"Hahahahahaha..." Zhou Ao suddenly threw his head back and laughed.
Seeing this, Zhou Yan felt a sense of despair rising in his heart, but he gritted his teeth and persevered.
"I want to see you die, to make you experience the pain of losing loved ones," Zhou Ao said sinisterly.
"You... What exactly do you want to do?" Zhou Yan's heart was filled with fear, but he still gritted his teeth and refused to give up.
"You should know very well what I want to do," Zhou Ao said slowly, a sinister smile appearing on his lips. "Haven't you always wished for me to be your slave? I promise you, as long as you help me become the God Emperor, I will be your slave and follow you forever. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan's eyes narrowed, and a dangerous glint flickered within them.
"What do you think? Have you made up your mind?" Zhou Ao looked at Zhou Yan and said coldly.
"I..." Zhou Yan hesitated.
"You don't need to worry. If you don't agree, I will immediately destroy your soul and turn you into an unconscious puppet," Zhou Ao said chillingly.
"I..." Zhou Yan gritted his teeth and finally nodded, "Alright, I agree."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ao's lips curved slightly upwards, and he rejoiced in his heart.
...
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, half a year had gone by.
During this period, Zhou Yan stayed in the valley, diligently cultivating his martial arts techniques.
However, to Zhou Yan's frustration, his strength remained stagnant.
Zhou Yan knew that this was due to the martial arts techniques.
"Sigh, if only I could obtain some powerful martial arts techniques, perhaps my cultivation could improve," Zhou Yan said with a low sigh, looking into the distance.
"Kid, what are you muttering about?" Zhou Ao suddenly appeared, looking at Zhou Yan with a cold smile.
"Nothing," Zhou Yan quickly shook his head.
"It's best if it's nothing, but I advise you not to have any other ideas," Zhou Ao said guardedly.
"What other ideas could I have? You're overthinking it," Zhou Yan said dismissively.
"Hmph, if you had no other ideas, why would you be cultivating martial arts techniques here? What's the purpose if not?" Zhou Ao said coldly. "If I discover any unholy actions from you, even if you are a late-stage Immortal King, I will make your life worse than death."
"Don't worry, I won't take any other actions during this period," Zhou Yan nodded.
"It's best if that's the case," Zhou Ao said and then left.
Watching Zhou Ao's retreating figure, a cold smile appeared on Zhou Yan's lips.
...
The Grand Hall of the Zhou Family.
Zhou Yan stood before Zhou Batian, bowing his head respectfully, not daring to utter a word, like a child who had made a mistake.
"What's wrong with you? Why haven't you reached the peak of Immortal Venerable stage yet?" Zhou Batian said with a dark expression.
"I... I..." Zhou Yan stammered, unsure how to explain.
"Speak, what exactly happened?" Zhou Batian said coldly.
"I..." Zhou Yan lowered his head, not daring to look up.
"You won't speak? Don't forget, this is my Zhou Family," Zhou Batian threatened.
Zhou Yan looked up, gritted his teeth, and then said, "I was captured by that guy."
"Captured by him? What did he want you for?" Zhou Batian asked, confused.
"He said that if I brought him to the Devil's Island, he would let me go," Zhou Yan confessed honestly.