An alchemist! For a moment, a desire to become an alchemist bloomed in Ye Chen's heart, a sudden inspiration.

Just then, Yao Yan's voice resonated in Ye Chen's mind. "Chen'er, there's no need to envy her. The blood of my Yao family's Saintess flows through your veins. A mere Pill Saint Yunyang isn't even fit to lick my boots!"

Ye Chen was slightly taken aback. Was Elder Yao's alchemy truly that potent?

Soon, Ye Chen composed himself and pushed the Qi Gathering Pill back. "I don't need it. You want to annul the engagement? Don't think for a moment I'll let you have your way so easily."

Nangong Baixue's brows furrowed. She shot to her feet, a furious expression marring her face. "Ye Chen, I knew it! You're still going to cling to me like a desperate fool!"

Ye Chen scoffed. "Cling to you? You're mistaken! Even if you stripped naked and stood before me, I wouldn't bat an eye!"

Nangong Baixue gnashed her teeth. "You trash! Are you looking for a death wish?"

Ye Chen's smile was predatory. "The decree of both our Ancestors is no child's play! The engagement stands, witnessed by Heaven and Earth! However, I've longed to cut ties with you for a long time."

As he spoke, a dazzling divine light erupted from Ye Chen's hand. He channeled it directly onto the marriage contract, inscribing a single, decisive character: "Annul!"

With a thunderous boom, the crushing power of his Profound Emperor realm cultivation manifested, searing a striking imprint onto the paper! The marriage contract instantly transformed into a decree of annulment!

Ye Chen let out a cold laugh, then flung the annulment decree towards Nangong Baixue. "Don't flatter yourself that you hold any importance in my heart! Today, before all the elders of both families, I officially sever our engagement!"

"From this moment on, you may walk your grand highway, and I shall tread my own solitary path!"

Nangong Baixue's delicate frame trembled. She stared at the annulment decree before her, utterly bewildered. Ye Chen actually dared to annul her?!

Her eyes blazed with fury. "What right do you, a piece of trash, have to annul me?!"

Ye Chen merely snorted, offering no further words.

Just then, Nangong Beiqiu looked at Ye Changfeng, genuinely shocked. "Brother Longfeng, when did Chen'er regain his ability to cultivate?"

All the Nangong family elders were dumbfounded. Who could have imagined that Ye Chen, this seemingly useless individual, had suddenly recovered his cultivation? And now he was already a Mid-stage Profound Emperor! Could it be that Ye Chen was on the verge of rising again!

Ye Changfeng replied with cold indifference. "Nangong Baixue has already severed ties with Chen'er. There's no longer any need for her to know such things!"

The Nangong family members were slightly taken aback.

"Hahahaha!" Suddenly, Nangong Baixue's dark hair billowed around her as she burst into laughter, directing it at Ye Chen. "So what if you're a Profound Emperor? You're still nothing but trash! I've already joined the Supreme Profound Sect, and the gap between us will only continue to widen!"

Ye Chen merely sneered, too lazy to even respond.

Nangong Baixue's face turned ashen with rage. "Ye Chen, you don't actually think that just because you can cultivate again, I'll have a change of heart, do you?"

Ye Chen stared, a giant question mark practically hovering over his head. "??? Seriously? Is this Nangong Baixue completely unhinged? Where does she get this boundless confidence?"

Nangong Baixue extended a slender hand, and in her palm, a crystalline, translucent pearl appeared. The pearl radiated boundless divine light, shimmering with brilliant hues, and a terrifying aura surged outwards. A Saint King-tier treasure!

Seeing this, Nangong Beiqiu cleared his throat a few times, subtly motioning for Nangong Baixue not to get carried away.

But Nangong Baixue was too consumed by her emotions. She fixed Ye Chen with a stare and slowly declared, "This is the Cloudsea Pearl, a token of love given to me by Young Master Qin Xiao of the Qin family!"

Ye Chen simply shrugged. "And? I don't know what you're trying to say, and frankly, I couldn't care less."

Nangong Baixue allowed a faint smile to play on her lips. "You say you don't care, but deep down, you do; don't think I don't know. I just want to tell you that even if your cultivation has recovered, I've already become Qin Xiao's Dao Companion! And Qin Xiao has also joined the Supreme Profound Sect…"

Before she could finish, Ye Chen interjected, his voice flat, "Not interested."

Nangong Baixue scoffed. "Heh. Ye Chen, so what if you can cultivate again? You'll never be my match, let alone the match of my Dao Companion, Qin Xiao!"

Ye Chen said, "Qin Xiao? Never heard of him. But if I do, I'll trample him underfoot!"

The words barely left his lips! Nangong Baixue vanished from her spot, soaring through the air towards Ye Chen. Her face was icy cold. "Qin Xiao is my husband, and he's destined to become the Divine Son of the Supreme Profound Sect! I'll give you ten breaths to apologize to him!"

Ye Chen looked at Nangong Baixue, his voice devoid of emotion, "Idiot!"

Boom! Nangong Baixue extended a slender hand, launching her attack directly at Ye Chen. "Ye Chen, I'm just one step away from reaching the Profound Sovereign realm! Today, I'll show you the true disparity between us!"

With a thunderous roar, Nangong Baixue's aura, that of a Great Perfection Late-stage Profound Emperor, erupted, surging like a rampant ocean! A terrifying power permeated the main hall as she unleashed a full-strength palm strike directly at Ye Chen!

Seeing this, Nangong Beiqiu made no move to stop her. Instead, he smiled at Ye Changfeng. "Brother Longfeng, let the conflicts of the younger generation be resolved by themselves. It's one thing for Ye Chen to tease Baixue, but mocking Qin Xiao is beyond the pale. Not only does Qin Xiao have the potential to become the Divine Son of the Supreme Profound Sect, but the Qin family's power is also far beyond what the Ye family can contend with! Brother Longfeng, you absolutely must not let Ye Chen bring disaster upon the Ye family…"

He hadn't even finished speaking when Nangong Beiqiu froze solid.

"CRACK!" Ye Chen effortlessly obliterated Nangong Baixue's attack. In the next instant, he appeared directly before her and delivered a resounding slap. A sharp, clear sound echoed through the main hall. "PTUI!" Nangong Baixue was sent flying over ten yards, her left cheek instantly swelling, a mouthful of fresh blood spraying from her lips. CRASH! She landed heavily on the ground!

Witnessing this scene, the Nangong family members were stunned. How was this possible? Ye Chen was only a Mid-stage Profound Emperor! Nangong Baixue was a Great Perfection Late-stage Profound Emperor! Why was she no match for Ye Chen?

In the very next moment, Ye Chen's figure abruptly vanished from his spot, reappearing before Nangong Baixue just as she was trying to scramble to her feet.

"CRACK!" Ye Chen delivered another slap, this time to Nangong Baixue's right cheek! Nangong Baixue's face contorted in a ferocious snarl. "You—" CRACK! Ye Chen slapped her again! She cursed, "I—" CRACK! And yet another slap! Nangong Baixue's face was utterly battered, swollen like a pig's head!

At this point, Nangong Beiqiu immediately cried out, "Chen'er, stop!"

Ye Changfeng, however, merely offered a faint smile. "Let the younger generation handle their own affairs."

Nangong Beiqiu's face twitched. Hadn't he just said those exact words himself?

He looked at Ye Chen, a tidal wave of shock surging in his heart. Had Ye Chen truly recovered completely? This was crushing Nangong Baixue, transcending two minor cultivation realms!

Just then, Ji Fuyao quietly remarked to Lu Xuan, "My Junior Brother's strength is quite impressive."

Lu Xuan chuckled. "Well, who do you think taught him?"

Ji Fuyao let out a soft giggle.

In the hall, Nangong Baixue's once delicate, fair face was now swollen high like a small mountain, a truly miserable sight. She gazed at Ye Chen in utter disbelief. He actually dared to hit her?

Ye Chen looked down at Nangong Baixue. "Oh, right. What were you trying to say earlier?"

Hearing this, Nangong Baixue felt a profound wave of humiliation wash over her. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at Ye Chen, wishing she could tear him limb from limb. "Ye Chen, do you seriously think you're invincible now?"

Ye Chen merely scoffed, remaining silent.

Nangong Baixue spat out a mouthful of thick blood, gritting her teeth. "My Dao Companion, Qin Xiao, is ten thousand times stronger than you! He's already a Late-stage Profound Sovereign, and once he becomes the Divine Son of the Supreme Profound Sect, you won't even be fit to lick his boots!"

Ye Chen chuckled. Nangong Baixue couldn't defeat him, so she resorted to dragging Qin Xiao into it. Ye Chen's fist slammed into Nangong Baixue's eye. "You vile woman, Qin Xiao has certainly trained you well!" THUD! Nangong Baixue clutched her eye, rolling on the ground. The pain! It was excruciating!

Moments later, Nangong Baixue, her hair disheveled, burst into mocking laughter. "Hahahaha! Ye Chen, you clearly don't understand the gulf between the Ye family and the Qin family! The Qin family is an Overlord-level Power in the Southern Wilds! And now Qin Xiao has joined the Supreme Profound Sect; he possesses the potential of a Great Emperor! What do you have to compare to Qin Xiao?"

CRASH! No sooner had she finished speaking than Nangong Baixue received another punch from Ye Chen! Her eyes immediately swelled into comical panda eyes!

At this point, Nangong Beiqiu could no longer hold back. He looked towards the Ye Family Old Ancestor. "Old Ancestor, has Ye Chen had enough of this beating? Every punch Ye Chen lands is just inviting disaster upon the Ye family!"

"My Nangong family will be allied with the Qin family through marriage in the future! Today's events cannot possibly be settled like this!"

As his words fell, a terrifying Quasi-Emperor power erupted from the Ye Family Old Ancestor, surging outwards like a vast ocean, engulfing the Nangong family members. "What? Are you threatening my Ye family?"

Nangong Beiqiu gritted his teeth, enduring the Quasi-Emperor's oppressive power, a trace of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. He snarled, "Old Ancestor, just don't push things too far!"

With those words, the hall fell into an eerie silence. The Ye Family Old Ancestor's expression turned exceedingly grim. The Qin family was an Overlord-level Power in the Southern Wilds, and there was even a Great Emperor among their ranks. The Ye family was no match for them at all. If the Qin family set their sights on the Ye family, annihilation was inevitable!

Considering this, the Ye Family Old Ancestor withdrew his Quasi-Emperor pressure and slowly said, "Chen'er, that's enough."

Hearing this, Ye Chen shot a final glance at Nangong Baixue, then turned and walked away.

Nangong Baixue scrambled to her feet, returning to Nangong Beiqiu's side. Nangong Beiqiu's face was cold as he produced a pill and instructed Nangong Baixue to take it. Within a dozen breaths, Nangong Baixue's face had returned to its original state.

Nangong Beiqiu swept a glance at Ye Changfeng. "Today, I might as well tell you. My daughter has awakened the Primordial Yin Body. The Qin family has already made an agreement with my Nangong family: once Qin Xiao reaches the Profound Saint realm, he will marry Baixue."

The Primordial Yin Body! The Ye Family Old Ancestor was slightly startled. This was a unique physique for women, and when cultivating with a partner, it could greatly enhance the other's cultivation! What's more, the very first dual cultivation would yield an immense return in cultivation! No wonder the Qin family had taken an interest in Nangong Baixue. She was nothing more than a cultivation cauldron.

At this moment, Nangong Baixue looked at Ye Chen, her voice utterly cold. "The greatest regret of my life is having a trash like you stain my memories. This is an insult to Young Master Qin Xiao!"

"In the future, my entire being will be dedicated to Young Master Qin Xiao – my body, my spirit, my bloodline, my very memories!"

"The time I spent with you in the past is a stain on my memories; it makes me feel impure! Ye Chen, I hate you!"