Ye Chen, I hate you!' Nangong Baixue shrieked.

Ye Chen merely smiled, a faint, almost imperceptible curve of his lips. This idiot has clearly been brainwashed by Qin Xiao, he thought. It was just like back then, when his cultivation had plummeted, and Nangong Baixue had been equally dismissive. Truly, a leopard can't change its spots.

Nangong Baixue scoffed, "Ye Chen, I may have lost today, but as time passes, you will inevitably be trampled beneath my feet! Even if the entire Ye Family's resources were thrown at you, you wouldn't be my match! I have the Qin Family and the Supreme Profound Sect backing me! And you, besides the Ye Family, what do you have?"

Ye Chen turned his gaze to Lu Xuan, an inexplicable sense of security blooming in his chest. "I have a Master."

All eyes from the Nangong Family immediately shifted to Lu Xuan. "Master? This young man is your Master? Which faction is he from?"

Ye Chen's eyes blazed with pride. "The Grand Dao Sect!"

At his words, Nangong Beiqiu's face froze. The Grand Dao Sect! It was a power on par with the Supreme Profound Sect! How could Ye Chen possibly become a disciple of the Grand Dao Sect? He pressed, "Which powerful expert from the Grand Dao Sect?"

Ye Chen puffed out his chest proudly. "The Grand Dao Sect, Azure Mystery Peak, Lu Xuan!"

The Nangong Family members were utterly dumbfounded. Wait a minute. The name sounded strangely familiar. Then, it clicked. Lu Xuan! Wasn't that the Grand Dao Sect's infamously useless Peak Master? Many powerful factions often jested about Azure Mystery Peak's Lu Xuan when encountering Grand Dao Sect experts.

Nangong Baixue burst into laughter, a cruel, mocking sound. "Hahahaha! You truly found yourself a wonderful Master, didn't you? I wondered how a good-for-nothing like you could ever catch the Grand Dao Sect's eye! So that's the real story."

Ye Chen glanced at Lu Xuan, whose expression remained neutral, utterly unperturbed. Instantly, most of his anger dissipated. Indeed, Master wouldn't deign to argue with such people! Their cultivation level is simply too low; Master couldn't be bothered to respond! With this thought, Ye Chen declared calmly, "You don't understand my Master's true power."

Nangong Baixue found it utterly hilarious. "Powerful?"

Ye Chen replied evenly, "To a Profound Saint, my Master is an unreachable sky, and they, but a frog in a well! To a Great Emperor, my Master is the boundless ocean, and they, but fleeting mayflies!"

As his voice faded, the Nangong Family members were utterly flabbergasted. "Huh?" Was he saying Lu Xuan was even more powerful than the Grand Dao Sect's Old Ancestor? They genuinely wanted to burst out laughing.

Lu Xuan blinked. What the hell? This kid is hyping me up way too much. Am I really that incredible? Still, keep that coming, kid.

Ye Chen pressed on, his voice ringing with conviction. "If Heaven had not birthed my Master, the Southern Wilds would remain shrouded in eternal night! Who dares claim the peak of the Emperor Realm? One glance at my Master, and all other Daos turn to dust!"

The Nangong Family members were speechless. Their hearts remained utterly unmoved; in fact, they still wanted to laugh. Ye Chen spoke with absolute seriousness, but to the Nangong family, it was nothing but a preposterous joke. If Lu Xuan were truly so powerful, why would he have brought shame upon the Grand Dao Sect for so many years?

Nangong Baixue sneered. "Ye Chen, you've completely lost your mind."

Yet, the Ye Family members, Ji Fuyao, and others present, deeply believed every word Ye Chen uttered. Lu Xuan's power was terrifyingly profound!

Ji Fuyao looked at Lu Xuan, who remained calm and collected, an image of absolute serenity. She sighed softly. Her Master was simply too low-key; no wonder he had been so misunderstood for so many years. She hadn't fully grasped it back on Azure Mystery Peak, but now she understood. Lu Xuan was transcendent, regarding all beings as nothing more than dust. Ji Fuyao sighed again, lamenting her own weakness. When would she ever reach her Master's level?

At that moment, Lu Xuan noticed a flicker of deep reverence in both Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen's eyes as they looked at him, and he was utterly dumbfounded. What outlandish notions were these two disciples cooking up now?

A short while later, Nangong Beiqiu bid farewell to the Ye Family. Before leaving, Nangong Baixue sent a mental message to Ye Chen, her voice rasped viciously, "Ye Chen, in due time, I'll prepare a 'surprise' just for you."

Ye Chen merely scoffed.

Watching the Nangong Family members depart, the Ye Family Old Ancestor let out a deep sigh. Who could have foreseen things escalating to this point? With today's parting, the Nangong and Ye Families had formed an irreconcilable feud! Yet, he didn't blame Ye Chen for thrashing Nangong Baixue. On the contrary, he thought Ye Chen had done an excellent job! The Nangong Family had gone too far! Did they truly believe that by relying on the Qin Family, an overlord-level power in the Southern Wilds, they could look down on the Ye Family so easily? Without Empress Fuyao, without Peak Master Lu, they might have indeed bowed their heads. But with Empress Fuyao here, and more importantly, with the incomparably powerful Peak Master Lu, the Ye Family wouldn't give a damn!

A moment later, Patriarch Ye Changfeng looked at the Old Ancestors. "This time, Ye Chen has created serious bad blood with Nangong Baixue. If she reports this to Qin Xiao, and the Qin Family descends upon Qingcheng in a rage to annihilate our Ye Family, what then?"

The Old Ancestors chuckled, their gazes turning to Lu Xuan. "If the Qin Family dares to come, Peak Master Lu surely wouldn't stand idly by, would he?" They were feeling incredibly puffed up now! Peak Master Lu was someone who could even suppress the legendary Eerie Power! Why would he fear a mere Qin Family? What did it matter if they were an overlord-level power in the Southern Wilds? The Qin Family might indeed have a few Great Emperors, but before Lu Xuan, they were nothing more than a joke!

At this, Lu Xuan casually asked, "How strong are the Qin Family's Great Emperors?"

The Ye Family Old Ancestor pondered for a moment. "The strongest among the Qin Family should be a Seven-star Great Emperor! Besides him, the Qin Family also boasts several other Great Emperors!"

Lu Xuan frowned subtly. If a Seven-star Great Emperor from the Qin Family were to arrive, I would genuinely be no match! I only have a One-star Great Emperor experience card, and even with my Invincible Stance, I can only instantly kill Two-star Great Emperors! But in the Emperor Realm, the difference between each star is a chasm as vast as heaven and earth. I definitely couldn't contend with a Seven-star Great Emperor.

Seeing Lu Xuan's frown, the Ye Family Old Ancestor smiled, misinterpreting his expression. "Does Peak Master Lu perhaps find this Qin Family Old Ancestor too weak?"

Hearing this, all the Ye Family members laughed. A Seven-star Great Emperor, before Lu Xuan, was nothing more than an ant!

Ye Chen declared, "When the time comes, my Master will act, and the Qin Family will be instantly annihilated!"

Lu Xuan was instantly dumbfounded. What the hell? Who told them I was this powerful?! Don't stir up trouble! I'm seriously dumbfounded! How did they all get it into their heads that my power pierces the heavens and earth, capable of instantly obliterating anything? He didn't recall ever claiming he was invincible, did he?

Divine radiance shimmered in Ji Fuyao's eyes, and her tender lips parted slightly. "Master prefers to remain low-key, but that doesn't mean he'll swallow his pride or endure every slight."

The Ye Family members instantly recalled the scene at the family meeting, where Lu Xuan had gone on a rampage, instantly slaughtering over a dozen Profound Saints from the Grand Elder's faction! That was the true Lu Xuan! He doesn't seek trouble, but he certainly doesn't shy away from it!

Then, Ye Chen asked calmly, "Master, if that day truly comes, you will act, won't you?"

Lu Xuan could only bite the bullet and say, "Whatever, I'll handle it."

The moment those words left his mouth, the Ye Family members erupted into euphoria. Ye Chen had just latched onto an unparalleled backer by becoming Lu Xuan's disciple! The Ye Family was destined to rise in the Southern Wilds and become an overlord-level power!

Lu Xuan watched the Ye Family members' fervent excitement, utterly speechless. Did I go overboard with the act? But it's come this far; he had no choice but to keep up the act. The path he chose, he had to walk, even if it meant pretending. After all, in this world, a man's reputation is often what he makes it.

At this point, Qing Yan smiled. "However, I don't believe the Qin Family will directly act against the Ye Family. Not openly, at least."

The Ye Family Old Ancestor frowned. "Oh?"

Qing Yan explained, "Nangong Baixue is Qin Xiao's betrothed, and she was humiliated in the Ye Family. This is a disgrace to the Qin Family itself. The Qin Family and the Ye Family are not on the same level; even if they were to annihilate the Ye Family, what then? The entire Southern Wilds would know that Qin Xiao's Dao Companion was so thoroughly humiliated! For an overlord-level power, the loss of face would be far too significant."

The Ye Family Old Ancestor nodded. "That makes sense."

Qing Yan smiled. "So I believe that even if Nangong Baixue wanted to report this matter to Qin Xiao, Nangong Beiqiu would stop her. This incident, at its core, is a joke that would only bring shame upon the Qin Family!"

The Ye Family members concurred. Indeed.

The Ye Family Old Ancestor sighed slightly. "What a pity, to not witness Peak Master Lu's power in action. Just thinking about Peak Master Lu effortlessly annihilating Great Emperors with a raised hand still excites me!"

Lu Xuan's face twitched imperceptibly. He wished that were true. But his current strength simply didn't allow for it! What was wrong with these people?

Her starlit eyes shimmered, and Ji Fuyao stated calmly, "My Master prefers to remain low-key. You must not reveal anything about his true power."

The Ye Family members nodded reverently. "As you command!"

In that instant, Lu Xuan's image grew even more monumental in their minds. Was this the true demeanor of a truly peerless expert?

Lu Xuan glanced at Ji Fuyao, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. My eldest disciple truly understands me! I haven't fully 'developed' yet; high-profile, my ass! He'd be high-profile when he finally took on a High-star Great Emperor as a disciple. But then again, if he had a High-star Great Emperor as a disciple, would he even need to act himself? He could just lie flat and relax again. The future was still full of promise.

Then, Ji Fuyao looked at Ye Chen. "The Qin Family and the Supreme Profound Sect likely won't openly target the Ye Family, but they might come for you. In the future, you'll be facing the geniuses of the Supreme Profound Sect and the Qin Family!"

Ye Chen smiled faintly. "Senior Sister, all geniuses will be trampled underfoot by me! I will sweep aside all geniuses!"

Ye Changfeng clapped his hands and roared with laughter. "Good, good, good! Truly my son! What if Qin Xiao possesses the potential of a Great Emperor? My son also possesses the potential of a Great Emperor!" A faint blush crept onto Ye Chen's face.

Next, Ji Fuyao entrusted the Ye Family Old Ancestors with a few more matters. Qing Yan, Wang Man, and the others would handle the Drunken Immortal Pavilion situation. Soon, she and Lu Xuan would return to the Grand Dao Sect. However, before they left, Ji Fuyao looked at Lu Xuan. "It's been a while since I cooked for you, Master. Shall we eat before we go?"

Cooking!

The Ye Family members, including Wang Man and the other Dragon Guards, were utterly stunned. Has a powerful expert like Lu Xuan not yet transcended the need for food? Their jaws dropped. But then, a thought struck them. How could they possibly fathom the depths of an expert like Lu Xuan?

Ji Fuyao smiled. "Actually, back on Azure Mystery Peak, I often cooked for Master."

They stood rooted to the spot, dumbstruck. This was Empress Fuyao! When had Empress Fuyao ever condescended to cook for anyone else? Only an expert like Peak Master Lu could command such reverence, making the Empress herself humble herself so.

Soon, Ji Fuyao approached the kitchen. The Ye Family Old Ancestors, Qing Yan, Wang Man, and others immediately vied with each other to assist Ji Fuyao.

"Empress, I'll wash the spirit vegetables…"

"Empress, I'll cut the spirit meat…"

But Ji Fuyao refused them all, unceremoniously shooing them out of the kitchen. "You all just watch. I'll do it myself."

A crowd gathered at the kitchen doorway, discreetly peeking in. Inside the kitchen, only Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao remained. As for Lu Xuan? He had long since retreated to Ye Chen's room for a nap. He still couldn't wrap his head around it; it was just cooking a meal! Why had dozens of Quasi-Emperors and Half-Emperors been mobilized for it? Was all this really necessary? Would their presence somehow make the food taste better?

Meanwhile, the onlookers watched Ji Fuyao chop vegetables and stir the pot with a practiced ease that was almost heartbreaking to witness. Ye Chen observed carefully from the side. He whispered, "Senior Sister, what does Master usually do on Azure Mystery Peak?"

Ji Fuyao smiled. "He eats, he rests, sometimes he might compose a poem or paint a picture."

Ye Chen was utterly aghast. "Master… doesn't cultivate?"