“I’ve come today to propose marriage.”
With those words, Ji Yue Old Ancestor fixed his gaze on Xuanji Holy Lord. He had expected a strong reaction from her, whether joyful acceptance or outright rejection. But Xuanji Holy Lord’s face remained utterly unmoving, just as it had been every time he’d seen her throughout the ages, like a towering, frigid mountain standing before him. Ji Yue Old Ancestor felt an immense, unbridgeable distance between them, even as he stood directly before her—a chasm he could never hope to cross.
A moment of profound silence stretched between them.
Ji Yue Old Ancestor pressed on, “Say yes, Baili.”
Xuanji Holy Lord remained seated cross-legged, not even bothering to turn her head towards Ji Yue Old Ancestor. “Leave,” she said, her voice flat. “I need to continue my cultivation.” With that, she simply closed her eyes.
At this sight, Ji Yue Old Ancestor felt his heart bleed. He looked at the numerous supreme treasures in his hand and the vast quantity of Star Stones hovering in the air. “Baili, I know you are single-mindedly devoted to the Dao. You have no need for these robes or ornaments, but please, accept these Star Stones.”
Xuanji Holy Lord replied indifferently, “I don’t need them.”
Ji Yue Old Ancestor froze on the spot. He had imagined a thousand different outcomes, but never such a blunt, immediate rejection from Xuanji Holy Lord. He felt an endless wave of humiliation wash over him!
He was the strongest Old Ancestor of the Ji Family, the most powerful being in the Eastern Wilds. Within the Ji Family, within the entire Eastern Wilds, he could summon wind and rain with a single thought, command the clouds and bring forth storms with a mere flick of his hand. All mortals revered and feared him. Yet, before Xuanji Holy Lord, he was utterly defeated! Invincible across the Eastern Wilds, yet vanquished by Xuanji Holy Lord! The most humiliating part was that he had been staring intently at Xuanji Holy Lord, scrutinizing her every move, yet she hadn't even turned her head, nor had she spared a glance for the treasures and Star Stones in his hands. The thought ignited a furious blaze within him.
Ji Yue Old Ancestor’s face flushed crimson with rage. “Baili, I saved your life! Is this how you repay me?”
Xuanji Holy Lord calmly stated, “I already gave one of your people a Storage Ring. If you feel it’s insufficient, I can offer more.”
Ji Yue Old Ancestor’s features twisted into a grotesque mask. “I don’t need your cultivation resources! I want you! I want all of you!”
Xuanji Holy Lord simply said, “Go back.”
Ji Yue Old Ancestor’s face turned savage, and he snarled, “Baili, you need to understand your situation! If I leave, the three major factions of the Eastern Wilds will immediately besiege you! In this entire Eastern Wilds, I am the only one who doesn’t covet your cultivation technique! An innocent man gets into trouble for possessing a treasure! The cultivation technique you possess must have taken you countless ages to comprehend, but with your current strength, you won’t be able to protect it! I’m not threatening you! If I leave, who in the Eastern Wilds will protect you?? I don’t want to see you die!”
Xuanji Holy Lord uttered only one word: “Go!”
Ji Yue Old Ancestor snarled, “I am already the strongest in the Eastern Wilds! What more do you want from me? What kind of person do you even like?”
As his voice trailed off, a white-robed figure flashed through Xuanji Holy Lord’s mind, but it quickly vanished. She had no desire to dwell on such matters now. Facing Ji Yue Old Ancestor’s desperate questions, Xuanji Holy Lord offered no reply, simply ignoring him completely.
Ji Yue Old Ancestor roared, “Baili, I truly don’t want to see you in distress! You should know I have a thousand ways to forcibly take you away, but I haven’t done so! Because my heart deeply adores you! In my entire life, I’ve met countless women, but only you have truly entered my heart.”
Xuanji Holy Lord’s hand seals shifted, and she began to circulate the Dao of Eerie Scripture, resuming her cultivation.
Ji Yue Old Ancestor collected the supreme treasures from his hand and the Star Stones from the air, then turned to leave. But he paused in mid-air, casting one last look at Xuanji Holy Lord. “The three major factions only spared your life out of respect for me. Once I’m gone, you will die! You can still change your mind!”
Xuanji Holy Lord remained silent.
“Agh!” Ji Yue Old Ancestor let out a furious roar, his chest heaving. He unleashed a punch directly into the Eerie Abyss. BOOM! Terrifying, boundless power surged outwards like a tidal wave. A horrifying black storm immediately erupted within the Eerie Abyss, sweeping across heaven and earth. The next instant, Ji Yue Old Ancestor, clad in his white robe, shot into the sky, vanishing into the depths of the void, his form radiating an incredibly potent killing intent and fury.
Witnessing this, the Old Ancestors of the three major factions all turned their heads away. Clearly, Ji Yue Old Ancestor’s affections were unrequited; he had been utterly rebuffed by Xuanji Holy Lord! The numerous Ji Family powerhouses exchanged bewildered glances. They simply couldn’t comprehend it. How could someone as mighty as Ji Yue Old Ancestor fail in his pursuit of a woman? It was utterly unbelievable! Xuanji Holy Lord was far too aloof! Ji Yue Old Ancestor was a true titan, capable of dominating the entire Eastern Wilds with a single hand! And he still failed?
Ji Yue Old Ancestor looked at the assembled Ji Family powerhouses, then flicked his sleeve. “Retreat! My Ji Family is withdrawing from this place.”
A Ji Family powerhouse lowered his voice and asked, “Old Ancestor, can’t we use force?”
Hearing this, Ji Yue Old Ancestor’s face darkened further. He immediately slapped out with his palm. CRACK! Terrifying power, vast as an ocean, instantly shattered the Ji Family powerhouse’s body into a mist of blood! Both his form and spirit were utterly annihilated! Everyone present was stunned into silence. No one dared utter another word!
Ji Yue Old Ancestor stepped directly into his Ancient Chariot. He then looked at the Old Ancestors of the three major factions. “Do as you see fit.”
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Soon, the Ji Family’s Ancient Chariot tore through the void, transforming into several dazzling rivers of stars, and vanished from the Eerie Abyss.
Once Ji Yue Old Ancestor had departed, the Old Ancestors of the Cloud Sword Sect, Ancient Luo Family, and Ancient Chen Family all gathered together. Their expressions were grave. The Ancient Luo Family Old Ancestor frowned. “Now Ji Yue Old Ancestor wants us to pressure Xuanji Holy Lord!”
The Cloud Sword Sect Old Ancestor said, “The measure of pressure is too difficult to control!”
The Ancient Chen Family Old Ancestor, however, revealed a mysterious smile. “I, on the other hand, see this as our opportunity. We have no right to pursue Xuanji Holy Lord herself, but we can certainly suppress her and seize her cultivation technique. As for what happens next, it will naturally pave the way for Ji Yue Old Ancestor, forcing Xuanji Holy Lord to seek his aid!”
Seek aid! Hearing this, the other Old Ancestors all nodded. “This is exactly what Ji Yue Old Ancestor wants to see. Since Xuanji Holy Lord is so stubborn, we’ll push her into a corner. With no one to rely on in the Eastern Wilds, she’ll have no choice but to beg Ji Yue Old Ancestor for mercy. Then, Ji Yue Old Ancestor gets his beauty, and we get a heaven-defying cultivation technique. It’s a win-win! Hahahahaha!” They burst into laughter. They decided to act immediately!
Just then, the Eerie Abyss suddenly pulsed with incredibly dazzling array patterns. The abyss, shrouded in black mist, was instantly illuminated, shining with blinding brilliance as endless array patterns lit up like countless stars. Xuanji Holy Lord had directly activated the Heaven-Reaching Grand Array! In the past few days, she had already laid down this grand array within the Eerie Abyss. One had to remember, when Xuanji Holy Lord first established the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone, she had personally participated in constructing its grand arrays; her attainments in formation arts were exceptionally profound. Now, she was using the Heaven and Earth Momentum of the Eerie Abyss as her foundation to construct the Heaven-Reaching Grand Array. She was about to break through to the Two-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme realm!
Seeing this, the Cloud Sword Sect Old Ancestor suddenly roared, “Xuanji Holy Lord has set up this grand array to break through! We absolutely cannot let her succeed!”