Chapter 489: A Great Service Indeed!

"Cough, cough, cough... I am originally from the Windstorm Realm, so how can you speak of me being in cahoots? You have been to the Boundless Realm, so you should know that I have no choice."

Dai Yuhen also wore a sorrowful expression, clearly conflicted about the invasion of the Boundless Realm.

A war between two realms meant endless slaughter and countless souls lost.

"No choice? Your life is your own, not someone else's! Zhao Tianyin is regarded by you as the supreme being, not to be profaned. But do you know what you are in his eyes? You... are merely tools for him to command!" Ye Yuan said calmly.

Dai Yuhen's gaze darkened, and his face suddenly flushed red with anger. "How dare you blaspheme the Wind Emperor! If you have the guts, kill me; otherwise, I will make you pay for today's offense!"

Ye Yuan shook his head and sighed. "Pedantic! Zhao Tianyin is merely a Boundless Realm cultivator, just a mortal! He puts on a sanctimonious front, but when he knelt before me, wasn't he like a dog?"

"Cough, cough, cough... You... you're asking for death!"

Dai Yuhen struggled to stand, but after several attempts, he could not get up.

"Alas... the Heavenly Way is vast, the human path is obscure. Before the Heavenly Way, we are all but ants! Elder Dai, if not for our battle today, why would I waste my breath on you? You think I am insulting Zhao Tianyin, but I tell you, Zhao Tianyin is not even worthy of my insult. Broaden your horizons; above the Windstorm Realm lies the Divine Domain..."

Dai Yuhen's expression stiffened. The words 'Divine Domain' naturally stirred hope within him.

Dai Yuhen suddenly remembered that Ye Yuan had once ventured deep into the Windstorm Realm to rescue his fellow disciples and returned to the Boundless Realm unscathed.

What exactly had happened in between? Why had the Wind Emperor not kept this young man?

There seemed to be many untold stories in between!

After this battle, Dai Yuhen and Ye Yuan even felt a certain mutual admiration.

Dai Yuhen could sense Ye Yuan's sincerity; otherwise, he could have simply killed him.

When Ye Yuan killed Liao Wenguang and He Jun, he showed no mercy.

The reason he did not kill him today was probably due to his own detached attitude.

Could it be... that he had been wrong?

"Moreover, although I do not know why the two successive Wind Emperors invaded the Boundless Realm, I have a feeling they harbor some ulterior motive. But no matter what, Zhao Tianyin... I will kill him with my own hands!"

At this point, Ye Yuan's killing intent suddenly surged.

The humiliation Zhao Tianyin had inflicted that day would one day be avenged!

"Alright, I have said my piece. The choice is yours, and it has nothing to do with me. But... if we meet on the battlefield next time, I will not show mercy! Senior Brother, let's go!" Ye Yuan said calmly.

Dai Yuhen silently watched Ye Yuan's retreating figure, his mind in turmoil.

He had been indoctrinated since childhood to be loyal to the Wind Emperor, and his cultivation techniques and elixirs were all bestowed by the Wind Emperor.

Thus, in Dai Yuhen's understanding, loyalty to the Wind Emperor was only natural.

Yet Ye Yuan's words today quietly opened a window in his closed mind.

...

Atop Mount Xiuming in the Northern Domain.

Two old men and a middle-aged woman were drinking tea at a stone table under a pine tree. Behind the woman and one of the old men stood a young person each.

The two young people, a man and a woman, were none other than Yin Yanhua and Guo Taoqun, who had returned to the Northern Domain from the Nether Cloud Sect.

Their presence here made the identities of the three elders obvious.

These three were the patriarchs of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, the Heavenly Martial Sect, and the Profound Ice Sect—the three strongest individuals in the Northern Domain and even the entire Boundless Realm!

However, the three of them were currently frowning, in no mood for tea.

The patriarch of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, Qin Hongtao, said indignantly, "That brat Ye Yuan is too arrogant. He dares to detain Yan'er? I think he's tired of living! Ning Yixian, you actually want me to spare that kid? Preposterous!"

Ning Yixian, the patriarch of the Heavenly Martial Sect, was the one Qin Hongtao referred to.

"According to Taoqun and the others, this child's talent is monstrous; among the younger generation, he has no equal! With the Boundless Realm on the brink of disaster, if you kill Ye Yuan, wouldn't that sadden friends and gladden enemies?" Ning Yixian advised.

Ning Yixian knew that Qin Yan was Qin Hongtao's direct grandson, destined to inherit his legacy.

Now that Qin Yan had been taken by Ye Yuan, how could Qin Hongtao not be furious?

But at a time like this, internal strife was not the answer.

If the Nether Cloud Sect were an insignificant minor sect, it might be different, but Ye Yuan's talent was too astonishing. Killing such a genius with one's own hands would be a great absurdity!

Qin Hongtao, however, did not see it that way. Ye Yuan's actions were like pulling the whiskers of a tiger!

Upon hearing the news, Qin Hongtao had wanted to go and kill immediately, but Ning Yixian, who had arrived first, stopped him.

As a result, Qin Hongtao was dragged to Mount Xiuming by Ning Yixian.

"Hmph! No matter how talented that brat is, taking Yan'er hostage is unacceptable! Unless he comes to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect in person and kowtows in apology, this matter is not over! Letting the Nether Cloud Sect survive back then was a mistake. Now I will remedy that by going out of my way to destroy the Nether Cloud Sect!" Qin Hongtao fumed.

Ning Yixian said, "Hey, you old man, still so hot-tempered! How do you plan to destroy the Nether Cloud Sect? Don't you want your precious grandson to live? That kid is clearly decisive in killing. If you dare to destroy his sect, he will dare to kill your grandson! Are you willing to go down with him?"

Qin Hongtao's expression stiffened. Ning Yixian's words had clearly struck a nerve.

Indeed, Ye Yuan's move was too ruthless.

Qin Hongtao might be powerful, but Qin Yan was a hostage in the enemy's hands!

"Alas... speaking of which, we both should thank this kid Ye Yuan. If he hadn't single-handedly held off the entire Purple Firmament Sect, the Windstorm Realm's army would have already crossed the Boundless Forest!"

At this, Ning Yixian's eyes also showed deep admiration.

If not for Ye Yuan's appearance disrupting the Purple Firmament Sect's plans, once the passage between the two realms was opened, the Windstorm Realm could have marched straight in, crossing the Boundless Forest!

"Ye Yuan has rendered a great service! Qin Hongtao, you are a figure of paramount importance. Why stoop to the level of a junior? Besides, Qin Yan was detained because your people provoked him first. Ye Yuan only acted in self-defense. At this stage, we three sects must prioritize the greater good!"

The Profound Ice Sect's patriarch, Immortal Jingxuan, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke.