Her eyes burned with intensity as she charged toward them, but her voice was icy cold: "Since you're so eager to die, don't leave this pavilion."
The few men couldn't help but laugh: "Just a first-rank Great Mystic Master like you thinks you can take us on? What a joke."
Ye Lanshan didn't flare up at their mockery. Instead, she smiled faintly and said, "A joke? No one has ever dared to underestimate me. Since that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless."
In her mind, she thought: Since you're so clueless and want to kill us, don't blame me for being merciless. I'll use you to sacrifice to my Red Lotus Karmic Flame.
"Wings of Carnage"—the massive fiery wings slowly materialized behind Ye Lanshan. Their temperature and hue were different from before. Though the changes were subtle, Ye Lanshan could still sense that the heat was higher and the color had deepened to a richer red.
Even though Ye Lanshan's flames were stronger than before, the opponents across from her were at a much higher cultivation level—Mystic Generals. Dealing with her flames was still a breeze for them.
"Is this what you meant by killing us? With your current skills, hah, it's not too late to surrender now. If you do, we might even grant you a dignified death."
Ye Lanshan said nothing. Instead, she condensed a spear from her flames and thrust it directly at the men, but they dodged it with ease.
Ye Yutian, fearing Ye Lanshan might actually get hurt, ordered Bai Yan to take her away while the men were distracted.
"Trying to take her away and find reinforcements? Ye Yutian, do you really think so little of us? Do you honestly believe that with just you alone, you can make us ignore them?" One of the black-clad men struck at Bai Yan.
Ye Lanshan quickly moved close to Ye Yutian and whispered, "When they came, they already had no intention of letting anyone in this pavilion live. Now we have no choice but to fight them. If you have any trump cards, don't hold back—just reveal them. Don't worry, I won't tell a soul."
Ye Yutian frowned. "It seems this is the only way. Bai Ze, come out." With a flash of white light, a beast with the posture of a lion, two horns on its head, and a goat's beard appeared before Ye Lanshan.
The beast let out a mighty roar, shaking and injuring the men. They tried to flee, but how could they possibly escape a divine beast's hunt? In no time, the men were dead beyond dead.
Bai Ze shrank down, turned around, and asked, "Has your body recovered?"
Ye Yutian looked at his own hand and said, "Recover? It's not that easy. Without the Nine-Turn Twin-Life Pill, the damage to my meridians will be hard to heal."
Ye Lanshan's heart skipped a beat. So his meridians were injured too, and he needed the Nine-Turn Twin-Life Pill. No wonder he went after the Twin-Life Fruit.
"Your fire is Red Lotus Blaze. I never expected Red Lotus Blaze to appear on this low-level continent," Bai Ze suddenly turned to look at her and said.
Ye Lanshan's heart jolted, and she blurted out, "How do you know it's Red Lotus Karmic Flame?"
Bai Ze said proudly, "I am Bai Ze. There's nothing in this world I don't know."
Before Bai Ze could finish speaking, Ye Yutian immediately recalled him. "Let's go quickly. If we don't leave now, we might not be able to."
Sure enough, after they left, several old men arrived at the pavilion. "He's back. It seems the heavens here are about to change." The old men's eyes held a complex look. "We need to prepare as well."
Back at the Ye residence, Ye Lanshan asked curiously, "Why do you have a divine beast like Bai Ze? As far as I know, this continent doesn't seem to have such precious bloodlines."
Ye Yutian paused mid-step and said coldly, "That's not for you to be curious about. Tomorrow, I'll send you back to the Moon Kingdom. Go rest now."
That night, Ye Lanshan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She had a premonition that she would learn something tonight. She got up and headed to the study. Sure enough, as soon as she arrived, she heard Ye Yutian talking with a stranger.
"Si Kongkuang is at the Mystic Spirit Academy. Should I send someone to invite him over?"
Ye Yutian shook his head. "He probably won't come. Even if he does, he won't refine the Nine-Turn Twin-Life Pill."
"Then what do we do?" The stranger's voice carried a hint of urgency. "Those people already know you're alive. They'll likely come looking for you in a few days."
Ye Yutian said coldly, "What's there to fear? Even if my meridians are damaged, they wouldn't dare do anything to me."
The moment Ye Lanshan heard the name Si Kongkuang, she got excited and accidentally let her aura slip.
Ye Lanshan thought, *Damn it,* and immediately hid herself in her space.
Sure enough, Ye Yutian and the stranger sensed her presence and rushed to the door, striking out. But when they stepped outside, they found no trace of anyone.
Ye Yutian muttered, "Could I have sensed wrong?"
"Meow~" A cat suddenly passed by their door. Ye Yutian breathed a sigh of relief. *So it was just a cat?*
After a while, Ye Yutian finished his discussion with the stranger and saw him off before returning to his bedroom.
Only then did Ye Lanshan dare to come out. She immediately headed back to her room, thinking, *So Si Kongkuang is at the Mystic Spirit Academy. Looks like I'll have to go there.*
The next morning, Ye Yutian asked, "Have you packed everything?"
Ye Lanshan replied, "Yes. Let's go."
Three days later, Ye Luotian looked at Ye Lanshan with excitement. "Why are you back?"
Ye Lanshan said playfully, "I missed you. Can't I come back for a visit? What, not welcoming me?"
Ye Luotian forced a smile. "How could I not welcome you? Don't just stand at the door. Come, let's go back to the mansion."
In the courtyard, Ye Luotian asked, "Where's the Night King? Didn't he come back with you?"
Ye Lanshan said, "He had something to attend to and left first."
After chatting with Ye Lanshan for a while, Ye Luotian grew tired. He smiled and said, "I'm getting old and useless. Even chatting tires me out. Lanshan, go to your room and rest."
Ye Lanshan looked at him with concern. "Grandfather, are you alright?"
Ye Luotian waved his hand. "I'm fine. Just a bit tired. I should go rest."
Ye Lanshan wanted to ask more, but seeing Ye Luotian's exhausted expression and his reluctance to talk, she said, "Then I'll head back."
Once in her own courtyard, Ye Lanshan immediately summoned Ye Yuan. "What's really going on with my grandfather? I feel like something's off with him."
Ye Yuan's expression was grave. "Miss, after you left, the old master kept coughing up blood. He wouldn't let me call a physician, saying he was fine, and told me not to tell you, afraid you'd worry."
Ye Lanshan nodded. "And has Ye Feng made any moves lately?"
Ye Yuan replied, "Ye Feng has been acting the same as usual. Nothing major."