Chapter 44: "Fight"

Gu Tianheng controlled himself and looked at Ye Xiaotian with a ruthless expression before saying calmly, "Do you think that if I kill you here, the Vermillion Flame Sect will dare to touch even a single hair on my head?" He sneered, "Given the upcoming war between the Vermillion Flame Sect and the Black Serpent Sect, what do you think will happen if my Azure Flame Sect decides to side with the Black Serpent Sect?"

The smile on Ye Xiaotian's face slowly faded as he heard the threat in Gu Tianheng's words. His sharp aura flared, and those standing near him immediately felt a suffocating pressure radiating from his body.

Elder Liu and the other elders' expressions turned serious after hearing Gu Tianheng's words.

The entire Mystic Reliquary Hall was now silent, and many people turned their attention toward Ye Xiaotian.

Ye Xiaotian looked straight at Gu Tianheng, his voice sharp and unwavering. "This threat alone is enough reason for me to cut off your head and send it to the Azure Flame Sect."

After uttering those words, he casually curled his fingers around the Ashen Soul Ruins map and picked it up.

A faint gloominess flashed across Gu Tianheng's dark face. With a flick of his fingers, his purple-colored fan snapped open. The edges of the fan gleamed like blades as they cut through the air, slashing toward Ye Xiaotian's hand with a force so sharp that even space itself trembled, forming faint crack lines.

"A mere Foundation Establishment Realm ant dares to say he'll cut off my head?" Gu Tianheng sneered, his voice filled with contempt. "Today, I will kill you and see if the Vermillion Flame Sect even dares to lay a hand on me!"

His sudden attack shocked the elders, but they reacted quickly. Elder Liu hastily formed a protective barrier in front of Ye Xiaotian using his spiritual energy.

"Hmph!" Gu Tianheng snorted arrogantly when he saw the defense. He then turned to the old man behind him and said, "Elder Chen, keep them occupied for a while. I'll personally teach this ant a lesson."

Elder Chen, hearing his command, wasted no time. With a single punch, he struck Elder Liu's barrier. The protective shield shattered like fragile glass, dispersing into thin air. Elder Chen then looked at Elder Liu and the other three elders, his eyes filled with cold indifference. "Your opponent is me," he declared.

Despite Gu Tianheng's vicious attack, Ye Xiaotian's expression remained unchanged. Without hesitation, he snapped his fingers, and the surrounding spiritual energy instantly condensed into an arrow with a 'Bang!' it tore apart the fan's attack with ease.

He then glanced at Elder Liu and the others and said calmly, "You don't need to worry. Let me handle this."

Gu tianheng became astonished even though he only used very little power in this attack, but it was enough to give a heavy damage to someone at the foundation establishment realm.

However, just as Ye Xiaotian was about to attack, the shopkeeper suddenly stepped forward. His gaze locked onto Gu Tianheng as he spoke coldly, "Esteemed customer, if you wish to do business, you are most welcome here. However, if you are here to cause trouble, I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place."

The shopkeeper continued, his gaze locked onto Gu Tianheng, his voice carrying a cold authority. "Do not think that my Mystic Reliquary Hall fears the Azure Flame Sect."

A chilling silence followed his words. The atmosphere inside the store grew tense, the very air thick with suppressed spiritual energy.

Gu Tianheng's eyes twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He waved his fan, lightly brushing away the shopkeeper's warning. "Oh? So it seems now even a little shopkeeper thinks he can lecture me?" His tone was mocking, but his eyes carried a hint of caution. He glared at the shopkeeper with a livid expression.

The Mystic Reliquary Hall was no ordinary store. Its background was mysterious, and no one knew exactly who owned it. But what was certain was that it had existed in Eboncrest City for centuries, untouched even by the most powerful sects. Some even speculated that an ancient force backed it, one that even the ruling powers of the continent dared not provoke.

And a force that can manage such a large store in a messy place like Eboncrest City will not be ordinary.

Elder Chen, standing behind Gu Tianheng slightly narrowed his eyes at the shopkeeper. Even he could tell that the man before them was not a mere merchant.

The shopkeeper, however, remained unbothered by this. His expression was calm and his posture relaxed yet firm. "This is Mystic Reliquary Hall. Here, neither status nor wealth dictates power. Only respect does. If you wish to do business, then act accordingly. If not..." His eyes darkened ever so slightly, and the faint pressure of an immense, hidden cultivation swept across the room. "You may leave."

An ugly expression flashed across Gu TIanheng's sinister face when he heard the words of the shopkeeper. The arrogant gleam in his eyes dimmed for just a moment before he let out a light chuckle. "Heh, how interesting..." He flicked his fan shut and looked at Ye Xiaotian and said, his voice dripping with malice. "Consider yourself lucky today, brat. But don't think this matter is over."

His gaze shifted back to the shopkeeper, and for the first time, there was no arrogance in his tone. "Very well, since your store upholds such 'respectable rules,' I won't trouble you further today."

He turned and walked toward the exit, gesturing for his two female companions and Elder Chen to follow. But as he reached the exit, he paused slightly, his voice carrying across the hall.

"Boy… enjoy your little victory while you can. Soon, you'll find out that offending me was the worst mistake in your life, you have ever made."

With that, Gu Tianheng strode out of Mystic Reliquary Hall, his entourage following closely behind.

The moment they left, the suffocating tension in the air eased. Conversations resumed in hushed tones, but the lingering presence of conflict still hung over the room.

Ye Xiaotian looked at the back of the group and muttered with an ice cold voice, "You also shouldn't offend me. Otherwise, you will not leave Eboncrest city alive, even when your father comes."

He exhaled softly, his golden eyes flashing with sharp intent. He had expected trouble in Eboncrest City, but it seemed fate was already setting pieces in motion.

The shopkeeper, now back to his neutral demeanor, glanced at Ye Xiaotian. "You've made quite an enemy today."

Ye Xiaotian smirked. "Enemies are nothing new to me."

Elder Liu, watching the exchange, finally relaxed his stance. He turned to the shopkeeper and nodded. "Apologies for the disturbance."

The shopkeeper waved a hand dismissively. "It is nothing. However, be mindful Gu Tianheng is not someone who forgets humiliation easily."

Elder Liu nodded, understanding the unspoken warning. "We will handle whatever comes."

With that, Elder Liu handed over the payment, and the shopkeeper placed the Ashen Soul Ruins map into Ye Xiaotian's hands.

After getting the map, Ye Xiaotian's group stepped out of the mystic reliquary hall, disappearing into the bustling streets of the Eboncrest city.

Gu Tianheng's group emerged from a dark alleyway, clinging to them like the shadows. The once-arrogant smirk on Gu Tianheng's face had long faded, replaced by a dark, brooding expression. His eyes were sharp with malice, flickering with barely restrained anger as he glared at Ye Xiaotian's retreating figure in the distance.

The bustling streets of Eboncrest City moved around them, unaware of the storm brewing within the Azure Flame Sect's young master. His hand gripped so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Only when Ye Xiaotian's group had disappeared completely did Gu Tianheng finally exhale, the corners of his lips curling into a sinister, icy smile.

"Interesting… very interesting," he murmured, his voice carrying a chilling amusement.

The two women beside him, who had remained quiet during the earlier encounter, exchanged glances. This was the first time that he was this humiliated. They have seen him being angry, but this time he was truly angered to death. 

Behind him, Elder Chen, his most trusted protector, remained still, his expression unreadable. Though he had watched the entire exchange unfold without interfering, he knew how arrogant his young master was and knew well that this was not the end of this.

Gu Tianheng turned slightly, his gaze falling on Elder Chen. "Old Chen," he said, his voice dropping into a dangerous whisper. "Look into this brat's background. Thoroughly."

Elder Chen's expression didn't change, but he nodded immediately. "Understood, young master."

Gu Tianheng tapped his fan against his palm, his eyes gleaming with an eerie light. "Ke ke… If he's who I think he is, then this will be very interesting. I never imagined I'd run into him here of all places."

The two women beside him frowned slightly. One of them, a violet-robed beauty with sharp, intelligent eyes, finally spoke. "Young master, are you saying this Ye Xiaotian… isn't just an ordinary disciple?"

Gu Tianheng let out a low chuckle, one that sent a chill through the air. "Oh, he's not ordinary at all. If I'm correct, he's someone I've been looking for, and if he's just an ordinary disciple, then why would the vermillion flame sect send him to a place like Ashen Soul Ruins."

His fingers curled slightly around the edge of his fan as he continued, his voice now dripping with cruel amusement. "And if that's the case, then hunting him down will be even more satisfying."

Elder Chen's gaze flickered as he absorbed his young master's words. "Do you intend to act immediately?"

Gu Tianheng smirked. "Not yet. Let's see how the little mouse moves first. The Ashen Soul Ruins are filled with dangers… some seen, some unseen. Why rush when the game has just begun?"

He turned his gaze toward the dark clouds looming over the horizon, where the Ashen Soul Ruins awaited.

"Let him enjoy his little victory for now." His voice was soft but laced with venom. "Soon, he'll learn that crossing me… is the biggest mistake he's ever made."

And with that, Gu Tianheng turned and walked away, stepping deeper into the shadows of Eboncrest City, already plotting his next move.

Ye Xiaotian's group successfully returned to the Scarlet Moon Pavilion. After stepping through the doors of their rooms, they finally came to a stop. Ye Xiaotian turned his head, noticing the deep frown on Elder Liu's face. Involuntarily, a small smile formed on his lips.

He asked, "Is Elder Liu worried about Gu Tianheng?"

Elder Liu nodded with a bitter smile upon hearing this. He sighed, "Although we are not afraid of the Azure Flame Sect siding with the Black Serpent Sect, the real concern is Gu Tianheng targeting you inside the Ashen Soul Ruins. He could also inform the Black Serpent Sect about your presence."

Ye Xiaotian faintly smiled and replied, "This is something beyond my control. But you don't need to worry too much about them attacking me in the ruins. Even if a Soul Awakening Realm expert appears, I have full confidence in my ability to fight them off and remain unscathed."

The current Ye Xiaotian possessed the qualifications to utter these words. With his strength, he had no reason to be afraid of anyone below the Intermediate Soul Awakening Realm. Even if someone of that level came after him, he was confident in his ability to escape without a scratch.

Moreover, even though the Azure Flame Sect was a powerful sect, they only had one Intermediate Soul Awakening Realm ancestor, and someone of that status would not leave the sect easily. Because of this, Ye Xiaotian wasn't particularly worried about the Azure Flame Sect's schemes.

Elder Liu found himself unable to say anything more after hearing Ye Xiaotian's words. He knew that Ye Xiaotian was incredibly powerful, even stronger than himself, but there was still a lingering unease within him.

Ye Xiaotian was naturally unaware of what Elder Liu was thinking. After saying what he needed to, he turned, entered his room, and closed the door behind him.

End of Chapter 44