Chapter 264: Promotion to Squad Leader

Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Promotion to Squad Leader

After the members of the Ninth Team split the Spirit Stones, they became even more loyal to Yi Xiaoyao.

"Captain, if you can’t stay in the Primordial Evil Alliance anymore, I’ll leave with you!" Wind Discipline said with a grin.

"Me too! As long as you’ll have us, Captain, we’ll follow you!" the others chimed in.

Yi Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. ’Looks like they all think I won’t be able to last long here with Yuan Lie out for revenge. That’s why they’re saying this.’

’Then again, they’re not wrong. I’ll be leaving as soon as I get the Secret Collection. And if I want to establish a foothold in the Chaotic Alliance Domain later on, I’ll need to build my own power base. These team members are certainly loyal candidates.’

"Alright. If I leave someday, I’ll take you with me."

Yi Xiaoyao nodded and smiled at them, then turned to Wind Discipline. "Wind Discipline, that slash you used against Han Sheng... it already had a hint of my Instant Kill Sword. I didn’t realize you had such a high aptitude for this technique. Perhaps I’ll teach you the full Instant Kill Sword in the future."

"The Instant Kill Sword!" Wind Discipline’s eyes lit up. He desperately coveted this technique and immediately offered his thanks in joyful surprise.

Although the Instant Kill Sword wasn’t quite a Celestial Tier technique, mastering it meant mastering the ultimate sword-drawing speed, making it more precious than almost any Earth Tier Spiritual Skill.

Yi Xiaoyao smiled faintly, then rose and returned to his quarters.

The recent battles had tempered him and given him new insights into his Realm. Naturally, he planned to use this opportunity to break through to the next level of his Cultivation.

...

Meanwhile, his face contorted with rage, Yuan Lie stormed toward the Main Pillar.

Word of what happened today had already spread throughout the entire Primordial Evil Alliance. All the goodwill Yuan Lie had cultivated by sending fine wine to the various Sub-Pillars was instantly wiped out.

Yuan Lie was filled with hatred. He hated Yi Xiaoyao!

And so, he would have his revenge!

"Hmph! You dare humiliate me? I’ll make sure there’s not even a grave for you to be buried in!"

Yuan Lie growled, gritting his teeth, and flashed directly into a mansion within the Main Pillar.

Inside the mansion, the Leader of Yuan Sha Alliance, Yuan Chou, stood with his hands behind his back. He knew Yuan Lie would come looking for him.

"Father..." Yuan Lie had come to ask Yuan Chou for help with his revenge, but the moment he saw his father, he lost his nerve. After all, he had deceived his father about the matter with Han Sheng.

Yuan Chou turned, his expression dark as he let out a cold snort.

"You still have the nerve to see me?"

Clearly, Yuan Chou had heard what happened. Yuan Lie hadn’t just disgraced himself; he had disgraced Yuan Chou as well.

Yuan Lie gritted his teeth. "Father, this was my fault, and I’ll accept my punishment. But that Yi Xiaoyao humiliated me! He’s made me a laughingstock in the Primordial Evil Alliance and cost me all my support. Please, Father, help me kill him!"

"Kill him?" Yuan Chou sneered. "If I were to kill him over this, who do you think would want to stay in the Primordial Evil Alliance?"

Indeed. If Yuan Chou were to kill Yi Xiaoyao just because his son was humiliated for his own despicable actions, he would lose all credibility. The other members would surely live in a state of fear and uncertainty.

The Primordial Evil Alliance’s reputation would be ruined. Not only would no one dare to join, but many of its current experts would also leave.

Yuan Lie understood this as well. He frowned. "Then what should we do?"

"We will handle this according to the rules. Promote Yi Xiaoyao to Squad Leader," Yuan Chou said flatly.

"What?!" Yuan Lie’s face fell. "I was humiliated for nothing, and now you want to *promote* that guy?"

At that moment, Yuan Lie started to wonder if he was even Yuan Chou’s biological son.

"How can you expect to take over the Primordial Evil Alliance if you can’t even keep your composure!" Yuan Chou chided, displeased with his son.

Yuan Lie quickly backtracked. "I was being impulsive. You must have your reasons for doing this, Father."

Yuan Chou huffed and began to pace.

"For someone in the Nascent Soul Realm, Yi Xiaoyao’s strength is something even I find hard to believe. His potential is clearly immense."

"However, the Primordial Evil Alliance will one day be yours, and you and he do not get along. So, no matter how great his potential, he cannot be allowed to stay. He must die."

"As for promoting him to Squad Leader... First, it’s to appease the members and show that we are fair. Second, it’s a way to kill him."

With every steady sentence Yuan Chou spoke, Yuan Lie’s eyes grew brighter.

"How do we kill him?" Yuan Lie asked.

Yuan Chou gave a faint smile and continued.

"After the Cold Blood Alliance was destroyed, our Primordial Evil Alliance seized a portion of its territory. We can send Yi Xiaoyao there to serve as the new Squad Leader."

"The Cold Blood Alliance had many smaller, affiliated alliances under its command. The strongest of these is the Earth Return Alliance, whose leader has a Cultivation at the Third Realm of Nascent Soul Transformation. I was originally planning to send a Protector to eliminate them, but since this has happened, we might as well let Yi Xiaoyao go."

Hearing this, Yuan Lie finally understood. He couldn’t help but marvel at the depths of his father’s cunning.

"Sending Yi Xiaoyao to destroy a minor alliance led by an expert at the Third Realm of Nascent Soul Transformation... that’s a death sentence! Father, your plan is brilliant!" Yuan Lie chuckled sinisterly.

Although Yuan Lie knew Yi Xiaoyao had killed Han Sheng, based on their clash today, he was certain that Yi Xiaoyao was no match for an expert at the Third Realm of Nascent Soul Transformation. He was now absolutely convinced that Yi Xiaoyao was a dead man.

"Oh, right, Father. Have Leng Yan go with Yi Xiaoyao as well."

Yuan Lie suggested. The memory of Leng Yan’s attitude toward him, and the mocking look in her eyes today, made him burn with anger.

Yuan Chou frowned. "Absolutely not. Leng Yan is the daughter of the Left Protector. Besides, haven’t you always been infatuated with that girl? Why would you send her to her death?"

"Don’t worry, Father. Of course I won’t let Leng Yan die. I’ll take some men and wait in the shadows. When she’s at her breaking point, I’ll step in and save her. Then she’ll know who really treats her best."

Yuan Lie grinned. He was planning to stage a classic "hero saves the damsel" scene.

...

Half a day later, Yi Xiaoyao stood up and stretched, a satisfied expression on his face as he walked outside.

The entire Ninth Team was waiting outside his door. The moment they saw him emerge, they perked up.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Captain! Your strength has increased immensely!"

Wind Discipline was the first to sense the change in Yi Xiaoyao’s cultivation aura. He was stunned for a moment before rushing forward to offer his congratulations.

Yi Xiaoyao smiled faintly. He had indeed broken through and was now at the sixth level of the Nascent Soul Realm.

"Did you all need something?" Yi Xiaoyao asked Wind Discipline and the others.

The men all grinned, their faces full of excitement.

"Captain, we have good news for you!"

"What is it?" Yi Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow.

"Captain, we should be calling you Squad Leader now!"

The men laughed as they presented him with a Jade Slip. "This was just issued by the Alliance Leader!"

"Squad Leader?" Yi Xiaoyao heard this, and the corner of his mouth curved into a smile. ’I can finally enter the Main Pillar and search for the Secret Collection.’

He then took the Jade Slip and unrolled it.

"Yi Xiaoyao, Captain of the Ninth Team of Leng Yan’s Sub-Pillar. For your illustrious Battle Merits and outstanding strength, the Alliance hereby promotes you to the rank of Squad Leader."

"Effective immediately, Squad Leader Yi Xiaoyao is dispatched to guard the territories seized from the Cold Blood Alliance and to purge the remaining affiliate forces."

"During this assignment, you are forbidden from returning to the Primordial Evil Alliance unless expressly summoned!"

Reading this, the smile on Yi Xiaoyao’s lips instantly vanished.

...