Chapter 267: Drawing a Map

Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Drawing a Map

A great battle had erupted just moments ago, after Yi Xiaoyao sliced off Di Zhuang’s right arm.

And Di Zhuang, a Third Layer Nascent Soul Transformation expert, found his combat prowess greatly diminished despite his immense power, as he had lost his right arm and sustained injuries.

Furthermore, Yi Xiaoyao, having activated the Soul Burning Forbidden Technique, already possessed the strength to fight a Third Layer Nascent Soul Transformation expert. Leng Yan’s constant attacks and interference from the side were also a factor that could not be ignored.

With all these factors combined, after exchanging just a few blows with Yi Xiaoyao, Di Zhuang realized he was no match. He immediately used some kind of Escape Technique to burrow into the ground, hoping to flee for his life.

But at the very instant Di Zhuang burrowed into the earth to escape, Yi Xiaoyao’s Blood-colored Giant Sword plunged down after him, slaying him within the ground.

This final scene was precisely what Yuan Lie and his men had witnessed just after they descended into the Underground Palace.

Yi Xiaoyao, in turn, noticed the arrival of Yuan Lie’s group and shot the man a cold glance.

As for Leng Yan, she was utterly captivated by Yi Xiaoyao’s slaying of Di Zhuang, her gaze lost as she stared at him.

Then, following Yi Xiaoyao’s gaze, Leng Yan also turned to look at Yuan Lie and his men.

"What are you doing here?"

Upon seeing Yuan Lie and the Right Protector beside him, Leng Yan’s expression instantly reverted to cold indifference.

"I..."

Yuan Lie was at a loss for words. He had come to play the hero and save the damsel in distress, to watch Yi Xiaoyao get killed. But the scene before him was the complete opposite of what he had anticipated.

"Hmph! Don’t think I don’t know what this is all about. You’re despicable and shameless!"

Leng Yan’s bone-chilling voice sent a shiver through Yuan Lie’s heart.

Meanwhile, with Di Zhuang dead, the remaining members of the Earth Return Alliance fell into disarray and were completely wiped out in moments.

Yi Xiaoyao walked over to Leng Yan’s side and said faintly, "Let’s go."

"Okay," Leng Yan agreed softly, a stark contrast to the icy tone she had used with Yuan Lie moments before.

Then, without even a glance at Yuan Lie and his men, Yi Xiaoyao and Leng Yan passed by them indifferently and took to the air, departing.

Yuan Lie was left standing awkwardly in the ravaged Underground Palace.

He realized that not only had his heroic rescue failed, but he had also inadvertently given Yi Xiaoyao a chance to shine.

Furthermore, Yuan Lie had been certain that Yi Xiaoyao would die. But now, not only was he alive, he had even grown closer to Leng Yan!

In fact, Yuan Lie’s feeling was not wrong. Leng Yan had indeed grown closer to Yi Xiaoyao.

It was the first time Leng Yan had ever met a man like Yi Xiaoyao. The young man had overturned so many of her perceptions.

As a result, Leng Yan’s initial astonishment toward Yi Xiaoyao had gradually blossomed into a flutter of affection.

This feeling sent a ripple through her heart, which had been frozen like ice for years, and even brought a faint blush to her stunning face.

"What are you looking at?"

Seeing Leng Yan stealing glances at him, Yi Xiaoyao smiled faintly. Before she could show any embarrassment, he continued, "Who’s that old man with Yuan Lie?"

"That’s the Right Protector of the Primordial Evil Alliance. He has a Fourth Layer Nascent Soul Transformation Cultivation."

After answering, Leng Yan added, "You don’t need to worry. With me here, he wouldn’t dare to make a rash move against you. My father is the Left Protector of the Primordial Evil Alliance, and his Cultivation is one layer higher than his."

’No wonder Yuan Lie dared to come here.’ Yi Xiaoyao sneered, having already seen through Yuan Lie’s intentions.

Next, Yi Xiaoyao and Leng Yan continued on their mission to eliminate the few remaining subsidiary alliances of the Cold Blood Alliance.

Meanwhile, Yuan Lie hovered in the sky above the Earth Return Alliance’s former base, his expression turning utterly grim as he stared at the figures disappearing into the distant void.

He had seen the way Leng Yan looked at Yi Xiaoyao and heard their intimate conversation—a level of familiarity he had never achieved in all his years of pursuing her.

"Young Alliance Leader, I have an excellent idea that could help you get your hands on that girl, Leng Yan."

The Right Protector, taking in Yuan Lie’s expression, chuckled softly with a flicker in his eyes.

Yuan Lie glanced over and frowned. "What idea?"

"From what I understand, the Left Protector will be leaving for some time in a few days. When he’s gone, I can help you... force the issue with the girl."

The Right Protector chuckled sinisterly. "After the Left Protector returns, even if he finds out, he’ll have no choice but to let you be with her—whether for his daughter’s reputation or out of respect for the Alliance Leader."

Hearing this, Yuan Lie’s eyes lit up, and an excited smile spread across his face. "That is an excellent idea! Good, it’s settled. Right Protector, you must help me when the time comes!"

"Of course."

The Right Protector agreed, then gave a cryptic smile.

He was helping Yuan Lie secure Leng Yan not just because of his personal grudge against the Left Protector, but mainly to curry favor with Yuan Lie, the Young Alliance Leader who would soon control the Primordial Evil Alliance.

Otherwise, if Leng Yan were to one day become the Alliance Leader’s Wife, Yuan Lie would naturally grow closer to her father, the Left Protector.

But with this plan, Yuan Lie would inevitably be drawn closer to him, the Right Protector.

...

Leng Yan had no idea that Yuan Lie and the Right Protector were plotting against her. At that moment, she was following Yi Xiaoyao from battle to battle, wiping out the remnants of the Cold Blood Alliance from their list.

Finally, with an elegant and otherworldly flash of Yi Xiaoyao’s sword, the last subsidiary alliance on the list was completely annihilated.

"Alright. Seventeen minor alliances, all cleared out."

Yi Xiaoyao sheathed his longsword and smiled at the crowd behind him.

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers. They had earned a considerable amount of Battle Merits on this campaign.

"Under normal circumstances, eliminating so many remnants of the Cold Blood Alliance would have cost us heavy casualties. But because we had Captain Yi, we avoided any major losses. So, on behalf of everyone, I, Leng Yan, thank you, Captain Yi."

Leng Yan said, bowing slightly to Yi Xiaoyao in front of everyone.

Just as she said, without Yi Xiaoyao, they likely would have all been annihilated back at the Earth Return Alliance’s base.

Everyone understood this well, and they all followed Leng Yan’s lead in thanking him.

Moreover, these people, just like Leng Yan, had witnessed Yi Xiaoyao’s power firsthand throughout their journey.

Thus, the crowd now held Yi Xiaoyao in the highest admiration.

"Haha, Captain Leng, I can’t help but feel you and our Captain Yi make a great match!"

Someone from the Ninth Team suddenly shouted with a laugh.

As soon as he said this, the rest of the crowd chimed in, "That’s right! Captain Yi is the only one who’s a perfect match for Captain Leng! Compared to that pest Yuan Lie, who sticks to her like glue, Captain Yi is a thousand times better!"

Hearing her subordinates’ teasing, Leng Yan’s perpetually icy face instantly turned beet-red, and she shot them an embarrassed, angry rebuke.

However, her rebuke lacked any real menace, and no one was moved. In fact, the teasing only grew louder.

Seeing this, Yi Xiaoyao could only give a wry smile and shake his head helplessly.

’My heart belongs only to Yun Mengling.’ He would not carelessly give his affection to another woman.

But Yi Xiaoyao failed to notice that while Leng Yan was embarrassed and angry at the crowd’s teasing, she didn’t feel the slightest bit of revulsion.

"Miss Leng, there’s something I’d like to ask for your help with."

Suddenly, Yi Xiaoyao remembered something and spoke to Leng Yan.

Leng Yan immediately composed her features and nodded. "Please, go ahead."

"I was wondering if you, Miss Leng, could help me draw a map of the Primordial Evil Alliance’s Main Pillar," Yi Xiaoyao said, his eyes glinting. "It would be best if the map included the location of the Netherworld Cave."

...