Chapter 283: A Promise is More Important Than Life!

Jiang Wenya, having realized what was happening, was also struck with great alarm.

"Ye Lin, stop at once! We can talk this over!"

"There is nothing to talk about. Either you tell me what use you have for this Taotie stone carving, or I throw it back, and we act as if nothing happened."

Ye Lin's tone left absolutely no room for negotiation.

"Miss Wenya, surely you wouldn't want to see this Taotie stone carving fall back into the Mountain-Sea Immortal Demon Cave, would you?"

"You!"

Jiang Wenya was so angry she gnashed her teeth, her beautiful eyes filled with fury, but being under someone else's roof, she had to bow her head; she could only grit her teeth and endure it.

"Every ancient fierce beast corresponds to a different ability. The Taotie's ability is to devour all things in the world! And possessing the Taotie stone carving allows one to control this part of its power!"

The more Ye Lin heard, the deeper his brow furrowed.

"Is there any way to make the fierce beast imprint inside manifest into a physical form?"

"No. Why would you want it to manifest? Such ancient fierce beasts are monstrously ferocious; even if it were just a sliver of an imprint, it wouldn't be under anyone's control once manifested," Jiang Wenya said, somewhat puzzled.

"Monstrously ferocious? Ferocious my foot! It's a total coward!"

Ye Lin muttered to himself. With so many fierce beast carvings, not a single one dared to show its head—if that wasn't cowardice, what was?

However, the ability of this Taotie stone carving sounded somewhat similar to his Endless Devour, though he didn't know if it was as useful as his own.

"It seems there's no way..."

Ye Lin murmured to himself. Since there was no way to absorb the fierce beast imprint, he would just have to find someone to take the fall. He then flashed a kind and friendly smile at Jiang Wenya.

"So that's how it is. Then it's fine. Miss Jiang, here, take it."

Ye Lin handed the Taotie stone carving directly to Jiang Wenya.

After receiving the stone carving, Jiang Wenya inspected it carefully. Finding no issues, she was overcome with excitement.

"Many thanks!"

Jiang Wenya then raised a hand, and ten Mountain-Sea Secret Seals flew toward Ye Lin.

"I don't know why, but the Mountain-Sea Secret Seals in the Mountain-Sea Secret Realm have become extremely difficult to find. Over these three days, my army of demonic creatures only found ten. I will have them continue searching, but if we truly cannot gather them all, consider it a favor owed to you by the Jiang family. If you have any trouble, you may come to me."

Jiang Wenya was not an unreasonable person; Ye Lin had helped her retrieve the Taotie stone carving, and she had only found ten Mountain-Sea Secret Seals—that was indeed a bit hard to justify.

Ye Lin's eyes lit up when he saw the ten Mountain-Sea Secret Seals. He thought to himself, *Of course you can't find them, the other 98 are with me!

He calmly tucked the ten Mountain-Sea Secret Seals away, then nodded and said with a simple, honest smile.

"That sounds great. A favor from the Jiang family is worth much more than the Mountain-Sea Secret Seals."

Jiang Wenya was in a great mood, and the smile on her face became radiant. She seemed to want to say something more, but the next second, a brilliant flash of thunder illuminated her face!

In the blink of an eye, the previously calm sea became turbulent. Countless bolts of thunder tore through the sky like angry dragons, and lightning lashed the sea surface like silver whips.

Under this violent power, the seawater was constantly evaporating, turning into thick white mist.

At this moment, Jiang Wenya suddenly felt her hand go numb; the Taotie stone carving had already vanished.

A slender figure appeared above the sea level, stepping on ten thousand feet of thunder, playing with the Taotie stone carving in his hand.

"Tsk tsk tsk, your Jiang family is truly bold, daring to enter the Mountain-Sea Immortal Demon Cave to take things," a mocking voice rang out.

Jiang Wenya felt the voice was somewhat familiar. She raised her eyes to look, her face filled with shock and uncertainty.

"This voice... this thunder... are you Xie Zhanshin?!"

"Does it matter who I am? You should be thinking about how to answer to the Human Emperor. I recorded the whole process of you bringing that Ye Lin to the Mountain-Sea Immortal Demon Cave to take things. Your Jiang family is in big trouble!"

Xie Zhanshin wore a malicious smile.

The expressions of the five Jiang family members changed abruptly, and Jiang Wenya immediately shouted sharply.

"Stop him! Take back the Taotie stone carving!"

"Yes!" X4

The Jiang family members immediately attacked Xie Zhanshin, but the Jiang family specialized in beast-taming techniques. On this vast, boundless ocean, with only the Dark-Winged Night Owl as their demonic creature, they had no chance of winning against Xie Zhanshin.

Xie Zhanshin transformed into a thunder monarch, summoning wind and rain, driving lightning and electricity. After just four or five exchanges, the Jiang family members were all severely wounded by Xie Zhanshin, and even Jiang Wenya was struck until she coughed up blood.

Seeing that Xie Zhanshin was about to leave with the Taotie stone carving, Jiang Wenya was anxious, but she had no way to deal with him.

Just then, a figure appeared like a divine soldier descending from heaven, charging toward Xie Zhanshin with a spear like a savior!

"Give the stone carving back!"

Ye Lin roared and thrust his spear at Xie Zhanshin.

"Ye Lin? It's enough that I haven't come looking for trouble with you, and you dare to appear before me? Fine, then I'll finish you off today too!"

Xie Zhanshin sneered, then violently unleashed a bolt of thunder.

Ye Lin gripped his Imperial Gold Spear and pulled hard, causing the bolt of thunder to explode on the spot, turning into arcs of lightning that filled the sky.

Ye Lin then leaped up, the Imperial Gold Spear in his hand seemingly transforming into a black bolt of lightning, aiming straight for Xie Zhanshin's throat. The surrounding seawater parted to both sides under the sharpness of the Imperial Gold Spear.

Xie Zhanshin wore a mocking smile. He spread his arms, and the surrounding thunder instantly turned violent, weaving into a web of electricity that forcefully blocked Ye Lin, preventing him from advancing even an inch.

"If we were on land, you might be able to trade a few blows with me, Xie Zhanshin, but this is the ocean. You have no leverage, and seawater... is conductive!"

A confident smile appeared on Xie Zhanshin's face, as if everything were under his control.

With a crackling sound, the thunder web spread wildly, using the seawater as a medium. The water boiled along with the thunder, directly engulfing Ye Lin.

"Ah!"

A shrill scream came from Ye Lin within the water. When he reappeared, he was floating on the surface, his body covered in charred lightning wounds, his breath becoming faint and dying.

"Hmph, a clown who doesn't know his own strength," Xie Zhanshin sneered. Throughout the entire battle, not a single drop of seawater had touched his robes.

At this moment, Ye Lin climbed up shakily once again.

"I said, give the Taotie stone carving back!"

Ye Lin let out a roar like a bloodthirsty beast driven into a corner, and in his hand, a beautiful yellow and white flower suddenly appeared.

The Jiang family members looked at each other, their faces full of confusion and bewilderment. With the Taotie stone carving stolen, shouldn't they be the most anxious ones? Why did Ye Lin look even more anxious than them?

And in this situation, why was he pulling out a flower?

Seeming to notice the others' confusion, Jiang Wenya looked shocked and muttered to herself.

"That is... the Heavenly Heart Qiluo Flower! Consuming the Heavenly Heart Qiluo Flower in a near-death state allows one to enter a state of temporary revival, greatly boosting one's strength, but this thing... is highly toxic!"

Xie Zhanshin crossed his arms and sneered.

"Heavenly Heart Qiluo Flower? What, you actually dare to eat that? Is it worth risking your life against me for the Jiang family?"

Ye Lin straightened his back like a long spear. His eyes never left the Heavenly Heart Qiluo Flower, watching the petals sway in the sea breeze.

"Xie Zhanshin, you underestimate me, Ye Lin. I am not doing this for the Jiang family; I am doing this for my own promise! I promised the Jiang family that I would give them the Taotie stone carving!"

"I, Ye Lin, have always been a person who keeps his word and follows through on his promises—a man whose word is worth a thousand pieces of gold! Fulfilling a promise is even more important than my own life!"

"Doing what I say I will do—that is my Ninja Way!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Lin swallowed the Heavenly Heart Qiluo Flower without hesitation!