Chapter 231: The Ying Family's Son

Yuan Yao immediately obeyed and stepped back a distance, only to see her gripping the sword hilt with one hand while the other hand nimbly performed the complex and mysterious hand seals of the formation.

With a clear "clang", a crisp and pleasant sword resonance rang out, echoing in the air like a heavenly sound.

In the blink of an eye, the originally faint formation totem suddenly blazed with light, shining as brilliantly as a blazing sun.

It expanded outward at astonishing speed, covering half of Heaven's Edge City in an instant, forming a tremendous light shield!

"Phantom Spirit Sword Formation, activate!"

Yuan Yao's Phantom Spirit Sword hovered in her hand; at the command, the formation totem and the sword instantly resonated.

Clang—

Then another clear sword ring sounded, and the Phantom Spirit Sword pierced the formation barrier without hindrance, rushing in and instantly splitting into countless blades of phantom light.

These sword lights swarmed thickly, covering the sky and heading straight for Qianyun Zhou as if they possessed sentience!

"Youngest Senior Brother!" Yuan Yao shouted.

Ying Wuji instantly understood her meaning, quickly holding his sword before him; after blocking Qianyun Zhou's strike, he retreated backward!

After pulling back a distance, Ying Wuji gripped his sword again and fiercely swung at Qianyun Zhou!

Seeing this, Qianyun Zhou gave a cold snort and immediately raised his sword to meet the attack!

But the next moment—

He suddenly realized something, glanced up, and saw that the formation barrier had contracted in an instant, now enclosing only him.

Countless fierce colored swords of light surged at him, bringing immense pressure!

Swish swish swish—

Myriad sword shadows erupted together!

They swarmed thickly toward Qianyun Zhou!

Seeing this, Yuan Yao rushed forward, grabbed Ying Wuji's wrist, and said, "Youngest Senior Brother, let's leave first!"

"Don't even think of leaving!" At that moment, Gui Yan Hong appeared, instantly throwing a lightning-attracting talisman at Yuan Yao and Ying Wuji!

By the time Gui Yan Qing reacted and tried to intervene, it was already too late.

Boom—

Amid the thunderous roar of lightning, Ying Wuji, wielding the Heaven's Mandate Sword, cleaved the lightning with a single swing and instinctively shielded Yuan Yao in his arms.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Qianyun Zhou blocked all the sword shadows; his cheek was nicked by a blade, drawing blood, and he slowly lifted his eyes, half-smiling, staring at Yuan Xiao Liu held in the Eagle King's arms.

Truly ruthless.

Yuan Yao lifted her gaze and met Qianyun Zhou's teasing yet cold, dark eyes.

At that moment, she also felt another gaze fixed upon her.

"Are you hurt?" Ying Wuji asked softly.

Yuan Yao stepped out of Ying Wuji's embrace, lifted her head to meet her senior brother's concerned gaze, shook her head, and couldn't help but send a mental transmission: "Youngest Senior Brother, why do you want to kill Qianyun Zhou?"

Ying Wuji lowered his eyes.

"Because he… deserves to die."

Yuan Yao still saw for the first time her senior brother bare such naked killing intent and the hatred he could not conceal.

Yuan Yao unconditionally trusted her senior brother and unconditionally stood by his side, declaring, "He must have done something that both gods and men resent!"

Ying Wuji blinked slightly; seeing Yuan Yao's expression of shared hatred, the corners of his mouth curled into a gentle smile.

Yuan Yao's gaze swept over the approaching Qianyun Zhou, then over Xie Yan and Feng Xuanji standing not far away, as well as the complex‑looking Gui Yan Qing and the arrogant Gui Yan Hong.

Finally, her gaze settled on the two people hiding in the shadows.

When Zhai Qingye and Xiao Zhufeng met Yuan Yao's gaze, they knew it was time to come out.

After all, they are now allies.

Yuan Yao immediately cupped her hands toward Feng Xuanji and Xie Yan, saying, "Feng Daoist friend, Xie Daoist friend, we have no grudge with you; we hope you will not intervene from now on."

Feng Xuanji heard this, nodded and replied, "Do as you wish."

Xie Yan remained silent.

After receiving Feng Xuanji's promise, Yuan Yao averted her gaze.

She coldly swept her gaze over Gui Yan Qing and Gui Yan Hong, not asking a word, for she had long regarded them as enemies.

Seeing Yuan Xiao Liu so solemn, Qianyun Zhou couldn't help but find it amusing; he slightly turned his jade‑green longsword, which in an instant transformed into a jade flute, and he let out a soft, lingering sigh.

"Yuan Xiao Liu, I don't want to fight you anymore."

He smiled narrowly and said, "I was just teasing you earlier; I didn't expect you to take it seriously. As I said, I like you—how could I kill you?"

"But what on earth are you two siblings? I'm really curious."

Qianyun Zhou acted nonchalant, yet his eyes glittered with sharp intent.

After he said all that, Yuan Yao didn't respond with a single word.

Qianyun Zhou gazed at Yuan Yao's brows and eyes; a barely concealed disgust rose in her eyes, an expression of extreme rejection toward him.

Qianyun Zhou's smile faded.

He couldn't help but look toward Ying Wuji.

He sneered, "What a deep bond between senior and junior brothers! If you seek death today, just come."

Not far away, Gui Yan Hong chuckled lightly, "Yuan Yao, you'd better beg for mercy on your knees before Fellow Daoist Qianyun."

No sooner had the words fallen than a blade of light shot toward her neck, so fast its motion was barely visible!

Gui Yan Qing's expression changed instantly; he grabbed Gui Yan Hong and dodged the sword light—with a "rip," his back was torn open, blood gushing out.

"Brother!" Gui Yan Hong cried out in alarm.

After she examined the wound on Kui Yanqing's back, her expression instantly turned grim as she glanced at the person who had drawn the sword— it was Ying Wuji!

"You dare sneak attack me?!"

"You also sneak attacked us just now, didn't you?" Yuan Yao replied with a smiling squint.

"You!" Wei Yanhong's cheeks flushed red with anger, he gritted his teeth and said: "Do you know who I am?!"

Yuan Yao coldly snorted: "I don't care who you are!"

Wei Yanqing's face slightly pale, he said: "Fellow Daoist Yuan, my younger sister has always been a bit spoiled and willful; if she has offended you in any way, please forgive her."

Yuan Yao: "I don't want to forgive."

"I am friends with your senior brother Cang Li; can you... for his sake..."

Yuan Yao coldly cut him off: "You haven't given him any face, instead you've looked after your sister and even let her attack me and my Youngest Senior Brother; how could I then give him face and give you two siblings a good look?"

Wei Yanhong angrily retorted: "You're nothing more than Cang Li's fellow sect junior sister; do you still want us to look up to you?"

Yuan Yao hearing this, couldn't help but glance at Wei Yanqing's expression.

"I see." Yuan Yao said mockingly.

Although Yuan Yao didn't continue speaking, everyone present understood her meaning.

She was mocking that the two Wei siblings are both hypocrites.

"Cang Li?" At that moment, Qian Yunzhou suddenly laughed, "I remember now, Cang Li, the third disciple of the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord of the Ninth Province."

Having said that, he looked thoughtfully at Yuan Yao and Ying Wuji.

"Cang Li's junior sister can only be... the sixth disciple taken in by the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord. And your Youngest Senior Brother can only be fifth, named—Ying Wuji. Ying Wuji, son of the Ying family of the First Province, bearing a sword bone, was sent to the Ninth Province ten years ago to become a disciple of the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord, becoming his fifth disciple."