Chapter 131: Crisis Arrives, Yuan Xue

In an instant.

All that could be heard was a soul‑seizing howl.

Four iron chains fell from the black clouds, entwined with rolling black darkness, striking with the speed of thunder before one could cover their ears, fiercely lunging at Zhou Tianming.

Clang!

The four iron chains precisely coiled around Zhou Tianming's back.

On the chains, gloomy runes flickered and jumped like demonic eyes, emitting a chilling light.

Each iron chain was like an ancient, man‑eating evil flood dragon, tightly coiling around Zhou Tianming's body, constantly eroding his flesh and gnawing his bones, causing his face to twist in pain and cold sweat to pour down like rain.

Such a sudden scene left the Qingyun Sect elders, as well as Li Yilan and Ye Xiaozhi, stunned.

This…

What's going on? Why is this happening?

Everyone was completely bewildered.

Li Yilan and Ye Xiaozhi exchanged a glance.

No matter who it is, anyone who dares to move against our junior fellow disciple will die.

The two immediately wasted no words, each taking out their treasures and preparing to rush over.

After all, their master had once educated them.

Fellow disciples are like blood siblings.

Now, their junior fellow disciple had suddenly been seized by the four iron chains and was in excruciating pain.

They naturally would not sit and wait for death.

Just as the two were preparing to rush out,

The Grand Elder suddenly barred them: "Li miss, Ye miss, you must not act rashly."

"Leave everything to your master to handle."

Immediately.

The Grand Elder raised his head to look at Lin Yang not far away.

At this moment, Lin Yang.

Calmly and closely monitoring Zhou Tianming's condition.

At the same time, he signaled everyone not to act rashly.

Seeing their master's attitude, Li Yilan and Ye Xiaozhi, although worried about their junior fellow disciple's condition, restrained themselves and did not intervene, merely staring fixedly at the situation before them.

……

Beside them, the sudden scene also left Jiang Tai Mu's face full of shock.

He narrowed his eyes, then immediately reacted.

Such an opportunity was exactly his perfect chance to play the hero and save his disciple.

Perhaps, if he resolved Zhou Tianming's crisis, that brat would feel grateful and take him as a master.

Immediately, he hesitated not and prepared to rush forward to rescue Zhou Tianming.

But at this moment.

Zhou Tianming, however, endured the bone‑eroding agony of the four iron chains, lifted his head to gaze at the strange black cloud, his eyes nearly bursting.

He roared, "Yuan Xue'er, I never imagined I'd be like this, yet you still aren't ready to let me go."

Hearing this, everyone was stunned, staring at one another.

"Who is Yuan Xue'er?"

"What deep grudge does he have with that disciple?"

The elders looked at Li Yilan and Ye Xiaozhi, trying to get an answer.

But the two shook their heads; they had never heard that name.

They also didn't know what grudge existed between that person and their junior fellow disciple.

However.

Yet Zhou Tianming's heart was crystal clear.

This Yuan Xue'er was his beloved on his previous life's path to becoming emperor; yet at their engagement banquet she got him drunk, joined with two other great emperors to launch a sudden poisonous strike, causing his downfall, and only by a sliver of his divine soul did he fortunately reincarnate here.

However, he never expected Yuan Xue'er to be so cautious; she had already set a trap—if he fused the Chaos Heaven Pearl and awakened the Chaos Body, her scheme would be triggered, directly aiming to slay him.

What a vicious method.

Just then, the black cloud in the sky suddenly churned, slowly revealing a purple‑robed spiritual phantom.

This person was Yuan Xue'er.

Her face, absolutely beautiful yet bearing an icy chill, was carved like frost and snow; her eyebrows like distant indigo, her eyes narrow and deep, her chilling gaze making one's flesh creep.

Below her high nose bridge, her vermilion lips were naturally red, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, holding a hint of cruel smile, as if mocking the world.

Her emanating pressure overwhelmed even Jiang Tai Mu, who was preparing to play the hero and save his disciple, causing him to halt his steps.

The person before him exuded such overwhelming pressure that his sense of intimidation was too great.

For a moment, he found himself somewhat at a loss.

Yet Yuan Xue'er, looking down from above, gazed at Zhou Tianming; in this rebirth his visage had hardly changed from his previous life, and she recognized him at a glance.

Moreover, in this rebirth, Zhou Tianming's eyes held an extra thread of vengeful resolve.

That gaze was most unfriendly.

She coldly laughed, "Zhou Tianming, I truly never imagined you'd actually be reborn."

Her tone seemed as if all things in the world lay within her grasp; even an ant‑like Zhou Tianming, even if reborn, could not turn over in her palm.

Zhou Tianming's chest heaved violently, the hatred in his eyes seeming to solidify, yet suddenly he gave a self‑mocking laugh.

What am I doing?

Am I justeng in futile yelling?

What's the use?

With my current strength, I am utterly unable to resist Yuan Xue'er; even hating her is pointless, because I have no ability to take revenge at all.

Moreover, that venomous-hearted wicked woman Yuan Xue'er set up this scheme just to make him die a miserable death.

Thinking thus, Zhou Tianming slowly raised his head and looked at Yuan Xue'er: "Yuan Xue'er, you've won again."

"In my previous life, you approached me by exploiting my pity, gained everything from me, and even killed me."

"In this life, ill-fated, I, Zhou Tianming, failed to grow before you strangled me here."

"I admit, I admit this miserable, unfair fate."

"Kill me or cut me, do as you wish."

Zhou Tianming then closed his eyes.

He knew he was on a dead-end path.

No one could save him.

As for begging for mercy,

He would never bow his head to Yuan Xue'er.

Yuan Xue'er frowned slightly.

But just then, her beautiful eyes suddenly filled with tears, she looked at Zhou Tianming pitifully.

"Tianming, I realize I was wrong; all that happened before was my fault. Can we reconcile and return to how we were?"

Upon hearing that,

The crowd stared, bewildered, wondering what new drama this was.

However, Zhou Tianming's face remained calm as water, expressionless.

"Tianming, I don't know if you can feel my current emotions, but I am truly mistaken."

"I was wrong; I shouldn't have listened to those two people's lies, joined them in attacking you. After your death, those two actually betrayed and abandoned their obligations, turning against me."

"Only now, in this situation, have I realized that in this world, only you are sincere toward me."

"Come back with me; even if your strength is weak now, I will certainly use all resources and means, sparing no method, to help you return to your peak."

"Trust me this once; when your strength reaches its peak, let's settle accounts with those two together, how about that?"

"Tianming, may I touch your face?"

Yuan Xue'er raised her delicate hand, about to reach out to touch Zhou Tianming's cheek.

Zhou Tianming immediately turned his head: "Stop pretending."

If one didn't know her true nature, they'd likely be deceived by this feigned fragility.

But he knew her all too well; all of this was merely her pretense.

"Yuan Xue'er, do you still think I'm that foolish puppet you used to toy with?"

"You just want to lift me to the peak, then toy with me in your palm, reducing me to your puppet."

"Then have me achieve some of your goals?"

………………