Chapter 249: Fang Han and Yang Pan

This sudden turn of events left several nearby onlookers, young geniuses among them, utterly stunned.

Such a shift was far too abrupt, leaving no one able to recover their composure.

Jiang Luoli was even slower to react.

Her attention had been entirely fixed on Jun Xiaoyao.

By the time she came to her senses, she was already bound by Spirit-Sealing Chains.

The dazed Jiang Luoli's face flushed with anger as she cried out: "Fang Han, what are you doing!"

Fang Han's expression was icy, coated in frost.

After years of restraint, he finally revealed his true nature.

Jun Xiaoyao glanced back.

To Fang Han's surprise, Jun Xiaoyao's face showed no great shock.

This scene seemed to have been anticipated by him.

"Huh? Did he sense this all along? No, impossible—I concealed it perfectly." Fang Han thought to himself.

Jun Xiaoyao's gaze did not first fall on the bound Jiang Luoli, but on the Sacrificial Divine Edict.

"So this is your golden key to rising power?" Jun Xiaoyao chuckled lightly.

He could sense the primordial force of the world hidden within the Sacrificial Divine Edict.

Presumably, it was the primordial force of the Dragon's Realm.

This was precisely what Jun Xiaoyao sought to obtain.

But since Fang Han was the son of the Great Yin Emperor, Jun Xiaoyao had previously dared not act too harshly, lest he alienate loyal ministers.

Now, however, it no longer mattered.

Fang Han had indeed acted exactly as Jun Xiaoyao had predicted—courting his own demise.

Yet Jun Xiaoyao glanced again at the Spirit-Sealing Chains binding Jiang Luoli.

Such Spirit-Sealing Chains were rare even in the Immortal Realm, let alone in this lower realm.

"These Spirit-Sealing Chains aren't yours, are they?" Jun Xiaoyao said coolly.

At that moment, the severely wounded Yang Pan suddenly laughed: "Hehe, Jun Xiaoyao, clever all your life, foolish for a moment—these Spirit-Sealing Chains were given to him by me."

Yang Pan's words revealed his alliance with Fang Han.

"What? So it's like this? Damn you, you villain!" Jiang Luoli's eyes blazed with fury.

She had always disliked Fang Han; now she was beyond enraged.

Jiang Luoli tried to resist, but the Spirit-Sealing Chains sealed off all her magic power.

Even the treasures within her spatial artifact could not be accessed, for lack of magical energy.

Watching Jiang Luoli struggle, Fang Han smiled faintly, then turned to Jun Xiaoyao with a hint of smug satisfaction.

"Jun Xiaoyao, you've bullied me all along—did you ever imagine you'd end up in this position?"

Fang Han felt triumphant, believing he had seized Jun Xiaoyao's weakness and gained the upper hand.

He had also observed closely: Jiang Luoli was clearly important to Jun Xiaoyao.

Controlling Jiang Luoli meant controlling Jun Xiaoyao.

This was Fang Han's confidence.

"So all your years of restraint were for this moment?" Jun Xiaoyao's expression remained calm.

Fang Han chuckled, then openly revealed the truth.

He had encountered Yang Pan shortly after entering the Ten Realms Rift.

Both harbored grudges against Jun Xiaoyao, and thus devised this scheme together.

From the very beginning, Fang Han's sole purpose was to trap Jun Xiaoyao.

After speaking, Fang Han smirked: "Jun Xiaoyao, how does it feel? Angry? Regretful? Furious?"

Jun Xiaoyao smiled faintly and raised his hand, producing a jade stone.

It was the Light-Shadow Stone, capable of recording imagery.

"I've recorded every word you just said," Jun Xiaoyao said.

Fang Han's face twitched slightly—he realized he'd been outmaneuvered again.

But he paid it little mind, sneering: "What good is recording this now? Do you really think you'll survive the Ten Realms Rift?"

"Just evidence," Jun Xiaoyao said, stowing the Light-Shadow Stone.

With this, he could torture Fang Han however he wished, without fear of the Great Yin Emperor or others.

"Jun Xiaoyao, surrender now, or I'll sacrifice her to the Sacrificial Divine Edict!" Fang Han threatened.

"Xiaoyao Brother, don't care about Luoli—kill them!" Jiang Luoli cried out.

She absolutely refused to become Jun Xiaoyao's burden.

She would rather die than drag him down.

Jun Xiaoyao's eyes flickered slightly as he spoke: "Do you truly think I care about such threats?"

"Oh? You really feel nothing for her?" Fang Han stared intently at Jun Xiaoyao.

He refused to believe Jun Xiaoyao could remain unmoved by Jiang Luoli's death.

Though Jiang Luoli didn't want Jun Xiaoyao to suffer because of her, if he showed no reaction at all…

As a girl, she couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of disappointment.

Watching Jun Xiaoyao's expressionless face, Jiang Luoli bit her lip.

"Perhaps… it's always been Luoli who fancied him alone." She felt a quiet despair.

She admitted: at first, she had pursued him only for his looks.

But now, Jiang Luoli's affection for Jun Xiaoyao went far beyond his handsome face.

She loved his character, his mannerisms, everything about him.

Watching Jiang Luoli, head slightly bowed, Jun Xiaoyao pondered.

From a purely strategic standpoint, he had no need to care for Jiang Luoli.

Jun Xiaoyao didn't particularly care for her now.

Or rather, he cared little for any woman.

This might be a certain kind of scoundrel trait—but the truth was clear.

Jun Xiaoyao was simply too hard to move emotionally.

He now sought only to grow stronger, to become a cold, emotionless cultivation machine.

"Well? Still refusing to surrender?" Fang Han subtly activated the Sacrificial Divine Edict.

"So then—do you plan to kill me outright?" Jun Xiaoyao stood with his hands behind his back.

"Kill him now," Fa Hai said to Yang Pan.

This was an excellent opportunity.

Miss this chance, and eliminating Jun Xiaoyao would be nearly impossible.

Yang Pan's gaze flickered as he turned toward the ancient Void-Kunpeng beside the Void Ancient Palace.

He considered, then said: "Rather than kill Jun Xiaoyao outright, let's repurpose him—have him draw the ancient Void-Kunpeng's attention, while we slip into the ancient palace."

Hearing Yang Pan's suggestion, Fa Hai nodded slightly.

If swallowed by the Void-Kunpeng, the spatial storms within its body would surely annihilate Jun Xiaoyao—he couldn't possibly survive.

Thinking this, Yang Pan directly addressed Jun Xiaoyao: "There's another option—you draw the Void-Kunpeng's attention, and we'll release Jiang Luoli afterward."

"Oh? Are you certain?" Jun Xiaoyao's eyes flickered subtly.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile curled his lips.

The situation still lay firmly under his control.

"Don't worry—we don't wish to offend the Jiang Clan too much. If you go, we'll definitely release Jiang Luoli," Yang Pan said with a cool smile.

"No! Xiaoyao Brother, don't go!" Jiang Luoli's face paled as she cried out.

If Jun Xiaoyao was swallowed by the Void-Kunpeng, survival was nearly impossible.

"Agreed," Jun Xiaoyao nodded calmly.

In truth, Yang Pan's proposal suited him perfectly.

Deception, scheming, intricate planning.

Whether Fang Han or Yang Pan, before Jun Xiaoyao, they were mere children.

Jun Xiaoyao's schemes ran deeper than anyone else's!