The Hall of Mental Cultivation.
After arranging accommodations for Ye Ling, Xiang Yue immediately went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to pay his respects to Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye.
Upon entering the hall, Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye directly instructed, "Xiang Yue, have our spies in the Soul Capturing Sect investigate Wang Li Ren's identity. Why did the Soul Capturing Sect capture him?"
Xiang Yue respectfully bowed, "Your disciple has already dispatched people to investigate, and the results will be known soon."
"Hmm... Not bad. Although your talent is not as great as your brother's, you are quite capable in these matters," Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye nodded in satisfaction, praising Xiang Yue.
"Work hard and do not disappoint me."
"Thank you, Palace Master, for your praise. Your disciple will continue to work hard." Xiang Yue quickly knelt before Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye and kowtowed in gratitude.
Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye continued, "By the way, keep a close eye on Wang Li Ren. Do not harm him or let him leave his room until we understand his identity."
"Yes." Xiang Yue bowed again.
Then, Xiang Yue hesitated for a moment before mustering the courage to ask Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye, "Palace Master, your disciple has a question. Wang Li Ren merely claims to have an extremely powerful master, with no proof. Why do you fear him so much?"
"Foolish!" Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye snorted coldly. "You are indeed far from your brother... If your brother had not betrayed me, how could I have taken you, this foolish person, as my disciple?"
"Palace Master, please calm your anger! It is your disciple's foolishness!" Xiang Yue trembled violently and quickly kowtowed to Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye to apologize!
"Xiang Yue, your perceptiveness is lacking."
Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye said indifferently, then explained to Xiang Yue, "The power within Wang Li Ren is very strange. It is a cultivation method I have never seen before, a completely new cultivation system, unlike the Great Dao Immortal Lord and the Chaos Sovereign. Do you think Wang Li Ren alone could achieve such a feat?"
Xiang Yue trembled and quickly replied, "No, no!"
Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye continued, "Even if Wang Li Ren is lying, the possibility that he has an extremely powerful master behind him is very high."
"Whatever Wang Li Ren's intentions are, his origins are absolutely extraordinary. Keeping him alive is far more useful than killing him, do you understand?"
"Thank you, Master, for your teachings. Your disciple understands." Xiang Yue quickly replied.
"It is good that you understand. You should also use your brain more often, just like you proactively took the initiative to investigate Wang Li Ren's identity. You shouldn't need me to point everything out to you... Alas, the gap between you and your brother is still too great." Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye sighed again, mentioning Xiang Yue once more.
"It is your disciple's incompetence. Your disciple will definitely work hard!" Xiang Yue kowtowed to Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye again. However, a hidden trace of resentment flashed in his eyes!
Xiang Yang had betrayed the sect for a thousand years, yet Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye mentioned Xiang Yang every day and constantly belittled him!
After all these years, Xiang Yue had learned nothing substantial from Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye, other than being his errand boy.
Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye disdained to teach him!
Although Xiang Yue had said nothing verbally over the past thousand years, he had long been filled with extreme resentment in his heart.
However, Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye was an extremely powerful master of蛊术 (gu techniques), so no matter how dissatisfied Xiang Yue was, he dared not show it in the slightest.
"That's all. Go and keep an eye on Wang Li Ren, and do not make any mistakes," Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye said indifferently, not caring about Xiang Yue's feelings. Then, he used his sleeve to stir up a gust of wind, blowing Xiang Yue out of the hall.
Meanwhile, in the room Xiang Yue had arranged for Ye Ling.
Ye Ling, through the Heaven-Gazing Mirror, saw everything that happened in the Hall of Mental Cultivation and couldn't help but laugh, "It seems the relationship between Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye and Xiang Yue is not very good!"
The World-Destroying Spirit Fire grumbled, "I think Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye really misses National Preceptor Xiang Yang. Perhaps he didn't treat Xiang Yang too badly before. I wonder why Xiang Yang betrayed the Witch Palace?"
"There must be some hidden reason behind this."
Ye Ling spoke, then pondered, "I think we can pull Xiang Yue over as an ally. If Xiang Yue can stand on our side, it will be much easier to lure Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye into our trap."
The World-Destroying Spirit Fire asked, "What do you have to make Xiang Yue betray Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye? We are of unknown origin. As long as Xiang Yue is not an idiot, he will not defect to us."
"I already have a vague plan in mind, but it still needs some refinement." Ye Ling said, sensing Xiang Yue approaching. He immediately put away the Heaven-Gazing Mirror.
"Brother Wang!"
At this moment, Xiang Yue pushed open the door and bowed to Ye Ling, "There was a misunderstanding between us earlier, and I did some things incorrectly. I hope Brother Wang can be understanding."
Ye Ling, already planning to win over Xiang Yue, changed his attitude towards Xiang Yue and smiled, "I've thought about it carefully just now. It was indeed my fault first. I can understand all the things you did to me."
"It's good that Brother Wang understands." Xiang Yue smiled slightly. "By the way, may I ask for your master's name?"
"Our clan has always acted discreetly and rarely interacts with the outside world. My master dislikes me revealing his name to outsiders," Ye Ling replied.
"I understand, I understand! Many reclusive masters dislike being high-profile."
Xiang Yue smiled and did not press further about Ye Ling's master. Instead, he asked, "Then, Brother Wang, how did you fall into the hands of the Soul Capturing Sect disciples?"
"With your strength, the Soul Capturing Sect should not have been able to capture you."
Ye Ling sighed, "Alas... it's a long and tearful story. I was originally going to Dao State for training, but I unexpectedly got caught up in a battle between extremely powerful beings. I barely managed to escape that earth-shattering battle and fled into Wu State, only to run into the Soul Capturing True Monarch, the sect leader of the Soul Capturing Sect, and was subdued by him."
"Brother Wang is indeed a bit unlucky."
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, Xiang Yue's gaze towards Ye Ling also carried a hint of sympathy.
A while ago, he had also heard that something big had happened in Dao State, and even Sword Thirteen, an extremely powerful being, had been killed.
Although he had not witnessed a battle between extremely powerful beings with his own eyes, he could imagine how terrifying a battle that could lead to the demise of an extremely powerful being would be!
Ye Ling's ability to survive the battlefield was already quite remarkable!
It was known that when the incident occurred in Dao State, Ji Ning's chilling aura had caused the temperature in their Wu State to drop significantly!
And the Soul Capturing True Monarch was a type of extremely powerful being who enjoyed capturing people to refine into gu. He often searched for geniuses in Wu State and the surrounding major states, capturing them to refine into gu in the Soul Capturing Sect.
With Ye Ling's conditions... he was the perfect target for the Soul Capturing True Monarch.
After hearing Ye Ling's story, Xiang Yue believed Ye Ling a bit more.
Ye Ling sighed again and continued, "Alas... my outer trial this time has been extremely unsuccessful. After my master returns with the Seed of Origin, he will probably be extremely disappointed in me. I don't know if my master's promise to give me the Seed of Origin and let me break through to become an extremely powerful being will still hold!"
"Your master actually promised to give you the Seed of Origin?" Xiang Yue was shocked, looking at Ye Ling with disbelief, his pupils trembling!
After all, the Seed of Origin was the treasure most coveted by extremely powerful beings. Possessing even one would cause a qualitative leap in strength!
Extremely powerful beings would go to any lengths to fight for the Seed of Origin, even willing to sacrifice their lives for it!
Would any extremely powerful being actually give away such a treasure, which no extremely powerful being would ever have too many of, to their disciple?
Xiang Yue thought of Heavenly Monarch Zhou Ye's attitude towards him and suddenly felt extremely envious of Ye Ling.
How could the gap between masters be so vast?
Ye Ling, without batting an eye, continued to boast, "Alas... my performance in this trial has been so poor, and I've become a prisoner of your Witch Palace, waiting for my master to rescue me... I'm afraid my master won't bestow the Seed of Origin upon me."
Xiang Yue pursed his lips, feeling a little dry, and then comforted Ye Ling, "Brother Wang, you don't need to worry. Your master treats you so well; he definitely won't give you the Seed of Origin just because of a failed trial."
"Then I'll take your good words to heart. When I become an extremely powerful being, I'll come to catch up with you, brother." Ye Ling smiled at Xiang Yue. "Speaking of which, I still don't know your name, brother."
"Xiang Yue." Xiang Yue cupped his hands towards Ye Ling.
"Brother Xiang, we are fated to meet. This is a treasure given to me by a friend of my master. I don't usually use it, so I'll give it to you."
Ye Ling smiled and handed the remaining Essence Replenishing Jade Paste to Xiang Yue.
"Essence Replenishing Jade Paste!" Xiang Yue's pupils contracted slightly upon seeing the treasure Ye Ling took out. "Such a supreme treasure, and you casually give it away?"
"What's the big deal?" Ye Ling chuckled. "Senior Bai Qing often brings me gifts. Let alone Essence Replenishing Jade Paste, I have quite a few of Senior Bai Qing's medicinal formulas. If Brother Xiang has a chance to visit our clan's sacred land, I'll give you a box of Essence Replenishing Jade Paste."
"Brother, Brother Wang..."
Xiang Yue's mouth twitched upon hearing Ye Ling's words. He then quickly took the Essence Replenishing Jade Paste and said gratefully to Ye Ling, "Brother Wang, you are my best brother!"
"Let's become sworn brothers!"