Today, Ye Qingcheng was summoned by Ye Ji, and though she had many questions, they were merely speculations for now.
"Mother, you sent for me?" Ye Qingcheng asked with curiosity.
Ye Ji smiled and replied, "Yes, indeed there is a big matter to discuss with you today!"
"What big matter?"
As Ye Qingcheng pressed, Ye Ji said, "It's about your marriage!"
"What?"
Ye Qingcheng was taken aback. She hadn't expected such a topic, and she was strongly against an arranged marriage.
"Your cousin has come out of seclusion from the hidden sects and will be coming to our Ye family. He is incredibly talented, a dragon among men. Marrying him would be most suitable for you!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingcheng quickly said, "Mother, I have never met my cousin and am not familiar with him at all. Isn't this arrangement too hasty?"
It was clear she was politely refusing her mother's arrangement.
But Ye Ji said, "Although your talent is not as exceptional as his, you are still a beauty unmatched. You marrying him would be a perfect match of talent and looks!"
"Mother..."
"Enough, this matter is settled!" Ye Ji's tone was one of irrefutable command.
Ye Qingcheng felt a profound sadness. Had she ultimately been unable to escape her fate of being arranged? Though she had long suspected this day might come, she hadn't expected it to arrive so swiftly, catching her completely off guard.
"What? You're not happy!" Ye Ji questioned coldly.
"No!" Ye Qingcheng's face remained expressionless. In her mind, since rejection was futile, there was a better solution. That solution was to kill her cousin.
Ye Ji smiled triumphantly and then said to Ye Qingcheng, "Since you cannot resist me, then obediently follow my arrangement!"
"Heh heh!" Ye Qingcheng chuckled. "Thank you for your kind intentions, Mother!"
"You understand. The reason I arranged this is for your own good. After all, marrying him, your future achievements will be limitless, and surpassing me will only be a matter of time!"
Ye Qingcheng felt no emotion. Perhaps only she knew that her mother's arrangement was driven by self-interest, wanting to avoid becoming a laughingstock. Thus, she became the sacrifice. Yes, a sacrifice.
...
After Zhao Lingyue moved into Yun Fan's residence, Yun Fan found it quite inconvenient. However, she was, after all, his third senior sister's sister. Therefore, he could only endure it, wondering when this situation would end. At this point, the best course of action was simply to bear it.
Just then, Ye Qingcheng arrived. Yun Fan was not at all welcoming of Ye Qingcheng's arrival, as she had already been defeated by Zhao Lingyue. Therefore, her coming here was pointless; it would require Zhu Lian to come instead.
"What are you doing here?" As Ye Qingcheng stepped through the door, Zhao Lingyue's face showed immediate rejection.
Ye Qingcheng said, "Of course, I'm not here for you!"
"Don't forget, we made a bet, and you lost!" Zhao Lingyue said coldly.
Ye Qingcheng shamelessly replied, "That was a victory won unfairly. I don't admit defeat!"
"Are all women of the mortal world this thick-skinned?" Zhao Lingyue sneered. "You disagree? Let's have another match!"
"Alright!" Ye Qingcheng readily agreed. "But I'm busy now. I'll definitely have a match with you another day."
"When is 'another day'?"
"Guess!"
With that, Ye Qingcheng ignored the enraged Zhao Lingyue and directly addressed Yun Fan, "I need to talk to you about something!"
"What is it?" Yun Fan asked, puzzled. Every time Ye Qingcheng said this, it meant trouble, so he was prepared to refuse.
"Let's go to the coffee shop to talk in private!"
Yun Fan was initially hesitant, but the prospect of using this as an opportunity to shake off Zhao Lingyue seemed like a good choice.
"Okay!"
Just as they were about to leave, Zhao Lingyue placed her butterfly sword at Ye Qingcheng's throat. "If you have something to say, say it here. You're not going anywhere!"
Hearing this, Ye Qingcheng felt like erupting in anger, but her strength was no match for Zhao Lingyue's. She cast a pleading glance at Yun Fan. Yun Fan indicated his helplessness. After all, she was his third senior sister's sister. If he truly fell out with her, wouldn't it disappoint the third senior sister who had been looking after him? Furthermore, he and Zhao Lingyue were evenly matched, so there was no need to escalate the conflict.
"Perhaps we should just talk here!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingcheng was greatly disappointed. She then said coldly, "Coward!"
Yun Fan turned away, pretending not to hear. *I won't listen, I won't listen, it's all nonsense.*
Helpless, Ye Qingcheng compromised. "I want to team up with you to kill someone!" she told Yun Fan.
"Kill whom?" Yun Fan asked, bewildered. He thought to himself, *This Ye Qingcheng is truly ruthless, but I'm used to it.*
Ye Qingcheng directly stated the name. "Chu Mo!"
Yun Fan immediately refused, "Sorry, not interested!"
However, at that moment, Zhao Lingyue surprisingly said, "I think you'll be very interested!"
"Huh?" Both Yun Fan and Ye Qingcheng looked at Zhao Lingyue in confusion. Logically, Chu Mo was from a hidden sect, and Zhao Lingyue was also from a hidden sect. They should have been united. Yet, she was proactively proposing cooperation? This was simply unbelievable.
Yun Fan hadn't expected Zhao Lingyue to agree on his behalf. Zhao Lingyue then said, "Because this Chu Mo is one of the three strongest prodigies!"
Yun Fan understood immediately. So that was the reason.
"But I'd really like to know, why do you want to kill him?" Zhao Lingyue asked Ye Qingcheng.
Although Ye Qingcheng was reluctant to explain, since they were to cooperate, she had no choice but to be upfront. "My mother wants me to marry him, and Chu Mo is my cousin whom I've never met!"
Both of them understood instantly.
"Do you think Chu Mo would be interested in you?" Zhao Lingyue's eyes showed doubt.
"What the hell do you mean?" Ye Qingcheng became furious, feeling insulted. What a joke, she was a renowned beauty, who could resist her?
Zhao Lingyue disdainfully said, "You only have a pretty face. Apart from that, you're useless!"
"You..." Ye Qingcheng was incandescent with rage, but she knew she had to remain calm. So, she mocked, "So what? Unlike you, who bothers Yun Fan all day, even offering yourself, he still doesn't want you!"
Zhao Lingyue's eyes flashed with murderous intent upon hearing this.
Yun Fan quickly intervened to stop the impending fight. "Your cousin is one of the three strongest prodigies from the hidden sects. Aren't you tempted?"
"I'm not tempted!" Ye Qingcheng stated directly. "I like someone!"
"Who do you like?" Yun Fan immediately regretted asking. It made him sound like a nosy old woman, but out of inertia, he had asked, and there was no turning back now.
Ye Qingcheng's face flushed as she replied, "Of course, I like you, my Yun Gege!"
Yun Fan's scalp tingled. He said sternly, "Can we be serious?"
"I am being very serious!" Ye Qingcheng answered sincerely.
But Zhao Lingyue threatened, "Then I advise you to abandon that naive idea. Do you think you, a seductive slut, are worthy?"
Hearing Zhao Lingyue's venomous words, Ye Qingcheng chose not to get angry this time. She knew how to deal with Zhao Lingyue. She then linked her arm around Yun Fan's neck and smiled seductively, "Yes! I'm a seductive slut, but my Yun Gege likes this kind of thing!"
Yun Fan quickly pushed Ye Qingcheng away, otherwise, the two women would surely engage in a bloody battle that couldn't be stopped. Zhao Lingyue was furious. She had to admit, she was at a disadvantage this time.
At this point, Ye Qingcheng continued, "If I can't resist, then I can only kill him. He is coming out of seclusion primarily to kill you. Our cooperation will be seamless!"
"What's your plan?" Yun Fan asked curiously.
Ye Qingcheng said, "The simplest method is for him to come to my Ye family before he kills you. Then, while dining with him alone, I'll poison him. Once he's poisoned, we'll join forces to kill him!"
"What a poisonous woman!" Zhao Lingyue shivered. She hadn't expected Ye Qingcheng to be such a femme fatale. Her beauty was definitely her greatest weapon.
"That's right, I am a femme fatale. You'd better be careful!" Ye Qingcheng replied gently, unfazed.
"You won't have a chance to poison me!" Zhao Lingyue retorted unceremoniously.
At this moment, Yun Fan said, "This plan is not bad, I like it. No poison, no hero; small tolerance is not a gentleman!" He had originally planned to challenge them one by one, but these hidden sects were like a swarm. As soon as he dealt with one, another would come before he could catch his breath. He was tired. Let destruction reign!
"Alright, it's settled. I'll wait for your news!" Ye Qingcheng said.
"Mm! You can go back now!" After Yun Fan spoke, he realized Ye Qingcheng had no intention of leaving.
"Are you planning to stay here for the New Year?" Zhao Lingyue asked angrily.
Ye Qingcheng completely ignored her and said to Yun Fan, "Yun Gege, why don't we make the rice cook into cooked rice? Even if the plan fails, it won't matter. Anyway, I'm already yours!"
This offer was indeed tempting, but Yun Fan had to maintain his image as the Ghost Valley Sect Leader. Therefore, he said solemnly, "I'm sorry, I'm not that kind of person!"
"Hmph!" Ye Qingcheng snorted. "You're just pretending! You're already thinking it in your heart, aren't you!" She cursed and left.
Only then did Zhao Lingyue retract her murderous intent. Yun Fan was confused about whether Zhao Lingyue's killing intent was directed at him or Ye Qingcheng. After all, he had sensed Zhao Lingyue's killing intent before he answered. Women were truly unfathomable!
...
"Brother Chu, let's join forces and deal with that brat!" Ye Tianlong, still severely injured, said to the powerful prodigy before him.
However, Chu Mo glanced at him dismissively. "You're a fool. I'm not. I don't need to team up with a fool like you to kill him!"
Seeing Chu Mo call him a fool repeatedly, Ye Tianlong became enraged. Although there was a gap between him and Chu Mo, he believed these gaps could be bridged. So, he said coldly to Chu Mo, "Chu Mo, I kindly offered to cooperate, yet you insult me like this. Am I inferior to you?"
At this, Chu Mo apologized, "I'm sorry, I was too agitated just now. Please forgive me!"
"Hmph!" Ye Tianlong snorted. "I'm just teaching Brother Chu to treat people equally!"
"Yes, you're right!" Seeing Chu Mo's fawning smile, Ye Tianlong showed a hint of triumph.
"Alright, I'll help you heal first!" With that, Chu Mo enthusiastically stepped forward to support him. Ye Tianlong became even more complacent, regaining his former confidence.
However, in the next moment, he felt a coldness in his chest. Looking down, he saw that Chu Mo had pierced his heart.
"You..." Ye Tianlong pointed at Chu Mo in pain.
Chu Mo smiled playfully. "Do you, trash, dare to lecture me!"
"If you kill me, my Tianlong Sect will not let you off!" Ye Tianlong threatened Chu Mo with his dying breath.
However, Chu Mo showed a hint of fear. "Don't talk nonsense. The one who killed you was Yun Fan of Ghost Valley. What does it have to do with me?"
"Pfft!" At this, Ye Tianlong spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground. Chu Mo closed his eyes and said mockingly, "Don't worry, I'll kill Yun Fan to avenge you!" With that, he left directly for the Ye family.
...
When Ye Qingcheng returned, Ye Ji had already finished her conversation with Chu Mo.
"Aunt, don't worry, I will definitely treat Qingcheng well!" Chu Mo assured Ye Ji.
Ye Ji nodded with satisfaction. "I'm relieved to hear that!" Then, she beckoned Ye Qingcheng over.
"He is your cousin. Starting today, you should interact with him more!"
Upon seeing Ye Qingcheng, Chu Mo's eyes widened. Although there were famous beauties in the hidden sects, such as Yun Fan's third senior sister, those beauties were beyond his reach. Now, seeing Ye Qingcheng, a strong desire to conquer surged within him. Yes, he was attracted to Ye Qingcheng's beauty, and his eyes revealed a sickening greed.
"Cousin!" Ye Qingcheng greeted him politely.
"Cousin, we're family, no need to be so formal!" Chu Mo said, and then he reached out to grab Ye Qingcheng's hand.
How could Ye Qingcheng not know his intentions? She quickly withdrew her hand and said, "Cousin, you must be tired from coming from the hidden sect. Why don't you rest for a while?"
"No need. I've finally come to the mortal world, and I need my cousin to take me around!" Chu Mo's lips curved into a playful smile. His goal was simple: to conquer this exceptional beauty tonight. His trip to the mortal world was not just about killing Yun Fan; he was a lecher and wanted to savor the beauties of the mortal world, lest his trip be in vain.
At this, Ye Qingcheng specifically glanced at Ye Ji and saw no change in her expression. This meant Ye Ji allowed Chu Mo's bold actions. Ye Qingcheng was deeply disappointed. She hadn't expected that in her mother's eyes, she was less important than a lustful man. So, she said to Chu Mo, "Cousin, since you've finally come to the mortal world, I will certainly entertain you well!"
"Then I won't stand on ceremony!" Chu Mo was very pleased. It seemed Ye Qingcheng was just unable to adapt to the situation and was resisting. He had been too hasty. From Ye Qingcheng's attitude, he could tell she was even actively seducing him. Thus, his ambitions grew even larger.
"Mm!" Ye Ji nodded. "I won't interfere with the affairs of you young people!"
"Farewell, Aunt!" After Ye Ji left, Chu Mo's actions became even bolder, his inner thoughts exposed without concealment.
"Cousin, what do you think of your cousin?"
"Cousin is very outstanding!" Ye Qingcheng replied obediently.
"That's good. As long as you marry me, I won't let you down in the future!" Chu Mo said greedily. This made Ye Qingcheng feel inwardly disgusted. She couldn't understand how such a lecher could be one of the three great prodigies. However, at this moment, no matter how much disgust she felt, she couldn't show it. She had to endure.
At this point, she specifically said to Chu Mo, "If you want me to marry you, it's possible, as long as you promise me one thing. Tonight, I'll be yours!"
Seeing Ye Qingcheng's crimson lips move, Chu Mo could no longer restrain himself and swallowed. "Don't worry, let alone one condition, even ten or a hundred, I'll agree!"
"Good! You said it!" Ye Qingcheng said directly. "Cousin can only like me, and not like other women!"
"Ha! I thought it was something big. This is a small matter, I promise you!" Chu Mo said dismissively. Ye Qingcheng only said he couldn't like other women, not that he couldn't touch them. As long as he didn't like them, it was fine! Unwittingly, he had successfully grasped the loophole in the wording.
"This isn't just talk! You have to prove it with actions!" Ye Qingcheng said, suppressing her nausea, charmingly.
"Don't worry, cousin. Tonight I will prove it with actions!" With that, the two left the Ye family.
After a day of wandering, Chu Mo grew impatient. He hadn't expected Ye Qingcheng to still have no intention of giving herself to him. He couldn't wait any longer. At this, Ye Qingcheng saw through his intentions. "Cousin, don't rush. I've already booked a restaurant. Let's eat first!"
"Alright!" Although Chu Mo was impatient, he knew that haste made waste. Subsequently, the two went to the restaurant to eat. During the meal, Ye Qingcheng continuously toasted Chu Mo, and Chu Mo drank happily. At this, Ye Qingcheng said, "Cousin, if you promise me one more thing, I'll be yours!"
"Mm?" Chu Mo was displeased, but still asked, "What do you want me to promise?"
Ye Qingcheng said, "Help me kill Yun Fan!"
"Did Yun Fan offend you?" Chu Mo asked, confused. He was already here to kill Yun Fan, so this was a natural progression.
"That's right!" Ye Qingcheng said. "He once had me, and then he dumped me! So, I wish I could cut him into a thousand pieces!"
Hearing this, Chu Mo frowned. He had thought Ye Qingcheng was pure, but he didn't expect she had already been intimate with Yun Fan. It was impossible for him not to be disappointed. However, even though he wasn't a "Cao thief" (a derogatory term for someone who steals another man's wife), he had the heart of one. For him, it was just playing around, and it wasn't a big deal. He certainly didn't want to go to Ye Qingcheng again, and he hadn't wanted to marry her before, as he only wanted to marry that fairy who deterred the hidden sects. So, he immediately said, "Don't worry, cousin, killing him is just a matter of convenience. However..."
"I understand!" Ye Qingcheng immediately said, "Cousin, let's drink!"
"Good!" Seeing Chu Mo drink the wine she had tampered with without any precautions, Ye Qingcheng breathed a sigh of relief. She had endured enough disgust for this moment. Fortunately, it was finally time for her counterattack.
"Cousin, here I come!" After drinking a bowl of wine, Chu Mo's ambition was exposed without concealment, and he lunged at Ye Qingcheng. However, at this moment, Ye Qingcheng easily dodged him, and Chu Mo fell headlong, feeling his limbs go weak and powerless. But he didn't think much of it, believing it was just a sign of drunkenness.
"Pah!" Ye Qingcheng regained her cold demeanor. "Do you think a toad like you can eat swan meat? Go look in the mirror!"
Hearing this, Chu Mo was furious. "Cousin, what do you mean?"
"Don't call me cousin, you're not worthy!" Ye Qingcheng said disdainfully. "Chu Mo, tonight is your death day!"
"Hahahaha!" Chu Mo roared with laughter. "Ridiculous, do you think you can defeat me?"
"Ye Qingcheng, don't push your luck. This is all sanctioned by Aunt. Do you still intend to resist me?" Chu Mo said coldly to Ye Qingcheng.
Ye Qingcheng said, "You guessed wrong. I don't intend to resist you; I intend to kill you!"
"The wine you drank just now has been tampered with by me!"
Hearing this, Chu Mo was not flustered. "I have cultivated an invulnerable body to poisons. Poisoning me is too foolish!"
"Oh! No!" Ye Qingcheng said with a cold laugh. "What I gave you wasn't poison, just a soft-bone powder that can paralyze any martial artist!"
"What?" Chu Mo immediately panicked. Although this medicine was not fatal, and he would recover once the effects wore off, during this period, he would be like boneless, with no resistance. It would be easy for Ye Qingcheng to kill him.
"Your death day has arrived!" Ye Qingcheng said. "Come out, all of you!"
With that, Yun Fan and Zhao Lingyue emerged. He had originally wanted to ask Zhao Lingyue if it was inconvenient for her to be present as she was from a hidden sect, but Zhao Lingyue showed no intention of leaving.
"Yun Fan!" Chu Mo, having seen his picture, immediately recognized him.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!" Yun Fan said calmly.
Sensing something was amiss, Chu Mo quickly leaped out the window, attempting to escape, but the faster Zhao Lingyue had already blocked his path.
"Zhao Lingyue, are you truly betraying the hidden sects?" Chu Mo asked coldly. His goddess was naturally Zhao Lingyue's sister. Previously, he had thought Ye Tianlong was just talking, but he hadn't expected Zhao Lingyue to truly betray the hidden sects.
Zhao Lingyue said disdainfully, "I don't waste time with the dead. Die!" With that, she brandished her butterfly sword and attacked Chu Mo. Chu Mo's expression changed drastically. If he were at his peak, he wouldn't fear Zhao Lingyue, but now, he was almost a cripple.
"Swish!" With just one sword strike, a shocking wound appeared on his body. At this, Chu Mo asked, "Why are you betraying the hidden sects?"
However, he received no answer from Zhao Lingyue, but two terrifying sword energies. Chu Mo's brows furrowed. The previous three sword strikes were ordinary sword techniques, but now he was powerless to resist. Undoubtedly, he was afraid. He felt death approaching.
Just then, Ye Qingcheng attacked, landing a palm strike on his back. "Bang!" Chu Mo flew backward, spitting blood. "Pfft!"
"Cousin, you can't kill me. Your mother is my aunt, we're all family!" Chu Mo pleaded desperately. But the more he said this, the more ruthless Ye Qingcheng became. Chu Mo became enraged. As a distinguished prodigy of the hidden sects, when had he ever suffered such humiliation? For this reason, he took out a pill and swallowed it, instantly boosting his power.
"You're forcing me! I'll kill you all!" Chu Mo roared in pain. The price was indeed great. Forcing his strength back to its peak would result in him being unable to use martial arts for three years. Three years was too long. After three years, he would definitely fall behind other prodigies. But there was no other way; if he didn't, he would die. In the face of death, this sacrifice was insignificant.
"Not good!" Ye Qingcheng's heart sank. She hadn't expected Chu Mo to have another trick up his sleeve. Zhao Lingyue also frowned. Even with three against one, she was confident they could kill Chu Mo even if he regained his peak strength, but the cost would be significant.
Chu Mo sneered, "I'll make you regret it for the rest of your lives!" With that, his strength was rapidly increasing, about to reach its peak.
However, at this very moment, Yun Fan's figure flashed and he swept past Chu Mo. "Shhh!" Then, the air seemed to freeze.
"This... impossible!" Chu Mo looked at his body in disbelief, only to find it had been pierced by Yun Fan. Not only him, but even Zhao Lingyue and Ye Qingcheng hadn't expected Yun Fan to finish the battle so quickly. This required not only immense strength but also precise timing.
"He's become stronger again!" Zhao Lingyue exclaimed inwardly. She hadn't expected Yun Fan's strength to change so drastically in just a few days. This rate of improvement was beyond her imagination. Even the prodigies of the hidden sects couldn't improve as fast as Yun Fan. Could it be that Yun Fan's talent was even higher than her sister's? This was truly shocking! As expected, the disciples of Ghost Valley were all monstrous.
Yun Fan said dismissively, "You talk too much!"
"Pfft!" In the next moment, Chu Mo spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground, completely dead. Even in death, he couldn't believe that with his strength almost restored to its peak, he had been instantly killed by Yun Fan. He had always considered Yun Fan as his prey, an easily killed prey.
"Work done!" Yun Fan didn't even look at Chu Mo's corpse. If a tiger doesn't show its power, do you think I'm a sick cat! He was the Ghost Valley Sect Leader, after all. When had he become someone everyone could easily manipulate?