Yun Fan looked and found the woman too beautiful, he didn't know why such a stunning woman could exist in this world.
Whether it was her looks or her figure, she was top-tier.
But soon, he realized, it was because she was from the Yaochi Holy Land.
Why could he conclude so quickly? Because he saw the woman's veil, a veil that looked familiar, exactly like the one left behind at the Ye family's residence.
Even the patterns on the veil were the same.
"Are you from the Yaochi Holy Land?"
Yun Fan asked coldly. As long as someone was from the Yaochi Holy Land, no matter how beautiful they were, he wouldn't spare them a glance.
However, the woman was surprisingly aloof and indifferent, not even replying to him.
The next moment, the woman attacked subtly, and the surrounding weapons trembled and then flew towards Yun Fan.
"Slash!"
Yun Fan unleashed a Qi blade, shattering the weapons that flew at him without reason.
At the same time, he was horrified, because the opponent could control these weapons with her thoughts, which was incredibly terrifying.
Even he, who had already reached the mid-Golden Core stage and was only one step away from the peak, found the opponent extremely formidable.
In an instant, Yun Fan attacked again.
In his opinion, this woman should be an important figure from the Yaochi Holy Land. If he could capture her, he could use her to threaten the Yaochi Holy Land.
Even if he couldn't rescue a few women in the end, he could use her as a bargaining chip.
The woman seemed to have seen through his intentions, and the next moment, she lunged directly at Yun Fan.
The two engaged in battle. The woman's attacks were breathtakingly beautiful, her movements so elegant. An ordinary person would probably be mesmerized just by watching!
Only Yun Fan knew that with every elegant move, she possessed the power to take a life.
"Boom!"
Yun Fan transformed into a streaking meteor and attacked.
However, the mysterious woman merely gathered her Qi and manipulated a single leaf, which flew towards him.
"Swish!"
The next moment, the leaf accurately pierced Yun Fan's palm. The immense pain forced him to abandon his meteor attack prematurely.
"Damn it!"
Yun Fan was furious because the opponent seemed to have grasped the weakness of his meteor attack. With just one move, she made him give up such a powerful killing technique.
Then, only a residual afterimage of the woman remained. By the time Yun Fan recovered, the woman, like a dancer performing a peerless dance, engaged him in combat.
Even though the opponent was like a fairy from the ninth heaven, Yun Fan was firmly suppressed.
This was an unprecedented experience for him.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Yun Fan quickly retreated.
"You're beautiful, but you're not gentle at all. I think you'll never get married in this lifetime!"
Yun Fan taunted.
He tried to disrupt her focus, but unfortunately, she showed no reaction, her gaze remaining as indifferent as ever.
Yun Fan was speechless. What was going on?
Just then, the woman launched her second attack. Compared to the first, this one seemed aimed at a fatal blow.
Yun Fan dared not linger and quickly retreated.
At this point, he had already given up on using her as a bargaining chip, because if he continued to fight, he would definitely not be her match.
Instead of using her as a bargaining chip, he might end up as a prisoner.
Therefore, at this moment, Yun Fan was unwilling to suffer any losses and quickly fled.
He thought he would be safe if he escaped, after all, he had unleashed his speed beyond its limits. In terms of speed, Yun Fan had no complaints.
He was incredibly fast when escaping, except, of course, when he was in bed.
However, the next moment, the woman suddenly unleashed a hidden weapon.
"Not good!"
Seeing the hidden weapon lock onto him, Yun Fan quickly attacked, using his cold light to block it. But the terrifying thing was that the hidden weapon actually penetrated his cold light.
It seemed that divine artifacts were not particularly robust.
Fortunately, Yun Fan managed to escape during this critical moment.
...
The news of the annihilation of the Ji and Jiang families quickly reached the Yang family.
Yang Can, the head of the Yang family, was deeply moved. He never expected that these two families, far surpassing the Yang family, could be wiped out overnight.
The perpetrator must have been terrifyingly powerful!
Many powers from reclusive sects began their investigations, trying to find out who had annihilated these two families.
Although they first thought of Yun Fan, who had become a demon, they quickly dismissed the idea.
After all, these two families had previously announced that Yun Fan had fallen into the Abyss Forbidden Zone and could not have survived.
Furthermore, even if Yun Fan had become a demon, he couldn't have become such a monstrously strong individual overnight!
Therefore, in their opinion, a mysterious force had acted in secret. Yang Can also found this possibility unlikely.
Although he was the one who exposed Yun Fan's whereabouts, indirectly leading to the revelation of Yun Fan's demonic transformation and ultimately his supposed death, he felt no guilt. He knew that for his daughter, Yang Xuejian, to achieve greater heights, she had to be ruthless.
Moreover, since Yun Fan had entered the demonic path, he could no longer be associated with the Yang family, as it would only bring them harm.
Of course, the Yang family also sent people to investigate the annihilation of the two families. Their investigation was grand and extensive.
However, after the investigation, many forces dispersed quickly, even without a word.
According to the reports from those who returned from the investigation, only one hidden weapon was found at the scene. This hidden weapon was the Tai Xuan Divine Needle from the Yaochi Holy Land.
Coincidentally, this Tai Xuan Divine Needle was the same hidden weapon the mysterious woman had used to attack Yun Fan, piercing his cold light.
Upon seeing this result, Yang Can's brows furrowed.
It seemed that everything pointed to the Yaochi Holy Land as the culprit, which explained why these forces had dropped the matter.
If the Yaochi Holy Land had indeed done this, it would make sense, as they possessed the capability to annihilate two families.
It was just that he didn't understand why the Yaochi Holy Land would do such a thing. After all, neither family had ever been a match for the Yaochi Holy Land.
They didn't even pose a threat to the Yaochi Holy Land's existence, so why would the Yaochi Holy Land resort to such a brutal attack? Was it merely for plunder?
It was a pity that there were no survivors at the scene, otherwise, everything could have been explained.
However, what unsettled him was whether the Yaochi Holy Land would target other families after destroying these two ancient families.
After all, these two families were a cautionary tale. Perhaps this was why the major powers chose to remain silent.
Of course, there might be exceptions, as only one Tai Xuan Divine Needle was found at the scene, making it impossible to definitively attribute the act to the Yaochi Holy Land.
However, thinking about it again, the Tai Xuan Divine Needle was a supreme treasure of the Yaochi Holy Land, held by an important figure.
It would be extremely difficult for someone else to frame them.
Furthermore, considering that the Shangren family and the Old Heavenly Master had both been manipulated by the Holy Lord of Yaochi, could it be that the Holy Lord of Yaochi feared the two family heads returning and thus preemptively dealt with these two hidden dangers?
In any case, Yang Can did not dare to make a definitive judgment before the outcome was revealed.
Just then, his men arrived, bringing Yang Taicang with them.
Previously, Yang Taicang had been sent to deliver a key to Yun Fan, but halfway there, he heard the news of Yun Fan falling into the Abyss Forbidden Zone.
Therefore, he could only return with the key. However, on his way back, he was intercepted by the Yang family, as Yang Can had discovered that the key was a fake that night.
"Yang Taicang, you've served me for so many years, why did you steal the key?"
Yang Can asked sternly.
Yang Taicang replied with remorse, "Master, it's all my fault. I am unforgivable. Please spare my life!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Can snorted, "You admit you're unforgivable? I know your character. Someone must have instigated you to steal the key. Who was it?"
Yang Taicang did not expose Yang Xuejian. He knew that even if he did, Yang Can would not blame Yang Xuejian.
However, Yang Xuejian would be disappointed and would no longer be groomed as the family head, and someone else would be chosen instead. Therefore, at this moment, he chose not to reveal Yang Xuejian's involvement.
He simply said, "Yun Fan and I are friends despite the age difference. I couldn't bear to see him being chased by various powers, so I swapped the young lady's key to save him!"
"Friends despite the age difference?"
Yang Can sneered, "Yang Taicang, this is not like you. I'm asking you, was it Miss Xue who instructed you?"
"If the family head says it was, then it was!"
Yang Taicang replied directly.
This answer, however, made Yang Can uncertain. He knew Yang Taicang's character, and this response didn't necessarily mean it was Yang Xuejian.
If he answered that it wasn't Yang Xuejian, then it definitely was Yang Xuejian. If it truly was Yang Xuejian, then he would be extremely disappointed in his daughter.
Although he loved his daughter, he wasn't without alternatives. The Yang family had a legacy of thousands of years, and he wouldn't act rashly.
Yang Can said, "Yang Taicang, since you did it alone, I will have you atone with your death. Are you willing?"
"I am willing!"
Yang Taicang replied.
"Good, then atone with your death!"
With Yang Can's words, Yang Taicang's eyes dimmed, and he prepared to take his own life.
But at that moment.
"Wait, it was I who told him to steal the key!"
Yang Xuejian arrived.
"Young Lady..."
Yang Xuejian's sudden appearance caught Yang Taicang off guard. He had taken all the blame, and he hadn't expected Yang Xuejian to step forward.
Of course, at this moment, his heart was deeply touched, proving that his judgment of her was correct.
Yang Xuejian was different from other members of the Yang family, possessing more emotion. In the eyes of others, he only saw numbness and ruthlessness.
Yang Xuejian immediately said, "Father, it was I who told him to do it. I wanted to save my junior brother. Please don't punish him, punish me!"
Instantly, Yang Can was enraged. He had thought that with Yang Xuejian's talent and character, she was the most suitable to be the next head of the family.
But now, he was extremely disappointed.
"If you admit it, then you are no longer suitable to be the next family head!"
Yang Can said to Yang Xuejian, his intention clear: to give her an opportunity.
Stealing a key was a serious crime. He only hoped that the death of Yang Taicang would put an end to the matter.
However, Yang Xuejian said, "I know, but the educational philosophy of Guigu teaches me that lying is acceptable, but not at the expense of others!"
"Guigu?"
Yang Can coldly said, "A sect that has long since declined, what is there to be attached to? Since you admit it, then from today onwards, I will no longer groom you as the family head. My Yang family does not need someone who turns their back on us to lead!"
As far as Yang Can was concerned, although Yang Xuejian was his daughter and had high talent, she had alternatives.
Similar examples included Jiang Xueyan, who, despite being a successor of the Medicine King Valley, was even more inclined to turn her back on them than Yang Xuejian.
But the Medicine King Valley never fussed about it, because Jiang Xueyan possessed the Divine Body of Medicine, which was unique not only in the present but also for thousands of years.
Therefore, let alone Jiang Xueyan turning her back, even if she were to kill them one day out of annoyance, they would have no resentment.
This was because the contribution of a Divine Body of Medicine to the Medicine King Valley could last for millennia.
"Okay! That's acceptable!"
Yang Xuejian said, "There's one thing I must correct. My back is not turned outwards. I have been an orphan since childhood. If I hadn't been adopted by my master, I might have died long ago. Also, my junior brother has taken good care of me, making me realize that there are people who care for me and look after me. The reason I did this is simply to repay them!"
Hearing this, Yang Can was enraged. He said to Yang Xuejian, "So, this is your reason for stealing the key!"
"Doesn't it matter anymore?"
"Well said, 'doesn't matter'!"
Yang Can said angrily, "Yun Fan is already dead, so if you say it doesn't matter, then it doesn't matter!"
"What?"
Yang Xuejian suddenly panicked, her entire being feeling hollow.
Yang Can said, "Yun Fan has fallen into the Abyss Forbidden Zone and cannot possibly survive. So, you can no longer rely on him in the future. You can only stay in the Yang family. I can forgive your recklessness before, but from now on, you must obey me obediently and become the next family head!"
At this, Yang Xuejian collapsed to the ground, unable to accept this reality.
Yang Taicang was also heartbroken. He knew that the Abyss Forbidden Zone was a terrifying place, and his young lady would likely be plunged into grief for a long time to come.
However, at this very moment.
"Yang family head, your calculations were wrong. I am not dead yet!"
The few people looked over and found that Yun Fan, at some point, had already arrived at the Yang family.
The moment Yang Xuejian saw Yun Fan, her heart finally settled. All her grief vanished, and she tearfully threw herself into Yun Fan's embrace.
"Junior brother, it's so good that you're alright!"
Yang Xuejian cried and said, "If anything happened to you, I wouldn't want to live either!"
"Sixth Senior Sister, I am blessed with great fortune and will not die so easily!"
Yun Fan comforted her.
"How did you survive?"
Yang Can asked in confusion.
Yun Fan said, "How I survived is not important. What's important is that it's time to settle our accounts!"
"Settle accounts?"
Yang Xuejian was startled internally, not understanding why.
Yun Fan said to Yang Can, "After I left the Yang family, you exposed my information, which led to me being hunted by these two families and falsely accused of being a demon!"
"What?"
Yang Xuejian was shocked that the instigator of all this was her own father. Her heart completely turned to ash.
As for Yang Taicang, he wasn't particularly moved, as he knew that his master was capable of such actions.
Yang Can did not deny it, but rather admitted readily, "That's right, it was all me!"
"Why did you do this?"
Yang Xuejian questioned.
Yang Can said, "Because only if he died would you be free of distractions, become the family head, and protect the Yang family!"
"Heh heh!"
Yang Xuejian let out a desolate laugh, filled with immense guilt towards Yun Fan. In fact, it was wrong for Yun Fan to seek refuge with her from the beginning.
Even her being brought back to the Yang family was wrong.
Yun Fan said, "Sixth Senior Sister, it's not your fault! Don't carry any psychological burden!"
Then, he said to Yang Can, "You just didn't expect that I, with my great fortune, managed to survive!"
"Hmph!"
Yang Can snorted coldly, "You were indeed very lucky, even the Ji and Jiang families who wanted to kill you most were annihilated by the Yaochi Holy Land. However, your luck ends here, because next, I will kill you!"
"What?"
Yun Fan instantly began to question everything. Weren't the Jiang and Ji families annihilated by him? How did the Yaochi Holy Land get involved!
"How do you know the Jiang and Ji families were annihilated by the Yaochi Holy Land?"
Yun Fan asked with confusion.
"Firstly, the Yaochi Holy Land has the capability. Secondly, we found the Tai Xuan Divine Needle of the Yaochi Holy Land at the scene!"
Yang Can said, "Although these two families were annihilated by the Yaochi Holy Land, it is enough for me to kill you!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Fan immediately understood, and even felt an urge to laugh. That Tai Xuan Divine Needle must have been the hidden weapon used by the mysterious woman in her sneak attack.
At that time, he had merely flicked the divine needle away and fled in haste. The woman probably hadn't found the divine needle.
Although he had inadvertently helped the Yaochi Holy Land, Yun Fan was happy. The Yaochi Holy Land was an enemy he couldn't afford to provoke, and framing them now was perfect.
"You can't kill him!"
Yang Xuejian quickly stepped in front of Yun Fan.
Yang Can said coldly, "He must die, because he is a demon!"
Yun Fan said calmly, "You cannot kill me!"