Yang Ye wanted to resist, but the might and speed of that petal wasn’t something he could resist at all. With his current strength, all he could do before this tiny petal was wait for death to arrive! Even though there was boundless rage and unwillingness in his heart, but he couldn’t do anything about it. In this world where the strong were respected, there were numerous times when experts didn’t have to abide by the rules. Just like this very moment, this beautiful woman from the Flower Palace was able to disregard the rules of the Ascension Rankings and make a move against him before the competition had even come to an end.

The strong could do as they pleased while the weak could only resign themselves to being bullied!

Clang!

Suddenly, a strand of sword qi tore through the air and shot at the petal. It was none other than Su Qingshi who’d remained silent until now. Even though she knew that she was no match for the beautiful woman, she still couldn’t just stand there and watch Yang Ye die before her. So, she’d acted!

When she saw Su Qingshi attack, the beautiful woman spoke in a cold and indifferent tone. “You overestimate your ability!”

The strand of sword qi that Su Qingshi executed had been blasted into dispersal as soon as it came into contact with the petal, and the petal shot towards Yang Ye at an even swifter speed.

Su Qingshi was astounded!

Right when it was merely a centimeter away from the center of Yang Ye’s forehead, it suddenly and shockingly stopped there, and the beautiful woman’s expression changed slightly when she witnessed this scene.

Right at this moment, a middle aged man who wore a yellow robe embroidered with nine golden dragons appeared by Yang Ye’s side. Moreover, Qin Xiyue had arrived by this middle aged man’s side as well.

The middle aged man glanced at Yang Ye who still remained calm and composed without revealing even a trace of fear, and then he nodded lightly while a wisp of admiration flashed in his eyes. He said, “The best way to test a person’s attainments and natural talent in the Sword Dao is through that person’s reaction at the instant before death. You were able to remain calm before danger and fearless of death while facing an expert that’s countless times stronger than you. As expected of one who has attained the Enlightened Sword Heart!”

Even though Yang Ye didn’t know who this person was, Yang Ye owed this person his life. So, just out of consideration for this, Yang Ye couldn’t be disrespectful to this person. He immediately bowed slightly to the middle aged man said, “Death… it’s naturally something that I’m afraid of because I still have countless things that I want to do. But what can fear do? Instead of showing fear and incurring the disdain and ridicule of others, isn’t it better to face it calmly? Even if it’s death, one should die bravely!”

The middle aged man grinned and said, “Your disposition isn’t bad, your natural talent isn’t bad, and you possess a loyal character. As expected of someone that Xiyue has taken a liking to. Her actions of breaking the rules of the palace to ask me to save you weren’t taken in vain!”

Yang Ye was stunned when he heard this, and then he looked at Qin Xiyue while warmth filled his heart. He hadn’t imagined that it was actually Qin Xiyue who asked this expert to save him. So, Yang Ye instantly felt ashamed in his heart when he thought about how he’d doubted Qin Xiyue before this.

Qin Xiyue walked over to Yang Ye’s side, and then she said, “This is my Imperial Grandfather!”

Yang Ye was shocked when he heard this. This middle aged man is the Founding Emperor? Didn’t the rumors say that the Founding Emperor has locked himself behind closed doors to cultivate? Why has he come out here? When he thought about what the Founding Emperor said about Qin Xiyue breaking the rules of the palace, Yang Ye’s heart sank. Even though Qin Xiyue was a princess, it was probably extremely difficult for her to meet the Founding Emperor, and he didn’t know what sort of price Qin Xiyue had paid to actually be able to ask this extraordinary expert to abandon his cultivation!

“Founding Emperor, what’s the meaning of this!?” Right when Yang Ye was in deep thought, the beautiful woman spoke in a cold voice.

“What’s the meaning of this?” The Founding Emperor chuckled and said, “Yu Linglong, first you disregarded the rules of the Ascension Rankings that were set by my Grand Qin Empire and the six great powers, and then you attacked to kill within the Imperial Capital of my Grand Qin Empire. I want to ask you the same question as well!”

Yu Linglong’s beautiful brows knit together, and then she said in a low voice, “Founding Emperor, you intend to protect Yang Ye?”

He grinned, and then he pointed at Qin Xiyue and Yang Ye before he said, “He’s my granddaughter’s husband. In other words, he can be considered to be a member of my Grand Qin Empire. Yu Linglong, do you think I would allow you to kill him in the Imperial Capital?”

“Founding Emperor, you intend to go against my Flower Palace?” Yu Linglong’s voice turned cold.

“If you insist on thinking in that way, then it’s not out of the question!” said the Founding Emperor.

Yu Linglong’s face sank when she heard this. The Grand Qin Empire had the intention to act against the sects since a long time ago. Unfortunately, it had constantly lacked an excuse. If the Flower Palace were to make the first move against the Grand Qin Empire, then it would undoubtedly be giving the Empire an excuse. At that time, the Empire could act against the Flower Palace in a perfectly justified manner!

She didn’t know exactly how strong the Grand Qin Empire was, but it was definitely much stronger than her Flower Palace. So, it wasn’t worth it to fight such a colossus to the death just for Yang Ye. Moreover, she would have plenty of opportunities to kill Yang Ye in the future, so why be impatient now?

When she thought up to here, Yu Linglong glanced coldly at Yang Ye before she said, “Founding Emperor, I hope you’ll always be there to protect him!”

“He’ll be representing my Empire at the Ancient Battlefield!” Right at this moment, the Founding Emperor had spoken abruptly.

Yu Linglong’s expression changed slightly, and then she glanced deeply at the Founding Emperor.

The Founding Emperor suddenly said, “Palace Master Yu, let’s make a deal, alright?”

“What deal?” Yu Linglong frowned slightly.

The Founding Emperor pointed at Yang Ye and said, “He can be considered to be half a member of the Qin household now, and his mother can be considered to be a relative of my imperial household. Of course, I’m aware of the rules of your palace, so I won’t ask you to let his mother go. I only ask that you’re able to allow his mother to live for five more years. Moreover, the Flower Palace is prohibited from dispatching experts at the Exalt Realm and above against Yang Ye. For the sake of this, my Grand Qin Empire will give the human resources of a state to the Flower Palace. What do you think, Palace Master Yu?”

Yu Linglong’s eyelids twitched. The human resources of a state! To think that he’s willing to make such a sacrifice.

After a moment of silence, Yu Linglong said, “Deal. His mother will live for five years. I hope you don’t go back on your word!”

Yu Linglong wasn’t an idiot, she would naturally not refuse to obtain the human resources of an entire state in exchange for allowing a disciple and a First Heaven Realm profounder to live for five more years!”

“Of course I won’t!” The Founding Ancestor grinned as he spoke.

Yu Linglong didn’t stay here any longer. Her figure flashed, and she brought all the members of the Flower Palace along with her as she vanished from the square.

When he saw Yu Linglong leave, the Founding Ancestor looked at Li Si and said, “You can announce that the Ascension Rankings has come to an end!”

Li Si bowed slightly to the Founding Emperor, and then he looked at the crowd and said loudly, “The winner of the Ascension Rankings, the Grand Qin Empire’s Yang Ye!”

There were no claps or cheers from below, and there was only silence…. Because they’d never imagined that Yang Ye would be able to obtain the 1st position on the Ascension Rankings. However, it was a fact that he had, and he’d crushed the number one monstrous genius of the southern territory, Yuan Tong, in order to obtain the 1st position.

Under the arrangements of the Grand Qin Empire, Yang Ye’s name was like a plague that swept through the entire southern territory. At the same time, Yang Ye obtained a nickname — the Quasi Sword Emperor!

Why was he called the Quasi Sword Emperor? Because Yang Ye hadn’t gone to Sword Emperor Mountain to obtain the acknowledgment of the mysterious ancient sheathe there!

The 1st on the Ascension Rankings and the Quasi Sword Emperor…. Yang Ye didn’t care about all of this. He was just slightly at a loss. He was truly slightly at a loss when it came to the colossus that was the Flower Palace. Even if he was given a hundred years of time, he would probably be unable to resist the Flower Palace by relying on his own strength. But the problem was that his mother only had five years of time.

So, how should he save her?

Under the orders of the Founding Emperor, all the profounders on the square had been sent away by the troops of the Empire. At this moment, only Yang Ye, the Founding Emperor, and Qin Xiyue remained here.

The Founding Emperor suddenly said, “It isn’t impossible for you to save your mother!”

Yang Ye was shocked when he heard this, and then he raised his head to look at the Founding Emperor while his voice carried anxiousness. He said, “Please provide me with your guidance, Senior!”

“Annihilate the Flower Palace!” said the Founding Emperor in a flat voice.

Yang Ye laughed bitterly when he heard this and said, “I want to do that as well. But Senior, do you think I can annihilate the Flower Palace?”

If he was able to annihilate it, then he would have done it a long time ago. Unfortunately, he couldn’t!

“If you intend to accomplish it with your own strength, then you probably need the strength that the Founding Ancestor of the Sword Sect possessed all those years ago. Otherwise, even if you attain my level of cultivation, you would still be unable to annihilate the Flower Palace!” The Founding Emperor said, “The resources, reserves, and strength of the Flower Palace exceeds your imagination!”

“Then….”

The Founding Emperor shook his head and said, “You can’t, but my Grand Qin Empire has the required strength!”

“What price must I pay!?” Yang Ye wasn’t stupid. He knew that it was absolutely impossible for the Founding Ancestor to save him merely because of Qin Xiyue, and he wasn’t aware of the exact reason!

“Represent the Empire at the Ancient Battlefield!” The Founding Ancestor’s expression was slightly solemn.

“The Ancient Battlefield?” Yang Ye was puzzled because he’d never heard of such a place.

The Founding Emperor suddenly said, “My Empire and the six great powers have always been in harmony only in appearance, yet we’ve remained without conflict for so long. Do you know why?”

“It’s because of the Darkbeast Empire?” asked Yang Ye.

“Then do you know why the Darkbeast Empire and we humans have been living peacefully until now even though we’re both hostile against each other?” asked the Founding Emperor.

Yang Ye shook his head.

“Because we humans and the Darkbeasts have an even stronger enemy!” The Founding Emperor looked towards the north and said, “There’s a mountain range at the northernmost area of the Darkbeast Empire, and it’s called Heaven Tower Mountain Range. This mountain range is extremely and over a million kilometers wide. There’s an extremely formidable race of beings living on the other side of this mountain range. They possess an innate advantage that both humans and Darkbeasts don’t. Not only are they able to cultivate combat techniques, but their physical bodies are also stronger than Darkbeasts. They are the Devil Race!”

“The Devil Race?” Yang Ye was puzzled.

The Founding Emperor nodded lightly and said, “They’re blessed by the heavens. Every single young man of the Devil Race that has come of age wouldn’t have to intentionally temper the body, yet their physical strength and defense would be even stronger than ordinary King Rank Darkbeasts. Besides that, they are able to cultivate the various combat techniques that only we humans are able to cultivate! The geniuses of our human race can’t be called geniuses in front of them at all. For example, if Yuan Tong was placed amongst the younger generation of the Devil Race, then he can be considered as outstanding at most!”

Yang Ye was shocked when he heard the Founding Emperor’s last sentence. Even though Yuan Tong had lost to him, Yuan Tong’s strength was extremely formidable. If he hadn’t awakened the Sword Spirit of the Azure Sword and utilized the tiny vortex, then the outcome of the battle between him and Yuan Tong would probably be uncertain! But it was exactly such an extraordinary expert that could only be considered as outstanding amongst the Devil Race….