Even though the vitality within Ding Shaoyao was still flowing away while both Yang Ye’s violet profound energy and the Greenwood Spirit were healing her, it was countless times slower. So, at the very least, there would be no danger to her life in the near future.

With the lesson they’d learned from the previous attack they suffered, Ding Shaoyao and Yang Ye fortified the defenses of the city. Not only were the Exalt Realm experts ordered to form groups that patrolled the city throughout the night, there were even Exalt Realm experts patrolling the sky.

Moreover, Yang Ye left the 10 Sword Servants he’d created from the members of the Saber Team with Ding Shaoyao so that no other mishaps would befall her. After all, their strengths far surpassed ordinary Exalt Realm profounders, and they could even stop him for a short period of time.

…

In a room within the city.

Only two people were here, Yang Ye and Ding Shaoyao.

“Presently, the southern territory’s strength isn’t inferior to the Exalted Han Empire, and my reputation is at its peak. It’s the perfect moment for us to attack and destroy the Exalted Han Empire. What do you think?” asked Yang Ye.

The Exalted Han Empire had to be destroyed because only then could he unify the entire human world, and only then could he converge the strength of all the human profounders to go against the Hallowed Grounds and defiant profounders. He was very clearly aware that both the Hallowed Grounds and defiant profounders weren’t a force that he could fight on his own!

Ding Shaoyao shook her head and said, “You’ve successively killed numerous experts who’re ranked on the Hallowed Rankings, and you’ve even attained 12th level Sword Intent. Your reputation really is at its peak, and it’ll definitely only require half the effort if we attack the central territory now. But have you thought about everything else? Our foundation is very rocky, and our forces are made up of various different powers. All of them have their own intentions, and they’ll do all sorts of things for the sake of their own benefit. For example, they might kill or scheme against each other…. So, based on the state we’re in now, even if we annihilated the Exalted Han Empire and took full control of its territories now, we’ll fall into a state of internal strife right away. Moreover, it’s even to the extent that we might suffer from internal strife before the Exalted Han Empire is even destroyed!”

Yang Ye frowned because he’d never considered all of that.

Ding Shaoyao said, “All of this can’t be resolved by just killing a few people. We have no choice but to deal with the internal problems we face before advancing to the central territory. Moreover, you have to realize that while our strength isn’t inferior to the Exalted Han Empire, our forces are showing signs of acting based on their own interests. Just think about it, what would the consequences be if orders aren’t obeyed during a war between 2 kingdoms?”

“How do we deal with it? How long will it take?” asked Yang Ye.

Ding Shaoyao grinned and said, “Thanks to the deterrence you exert upon them, it isn’t very difficult to deal with it, and it’ll just take a little time. You don’t have to worry about it because I’ll deal with it.”

Yang Ye sighed lightly and said, “To be honest, I’m lucky to have you by my side. Otherwise, I would really not know how to deal with the southern territory!” He wouldn’t fear an arduous battle that lasted all day and night, but he would truly have a headache if he were asked to deal with all of this.

Ding Shaoyao suddenly said, “The northern territory dispatched a messenger with the intention of joining forces with us against the Exalted Han Empire. What do you think?”

“The northern territory?” Yang Ye was slightly stunned, and then he said, “It really is rather tenacious to have survived the Exalted Han Empire’s attacks until now. But they want to join forces with us now? Haha, why didn’t they come earlier?”

“If I’m not wrong, then the northern territory is under the control of that little sweetheart of yours, Yin Xuan’er!” said Ding Shaoyao.

Yin Xuan’er? Yang Ye frowned a little, and then he said, “She isn’t my sweetheart. As for the decision to join forces or not, I’ll leave it up to you.”

Ding Shaoyao nodded and said, “Based on my inference, you intend to subdue the entire human world, and then gather the strength of the human profounders to resist the defiant profounders and the Hallowed Grounds. But I have to tell you that it’s clearly not enough. It’s best if we can join forces with the demon race, devil race, and oceanic clans. After all, both the defiant profounders and Hallowed Grounds probably possess strength that far surpasses ours!”

“It’s quite difficult to accomplish!” Yang Ye said in a low voice, “It wouldn’t be too difficult to join forces with the demon race because we’re already working together with the Demon Emperor. But the devil race and oceanic clans….”

“You’ve killed Luo Jun, so is the Mortal Emperor Sword in your possession?” asked Ding Shaoyao.

Yang Ye nodded.

Ding Shaoyao smiled as she said, “Actually, it’s not very difficult. Once we unify the entire human world, you just have to use the Mortal Emperor Sword to destroy the barrier between the human world and the demon territory. If the devil race still refuses to join forces with us at that time, then we’ll just kill them.”

“Isn’t that a little too overbearing?” Yang Ye was astounded.

She rolled her eyes at him and said, “That isn’t overbearing but benevolent to you.”

Yang Ye rubbed his nose and said, “Am I really such a devil in your eyes?”

She gazed at him and suddenly spoke seriously, “You’re a person who’s very selfish and always goes to extremes. You kill at the slightest conflict and even like to slaughter a person’s entire family. Usually, a person like you doesn’t live long and no woman likes such a character. However, you just so happen to have many wives. Do you know why?”

Yang Ye wanted to refute her, but when he thought about it carefully, he realized that she wasn’t wrong….

She continued, “You have a merit, and it can be said to be your only merit. It’s that you’re loyal. For example, those flaws of yours would vanish without a trace in the eyes of those who you’ve acknowledged, like Yuxi and Qingshi. Moreover, you’re willing to do absolutely anything for them, even go against the entire world. Most women don’t care about the elegant demeanor possessed by a man or how handsome that person is, they mostly care about what a man is willing to do for them.”

Yang Ye was at a loss for words.

Ding Shaoyao continued, “I attached importance to your potential when I joined forces with you that day, but I valued this merit of yours even more. Because I was very clearly aware that so long as my Ding Clan doesn’t betray you, then you’ll never abandon my Ding Clan. The reason Luo Jun lost can’t be said to be entirely because of you, he lost because of himself. The Mortal Emperors of the past have been benevolent existences that win the support and hearts of all. However, he abandoned everything for the sake of eliminating you. If the Mortal Emperor is unable to win the support and hearts of all, that Mortal Emperor can’t be considered a true Mortal Emperor even if he has obtained the Mortal Emperor Sword!”

Yang Ye said, “You mean that I have to win the support and hearts of the people?”

She shook her head and said, “You’re not the Mortal Emperor, so it isn’t necessary to take that path. You just have to stay invincible and ruthless as you are now. Because your ruthlessness and status of invincibility is even more effective than that so-called support of the people. At the very least, no one will dare to betray you while you remain undefeated!”

Yang Ye nodded and said, “I’ve gained a great deal from this long talk with you. At the very least, my objective is clear, and I know what I have to do. Herby, can we be considered to be close friends? Because I feel that you know me better than I know myself!”

She asked, “Close friends are those who know each other well. Do you know me well?”

Yang Ye blushed with shame because he didn’t understand her well at all!

She seemed to have no intention to linger on this topic, and she said, “Remember that everything I said is built upon the foundation that you remain undefeated. If you are to suffer defeat, then it’ll be an utterly crushing blow to the southern territory. Because everyone will feel that you, Yang Ye, are human as well, and you can be defeated. At that time, the Hallowed Grounds would only have to extend an olive branch and everything we formed with great difficulty would collapse in an instant!”

“Looks like the pressure on me is great!” Yang Ye chuckled.

She gazed at him seriously and said, “If anything were to happen to you, then all those who’ve been following you since the beginning will be buried with you. They include me, the Demon Emperor, and even Elder Mu. Understand?”

Yang Ye’s smile froze when he saw the serious expression on her face because the fate of many had suddenly rested on his shoulders, and it was the very first time that Yang Ye felt pressure weighing down on his shoulders.

Because he didn’t want anything to happen to Elder Mu, the Demon Emperor, Ding Shaoyao, and various others!

Right at this moment, a wave of sweet fragrance assaulted his nostrils, and then he felt Ding Shaoyao hugging him. Yang Ye was stunned.

“Don’t think too much about it. At the very least, many will always be there to support you!” Ding Shaoyao turned around and walked out of the room once she finished speaking. Only Yang Ye who was staring blankly there remained.

“The 2nd and 3rd on the Hallowed Rankings, Xiahou Xuan and Unseeing, have come to seek guidance from the Sword Emperor. Please meet us outside the city!” Meanwhile, a voice resounded through Ancient Domain City.

Yang Ye’s eyes narrowed and turned cold.

Outside Ancient Domain City.

Yang Ye appeared outside the entrance of the city with the ancient sheath in his hand.

“You’re Yang Ye?” The green clothed man sized up Yang Ye and said, “Sword Intent that’s restrained yet fierce. As expected of 2nd level Heaven Realm Sword Intent. You’re qualified to know my name. I’m Xiahou Xuan, an inheritor of the Dao of Confucianism. He, on the other, has no name, and we just call him Unseeing. He’s ranked at the 2nd position on the Hallowed Rankings.”

Yang Ye said, “I thought the Hallowed Grounds would send the 5th on the Hallowed Rankings!”

Xiahou Xuan shook his head and said, “Our Hallowed Grounds underestimated you. Our arrival here today represents that the Hallowed Grounds isn’t underestimating you anymore. So, you and the forces that stand behind you can vanish completely now.”

“Too much talk!” Meanwhile, Unseeing suddenly took 2 steps forward and said, “Take a stab of my spear!” As soon as he spoke, the violet spear in his hand shot off from his grasp like a bolt of lightning and instantly arrived in front of Yang Ye.

Yang Ye’s pupils constricted because his Sword Intent actually showed faint signs of being suppressed by his opponent’s Spear Intent!

3rd level Heaven Realm Spear Intent? Yang Ye immediately drew the Mortal Emperor Sword and slashed. A strand of sword qi surged forward, but it trembled slightly upon coming into contact with Unseeing’s spear, and then it was blasted into nothingness just a moment later….

The violet spear instantly smashed against Yang Ye’s chest!

Bang!

A mouthful of blood sprayed out from Yang Ye’s mouth as his figure flew backward before smashing against the walls of Ancient Domain City. The entire wall trembled violently before countless cracks appeared on it….

Everyone within the city was flabbergasted!

“Take this as well!” Xiahou Xuan waved his brush in midair, and then an enormous ‘滅’ character appeared in the sky. As soon as it appeared, an aura of destruction swept out, and then the walls of the city collapsed….

“Ganging up on him? Is this how the Hallowed Grounds acts?” Right at this moment, a golden spear tore through the sky, and it pierced through the ‘滅’ character, causing it to explode apart.

A wisp of surprise flashed through Xiahou Xuan’s eyes, and he looked over and saw a woman walking over slowly!

She wore a white robe, and her hair was tied up in a ponytail….

An Nanjing!