Ou Yangming pondered and remarked, "It's quite a rare scene among the eight prefectures that you're both severely injured during this disaster!"

Upon hearing the comment, which had a hint of ridicule but was more of an inquiry, the two Supreme Great Ancestors trusted by the imperial family could not help but flush. They looked at each other and smiled bitterly.

"Master Ou, frankly speaking, we had such miserable encounters because someone plotted it against us." Peng Huachi shook his head helplessly. "Before the Aquatics' spirit beast and Senior Hong arrived, Feng Yiyuan and the others were quite cooperative. We resisted the Aquatics' attacks and were even rewarded when we went further on boats. It was when the spirit beast began to rage and when Senior Hong suddenly appeared everything became different."

Nian Xinran smiled bitterly. "That's right. Ever since then, Feng Yiyuan and the others secretly had evil intentions. During the last attack from the Aquatics' spirit beast, they encouraged us to attack together because they wanted to eliminate the beast right away."

Ou Yangming could not help but laugh. "I'm afraid you're not qualified enough to kill that lazy turtle."

After meeting the spirit turtle and exchanged blows with it, Ou Yangming and his companion understood one thing—the lazy turtle did not have the wild ambition to harm the Humans at all. It had only actively invaded the city several times probably because it wanted to put on a show for the powerhouses in the upper realm.

Needless to say, the Turtles were born to be slow. Hong Feiyu could not hurt it at all, but it would almost be difficult for it to kill a human Spirit Grade powerhouse.

Therefore, though it repeatedly fought Hong Feiyu, it would lose its fighting spirit after a fixed period and would go home.

Nonetheless, Peng Huachi and Nian Xinran could not tell at all, and they even thought they stood a chance to slaughter the lazy turtle if they had more people.

They did not know that if the Humans' combat power did not make a qualitative breakthrough, even if they sent over 10 Supreme Great Ancestors to fight, it would end up being a one-way trip for the powerhouses.

The faces of the two great ancestors reddened again, and Nian Xinran expressed furiously, "They used the Humans' disaster to harm people, and even death can't atone for the crime!"

Ou Yangming smiled and declined to comment.

In actuality, he did not have a favorable impression of Feng Yiyuan, especially after he found out about the encounters of the governor and the general.

The two Supreme Great Ancestors kept watch over Canghai City by the imperial family's order, but they were not from aristocratic families, after all. As such, they could not communicate with the upper realm and did not know much about the Aquatics' spirit beast as compared to Feng Yiyuan.

Under certain special circumstances, it was reasonable that the governor and the general were fooled.

Nevertheless, Feng Yiyuan and the others still secretly instigated their evil plan while knowing that the Humans' disaster was not yet over. Their actions were undesirable, but Ou Yangming still did not want to get involved in the trouble. Hence, he put on an unpredictable expression so that the great ancestors would be suspicious and uncertain.

Hong Feiyu stood next to Ou Yangming as though he was his guard. He turned to look at the great ancestors and ridiculed them, "You're quite funny; you were the ones courting death, but you insist on blaming others. Heh, if Feng Yiyuan and the others hadn't backed you up that day, how could you have retreated?"

The faces of Peng Huachi and Nian Xinran took on ghastly expressions. After some time, the former explained, "Senior, before we set out that day, we agreed to attack together. However, the ones that went all-out on the battlefield were the two of us and three other Supreme Great Ancestors that followed us, whereas the rest showed up but didn't do anything. Isn't that despicable?"

Hong Feiyu sneered but just as he wanted to speak, Ou Yangming cleared his throat and stated, "Forget it. Today's a happy day, so let's not bring up the unhappy past."

Peng Huachi and Nian Xinran were stunned. They were not reconciled to the outcome, but they dared not disobey Ou Yangming.

Hong Feiyu twitched his mouth and looked away. He was not fond of the people from the lower realm, thus he could not be bothered as long as nobody offended him.

Before long, the celebration in the city began, but very few people dared to get close to Ou Yangming and his companions.

In particular, when Hong Feiyu stood like a loyal bodyguard behind Ou Yangming, even Feng Yiyuan and his people had goosebumps. They had witnessed the Spirit Grade powerhouse's abilities. Without him leading the fights against the spirit turtle, the city could not have been safe.

While Feng Yiyuan and the others were around, Ou Yangming retrieved some pills and gave them to Peng Huachi and Nian Xinran. The Supreme Great Ancestors, who were loyal to the imperial family, were extremely grateful, whereas Feng Yiyuan and the rest had complicated looks on their faces. When they received the letter from Changlong City's Ni family and saw Ni Yinghong, they were certain that the young fellow, who was a new rising star, was with the influential families even if he did not want to replace the imperial family.

If that was not the case, why did he leave Her Royal Highness and only brought Ni Yinghong to Canghai City?

Despite that, Feng Yiyuan and his people no longer thought the same after seeing how Ou Yangming acted.

In actuality, they were rather arrogant when Ou Yangming first arrived at Canghai City. That was because they thought they could rely on Hong Feiyu, so they became bold knowing that a Spirit Grade powerhouse was supporting them. Especially since they had not witnessed how mighty Multi-armed King Kong and the goshawk were, they could not help but have their own thoughts.

Having said that, the confidence of Feng Yiyuan and his people was shattered after they saw how formidable Ou Yangming and Big Yellow were.

Until this moment, they looked at each other anxiously and did not know how to get along with Ou Yangming.

During the celebration, Ou Yangming conversed happily with the people around him as if he did not sense the peculiar aura in the city at all.

Feng Yiyuan was hesitant for a long time. After a discussion between the powerhouses from many aristocratic families in the city, he finally sighed and bit the bullet as he approached Ou Yangming with a smile. "Master Ou, can I have a word with you in private?"

Ou Yangming looked at Peng Huachi and Nian Xinran behind him, then he nodded with a smile and left with the great ancestor.

The governor and the general tensed up, and they stood up abruptly. Just as they wanted to follow the young fellow, a shadow appeared as Hong Feiyu stood in front of them with a smile. "I'm feeling happy today, so drink with me."

Peng Huachi and Nian Xinran were about to reject Hong Feiyu when the man reached out his hands to press their shoulders.

With that, notable powers gushed into their bodies. Not to mention they were still injured, even if they were well, they could not have withstood the enormous forces.

The governor and the general were forced to sit down. Whether or not they were willing to do so, they were suppressed by the Spirit Grade powerhouse.

While the two of them had loyal followers with them, those men dared not stand up for them after seeing that it was Hong Feiyu's doing.

Even if one offended a Spirit Grade powerhouse here and was beaten to death on the spot, one could not redress the wrong at all.

Ou Yangming followed Feng Yiyuan to a corner. Given their identities, they would attract much attention even if they were sitting alone, let alone sitting next to each other.

In spite of that, a group of people somehow appeared after they sat. Those men spread out and surrounded them such that nobody else could disturb them.

The young fellow sighed at the sighed of the well-trained people. Sure enough, an aristocratic family's powers were omnipresent. They could not be mentioned on equal terms with the imperial family in terms of powerhouses at the peak, but they were not inferior in terms of ordinary cultivators.

"Senior Feng, did you look for me to give me an order?" Ou Yangming smiled faintly.

Feng Yiyuan flushed and quickly answered, "Master Ou, how dare I give you any orders? I only received some news, and I'd like to relay it to you."

"Oh? Please go ahead."

The great ancestor asked sternly, "Master Ou, do you know about the origins of the imperial family and the inherited aristocratic families from the eight counties?

Ou Yangming shook his head. "I was just going to consult you about it."

In actual fact, it was evident that those families had countless ties with the upper realm, but he did not want to expose it.

Sure enough, Feng Yiyuan's eyes lit up as he said, "Master Ou, frankly speaking, the nine of us came from there." He pointed at the sky as he made the obscure remark.

Ou Yangming furrowed his eyebrows. "Does your origin have anything to do with me?"

Feng Yiyuan's face reddened, and he cursed internally, 'This young fella doesn't know how to appreciate one's kindness!'

Even so, he dared not fall out with Ou Yangming, so he could only curb his thought. "Master Ou, ever since the Humans' disaster started, you emerged and swept the world with an unbeatable stance, causing the disturbances in the eight counties to end. This feat is considered a first, and it's a model for the Humans. That said, given your achievements now, I'm afraid you're only left with two paths."

Ou Yangming was dumbfounded. He asked in a deep voice, "Which two paths?"

"One of them is to overthrow the Wu imperial family's ruling with your followers and spirit beasts, then you replace them," Feng Yiyuan answered without any hesitation.

"What's the other path?" Ou Yangming could not help but laugh.

Feng Yiyuan's heart sank a little. He was an experienced man with a good eye, so he could tell if the young fellow was trying to be mysterious.

'Indeed, this fella doesn't intend to dominate at all,' he thought when he looked at Ou Yangming. Nonetheless, he responded, "The second path is to avoid the imperial family by going beyond this world."

"Why should I avoid the imperial family?" Ou Yangming grinned.

"Because your reputation is too high, so the imperial family might not allow it if you stay in the same realm as them for a long time." Feng Yiyuan inhaled deeply and continued, "Honestly, even if I don't tell you this today, you'll be able to feel it soon."

Ou Yangming chuckled. "So what if the imperial family doesn't allow it? Will they really fall out with me?"

"They might not have the guts to do that but with help from the upper realm, perhaps they'll find a way to go against you."

"I'm not really interested in contending for dominance in this world." Ou Yangming was struck dumb, but he still replied to the great ancestor after some thought.

If he did not know about the upper realm, perhaps he would want to make a move after gaining so much power. However, after knowing that there was a broader world beyond this realm, he no longer confined his vision to this world.