The Emperor's Domineering Favor, the Evil Consort's Unparalleled Reign

"He killed the former boss! Everyone, charge! Quickly execute this little bastard on the spot!"

"Charge! What are you all standing there for! Quickly rush up and tear this girl named Ying Li to shreds!"

"..."

The disciples of the Zhongyue Alliance only then recovered from the shock of Yuan Zhongyue's death! Every single one of them blazed with murderous intent. Without Yuan Zhongyue, the Zhongyue Alliance had lost its backer. Having committed countless evils in the past, they would now only be swallowed up and wiped out as cannon fodder by other insignificant allies among the lower-ranking disciples of the Bixia Palace. How could they not be furious?!

As countless figures shot towards him, Ying Li's eyes turned cold, and he gathered spiritual power in his right hand to form a barrier in front of him.

"Let's see who dares to touch her!"

A sudden shout rang out from the crowd, and the mountain itself began to shake. Jiang Yunhe raised his right hand, aiming at the direction from which the Zhongyue Alliance members were shooting towards him. His spiritual power surged forth, and the wind howled so loudly that it almost shattered the eardrums of everyone present.

"Ugh!" A cacophony of groans erupted as lower-level disciples, around the first stage of spiritual cultivation, were instantly sent flying, dragged for twenty or thirty meters before finally coming to a stop. With just this one move, more than half of the Zhongyue Alliance members were severely injured. Jiang Yunhe, watching the Zhongyue Alliance members writhing in pain on the ground, his languid expression replaced by a cold, icy one. His eyes flashed with murderous intent as he said, each word distinct and deliberate, "Those who don't value their lives, come at me again! I, Jiang Yunhe, am making this clear today: anyone who dares to touch that girl will be killed without mercy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of spiritual light emanated from Jiang Yunhe's body, and deep cracks suddenly appeared on the ground beneath everyone's feet.

The crowd was so frightened that they retreated in panic, some even fleeing the land in a panic. Jiang Yunhe was an elder of the middle-level disciples, and he never interfered in the affairs of the lower-level disciples. This year, not only did he personally participate in the Bixia Palace's entrance examination, but he also showed such favoritism towards this rising star, Ying Li. It seems that Ying Li will undoubtedly be Elder Jiang Yunhe's key protégé in the future.

Ying Li's expression changed slightly. She looked at Jiang Yunhe, who had been helping her in every way since the Bixia Palace registration ceremony, and a complicated look flashed in her eyes.

"Get out of here!" Jiang Yunhe's face contemptuously rose when he saw the cowardly state of those lower-level disciples. He only said one more word before using his spiritual power to intimidate and coerce the people around him without any politeness. Those people were not without brains. When they saw Jiang Yunhe like this, they quickly found a way to escape.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, only Ying Li, Ying Zhe, Ying Xue, Yue Wei, An Yao, and Jiang Yunhe remained at the foot of the mountain. Ying Zhe, Ying Xue, and the others stood aside and watched, while Jiang Yunhe walked straight towards Ying Li. Ying Li's face was pale, without a trace of blood. She looked at Jiang Yunhe, her lips trembling slightly.

"Elder Yunhe, why are you helping me?" Ying Li asked softly. In her fifteen years of life, apart from her grandfather and third uncle, no one had ever helped her like this. Ying Li had faced countless desperate situations, but each time she was alone, coming into this world lonely and leaving in a miserable state. Yet Jiang Yunhe, a complete stranger to Ying Li, disregarded the power behind Yuan Zhongyue and helped her without hesitation. More or less, whatever Jiang Yunhe's reasons, Ying Li felt a deep sense of gratitude.

Jiang Yunhe withdrew his spiritual power and reverted to his usual carefree demeanor. Arms crossed, he sized up Ying Li. His black brocade robe billowed in the wind, revealing a tight-fitting blue undergarment beneath his arms. Standing opposite Ying Li, this man inexplicably conjured up the image of another person in Ying Li's mind: a man in silver robes with black hair, bright, intelligent eyes, and an elegant posture, standing motionless by a window, where even the sunlight seemed too shy to cast dappled shadows. Ying Li's thoughts stirred, but when she came back to her senses, her eyes reflected Jiang Yunhe's handsome face.

Who that person was could never be found out.

"What else could it be? Of course, it's because I like you. You have such high talent, a rare genius in Bixia Palace. If you were to be held back by a few inferior disciples, it would be a great loss to Bixia Palace. Naturally, I don't want that to happen." Jiang Yunhe spoke frankly.

"But you're quite interesting, little girl. Aren't you afraid your family will be implicated because of this?"

Ying Li's expression changed. She had naturally thought about it, but in a moment of impulsiveness, seeing Yuan Zhongyue kill so many innocent people, and Lin Xiangxiang taking the opportunity to push her into the limelight, whether she made a move or not, she would die. "I had no other choice."

Jiang Yunhe smiled, looking down at the bloodstains on Ying Li's purple robe. His smile faded. "You had no choice before, but now you do. Leave here immediately and return in three years. That will be the time for the Bixia Palace's mid-level disciple assessment. If you pass and become a mid-level disciple, I will naturally have ways to protect you. The lower-level disciple circle is a chaotic battleground. If you win, you can leave here alive and stronger. If you lose, your family will be threatened while you are a lower-level disciple. Mid-level disciples are different. They are the pride of heaven, and private fights are strictly forbidden among fellow disciples. If anyone harms a mid-level disciple, a powerful elder will exterminate their entire family. After you leave, I will send people to protect your family and your brothers and sisters. Just go out and cultivate with peace of mind. When you return in three years, I hope to see you among the mid-level disciples."

Yingli's heart stirred. She looked up at Jiang Yunhe. There was something inexplicable in his eyes that made her feel at ease. Could she trust this person?

"The intermediate disciple assessment is held once a year. The worst passer is at the eighth level of spiritual cultivation. After the age of eighteen, they can no longer take the exam. You are still young, but your cultivation is not high enough. If you want to live, you must become an intermediate disciple within three years. I will be waiting for you there."

Jiang Yunhe patted Ying Li on the shoulder, a serious look in his eyes.

Ying Li bit her lip tightly. She glanced at Ying Zhe and the others standing not far away, their faces full of worry. After a long while, she said resolutely, "One year. Give me one year, and I will definitely become a mid-level disciple. Before that, I will entrust my family to Elder Yunhe. I thank the elder for his help. When I return, I will do whatever Elder Yunhe says, even if it's just to capture the clouds in the sky, without any complaints!"

Jiang Yunhe's expression changed. He hadn't expected Ying Li to have such ambition. He suddenly remembered himself from many years ago. His expression softened, and he said loudly, "Good! Girl, you have guts! I'll remember your words. You must come back in a year!"

Ying Li's expression softened slightly, but when she caught a glimpse of the girl's lifeless body on the ground, her eyes filled with desolation. From childhood to adulthood, it seemed she had always been hiding, always on the move, wishing she could have the time, the opportunity, to stop and linger, though she didn't know when that time would come.

"Little sister!" Ying Zhe's face clouded with worry upon hearing the news of Ying Li's departure. He ran over and grabbed Ying Li's arm, saying reluctantly, "Yue Wei told me everything. Second brother knows but doesn't blame you. It's all because they bullied you. It's all because Yuan Zhongyue is too wicked, bullying everyone. Lin Xiangxiang even dragged you into it as a scapegoat. Second brother knows everything, so Li'er, what you did was right. Second brother also wanted to kill Yuan Zhongyue, but second brother didn't have the ability. Now that we've done it, you should leave quickly. Don't be afraid. Third sister and I will wait for you at Bixia Palace. You should leave quickly."

Ying Li's nose tingled, and a flood of grievances overwhelmed her. Her eyes filled with tears. She glanced at everyone one last time, clenched her hands tightly, and forced back her tears. She said in a deep voice, "Ying Li is leaving now. Second brother, everyone, until we meet again!"

After saying that, Ying Li wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his right hand, channeled his spiritual energy throughout his body, and shot off toward the exit of the Bixia Mountain Range!

Jiang Yunhe glanced at the devastating scene around him, then beckoned to Ying Zhe and the others, instructing them to stay by his side as idle disciples, doing odd jobs and cultivating along the way. This was a way of providing them with protection on the surface. As for the Ying family in Yeling City, Jiang Yunhe secretly sent more than a dozen experts to protect them, to prevent Yuan Zhongxue from leading a group to exterminate the entire clan after learning what had happened.

Hidden Cultivator and Yan Jue appeared behind Jiang Yunhe at some point. Yan Jue and Jiang Yunhe weren't very close, but Hidden Cultivator, upon seeing Jiang Yunhe, looked distressed, sighing repeatedly, his eyes filled with anger and worry. "Yunhe! I can tolerate your usual unruly behavior, thinking you're still just a child, but how could you be so foolish now?! Who is Yuan Zhongyue? He's the younger brother of Yuan Zhongxue, the number one mid-level elder! You secretly helped the person who killed Yuan Zhongyue escape and even sent people to protect his family. What were you thinking?! Even if Ying Li is very talented, she's just a low-level disciple now. You've made an enemy of Yuan Zhongxue for a new low-level disciple! I really don't know what to say to you!"

Back when Jiang Yunhe was a lower-ranking disciple, Yinxiu had been his teacher for a time. Their friendship, though brief, was short-lived. However, within a few years, Jiang Yunhe displayed astonishing talent, eventually becoming an elder among the middle-ranking disciples of Bixia Palace, a position significantly higher than Yinxiu's. Yet, their relationship didn't falter; instead, it grew even closer. Naturally, Yinxiu was more anxious than others about Jiang Yunhe's decision.

“Elder Yinxiu is right. Although Ying Li’s deep pupils are terrifying, the child’s future is uncertain and her family is too small. If she stops here and never breaks through again, she will never amount to anything. Elder Yunhe, won’t you regret it?” Yan Jue chimed in. If it were up to him, he would never do it.

Hearing their words, Jiang Yunhe smiled. "Isn't the Deep Pupil Eye enough to demonstrate this girl's future? Throughout history, only a handful of people have mastered the Deep Pupil Eye, and none are still alive today. Doesn't such patience and talent prove how formidable this girl is?! Don't think that just because you can't do something doesn't mean others can! That girl defeated Yuan Zhongyue, a seventh-stage Spiritual Cultivator, with only a second-stage Spiritual Cultivation, and even mastered a martial art we don't know about. And you two think protecting her isn't worth it?! When that girl becomes a Spiritual Lord, I'll come back and ask you the same question again: Was it worth it? Or not?!"

After Jiang Yunhe finished speaking, he left without looking back, leaving the recluse and Yan Jue standing there, sighing as they watched his hurried departure. Finally, the recluse smiled helplessly. Had he been a lifeless elder of the lower-ranking disciples for so long that he couldn't even judge people properly anymore?! However, it wasn't entirely his fault. For hundreds of years, no genius like Ying Li had appeared among the lower-ranking disciples. They were stunned and naturally dared not easily believe it.