The woman's words poured out of her mouth like a rapid volley of arrows.
"I… I didn't mean it like that…"
Ye Chen spoke with a trembling voice, his lips quivering.
"Senior, I know I was wrong. Please give me one more chance! I… I won't disappoint you again!"
He suddenly dropped to his knees, his face filled with pleading, hoping the woman would show him some lingering mercy.
But the only response he received was a contemptuous sneer.
The woman looked at the kneeling Ye Chen as if he were trash, and there was not the slightest trace of pity left in her heart.
In truth, even she did not quite understand why she had acted as she did in the beginning.
When she first came into contact with Ye Chen, she had felt that he was pitiful. Compassion arose in her heart, and since Ye Chen had indeed once done her a great favor, she decided to help him.
After spending some time with him, she observed his conduct and felt that he was a piece of unpolished jade—someone with potential—and she had been quite optimistic about his future.
But ever since they arrived at the Taihuang Sacred Land,
Ye Chen's behavior had repeatedly shattered her bottom line.
Stupid, arrogant, conceited, reckless, unwilling to listen to advice, self-centered—his many flaws were disastrous.
And she, as if finally walking out of some mental confusion, saw his true character clearly.
In fact, all of these flaws had always existed in Ye Chen.
It was only that during their time together she had failed to notice them—
or rather, for some inexplicable reason, she had ignored them.
Until they arrived at the Taihuang Sacred Land, and she met Chu Ge.
At that moment, the "filter" that had infinitely magnified Ye Chen's strengths while automatically ignoring his weaknesses shattered in an instant.
She woke up as if from a dream and began to think for her own sake.
Thus, during the Grand Dao Derivation of Heaven and Earth,
she did not seek benefits for Ye Chen.
Instead, she absorbed vast amounts of Dao-derivation qi to nourish her own remnant soul.
After that, Ye Chen's various actions and behaviors only made her grow increasingly disgusted with him.
Finally, on a certain night,
Dantai Jinglian took the initiative to seek her out, and the two had a not-so-friendly discussion.
There were inducements—and also coercion.
In short, after that day, she completely made up her mind to abandon Ye Chen.
Now, looking at the Ye Chen kneeling on the ground, seemingly filled with remorse for everything he had done during this period,
the woman merely regarded him with cold eyes.
"You don't regret your mistakes," she said indifferently.
"You only regret that you're about to die."
Ye Chen's body suddenly shook violently.
His lowered head slowly lifted, and the remorse on his face vanished, replaced by ferocious resentment and venom!
He understood—he no longer had any chance.
This source of support that had aided him all this time had completely left him!
"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!"
Ye Chen went completely mad, roaring in shame and fury.
At this moment, Chu Ge spoke.
"That's enough, Ye Chen. Your clumsy performance ends here. It's time to wake up from your dream."
"Chu Ge! It's all because of you! Because of you!
If not for you, I would be the Holy Lord's direct disciple, and the Huanglong Seal would be mine!
Everything you have now should have been mine!"
"You deserve to die! You deserve to die! You deserve to die!!!"
Ye Chen's eyes turned blood-red like a wild beast's, filled with hatred that could not be dissolved.
He had completely lost all reason, venting his fear, unwillingness, and rage with hoarse screams.
"Die, Chu Ge!"
Ye Chen roared—but instead of charging toward Chu Ge, he feinted and suddenly lunged at the woman.
A highly ominous black aura swirled around his body.
"The Soul-Devouring Technique?!"
The woman cried out in shock.
But in the next instant, a figure appeared, moving as fast as lightning.
Ye Chen's lunging body was struck violently—his lower half was instantly obliterated.
His upper torso, carried by its final momentum, rolled to a stop at the woman's feet.
Yet despite losing half his body, Ye Chen did not die immediately.
He stared at the woman with eyes full of venomous resentment, glaring at her without blinking.
Chu Ge withdrew his palm and walked over to Ye Chen's remaining upper body.
Facing that gaze like that of a vicious ghost, Chu Ge removed the ancient ring from Ye Chen's hand—
right before both of them,
or rather, in front of just one person.
After all, Ye Chen was now only half a person.
And the woman's current state could hardly be called complete either—"half" would already be generous.
She was merely a remnant soul, not even a full soul.
Before those two gazes—before this "one person"—
Chu Ge slowly slipped the ring onto his own finger.
His spiritual sense entered it.
Seeing the neatly arranged spiritual materials and the Sacred Source Stone within, Chu Ge smiled in satisfaction.
Then, with spiritual light gathering in his hand, he mercilessly blasted Ye Chen's remaining upper body into a mist of blood and flesh.
Thus, Ye Chen, this so-called Child of Fortune, was completely erased!
And everything he left behind was taken over in full by Chu Ge!
"Junior Chu Ge has yet to ask for Senior's honored name."
Turning around, Chu Ge shifted his gaze to the woman.
A gentle smile appeared on his face, utterly unlike the decisive ruthlessness he had shown just moments ago while destroying the body.
The woman was slightly startled, and a trace of unnatural expression briefly appeared on her face—
but she quickly composed herself.
Calm restored, she parted her red lips, and her clear, icy voice rang out:
"My name is Ying Qingjue."
Chu Ge smiled and nodded.
"Then please forgive the inconvenience for the time being, Senior. Once today's matters are concluded, this junior will begin the process of reforging your body."
Ying Qingjue nodded.
From the moment she had first seen Chu Ge, she had already thought highly of him.
Now that Chu Ge was willing to take her in, she naturally would not refuse.
Moreover, during her earlier conversation with Dantai Jinglian, Chu Ge had already been mentioned.
The other party's intention had also been for her to follow Chu Ge.
Thus, Ying Qingjue did not hesitate and directly entered the ring.
On the high platform, many mighty figures secretly felt regret upon witnessing this scene.
That remnant soul had a mysterious and extraordinary origin.
If one could control it, they would surely be able to obtain tremendous benefits from it.
Unfortunately, this was the Taihuang Sacred Land—
not a place where they could harbor evil intentions.
Returning to the high platform, Chu Ge discovered that there were now two additional figures present.
One was the high-ponytail girl from the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land whom he had noticed earlier.
The other was a young woman in a plain white dress, her face delicate and transcendent.
"These two are?" Chu Ge asked.
Su Lingyuan trotted over to Chu Ge and introduced them:
"This is Junior Sister Zhao Qinghui from the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land."
She pointed toward the high-ponytail girl.
Chu Ge looked over and met Zhao Qinghui's bright eyes, which carried a hint of curiosity.
Chu Ge nodded at the valiant-looking girl.
"Junior Sister Zhao."
Zhao Qinghui smiled in return.
"Senior Brother Chu."
Then Su Lingyuan pointed to the woman in white:
"This is Junior Sister Dantai Xuanyin from Yunmiao (Cloudmist) Pavilion.
She is also Martial Aunt Dantai's niece."
Chu Ge was slightly startled, then his gaze fell on Dantai Xuanyin.
"Junior Sister Dantai."
Naturally, he had heard her name before.
Dantai Xuanyin smiled faintly and gently nodded her head, possessing a pure, otherworldly elegance.
Chu Ge looked across the high platform at this moment:
Dantai Jinglian and Dantai Xuanyin,
Su Lingyuan, Shui Qianrou, the Lu sisters Lu Fuyao and Lu Tingni,
and now Zhao Qinghui as well.
A total of seven peerless beauties, each with her own distinct temperament and unique charm.
Even Chu Ge could not help but click his tongue in quiet amazement.