Chapter 2584: Nechi Refining

Wind Rises in Kyushu

Knowing Yuan Xi's temper, Chang Ming wasn't worried she would kill him, but he was certain he would suffer greatly.

He didn't want to suffer, so he had no choice but to unleash his trump card.

He was unwilling to use it unless absolutely necessary, because it represented his incompetence.

Lu Ye had been behind Yuan Xi the entire time and only saw Chang Ming throw something, but couldn't discern what it was. Yet, in that instant, Yuan Xi, who had already approached close to Chang Ming, reacted as if she had encountered a natural predator, her body instantly flying backward, and her expression turning tense.

Lu Ye's heart immediately tightened. He secretly thought that whatever Chang Ming had unleashed must possess terrifying destructive power, likely something even Yuan Xi couldn't withstand at that moment; otherwise, the City Lord wouldn't have reacted so strongly.

Driven by curiosity, he hastily glanced.

He immediately froze!

Things were not as he had imagined. What Chang Ming had unleashed was not some immensely destructive treasure; it disintegrated before Chang Ming, then transformed into an expanse of light and shadow.

Within the light and shadow, a figure suddenly solidified.

The figure was graceful and tall, with a stunningly beautiful and enchanting face. A mole beneath her eye enhanced her already boundless allure by several degrees.

She wore a long, deep red dress, its skirt fanning out like a blooming rose. The neckline was very low, revealing a large expanse of pale skin at her chest.

If that were all, it would have been fine. Having traveled far and wide for so many years, what kind of beautiful woman hadn't Lu Ye seen? Yet, very few could make him take a second glance.

But this woman was clearly different. Simply by standing there, she seemed to exude endless temptation, causing Lu Ye's heart to uncooperatively skip a beat, and his blood to flow even faster.

He was horrified inwardly, vaguely sensing that it wasn't his own lack of self-control, but rather her overwhelming charm. This charm didn't seem to be intentional on her part, but an inherent, unique aura.

“Your subordinate greets you, Milady!” Chang Ming sheathed his longsword, his gaze fixed straight ahead, and respectfully bowed to the figure before him. A flicker of struggle and endurance passed through his lowered eyes.

The world knew not why he, the esteemed City Lord of a Zenith-grade Hegemon City, would abandon his own Hegemon City and pledge allegiance to another.

Only he knew that this was a path of tempering the heart. The day he first saw the woman before him, he knew his greatest tribulation had arrived. If he didn't find a way to overcome it, his life's achievements would likely cease there.

Thus, he decisively abandoned his Zenith-grade Hegemon City.

However, after many years, this path of heart-tempering still showed no end, making him sometimes doubt whether his initial decision had been correct.

He only knew that if, one day, he could openly gaze upon the woman before him without a single ripple in his heart, then this tribulation would be considered overcome, and he would surely soar to great heights.

“Don't look, you mustn't look!” Yuan Xi suddenly raised her hand and covered Lu Ye's eyes.

Lu Ye was startled, only then belatedly realizing his own danger. When he first saw the woman, he merely felt her charm was immense, making him unable to resist wanting to look at her more. But this brief gaze had caused a significant shift in his mindset — it was as if he would willingly obey her command the moment she spoke.

What in the world was this?

“Are you still going to run?” Just as he was thinking this, a soft, sweet voice suddenly reached his ears, piercing directly into his heart.

Blocked by Yuan Xi's hand, Lu Ye couldn't see anything else, but he still clearly knew that the voice belonged to the woman. He could even sense the woman's resentful expression as she spoke those words.

Yuan Xi's movements halted.

The City Lord seemed to be struggling and hesitating. After a long while, she finally let out a long sigh and slowly turned around.

Even so, she carefully shielded Lu Ye behind her, preventing him from seeing the scene before them. Yuan Xi also activated her power to protect him.

“Just because we had a few casual disagreements that day, you won't come back?” The resentful voice rang out again. Even with Yuan Xi's protection, Lu Ye felt as if ants were crawling inside him, an unbearable itch.

He couldn't help but imagine a scene in his mind — a wife, left alone in her chambers, gazing resentfully at her long-absent husband, full of grievance, yet still speaking softly.

Lu Ye's spirits suddenly lifted.

When he first met Yuan Xi, he knew she was the wife of a powerful expert. Later, he gradually understood that this expert was one of the Ten Great City Lords.

But he had never actually asked which one.

Could it be the person before him? Chang Ming addressed her as Milady, with utmost reverence. Besides the Ten Great City Lords, who else in this world could command such a humble posture from Chang Ming?

But… why was it a woman?

How could it be a woman?

Lu Ye simultaneously discerned the other party's identity.

Lu Ye had heard a little about the City Lords of the Ten Great Hegemon Cities. Among these ten, only two were female. One was the City Lord of Phoenix City, and the other was the City Lord of Scarlet Refining City, Ni Chiluan!

So Yuan Xi was originally from Scarlet Refining City…

Then the person before him was undoubtedly Ni Chiluan. She was not here in her true form, but had projected herself through the object Chang Ming had unleashed earlier.

Lu Ye was increasingly horrified. Just a projection had nearly overwhelmed him. If her true form were to arrive, how terrifyingly alluring would that be?

This Great City Lord's style was completely different from Ba Qiu's. Ba Qiu was wild and unrestrained, dominating the Inner Realm by himself. This one, however, was as gentle as water. Her resentful charm was like a candle flame, capable of drawing many moths to willingly throw themselves into it.

Facing such a powerful expert, those with weak wills wouldn't even think of attacking; they probably couldn't even harbor thoughts of enmity.

“You know that's not the issue.” Yuan Xi sighed.

“I know, I know all of it,” Ni Chiluan quickly replied, her voice melodious and soft. “But you should come back.”

“I won't go back!” Yuan Xi tossed her long neck back, an unruly posture. “Of course, you could break my limbs and drag me back by force. It's not like I'm your match anyway.”

“You know I wouldn't do that…” Ni Chiluan's tone gradually softened, as if she were greatly wronged.

Behind Yuan Xi, Lu Ye listened in utter confusion.

He wasn't sure what their relationship was like on a daily basis, between Yuan Xi and this Great City Lord, or why Yuan Xi had the title of a wife. But judging from the current situation, it should have been Ni Chiluan who was addressed as wife.

“If you want a Hegemon City, Scarlet Refining City can be yours. There's no need for you to run away like this.” Ni Chiluan spoke again, her voice gentle and mellow.

Yuan Xi had a headache: “How many times do I have to tell you? What I want isn't a city.”

“I understand, I understand everything. I can accompany you.” Ni Chiluan nodded repeatedly.

“You don't understand!” Yuan Xi shook her head, stating resolutely: “Let's just say this: when I want to go back, I'll go back naturally. Don't make things difficult for Chang Ming or anyone else anymore.”

Ni Chiluan's gaze suddenly shifted somewhere. “Is that your city?”

In the dormant Yuan Xi City, Lu Ye's clone suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his back at that moment. Not only him, but everyone in the entire city felt the same.

Lian, standing beside the clone, changed expression even more: “It's been seen through? Who is capable of such a feat?”

She prided herself on having the Mirage's secret art for concealment. Even if she passed nearby, without a careful search, she might not detect any signs. If she didn't have that ability, how could those enemies, who were searching aimlessly like headless flies, possibly find it?

Yet, someone had actually seen through the city's concealment. Crucially, she hadn't detected any traces of enemies, which undoubtedly meant the one who saw through it was still very far away.

“Ni Chiluan.” The clone spoke.

“What?” Lian's expression drastically changed. “She's here?”

Then she reconsidered, her brows furrowing. “Since Chang Ming didn't handle things well, it's possible she's descended upon this place.”

The clone then asked: “Guild Master, what exactly is the relationship between our City Lord and this Great City Lord?”

Lian hesitated for a moment, then replied: “Yuan Xi's private matters aren't something I can speak much about. If you get the chance, you can ask her yourself. I can only tell you that Ni Chiluan and Yuan Xi grew up together in the same starfield, protecting each other and regarding one another as closest kin. It's just that the cultivation technique Ni Chiluan practices has affected her temperament.”

Lu Ye roughly understood.

At the same time, Yuan Xi's brows furrowed deeply as she looked at Ni Chiluan. “What are you trying to do?”

Others might not be able to discern Yuan Xi City's traces, but Ni Chiluan was, after all, one of the ten strongest in the Inner Realm. Moreover, she herself cultivated powerful eye techniques. It was no surprise that she could see through Yuan Xi City's location. After all, Yuan Xi's aura, left on the Hegemon Orb, still lingered within Yuan Xi City, and Ni Chiluan was exceptionally familiar with it. Using it as a guide, even if the city was merely hidden by a secret art left by a Mirage, or even if a true Mirage used its innate divine ability, it wouldn't escape her eyes.

However, Yuan Xi clearly sensed that Ni Chiluan's gaze towards Yuan Xi City was somewhat dangerous at that moment.

Ni Chiluan smiled faintly. It was the first time she had shown a smile since arriving here. “If I destroy that city, will you come back with me?”

“How dare you!” Yuan Xi raged.

“I'll also kill those people!” Ni Chiluan's voice was soft, yet it made Lu Ye's hair stand on end.

Even with Yuan Xi between them, he could sense Ni Chiluan's gaze fixed upon him at that moment.

Then he heard Yuan Xi's gritted voice: “If you truly do this, I will be your irreconcilable enemy!”

Ni Chiluan suddenly laughed aloud, her laughter like the pleasant sound of silver bells. “That's still better than you not coming back. Before, you could do whatever you wanted, but now it's different. You can't stay here.”

“Why?” Yuan Xi frowned.

“A great change is coming to the Snowfield! It will be very dangerous for you to stay here.”

“What great change?” Yuan Xi pressed.

“Uncertain!”

Yuan Xi was about to ask further, but Ni Chiluan had already let out a low cry: “Chang Ming!”

“Your subordinate is here!” Chang Ming, who had been standing silently by, took a step forward.

“First, kill this soldier-cultivator, then destroy that city, and sever Milady's lingering thoughts!” Ni Chiluan commanded, her voice still soft and charming, but the content she uttered was chilling to the bone.

“Yes!” Chang Ming flicked his longsword.

At this moment, the secret art's duration had expired. He was no longer the City Lord of Eagle-Flight City, but he was confident he could still take down Lu Ye.