527: Just a clown.

After a long silence, under the gaze of Xuanji's clear eyes, Ye Xuan spoke slowly, his voice deep and gentle: "The doors to the Ziwei Star Domain are always open. If you wish to stay, I naturally welcome you. As for other matters..."

He paused slightly, then finally said candidly: "Let things take their natural course; it is enough to not betray one's heart."

He gave no promises, but he offered the most sincere attitude.

After all, Xuanji was different from those women sent for political marriages; Ye Xuan would not treat her as merely a woman for childbearing.

Instead, he would give his heart to her just as he did for Tang Linglong.

Hearing this answer, an even brighter light radiated from Xuanji's eyes.

She did not need empty promises; Ye Xuan's honesty was the greatest respect he could show her.

Had he made easy promises out of pity or something else, it would have insulted her true feelings.

"Good."

Xuanji revealed a smile once more.

"Let things take their natural course, and do not betray the heart."

She took another step back, returning to that perfectly measured distance from before, but the atmosphere between the two was now completely different.

Watching her profile—relieved yet tinged with a hint of shyness—Ye Xuan felt a sense of peace in his heart as well.

He looked up at the bright Ziwei moon and said softly, "The wind is picking up. Let's head back."

Xuanji nodded slightly.

Ye Xuan and Xuanji walked down from the Star Gazing Platform side by side.

After escorting Xuanji back to the Guest Palace, Ye Xuan came to a halt.

"Rest early."

His tone was calm, no different from usual, but his gaze held a trace of gentleness that was hard to detect.

Xuanji nodded slightly, her cold features softening under the warm light emanating from the palace: "You too."

Only after watching Ye Xuan's figure vanish into the depths of the starlight did Xuanji turn to enter the palace.

She knew that from this moment on, she had truly formed an inseparable bond with this Star Domain and the man named Ye Xuan.

Meanwhile, at the core of the Ziwei Imperial Palace, in Ye Xuan's Meditation Room.

Fire Linger and Tang Linglong were already waiting there.

Seeing Ye Xuan return, Fire Linger immediately stepped forward and took his arm, her beautiful eyes filled with concern and a hint of curiosity: "Husband, how is the situation outside? Those prying fellows..."

"It's fine, nothing more than clowns."

Ye Xuan patted her hand and sat down by the couch.

Tang Linglong poured a cup of hot tea for him, gently placing it in his hand as she said softly, "Princess Xuanji's state of mind seems to have changed?"

Ye Xuan took the tea and took a sip, feeling the tea's fragrance merge with the Chaos power in his body, and nodded: "She has realized her own Dao and let go of her obsession with Tai Hao."

Fire Linger and Tang Linglong exchanged a look, both seeing understanding in each other's eyes.

They were both intelligent women and naturally understood what letting go of the obsession with Tai Hao meant.

It meant that the noble and powerful Heavenly Court princess had truly placed her heart upon Ye Xuan.

"That is for the best."

Tang Linglong said softly. She knew that Ye Xuan was destined not to have only them by his side, and after experiencing so much, as long as Ye Xuan held them in his heart, she was satisfied.

"Princess Xuanji has been lonely for eons. If she can find true love, it is a fortunate thing. However, regarding the Ancient Heavenly Court, there is still a blood debt to settle with the Ye Family."

Fire Linger also nodded. Although there was an inevitable trace of bitterness in her heart, she quickly let it go.

"Sister Linglong is right. If Princess Xuanji can have her wish fulfilled, I would be happy for her. However, the Ancient Heavenly Court attacked us several times alongside the Netherworld. Although they gave resources as compensation, the lives of the Ye Family Disciples who died cannot be repaid, so we must settle accounts with them."

"Even if we are no longer enemies in the future, this matter must be resolved. Otherwise, I won't be able to swallow this anger. Furthermore, the storms coming from the outside world because of this will likely not be small; we must be prepared."

Ye Xuan set down his teacup and said indifferently, "Soldiers will be blocked by generals, and water by earth. The Ziwei Star Domain fears no challenge. As for those people from the Ancient Heavenly Court, I will naturally seek justice for the Ye Family."

He paused here and looked at the two women.

"As for you two, you need to intensify your cultivation. In the future situation, only one's own strength is the foundation. Also, Ye Xi and the others' cultivation must be stepped up. A great era is approaching. In the future, I may have to travel to the lands beyond the domain, and this place will be left for them to protect."

"We understand."

The two women nodded, but Tang Linglong let out a sigh.

She knew about the coming great era, but the more she knew, the more uneasy she felt.

In the past, she thought that after becoming an Immortal, she could survive the great era.

But now she knew that whether one was an Immortal or an Immortal Emperor, they were nothing more than ordinary in the face of the approaching great era.

For the sake of the Ye Family and her children, she had to work hard at her cultivation... The Ziwei Great Emperor Star was bathed in the magnificent glow of the morning starlight, peaceful and serene.

However, beneath this tranquility, undercurrents were already surging.

A Ye Family Elder came to report again, his expression even more solemn than the night before: "Old Ancestor, the forces gathering at the edge of the Sea of Chaos have increased. We have identified the emblems of the Black Fiend Abyss and the Nirvana Ancient Palace, and even... a very faint, hidden aura suspected to be related to certain forbidden existences from the end of the Archaic Era."

"Although they haven't directly invaded, they have formed an encirclement, blocking several key routes from the Star Domain to the depths of the Sea of Chaos."

The Black Fiend Abyss and the Nirvana Ancient Palace were both ancient forces with notorious reputations in the Myriad Realms, acting eccentrically with unfathomable strength.

They were also extremely powerful forces during the Archaic Era, with countless experts under their command.

The Ancient Heavenly Court was once a force of the same level.

However, because the Lord of the Heavenly Court disappeared in the depths of Chaos and Xuanji went into seclusion, the Heavenly Court was managed by Can Xiu and had weakened somewhat.

But now that Princess Xuanji had emerged from seclusion and followed Ye Xuan to the Ye Family on the Ziwei Great Emperor Star,

this indeed made them extremely wary.

After all, Princess Xuanji's title as the number one person in the Heavenly Abyss was no mere empty name.

Ye Xuan sat upon the emperors seat, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his face calm and unruffled: "It seems Xuanji's arrival has indeed drawn out many prying forces."

"Old Ancestor, do we need to take the initiative to strike and warn them off?"

A fiery-tempered Ye Family Elder stepped forward to request orders.

This Elder's name was Ye Yu, a member of the younger generation with outstanding talent. After receiving ample cultivation resources, he went to the Ye Family's Trial Grounds to Cultivate.

Now that his strength had increased greatly, he naturally held the position of an Elder.

He knew that his current status was entirely thanks to Ye Xuan, so his attitude toward Ye Xuan was extremely respectful.

Ye Xuan waved his hand: "No need. Since they dare not enter directly, it means they have misgivings. The Ye Family has fought several battles in a row; another war would be unfavorable for the Ye Family."

"However, if they dare to come, we must ruthlessly chop off their claws. Pass down the order: activate all of the Ye Family's Formations and maintain defenses according to previous protocols. Without my command, no one is allowed to go out and fight on their own initiative."

"Yes!"

The Elders took their orders, having no objections to Ye Xuan's command.