38: The Grand Elder died at the hands of someone the Ye family couldn't afford to offend.

"Foolish! Truly foolish!" The Ye Family Patriarch pointed at Ye Hao, his whole body trembling with rage.

He scolded him with disappointment, "Do you know that what you have done will drag our entire Ye Family into an abyss of no return?!"

"The descendants of the Liu and Wang Families have been wiped out, yet only our Ye Family remains unscathed! What will they think? They will only believe that all of this is a shocking conspiracy plotted by our Ye Family behind the scenes!"

"By then, the two families will surely put aside all their prejudices and join forces to launch a life-and-death war of annihilation against our Ye Family!"

These words were like a basin of ice water poured over their heads, instantly extinguishing the joy and pride in the hearts of all the Ye Family Disciples present.

Just as everyone was in a state of panic, a cold yet supremely confident voice slowly rang out.

"Patriarch, Feiyan actually feels that this matter... is not inappropriate."

Ye Feiyan slowly stepped forward, a heart-stopping, sharp light flickering within her cold phoenix eyes.

"The Liu and Wang Families have long been eyeing our Ye Family like tigers, never giving up their desire to destroy us. Even without today's events, they would sooner or later find an excuse to stir up trouble."

"Instead of sitting and waiting for death, it is better to strike first, cut off their wings, and take this opportunity to wipe them out from Qingyang City in one fell swoop!"

"That's right! Sister Feiyan is right!"

"Let's fight them to the death!"

Ye Feiyan's words, full of dominance and decisiveness, instantly ignited the blood in the hearts of all the young disciples, who grew excited and voiced their agreement one after another.

However, looking at this group of young people who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, the Ye Family Patriarch's face showed no satisfaction, but rather a deep sense of helplessness and bitterness.

He let out a long sigh.

"You... are thinking of things too simply."

He scanned the crowd and slowly revealed a shocking secret that made everyone's hands and feet turn cold.

"Actually, this trip to the Secret Realm was supposed to be led by the Grand Elder personally."

"But..."

His voice became incredibly heavy.

"The Grand Elder... is dead."

Boom!!!

This news was no less than a bolt from the blue, striking hard at the top of every Ye Family Disciple's head!

"What?!"

"The Grand Elder... is dead?!"

"How is this possible? The Grand Elder is at the Foundation Establishment Mid Stage, who could kill him?"

"Could it be the two other Family heads?"

Everyone was shocked, their eyes filled with unparalleled astonishment and disbelief!

That was the Grand Elder!

A genuine Foundation Establishment Realm Mid Stage expert! In the entire Ye Family, he was a pillar second only to the Patriarch!

How could he... how could he have died without a sound?!

Without even a whisper of news leaking out!

A look of surprise also appeared on the face of Ye Feiyan in the crowd; the Grand Elder had actually died?

And amidst her soft hair, a small, pitch-black snake, only the length of a chopstick and looking harmless to humans and animals, quietly poked its head out.

Its black bean-like eyes quietly watched the scene of shock and chaos before it, and deep in its eyes flashed a trace of indifference that no one had noticed.

The culprit was silently watching the show.

"Without the Grand Elder, and his Second Rank Spirit Beast 'Crimson Flame Tiger' which was comparable to the Foundation Establishment Early Stage," the Ye Family Patriarch's voice was full of endless exhaustion.

"Our Ye Family's current high-level combat power is not what it used to be. If a great war were to break out with the allied forces of the Liu and Wang Families right now, who would win and who would lose is still unknown!"

He continued with a sigh.

These words completely calmed everyone down.

They finally realized what kind of terrifying crisis they, and even the entire Family, were facing!

"Patriarch... how exactly did the Grand Elder... fall?" Ye Hao asked with a trembling voice, voicing the doubt in everyone's hearts.

Upon hearing this, the Ye Family Patriarch's face showed an extremely complex expression, containing dread, lingering fear, and even a trace of... relief?

He just sighed helplessly again, and in a tone full of warning, slowly said: "You do not need to ask more about this matter."

"Just remember, the Grand Elder offended an existence that our Ye Family, and even the entire Qingyang City, absolutely cannot afford to offend."

These words made the doubts in everyone's hearts even more intense!

What kind of existence could actually make their own Foundation Establishment Late Stage Patriarch say such words that were almost like "admitting defeat"?

Even seeing his look of resignation, he clearly had no intention of seeking justice for the Grand Elder at all!

However, the Ye Family Patriarch clearly had no interest in explaining further to them.

Matters had reached this point, and there was no use saying more.

"Let's go!" He waved his sleeve violently, "Return to the Family immediately! Everyone, enter the highest state of combat readiness!"

...

Returning to the Ye Family, the atmosphere instantly became incredibly heavy.

After Ye Feiyan followed the rules and handed over a portion of the Spirit Medicine obtained in the Secret Realm, she took Mysterious Ink and returned to that familiar, remote Small Courtyard.

"Yaner! Little Mysterious Ink! You're finally back!"

The door creaked open, and The Two Elders, who had been waiting for a long time, finally let out a long sigh of relief when they saw the person and the snake returning safely.

Mysterious Ink slid down from Ye Feiyan's shoulder and recovered its one-meter-long body.

Its tail curled, and it carefully delivered the "jade sunset peach" it had specially saved, along with a few other spirit fruits that smelled good, to The Two Elders.

— — This is for you, brought specially.

Looking at the juicy spirit fruits in front of them that emitted an alluring fruity fragrance, and then looking at Mysterious Ink's clear snake eyes filled with "filial affection," The Two Elders' hearts were instantly melted.

"Oh! My dear! You child, even when you went out, you were still thinking of us!"

"So sensible! Truly so sensible!"

The wrinkles on The Two Elders' faces bloomed like flowers as they hugged Mysterious Ink's massive head, praising it incessantly with affection.

Inside the Small Courtyard, the tense atmosphere of the impending storm outside was temporarily cut off, filled with the warmth of home.

...

Meanwhile, outside the Secret Realm.

The heads of the Liu and Wang Families, after waiting until the sky was completely dark and the space gate began to become illusory and unstable, yet still not seeing any of their own tribesmen come out, finally had their expressions change completely!

No one has come out for so long!

Something big has happened!

The two looked at each other, no longer hesitating in the slightest, and simultaneously turned into two streaks of light, rushing directly into the Secret Realm that was about to close!

Very quickly, they found those corpses on the White Jade Plaza, which was filled with the aura of blood and death, already eaten beyond recognition and broken by Yao Beasts!

"Ah——!!!"

Two shrill roars filled with endless rage and killing intent resounded throughout the entire valley!

"Ye! Family!"

"I... will not share the sky with you!!!"