After a period of both physical and spiritual cleansing, Nangong Qianyu leaned into Ye Ming's embrace, as docile as a kitten. In her hand, she held a small goblet filled with rich fruit wine.
"This tastes so sweet!"
She took a delicate sip, a look of contentment gracing her face. Immersed in the comforting spring water, it felt as though the day's fatigue had been washed away.
"No! I feel like I'm not as sweet as you!"
Ye Ming embraced her delicate frame from behind, his hands under the water beginning to move mischievously again.
"Hey! Stop fooling around!"
Nangong Qianyu shot him a glance, stopping his rogue hand. "If you misbehave again, I'll get out!"
"Alright! I won't move!"
Ye Ming raised his hands, poured himself a cup of fruit wine, and chuckled, "Then let's talk about something serious!"
"That's more like it!"
Seeing this, Nangong Qianyu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Right! What exactly is the Shadow Stream organization? Why are they targeting us?" Nangong Qianyu asked, her tone deepening slightly.
This was the biggest question on her mind. After all, the moment they arrived in East Island Country, they were targeted. Was it a coincidence, or a deliberate act? They had yet to know.
"Qianyu! I must have told you about the Land of Heavenly Guardians, right!"
Ye Ming didn't answer Nangong Qianyu's question directly, instead diverting the topic to the Land of Heavenly Guardians.
"I remember!" Nangong Qianyu nodded. "You told me that the Land of Heavenly Guardians is actually a trial ground, a trap deliberately set by the people there to choose their spokespersons."
She turned around, not understanding why Ye Ming suddenly brought this up. "What does this have to do with the Shadow Stream?"
"It's related, of course!"
Ye Ming playfully flicked her nose and smiled. "In the Land of Heavenly Guardians, there are a total of four trials. So, I ask you, do you think there are only four sects in that place?"
Only four sects?
"You mean..."
Nangong Qianyu seemed to understand something.
"Exactly! In fact, the Shadow Stream is also a major power from that place. Their reason for targeting the Martial God Mountain is the same as the purpose of the sects in the Land of Heavenly Guardians: to choose a spokesperson here."
This was what the Shadow Stream intended to do.
"However, the Shadow Stream, as a force, is very different from the four sects in the Land of Heavenly Guardians!"
Very different?
"How so?"
Nangong Qianyu's curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
"Actually, I wasn't very clear about that place before. But after reading the memories of that old man, I learned a lot." Ye Ming's tone deepened noticeably as he spoke. "If you want to understand the biggest difference between them, you must first know the power structure of that place."
Following this, Ye Ming began to explain it all to Nangong Qianyu.
From all the information Ye Ming had acquired so far, he knew that all the cultivators in the world had gathered in one place. No! More accurately, they were concentrated in an independent small world. And this so-called small world, just as its name suggested, didn't have a vast expanse of space. If calculated in current units of area, it would only be five million square meters, about half the size of China. However, one should not underestimate the birth of a small world. It was created ten thousand years ago by ten Great Immortals using supreme divine abilities. As for why they spent such immense power to create that world, it touched upon some forbidden matters. The reasons behind it were likely long lost in the river of time, leaving no trace.
Not long after the small world was created, a sudden disaster descended. That disaster almost led to the extinction of cultivators from this planet. That catastrophe was later called the Third Primordial War. The cultivators who survived, led by their strongest, took refuge in the small world that had been created in advance. Afterward, under the constraint of a strict oath, the cultivator community completely disappeared from the outside world. Up to this day, ten thousand years have passed. And the small world they inhabited was renamed... the Secluded Realm.
The current structure of the Secluded Realm had also undergone earth-shattering changes. Among them, the most significant was the division into two banks: the East Bank and the West Bank! These were the two largest territories of the Secluded Realm. On these banks, there were nearly a hundred sects and forces of varying sizes. Among them, eight major forces took the lead, with four on the East Bank and four on the West Bank.
"So, you mean that the four sects in the Land of Heavenly Guardians are the four major super-powers on the East Bank, and the Shadow Stream is one of the four powers on the West Bank."
Through Ye Ming's explanation, Nangong Qianyu finally understood the difference he had mentioned earlier.
"Mm! That's exactly right!"
Ye Ming took a deep breath and continued, "Seeing that the four forces on the East Bank were all choosing their spokespersons, the people on the West Bank naturally couldn't sit still. And the Shadow Stream was the first to come forward."
However, things didn't go as planned. When the Shadow Stream tried to find the Martial God Mountain as their spokesperson, they were refused by Nogawa Sagimiya, who was the First Elder at the time. If they had contacted Nogawa Sagimiya before Ye Ming, they might have had a chance. Too late! They were ultimately a step behind.
However, would the Shadow Stream give up so easily after being rejected by Nogawa Sagimiya? Of course not! Okamura Yasuhira, the Third Elder, could not resist the temptation they offered and chose to conspire with the Shadow Stream in secret, betraying the Martial God Mountain.
"That was really close!"
After understanding the truth, Nangong Qianyu couldn't help but feel a sense of lingering fear. "If we hadn't come to East Island Country, wouldn't Sister Sagimiya be in danger!" After all, behind this matter, there was a Yuan Soul Realm expert presiding. Not to mention the projection of the Heavenly Human Realm at the end. If Ye Ming and Nangong Qianyu hadn't chosen East Island Country as their first stop for the live broadcast, Nogawa Sagimiya might really have been controlled by them. Of course, it was only a possibility.
"Sagimiya has a spatial coordinate left by me. Even if she encounters danger, as long as she activates the coordinate, I will be able to sense it." Ye Ming revealed a cunning smile. "After all, she was a very important piece for me before. I wouldn't discard her so easily." Indeed! With the spatial coordinates, it wouldn't be easy for the Shadow Stream to control Nogawa Sagimiya.
"Oh! She was an important piece before?"
However, some of Ye Ming's wording caught Nangong Qianyu's sharp attention.
"According to you, she was a piece before, so what is she now!" Nangong Qianyu stared intently into his eyes, without blinking. What else could she be? Of course, his woman! But could Ye Ming dare to say such a bold statement?
"This..."
Just as Ye Ming was desperately trying to find a life-saving answer, a cold voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"So, I was just a chess piece?"