400 - Rebirth of a Star: Another Day, Another Drama

Ye Linglong directed her gaze towards the origin of the voice and saw a young girl clad in a red outfit, draped with a scarlet cloak, leading a group of maidservants. In her hand, she held a fiery red whip, clearly not an ordinary item, with traces of blood still noticeable on it, suggesting it had just been used on someone. "Who do you think you are, daring to demand that we mine for you? Do you know who we are?" someone immediately retorted indignantly. These individuals, hailing from the lower celestial realm, had always been people of some status. They were used to oppressing others, and had never endured such humiliation, prompting their defiant objection. The Steward on the Ship looked at the protester as if he were a fool, while Ye Linglong silently cursed the man as an idiot. A sharp crack echoed as the red whip effortlessly traced a perfect arc, landing on the man's face. "Ahhh!!!" A pained scream erupted as a bloody stripe marred the man's face, contorting it into a grotesque mask. Before the scream faded, another lash followed closely. Though the man tried to evade, the whip seemed unerringly precise, shadowing his every move. Soon, he was a bloodied figure, his cries dwindling as his strength ebbed. The woman ceased her assault only when he was barely conscious. "Hmph~ If it weren't for my mines needing more slaves, I would have whipped you to death," she remarked nonchalantly, dismissing the man's life as inconsequential. "What kind of thing dares to be even more arrogant than I am!" Ice Phoenix Heart's voice resonated in Ye Linglong's mind. Normally slumbering within her meridians, enhancing her cultivation speed and strength, it had just awakened to witness such gall. "The person is at the Celestial Sovereign level," Ye Linglong communicated mentally, choosing not to voice her thoughts. The woman appeared youthful, but her actual age was significant, and her cultivation was at Celestial Sovereign level. A rash confrontation might attract dangerous attention. That unfortunate man was a case in point, wasn't he? Ice Phoenix Heart fell silent after a brief consideration. After all, a Celestial Sovereign was beyond their ability to contend with. Ye Linglong exchanged a glance with Feng Li, understanding their mutual intent without words, as they subtly retreated into the crowd, prepared to flee at any moment. Meanwhile, the Steward continued to reason with the woman. "Miss Fire, you can't do this. These are clients of the Tongtian Commerce Guild. You cannot simply wait here to seize them," he pleaded. "Hmph! They're just people from the lower celestial realm. Even if I take them, they'll likely be captured and made to mine as slaves once they descend the mountain. I might as well save them the trouble and take them to my mines, where conditions are famously good," Miss Fire retorted defensively, her tone unapologetically self-righteous. Steward: "..." So, should we be thanking you? On the verge of tears, the Steward knew that Miss Fire was challenging. As the sole daughter of the current head of the Fire family, at over two thousand years old, unmarried, she was notoriously fiery in temperament. The Fire family controlled major mining resources and were not to be trifled with. Seizing the moment while they were engaged in their verbal spar, Ye Linglong and Feng Li distanced themselves from the crowd, preparing to escape by sword. Confident in their speed, they believed they could get away. Yet, someone was determined to thwart their plans. "Someone's trying to escape!!!" a shout rose from the crowd. Instantly, a whistling sound filled the air as the fiery whip lashed towards Ye Linglong's face. In a split second, Ye Linglong evaded the strike. "Oh~ You managed to dodge my whip," came a puzzled voice as the second strike was launched. Ye Linglong summoned her sword, Qianjun, engaging the opponent in combat. Within seconds, they exchanged over a dozen moves. Ye Linglong realized that despite the opponent's Celestial Sovereign level, her actual prowess might not even match a seasoned Celestial King. Using her adept mastery of sword principles and the elusive nature of spatial laws, she surrounded her opponent with sword energy mingled with ice and snow, putting up a formidable defense. A flicker of killing intent crossed Ye Linglong's eyes; she still had many tricks up her sleeve. If not for the many onlookers, she was confident she could kill the woman outright. However, the risk of causing a larger commotion deterred her. With a hint of impatience, she kicked the opponent hard in the chest, sending her sprawling through the air to crash onto the ground, spitting blood. Furious, Miss Fire pointed at Ye Linglong: "Someone, kill this one! Kill her!" Without a moment's pause, Ye Linglong had already spirited Feng Li away into her spiritual pet space. She turned and activated her spatial law, instantly teleporting several miles away. Still, she knew not to linger. Just as she was about to teleport again, a terrifying force materialized beside her. It seemed to lock onto her, sending shivers down her spine. Without hesitation, Ye Linglong abandoned the teleportation, raised her sword, Qianjun, to block. A crisp clash resounded. The fiery spear tip collided fiercely with Qianjun's blade, sending Ye Linglong hurtling backwards. She hit the ground heavily, blood surging in her chest, her throat tasting sweet, and spat out a mouthful of blood. "Impressive, young girl, to withstand my strike," a deep male voice acknowledged, easily piercing through Ye Linglong's disguise with just a few words. She looked up to see a man dressed in the same fiery outfit as the woman, holding a long flaming spear. "Kill her!" Miss Fire commanded with venomous fervor. "Don't, this cannot happen," urged the Steward, speaking before the man could act. "Really, you mustn't, Miss Fire. You cannot kill this person." "Hmph! She's just a wretch from the lower celestial realm, why should I spare her!" Miss Fire coldly declared. The Steward's face twisted with worry, his gaze repeatedly flicking into the distance as if awaiting someone's arrival. "Are you stalling for time?" Miss Fire interrogated, reading his expression. As soon as these words fell, the fiery spear tip was already poised at his throat.