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

**Tongtian Merchants Guild** "Young master, the Huo family has been making bold moves lately. They seem to be searching for someone, presumably the murderer of their eldest daughter." "Oh? Doesn't the Huo family have a spiritual imprint to track them? How could they not find any trace?" "Well... it appears that the person managed to erase the Huo family's spiritual imprint, so they are left with no leads and are searching merely based on a portrait." The man spoke as he retrieved a portrait from his storage space and handed it to the young master. The young master took the portrait, which depicted a stunningly beautiful face dressed in blue, with a remarkable aura. It was none other than Ye Ling Long. ... At that moment, Ye Ling Long had already disguised her appearance while heading toward the estate her never-before-seen master left her. More accurately, it was her inheritance. This time, she did not disguise herself as a man but instead took on the appearance of an unremarkable yet pleasant-looking young woman. Her features weren't striking, but she was fair enough—common enough to blend in easily with a crowd. This was precisely the effect Ye Ling Long sought, given that the Huo family was scouring the entire mid-immortal realm for her. Keeping a low profile was wise. Over ten thousand years had passed, and the landscape of the mid-immortal realm had shifted significantly since then. On top of that, the treasure locations set by the former Emperor were few, with only two sites, so Qian Jun’s memories were quite fuzzy. Combined with the changed landscape, they could pinpoint only a rough location. It took them over two months of searching to find the correct position—a secluded forest, very hidden and devoid of people. When Ye Ling Long and Qian Jun finally arrived, they realized someone else had gotten there first. Ye Ling Long didn't expect to find anyone else there, especially someone powerful enough to detect her presence almost immediately upon her approach. "Who goes there!" A voice barked with anger. A figure shot out from the forest, claw extended, aiming directly for Ye Ling Long's collar. Ye Ling Long tried to dodge, but the opponent was too fast and too powerful, easily catching her by the back of her neck. She had no choice but to surrender for the moment. If it had been just one opponent, she'd still have some chance. But there were actually several people nearby whose power was comparable to this one. Her best option now was to play it by ear. With these thoughts in mind, she found herself being brought before a group of people. Ye Ling Long saw that the group consisted of five individuals, including the person who had captured her. All five were at the peak of the Immortal Lord stage, making them notable figures in the mid-immortal realm. The remaining four frowned upon seeing Ye Ling Long, a flicker of murderous intent flashing in their eyes. Their goal here was to break the array of a hidden treasure realm and claim the treasures inside. Rumor had it this could be the place where the late Emperor once left his inheritances, filled not just with heavenly materials but also with his legacy. The five had formed an alliance to divide the contents of the secret realm, as none could enter alone due to the protective celestial-grade array outside. "Who are you, and how did you get here?" A woman asked coldly, her voice filled with icy disdain. Ye Ling Long sensed a kindred spirit in her aura, the chill indicating she likely also possessed an ice element spiritual root, albeit inferior to Ye Ling Long’s Ice Soul Constitution. Ye Ling Long adopted a fearful look, lifting her head to reveal a plain and cautious face. "I... I was chased here by a beast and stumbled upon this place by accident," she stammered. Her expression was one of terror, her body trembled, and she had tears welling in her eyes—playing the role of a bullied, pitiful girl truly frightened out of her wits. Qian Jun couldn't help but marvel at the contrast, recalling the fierce figure Ye Ling Long had cut two months ago when she decapitated someone without hesitation. The transformation was striking. Even the Ice Phoenix Heart residing within Ye Ling Long was taken aback by the adept display, shuddering as if recalling some unpleasant memories. The five people, mostly convinced by her act, exchanged glances, weighing how to deal with her. An elderly man among them stroked his beard, saying, "I suggest we kill her outright. We can't risk her leaking our plans." "I agree with Ge Lao," the woman who had first questioned Ye Ling Long chimed in. "We must keep this matter under wraps." This plan had been orchestrated by Ge Lao, and the others raised no objections to his suggestion. Ye Ling Long’s life thus hung precariously in the balance, decided with a mere exchange of words. Ye Ling Long: "..." Are you really discussing whether or not to kill me right in front of me? At least have the decency to step aside when plotting my end! Having reached an agreement, the man who had captured Ye Ling Long raised a large blade, preparing to strike. "Hmph! Blame your unfortunate fate, little girl," he sneered, moving toward her. But just as he was about to bring the blade down, Ye Ling Long spoke a line that made him hesitate. All eyes turned to her as she repeated: "I... I know how to break this array," she said, her voice shaking as she pointed past them to where they had been attacking the barrier. "You can break the array?" one of them questioned. Ye Ling Long lowered her gaze again, feigning fear. "I... I'm a formation master. I could be useful. I can help you break the array." Qian Jun: "..." Is she getting addicted to acting? Ice Phoenix Heart: "..." Impressive, truly impressive. After a brief discussion, the five decided to let Ye Ling Long stay. They had been attacking the formation for three days without any progress. Time was pressing, and they couldn't afford to delay. Without further ado, they brought Ye Ling Long to the celestial-grade array. "Quickly! Break the array!" they ordered tersely.