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

**Chapter 429: Eye Exchange** "Heh, Ye Linglong, you don't really think that guy Baili Feng can save you, do you? He's just a useless nobody," Baili Ran said with a sinister glare at Ye Linglong. Despite his words, the fleeting flicker in his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil. Outside, Baili Feng was still yelling for Baili Ran to release his daughter, firmly acknowledging Ye Linglong as his own child. Yet, inside, Baili Ran paid no heed. After a while of futile shouting, Baili Feng, realizing his efforts were in vain, dropped the familial pretense and yelled, "Baili Ran, if you dare harm my daughter, we’re not done! I'm going to my brother for help, and he’ll deal with you!" After delivering these words in a fit of anger, silence fell outside. Baili Feng had left. Standing in the courtyard, Ye Linglong felt a mix of emotions. The blood connection she sensed earlier was unmistakably clear, and this man kept calling her "daughter." The image of her father in her mind seemed to shatter as she considered: could this man, quick to run to his brother for help, really be her biological father? How embarrassing, she thought. Baili Ran remained silent for a while, seemingly lost in thought. After some time, he turned back to scrutinize Ye Linglong and asked, "Is Baili Feng really your father?" Ye Linglong rolled her eyes. "How would I know? I've never seen my father since I was little, but..." She paused, a playful hint entering her voice. "He sure is convinced I'm his daughter." From Baili Ran's reaction, it was obvious that although Baili Feng seemed unreliable, his standing within the Baili family was significant. Otherwise, Baili Ran, who was merely at the level of an Immortal Monarch, wouldn't have been allowed to act so brazenly in front of him and merely kick him out. Baili Feng's status should indeed be very high. After hearing Ye Linglong, Baili Ran's expression twisted with rage. Ye Linglong's Formation Eye was innately max-leveled, the highest within the Baili family, even above that of Baili Feng's brother, Baili Ming. The Formation Eye was a bloodline inheritance unique to the Baili family, typically appearing in the purest bloodlines. Yet, Baili Ran had not inherited it himself. Over the years, he watched as lesser bloodlines awakened the Formation Eye while he, a legitimate heir, did not. Jealousy and anger had long since clouded his judgment. For years, he'd been attempting to transplant the eyes from those lesser bloodlines who had awakened the Formation Eye into his own. After several unsuccessful attempts—costing some of his kin their lives—he finally managed to gain a pair, albeit the weakest type. Humans are like this. When they have nothing, they want something; once they have it, they desire something better. Human greed knows no bounds. Now that a max-leveled Formation Eye was right in front of him, Baili Ran wasn't going to let it go. He glared at Ye Linglong, speaking through gritted teeth, "I'm taking those eyes of yours! Today is the last day you'll own them, so cherish it." With that, he stormed out. Once Baili Ran left, Qian Jun appeared beside Ye Linglong. "That guy is a lunatic, actually wanting to gouge out your eyes for himself." Ye Linglong nodded. "Seems like it's time for us to leave. But..." Her voice turned somber. "I've recovered to full strength now, enough to handle your power. Even if we can't kill him, we'll make sure he suffers before we go." The saying goes, "A debt of revenge must be paid." Ye Linglong never believed in delayed retribution; she exacted vengeance immediately. Meanwhile, Baili Feng stormed into his elder brother Baili Ming’s courtyard with a trail of sparks in his wake. Two hundred years ago, a significant event had made his brother, the family’s genius, even more cold-hearted, executing tasks with brutal efficiency and showing no mercy. However, he increasingly shunned family matters, allowing someone like Baili Ran to strut about unchecked. Despite his usually frivolous demeanor, Baili Ran was intimidated by his elder brother, Baili Ming, who would sharply reprimand him during their rare encounters. Yet, thinking of his "daughter," Baili Feng gritted his teeth and went forward. But upon arriving, he discovered his brother was absent. Baili Feng was at a loss; without his brother, he had no one to complain to, and even his father was not at home. With no other choice, he decided to wait. Time passed second by second. Ye Linglong sat in the courtyard, eyes closed, recuperating and waiting for Baili Ran's return. When the sound of the door opening reached her, Baili Ran entered with a cruel smile. In his hand was a jade box, chilling with an icy aura, obviously meant to store her eyes. Cold jade boxes were ideal for preserving freshly removed eyes. "Soon, I'll have your innately max-leveled Formation Eyes!" Baili Ran approached Ye Linglong, eyes filled with obsession, step by step. He gestured grandly, binding Ye Linglong, rendering her immobile. As she tried to struggle, the restraint tightened further. "Don't waste your effort. You can't break free from the Immortal Binding Rope. The more you struggle, the tighter it binds. Stay still, and I promise to spare your life after taking your eyes." With that, Baili Ran placed his hand over Ye Linglong’s eyes. A powerful suction began to pull at her eyes from their sockets, causing a painful, stinging sensation. Cautious not to damage the eyes, Baili Ran applied only a moderate amount of careful, gentle force. Just as all his focus rested on extracting her eyes, Ye Linglong suddenly spoke, "Qian Jun!" Baili Ran stalled momentarily. A blue sword light flashed. Ye Linglong suddenly felt her body relax as the Immortal Binding Rope that had ensnared her was sliced through. At the same instant, she opened her mind, accepting Qian Jun’s power. Before long, Baili Ran was horrified to find Ye Linglong transformed before his eyes. Her power surged rapidly, and before he could react, she opened her previously closed eyes, flashing a trace of purple-gold light. With a single slash that appeared unremarkably simple, Baili Ran could feel the immense pressure coming from it. In a panic, he hastily executed a formation to merge internally. Boom~ The clash resounded thunderously, and a shadow flew back, crashing heavily against the wall.