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

Chapter 432: The Death of Bai Li Ran The woman depicted in the portrait wore a flowing blue dress and bore a radiant smile. Although she looked identical to Ye Ling Long, their auras were vastly different. Ye Ling Long was typically dressed in form-fitting robes suitable for battle, presenting a professional demeanor. Her presence was as cold as snow, exuding a formidable aura that made her seem like a natural leader. She had never displayed such a gentle, feminine demeanor before. Upon seeing the portrait, Ye Ling Long finally confirmed that she was indeed Bai Li Ming's daughter. There weren't that many coincidences in the world; the strong bloodline connection between them, coupled with their similar looks, made it undeniable. However, Bai Li Feng and Bai Li Ran were unable to accept this revelation. Bai Li Ran was purely terrified. He was well aware of Bai Li Ming’s ruthless methods; two hundred years ago, despite not being at home due to other matters, he knew enough about how Bai Li Ming had unhesitatingly killed his own family members. If he had killed his own uncle, then a mere cousin like Bai Li Ran wouldn’t stand a chance. Bai Li Feng, on the other hand, was completely shattered. Who could explain to him how his daughter suddenly became his elder brother's child? Taking advantage of the fact that Bai Li Ming's attention was focused on Ye Ling Long, Bai Li Ran drew a small teleportation array disc from his pocket. This was a directional teleportation device, capable of instantly transporting him to another pre-set location—a tool for escaping danger. The array was initiated quickly, and as the teleportation process began, the space around Bai Li Ran started to distort. A faint smile appeared on his face, as he thought he was close to escaping to safety. Suddenly, the teleportation stalled, and the distorted space around him rapidly returned to normal. The array had been forcibly interrupted mid-operation. Ye Ling Long, who was about to stop Bai Li Ran from running, glanced with surprise at Bai Li Ming, realizing her formidable father's capabilities. Bai Li Ran's smile froze on his face. Turning back to Bai Li Ming, he saw the gleam of array patterns in Bai Li Ming’s eyes, glowing with an eerie light. With a simple gesture of his right hand, he effortlessly interrupted Bai Li Ran’s escape attempt. “Bai Li Ming, what do you mean by this?” Bai Li Ran shouted. Bai Li Ming replied with a cold voice, “You harmed my daughter and tried to gouge out her eyes. What do you think I’m going to do?” Staring at the identical array-patterned eyes Ye Ling Long had, Bai Li Ran snarled in frustration, “So what if I did? I just wanted eyes like these. We share the same family bloodline, so why didn’t I awaken the eyes? Why do I have to be deprived of such power?” Anger escalating, Bai Li Ran’s eyes turned bloodshot—a sign of madness creeping in. His lack of the array-patterned eyes had long tormented him, a deep-seated issue that had consumed his being. Bai Li Ming gazed at Bai Li Ran with disdain and contempt, “Fool. I didn't care whose eyes you took or what you did, but you should never have set your sights on my daughter.” As he spoke, he casually lifted a finger. Bai Li Ran’s expression froze, a bloody hole appearing on his forehead as he crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Even his very spirit was obliterated. Ye Ling Long’s eyes lit up as she witnessed Bai Li Ming’s skill. That move, deceptively simple, was executed in an instant. Bai Li Ming had infused the power of a combat array into his body, concentrating the killing blow into a single finger. With a mere gesture, the energy surged into Bai Li Ran’s brow, destroying him instantly. Ye Ling Long had never seen an array integration performed in such a way before—it opened a whole new world to her. Seeing the curiosity written on Ye Ling Long’s face, Bai Li Ming smiled indulgently. “Would you like to learn?” Ye Ling Long nodded. Bai Li Ming’s smile grew even more tender. “I’ll teach you.” Hearing this, Bai Li Feng protested immediately. “Brother, that’s not fair! I asked you numerous times to teach me this trick to impress the fairies, and you refused. Yet now, even before she asks, you're offering to teach Ling Long? This is unfair!” Glancing at his brother with disdain, Bai Li Ming’s expression turned cold, showcasing his mastery of changing expressions instantly. “You’re too dull to learn it.” Bai Li Feng sighed, silently questioning whether they were indeed siblings. ... With Bai Li Ran dead and the courtyard now reduced to ruins by Xiao Hei, Ye Ling Long followed Bai Li Ming back to his own courtyard. Bai Li Feng, shamelessly tagging along, left Bai Li Ran's body abandoned where it fell. Under Ye Ling Long’s indication, Xiao Hei transformed into a smaller, adorable size and was cradled in her arms, much to Bai Li Feng’s envy. Approaching cautiously, Bai Li Feng offered a sycophantic smile. “Niece, can your little panther stay with uncle for a few days? Don't worry, I promise to return him in just a few days.” Ye Ling Long teased, “Not calling me daughter anymore?” “Niece, let’s not joke about such things. Spare your uncle's little life,” Bai Li Feng quickly whispered, throwing a nervous glance at Bai Li Ming. Amused, Ye Ling Long handed Xiao Hei over. “Xiao Hei is my companion, not a pet. But if you want to play with him, I can let him keep you company for a few days.” “Thank you, dear niece! I’ll make sure your companion is well taken care of. I'll take him to play now,” Bai Li Feng exclaimed, eagerly wrapping his arms around Xiao Hei before dashing off, leaving Xiao Hei’s soft cries in the air. Ye Ling Long chuckled, unconcerned about Xiao Hei’s safety. After all, the little creature boasted true celestial strength; in this realm, it could undoubtedly fend for itself, and was certainly stronger than Bai Li Feng. Bai Li Ming, well aware of his brother’s unreliability, apologized, “I’m sorry, Bai Li Feng is always like this. But that little panther of yours is quite something.” Ye Ling Long merely smiled in response. The two then arrived at Bai Li Ming’s courtyard, which was evidently larger and more refined than Bai Li Ran’s, albeit a bit lifeless. “Sit.” Bai Li Ming led Ye Ling Long inside, gesturing for her to sit before pouring her a cup of tea. Ignoring the tea, Ye Ling Long fixed her gaze on Bai Li Ming, voicing the question that weighed heavily on her mind: “What exactly happened back then?” ...