"Embark on that path?
Have no regrets?
Hearing this, Ye Ming recoiled violently. It was as if heavenly thunder was weaving through his mind, instantly plunging him into a void of blankness.
His eyes widened, pupils filled with shock and vigilance. A cold sweat had even broken out on his back.
This was undoubtedly the first time Ye Ming had ever displayed such an expression.
"Who are you?"
Almost instinctively, Ye Ming condensed power in his palm, staring intently at the person before him.
At this moment, he had perhaps forgotten that his own strength far surpassed the other party's.
"Who am I?"
Ye Qingzhu repeated Ye Ming's question.
Yet, her tone was faint, even tinged with a strange melancholy.
"That's right! I don't think I've told you yet, my surname is also Ye! My name is Ye Qingzhu!" Ye Qingzhu mused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Isn't it a coincidence? We share the same surname!"
The same surname!
Ye Qingzhu's words made Ye Ming frown again. Was it his illusion, or did he feel she was hinting at something?
However, 'Ye Ming' was a name he had chosen himself. And his surname was adopted because, during his immortal inheritance, he followed the surname of the teacher in the inheritance.
Therefore, the name 'Ye Ming' actually held no specific meaning; it was merely a designation he adopted when he left the wolf pack and entered human society.
But why would Ye Qingzhu emphasize, "We share the same surname"?
"Tell me! Who exactly are you?"
At this point, Ye Ming seemed to have realized the disparity in strength between them. He took a gentle step forward. Instantly, the airflow in the entire room plummeted, and an invisible pressure directly bore down on Ye Qingzhu.
From the moment Ye Ming appeared, he had been led by Ye Qingzhu's words.
This passive feeling made Ye Ming extremely displeased.
He decided to directly seize control using the most brute-force method.
"Young Master Ye! Are you planning to attack this weak woman?"
Under Ye Ming's oppressive aura, Ye Qingzhu's face turned somewhat pale. This was, of course, a result of Ye Ming holding back.
Ye Qingzhu was strong, but only against ordinary people below the ancient martial arts realm.
Against Ye Ming, she was merely ordinary.
"Miss Qingzhu! This is my final forbearance!"
Ye Ming pressed his palm downwards a fraction more, and the descending airflow grew heavier. "You've already touched upon the path of immortal cultivation. You should know some methods similar to soul-searching. So, don't force me!"
Although Ye Ming had no intention of using 'Ming Hun Shu' on Ye Qingzhu at this moment, if she insisted on playing riddles with him, he couldn't be blamed.
Even so, Ye Ming had not sensed any hostility from her.
This was precisely why Ye Ming had been holding back.
With the pressure significantly increased, Ye Qingzhu clearly struggled to cope. She had already crouched on the ground, supporting herself with one jade-like hand. Beads of sweat had appeared on her silken hair.
Seeing that Ye Ming had no intention of relenting, Ye Qingzhu gritted her teeth in anger and rebuked him:
"You brat! You have no sense of proportion, you're making me so angry!"
Finally, Ye Qingzhu uttered an identity that stunned Ye Ming speechless.
"Wh-what! Eld-elder sister!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Ming's brain instantly short-circuited. The oppressive aura he had been radiating vanished in an instant, and he stood there dumbfounded.
Ye Qingzhu claimed to be his... elder sister!
"Hmph! You brat! You're so heavy-handed, it's infuriating!"
Ye Qingzhu strode forward and jabbed Ye Ming's chest fiercely with her jade finger, grinding her teeth. "What! Do you still want to search my soul?"
Thinking of this, Ye Qingzhu became even more incensed.
"N-no!"
Ye Ming retreated repeatedly, asking incredulously, "Are... are you really my... sister?"
Ye Ming found this identity completely unbelievable.
Due to some previous experiences, he had already gained a certain understanding of his own background. He had even had some contact with people from his own clan.
Su Xin, for example!
When he first met Su Xin during his battle with Gu Taiyi, he felt a strange sense of closeness.
At that time, Ye Ming knew it was a resonance from their bloodline.
And through subsequent experiences, Ye Ming's identity gradually became clearer.
However, when he met Ye Qingzhu, Ye Ming did not experience the same bloodline resonance he felt when meeting Su Xin.
In other words, there was no blood connection between them.
So the question arose: why did Ye Qingzhu claim to be his sister?
Was she lying?
But would such a lie, for Ye Ming, truly serve any purpose?
"I'll let this slide for now!"
Seeing the confusion almost overflowing from Ye Ming's eyes, Ye Qingzhu patted his shoulder and chuckled, "I know you have many questions. Don't worry, I'll tell you everything!"
Afterward, she pulled Ye Ming's slightly stiff hand and sat down on a nearby chair. She first let out a long sigh, and as she looked at her nominal younger brother, her gaze gradually softened.
In her eyes, there was even a trace of... heartache.
An hour later.
Ye Ming had already stood up from the chair, his hands resting on the guardrail in front of him, gazing up at the spotless sky. His expression appeared calm.
However, the several clear cracks on the guardrail indicated that something was being suppressed within him.
Ye Qingzhu stood beside him silently, not saying a word, accompanying Ye Ming in his quiet contemplation.
She knew better than anyone that when a corner of the truth was revealed, no one could truly empathize with the blow her younger brother had suffered.
"So, my fate was already arranged for me?"
After nearly ten minutes of silence, Ye Ming finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.
But this simple sentence inflicted tearing pain upon Ye Qingzhu. The desolation and self-mockery in his words would have made even an outsider feel extremely oppressed.
"No! It's not like that! Xiao Ming! No one can decide your fate, your..."
"Enough! Miss Qingzhu! You don't need to say anything else!"
Before she could finish, Ye Ming waved his hand, interrupting her.
It was noteworthy that he still referred to Ye Qingzhu as "Miss Qingzhu," not "Sister."
"Xiao Ming! You... you called me..."
Ye Qingzhu wanted to grab Ye Ming's hand again but found her body unable to move. She could only watch as the figure before her slowly disappeared.
"Hahahaha! Su Ming! Fate! What fitting names! Hahaha!"
After the figure had completely vanished, all that remained in Ye Qingzhu's ears was an endless sigh."