Ye Ming's expression was somewhat grim. Opposite him, Yan You'er lowered her head, unsure what to say.
"The wanted leader of the rebellion is right before you. What will you do?" Ye Ming looked at the old man in plain clothes and spoke indifferently.
"This... Mr. Ye... Mr. Ye! Please don't misunderstand. We just want to leave the outsider land, not to be your enemy!"
Cold sweat trickled down the old man's forehead. He was extremely nervous, his head bowed, fearing Ye Ming might annihilate them in anger.
What he said was also the truth.
Not just them, but the vast majority of sects emerging from the outsider land had no intention of capturing the so-called "leader of the rebellion."
Ye Ming's existence merely served as an excuse for them to disregard their ancestral teachings.
If they were to capture Ye Ming and his accomplices, their excuse would no longer hold.
Therefore, virtually no one would do such a thing.
Ye Ming understood this as well.
He also finally understood what Su Chirui meant when she said his name was renowned in the outsider land.
This was what she meant.
"Alright! You may leave!"
Ye Ming waved his hand, not intending to press them further. He had learned what he needed to know, and it was a fruitful encounter.
"This..."
Yan You'er glanced subtly at the giant lotus flower in the lake below, a hint of hesitation in her beautiful eyes.
It was clear she was still concerned about the being gestured within the bud.
"What? Reluctant to leave?"
Ye Ming looked at her, knowing precisely what she was thinking.
"Young Master Ye, You'er has a question she wishes to ask. May I inquire?" Yan You'er curtsied gracefully, a smile on her face.
Despite the smile, she was inwardly tense. Her slightly lowered gaze revealed her inner turmoil.
"Miss You'er, you are an intelligent person. I also remind you to cherish the attribute of your awakened Primordial Force. Otherwise..." Ye Ming narrowed his eyes, his tone indifferent, "Opportunities to be shown mercy are not always twice. Do you understand?"
"I..."
Upon hearing this, Yan You'er's delicate body stiffened. Although Ye Ming exuded no overt pressure, his intangible aura made it difficult for her to breathe.
"You'er understands!"
Yan You'er bowed to Ye Ming and said solemnly, "Thank you for showing mercy, Young Master Ye."
With that, she turned and said coldly to the old man in plain clothes and the old man in red robes, "Let's go!"
Hearing the command, the old man in plain clothes and the old man in red robes exchanged glances, then nodded. They followed their young lady and departed.
The scene returned to tranquility.
Ye Ming watched the direction of their departure for a moment before retracting his gaze. With light steps, he moved to the center of the lake.
"Soon!"
The bud, now enveloped in vital energy, shone with a verdant light. The surrounding energies of all things converged furiously, all for the advent of this pure life.
"Qiu Shui! After your rebirth, will you still remember me?"
Ye Ming whispered gently, his gaze filled with tenderness.
At this moment, the image of a woman, outwardly gentle yet inwardly fierce, surfaced in his mind.
Her name was Bai Qiu Shui.
To change her talent, to alter her destiny, and to keep pace with her sisters, she had chosen the path of rebirth through fire.
Leaving behind only a remnant soul in the world.
Using this as a foundation, she was reshaping herself anew.
Now, the time had come. Success or failure rested on this moment.
Even Ye Ming himself was uncertain of the final outcome.
All he could do was prevent any external interference that might lead to an accident.
"I hope they are sensible. Otherwise..."
Ye Ming sat cross-legged in mid-air, his eyes glinting with a cold, murderous intent.
Ten minutes later.
Boom!
With a low hum that resonated through heaven and earth, the entire surface of the lake rippled, emitting a seven-colored radiance, sacred and inviolable.
Ye Ming's eyes snapped open. Where his gaze fell, a giant lotus bud glowed with a verdant light.
"The fusion is successful!"
Ye Ming held his breath, his fists clenched tightly. His heart rate quickened.
Next, all that remained was for the bud to bloom and for his beloved to return.
But at this very moment, a discordant sound shattered Ye Ming's illusion.
"Interesting, very interesting! I never expected someone in this mortal realm to employ a Soul Nurturing Grand Formation to assist in rebirth. Truly admirable!"
As this voice echoed, three pitch-black spatial rifts materialized eerily hundreds of meters in front of Ye Ming. Figures emerged from within.
The moment they appeared, the world seemed to plunge into its darkest hour. The surrounding clouds froze as if in place, the air became heavy and oppressive, and terrifying auras radiated outward.
Among them, Ye Ming recognized some familiar faces.
Yan You'er!
She appeared from the third spatial rift.
Beside her, in addition to the four previous individuals, there were nearly ten more figures.
They were led by a middle-aged man.
However, the person who had spoken earlier did not belong to their faction.
He came from the central spatial rift.
The group emerging from this rift numbered over a dozen.
Among them, an elder with a goatee had an intensely fervent gaze. He stared unblinkingly at the grand formation in the center of the lake. His somewhat hoarse voice trembled, "My heavens, besides the Soul Nurturing Grand Formation, there's also a Spiritual Gathering Formation and an Offensive-Defensive Killing Formation! This layout must be the work of a Formation Master!"
The goatee elder's words instantly drew the attention of everyone present. Their gazes all focused on the unbloomed lotus bud.
With three grand formations protecting it, how terrifying would the being gestured within be?
"Hahaha! Good! Excellent!"
At this point, as all the spatial rifts closed, a burly man on the far left, wielding a ferocious saber, shouted excitedly, "This trip was worth it!"
This man was Li Hai, the current sect master of the Savage Saber Sect, a first-rate force in the outsider land.
Judging by his tone, it seemed the being yet to be born was already within his grasp.
"Brother Li, one cannot speak so definitively!"
From the central group, a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious white robes, slightly plump, with the demeanor of a smiling tiger, chuckled. "For encountering such an opportunity, we must thank Pavilion Master Yan of the Heavenly Pavilion!"
His name was Zhu Youfu, the president of the Cloud-End Merchant Guild in the outsider land.
"Hahaha! Brother Zhu speaks wisely!"
Li Hai and Zhu Youfu exchanged glances and then, smiling, looked towards Ren Tiandu, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Pavilion, clasping their hands in a salute. They said in unison:
"Pavilion Master Yan is benevolent!"