59: Chapter 59 A Powerful Defense of Her Husband, The Three-Year Agreement

It turned out that about half an hour after Ye Xiaoyao left the Immortal Cave, Ji Chanxi walked out of the cultivation secret chamber.

Her body still carried the Core Formation Spiritual Pressure from her recent Breakthrough, which had not fully receded. It enveloped her like an invisible veil, adding a touch of etherealness to her already cold and aloof temperament.

Her skin glowed with a faint jade luster under the sunlight, and her eyes were clear yet deeper than before her secluded cultivation, resembling two bottomless cold pools.

The Immortal Cave was very quiet.

Ji Chanxi looked around, but did not see Ye Xiaoyao's figure.

She closed her eyes and sensed quietly.

There was a marvelous connection between the Pure Yin Sacred Body and the Pure Yang Sacred Body, like the two poles of a magnet, allowing them to vaguely perceive each other's direction even from a distance.

Soon, she opened her eyes and frowned slightly.

"Hall of Deliberation?"

"What is he doing there?"

Without hesitation, her figure flickered, turning into a black shadow that swept out of the Immortal Cave and flew toward the core area of the Sect.

Inside the Hall of Deliberation, the atmosphere was tense.

After finishing her words to Cao Tianxiong, Ji Chanxi looked at the Second Elder in the main seat and nodded slightly, "Second Elder."

Upon seeing her, the Second Elder's eyes lit up, and a sincere smile appeared on his face as he exclaimed, "Congratulations, Saintess! Our Sect has added another young Core Formation Cultivator; this is truly a great joy! Hehe."

Ji Chanxi returned the greeting politely, "Second Elder, you overpraise. Chanxi does not dare accept such honor."

She looked at Ye Xiaoyao and Fu Hongxue again and nodded to them.

Ye Xiaoyao softly called out, "Chanxi," and Fu Hongxue also called out, "Junior Sister."

Ji Youying also followed up by calling out, "Chanxi," his voice deliberately softened.

Ji Chanxi acted as if she had not heard him, not even sparing him a glance from the corner of her eye.

Ji Youying's expression stiffened, and a flash of anger crossed his eyes.

Ji Chanxi looked back at the Second Elder, her tone firm, "Second Elder, Ye Xiaoyao is my person. If Patriarch Cao wants to take someone, shouldn't he ask me first?"

The Second Elder stroked his beard and nodded, his smile unchanged, "The Saintess is right. Patriarch Cao, since the Saintess has spoken personally, let Martial Nephew Ye's matter... be dropped here. Please excuse us."

Cao Tianxiong stared at Ji Chanxi, his eyes flickering. He did not expect Ji Chanxi to appear suddenly, nor did he expect her to protect Ye Xiaoyao so forcefully. Wasn't it said that he was just a shield? Looking at this stance, it didn't seem like it.

"So the Saintess has already become a Core Formation Cultivator." Cao Tianxiong put on a smiling face, his tone still polite, but his words were laced with thorns. "Congratulations! However... I heard that young friend Ye is not the Saintess's true Dao Companion, a matter he himself has admitted. Since that is the case, why not let the Saintess fulfill my daughter's wish? After all, young friend Ye's cultivation level is truly unworthy of the Saintess."

Ji Chanxi's eyes turned cold. "Enough." Her voice was not loud, but it carried obvious impatience. "My affairs do not require Fellow Daoist Cao's concern. If Fellow Daoist Cao insists on taking him..." She paused, her tone turning icy. "This Saintess might have to ask my Revered Master to intervene. I wonder what Fellow Daoist Cao thinks of that?"

The three words "Liu Yunshuang" were like a block of ice thrown into a frying pan. The smile on Cao Tianxiong's face completely vanished. Liu Yunshuang was the Yin Yang Sect Revered Master, with a cultivation level at the Peak of the Late Stage Core Formation, and her strength was top-tier among those of the same rank. More importantly, she had the entire Yin Yang Sect behind her. Although the Cao Family was a prominent clan in the Southern Border, the cost of truly falling out with the Yin Yang Sect was too great. Moreover, it was said that Liu Yunshuang was in seclusion, attempting a Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage...

Cao Tianxiong weighed the pros and cons, finally snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and stood up, saying, "Since Saintess Ji is unwilling, I dare not force the issue." He turned and walked away, his black robe whipping up a gust of wind. "Farewell!"

Cao Sini was still stunned on the spot, bewildered by this sudden turn of events. She looked at her father's retreating back, then at Ye Xiaoyao, bit her lip, and finally stamped her feet before chasing after him.

Outside the main hall, in the high sky, Cao Tianxiong and Cao Sini rode their escape lights, flying out of the Yin Yang Sect. Cao Sini couldn't help but ask, "Father, are we just giving up like this? There must be a secret on Ye Xiaoyao! Otherwise, why would Ji Chanxi..."

"I know." Cao Tianxiong interrupted her, his face gloomy. "But that brat is now protected by Ji Chanxi, and has Liu Yunshuang behind him. Taking him by force would do more harm than good." He narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance. "However... there may still be a chance. That Saint Ji Youying's feelings for Ji Chanxi are obvious to everyone. Ye Xiaoyao is blocking his path; will he let it go?"

Cao Sini's eyes lit up, "Father, you mean..."

"Wait and see." Cao Tianxiong sneered, "Given Ji Youying's character, that brat won't live long. If we can't have him, no one else should even think about it."

Inside the hall, once Cao Tianxiong left, the smell of gunpowder grew even stronger. Ji Youying stared at Ji Chanxi, his eyes seemingly spitting fire. "Chanxi, I have tried to see you several times as a Saint, but you refused to come out. Today, for the sake of this brat, you came personally and even brought out the Sect Master to scare off the Cao Family." He took a step forward, his voice lowered, yet more dangerous. "You are throwing the face of this Saint on the ground and trampling on it."

Ji Chanxi looked up at him, her eyes as calm as if she were looking at a stranger, and said indifferently, "Saint Ji, I have said many times that I do not like you. Please do not be sentimental." She reached out and naturally took Ye Xiaoyao's arm. "Xiaoyao is the Dao Companion I have chosen, so I will naturally protect him. This has nothing to do with you! I ask that Saint Ji, in the future, do not interfere in my private affairs again."

This action and these words were like a loud slap, fiercely striking Ji Youying's face. His expression turned livid instantly, the veins on his forehead bulging, and a laugh squeezed out from between his teeth. "Good... very good." He looked at Ye Xiaoyao, his eyes as sinister as a poisonous snake. "Since you insist on choosing this trash as your Dao Companion, this Saint would like to see what ability he has that makes him more worthy of you than me!"

Before the words fell, the Early Stage Core Formation Spiritual Pressure erupted suddenly, like a raging tide, rushing straight at Ye Xiaoyao!

Ji Chanxi moved almost at the same time. She stepped forward half a step, shielding Ye Xiaoyao completely behind her. Black Spiritual Pressure surged out, colliding fiercely with Ji Youying's black Spiritual Pressure!

"Boom!!" The two forces collided in the air, invisible waves of air exploded, shaking the beams and pillars of the hall until they hummed. The stone slabs on the ground cracked inch by inch, and dust flew everywhere.

The Second Elder's expression changed, and he shouted, "Stop!" With a wave of his sleeve, a gentle yet majestic spiritual power inserted itself between the two Spiritual Pressures, forcibly separating the two.

Behind Ji Youying, two Core Formation Elders who supported him quickly stepped forward and stood side-by-side with him. Fu Hongxue also moved. She took a step to Ji Chanxi's side, her red dress fluttering, spiritual power flowing, and together with Ji Chanxi, she protected Ye Xiaoyao in the middle. Three against three. The atmosphere was tense and ready to explode.

Elder Liu, who was standing to the left of Ji Youying, frowned and spoke, his tone carrying a sense of reproach, "Saintess, why go to such lengths? The Saint comes from the Ji Family of the Eastern Wasteland, and his cultivation level is on par with yours. How is he unworthy of you? If you choose someone at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage as your Dao Companion, and it gets out, where will the Yin Yang Sect's face be left?"

Ji Chanxi looked at him, her tone cold, "Elder Liu, whom I choose as my Dao Companion does not need your consent. My Revered Master hasn't said anything, so is it your turn to point fingers?"

Elder Liu was choked up, his face ugly, but he dared not say another word. Ji Chanxi had brought out Liu Yunshuang again, and Elder Liu was clearly afraid.

Ye Xiaoyao stood behind Ji Chanxi and Fu Hongxue, looking at the two slender yet firm figures before him, his heart filled with mixed feelings. There was gratitude, but more bitterness. As a man, he had to have two women stand in front of him, confronting several Elders of the Sect for his sake.

He took a deep breath and walked out from between the two.

"Martial Nephew Ye!" Fu Hongxue wanted to pull him back.

Ye Xiaoyao shook his head at her, walked to Ji Chanxi's side, and looked at Ji Youying.

"Saint." He spoke, his voice calm, exceptionally clear in the quiet hall. "My cultivation is currently low, and I am indeed no match for you." He paused, his tone turning heavy. "But this does not mean that I will remain at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage forever."

Ji Youying sneered, "And so? What do you want to say?"

Ye Xiaoyao looked straight into his eyes, saying word by word, "I want to make a bet with you, Saint. I wonder if you dare to accept?"

"A bet?" Ji Youying laughed as if he had heard a joke, "Ye Xiaoyao, what qualifications do you have to bet with this Saint?" His eyes were contemptuous, but he did not refuse. He wanted to see what tricks this brat could come up with.

Ye Xiaoyao ignored his sarcasm and continued, "It's very simple. Saint, give me three years. Three years from now, regardless of my cultivation level, you and I will go to the competition stage and have a fair and upright fight. If I lose, I will leave the Yin Yang Sect on my own and never appear before you again. But if I win—" He paused, his gaze sweeping over Ji Youying's gloomy face. "Please, Saint, do not interfere with Chanxi and me in the future."

The last sentence was like a spark falling into an oil barrel. Ji Youying laughed in extreme anger. "Ye Xiaoyao! Where do you get the confidence to think you can win against me? Never mind three years, even if I gave you three hundred years, you wouldn't be my match!" He stepped forward, his Aura overbearing. "Fine! This Saint will give you three years! However..." His eyes were fierce, and he continued, "Three years later, if you can withstand ten moves under my hand, I will consider that I have lost!"

Ten moves? A gasp of air sounded around them. Core Formation against Foundation Establishment—let alone ten moves, even one move would be hard to withstand. Ji Youying was clearly humiliating him. But Ye Xiaoyao did not change his expression and nodded, "It's a deal."

Ji Chanxi frowned, wanting to say something, but Ye Xiaoyao gently held her hand and shook his head at her. She bit her red lips, finally not speaking, only looking at Ji Youying, her voice icy, "Saint Ji, during these three years, if you dare to make a move against Ye Xiaoyao..." She paused, then said word by word, "Then I will fight you to the death."

These words were said with ironclad certainty, leaving no room for negotiation. Ji Youying's face looked even worse, but he did not respond.

Ji Chanxi stopped looking at him, turned her head, and said to Ye Xiaoyao and Fu Hongxue, "Let's go." She took Ye Xiaoyao's hand and nodded to Fu Hongxue. The three turned and walked out of the hall. The three black, cyan, and red figures, under the gaze of everyone, left the hall side by side. Sunlight shone in from outside the door, stretching their shadows very long.

Behind them, Ji Youying stood on the spot, staring at their backs, his eyes as cold and sinister as poisoned ice. Three years. Fine, I will wait for you for three years. Let's see how you die by then!