Chapter 117: The Land of the Abyssal Void

"Pfft!" Mo You's childish remark made everyone present burst into laughter. They looked at him with a mix of amusement and exasperation; the little guy was truly a source of endless mirth.

"Look at you, calling him 'Boss' left and right. Do you think your boss was in there drinking water? If he were, there would be no need for a fight—he could just drink the place dry!" Yan Chen held back his laughter, rolling his eyes as he spoke.

"That makes sense!" Mo You nodded, a look of sudden realization dawning on him. He extended his miniature dragon claw to pat Yan Chen on the shoulder. "Well said. How could my boss be in there drinking water? He must have been unleashing his divine might to shatter that sphere from within! However, even so, I can't just let it slide that you spoke ill of me earlier."

"Alright, alright, enough of you two bickering." Ye Zihan cut off their back-and-forth and stepped forward, cupping his hands in a salute. "Lady Su Zi, you are truly deserving of the title of the top genius disciple of the Misty Rain Pavilion. I must admit that my cultivation is inferior to yours. I am grateful for your mercy today. If you ever have need of me in the future, I cannot promise to walk through fire and water, but I will certainly do my best within my capabilities."

"What a joke! You should be counting your lucky stars that our Young Mistress spared you! To speak so boastfully—as if our Young Mistress would ever need help from a nobody like you!"

One of the two women at the head of the group, Su Die, sneered with disdain.

"Su Die, enough of your insolence!" Su Zi frowned, her voice sharp as she rebuked her.

"Heh." Ye Zihan’s expression remained calm and indifferent, his smile never faltering. "Young lady, each generation produces its own talents, and in the future, they will surely shake the Three Realms for centuries to come. How can you be certain that this 'nobody' of today will not be someone who defies the heavens tomorrow?"

"Delusional. Who do you think you are?"

"Utterly ignorant of the vastness of the world. Countless young talents have come to the Nameless City over the last century to contend for it. If a nobody like you were to take it, wouldn't the Nameless City become a laughingstock?"

"I think our Young Mistress is the most qualified to claim control over the Nameless City."

"Obviously. Just look at our Young Mistress..."

As Ye Zihan finished speaking, the female cultivators behind Su Zi looked at him with contempt, whispering insults and sarcasm.

Su Zi ignored the chatter of her guards. Her eyes flickered with a strange light, and a gentle, water-like smile appeared on her face. "I do not ask of your origins, Young Master, but I believe that your ambitious words today will surely spread throughout the Three Realms."

For some reason, after hearing Ye Zihan’s bold declaration, a conviction sprouted within Su Zi’s heart. She found herself secretly believing that the man before her would indeed succeed and fulfill the promise he had made today.

"Very well! We are all men here, let’s not be overly sentimental. We will remember this favor and will certainly repay it in the future. For now, we shall take our leave. Until we meet again!" With that, Ye Zihan cupped his hands to Su Zi one last time. Without a hint of hesitation, he led Yan Chen and the others, along with Mo You the dragon, flying toward the City of Ice and Snow.

Standing in the air, watching their retreating figures, Su Zi felt an inexplicable sense of desolation.

"Young Master Ye, after that battle, we are now friends. Allow me to offer a reminder: ahead lies the Abyss of Demons. Passing through it is the final test for the Nameless City. I tell you this now in the hope that you can prepare accordingly!" Su Zi called out to his retreating back.

"Haha! Many thanks, Lady Su Zi! When you emerge, I shall be sure to welcome you as the new master of the Nameless City!"

His arrogant and powerful voice echoed over the howling winds of the frozen plains, sending ripples through Su Zi’s heart.

"Zihan, be honest with me. What kind of secret technique did you use in there to seduce that beauty? She was a cold-hearted ice queen a moment ago, but the second she stepped out, she was as gentle as flowing water! And she was only gentle with you! If you expect me to believe nothing happened between you two in there, I’ll die before I buy it!"

No sooner had they flown out of the City of Ice and Snow than Yan Chen succumbed to his curiosity, launching a rapid-fire interrogation at Ye Zihan.

Ye Zihan felt his head throb. He looked at Yan Chen, speechless, and said weakly, "I told you, I'm not you. A duel is a duel. In that high-pressure situation, who has the heart to think about such things? She only showed me respect because we are equals. Please, keep your vivid imagination in check..."

"I say, Yan Chen, are you looking for a beating again? Let me tell you, our boss is handsome, dashing, and elegant! Everyone loves him, the flowers bloom at his sight, and beauties fall at his feet the moment they see him. Are you unconvinced? Do you want me to beat you into submission?" Mo You poked his head out, waving his shimmering dragon claw and shaking his head.

"Enough, both of you stop it. You two are working better and better together—one sentence after another, you’ve managed to outline a whole story out of thin air!" Ye Zihan patted Mo You’s head and stuffed him back into his sleeve, utterly exasperated.

Even though the two seemed to be at odds, their banter made it sound as if he and Su Zi had actually done something inside the water sphere! If something had truly happened, he could understand it, but since nothing had occurred, he was being blamed for a non-existent scandal—how could he be anything but frustrated?

"Actually, in my opinion, Zihan, if there was something between you and that lady, you could just say it. She’s quite beautiful and very strong; there’s no shame in admitting it!" Chen Yiyan chimed in from behind, grinning broadly.

"I, you..."

Ye Zihan looked at Chen Yiyan, his spirit completely broken. He finally realized that people really do change after spending enough time together. By hanging out with those two chatterboxes, Mo You and Yan Chen, even the usually silent Chen Yiyan had learned how to tease!

"Hahaha!"

Yan Chen, Chen Yiyan, and Mo You—two men and a dragon—burst into laughter at Ye Zihan’s awkward expression.

Ye Zihan looked at the three heartless creatures and was left speechless. He had become the punchline of their joke.

"Everyone, stop laughing for a moment. That must be the Abyss of Demons that Lady Su Zi mentioned ahead. It doesn't look like an easy place to cross!"

Just as the group was laughing heartily, Lin Dong rushed up from behind with a grave expression, pointing toward a region shrouded in churning black mist.

"Haha! Brother Lin Dong, you are mistaken. It’s not just the area ahead; we have already entered the Abyss of Demons!" Yan Chen stopped laughing and said to Lin Dong.

"Eh? Brother Yan, what do you mean by that?" Lin Dong was completely baffled, looking at Yan Chen with a puzzled expression.

Ye Zihan, Chen Yiyan, and even Mo You poked their heads out to listen to Yan Chen’s explanation.

"Don't be surprised. Actually, the moment we left the City of Ice and Snow, we had already entered the Abyss of Demons. You just haven't noticed the change yet." Yan Chen began to play coy, making the others wish they could rush over and choke him.