Especially when he thought about how Ye Shaohua had spoken to Yun Meng just moments ago.
Her tone was casual, but the natural authority in her voice, the way she carried herself as someone in a superior position, was unmistakable. And what struck him most was that Yun Meng and the others didn’t seem surprised at all.
In fact, in Xu Anyuan’s eyes, Ye Shaohua had always seemed insignificant.
Just an ordinary person—barely worth mentioning.
Back when he married her, it was only because his grandfather had forced him into it.
He never brought her out in public, never even mentioned to anyone in Group B that he had married a commoner.
Now, he found it incredibly disorienting to see this version of Ye Shaohua—aloof, commanding, completely different from the woman he thought he knew.
“Anyuan, are you okay?” A teammate noticed his pale face and asked with concern.
Xu Anyuan shook his head, his complexion still pale. “I’m fine.”
But inside, he couldn’t calm down.
Like Yun Meng, he had also figured out Murong Qiyue’s intentions. Although she had never really cared about him, he had never thought much of it before.
But now… because of her, he had nearly died here. And for the first time, he truly understood that Murong Qiyue simply didn’t care about him.
What made it worse was that his initial attraction to her had been built on the aura of mystery and genius surrounding her. And now, standing in the presence of Ye Shaohua…
That aura around Murong Qiyue suddenly felt… insignificant.
He trailed behind the group, lost in thought, his steps unsteady.
No one else knew what was going through his mind.
But Yimao, who had looked into Ye Shaohua’s background, understood perfectly. He shot Xu Anyuan a knowing, almost mocking glance.
“Yimao,” Yun Meng said, snapping out of his own thoughts as he recalled what Yimao had mentioned earlier. “You said some people in our group have crossed Miss Ye…”
Yimao said flatly, “It’s best if you stay out of this, or you’ll be kicked out before you know it.”
Yun Meng immediately shut his mouth, his expression turning serious.
So this matter… was clearly more severe than he had imagined.
——-
Ye Shaohua paid no attention to the subtle undercurrents behind her. Instead, she continued heading northwest.
“That thing in the south has been cultivating for about a thousand years,” Ye Shaohua said in a low voice. “It has developed its own intelligence. Since we’ve already signed an agreement not to go after it, we must honor it, or we’ll face divine retribution.”
A thousand years—and with the protection of this world’s natural laws—Ye Shaohua felt that no one could truly threaten it, except perhaps her former self at the peak of the magical world, when she had been powerful enough to influence the laws themselves.
She and Yun Mu had barely managed to get out of there after a grueling effort to finalize the agreement.
This world wasn’t like typical fantasy or cultivation worlds; it was an ordinary world bound by all kinds of natural laws.
“A thousand years, huh,” Yun Mu raised an eyebrow. “No wonder I fought it several times and couldn’t gain the upper hand. Though every time we clashed, it did cause a massive downpour.”
“Just leave it alone. It’s a creature of nature and won’t pose a threat to humans. But if someone tries to go after it…” Ye Shaohua glanced at the disheveled group approaching them and let out a soft sigh. “Then I really can’t say what might happen.”
Murong Qiyue’s expression was grim. She had led some members of Group B through a harrowing journey just to get here safely.
Seeing Ye Shaohua and her group looking completely at ease, Murong Qiyue’s mood soured. “Did you come from the south?”
Ye Shaohua and Yun Mu continued walking without acknowledging her.
Murong Qiyue had long known about the rare treasure in the south. She had gone through great trouble to find it, believing that absorbing it would allow her to recover her golden core in no time.
And seeing Ye Shaohua and Yun Mu emerge unscathed, she naturally assumed there was no real danger.
“Boss Yun,” Murong Qiyue called out to Yun Mu, her lips pressed together. “If you’re willing, I have a method that can permanently enhance your abilities several times over. If you’re interested…”
“No need,” Yun Mu cut her off before she could even finish. Without missing a beat, he turned to Wumao and the others. “What are you standing around for? Let’s go.”
He and Ye Shaohua led the way, followed by a large group of people.
Murong Qiyue’s gaze darkened when she noticed Yun Meng among them.
“Miss Murong, should we warn them about the Freelancers Alliance up ahead?” one of her subordinates whispered.
“No need,” Murong Qiyue said with a cold, mocking smile. “Since they refuse to listen to me, let them face the consequences.”
What Murong Qiyue didn’t know was that a similar conversation was happening on Yun Meng’s side.
“Captain, should we warn Miss Murong and the others?” a Group B member asked quietly. “The south is probably dangerous.”
Yun Meng’s expression was indifferent. “Did Murong Qiyue warn us about the danger in the north?”
He didn’t even call her “Miss Murong” anymore.
The team member pursed his lips and fell silent.
Murong Qiyue assumed they had also come from the south, but she had no idea that they had actually come from the north—and if Wumao hadn’t saved them along the way, they might not have made it at all.
Yun Meng thought to himself that if Murong Qiyue had so much as offered a single word of warning, he might have quietly returned the favor.
But now, it seemed there was no need.
Murong Qiyue gathered her people and headed south in search of treasure.
Meanwhile, Ye Shaohua and Yun Mu calmly escorted Number One to the international prison before making their way back.
There were many procedures to follow, and the international supernatural community, thanks to Wumao and the others’ not-so-subtle bragging, had already caught wind of the large supply of elixirs in their possession. They kept trying to come up with excuses to keep them around for a few more days.
During this time, the international prison saw no further attacks.
Several people who had helped with escort missions—and had spent a fortune buying Murong Qiyue’s tools—were now in critical condition, unconscious in the hospital.
Whispers about Murong Qiyue’s weapon-making skills had started circulating.
As for the Freelancers Alliance, they had been completely wiped out.
Meanwhile, supernatural beings from all over the world, after purchasing one of the elixirs on the black market and realizing it was far superior to anything Murong Qiyue had ever produced, scrambled to reach the international headquarters.
As they gathered and ran into each other, the same question was on everyone’s lips—
“Have you met that person yet?”
