Nie Rong picked at his ear, looking at the two small clusters of gray soul mist, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Who would have thought you'd die so easily. That's right, you guessed correctly earlier. This entire thing was our trap, meant to lure you into triggering the killing array within the immortal formation. That way, without lifting a finger, we could slaughter you right here."
Nan Huoyu and Nan Yingying showed an expression of realization, their souls emanating hatred.
"You win without honor! If you have any courage, come out and fight us directly!"
Nie Rong laughed, the corner of his mouth curving upward. "Do you take us for fools? Against the dying, why waste effort?"
Xiao Rong was still mulling over Nie Rong's words, staring at him with suspicion. "When did you set up this trap? Why don't I know anything about it?"
Jiang Shengxiang quickly leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Rong-yé, if we don't say it like this, wouldn't it be shameful once word spreads about what just happened?"
Xiao Rong's eyes widened with sudden realization. "Oh, right! We were kneeling for so long just now, and even little Tang saw it!"
"We'll explain to Miss Tang later. For now, we should first…"
Before Jiang Shengxiang could finish reminding him, Xiao Rong suddenly shouted in joy and bolted forward.
"Boss, you finally came back!"
Jiang Shengxiang froze for a moment, then his eyes reflected a flash of violet, and ecstasy flooded his face.
"Ran Ran Xiānzhǔ, you have arrived!"
He didn't rush forward but instead stared blankly at the luxurious flying boat at Yao Ranran's side.
Xiao Rong dove into her arms, his gaze falling on the massive and extravagant flying boat. His little mouth gaped so wide it could hold a whole plate of spirit fruits.
"B-Boss, wh-what is this thing?!"
He pointed a small hand at the giant flying boat floating behind Yao Ranran. The vast shadow it cast enveloped his entire body without a sliver of space left.
Yao Ranran turned her head slightly and with a flick of her wrist, the flying boat shrank into the size of a palm, falling neatly into her hand.
"Isn't this just the flying boat I've always used? I upgraded it, though it cost me some time in the Western Sea."
She explained calmly, not noticing that everyone around her was dumbstruck.
"Master… wh-what grade did you upgrade it to?" Nie Rong suddenly felt his tongue tied, asking with difficulty.
"Don't tell me… it became an immortal artifact?"
Jiang Shengxiang blurted it out, dumbfounded.
Yao Ranran blinked at them strangely. "Yes, this is indeed an immortal artifact. But why are all of you speaking with twisted tongues? Did those people outside beat you? Should I go teach them a lesson and vent your anger?"
She was about to stride out of the formation.
The cultivators from the Spirit Realm were so terrified by her movement that they retreated dozens of feet at once, nearly pressing against the next mountain ridge.
Yao Ranran paused, lips curling into a smile. "Am I really this formidable now? Without even striking, just my aura can push back tens of thousands of troops?"
"Let me try again!"
She grinned and feigned another sudden charge forward.
"That's her! She's the tree spirit's Boss!"
"Run! Run, she's coming to slaughter us!"
"Wait for me, my cultivation is sealed, I can't run that fast!"
Hearing the commotion and seeing the cloud of dust outside as they fled, Yao Ranran froze in place.
"This…"
She looked incredulously at her own hands. "What level has my cultivation advanced to? Could it be I can already command the forces of heaven and earth at will, reaching the Saint Realm? Or perhaps I can control wind and water, kill without even using spiritual power?"
Nie Rong scrambled to her side, flattering eagerly. "Master, you may not yet be at the Saint Realm, but here in the lower world, you're absolutely a figure more terrifying than any Saint!"
Jiang Shengxiang, finally recovering from shock, quickly nodded. "Yes, yes! Just now, they fled in utter panic. If not for the immortal formation you left behind, Longyin Village would already be in ruins!"
Yao Ranran showed a trace of confusion. "My Invincible Immortal Formation did something?"
"The formation was your work?"
Nan Huoyu, reduced to a wisp of soul mist, stared at her in disbelief.
Yao Ranran tilted her head. "Wait, this fog is talking?"
Nan Huoyu slammed himself into the silver threads in fury, his soul shrinking further. "It is this prince asking you! Was the formation laid by you?"
Yao Ranran blinked curiously at him, then suddenly stepped forward and poked at the gray mist.
Nan Yingying's voice rang out. "…Did you poke the wrong one? It wasn't me speaking just now!"
Her slender finger withdrew into her sleeve.
Yao Ranran's eyes widened. "She's a woman?"
Nie Rong, Xiao Rong, Jiang Shengxiang: "…"
Nan Yingying: "…"
"This prince is here! Turn your head and look at me when speaking!" Nan Huoyu's soul roared with rage, swelling slightly, though the effect was negligible. Touching the silver threads only made him groan in pain.
After a moment, Yao Ranran finally noticed him.
"So it was you talking? What are you, hiding inside my immortal artifact Silver-Silk Soul Binding?"
Nan Huoyu wanted to curse until his soul shattered. She was the very one who destroyed his body and nearly annihilated him, yet she asked such cutting words! But when he heard her say "immortal artifact," his soul quivered in terror.
"This too is an immortal artifact? Who are you? Why do you possess three immortal artifacts in your hands?!"
"What? I don't have three immortal artifacts." Yao Ranran counted them one by one and shook her head.
Nan Yingying sneered from behind. "Don't forget the immortal formation before you. That too counts as an immortal artifact. For someone from the lower realm to hold three immortal artifacts in her hands… who did you apprentice under?"
Clang, clang, clang!
Yao Ranran dumped out a pile of treasures in one go.
The dazzling radiance nearly blinded everyone present.
Nie Rong quickly raised his jade fan to shield his eyes, muttering as he turned his head, "What did Master just pull out… all of them are immortal artifacts?!"
His jaw dropped, the fan slipping from his hand as he stood frozen like a wooden pillar.
Yao Ranran's lips lifted in a proud smile. She clapped her hands. "Three immortal artifacts? I have far more than that. I've worked hard in the Western Sea all this time and gathered a whole collection of them!"
"..."
The atmosphere stiffened. Nan Yingying, staring at the mountain of glowing immortal artifacts, wished she could slap herself.
This wasn't apprenticing to some high master. The so-called high master was her!
Nan Huoyu's tears streamed from the corners of his mouth as he lamented. "I've lost. I've utterly and completely lost!"
Even if the entire Southern Domain Empire were turned upside down, they could never gather so many immortal artifacts.
Yao Ranran tilted her head in surprise. "You admit defeat already? You don't want to spar at least once?"
Nan Huoyu shook his head bitterly. "No. Kill us… we could never defeat you."