Xia Wei wasn't someone easy to bully.
To become a Xia Family elder at such a young age…
she wasn't just pretty.
She was capable.
She was sharp.
She was strong.
She glared at the woman whose cheek was now burning red.
"This slap is to teach you a lesson."
"Out in the world—learn to stay humble."
The Yunyan Sect woman clutched her face, stunned at first…
Then her expression twisted into venom.
"You… YOU DARED HIT ME?!"
She shrieked, eyes bloodshot.
"Kill her!"
"Kill her right now!"
She spun toward her companions.
"What are you waiting for?!"
But then—
she realized something.
The bearded man…
the elder…
the young man…
All three were drenched in sweat.
Their faces pale.
Their bodies rigid.
They couldn't move.
Not a single finger.
Even their breathing was shaky.
The Yunyan Sect woman's mouth opened—
then closed again.
Fear crept into her eyes.
She looked at Lin Ye and Xia Wei.
Suddenly…
she didn't dare scream anymore.
The elder's eyes flicked toward her repeatedly—
warning her to shut up.
She couldn't understand what was happening.
But she knew one thing:
This wasn't normal.
This was terrifying.
"Let's go," Lin Ye said indifferently.
He didn't even bother looking at them again.
He simply walked upstairs with Xia Wei.
Xia Wei's heart was still pounding, but she followed closely.
They had just slapped a Yunyan Sect disciple.
And yet…
Lin Ye looked completely unfazed.
Like the Yunyan Sect was nothing.
Only after Lin Ye and Xia Wei disappeared upstairs…
did the Yunyan Sect trio finally regain control of their bodies.
It was like an invisible mountain had been lifted off their shoulders.
They almost collapsed.
Their clothes were soaked again—this time with sweat.
"What… was that…?" the bearded man whispered.
The elder inhaled deeply, voice hoarse.
His suspicion had just been confirmed.
That pressure…
That invisible suppression…
Only one level could explain it.
Star River Realm.
And not low-tier.
If the man was weaker, he couldn't have locked down three people at once without even moving.
The Yunyan Sect woman's face went white.
"Star River Realm? That poor boy?!"
The elder glared at her viciously.
"Shut your mouth."
"We survived only because he chose to spare us."
"He probably didn't want trouble with Yunyan Sect."
"But if he wanted to…"
The elder's throat bobbed.
"We would already be corpses."
He immediately pulled the group away from Storm Pavilion.
If they stayed here…
and accidentally provoked Lin Ye again…
they'd die.
The elder's hatred toward the young woman surged.
If she wasn't the granddaughter of a Yunyan Sect Supreme Elder…
he would've abandoned her long ago.
She got slapped once…
and still wanted to drag them all into death?
Foolish and poisonous.
Up on the second floor—
Xia Wei looked at her own palm again.
Then, unexpectedly…
she smiled.
"I didn't expect…"
"That to feel so thrilling."
She had always maintained a dignified and cautious image.
As auction house director, she couldn't afford to offend people casually.
Everything had to be balanced.
Perfectly managed.
She had never publicly slapped anyone before.
But today?
It felt…
extremely satisfying.
Lin Ye sipped his tea calmly.
"You're traveling with me."
"If they disrespect you, they disrespect me."
"You don't need to hold back."
"If you show fear…"
"they'll only get more arrogant."
Xia Wei's cheeks flushed slightly.
That line—
wasn't just霸道.
It was protection.
She lowered her head, voice soft.
"…I understand."
About half an hour later—
Someone outside shouted.
"The thunderstorm is gone! Ships can sail again!"
"The thunderstorm is gone! Ships can sail again!"
The East River Brotherhood was coordinating efficiently.
If ships piled up too long, the entire wharf would collapse into chaos.
Lin Ye stood.
"Let's go."
Xia Wei went to pay—
only to be told their bill had already been waived.
She froze.
"Who paid?"
"Storm Pavilion waives bills?"
Lin Ye didn't even explain.
"Stop making a fuss. Let's go."
Xia Wei quickly understood.
This place was an intelligence network.
They wanted to build goodwill with powerful cultivators.
Spending a mere thousand spirit stones…
to earn favor with a young Star River Realm genius?
That was profit.
A bargain.
The thought made Xia Wei laugh inwardly.
Because she had done the same thing once.
She had gifted Lin Ye a cauldron worth over seven million…
because she saw potential in him.
Now Storm Pavilion was doing the same.
After Lin Ye and Xia Wei left…
On the third floor of Storm Pavilion—
A breathtaking mature woman lounged by the window.
Her figure was full and alluring.
Her lips were soft and red.
A jade smoking pipe rested between her fingers.
She took a slow drag and exhaled.
Smoke curled like mist, filling the room with faint tobacco fragrance.
Her eyes gleamed as she watched Lin Ye's figure disappear.
"Interesting…"
"Lin Zhonghai's son… actually took control of Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect…"
"And he's already reached Star River Realm…"
"Very interesting."
A stack of information lay on her desk—Lin Ye's data.
Public. Secret. Hidden. Verified.
Even the fall of Mad Lion Sect…
and the events of Mo Family in Northwind City…
were recorded in detail.
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
A young man in blue entered, head bowed low.
Even reporting here was torture.
How many men could remain calm…
in the presence of this woman?
"Report, Deacon. A major incident."
The woman lowered her pipe.
"Speak."
The man swallowed.
"Outside Thunder River City… a slaughter occurred."
"At least twenty Star River Realm cultivators have died."
Even speaking the words made his hands tremble.
Twenty Star River Realm deaths?
That number alone could shake an entire river domain.
The woman sat up instantly.
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
The man offered a badge.
"This was found on a corpse."
The woman stared at the badge.
Then her breath turned cold.
"…Tianming Sect."
Her face slowly paled.
Tianming Sect experts had secretly entered Wind-Thunder River Domain…
and suffered devastating losses.
If Tianming Sect found out?
They would never let it go.
The woman's gaze turned grave.
"The sky is changing."
"A storm is coming."
Down at the wharf—
Lin Ye and Xia Wei approached the dock.
Not far away, the Yunyan Sect group spotted them and immediately avoided eye contact.
"Those two again…"
"We'll wait before going."
Yunyan Sect had its own ship docked nearby.
Others without ships could hire merchant vessels, which ran fixed routes between river ports.
Xia Wei originally planned to board one—
But Lin Ye casually handed her a storage ring.
Xia Wei's eyes widened instantly.
"This… this is a medium long-range ship… cost at least sixty million spirit stones!"
"And this storage ring…"
She forced herself to breathe calmly.
Luckily, she knew how to pilot ships.
She walked into an open water zone—
and released the vessel.
BOOM!!
The massive ship dropped into the river like a falling mountain.
A wave dozens of meters tall exploded outward.
Its sheer size was terrifying.
And as it settled—
it accidentally crushed a small boat nearby.
Xia Wei turned stiffly.
That boat…
was Yunyan Sect's.
She swore—
she did not do it on purpose.
But she couldn't stop it now.
From a distance, the Yunyan Sect group saw their ship smashed.
The young woman's face twisted with rage.
"This is outrageous—!"
But the elder suddenly froze.
His eyes locked onto the flag fluttering atop Lin Ye's ship.
His pupils shrank violently.
His lips trembled.
"…T-Tianming Sect."
He swallowed hard, horror flooding his face.
"Those two…"
"…are from Tianming Sect?!"