Chapter 1058: That Was Just a Warm-up

Ye Mo was speechless. Truth Fall Palace was immense, teeming with people, yet he recognized both newcomers: Yi Pandie and Wu Yu of Eternity Sea Sect. He'd previously clashed with Wu Yu over Cheng Nana, but within the Palace, direct confrontation was unwise. Now, however, Wu Yu was clearly hunting Yi Pandie—a cultivator from a 7-star sect pursuing one from an 8-star sect.

Yi Pandie's hair was disheveled, her body covered in wounds, blood staining her chest. Upon seeing them, Ye Mo instantly revealed his nascent soul state level three cultivation. He couldn't risk revealing his recent advancement to level four.

Yi Pandie and Wu Yu were stunned. They hadn't expected to find him here.

"It's you?" Yi Pandie blurted, immediately regretting bringing trouble to Ye Mo. Wu Yu, a nascent soul state level seven cultivator ranked 267 on the trial tablet, posed a significant threat.

Wu Yu, upon seeing Ye Mo, laughed. His luck had turned; he'd been seeking Ning Xiaoma, and now he'd encountered him.

"What are you doing here? This is the black lightning area…" Yi Pandie trailed off, realizing there was no black lightning for escape.

"With your sect's numbers, why are you alone and hunted?" Ye Mo asked, recalling seeing her with nascent soul state level eight and four cultivators earlier.

Yi Pandie coldly retorted, "This doesn't concern you. Go! This is between me and Wu Yu."

Ye Mo smiled. Ordinarily, he would leave, but he'd promised Cheng Nana he would kill Wu Yu.

"Want to leave, Ning? You're out of luck. Letting you go would be a waste of my cultivation," Wu Yu sneered.

Yi Pandie looked at Ye Mo, confused. "You have a feud with him?"

Ye Mo nodded, glancing at the battered Yi Pandie. "Indeed. This doesn't concern you. Leave; I'm seeking revenge."

Yi Pandie frowned. "Even at nascent soul state level three, you're no match for Wu Yu. He's nascent soul state level seven, ranked 267 on the trial tablet."

Ye Mo sneered. He'd slain a trial tablet-ranked 219 cultivator at nascent soul state level three; now at level four, Wu Yu would be trivial.

"Haha, since you're both here, neither of you leaves. Yi Pandie, give me the Soft Water Spirit Bead, and you can go. We're both from major sects. However, I must kill him," Wu Yu said, glaring at Ye Mo.

"Soft Water Spirit Bead?" Ye Mo mused. It was a valuable item—a level 10 material aiding in stasis, mental clarity, and spirit sense enhancement. It was useful in forging cultivation artifacts, even for less skilled forgers. He hadn't expected to find one in the Truth Fall Palace forbidden grounds. If Yi Pandie hadn't helped him before, he might have taken it.

Yi Pandie knew they were no match for Wu Yu. Gritting her teeth, she said, "I'll give it to you, but you must let me go."

Wu Yu laughed and raised his fan.

Before he could speak, Ye Mo said, "Miss Yi, I'll hold him; go report to your sect. You might save me; otherwise, we both die."

She disliked the formality but shook her head. "You're no match for him. If we fight, we fight together."

Ye Mo hadn't anticipated her righteousness. He just wanted her gone to kill Wu Yu. "Miss Yi, do you think Wu Yu will let you go after you give him the bead?"

Yi Pandie shook her head. As a Heaven Star Sect member, her sect would seek reparations from Eternity Sea Sect if she were released.

"Then do you think we can defeat him together?" Ye Mo asked.

Again, Yi Pandie shook her head.

Ye Mo clapped his hands. "Right, I'll distract him; you get help. That might save me, otherwise we both die."

Wu Yu sneered, erecting bleak cultivation essence walls to trap them.

Seeing Yi Pandie remain, Ye Mo could only let Wu Yu close in. He drew his long sword.

"I'll distract him; you get help," Yi Pandie said, feeling responsible for bringing Wu Yu there.

Ye Mo cursed. "Are you an idiot? Can I get help? If you want me to die, just say so! Don't use that excuse!"

Yi Pandie realized Ye Mo was right. No one outside liked him. Leaving might be her only chance to secure aid from her sect.

Suddenly, Wu Yu's frosty chi bound her cultivation essence, and a bleak wind struck her dantian. Yi Pandie spat out blood.

Ye Mo sneered; he'd allowed her to suffer so Wu Yu could injure her in front of him, creating an opportunity for her escape. He unleashed his Illusion Cloud division strike.

The power difference was vast, but the sword rays multiplied rapidly. Wu Yu, caught off guard, felt immense pressure.

Wu Yu was shocked. Yi Pandie, freed, was also dazed, sensing Ye Mo had the upper hand.

Ye Mo yelled, "Are you dumb? That's my strongest move! I can't last long! If you won't go, we die together!"

Yi Pandie understood. He was using his strongest attack to buy time. She released her flying sword and dashed away. "Hold on! I'll get help!"

Wu Yu worried, but Ye Mo's limited stamina reassured him. Yi Pandie's departure, however, unnerved him. He retrieved his fan, weaving hand signs. Bleak chi, like living ropes, erupted from him, aiming to bind Ye Mo.

Ye Mo sneered, sheathed his sword, and produced a faint purple one. He looked at Wu Yu with contempt. "That was my warm-up. This is my first strike."