Chapter 334: Blackflame Island

Across the vast expanse of the Eastern Sea, Xiao Nanfeng and Ye Sanshui flew above the clouds, surrounded by white fog. They stared at two black dots in the distance: Marquis Zi and Ye Shuangcheng.

"Don't fly too fast, or Marquis Zi might find us," Xiao Nanfeng warned.

"Understood!" Ye Sanshui immediately slowed down.

"To think Ye Dafu was detained on the Eastern Sea... No wonder the spectral guards didn't find any sign of him despite searching everywhere in the Tianshu Empire." Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"Why would they detain Dafu here?" Ye Sanshui asked.

"I suppose we'll see."

The two cultivators trailed Ye Shuangcheng for some time until they arrived at an island surrounded by fog.

"Is that Blackflame Island? The headquarters of the left division of the Taiqing Demonic Sect?" Ye Sanshui exclaimed.

"The formation around Blackflame Island is particularly challenging to handle. Follow me carefully," Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

"King Xiao, how do you know how to pass through this formation?" Ye Sanshui exclaimed.

"After Cui Haisheng's death, I gained possession of his storage treasure, and I found out how to get into Blackflame Island from it."

Ye Sanshui nodded, then carefully followed Xiao Nanfeng onto the island.

There were plenty of demonic disciples cultivating on Blackflame Island. Although this was Xiao Nanfeng's first time there, he had read up on the situation on the island beforehand, and the territory was familiar to him. He saw Marquis Zi bring Ye Shuangcheng into a gigantic volcano in the distance.

"Over there!" Ye Sanshui whispered, his eyes lighting up.

The two cultivators snuck over.

The mouth of the volcano was engulfed with heat. Molten lava flowed sluggishly within. Twelve golden cultivators were submerged in it, chained up and immobilized, and forced to bear the incredible heat.

"I can't stand it anymore! Release me!"

"It hurts! No!"

The twelve golden cultivators cried out shrilly in pain.

Marquis Zi brought Ye Shuangcheng into the volcano. They stood high up on a terrace that overlooked the lava below. The twelve cultivators' faces could clearly be made out.

"Dafu!" Ye Shuangcheng suddenly cried out.

One among those twelve golden cultivators was Ye Dafu; the other eleven were his lackeys. Their faces were contorted with pain as the lava ate at their bodies.

Ye Shuangcheng's shout caused all twelve golden cultivators to crane their heads curiously. When they saw that it was Ye Shuangcheng, all their 'pain' suddenly faded away. They smiled in joy.

"Sir Ye!" Ye Dafu's lackeys called out.

"Second Uncle? What are you doing here?" Ye Dafu exclaimed.

Ye Shuangcheng and Marquis Zi were startled to see the golden cultivators' sudden transformation. Had Ye Dafu's pained expression been nothing more than an act?

When the golden cultivators saw that there was still someone else standing behind Ye Shuangcheng, they blanched.

"Argh! I can't stand it anymore! The lava hurts!" the golden cultivators cried out.

"Second Uncle, were you caught too? What happened to my father?" Ye Dafu cried out, apparently in great 'pain'.

"You've all been feigning pain?!" Marquis Zi demanded. "Ye Dafu, you seem to be enjoying yourself. Have you heard that your father's dead?"

Ye Dafu's face turned stiff. He turned to Marquis Zi in astonishment. "What?"

"I said, your father's dead. Didn't you know? Didn't you notice that the Ye manor was a mess the day you returned?" Marquis Zi smirked.

Ye Dafu and his lackeys didn't bother feigning pain any longer. They panicked and turned to Ye Shuangcheng.

"Second Uncle, what's going on? When I returned to the manor that day, you said that everything was fine and that I should leave immediately. I was caught the moment I stepped out. What happened? Where's Father?!" Ye Dafu pressed.

Ye Shuangcheng didn't answer him. He asked, "Dafu, are you alright? Tell me honestly how you're doing. Why have you been immersed in lava?"

"Second Uncle, why are you asking about this? How's my father?!" Ye Dafu pressed.

"Answer me!" Ye Shuangcheng shouted.

Ye Dafu and his lackeys were startled, not realizing why Ye Shuangcheng's tone was suddenly so strident.

"We all cultivate Indomitable Body, and our bodies might as well be as tough as Immortal relics. They wanted our bodies and tried to control us with paper snakes, but the paper snakes weren't able to break through our defenses. Then, they decided to torture us until we were in a weakened state before they struck again. That's why they immersed us in lava, but even that doesn't hurt. They can't do anything against us!" Ye Dafu shouted.

"They can't hurt you? Thank goodness," Ye Shuangcheng breathed out in relief.

"Second Uncle, what happened to my father? Tell me!" Ye Dafu shouted.

"He's dead. Marquis Zi beat him to death."

"W-What?!" Ye Dafu shrieked.

Marquis Zi glared at Ye Shuangcheng in surprise. "What's the matter with you? Didn't you say you were going to persuade Ye Dafu to be loyal to His Highness? Do you want to die?"

Suddenly, as though sensing something, Marquis Zi glanced up at the sky. His would-be assailant, realizing that he had been spotted, struck immediately. A radiant, multicolored palm strike shot down toward Marquis Zi as he retaliated with a palm strike of his own.

The two attacks struck each other and sent a frightening burst of energy around the region, causing lava to splash all over.

"Hold it, Ye Sanshui!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted from above.

Xiao Nanfeng grabbed Ye Sanshui as Ye Sanshui's face contorted in pain and rage. "Marquis Zi, how dare you!"

The moment Marquis Zi saw the attack coming, he placed his hands around Ye Shuangcheng's neck. Xiao Nanfeng and Ye Sanshui immediately stopped short.

"Xiao Nanfeng? Ye Sanshui? Shouldn't you be fighting against the Xiang Immortals in Yongding? What are you doing here? If you dare take another step forward, I'll choke Ye Shuangcheng to death!" Marquis Zi threatened.

"Ignore me! Attack him—don't let him threaten you!" Ye Shuangcheng urged.

Marquis Zi turned to Ye Shuangcheng. "With you around, they won't dare to strike at me. Have you been lying to me all this time? Did you bring them over?"

"The moment you killed my elder brother, I knew that you were determined to destroy the Ye clan. Before my brother died, he grabbed my hands and had me flee, but he didn't know that it was already too late. You intended to use us as bait to lure Dafu and Sanshui back. If I didn't pretend to be a fool, to fawn on you bandits, how could I have gotten you to relax? I'm just a good-for-nothing gambler, after all. My life's worthless. I'd sacrifice myself for Sanshui and Dafu's safety a hundred times over!" Ye Shuangcheng roared out, suddenly laughing.

"You rotten gambler—die!" Marquis Zi threatened.

"I'm nothing but a gambler, but my third brother is the commander-in-chief of the Xiao forces, and my eldest nephew is his general! They'll surely take revenge on behalf of the Ye clan. They'll destroy the likes of you bandits!" Ye Shuangcheng spat on Marquis Zi's face.

He was worried that Marquis Zi would threaten the others with his life. He was deliberately enraging Marquis Zi so that he would kill him and lose his only bargaining chip.

Marquis Zi, known for his pride, was easily baited by the saliva that struck his face.

"Die!" Marquis Zi roared, breaking Ye Shuangcheng's neck with a crisp crack.

"Hold it!" Ye Sanshui roared, rushing over.

"Second Uncle!" Ye Dafu howled.

Xiao Nanfeng flung a length of red rope over in rage.