Yan Zhixue's eyes showed contemplation: "We were wrong from the very beginning."

"Leader Yan, please continue."

Yan Zhixue had previously informed other major sect leaders about the Spirit Fusion Mother-and-Child Pills, but opinions were divided.

At that time, Li Anlong's relationship with various martial sects hadn't deteriorated yet—they were in their honeymoon phase.

For instance, during the Battle of Yajiangkou and the Throne Defense War, he could still summon Ultimate Grandmasters from the martial world for assistance.

After learning about the Spirit Fusion Mother-and-Child Pills, the martial world factions split into several groups:

The radicals advocated uniting to eliminate Li Anlong directly.

But the radicals were few and couldn't cause any waves.

The conservatives suggested united action too, but only to pressure Li Anlong into destroying the pills.

Yet the conservatives also lacked substantial support.

The largest faction was the "boiling frog slowly" group. They believed Li Anlong's friendly attitude toward martial sects meant even if he fused with an Ultimate Grandmaster, it wouldn't cause major issues.

They could continue their separate existences—him as emperor, them as sect leaders, neither disturbing the other.

Most importantly, everyone assumed Li Anlong intended to fuse with Prince Yongning Li Yu, whose martial talent was extraordinary.

This made sect leaders even more inclined to stay out of the matter.

Li Anlong's initial target was indeed Li Yu.

That's why he repeatedly pressured Li Yu, hoping the prince would rebel after reaching Ultimate Grandmaster realm.

Then he could use this colossal leverage to make Li Yu submit to fusion willingly.

With Li Anlong's absolute control over Great Qian's imperial family, he wasn't worried about post-rebellion Li Yu becoming uncontrollable.

But Li Anlong didn't know Li Yu had already learned about the pills from Duan Qian.

Duan Qian knew because he'd been helping Li Anlong collect a crucial ingredient—a drop of heart's blood from numerous teenagers.

This blood had to be split equally between the mother and child pills.

You recall your origins—you were almost one of those teenagers used for alchemy.

You also realize Xie Huide and Deng Rusong helped refine these pills.

Meaning you were nearly refined by Xie Huide and Deng Rusong!

Your emotions become complicated, indescribably so.

After learning about the pills, Li Yu vaguely discerned Li Anlong's intentions toward him.

Thus, he lived cautiously, enduring humiliations without daring to make mistakes.

He also avoided advancing to Ultimate Grandmaster, fearing it would bring him closer to death.

Only during Li Anlong's birthday banquet did Li Yu realize through hints that Li Anlong had found another target and was letting him go.

That's why Li Yu was overjoyed at the time.

After confirming Li Anlong's new target was Hu Zhongxuan, Li Yu eagerly broke through to Ultimate Grandmaster.

Later, Li Anlong learned Duan Qian had leaked information to Li Yu.

So when Li Yu killed his close associate Duan Qian, it served both as his pledge of loyalty to Li Anlong and venting the emperor's anger.

After all, Li Anlong and Li Yu were family, and Li Yu was an exceptionally talented Ultimate Grandmaster who could aid Great Qian's long-term stability.

Whether Li Yu secretly resented Li Anlong remained known only to himself.

At least now, their relationship appeared harmonious again.

You also understand why Duan Qian's long-empty dungeon wasn't due to Li Yu reaching peak Grandmaster and no longer needing abductions.

Rather, Li Anlong had completed the pill refinement, making abductions unnecessary.

Yan Zhixue continues explaining how martial sects took no action against Li Anlong back then.

They believed peaceful coexistence would last forever.

Until Li Anlong instigated that great martial world upheaval.

This made sect leaders recognize his boundless ambition and immense threat.

Recently, Ultimate Grandmasters began meeting to discuss jointly pressuring Li Anlong in the capital to destroy the pills.

This was what Wan Qingluan mentioned about Yan Zhixue's secret plans.

But these Ultimate Grandmasters arrived in the capital only to find Li Anlong absent.

Yan Zhixue grew suspicious of Hu Zhongxuan's frequent palace visits.

After informing other sect leaders, she brought two Extermination Sect Ultimate Grandmasters to secretly follow Hu Zhongxuan to Danxia Sect.

There they witnessed Hu Zhongxuan ambushing you and intervened to save you.

After hearing Yan Zhixue's account, everything becomes clear.

You ponder: "Leader Yan, Great Qian's attack on Jin Yue Nation must be because Li Anlong believes fusing with my uncle will let him crush them?"

Yan Zhixue nods: "That's my assumption too."

You can't help but marvel at Li Anlong's troublemaking skills.

With Hu Zhongxuan and Li Anlong not pursuing for now, Yan Zhixue relaxes slightly.

After two breaths of silence, you ask: "Leader Yan, may I ask one more question?"

Yan Zhixue smiles gracefully: "Go ahead."

"What wish did my good friend Little Wan ask of you?"

Yan Zhixue lowers her eyes before smiling: "Since you truly want to know... Qingluan wished for you and her to die on the same day."

"Damn, a yandere?"

You frown, realizing this sounds exactly like Wan Qingluan.

You cautiously press: "Leader Yan, if Wan dies first, then you...?"

Yan Zhixue smiles gently: "I'll kill you, ensuring you die together."

Classic Extermination Sect logic—you're not entirely surprised.

You're no longer afraid of Yan Zhixue killing you—she currently can't.

Or rather, she'd need to be prepared to sacrifice her life to possibly succeed.

You continue: "What if I die first?"

"First?" Yan Zhixue confirms.

"Yes."

"Then you're dead."

"Wait what?" You stop her. "She dies, I follow; I die, she lives normally?"

Yan Zhixue's smile turns mature and alluring: "Exactly!"

"That can't be right! Her wish was for us to die together!"

Yan Zhixue chuckles: "No, you misread it. She wished for you to die with her, not her with you."

"Seriously? Word games now?"

You protest: "Old Matriarch, don't think saving me means you can trick me! Do you have final interpretation rights? Twisting her words is gilding the lily!"

Yan Zhixue continues gazing at you serenely.

You ponder: "Wait—if you don't care about me dying before her, why save me?"

Yan Zhixue smiles lightly: "I'm ensuring you live until Qingluan's death, so I can kill you to fulfill the same-day death wish."

"Well well, typical Extermination Sect logic—can't even argue with that!"

"But..." You meet Yan Zhixue's gaze with confident determination, "Leader Yan, killing me requires more than words!"

After all, nowadays everyone's an Ultimate Grandmaster.

Though Hu Zhongxuan defeated you instantly earlier, that was due to ambush and superior strength—understandable.

While Yan Zhixue is a top-tier Ultimate Grandmaster, your peak Essence Refining strength already surpassed ordinary peak Grandmasters.

Correspondingly, your current Ultimate Path Essence Refining power eclipses regular Ultimate Grandmasters.

The actual strength gap between you two isn't vast.

Yan Zhixue's eyes sparkle with interest at your words.

Her soft, magnetic voice responds: "Is that so?"

Your eyebrows rise as you grin: "It is."

Just then, two Ultimate Grandmasters approach, bowing to Yan Zhixue: "Leader!"

They're the two Extermination Sect Ultimate Grandmasters who accompanied her to Danxia Sect.

Yan Zhixue shifts focus from you to them.

Her mature, gentle demeanor instantly transforms into lethal severity.

She commands firmly: "Li Anlong has fused with Hu Zhongxuan. Immediately summon all sect Ultimate Grandmasters—we kill Li Anlong!"