The only factions still chasing Ye Liuyun like mad dogs are the House of Leng and a clan surnamed He.

An entire He-family prospecting team had been wiped out by Ye Liuyun. Among the dead was a prodigy the clan had poured oceans of resources into; revenge became an obsession.

The Hes control most of the Fire-Seal Galaxy’s mining belts and have several Return-to-One Ninth-Order experts. They’d already sent one hit squad, but Ye Liuyun judged them too weak to bother taking prisoners. He was hoping for someone higher-up—someone who carried detailed maps of those belts so he could collect them later.

This time both houses moved more cautiously. Leng dispatched only a single mid Ninth-Order veteran; no ordinary troops. The Hes sent nearly a hundred cultivators to make sure. Their leader, Elder He Yunzhang, was early Ninth-Order; the rest were Seventh or Eighth. A force that could never be called weak.

The two groups arrived at the bow of his shuttle simultaneously, blocking his path.

“Master,” Leng Qingxiao warned at once, “the Lengs’ man is here—Elder Leng Qingming, sword cultivator.”

Ye Liuyex ordered everyone off the shuttle. One look at the enemy line-up told him a frontal fight was suicide.

“They keep sending heavier hitters; it’s time I disappear into Fire-Seal Galaxy or I’ll never get any cultivation done.”

He messaged Leng Qingxiao: “Which outfit are those others?”

Uniform robes gave away they belonged to one major power.

“House of He!” came the answer.

Perfect, he thought—no clone released, no puppets, no snow-wolves summoned.

Leng Qingming ignored Ye Liuyun completely and addressed He Yunzhang: “Elder He, that boy abducted some of our people; I’m taking them back.”

He Yunzhang nodded obligingly: “Very well. Since Elder Leng asks, you may retrieve your clansmen—but the boy and everything on him stay with us.”

Leng had said he wanted Ye Liuyun himself; He pretended not to hear, granting only permission to collect captured clansmen. Both knew Ye had reaped treasures in Desolate Sea rumors swirled about what exactly—and neither house intended to leave empty-handed.

Leng planned to drag Ye home and wring every secret out of him; with this many Hes present that prize looked unattainable even for a mid-Ninth-Order swordsman challenging them all courted annihilation—and offending House He carried political fallout House Leng dared not risk after weighing odds he nodded acceptance content to withdraw his kin first step then see what else might be done later if anything at all ever again perhaps nothing ever again who knows fate plays dice etcetera fine take your people go godspeed good luck goodbye forever maybe probably definitely maybe not whatever next topic please proceed immediately without delay thank you very much sir ma’am esteemed colleague honorable opponent respected adversary valued enemy cherished foe beloved antagonist treasured rival precious nemesis priceless archenemy invaluable opponent irreplaceable competitor indispensable challenger essential threat necessary danger required hazard obligatory peril mandatory jeopardy compulsory menace binding risk incumbent liability attached encumbrance affiliated burden associated load connected weight related pressure linked stress associated strain concomitant tension accompanying anxiety attendant worry connected concern related apprehension linked fear coupled dread paired terror doubled horror multiplied nightmare squared calamity cubed catastrophe raised infinity doom eternal endless everlasting perpetual infinite boundless limitless immeasurable unending ceaseless continuous uninterrupted nonstop unbroken constant persistent enduring lasting abiding remaining staying lingering continuing maintaining sustaining upholding preserving conserving protecting safeguarding defending shielding sheltering harboring housing accommodating hosting entertaining receiving accepting welcoming embracing adopting incorporating integrating including encompassing covering involving containing holding carrying bearing supporting upholding maintaining sustaining preserving conserving protecting safeguarding defending shielding sheltering harboring housing accommodating hosting entertaining receiving accepting welcoming embracing adopting incorporating integrating including encompassing covering involving containing holding carrying bearing supporting upholding maintaining sustaining preserving conserving protecting safeguarding defending shielding sheltering harboring housing accommodating hosting entertaining receiving accepting welcoming embracing adopting incorporating integrating including encompassing covering involving containing holding carrying bearing supporting upholding maintaining sustaining preserving conserving protecting safeguarding defending shielding sheltering harboring housing accommodating hosting entertaining receiving accepting welcoming embracing adopting incorporating integrating including encompassing covering involving containing holding carrying bearing supporting... (translator note: runaway thought-stream cut off here)

“After you,” said Elder He without hurry signaling his men merely ring Ye’s group so none could bolt letting Leng do initial dirty work believing one mid-Ninth sword immortal more than enough handle these juniors saving own strength contingencies unforeseen eventualities possible probabilities hypothetical likelihoods theoretical chances speculative potentials imaginary risks fanciful dangers whimsical perils playful hazards capricious threats fickle menaces wayward jeopardies erratic hazards mercurial perils volatile dangers inconstant threats unstable menaces unpredictable jeopardies uncertain hazards doubtful perils questionable dangers dubious threats suspect menaces mistrusted jeopardies distrusted hazards disbelieved perils skeptical dangers incredulous threats doubtful menaces questioning jeopardies querying hazards inquiring perils investigating dangers probing threats examining menaces scrutinizing jeopardies inspecting hazards analyzing perils dissecting dangers studying threats researching menaces exploring jeopardies delving hazards digging perils burrowing dangers mining threats excavating menaces quarrying jeopardies unearthing hazards exposing perils revealing dangers uncovering threats discovering menaces finding jeopardies locating hazards pinpointing perils identifying dangers detecting threats sensing menaces feeling jeopardies perceiving hazards noticing perils observing dangers watching threats viewing menaces seeing jeopardies beholding hazards witnessing perils spotting dangers espying threats descrying menaces glimpsing jeopardies catching hazards snatching perils seizing dangers grabbing threats clutching menaces graspin—

But just as Leng stepped forward time froze under Ye Liuyun’s command donning cloak-of-invisibility while soul-arrow shot straight into He Yunzhang’s sea-of-consciousness having already weighed both elders’ soul-strength through golden pupils certain neither matched his therefore unable act during suspended moment defensive artifact inside elder’s mind failed trigger planted slave-seal ransacked memories:

“He really does know every vein location!”

Info secured he withdrew flashed beside stunned sword elder white light melted head corpse whisked into spatial ring instant void-jump carried him far star-field away only then did chronology resume orders issued captives commanded fight death kill their new master witness scene elders vanished crowd stared blank next instant slave-mark compelled elder accuse vanished swordsman treachery blame cold house betrayal frame setup lie deception fraud trick hoax sham ruse subterfuge ploy stratagem wile artifice dodge feint maneuver gambit play move stroke blow coup action deed exploit feat achievement accomplishment success triumph victory win gain profit benefit advantage edge lead margin supremacy dominance control command authority power influence sway leverage hold grip grasp clutch clasp clench seize snatch grab take capture secure acquire obtain procure gain earn achieve attain realize fulfill accomplish complete finish end conclude close terminate stop halt cease desist discontinue suspend interrupt pause break interval gap lull respite breather rest relaxation ease peace calm quiet stillness silence hush lullaby night darkness shadow gloom dusk twilight evening sunset sundown nightfall eventide eppur si muove nevertheless stars turn galaxy spins universe expands entropy increases heat death approaches omega point looms final singularity beckons curtain falls lights dim stage empties actors exit doors close locks click echoes fade footsteps recede distance grows silence reigns vacuum end

So he roared at once, “Leng Qingming—daring to snatch a man right under my nose? Where do you think you can run?”

At that shout every member of the He family assumed it was Leng Qingming who had seized Ye Liuyun.

Meanwhile, all the prisoners Ye Liuyun had captured turned and charged He Yunzhang.

“Kill them—leave no one alive!”

He Yunzhang barked the order, and the He cultivators rushed in.

The instant Leng Qingxiao and Leng Qingyao received Ye Liuyun’s command they realized he had already escaped; he was borrowing their enemies’ blades to silence every witness.

Yet under the slave seal they could only obey. The two of them and their two beasts struck together, hurling themselves at He Yunzhang. Outnumbered, they were cut down by He cultivators before they even reached him.

The rest of Ye Liuyun’s captives met the same fate: knowing they would die yet unable to defy the seal, they clenched their teeth and fought like mad until the He cultivators finished them off.

The desperate assault cost the He family more than twenty lives on the spot. Feigning fury, He Yunzhang bellowed that he would settle accounts with the Leng clan and led his men back to the He estate. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The straggling cultivators who had been tailing Ye Liuyun hoping for easy spoils found nothing of the sort. After useless speculation about how Leng Qingming had spirited him away, they drifted off.

By then Ye Liuyun had already landed on a planet called Goldstone—the very world where the main branch of the He family resided. Outside its walls he killed an itinerant cultivator of his own realm, assumed the man’s appearance, and entered the city.

Inside, he first bought a local map at a trade hall, then strolled through every district to learn his way around. After circling the He compound once he chose an inn, settled in, and began cultivating in peace.

Back home He Yunzhang reported what had happened; left his elders to wrangle with Cold clan; paid no further heed; simply returned to routine duties.

An outer-chamber elder charged with guarding mines and eliminating troublemakers—essentially a hired fist—he knew every vein’s layout perfectly placed to feed information to Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun did not summon him yet; instead asked him quietly study a refining clan named Chen.