Chapter 471 480: Hidden Danger

Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan walked into the manor they were about to move into. While it was called a manor, its grounds weren't particularly large. However, in a district covered with Spirit Gathering Arrays where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, it was already incredibly luxurious.

The entire manor had over a dozen rooms, complete with a Cultivation Chamber, a Seclusion Chamber, a Reception Room, and a Living Room. Furthermore, the manor came with four Guards and two Maids to tend to their daily needs. Those five hundred Spirit Stones were certainly well spent.

The moment they stepped into the manor, the air instantly felt much clearer. A closer look revealed that the flowers, plants, and trees in the courtyard were all rare and valuable species.

Not only that, but a Spirit Gathering Array was laid out beneath the manor's foundation, and powerful Spiritual Qi constantly converged in the sky above. One could feel the fluctuations of Energy without even deliberately trying to attune to it.

"Hmm. While it still falls far short of the Cultivation Dojos in the Holy Lands, it should be considered top-tier within the Celestial Dragon Empire. For you, at your current level, it will be quite helpful."

Zhang Xinlan nodded, sounding quite satisfied.

'She's from a Holy Land and has seen so much,' Ye Tian thought. 'I'm definitely no match for her in that regard.'

"This place is great," Ye Tian said. "There are plenty of rooms. When Feifei, Yaoyao, and Lin Ling get here, they'll have a place to stay. And my brothers, too. I can arrange for all of them to come over when the time is right."

Living in such a large manor, Ye Tian naturally had long-term plans. He wasn't a selfish person; he wanted to share everything he had with his women and his brothers. He had no desire to one day reach the absolute pinnacle of power only to find himself utterly alone.

"That's right! It's always more fun when everyone's together!"

Zhang Xinlan nodded in agreement, but her inner thoughts were quite different. 'It's too dangerous for me to live here alone with him. If one day Ye Tian can't control himself and makes a move on me, things will get really messy.'

'So, I need to get Ye Feifei and Xiao Yaoyao over here as soon as possible. Then I won't have to be so anxious all the time.'

"Hehe, Xinlan," Ye Tian suddenly said, looking at her with a smirk. "When a man and a woman are left alone together, what do you think happens after a while? Don't you think something is bound to happen, even if it's not supposed to?"

Zhang Xinlan thought to herself, 'I knew it! This guy is always up to no good. Hmph!'

Zhang Xinlan immediately threw cold water on his mood. "Is this really the time for jokes? For all we know, people from the other Holy Lands could be living right next door! Your talent is extraordinary, which makes you a thorn in their side. The moment they discover your connection to Shen Li Palace, they'll stop at nothing to eliminate you. You should be thinking about how to deal with those guys! And don't forget, there are other young masters from the Ouyang Family in this academy!"

At the mention of the Ouyang Family's young masters, Zhang Xinlan couldn't help but think of Ouyang Hongxiang, and a wide smile bloomed on her face. The memory of Ye Tian getting jealous and fighting on her behalf filled her with delight.

"Heh, that Ouyang Family trash is nothing to worry about. But I don't know much about those guys from the Holy Lands. Do you have a good strategy?"

It wasn't often that Ye Tian was stumped. He frowned and looked at Zhang Xinlan.

But Zhang Xinlan just gave a light laugh. "Hmph! I knew you wouldn't have a plan. Here, I've already gathered this for you. Take a good look at these files, and you'll at least have a general idea of what you're up against. The sooner you find a way to deal with those people from the Holy Lands, the better. Every day they remain is another day of potential disaster. And you can't afford to underestimate the Ouyang Family, either. They actually have a few real geniuses in their ranks!"

With that, Zhang Xinlan handed Ye Tian a stack of papers.

"What's this?"

Ye Tian asked, flipping through the pages with a curious look. He found they contained detailed information on various students—their identities, backgrounds, the Cultivation Techniques they practiced, and their combat records. Everything was incredibly detailed!

"You idiot! 'Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated.' I picked these up when we passed by the intelligence gathering class. They'll definitely be useful. It never hurts to learn more about your rivals. Unlike some people, who only know how to stare at pretty girls. Hmph!"

As she said this, Zhang Xinlan pouted unhappily, looking utterly adorable.

"COUGH, COUGH!"

Ye Tian broke into a fit of coughing. 'Pretty girls? Why does she always have to bring that up at the drop of a hat?'

'But I have to hand it to her,' he thought. 'Zhang Xinlan is incredibly thorough. I never would have thought of this. It seems I really do need a woman by my side in the future. There are some things that only a woman would think of, and only a woman can do.'

'As they say, behind every successful man is a great woman. That's not just an empty platitude.'

"Xinlan, thank you!"

Ye Tian said, genuinely moved. But Zhang Xinlan just rolled her eyes at him. "Spare me the sentimentality. Just hurry up and read. The ways of the Holy Lands run deep; you're only just beginning to learn!"

"Alright, I understand!"

Ye Tian knew, of course, that everything Zhang Xinlan did was for his own good. If she said it was essential to learn about these people, then he couldn't afford to ignore her advice.

Underestimating an opponent could be a fatal mistake. All the people Ye Tian had toyed with and destroyed had made that very error. He understood this point better than anyone.

After carefully reviewing the files, Ye Tian gained a much clearer understanding of the situation.

'The people from the Holy Lands are indeed formidable,' Ye Tian mused. 'If their more talented students are already this powerful on the surface, I can only imagine how strong their hidden techniques and trump cards must be! And this Ouyang Yeyu of the Ouyang Family... he's definitely someone I can't afford to underestimate. I'll need to keep an eye on him. The people from the Holy Lands are a major threat, but the danger from the Ouyang Family is something I have to guard against as well!'

'But my principle remains the same: I won't attack unless provoked. If Ouyang Ruo dares to cause more trouble for me, I will completely eradicate his entire family. I'll make them vanish from the Imperial City forever. There will be no Ouyang Family left in the Celestial Dragon Empire!'

The conviction in his thoughts was absolute, his mental voice carrying an undeniable authority, like a King issuing a decree. If he declared it, he would absolutely see it through.

"Good, as long as you understand. There's one more thing you need to be aware of. Even though our Holy Lands are of a much higher standing than the Celestial Dragon Empire, we are, after all, still within the Imperial City Academy. That means when you deal with people from the other Holy Lands, you have to operate within the rules of the Celestial Dragon Empire. I'm sure they know this too, so you need to be a bit more careful about how you do things from now on."

Zhang Xinlan was giving Ye Tian a pointed reminder. While the incident at the academy gates had made her quite happy, that kind of blatant aggression was fine to use against the Ouyang Family, but it would be absolutely unacceptable against people from the Holy Lands.

Ye Tian had a domineering nature and an overly aggressive personality, so Zhang Xinlan worried he would act on impulse.

And just as Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan were discussing these matters, the dozen or so Guards whose Cultivation Ye Tian had crippled had all been brutally killed at the hands of the Ouyang Family's Patriarch, Ouyang Linfeng!

"You failed to protect the Young Master! What use do I have for a bunch of worthless trash like you?!"

Ouyang Linfeng looked at the miserable state of his youngest son, Ouyang Hongxiang, and flew into a rage. Staring at the corpses littering the ground, he snarled, "Ye Tian... it's you again, Ye Tian! Don't think I'm afraid to touch you just because you have some backing. Hmph! The new Crown Prince will be chosen soon. Once the Ouyang Family truly rises, I can kill you any way I please! That day is not far off. You just wait!"

If Ye Tian had been standing before Ouyang Linfeng at that moment, he would have seen the furious, murderous inferno blazing in the Patriarch's eyes.