Chapter 775: Zi Yuexi's Ambition

Seeing the shock on Zi Yuexi’s face, a faint, imperceptible smile lifted the corners of Shen Haoran’s mouth. With a thought, he made Fire Vajra and Changmao vanish. The terrifying aura that had filled the reception hall subsided.

“This is my trump card. What do you think?” Shen Haoran asked coolly, picking up the teacup on the table.

Zi Yuexi seemed to still be immersed in shock. It was a long while before she finally came back to her senses. Then, swallowing inelegantly and after a moment to organize her jumbled thoughts, she said, “What can I say… I truly never imagined you possessed another Spirit Emperor Tier Puppet. With this kind of power, it would be difficult for the Five Elements Sect *not* to rise!”

In response to Zi Yuexi’s praise, Shen Haoran merely smiled and said nothing.

“You have two Spirit Emperor Tier powerhouses. You could have just revealed them from the start. No power in the Southern Domain would have been foolish enough to move against the Five Elements Sect. Even the Blood Evil Alliance would have kept their distance. Why go to all this trouble to put on such a show?” Zi Yuexi was completely bewildered. With a lineup as formidable as two Spirit Emperors, the current Five Elements Sect was arguably stronger than even the super-sects. Why had Shen Haoran gone to such lengths to stage this dramatic, all-or-nothing confrontation with the other powers of the Southern Domain?

“First, these two Spirit Emperor powerhouses belong to me, not the Five Elements Sect. Although I’m a disciple of the Sect, I haven’t been here long, and I might leave soon. Revealing them would certainly intimidate our enemies, but the moment they discover that these two Spirit Emperors are no longer with the Five Elements Sect, it would be a living nightmare for the Sect. Second, I don’t like showing all my cards to others. There’s no benefit for me in doing so. On the contrary, it would only attract the jealousy of many other powers. If the Blood Evil Alliance were to stir up some trouble then, the Five Elements Sect would likely become a common enemy for all. Finally, the Five Elements Sect is in dire need of resources right now. I have to acquire them for the Sect, but I don’t have many Elemental Stones on me. So, I could only choose this method to solve the problem. And the results… were quite good!” Shen Haoran explained unhurriedly.

Hearing Shen Haoran’s explanation, Zi Yuexi couldn’t help but take another deep breath. ‘Those two Spirit Emperor powerhouses actually belong to Shen Haoran personally, and his plan… it’s simply perfect.’ Not only had he concealed his own strength, but he had also managed to squeeze a hefty sum from those powers. Although it wasn’t a crippling blow to them, it was enough to make them wary of the Five Elements Sect. Furthermore, his scheme had driven a wedge between those powers and the Blood Evil Alliance, preventing them from uniting. Now, whether the Blood Evil Alliance came alone or the other powers came together, the Five Elements Sect, with its two Spirit Emperors, could ensure they would not leave unscathed.

In reality, what Zi Yuexi could never have guessed was that Shen Haoran had only revealed five or six-tenths of his true power. He hadn’t fully displayed his own strength, and he still had another Spirit Emperor powerhouse, Xue Ling, in reserve. It could be said that Shen Haoran hadn’t even played his real trump cards yet.

“I’ve shown my hand. Isn’t it about time you showed some sincerity?” Shen Haoran said, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Zi Yuexi.

At Shen Haoran’s words, Zi Yuexi’s expression grew solemn. She took a deep breath, placed a hand on her purple veil, and slowly drew it aside, revealing the stunningly beautiful face beneath.

What an ethereal woman. A cascade of long, purple hair flowed down her back. Her eyelashes were long and thick, framing purple-jade eyes that held an inscrutable light. Though her gaze seemed distant and unfocused, a profound calm resided in their depths. Her lips, vibrant as cherry blossoms, were set in a gentle curve. Her skin was so fair and delicate that it looked as though a puff of air could break it. She was the very image of a celestial goddess—cold, proud, and breathtakingly beautiful. The sight of her instantly made Zi Mo and the others stop breathing.

“Beautiful… Absolutely beautiful!” Zi Mo and the others muttered. Even Long Mo, who was usually stone-faced, was stunned for a moment, unable to tear his eyes away from Zi Yuexi’s face.

Zi Yuexi’s beauty was not just in her features, but in her aura. It was an ethereal quality that even Lady Ya couldn’t quite match. Perhaps only someone like Ji Lingxuan could outshine her.

However, faced with Zi Yuexi’s stunning appearance and aura, Shen Haoran’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest. He even frowned and asked, “Is *this* all you mean by sincerity, Miss Zi?”

Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, the unveiled Zi Yuexi was completely dumbfounded. ‘Is *this* all? What does he mean, “is *this* all”?’ She had just revealed her true face to him! In the entire Southern Domain, the only people who had ever seen her true face were her master and her parents. No one else had ever seen it. Not only that, but Shen Haoran hadn’t shown the slightest reaction upon seeing her. His expression hadn’t flickered at all. As a beautiful woman, Zi Yuexi felt a pang of defeat. ‘Am I really that unattractive?’

What Zi Yuexi didn’t know was that every woman around Shen Haoran had her own unique charm. While Zi Yuexi’s aura was indeed ethereal, it held no particular attraction for him.

“Hey, Boss, don’t you know the rumor in the Southern Domain?” Zi Mo whispered in Shen Haoran’s ear. “They say that Zi Yuexi only reveals her true face to the man she fancies. In other words, she’ll only show herself like this to someone she likes. Boss, you’ve really lucked out!”

Hearing this, Shen Haoran’s frown deepened. He immediately said, “I’m sorry, Miss Zi. I am only seeking your cooperation. I have no other intentions.”

“You…” Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, Zi Yuexi’s face instantly darkened. She hadn’t meant it that way at all! But for Shen Haoran to say it like that, it made it seem as if she truly had no charm. She was so angry she was speechless.

“Ahem… Miss Zi, perhaps we should get back to business,” Shen Haoran said. Seemingly realizing he’d been misled by Zi Mo, he shot a glare at him before clearing his throat and addressing Zi Yuexi.

“Hmph!” Zi Yuexi scoffed, but her expression quickly turned serious. “To be honest, the one I want to cooperate with is you, not the Five Elements Sect. I can help you get the Five Elements Sect through this crisis. In return, I want to borrow your power to help the Purple Luo Palace spread its influence across the entire continent. I wonder if you have any interest in that?”

“Spread across the entire continent?” Shen Haoran was taken aback by her words. ‘Zi Yuexi’s ambition is quite something…’