Facing Ye Ling's teasing, the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor remained unfazed. He spoke coldly to Ye Ling, "I was merely advising you not to waste your efforts. I am but a pawn placed in Great Yan by the Overseer."
"Individuals like me are scattered across the White Feather Continent, our sole purpose being to track your movements."
"Ye Ling, I have already reported your location to the Overseer. My mission is complete. Even if you capture me and search my soul, you won't glean a single piece of information about the Overseer!"
Upon hearing the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's words, Ye Ling couldn't help but shake his head and laugh mockingly, "Since when have the Overseers degenerated to such a state?"
Although the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's words revealed no specific information about the Overseers, Ye Ling could deduce that the Overseers' cultivation at this moment was far from their peak!
If the Overseers were still at their full strength, they wouldn't need informants like the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor, nor would they need to hide and conceal their auras so desperately.
The Overseers' actions only served to illustrate one point...
The Overseers believed they were no match for Ye Ling, which was why they resorted to such petty tactics to conceal their whereabouts.
"In the past, I was the one racking my brains to deal with the Overseers, hiding at the slightest disturbance. I never expected to switch roles and begin hunting the Overseers."
Ye Ling chuckled lightly and ceased his idle chatter with the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor. He immediately used his Ink Dimension to materialize the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's soul, deciphering its information.
"As expected, this fellow intended to sacrifice Luocheng, to bring about mutual destruction between Luocheng and me..."
After reading the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's memories, Ye Ling understood the motive behind the sudden sacrifice of the Ji family. He immediately covered Luocheng with his Devouring Domain, absorbing all the blood within the city, and simultaneously destroyed the sacrificial formation the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor had laid beneath Luocheng, thus resolving the crisis.
"Besides these naive little tricks, this Great Yan Imperial Preceptor has no other means. It seems he is truly a mere pawn of the Overseers, of little use."
Ye Ling scanned the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's soul, finding no useful information. He then casually destroyed the soul, ending the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's life.
The Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's lifeless body toppled onto the bluestone floor, devoid of breath.
Beima watched the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor die so easily, her entire being in a daze.
When the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor launched his attack on Ye Ling from the imperial palace, she had expected a world-shattering battle between them.
However, the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor had only made one move before fleeing in haste, only to be captured by Ye Ling.
After capturing the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor, Ye Ling did not resort to harsh interrogation. After a brief exchange of meaningless conversation, he simply eliminated the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor.
This series of abrupt developments, culminating in such a sudden end, made Beima feel an overwhelming sense of unreality.
However, Beima's feeling of unreality stemmed from her overestimation of the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor's significance and her underestimation of Ye Ling's strength.
In Ye Ling's eyes, there was no difference between the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor, Yan Feiying, or the ordinary citizens of Luocheng.
If Ye Ling had expended significant effort on the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor, then something would truly have been amiss.
After dealing with the Great Yan Imperial Preceptor, Ye Ling began to organize the information he possessed, attempting to connect all the clues.
"Currently, it appears the Overseer on the White Feather Continent was severely injured by Shan'e and deliberately sent here... On the surface, the Overseer on the White Feather Continent is a stepping stone for Shan'e to temper me... but the current Overseer is too weak, not my match at all..."
"The current Overseer offers no meaningful challenge for me to hone my skills. It would have been better if Shan'e had simply eliminated him on the spot."
"So, what if... Shan'e's objective wasn't to provide me with experience points?"
Ye Ling murmured, analyzing other possible reasons for Shan'e's deployment of the Overseer on the White Feather Continent.
"The Overseers are hunting Shan'e, and Shan'e has been keeping the Lord of the Upper Realm in the Void Abyss, clearly evading the Overseers' pursuit..."
"The last time I forced an Overseer to their death, another Overseer approached me not long after, and four of them came at once, clearly determined to eliminate me... At that time, I must have become a primary target for the Overseers..."
"If killing an Overseer draws the attention of the forces behind them, then if I eliminate two Overseers in succession, will I become a wanted criminal on the same level as Shan'e?"
As Ye Ling pondered this, a flash of inspiration struck him, as if he had understood something.
"That's right... Shan'e had me eliminate the Overseer on the White Feather Continent to push me forward, to help them attract the Overseers' firepower, allowing them to hide in the shadows and carry out some plan..."
"If I kill the Overseer on the White Feather Continent, then what awaits me will be the Overseers' endless pursuit. That's why 'E' taught me how to escape... And the longer I survive the Overseers' chase, the higher my wanted level will become... and the less energy the Overseers will have to focus on Shan'e..."
"I... am the bait pushed out by Shan'e to attract the Overseers."
Ye Ling muttered to himself, deducing his true role in this grand scheme.
As bait, his life or death was not that important. Even if he were to fail inadvertently in his struggle against the Overseers, for Shan'e... it would only require a new reincarnation and the selection of another pawn.
Upon realizing this, Ye Ling couldn't help but shake his head and smile, a hint of dejection in his expression.
"Benefactor?"
Beima sensed the change in Ye Ling's demeanor, and a trace of worry appeared in her eyes.
She had a feeling that Ye Ling was becoming somewhat dangerous, as if he were on the verge of straying.
However, Ye Ling soon returned to his normal self and smiled at Beima, "After this battle, Great Yan's national strength has been greatly weakened and will never recover. If you have ambitions, return to your country and immediately consolidate your forces to attack Great Yan. In no time, you will be able to annex Great Yan."
"Besides, Great Yan intended to invade your territory first, so your counterattack is justified."
As Ye Ling spoke, he condensed a cultivation technique and handed it to Beima, saying, "Cultivate according to this technique, and within a year, you will become the foremost expert in the world. Then you will possess vast territories and become the first empress in the history of the White Feather Continent."
"Benefactor..." Beima took the cultivation technique from Ye Ling, her mind in a daze, unable to fully process it.
She stared blankly at Ye Ling and asked with pursed lips, "Then... what about you?"
"Do not disappoint my expectations of you," Ye Ling said with a smile, patting Beima's shoulder. "As for me... I am preparing to leave this world next."
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, Beima's pupils contracted sharply.