Zhang Yiyi paid no attention to what Tang Jin was saying. She unleashed her Starry Sky First Sword relentlessly, each strike directed at Tang Jin as if her sword energy came without cost. With her protective talisman shielding her, she had no fear of him retaliating.

"Tsk tsk, what rapid progress you've made in just half a year. Your sword energy is sharper, and its power has greatly increased. If you had this level of skill during the medium-sized clan preliminary rounds, Xi'er might not have walked away unscathed," Tang Jin praised, his tone dripping with mockery. Yet his eyes gleamed with increasing greed. "This sword technique must have been taught by that master of yours, right? Remarkable—truly remarkable! It seems that master treats you like a true disciple, lavishing such care on you. If I can get my hands on you, I'll surely gain the opportunity to learn his secrets for breaking through to ascension!"

He effortlessly deflected Zhang Yiyi's continuous attacks but couldn't deny that with just a little more time to grow, this girl would become a formidable force. If she advanced to Nascent Soul, it might no longer be so easy to suppress her as it was today.

"Bah! Tang Jin, you're shameless! Bullying the weak—what kind of skill is that?" Zhang Yiyi retorted sharply while her hands didn't pause in their assault. "You know I have a powerful protector behind me, yet you still dare to try to capture me to lure him out? Do you really think you can extract ascension methods from him? Do you think he's some easy target who won't destroy you first?"

"Save your breath," Tang Jin sneered. "You'd better worry about when your little talisman will run out of power. If you had cooperated, you'd have suffered less, but with your stubborn nature, it seems I'll have to grind down your sharp edges. Don't worry; for the sake of your master, I'll spare your life..."

Before he could finish, Tang Jin suddenly froze, his heart sinking. He'd grown careless, lulled into complacency by Zhang Yiyi's seemingly disorganized attacks.

At that moment, Zhang Yiyi's sword, originally aimed at him, suddenly veered off course. Without warning, it unleashed a ferocious blast of sword energy, far more lethal than any of her previous strikes, all of it directed at Tang Xi.

"You wretch! You're courting death!" Tang Jin lunged to intercept, but he was a fraction too slow.

Caught completely off guard, Tang Xi was struck, her meridians shattered, and her dantian critically damaged. She flew through the air like a fragile piece of paper.

That strike had been too swift and too ruthless. Every attack Zhang Yiyi had aimed at Tang Jin had been a calculated feint, her true target always Tang Xi.

Having succeeded in her ambush, Zhang Yiyi wasted no more spiritual energy. She sheathed her sword with satisfaction, standing mockingly as Tang Jin furiously gathered Tang Xi into his arms, frantically feeding her pills and transferring his spiritual power to stabilize her condition.

"You dared to destroy her foundation?" Tang Jin growled, his hatred palpable. He had managed to save Tang Xi's life, but the blow to her foundation was irreversible—a fate worse than death for someone like her.

His bloodshot eyes bored into Zhang Yiyi, seething with a murderous intent so intense it seemed he might tear her apart on the spot.

"Why wouldn't I dare? It's not like you've ever planned to show me any mercy," Zhang Yiyi sneered. "What, you can harm others as you please, but the moment someone fights back, it's unacceptable? You kill without hesitation, yet now you're whining? Besides, she's still alive, isn't she?"

"Zhang Yiyi, you're bold!" Tang Jin roared, his voice like a demon's, his fury practically erupting from him. "I'll make you wish for death and never grant it! You'll regret today's actions against Xi'er for all eternity!"

For over ten thousand years, no one had dared to act so insolently before him—much less harm Tang Xi right under his nose. Yet this girl had not only destroyed Tang Xi's foundation but left her in unbearable torment.

He swore to heal Tang Xi no matter the cost, but he would also make Zhang Yiyi pay a thousandfold for the humiliation she had inflicted.

"Sorry, my courage isn't that big. I'm terrified of dying, so I can't let you have your way," Zhang Yiyi taunted, a victorious smirk on her face as she raised the Ten Thousand Miles Escape Talisman in her hand. "Tang Jin, I can't kill you today because I'm weaker, but mark my words—one day, I'll end your life with my own hands. I'll avenge He Jie and the others and rid the world of you, this poisonous tumor, once and for all!"

Everyone could talk big, after all. Zhang Yiyi was no exception. With her talisman, she disappeared in a flash, leaving behind a seething Tang Jin and the wreckage of her handiwork.

Zhang Yiyi was not just spewing empty threats—this grudge was now carved deep in her heart. No matter how long it took, she vowed there would come a day of reckoning!

When Tang Jin saw the ancient talisman in Zhang Yiyi's hand, his expression changed drastically. He had believed that within his domain, no matter what, Zhang Yiyi would never escape his grasp. Yet, the ancient talisman shattered that illusion in an instant. He could tell at a glance that the talisman could bypass his domain's blockade and transport her far beyond his reach.

What infuriated him even more was her cunning. Zhang Yiyi had planned every step meticulously. The ancient talisman required effort to activate due to her cultivation level, so if she had used it immediately, he would have noticed and intercepted her before it was fully activated. Instead, she first relied on her protective talisman, deceiving him into underestimating her while she set up her true plan. Not only did this allow her to strike Tang Xi and cripple her foundation, but it also gave her time to safely activate the escape talisman right before his eyes.

"Tang Jin, you're not even worried about your brother's life anymore?" Tang Jin hissed, his voice filled with malice. "If you run, I'll kill him at the Wang family estate immediately!"

"Oh, go ahead," Zhang Yiyi scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "You couldn't handle a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like me. Do you really think you can march into the Wang family and kill a Golden Core cultivator? Keep dreaming!"

Her words were sharp and unrelenting. "Just because you've reached the Nascent Soul stage doesn't mean you're invincible. You've known all along that my brother and I have powerful backers, yet you still think you can treat us like ants? Do you think we'd recklessly roam the world without any means of protecting ourselves? Who's the fool here—you or me?"

Though her words were a mix of truth and bluster, Zhang Yiyi knew that the more confident she appeared, the more Tang Jin would hesitate. She had already sent a warning to Luo Qiheng before entering Liulin Slope, informing him that if she didn't return on time, it was likely the Tang family was involved. She had advised him to guard against Tang Xi and the enigmatic, unfathomable Tang Jin.

Now, her precaution had proven invaluable. By crippling Tang Xi and angering Tang Jin, Zhang Yiyi knew she would need to stay hidden for a while. Tang Jin's hatred for her would drive him to seek her out at all costs, but she wasn't planning to give him the chance.

However, she regretted not being able to warn Luo Qiheng about the true danger of Tang Jin. His power wasn't just about his cultivation level; there were likely darker and more terrifying secrets involved. Zhang Yiyi even suspected a connection between Tang Jin and the young master of the Tang family who had infamously turned into a demon overnight thousands of years ago. Tang Jin's abilities likely far exceeded those of other Nascent Soul cultivators in this realm.

"You insolent brat!" Tang Jin roared, his face contorted in fury. No one had ever dared to insult him like this.

"Calm down, Third Master Tang. I'm just stating facts," Zhang Yiyi said with mock courtesy, waving the activated Ten Thousand Miles Escape Talisman. "Oh, and if you do happen to meet my brother, kindly let him know that I'm safe and taking good care of myself. Thanks!"

Inside, she was heartbroken at the loss of her one and only Ten Thousand Miles Escape Talisman, but she couldn't show it. Instead, she put on a strong front to dissuade Tang Jin from seeking immediate retaliation against Luo Qiheng.

Her quick thinking was a small comfort. She knew Tang Jin's obsession with ascending to the upper realm meant he wouldn't let her or her brother off the hook. Tang Jin had targeted her first because she seemed weaker and easier to manipulate. She was certain her warning to Luo Qiheng would make him more vigilant, making it harder for Tang Jin to succeed in any schemes against him.

Zhang Yiyi cast one last glance at Tang Jin, whose face alternated between red and green with rage. Then, with the talisman fully activated, she vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.

Tang Jin only sensed a surge of immense power tearing through his domain before the energy vanished completely. His extended divine sense found no sign of her—not within the sealed Liulin Slope, nor in the farthest reaches of his range. She was gone.

"Damn it!" Tang Jin clenched his fists in fury. That wretched woman had escaped cleanly right under his nose.

When Zhang Yiyi reappeared, she found herself in an entirely new location. The talisman's range far exceeded ten thousand miles, though its strength had been slightly diminished from breaking through Tang Jin's domain. She had traveled a little over ten thousand miles, landing in a secret realm.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Zhang Yiyi surveyed her surroundings. The rich spiritual energy of the area made her wonder if she'd been transported to an entirely new world. Her speculation was short-lived when she discovered traces of other cultivators—around forty to fifty within a range of several thousand miles. The strongest among them was only at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Relaxing slightly, Zhang Yiyi began eavesdropping on their conversations using her divine sense. What she learned almost made her laugh out loud.

The secret realm she'd stumbled into belonged to none other than the Tang family! Known for its abundant spiritual herbs and rare treasures, it served as a vital resource for the Tang family's cultivation needs. They opened it once every hundred years, allowing up to fifty disciples at a time to gather resources.

Though it was a treasure trove, it was also fraught with dangers. Natural traps and fierce beasts guarded the realm's rarest treasures, often costing the lives of many disciples. Despite being the Tang family's "backyard," the realm demanded a steep price.

Zhang Yiyi's lips curled into a smirk. Fate had handed her a golden opportunity to exact a little revenge on the Tang family, starting with this so-called secret realm.