With a flash of blood-red light, Heather was the first to leave the dilapidated Mingde Hall.

"COUGH, COUGH!" Just as Ye Fan was at a loss for what to do, another coughing sound reached him. It was the Bright Angel. He and Scarlett were the last survivors in Mingde Hall.

At that moment, Ye Fan remarked, "So there’s still one fish that slipped through the net." He walked toward the Bright Angel.

The Bright Angel’s heart turned to ash. He’d never expected his luck to be this terrible. During the great battle between Ye Fan and the Mingde Temple, he had been buried beneath the rubble. What he’d expected even less was that the battle would be over the moment he dug himself out. Regrettably, it hadn’t ended with the Mingde Temple’s victory, but with Ye Fan’s.

He asked warily, "The Holy Envoy is dead?"

"That’s right. And you’re next," Ye Fan said scornfully. Of all the people from the Mingde Hall, he would spare no one except Scarlett.

A sense of decay and despair washed over the Bright Angel. He suddenly said, "There’s no need for you to act. I’ll do it myse—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ye Fan struck him with the Pure Yang Divine Gang, and the Bright Angel instantly exploded.

Ye Fan then carried the unconscious Scarlett away from the wreckage. The ruins no longer held any value, but this was the place where the four Holy Envoys had fallen.

Ye Fan took Scarlett to a quiet manor. Seeing her caught in a nightmare, he hurriedly wiped the sweat from her brow.

It had to be said that these events were a devastating blow to Scarlett. But there was nothing to be done. It was simply their misfortune to have become enemies. If not for the Mingde Temple, their relationship would not have become so fraught.

Ye Fan walked out of the room and collapsed onto the couch alone, falling into a deep sleep. He realized that for all these years, his life had been nothing but one battle after another.

He was truly weary. He had grown tired of this life of killing and fighting. He had always believed that once he dealt with his greatest enemy, the Divine Dragon, he could finally retire. But now he knew that after the Divine Dragon came the European Church Court. And beyond the European Church Court, there might be even stronger enemies, like the Divine Race.

Perhaps he could never truly retire. As long as he was alive, the slaughter would never end.

His head felt heavy and dizzy. Perhaps he really needed to rest. And so, he fell asleep right there on the couch.

Scarlett jolted awake in the middle of the night. She had just dreamt of the moment Ye Fan decapitated her father with a single sword stroke. The cruel vision had torn her from her sleep.

Upon waking, she was unnaturally calm, as if her soul had fled her body. She walked out of the bedroom, picked up a fruit knife from a table, and made her way to the living room.

The sleeping Ye Fan’s eyes snapped open.

"I’ll kill you!" Scarlett lunged, driving the fruit knife forward. But Ye Fan’s body, enhanced by the Divine Bloodline, was incredibly durable. Forget a fruit knife; even an ordinary Spiritual Artifact might not be able to wound him. Scarlett stabbed several times in succession before finally giving up in disappointment.

Ye Fan said, "If you want to kill me, I won’t resist."

"You said that!" Scarlett retorted coldly.

"That’s right. I’m a man of my word," Ye Fan stated.

Instantly, Scarlett plunged the knife down. A spray of fresh blood erupted, spattering across her face. When she came to her senses, she saw her fruit knife embedded in Ye Fan’s shoulder. He had lowered all his defenses, leaving his body as vulnerable as a mortal’s. And so, he was wounded.

"You really didn’t dodge!" Scarlett said in disbelief.

"You know my character. I always do what I say I will," Ye Fan replied.

Suddenly, Scarlett burst into tears. "Why didn’t you dodge, you idiot!" she cried.

Ye Fan replied, "If this makes you feel any better, then I’d rather you stab me a few more times."

"SOB, SOB..." Scarlett wept as she pulled the fruit knife out.

Ye Fan groaned internally, completely devastated. Ugh... I thought she wouldn’t actually go through with it, but she really stabbed me. At that moment, a thousand curses ran through his mind.

Scarlett threw her arms around him and wept. Through her sobs, she said, "I only have myself to blame. If I had never fallen in love with you, we would have been strangers. The only way we would have ever met is as enemies! This tragedy never would have happened."

Ye Fan said, "Many things are fated. I did nothing wrong. Before the battle, I went to your father personally and asked him not to intervene.

"But he plotted against me in the end. Even if you hate me for it now and want revenge, I would do the same thing again. That is my guiding principle—I am clear about who has shown me kindness and who has shown me enmity! I had no other choice!"

"Did you ever once consider my feelings?" Scarlett cried, her sobs tearing her apart.

Ye Fan was instantly speechless. It’s true. I never did consider her feelings. At that moment, he had been so consumed by the flames of hatred that he was incapable of considering anything else. All he could think of was destroying the Mingde Temple.

He hesitated for a long time before saying, "...I... I’m sorry."

"I don’t need your apology!" Scarlett shoved him away.

Ye Fan wanted to reach out and hold her, but he knew it was the wrong time. Provoking her now would be a bad idea. A few more stab wounds wouldn’t matter much... but what I fear most is that if she’s pushed too far, she might try to take her own life. So, he didn’t try to agitate her further.

"I’m leaving. Let’s just pretend we never met," Scarlett said, turning to leave.

Ye Fan asked, "If we meet again, will we still be friends?"

"No. The next time we meet, we’ll be enemies. I will kill you without hesitation!" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Scarlett left without a second thought, though she placed something on the table before she went. Ye Fan wasn’t sure if she had left it intentionally.

He didn’t dare try to stop her. She had completely lost her reason right now. He knew she needed to regain her senses before making any real decisions. Besides, Scarlett’s strength is not to be underestimated. In the secular world, very few people could pose a threat to her.

He walked to the table and picked up the object Scarlett had left behind. It was a pure white, crystal-like bone that looked like a phalanx—a finger bone.

Ye Fan didn’t know what this crystal bone was or what it did. He subconsciously put it away and gazed in the direction Scarlett had gone.

A long time later, he pulled his thoughts back to the present situation. The Pope would be reviving soon, and Ye Fan had no idea if the Cain Ancestor could withstand him. Years ago, the two had fought an ultimate battle before they both chose to enter a deep slumber. Ye Fan didn’t know if the Cain Ancestor had been victorious or defeated.

Afterward, Ye Fan traveled to the territory of the Blood Clan. To his surprise, the crystal finger bone Scarlett had given him began to emit a white light—the boundless Holy Light of the Church. Because of this, he carefully stored the bone, making sure none of its aura could escape.

When he arrived at the Blood Clan base and saw the members slaughtering captives from the European Church Court one after another, Ye Fan was shocked, and a spark of anger ignited within him.

Among the captives were the old, the weak, the sick, and even women and children.

Although Ye Fan himself was ruthless and decisive, he still abided by the principle of not slaughtering the innocent.

He watched as a high-ranking member of the Blood Clan was about to order the execution of thousands of elderly, weak, and sick captives.

"Stop!" Ye Fan roared.