The battle between Ye Yunlong and Iron Blood was so intense it seemed to blot out the sky. Terrifying waves of Elemental Power exploded one after another high above Mysterious City.

Like everyone else, this was the first time Lin Yun had witnessed a battle between two Primordial Ocean Realm experts. Every single one of their strikes was powerful enough to kill him instantly.

’They’re so powerful.’ Lin Yun sighed softly. He had to admit that he had underestimated Primordial Ocean Realm experts. He also felt incredibly lucky, considering he had once been hunted by one.

After several hundred exchanges, neither Ye Yunlong nor Iron Blood had gained an advantage. Both were cultivators at the Third Layer of the Primordial Ocean Realm and were evenly matched in strength. It would be incredibly difficult for one to defeat the other.

After one last fierce collision, the two broke apart and slowly descended. Looking at Iron Blood, Ye Yunlong said, "Iron Blood, you cannot take Lin Yun."

"Ye Yunlong... do you really think there’s nothing we can do to you? If the Blood Refining Ancestor and I join forces, your defeat is certain." With Ye Yunlong refusing to yield an inch, Iron Blood could only resort to threats.

He couldn’t defeat Ye Yunlong one-on-one, but if he teamed up with the Blood Refining Ancestor, Ye Yunlong would surely be overwhelmed.

Hearing Iron Blood’s threat, Ye Yunlong burst into laughter. "Haha! Iron Blood, if you think your life is worth less than the legacy of the Thunder Flash Hall, then go ahead and try. But if you kill me, neither of you will get away."

Ye Yunlong was unfazed. As the man in charge of this branch of the Death Row Shelter, he knew full well that Iron Blood and the Blood Refining Ancestor wouldn’t dare touch him. If they did, they would face a relentless, unending pursuit.

Being hunted by an assassin organization that spanned the entire Eastern Domain was no trivial matter. Not even a Primordial Ocean Realm expert could escape such a fate.

After all, the Death Row Shelter had hundreds of Primordial Ocean Realm experts among its ranks.

Hearing Ye Yunlong’s counter-threat, Iron Blood’s face turned livid. With the Death Row Shelter backing him, there was truly nothing he could do to Ye Yunlong.

"Ye Yunlong, the Sect Leader of the Wind Forest Sect and the Dean of Yanhuang Academy have both personally ordered Lin Yun’s capture. Must you insist on obstructing us?" Seeing that Iron Blood and his companion were out of options, a Qi Sea Realm Martial Artist from the Wind Forest Sect stepped forward to speak.

He immediately invoked the names of the Wind Forest Sect’s Sect Leader and Yanhuang Academy’s Dean. Both were renowned figures in the Southeast Domain whose cultivation had long since reached the peak of the Primordial Ocean Realm. They could break through and transcend the Primordial Ocean Realm at any moment, becoming true powerhouses of the Eastern Domain.

Faced with the reputations of these two men, Ye Yunlong could no longer be as brazen as he had been. Still, it wasn’t as if he was afraid; after all, neither of them had come to Mysterious City in person.

"Lin Yun is a member of my Death Row Shelter," Ye Yunlong declared. "If you insist on capturing him, you can take it up with the Elders at headquarters. Until I receive orders to the contrary, Lin Yun is under my protection."

His tone was less forceful than before, but he still made his stance perfectly clear.

Hearing this, the Martial Artist from the Wind Forest Sect was left speechless. Tell his own Sect Leader to go speak with the Elders of the Death Row Shelter...?

For one thing, no one even knew where the Death Row Shelter’s headquarters was located. Even if they did, the Elders there were all beings who had surpassed the Primordial Ocean Realm. Why would they possibly give him the time of day?

At this point, the two sides were at a stalemate. The Death Row Shelter, represented by Ye Yunlong, was like an immovable mountain, completely suppressing the members of the two major powers.

If it weren’t for the Death Row Shelter, the two powers would have made their move long ago. They would have tried to kill Ye Yunlong, even though he was a Primordial Ocean Realm expert.

Stuck in a stalemate and unable to act, Ye Yunlong and the representatives from the two major powers finally reached an agreement: as long as Lin Yun remained within Mysterious City, no one was to make a move against him.

At this agreement, the corners of Lin Yun’s mouth lifted into a slight smile. ’This is all I needed. As long as my safety is guaranteed within Mysterious City, I can buy myself enough time to break through to the Fifth Layer of the Opening Realm. I’ll leave on my own accord then; they won’t have to tell me twice.’

’It’s good to have a powerful backer,’ Lin Yun mused as he watched the members of the two powers depart. ’But this backer is a double-edged sword. He’s just as much of a threat to me as they are.’

It was true. If not for Ye Yunlong, Lin Yun would have had no choice but to flee deep into the mountains and forests, training arduously for decades or even a century before he could reemerge.

If Ye Yunlong weren’t so greedy for his legacy, Lin Yun’s plans might have been different. After all, the resources of the Death Row Shelter were by no means inferior to those of Yanhuang Academy; in fact, they were likely far superior.

But alas, he knew what was on Ye Yunlong’s mind. The moment he handed over the complete legacy, or the moment Ye Yunlong discovered he’d been tricked, he wouldn’t even need the two major powers to act—Ye Yunlong himself would be the first to kill him. Sigh... He would just have to take it one step at a time.

After the people from the two powers had left, Ye Yunlong walked over to Lin Yun’s side. He smiled and clapped him on the shoulder, saying, "Lin Yun, from now on, as long as you stay within Mysterious City, the two powers won’t make a move against you."

Ye Yunlong’s expression was quite amiable, which wasn’t surprising. After just a brief study of the Thunder God Technique that Lin Yun had given him, Ye Yunlong found it to be incredibly profound. The Profound Level Technique he himself cultivated was simply incomparable.

Unconcerned about Lin Yun trying to escape, Ye Yunlong offered a few more reassuring words and then departed. Mysterious City had now become Lin Yun’s cage. As long as Lin Yun had any sense, he wouldn’t step foot outside of it.

If Ye Yunlong knew that Lin Yun was deceiving him, and had also learned the Disguise Technique, one could only imagine his reaction.

The day’s events had caused a huge stir. All the Martial Artists in Mysterious City now understood that Lin Yun was under the protection of the Death Row Shelter. Anyone who had ideas about targeting him would now have to think twice.

With this new status, many Martial Artists who were envious of Lin Yun’s legacy chose to give up. If even the two major powers had to back down, what chance did Loose Cultivators like them have?

If they dared to make a move on Lin Yun, forget the Death Row Shelter, Ye Yunlong himself wouldn’t let them off.

In a private room at Huayue Tower, Lin Yun and Imprisoned Dragon ordered a table full of food. With his short-term safety secured, Lin Yun felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. Neither the two major powers nor Ye Yunlong would come looking for trouble, at least not before he broke through to the Fifth Layer of the Opening Realm.

"Imprisoned Dragon, thank you for everything these past few days." Raising his cup, Lin Yun said. He held Imprisoned Dragon in high regard; though the man’s exterior was cold, he had a good heart.

Imprisoned Dragon hadn’t gone into detail about his past, but Lin Yun had been able to guess a few things by reading between the lines. Imprisoned Dragon had also been a death row inmate, and had been one since he was very young.

By a twist of fate, he had come to Mysterious City and was then discovered by Ye Yunlong. That was the only reason Imprisoned Dragon was still alive today, having even become one of the three great young masters of Mysterious City.

In response to Lin Yun’s thanks, Imprisoned Dragon offered a rare smile. The two clinked their cups and drained them in one go.

"Lin Yun, I don’t know what you’re planning, but I want to remind you of one thing: Ye Yunlong is not as simple as he seems. Whatever you do, you must be careful," Imprisoned Dragon warned, setting down his cup.

Hearing this, Lin Yun smiled and nodded. He hadn’t told Imprisoned Dragon about his plan because the stakes were too high, not because he didn’t trust him.