Xia Jiuyou’s arrogance soared to the heavens. She looked down upon the younger generation with contempt, bearing the air of one who reigned supreme above all.
Once the Tribulation-Crossing Immortal Song rang out, the stars turned and the divine moon dimmed, Heaven and Earth fell into chaos and the world was shaken — even the supreme sect masters of the Central Continent were moved. Many among the younger generation went pale.
And yet, at this moment, this peerless genius was being spanked. The contrast was strikingly powerful!
With a bearing gifted by Heaven and rarely seen in all of history, she was more than capable of looking down upon her peers. Gazing across the Eastern Desolation and toward the Central Continent, there were very few who could contend with her.
Yet here she was, being treated like a disobedient child — having a great palm swung at her in punishment. It was enough to drop jaws to the floor; every onlooker was wide-eyed and speechless, unable to believe what they were seeing.
“That is Xia Jiuyou — the one who performed the supreme Tribulation-Crossing Immortal Song, who slays her peers as easily as plucking grass and picking flowers, a figure comparable to a youthful Great Emperor — and yet she is being held down like this…”
Every cultivator and every powerful expert present was utterly dumbfounded.
Xia Jiuyou was beside herself with fury, struggling fiercely, arms and legs flailing together — yet the backlash of the Tribulation-Crossing Immortal Song had left her with no strength to speak of. She could not harm Ye Fan by even the slightest degree.
“Little brat — let’s see that arrogance of yours now.” Ye Fan had truly come to regard her as a child. He chuckled lightly while continuing to swing his golden palm.
“Smack! Smack…”
The crisp sounds rang out. Xia Jiuyou’s eyes blazed with fury, tears nearly flowing from them. She shouted: “Surnamed Ye… I am finished with you!”
As one of the absolute top experts among the younger generation, she had been wreathed in endless glory from the moment she first appeared in the world. To be treated like a mischievous child now — how was she to bear it?
Had the youthful Great Emperors of antiquity ever been spanked? Such a thing had never been heard of. She was nearly in tears, seized by the urge to bite someone, almost fainting from sheer rage.
“Little Ye is too wicked — this is truly even harder on Xia Jiuyou than killing her would have been.” Li Heishui laughed inwardly.
“Xia Jiuyou has always looked down on everyone and recognized no one as her superior. She deserved a thrashing like this,” Tu Fei also said, laughing loudly.
“One cannot deny it — she truly is a genius of this age. Once she enters the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm and performs the Tribulation-Crossing Immortal Song, who can contend with her?” someone said with concern.
“Little brat — do you submit?” Ye Fan let a hint of a smile show.
“I do not submit!” Xia Jiuyou refused defiantly.
She struggled with all her strength, eyes brimming with tears, a cascade of black hair falling like a waterfall. And then her throat bobbed and disappeared — and the heroic energy in her face faded.
“A girl… she is a young girl. The disguise has vanished!”
In the distance, the crowd was astonished. Not one person had imagined that Xia Jiuyou was a very young girl. No wonder her lips were red, her teeth white — and her appearance so incomparably beautiful.
“Heaven above — it turns out she is an arrogant young girl! This is… far too formidable!”
People were wide-eyed and speechless. Thinking of a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old young girl — so domineering, unrivaled among her peers — they all gawked as though they had swallowed a dragon whole, mouths hanging open and unable to speak.
Xia Jiuyou’s black hair streamed in the wind. Her skin was snow-white and translucent, like white jade carved — like an exquisite porcelain doll, beautiful and dazzling.
“I will fight you to the death!”
Xia Jiuyou scratched and clawed wildly, her large eyes brimming with tears. Her long lashes — were they to flutter — would send tears cascading down, expressing her willfulness and stubbornness to the fullest degree.
“Shua!”
A flash of light — and the two gray-robed elders arrived before them, both wearing expressionless faces. One of them spoke: “Victory and defeat have been determined. We ask that you release our Young Master.”
At the same moment, Jiang Yun also flew into the night sky. Fearing Ye Fan’s youthful impulsiveness might lead him to kill Xia Jiuyou, he also spoke: “Release her.”
It was evident that Xia Jiuyou had an enormous background. Even those of the Jiang Family had come forward to speak on her behalf — that alone said everything.
Ye Fan released his grip, tousling her full head of beautiful hair into a tangled mess, then casually flicked her forehead with his finger and said: “Behave yourself from now on.”
“Ah…!” Xia Jiuyou cried out in fury, tears flowing from the pain — yet the two gray-robed elders had already pinned her arms firmly.
In the night sky, a flash of light — and through the Profound Jade Platform they crossed the void and vanished, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Though Xia Jiuyou had been defeated, she remained radiant and luminous. Her performance had been enough to shake the world, and the two gray-robed elders harbored lingering apprehension — they dared not allow her to remain here any longer.
For she was only around thirteen years old — still far from adulthood, her blood and vital energy yet to reach their peak — with boundless latent potential still waiting to be drawn forth!
And furthermore, now that the Tribulation-Crossing Immortal Song had been heard — whether the various holy lords of the Eastern Desolation or the supreme sect masters of the Central Continent — all of them would likely harbor intentions of their own.
“Is there anyone else who wishes to battle me?” Ye Fan stood beneath the night sky, bathed in moonlight, a layer of pure and luminous radiance flowing about him — serene and tranquil — entirely unlike the ferocious battle he had just waged, with blood and vital energy surging to the heavens.
Yet no one would be fooled by his harmless-seeming appearance. This was unquestionably a wild dragon lying in wait. He had defeated even the peerless genius Xia Jiuyou — how many more would dare step forward?
The young Golden-Winged Little Peng King, majestic and awe-inspiring, held the Great Desolation Halberd and stood like a demon god. He very much wanted to charge forward — yet the elder Peng King had one hand pressed firmly on his shoulder. He could not move at all, could not even speak.
Ye Fan’s gaze swept over the Holy Son of Yao Guang, the Ji Family’s Divine King Body, the Purple Mansion Innate Dao Embryo, and Yao Xi — the outstanding disciples of the various holy lands all remained perfectly calm, with no indication of any intent to act.
The Divine Body and the Holy Son of Yao Guang were unquestionably among the absolute pinnacle figures of the Eastern Desolation’s younger generation — yet they showed not the slightest inclination to make a move. This left many feeling a sense of regret.
The many cultivators present had all reached the same conclusion: for someone of the Four Extremes Secret Realm to kill Ye Fan was extremely difficult. One would need to enter the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm and use the overwhelming advantage of a higher realm to crush him to death.
Of course, an ordinary Dragon Transformation Secret Realm cultivator would certainly not do — only a figure of the Holy Son level would suffice.
The Four Extremes Secret Realm corresponded to the four limbs of the human body and could draw upon the Great Dao. It had four levels of cultivation — separated by a single realm, yet each gap was like a barrier between the heavens. For one of lower realm to kill one of higher realm was like going against the current to slay an immortal — it was exceedingly difficult to succeed.
Now, Ye Fan had only just achieved initial mastery of the Four Extremes, yet he was already sufficient to cut down experts at the Great Perfection level. This result sent a chill through every heart. Such was the might of the Holy Body — no one in this realm would dare come and challenge him.
Even though no one stepped forward, boundless killing intent continued to permeate the air. The divine city beneath the moon and stars was cold enough to pierce the bone — as though the dead of winter had arrived.
Ye Fan could already dimly see: the road ahead of him was filled with the smoke and fire of battle. He would very likely follow in the footsteps of the Beginningless Great Emperor — with the entire world as his enemy.
For now, no one came to battle him — because they did not have the confidence. But in the future, there would certainly be wars filling the heavens. Those would be battles of life and death.
All he could do was advance into the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm as quickly as possible. Only then — with all the younger generation in view — would he fear no challenge. He might even be able to sweep across all beneath the heavens.
The many sect masters who had come from the Central Continent to observe the ceremony all furrowed their brows. The Holy Body at its initial completion already wielded such might — they thought of several young rulers of the Central Continent. In the short term, they might be able to contend with the Holy Body — but what of the future?
This was a deeply troubling question. The Holy Body at its Great Completion could challenge the ancient Great Emperors. Every time this was considered, it left one unsettled — perhaps eliminating the threat early was the only choice.
Ye Fan stood in the night sky, smiling brilliantly, his teeth snow-white and translucent. His outward appearance suggested he was no more than fifteen or sixteen years old — still carrying just a trace of youthful immaturity.
At this age, with this cultivation — it left all the holy sons in silence, all the great powers uneasy, and left many with feelings they could not quite name.
Ye Fan asked three times over. Not a single person responded. Not one among the younger generation stood forth to contend with him.
The Ji Family’s Divine Body, the Demon Clan’s Celestial Demon Body… it was not that there were no young rulers capable of battling him. Yet not a single one stepped forward.
Ye Fan stood alone beneath the moonlit night, calling upon all the strong of his generation. None dared step forth. It was the first time he had established his own fearsome reputation — from this night onward, he was destined to shake the entire younger generation with his name.
The Peerless Divine King stepped forward. His eyes, though dim and lacking luster, still bore a heroic bearing that commanded awe from every person. He came before Ye Fan, extended a finger, and pressed it forward — a brilliant radiance vanishing into Ye Fan’s body.
“That is… the Divine King’s Mark!”
“With this mark upon one’s body, no matter who kills the Holy Body, the Divine King will sense it.”
Everyone was shaken. The Divine King was determined to protect the Holy Body all the way to the end — yet how many more days did he have to live? He was already like a lamp running out of oil.
The great battle drew to its close. The turmoil of one night had all dissipated. The Peerless Divine King would soon perish. The Holy Body’s curse had been broken. The younger generation had been held in awe…
The divine city’s years stretched without end, but this night was enough to be etched into memory forever. This would be the opening of a great era — an unprecedented event in the post-Archaic Age.
On this night, news spread rapidly outward. The Eastern Desolation was shaken; great waves stirred in the Central Continent. It was destined to become a tremendous upheaval, one that would not settle down easily in the near term.
In the days that followed, countless cultivators came to pay visits and forge connections — people from the various holy lands, powerful figures from ancient noble families, and heirs of the great sects. Ye Fan found himself unable to disentangle himself from it all.
His residence was as busy as a marketplace. There was hardly a moment of quiet — every day brought feast invitations and callers at his door. He was exhausted, yet had no choice but to manage it all.
Every person was exceedingly warm and enthusiastic — but how many of them were sincere? He did not know. Had the breakthrough attempt failed, the outcome would very likely have been entirely different.
Over these past days, he had spent his time with the Divine King — learning with humility, while at the same time hoping for a miracle: that the Peerless Divine King’s life could somehow be preserved. He truly did not wish to see him perish.
Yet the Divine King’s eyes had grown dimmer by the day — nearly the color of dead ash now, without even a trace of radiance.
“Divine King — please take the Qilin Divine Medicine seed!”
The Divine King shook his head and said nothing further. He would return to the Jiang Family — it was time to leave the divine city. He wished to go back and have one last look at the Tai Yin Body.
In these past several days, Ye Fan had met with Demon Moon Hollow, the Great Xia Imperial Prince, Jin Chixiao, Xu Heng, the white-robed little nun, and so many others — yet he had never gone to see An Miaoyi.
Because he had not taken a single step outside. The Holy Body having achieved minor completion — the Wind Clan’s intention was to have him retreat from the world for a hundred years. Until he reached the level of a Holy Lord, he was not to emerge.
This was indeed a sound and prudent approach. To endure a hundred years of solitude in exchange for ten thousand years of flourishing — he could reign over all beneath the heavens for ten thousand years to come.
One could easily imagine it: both the Jiang Family and the Wind Clan would certainly give him their full support and cultivation. What he would need for his cultivation — he would not need to concern himself with at all.
“A hundred years… that is far too long.” Ye Fan gazed toward the far shore of the starry sky. He could not wait that long.
Feng Huang had still not appeared. He was not particularly surprised. The Wind Clan had entered the divine city solely to test him — they had never said from the start that the marriage alliance would definitely proceed.
Had his breakthrough attempt failed, the topic would certainly never have been raised. The best choice before that point was to keep Feng Huang from appearing — either to advance or retreat as circumstances dictated.
Now that his breakthrough had succeeded, Feng Huang still had not come. The Wind Clan’s people covered for this, saying she was currently in seclusion attempting to break into the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, and should arrive within ten days.
The truth was, the Wind Clan’s prized daughter had from the very beginning refused the marriage alliance and explicitly stated she would never marry a Holy Body. Even now that the breakthrough had succeeded, the Wind Clan’s princess was still insufferably proud and refused to come.
The Wind Clan’s people were doing their best to persuade her…