The Divine King’s return stirred a powerful wave of shock. Every major power was paying close attention, and the eyes of all under heaven were fixed upon this place — it could be said that the gaze of the entire world had converged here.
No one could say how many years it had been since such a spectacle was last seen — when a single person’s cultivation progress could draw the attention of the whole world and become the focus of all people.
The various Holy Sons and Holy Daughters felt something indescribable. They were all heaven’s favored children who attracted admiring crowds wherever they went, yet none of them could compare to Ye Fan as he was now — drawing all the winds and clouds of the world into motion.
“It’s only a breakthrough into the Four Extremes. I succeeded in that five years ago.”
“With the peerless Divine King’s protection, his treatment is certainly different — the whole world must look on.”
“As I see it, the breakthrough may not even succeed. If he fails, let’s see how he cleans up after himself — it would be a tremendous fall from grace.”
…
All sorts of people were out there. Since so many major forces were seeking to draw Ye Fan in, it was only natural that certain individuals said strange things in the shadows, pointing fingers and quietly disparaging him.
Those of the ancient source arts families, in particular, were the most resentful. With the peerless Divine King’s support, they would never be able to obtain the Source Heavenly Book in their lifetimes — they were filled with bitter resentment.
Ye Fan had accumulated no small number of enemies on his way to where he was today. Figures such as Li Yishui, Wu Ziming, and Li Zhongtian naturally had no desire to see him advance, and all of them sneered and mocked from behind his back.
“Even if he breaks through, can he defeat the Golden-Winged Little Peng King, who is like a god and demon combined? Can he fight a match against Yao Guang Holy Son, the outstanding genius of this generation?”
“Quite right — he might just be beaten to death the moment he enters the Four Extremes.”
“Indeed. The top figures of the younger generation have been tempering themselves in the Four Extremes Secret Realm for years already. How is he supposed to compete with any of them?”
“He might even be suppressed by Xia Jiuyou on his very first day in the Four Extremes, captured and refined into medicine. If that happened, even the Divine King would lose face.”
…
Winds of turmoil churned through the divine city as all parties watched with intense scrutiny.
One great power after another from the Eastern Desolation and Zhongzhou had sent representatives to the divine city — only to witness the Holy Body’s breakthrough attempt. Every person was quietly waiting for that moment to arrive.
Yet after the Divine King returned, no word was issued and not a single message was sent out — leaving many cultivators puzzled and uncertain.
Time passed slowly. On the fifth day, something finally stirred — but it had nothing to do with Ye Fan’s charge into the Four Extremes Secret Realm. Another matter sent the entire city into an uproar.
A marriage alliance!
The Feng Family — an ancient clan of this land — was among the oldest families in existence. To say their lineage was the most enduring of any clan in the Eastern Desolation would not be far from the truth. They were of overwhelming eminence.
Word spread that one of the clan’s brightest jewels would be betrothed to Ye Fan. The moment that news came out, everyone was struck dumb. Every cultivator present was slack-jawed with disbelief, utterly at a loss to understand how this could be.
It was all far too sudden. With Ye Fan on the verge of his breakthrough, for something like this to happen exceeded all expectation.
How could it be? That was the universal question — no one could fathom why this was occurring. It was genuinely astonishing.
“Heavens — it’s one of the Feng Clan’s most treasured daughters. This is too sudden. Why would this happen?”
“A granddaughter of the Feng Clan Holy Lord, one of the family’s most cherished, whose beauty surpasses all under heaven. It isn’t just Holy Land disciples who have sought her hand — even the immortal dynasties of Zhongzhou have sent people to propose.”
“For a jewel of the Feng Clan to be wed to the Holy Body — truly astonishing. I imagine many of the younger generation are ready to curse their luck.”
“I imagine quite a few people would love to kill the Holy Body. The Feng Clan’s jewel is no ordinary person — this is simply unjust.”
…
On that day, news flew in every direction and the whole world was shaken. No one had anticipated that so sudden and jarring a development would unfold.
As one of the focal points himself, even Ye Fan was completely caught off guard by this news — and then felt a mixture of laughter and tears, for he had received no communication from the Feng Clan whatsoever and assumed it was nothing more than a rumor.
Before long, however, the Jiang Divine King appeared and told him it was not without foundation.
Ye Fan was petrified on the spot. He felt this was beyond all comprehension — everything had come far too suddenly, and for a moment it all felt like an illusion.
“Nothing has been confirmed yet. In the coming days, representatives of the Feng Clan will come to see you, and they hope you will meet their expectations.”
“Divine King, why would this happen?” Ye Fan was at a loss.
“Others may not know, but you and I both do — you are something like a half-disciple to me…” The white-robed Divine King did not say much more, but it was enough for Ye Fan to understand the underlying truth.
In a certain sense, this was a marriage alliance between the Jiang Family and the Feng Clan — and at the same time, a form of protection the Divine King was extending to Ye Fan, one that could safeguard his life in the future.
A tremor passed through Ye Fan’s heart. Could it be that the Divine King truly would not live much longer?
Marriage alliances between Holy Lands were rare, for they touched upon each side’s own lineage — a marriage between core disciples would give rise to many complications.
Moreover, if two Holy Lands formed a marriage alliance, what would the other Holy Lands think? In ages past, great wars had erupted over precisely this issue. The various great lineages had always proceeded with extreme caution.
At present, the Jiang Family’s situation was far from ideal. The Divine King had been reborn, and Holy Lord-level figures had come in force to fight him — clearly certain Holy Lands were involved. They needed a way to break out of this encirclement.
The subtleties of all this needed no elaborate explanation. What Ye Fan’s betrothal to the Feng Clan’s jewel actually involved, most ordinary people could not discern — whether it was a concession or a true alliance, very few could say with certainty.
It was evident that the peerless Divine King’s existence had served as the most powerful deterrent, and was the direct reason this matter had become possible at all. Without him, there would have been not the slightest possibility.
The complex web of relations among the Holy Lands was something Ye Fan could not fully penetrate — but he knew the Jiang Divine King would not harm him. Among the great powers, marriage alliances were uncommon, and this time it was being arranged indirectly through him.
“Your body is absolutely without issue. I have contemplated and reasoned this out at great length — by all logic, you should be able to break through into the Four Extremes Secret Realm. However, this land has changed, and there is no shortage of uncertainty. Every possibility must be considered. If you truly fail, even should I no longer be here, with the Jiang Family and the Feng Clan standing behind you, your life will not be in danger.”
“Divine King…” Ye Fan was deeply moved.
This solitary and desolate peerless Divine King had shown him a great and genuine kindness. He did not want anything to befall the Divine King.
“I have the sacred medicine seed — you will be all right!”
“Sacred medicines are on the verge of extinction. Each one is unique. They may be gathered in their mature form, but to destroy the root would be a loss beyond all measure. A Holy Body can appear once in ten thousand years, while the Qilin Sacred Medicine has only this one specimen in all the world — it is more precious than I am.” The white-robed Divine King laughed at himself.
“The undying sacred medicine exists precisely for saving lives — there is no need for the Divine King to think this way.”
“I am not a rigid person — you need say no more. I understand my own condition. Besides, I may not die so easily.” He spoke this way, and yet at that very moment, he coughed up a thin thread of blood — a sight that was jarring to behold.
Ye Fan said nothing. He knew there was no persuading him.
The wounds to the Divine King’s body were a minor matter — it was the damage to his divine spirit that was severe. When the divine spirit expressed its lament, it was difficult to imagine what price he had paid. Furthermore, the quiet passing of the Fairy of Colored Clouds had dealt him a heavy blow as well. Perhaps it was also a trial he had to face. Whether he had simply lost the will to live on alone, or whether there was more to it, no outsider could know.
“So it turns out the betrothal was not yet confirmed — it had only just been suggested.”
“Exactly what I thought. How could the Feng Clan’s peerless jewel possibly lower herself to marry a Holy Body whose future is so full of uncertainty?”
“The Feng Clan’s most treasured daughter is a heaven-gifted talent of matchless beauty, of what stature — this marriage would never come to pass.”
“The peerless Divine King’s lifespan will eventually be exhausted, and his current condition is already far from good. He cannot possibly protect the Holy Body for long. The Feng Clan would never marry away their most dazzling jewel.”
After learning the details, many people rendered these judgments.
“Little Ye, can this actually happen? If you truly become betrothed to the Feng Clan’s daughter, then even if something were to happen to the Divine King, you’d have nothing to worry about in the future,” Tu Fei said.
Li Heishui also nodded, agreeing that this was a rare opportunity. The world was just this way — before you grew strong enough to stand on your own, you had to rely on external forces.
Very soon, various rumors began to spread. It was said that Jiang Yun had also approached the Ji Family, but was politely refused — the Ji Family Holy Lord had immediately whisked the little moon of the Ji Family away and kept her securely within the clan, for fear the Divine King himself might come in person.
There were also rumors that the white-robed Divine King had visited the Purple Mansion Holy Land, expressing a wish to cultivate an Innate Holy Body Dao Fetus. The Holy Lord of the Purple Mansion had been thoroughly startled — though intimidated, he had still mustered his resolve and refused.
Two days later, representatives of the Feng Clan appeared in the divine city. When the news leaked, it sent a wave of shock through the city.
“You’re that Holy Body? What right do you have to marry my sister? Which quality of yours is worthy of her!” A young man of sixteen or seventeen stared at him with a cold, mocking smile.
Ye Fan had not expected the Feng Clan’s people to arrive so swiftly, nor that they would come in such an unfriendly manner.
At this moment, he was in the Drunken Immortal Pavilion — and the visitors had come straight to find him.
The Drunken Immortal Pavilion stood in the clouds, forming a self-contained space of vast expanse, with gardens designed in the four seasons of early summer, summer, autumn, and winter.
At this time, Ye Fan and Li Heishui and Tu Fei and the others were in the autumn garden. Palace halls stood one after another, groves of gardens stretched in every direction, and all manner of fruits in the deep autumn season carried drifting fragrance.
“On which count are you worthy of my sister?!” This purple-robed young man looked down at Ye Fan, speaking with extreme disrespect, regarding him with not even the faintest trace of regard.
Ye Fan set down his wine cup, rose from behind the stone table, and swept him with a glance. “Those words are better addressed to your Holy Lord,” he said.
“You keep quite calm for a man in your position. Let me warn you, surnamed Ye — give up your fantasies. No matter what the peerless Divine King says, my sister will never lower herself to marry you!” The purple-robed young man’s tone was sharp and his eyes were filled with contempt.
Both Tu Fei and Li Heishui stood up. The Dark Emperor also shifted its stance stealthily, preparing to take a vicious bite — this young man’s manner was utterly intolerable.
Ye Fan raised a hand and stopped them, showing no anger. Instead a faint smile crossed his face. “There’s nothing I want out of this. But if the Feng Clan Holy Lord insists on giving your sister to me, there’s nothing I can do about it either — you’ve found the wrong person.”
The purple-robed young man’s name was Feng Lie. He heard this and swept Ye Fan with a contemptuous gaze. “My clan’s Holy Lord is not for you to comment upon. I only want you to publicly declare that you are unworthy of my sister!”
“Great Completion of the Holy Body can contend with a Great Emperor — your Feng Clan is far too arrogant!” Tu Fei could not help but speak up.
“The great completion Holy Body? Do you honestly think he can reach that level? Stop dreaming!” Feng Lie laughed coldly.
Li Heishui said with a cold smile: “It seems the Feng Clan has spoiled you rotten. But every great clan has disciples like you. Let me discipline you on your elders’ behalf.”
“Based on what can you?!” The purple-robed young man Feng Lie laughed with cold contempt.
“How dare you!” At that very moment, more than a dozen young people streamed out from a nearby palace hall, entering the garden. Their identities were clearly not ordinary — they stood before Feng Lie and swept their cold gazes over Ye Fan and Li Heishui.
The sounds of conflict in this place naturally drew the attention of the various other palace halls, and many people walked out, looking in this direction.
When they saw it was Ye Fan involved, and recognized the Feng Clan’s representatives, everyone showed expressions of surprise — and then everyone surged toward the garden, surrounding it completely.
Feng Lie stood with supreme arrogance and said: “My sister is a genius of this generation — even the Golden-Winged Little Peng King could only fight her to a draw. Based on what are you worthy of her?!”
“My cousin’s talent is extraordinary. She created a new divine technique at the age of thirteen. It’s not just that you haven’t entered the Four Extremes Secret Realm — even if you do, what of it?” another young man spoke up.
“Do you really think you’re Yao Guang Holy Son? Give up your fantasies!” a young woman mocked.
Tu Fei clicked his tongue in disbelief and muttered: “These people you’re about to be related to by marriage — not a single one of them is easy to deal with. Whether this is a test or genuine humiliation, the situation is quite grim.”
“Little Ye, what do you plan to do?” Li Heishui asked quietly.
Ye Fan laughed coldly. “What else is there to do? Those who need suppressing, suppress. Those who need a beating, beat!”