It had been more than a month since Ye Fan had left the Divine City. Returning now, he felt a kind of warmth and familiarity — this was a great city that pulsed with vibrancy and excitement.

He returned quietly, thinking no one would take notice — but barely inside the city, quite a few people spotted him, their eyes burning with eager light, and came swarming over to greet him with great enthusiasm.

“Little Brother Gu Feng, you’ve finally come back — we’ve been watching and waiting like we were waiting for the stars and the moon, hoping to witness your source arts again.”

“Nothing more needs to be said, Brother Gu — come to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion with me, I’m buying, and we won’t stop until we’re drunk!”

“Without you around, Little Brother Gu, the Divine City has felt so dull and empty. Many of us have been looking forward to your return, ha ha ha…”

……

Many people were extremely eager to get close to Ye Fan. In the Northern Region, which was so rich in source, a master of source arts held an elevated status — capable of becoming an honored guest of every major faction.

Ye Fan smiled and, though he recognized almost none of these people, responded to each of them in turn.

He did not know that when the day came and his identity as a Desolate Holy Body was exposed, what expressions these people would wear.

Some, perhaps, would come to blows with one another fighting over sacred objects. Some might help him escape. And some might kill him in order to claim credit with the holy lands.

“Little Brother Gu Feng, you’re finally back. You don’t know — someone has put out a challenge to compete against you in source arts, and while you were gone, they’ve been saying you ran away out of cowardice.”

“They’ve said quite a few unpleasant things — I suspect they were trying to provoke you into showing yourself. Now that you’re back, crush them hard in source arts and put a stop to all that noise.”

“Right — some of them are truly arrogant, declaring they’ll crush you under their feet in source arts. Now that you’re here, give them a proper lesson. We’ve all been fed up watching them.”

……

Ye Fan smiled and expressed his thanks, and only with considerable effort managed to make his way through the crowd. Not long after, he arrived at Li Heishui’s dwelling.

Li Heishui laughed heartily, his dark-complexioned face full of frank satisfaction. “Little Ye, you all really pulled it off — capturing a holy maiden alive. I was absolutely astounded.”

“Has the Red Dragon Old Daoist left the Divine City?” Ye Fan asked, as he needed a powerful backer close at hand. He had a feeling this visit was very likely to stir up some sort of trouble.

Li Heishui laughed. “Everyone in this city who has lived long enough hopes he would leave. With him here, many people feel ill at ease — but he has absolutely no intention of leaving.”

“Wonderful!” Ye Fan was overjoyed. If anything went wrong, he could find the Red Dragon Daoist to apply some pressure — he was confident the other party would not sit idly by.

“You’ve finally come back — this calls for a celebration. Shall we go to the Temple of Wondrous Desire, the Moonlit Water Lodge, or the Palace of Vast Coldness?” Li Heishui grinned slyly, naming the three great pleasure destinations of the Divine City.

“Let’s skip those places and keep a lower profile,” Ye Fan said, laughing and shaking his head.

“You’ve already sealed two holy maidens — naturally the three great destinations hold no allure for you anymore. Though don’t underestimate them — someone like An Miaoyi, for instance, is no less remarkable than a holy maiden.”

“You, you never have a proper demeanor!” Ye Fan gave him a punch.

“And who has no proper demeanor? You’re carrying two holy maidens around with you — and you have the gall to talk about me?”

“Those two holy maidens are just flowers reflected in a mirror and the moon reflected in water. If I let them out, it would be a calamity.”

Li Heishui laughed. “Then let’s go to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion or the Illusory Feast Hall.”

Ye Fan nodded. “I’ve already been to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, so let’s celebrate at the Illusory Feast Hall. I’ll splurge today — my treat, a full immortal banquet.”

“Even Holy Lord-level figures almost never order an immortal banquet — the cost runs to tens of thousands of catties of source at minimum. Let’s forget it.”

“It’s fine, let’s go experience it.”

The two rose into the air and flew upward into the high sky, heading toward the Illusory Feast Hall — a magnificent structure gleaming with five-colored radiance, each pavilion and tower a different color, built from green jade, violet jade, white jade, and more.

From a distance, it sat nestled in the clouds, glittering and sparkling, as if one had arrived in the immortal realm. In front of each palace tower, precious herbs and celestial blossoms had been planted in abundance, with spirit birds dancing in flight.

“Little Brother Gu Feng, you’ve come back.” Just as they arrived, someone familiar spotted them. From a white jade palace tower in the distance, Yao Yue Kong walked out with a hearty laugh. “I have guests at the moment — once I’m done, I’ll come find you. Leave a seat for me.”

“Alright, see you soon — today we drink until we’re satisfied.” The two smiled and agreed.

The Illusory Feast Hall naturally had great powers supporting it from behind. One of them was the Great Xia Imperial Clan of the Central Continent, whose members kept a permanent presence in the Divine City and had ultimately helped found this magnificent complex of palace towers.

Eighteen young women, all of considerable cultivation, dressed in five-colored feathered robes, each wearing a sweet smile, guided the two inside and brought them into a violet jade immortal tower.

“What rotten luck — I think I see a bunch of scoundrels in the palace tower not far away,” Li Heishui muttered.

“What’s going on?” Ye Fan asked.

“They all came because of you. Last time you cut out the incomplete primordial divine medicine, the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Holy Spirit Sword, and the Divine Silkworm — it shook the Divine City and word spread throughout the source arts clans.”

Last time, Ye Fan’s world-shaking gamble had utterly defeated Tuoba Chang. This time, not only had the Tuoba clan sent powerful figures, but several other source arts ancient clans had also sent extraordinary individuals to the Divine City.

Ye Fan paid it no mind. This visit was destined to bring even greater upheaval — to obtain tens of millions of catties of source, keeping a low profile was simply not an option.

“Many source arts experts have come to the Divine City — these are just a portion of them. But they really have been quite excessive about it. During the days you were away, in order to force you out, they’ve been declaring they’ll crush the source arts prodigy Gu Feng under their feet.”

“I welcome them to come and try to crush me — but without a million catties of source, I won’t accept their challenge. Anyone who wants to come knocking should first weigh themselves carefully.”

The two entered the violet tower. They did not order an immortal banquet — that was far too ostentatious and would likely provoke the displeasure of many important figures.

Outside the tower, the lotus pool was veiled in drifting mist. Several women moved through a graceful, flowing dance — like standing beside the Jade Pool of the immortals. The wine could not intoxicate a person, yet the person became intoxicated on their own.

Cup after cup of wine went down, and before long a young woman approached. “Two honored guests, the Prince of Great Xia has learned that you are here and will be coming shortly. He requests that you wait a little while.”

“Of course, we won’t be leaving anytime soon.” Ye Fan nodded.

The Great Xia Imperial Clan was one of the powers supporting the Illusory Feast Hall from behind. It was not at all surprising that the Prince of Great Xia would learn of their arrival.

Before long, another young woman approached, bowing gracefully. “Two honored guests, the guests in the green palace tower across the way would like you to come over.”

“The people in the green tower?” Li Heishui let out a cold laugh — those were precisely the source arts clan members he had mentioned just now.

“Are they saying they want us to come over, rather than inviting us?” Ye Fan smiled and asked the young woman. He noticed that she had chosen her words very carefully.

The people across the way had clearly said something disrespectful. When relaying the message, she had deliberately avoided the word “invite,” using the word “want” instead to tactfully convey the situation.

“Yes,” the young woman nodded.

Working here, they regularly encountered important figures and were accustomed to such scenes. Though not very old, they had all developed a worldly understanding of how to navigate such moments.

“Who do they think they are, hollering for us to come over whenever they please? Tell them we’re not available,” Li Heishui said.

“This…” The young woman was uncomfortable but obediently withdrew.

Though the message they received in the green tower had been diplomatically worded, the two not coming over was answer enough.

“How arrogant! Elders of the source arts world are present here, and they’re summoning these two to come offer their respects with a drink — yet they’re putting on airs? Do they really think they’re Source Sky Masters?”

“They show absolutely no regard for the elders at all — truly presumptuous, with not a shred of propriety!”

Several of the young people all sneered coldly. Every one of them rose to their feet and looked toward the violet tower.

Ye Fan and Li Heishui, through the misty veil of the lotus pool, saw the people across the way staring over at them — and paid them no mind at all. They simply continued to clink glasses and appreciate the graceful, swirling dance of the young women.

“They’re coming,” Ye Fan noticed several of the young people striding over, about to enter the violet tower.

“Quite the airs you two put on — elders of the source arts world come to this place, you’re called over to offer a toast and you don’t move an inch,” the lead figure said with a cold sneer the moment he stepped into the violet tower.

Ye Fan looked up at them and said, “What kind of offering are you talking about? You called for us in that overbearing, imperious way of yours — does that have anything to do with the word ‘offering’? Why should we two be offering anything to you?”

Li Heishui set down his chopsticks, swept them with a glance, and said, “Who are you people? Are we two close enough with you to be called over for a toast on your whim?”

“You still don’t know who we are? We’ve been waiting in the Divine City for over a month to challenge Gu Feng in source arts.” Another sneered coldly.

“So it’s you.” Li Heishui glanced at them with languid disinterest, drained another cup of wine, and then said, “All these days, I’ve been hearing how you’ve been declaring you’ll crush Gu Feng under your feet in source arts — and after putting out talk like that, you still have the nerve to call us over for a toast in that imperious way of yours?!”

“We did say a few things — we only wanted to draw you out so you’d stop hiding and refusing to show your faces,” said the several young people, showing not the least bit of respect.

“Where did these flies come from, buzzing and droning — truly ruining the mood. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the Illusory Feast Hall’s people to come throw you out,” Li Heishui said, swatting his hand as if shooing away flies.

“Fine, fine, fine — you’re arrogant, then we’ll see you at the holy land stone yard!” They wanted to strike, but when they recalled where they were, every one of them thought better of it.

“And who are you? Do I even know you? Some random cat or dog jumps out and I’m supposed to agree?” Ye Fan picked at his food, put it in his mouth, then looked up with a cold smile. “You want to compete against me in source arts? Fine — but prepare your divine source in advance. If the wager is worth less than a million catties of pure source, don’t even bother coming to me.”

Everyone was stunned. A million catties of source — this was a wager of absolutely staggering proportions. Something on this scale had almost never been seen before.

“Each one of you raining down arrogance on us, yet you can’t even produce the source? In that case, stop making grand boasts, drop your swagger, and go back to wherever you came from!” Ye Fan said icily.

“And do you even have a million catties of source yourself?!”

“Do you all really understand who you’re dealing with? Go ask around about Gu Feng’s record — just from the source arts clan members among you, we’ve already pocketed a god-source piece the size of a human head,” Li Heishui laughed loudly.

The group fell silent at once, having nothing more to say. A million catties of source was simply not something they could produce.

“You’re from different source arts ancient clans, aren’t you? Then go back and tell your elders — if they want to gamble with me, bring a million catties of source. Otherwise, don’t come provoking me!” Ye Fan also threw down hard words of his own.

Beside them, the young women were all stunned — a million catties of source. A figure so astronomical was simply staggering.

Many of the honored guests in other towers were startled as well. A world-shaking gamble — a million catties of source — putting out such words so brazenly truly shook everyone who heard them.

Not far away, several people were passing through and happened to catch sight of Ye Fan’s group. They sneered. “I wondered who it was — turns out it’s you two reckless young people. Truly arrogant!”

Ye Fan glanced over and saw it was Li Yishui, the Senior Elder of the Palace of Illusory Annihilation — someone he had butted heads with before.

“What has a source arts challenge between us got to do with you?” Li Heishui was utterly fearless. He had long since been itching to fling that iron token right in his face.

“And is that how you address me, young ones?” Li Yishui’s face darkened.

“Who do you think you are?!” Ye Fan and Li Heishui spoke at the same time. This source gamble was destined to stir up a great storm — and if things were going to be that way, it was better to intimidate the first one to stick their head out now.

“You two young fools have no idea what’s coming for you!”

“Old man, don’t pull rank with your seniority!” The two were entirely unintimidated.

At that moment, the Prince of Great Xia and the white-robed little nun arrived. Xia Yiming laughed from quite a distance away. “Brother Gu Feng, you’ve finally come back.”

Ye Fan was surprised to spot the little golden sprite as well — perched on the little nun’s shoulder, furiously waving its tiny claws at him.

“There’s really going to be a world-shaking wager? A million catties of source — enough to shake the entire Northern Region!” Yao Yue Kong laughed, walking inside.

“What a move!” From other towers, some elder-generation figures who had heard the commotion all exclaimed in admiration.

“Is Little Brother Gu Feng about to do something world-shaking again?” A light laugh rang out — the breathtakingly beautiful An Miaoyi appeared. She too was at the Illusory Feast Hall.