“Elder Brother Ye, I keep hearing people say you are quite familiar with the immortal lady of the Miaoyu Nunnery — is that true?” Feng Lie asked.
Ye Fan gave him a sideways glance and said: “Why are you asking about that?”
“I’m doing this for your own good. My sister is high-minded and proud — even now that you’ve achieved minor completion of the Holy Body, she may not necessarily give you a second look. Try not to let any rumors start flying around.” Feng Lie cautioned.
The last time, he had been sent on a mission to test Ye Fan — and the result was that Ye Fan, showing no regard for anyone, had given him a thorough beating in an amusing little farce of a brother-in-law thrashing his young brother-in-law.
At the time, Feng Lie had been beside himself with fury — burning with resentment, swearing he would never let the matter rest with Ye Fan. But upon seeing Ye Fan’s breakthrough succeed, every trace of that spirit instantly vanished without a trace.
“Elder Brother Ye, how does one get to see the immortal lady Miao Yi? Give me a pointer — some friends and I would like to meet her.” Feng Lie asked in a low voice, fearing the elders might overhear.
“No wonder you’re so eager about this.” Ye Fan looked him over, then said in earnest counsel: “At such a young age, don’t go learning bad habits — stay away from places like that.”
“You are two years younger than me!” Feng Lie muttered, inwardly deeply contemptuous — yet not daring to show it.
“What are you grumbling about?” Ye Fan shot him a glare.
“I’m just saying I want to broaden my horizons. How about this — Elder Brother Ye, you take us there. I swear I definitely won’t tell my sister.” Feng Lie coaxed and wheedled.
Ye Fan was truly at a loss for words. This bargain-priced young brother-in-law was truly a rare specimen. Right then and there he gave him a smack on the head and said: “What are you rambling about?”
“It’s not like you haven’t been to that place yourself — don’t put on airs of propriety in front of me!” Feng Lie was very displeased, muttering in a voice barely above a whisper.
Ye Fan was both exasperated and amused. This fellow was truly something else — wanting to drag him along to the Miaoyu Nunnery. If the Wind Clan’s Holy Lord were to find out about this, he would certainly break both his legs.
“Rest assured — this time it is absolutely not a test or a trial. I’ve no desire to be beaten by you again.”
“Go be cool somewhere else.” Ye Fan glared at him and paid him no further mind. Now that the Holy Body had achieved minor completion, he had no idea how many pairs of eyes were fixed on him — one careless move and there could be a catastrophe bringing death.
“You are truly no fun!” Feng Lie flicked his sleeve and left in a huff.
Ye Fan rubbed his chin, wanting to laugh but unable to. Even if he wanted to see An Miaoyi, he could not possibly go together with Feng Lie.
Not long after, Feng Lie came back and said: “Elder Brother Ye, one of the elder ancestors in our clan has said they will have us accompany you for a stroll outside. We will be leaving the divine city before long.”
Ye Fan’s expression shifted. Now was a particularly sensitive period — going out to walk around was not a good idea. He did not understand why the Wind Clan had made this decision.
“There is no harm in going. This was the Peerless Divine King’s idea. He is about to depart — he wishes to act one final time.” An elder of the Wind Clan walked into the room.
Ye Fan’s heart leapt. The Divine King’s days were numbered. This was to be one last act of deterrence — and in all likelihood, from this point on he would never appear again…
The divine city was as prosperous and bustling as ever. On the main streets, carriages and horses flowed in a constant stream — crowds moving without end. In particular, the recent storm surrounding the Holy Body’s breakthrough had drawn throngs of cultivators.
Feng Lie’s friends were not holy land disciples then they were the children of ancient noble families — every one of them of considerable background, the young men dashing and full of spirit, the young women fair of face and beautiful of appearance. A genuine gathering of the privileged and powerful.
“Feng Lie, your little brother-in-law is terrifyingly impressive — are you feeling the pressure?”
“On the night of the full moon, I witnessed with my own eyes how terrifying the Holy Body is. He stood alone against the Tribulation-Crossing Immortal Song — all those Holy Son seniors and juniors of ours were all so intimidated none of them dared make a move.”
“Your sister is three years older than him, you know — and you are also two years older than him. Will it feel strange to call him brother-in-law?”
Some of the young men and women teased Feng Lie, utterly failing to notice Ye Fan standing in the distance.
There were others whose expressions were displeased — these were Feng Huang’s suitors, none of whom wished to see this marriage alliance come to fruition.
“Feng Huang hasn’t even arrived yet. I’ve heard she refuses to entertain the marriage alliance and has no desire to see the Holy Body at all — and the Wind Clan hasn’t officially made any decision. There are still variables in play.”
“Feng Huang has the beauty to make fish sink and wild geese fall, to shame the moon and make flowers hide in embarrassment. Her talent is unparalleled. She created a divine technique at the age of thirteen — it is not unreasonable that she would not choose the Holy Body.”
“The Holy Body was unable to cultivate before. Even though the breakthrough succeeded, who knows what will happen in the future? There is too much uncertainty. The Wind Clan has no pressing need to be so eager about him.”
The earlier teasing was all well and good — but these later words made Feng Lie’s expression shift. “Do not talk nonsense.”
“What has gotten into you, Feng Lie? Didn’t you look down on the Holy Body as well?”
“Right, weren’t you just given a thorough beating by him not long ago? What’s this — now you’re speaking up for him?”
“Stop your nonsense!” Feng Lie cut them off — he had not expected these people to say such things.
Ye Fan let a hint of a smile show at the corner of his mouth and stepped over with an unhurried gait. His eyes were clear and bright, his hair drifting in the wind — otherworldly and transcendent as a banished immortal, carrying a nimble and unrestrained grace.
“The Holy Body…”
Those who had just been speaking all tensed in an instant, immediately clamping their mouths shut. Even their Holy Son seniors and juniors were wary of the man before them — to say nothing of themselves.
Ye Fan’s Holy Body had achieved minor completion; on the night of the full moon he had battled the peerless genius Xia Jiuyou and held the entire younger generation in awe. Now, how many would dare contend with him?
Thinking of ancient phenomena as terrifying as the Immortal King Descending Upon the Nine Heavens and the Chaos Seed Cyan Lotus — these people’s hearts were still pounding — let alone Ye Fan’s flesh and blood, which surged like a true dragon, as fearsome as anything they had ever seen.
“Elder Brother Ye…” Everyone called out greetings in turn, several of the young men among them clearly nervous, fearing Ye Fan would hold their earlier words against them.
On the contrary, several of the young women were lively and animated, their beautiful eyes brightening with curiosity, stepping forward to strike up conversation with Ye Fan on their own initiative.
“We witnessed Elder Brother Ye’s divine valor with our own eyes — and we’ve also heard your source arts techniques are without peer. Would you let us broaden our horizons?”
“Right, there is a holy land stone workshop just ahead — why don’t we let us have a look?”
Several young women with bright and expressive eyes all wore smiles, speaking up one after another.
Ye Fan did not decline. He wanted to try his luck at the various stone workshops, holding out a thin thread of hope — perhaps he might cut out an imperishable divine medicine to save the Divine King and little Tingting.
The Violet Qilin, after all, was only a seed. Although it could extend one’s lifespan, it was certainly far inferior to a mature divine medicine, and likely could not treat the root of the problem.
Unfortunately, more than half a day passed and he had not cracked open a single piece of stone — because no matter what methods he employed, even unleashing his Source Heaven Divine Perception, he had not detected even a trace of the immortal treasure he sought.
He could only sigh. The reason imperishable divine medicines were so precious was precisely because they were so exceedingly rare — encountered only by chance and never on demand. Even in the most ancient of times, only a handful existed.
Would the Peerless Divine King truly perish? Ye Fan was deeply unwilling to accept it. The resolve that had long simmered within his heart grew firmer still — and he resumed collecting divine source stone skins.
Over these past several days, Ye Fan had not appeared in the outside world. Now that he was moving about through the various stone workshops, he instantly drew enormous attention. Countless cultivators were exceedingly enthusiastic.
Ye Fan’s last stop was at the Ji Family stone workshop, hoping once more to find a king stone — yet in the end he was left entirely disappointed. He came away empty-handed once more.
“Elder Brother Ye — congratulations on breaking the curse!”
“A joyous occasion worthy of celebration — the Great Completion Holy Body is finally about to appear in the world once more.”
“Young Brother Ye, I have arranged a banquet at the Zui Xian Pavilion. Today we drink until we can drink no more.”
…
It seemed everyone knew who he was. Everywhere he went, there were warm calls of greeting. Ye Fan returned them all with a smile — until the expression on his face gradually went numb, and in the end he had no choice but to leave.
“Dong!”
On the way back, a world-shaking thunderous sound rang out. The vault of heaven was struck and cracked — the Peerless Divine King had made a move, and with a single strike he ended the lives of every person lurking in the shadows with malicious intent.
“This…” The many cultivators of the divine city went pale with shock, deeply shaken.
The Peerless Divine King was about to pass from the world — and yet he still possessed such battle power. It filled everyone’s hearts with unease. In particular, those who had harbored ill intentions all went into hiding, not daring to make a move any longer.
Feng Huang arrived — so suddenly that it took everyone entirely by surprise.
Even those of the Wind Clan had received no advance notice. They only learned of it when they saw her.
Feng Huang’s radiant name had spread throughout the Eastern Desolation. She was the Wind Clan’s breathtaking and luminous prized daughter — not only was her appearance transcendent and unparalleled in the world, but her cultivation talent was equally astonishing. She had created a divine technique at the age of thirteen and had once fought the young Golden-Winged Little Peng King to a draw.
After seeing her, Ye Fan felt that this young woman’s name suited her perfectly.
Her figure was slender and graceful. She wore a stunning five-colored cloud robe — as though woven from the divine feathers of a phoenix — radiating divine brilliance, its five-colored luminous light shimmering and shifting, dazzling beyond description.
Her legendary face of incomparable beauty in the world could not be seen — for upon her face she wore a phoenix mask, overflowing with brilliance, utterly impossible to see through.
She was fair of form and flawless of bone, flowing with a layer of translucent luminous radiance — incomparably pure and holy. Her immortal figure was tall and graceful, standing slender and upright, her slender waist exquisitely fine, her body’s curves perfect and flawless without a single flaw to find. Her entire being shimmered with radiant light, overflowing with brilliance — it was impossible to look upon her directly.
In truth, she was indeed like a proud and celestial phoenix — lifting her flawless and translucent chin, revealing a snow-white neck like a swan’s, supremely haughty, and she said: “I will never marry you!”
Ye Fan smiled and said nothing, his expression perfectly calm.
Feng Huang was dazzlingly beautiful. Even the strands of her black hair shimmered with translucent luminous light. Her entire being was like jade — radiant and overwhelming. She tilted her head upward with supreme arrogance and said: “What does it matter that you are a Holy Body? I, Feng Huang, do not look up to you! Whatever arrangement the clan may have made before — from this day onward, we have no connection whatsoever.”
“Actually, there is no need for you to say these things to me. You can go directly to the Wind Clan’s Holy Lord, explain your position, and after that would it not all be settled?” Ye Fan said in an entirely calm tone.
“You need not tell me what to do — I am perfectly aware. I am simply making certain you understand that it is absolutely impossible for there to be any betrothal between us!” Feng Huang’s voice was clear and melodious, pleasant to the ear — yet the meaning behind her words carried not the slightest softness.
“Very well, you have finished speaking and I have finished listening. You may go to the Wind Clan’s Holy Lord now.” Ye Fan sipped his tea, looking utterly indifferent.
Feng Huang glowed with five-colored radiance — as though she were a celestial immortal who had strayed from the Nine Heavens Palace down into the mortal world. She still had her chin tilted upward, as if standing high above in the clouds, looking down below. She let out a light hum, and those phoenix eyes swept over Ye Fan several times.
Members of the Wind Clan arrived upon hearing the news, several of the older generation entering the room one after another.
“Our little princess has come — why not come see a few old men like us first?” Several of the elders all wore smiles, clearly very fond of and indulgent toward Feng Huang.
Feng Huang bowed in a proper and graceful salute, her voice soft and gentle — very adept at pleasing these elders.
“Why did our Wind Clan’s prized daughter just speak in such a manner?” The several elders appeared to have heard her words.
Feng Huang stood slender and graceful, her head shaking gently, her voice sweet: “Several Honored Ancestors, I have absolutely no wish to be betrothed to the Holy Body.”
“Why not?” one of the elders asked.
“I should be the one asking why I must be betrothed to him. What is the reason?” Feng Huang shot back.
“You…” The several elders were at a loss for words. There were things that truly could not be said in Ye Fan’s presence — to do so would come across as far too crass, though everyone understood what lay behind it.
“What of being a Holy Body? I share no connection with him and have never met him before. Even if I were truly to be betrothed to someone, I would choose a person with the potential to become a Great Emperor — not a probable Great Emperor!” Feng Huang stood with her chin tilted upward, her body translucently luminous, colored radiance flowing around her, her voice captivating. “Even from the standpoint of strength alone — I myself have hope of walking to that place. Why should I be betrothed to him?”