Chapter 1561: South Phoenix Cicada Garment

The beauty of a woman lies in her appearance, as well as in her form and spirit.

Qianye Ying'er was such a woman that even with her face hidden and her eyes unseen, the inherent charm emanating from her still possessed an elegance capable of dimming the very light of the sky.

The Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins, a man of forty cycles, had seen countless women, and few could still pique his interest. Yet, never before had anyone, by merely glimpsing their shadow, caused his soul to tremble so intensely.

The grimness and anger on his face vanished, replaced by a rapidly rising surge of fervor.

The person beside him, observing his expression, quickly said, "Two mid-stage Divine Kings. Their aura is unfamiliar, clearly not from the Eastern Ruins. It wouldn't be surprising if they are from outside the Five Ghost Realms. Does Young Master have an interest?"

Dong Xueci's gaze remained fixed on Qianye Ying'er; he was actually reluctant to move it, and said aloud, "This woman must be an absolute stunner. It's a pity the man beside her is such an eyesore."

As he murmured, he took a step. Seemingly just one step, it instantly closed the distance, bringing him directly in front of Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er. He smiled slightly and said, "We meet by chance; may I ask where the two of you are headed?"

Qianye Ying'er had used the Reverse Abyss Stone to suppress her aura to match Yun Che's, but her spiritual perception was exceptionally sharp. She had heard Dong Xueci's earlier words crystal clear. She coldly replied, "The Mid-Ruins Battle."

Yun Che's face remained expressionless... The Brahma Heaven Goddess was, after all, the Brahma Heaven Goddess; even without revealing her face, she would still attract trouble.

"Oh? Just as I thought," Dong Xueci's smile widened. "I am Dong Xueci of the Eastern Ruins Sect. I'm here for the battle as well. Since we are so fated to meet, how about the two of you join me?"

As he spoke, his gaze remained on Qianye Ying'er, carrying undisguised aggression... As the Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins, a figure who could act with impunity in the Five Ghost Realms, if he took a liking to a woman, it would only be the woman's good fortune; why would he need to hide it!

As for Yun Che, he didn't spare him a single glance, completely ignoring his presence.

He was certain that in the Five Ghost Realms, no one was unaware of the name "Dong Xueci" and the status it symbolized.

Moreover, the other party consisted of two mid-stage Divine Kings; they should know even more clearly who he was.

"No need," Qianye Ying'er coldly replied, and was about to leave.

Dong Xueci reached out a hand, and an invisible energy field blocked Qianye Ying'er's path. The smile on his face turned sinister. "What if I insist?"

No sooner had Dong Xueci's voice fallen than from the wind and sand to the south, a serene yet infinitely gentle female voice drifted over: "It's been many years, and the Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins has truly grown more accomplished. While your cultivation has advanced, have you also lost all sense of shame?"

"..." Dong Xueci sharply turned his gaze, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Within the wind and sand, a group of thirty to forty people slowly approached, all possessing extraordinary auras. The one leading them wore a dazzling golden phoenix robe, with an embroidered sash around her waist and golden-patterned shoes on her feet. On her head was a golden phoenix crown adorned with numerous tight, slender pearl tassels, completely obscuring her face.

She walked slowly, and as the pearl tassels gently swayed, glimpses of her delicate brows, snow-white skin, bright eyes, and jade-like lips appeared and disappeared, making it seem as if one was witnessing an ethereal painting gently dancing in the wind.

The voice from earlier belonged to this woman.

Yun Che's gaze shifted slightly, then lingered on her for several breaths.

In the omnipresent darkness of the Northern Divine Region, her attire, and indeed her very presence, were too dazzling. And the golden patterns inscribed on her phoenix robe... were unmistakably phoenix motifs!

But they were slightly different from the phoenix and ice phoenix he knew well.

"Well, who do we have here? It's Princess Chan'yi. Oh, no, no, no..." Dong Xueci grinned. "Now, one should call you Her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess of the Southern Phoenix."

Qianye Ying'er glanced at the woman and transmitted her voice to Yun Che, saying, "Nanhuang Chan'yi, daughter of the Southern Ruins Realm King. She is said to be the foremost beauty of the Five Ghost Realms."

She noticed Yun Che's gaze briefly lingering on Nanhuang Chan'yi and whispered, "What? Want to capture her for fun?"

Yun Che: "..."

Nanhuang Chan'yi ignored the mockery in Dong Xueci's words and said to Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er, "You two may leave. Private duels are forbidden during the Mid-Ruins Battle, and the Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins wouldn't be willing to lose all the face of the Eastern Ruins Sect here. You may go."

To anyone, Nanhuang Chan'yi was speaking up to resolve the dangerous situation they were about to face. If targeted by the Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins, only a handful of people in the entire Five Ghost Realms could save them. And among those of noble standing, only Nanhuang Chan'yi would likely be willing to speak up for unrelated individuals.

Yun Che did not move... If he didn't move, Qianye Ying'er naturally wouldn't either.

Not thanking, not leaving, their silence surprised and furrowed the brows of everyone present.

Dong Xueci was momentarily stunned, then burst into wild laughter. "Hahahaha, Nanhuang Chan'yi, it seems they don't appreciate your kindness at all. No wonder, you're intentionally ruining good things for people. How could they 'appreciate' that? Could it be that only you, Nanhuang Chan'yi, are allowed to lick Beihan Chu's toes, but other women aren't allowed to accept the olive branch thrown by this young master?"

"You impudent fool!!"

A furious roar erupted from behind Nanhuang Chan'yi as a man stepped forward, his face grim, his fists clenched tightly, glaring at Dong Xueci.

He also wore golden robes with phoenix patterns, exuding an air of nobility. His profound energy aura was far superior to Nanhuang Chan'yi's, clearly at the peak of the Divine King Realm, yet moments ago, he had stood behind Nanhuang Chan'yi.

"Oh?" Looking at the man who had suddenly stepped out, Dong Xueci's expression turned playful. "Tsk tsk, isn't this that useless crown prince of the Southern Phoenix Divine Kingdom... Oh no, no, no, you're not even a useless crown prince anymore. Without the title of crown prince, you've become pure trash, hahahaha."

This man was precisely the former Crown Prince of the Southern Phoenix, Nanhuang Jian. A month ago, after receiving news about Beihan Chu, the Southern Phoenix Divine Monarch hastily stripped him of his crown prince title and established Nanhuang Chan'yi as the Crown Princess. Yet, he seemed to have no complaints about this, willingly remaining submissively behind Nanhuang Chan'yi.

Nanhuang Chan'yi's delicate brows beneath her pearl veil furrowed slightly, while Nanhuang Jian was enraged. "Dong Xueci! You... seek... death!"

"Seek death?" Dong Xueci sneered. "A mere defeated opponent, do you even have the right to say those two words to me?"

"You!" Nanhuang Jian grew even angrier, black light flashing in his eyes.

"Big Brother," Nanhuang Chan'yi extended a hand. "Private duels are forbidden during the Mid-Ruins Battle. They are merely the base words of a base person. Why do you need to get angry?"

"..." Nanhuang Jian secretly gritted his teeth, forcefully suppressing his profound energy.

Dong Xueci's strength and profound cultivation talent were extremely high; otherwise, he wouldn't have been chosen as the Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins. His temperament was also exceptionally wild, arrogant, and unrestrained, a fact known throughout the Five Ghost Realms. However, as someone from a Realm King's lineage, no matter how wild Dong Xueci was, he had never been this bad before... This time, every word was laced with sarcasm and insult. Nanhuang Chan'yi knew the reason full well.

Dong Xueci sneered at Nanhuang Jian, then turned his gaze back to Nanhuang Chan'yi, his smile turning sinister. "Nanhuang Chan'yi, there's something this young master must remind you of. Don't ever think that by latching onto Beihan Chu's toes, you can then soar to the heavens with him."

"Back then, Beihan Chu brought lavish gifts, personally came to the Southern Phoenix Divine Kingdom to propose marriage. Not only was he rejected, but he couldn't even meet your face. What a great humiliation that was for a man."

"Now Beihan Chu has been chosen by the Nine Luminaries Heavenly Palace and is already the personal disciple of Venerable Hidden Blade. Venerable Hidden Blade personally stated back then that Beihan Chu would certainly become a Palace Master in the future. Such status and future are no longer something you, Nanhuang Chan'yi, are worthy of. Yet he still seems unable to forget you... Do you truly believe this is Beihan Chu's unwavering devotion?"

"Heh!" Dong Xueci scoffed. "Men understand men best. His actions are merely out of unwillingness to concede! The humiliation he suffered back then will be repaid a hundredfold upon you later. Dao companion? No, no, no, at most, you'll just be a plaything under his crotch!"

"As for your Southern Phoenix Divine Kingdom suppressing my Eastern Ruins Sect from now on... that's even more of a fool's dream!"

Dong Xueci's verbal abuse grew harsher with each sentence. It was clear that while he spoke with disdainful mockery, his heart was filled with hidden resentment and unwillingness.

"Dong... Xue... Ci..." Nanhuang Jian trembled all over, nearly exploding with rage.

But looking at Nanhuang Chan'yi, she showed not a trace of anger; the faint, ethereal aura around her was almost completely undisturbed. She calmly and faintly said, "Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins, a wise person knows to leave themselves a path of retreat at any time. You should take care of yourself."

"Big Brother, let's go."

Ignoring everyone else, Nanhuang Chan'yi turned and left. That golden phoenix silhouette was quite dreamlike and ethereal in the wind and sand.

"Hmph!" His efforts were like a flurry of punches landing on cotton; he felt not the slightest anger or humiliation from Nanhuang Chan'yi, only a faint, dismissive disdain. Dong Xueci was extremely displeased in his heart and coldly said, "In every past Mid-Ruins Battle, your Southern Ruins Realm, including your foreign aid, couldn't even gather ten Level Ten Divine Kings. In the last one, you even found two Level Eight Divine Kings just to make up the numbers. It's one thing to lose all your own face, but you also lowered the standard of the entire Mid-Ruins Battle! You are truly a disgrace to the Five Ghost Realms!"

Nanhuang Chan'yi did not respond, her figure receding into the distance.

"Let's go," Qianye Ying'er said.

Yun Che turned around. As he took a step, a cold remark escaped him: "So this is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins, such a caliber of person. It seems the Eastern Ruins Sect has no future to speak of."

Although Yun Che's words were low, they were clearly audible to Dong Xueci and also to Nanhuang Chan'yi and the others who were walking away. Their bodies stiffened simultaneously.

Dong Xueci slowly turned around, showing no annoyance or anger. Instead, a faint smile curved his lips. "Repeat what you just said."

"Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins," Nanhuang Chan'yi's clear and graceful voice came from within the wind and sand, "Don't forget the consequences of private duels during the Mid-Ruins Battle."

Dong Xueci's eyes narrowed into extremely thin slits, his gaze sweeping over Yun Che's back, firmly imprinting his and Qianye Ying'er's auras in his memory. He then smiled. "Very good."

"Let's go." Dong Xueci indeed did not make a move against Yun Che. "Father King is probably getting impatient. This is the first time someone has dared to defy my Eastern Ruins Sect. I wonder how Father King will react when he finds out. Perhaps, in his extreme rage, he might personally go to the Eastern Realm and kill that arrogant scoundrel named Yun Che."

At this moment, Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er simultaneously heard Nanhuang Chan'yi's transmitted voice in their ears: "The Crown Prince of the Eastern Ruins is narrow-minded. You shouldn't have offended him with such words. Leave this place as soon as possible, otherwise, after the Mid-Ruins Battle, he will surely make a move against you."

"Where to?" Qianye Ying'er asked.

"To the Eastern Ruins Sect's side," Yun Che said. "Since we promised, we should fulfill our word."

"Is that so?" Qianye Ying'er slanted a glance at him, but suddenly asked another question: "What do you think of Nanhuang Chan'yi?"

"Unfathomable," Yun Che said faintly.

"...!?" This answer greatly startled Qianye Ying'er. The meaning conveyed by those four words could be significant or minor, but in her opinion, it absolutely should not apply to Nanhuang Chan'yi.

"Why?" Qianye Ying'er asked.

"I don't know," Yun Che replied.