Chapter 119: Yan Ruyu

The mountains were lush with vegetation, enveloped in green mists, shimmering and colorful as if carved from jade. Mists churned, and an ethereal, immortal aura drifted about.

Three years passed. The mysterious woman had become even more ethereal and refined, beautiful as an immortal, seemingly detached from the mundane world, as if she could ascend to the palaces of the Ninth Heaven at any moment.

She stood in the pavilion, white robes fluttering and black hair gently swaying. Her eyes were like water, seemingly veiled by mist, giving a dreamlike, illusory feeling. Looking down, the moment she saw Ye Fan, a strange look appeared on her face. "It's you—"

Qin Yao and the other alluring, graceful women, with their lithe figures and captivating smiles, all bowed gracefully to the woman on the mountain.

Ye Fan had to admit that this woman was truly flawlessly beautiful, without a single blemish, almost perfect. Among all the women he knew, only the Saintess of Tianxuan he had encountered in the Ancient Forbidden Land could compare. "It's me. We meet again."

Qin Yao and the others were surprised to hear this, not expecting them to know each other. They couldn't help but glance at Ye Fan a few times before looking at the mysterious woman in the mountains. "Your Highness, this young man was sent by Daoist Duan. As he said, he possesses a rare precious body, a valuable sacred artifact," Qin Yao reported to the perfect woman.

Ye Fan was astonished. From the address, it seemed the perfect woman was indeed a descendant of the Demon Emperor. At the same time, he felt sensitive to the term "sacred artifact" and found it strange. He asked, "What... what do you mean?"

Qin Yao had a slender figure with subtle curves. The red mole between her eyebrows emitted a faint glow, her eyes darted, and her smile was sweet as she said, "Don't worry. For you, once chosen, there will be immense benefits."

The flawless woman in the pavilion, as fresh as a flowering tree covered in snow, had a graceful, jade-like body, sparkling skin, and peerless beauty. Her voice was as beautiful as celestial music. She said, "How could it be him..." "I also didn't expect to meet under such circumstances. Please, fairy, tell me where Pang Bo is and how he is now. Please let me see him."

Below the mountains, more than a dozen demon women showed strange expressions, not understanding why Ye Fan knew Pang Bo and specifically asked to see him. "I'm afraid I cannot grant your wish," the perfect woman in the pavilion said softly. "Why?" "He is in seclusion and won't be able to appear for two years."

Ye Fan had a hidden worry in his heart and loudly asked, "What I'm truly concerned about is his safety. Please tell me, is he still the same Pang Bo?"

The woman in the pavilion was like a Xuan Nü from the Nine Heavens, her hair gently flowing, her sleeves fluttering, possessing a beauty that could make fish sink and wild geese fall, and flowers feel ashamed. She said nothing, her expression calm, and merely nodded, then shook her head. "What exactly do you mean?" Ye Fan felt uneasy. Beside him, the enchanting Qin Yao, with a red mole between her eyebrows, vibrant red lips, pearly white teeth, and lightly raised eyebrows, smiled sensually and said, "You don't need to worry. There are some things Her Highness cannot answer directly. But please rest assured, even demons have principles. We never harm people without reason. You will definitely see your friend in the future."

"My intuition tells me that what you're saying isn't entirely true," Ye Fan said, staring at Qin Yao. "Please tell me, what really happened to Pang Bo?"

"No one can say for sure right now. Everything will be known only after he emerges from seclusion." Saying this, Qin Yao bowed gracefully to the flawless woman and said, "Your Highness, this body is truly exceptionally powerful, worthy of being called a precious body, very suitable as a sacred artifact."

On the mountain, sparkling flower petals danced, emitting bursts of fragrance. The perfect woman bathed in the gleaming flower rain, slightly furrowed her brows, and said, "Why would it be him..." "Is he not suitable?" Qin Yao asked, puzzled. "His vitality is abundant, and his life force is strong. He can indeed temporarily serve as a sacred artifact, but if the one in seclusion senses it, they might become restless, and another change could occur." "Serve as a sacred artifact, for what?" Ye Fan was bewildered, his heart filled with questions.

The woman standing in the pavilion, with eyebrows like a painting, glanced at Ye Fan and said, "First, take him away."

Several enchanting demonesses, enough to make one's heart sway, came over with faint smiles and led Ye Fan out of the valley. Qin Yao did not leave. Her red lips moved slightly as she asked, "Your Highness, are you perhaps overthinking this?"

"There are some things you don't know. If something goes wrong, the consequences will be severe."

"If we don't consider other factors, Your Highness, what do you think of this precious body?" Qin Yao asked.

"Naturally, it's powerful enough, truly a temporary choice." On the mountain, sparkling petals drifted. The white-clad woman, graceful as a jade tree with eyes like autumn water, softly said, "The one in seclusion once mentioned that this young man named Ye Fan, as well as Pang Bo, have both consumed sacred medicine. If a demon king were to seize their physical forms, it's highly possible they could achieve corporeal emperorship in the future."

In the distance, Ye Fan's heart jolted. Although far away, his divine sense was incredibly strong, and he heard these words.

"These two are both..." Qin Yao revealed a surprised expression and said, "No wonder that mysterious Daoist Duan said this child is exceptionally gifted and incredibly powerful. So that's the reason." Then she looked pleased and said, "Isn't this excellent? The one in seclusion has chosen a physical body, and now this one is perfect to be used as a sacred artifact."

Ye Fan, who had already reached outside the canyon, felt a tremor in his heart. He felt that Pang Bo's situation was precarious, and his fate was unpredictable. The perfect woman on the mountain shook her head and said, "The one in seclusion doesn't even know if they can continue their life. In the future, it's hard to say who will complete whom." "This..." "And this young man named Ye Fan has a very unusual body. If he is used as a sacred artifact, it's hard to predict what might happen. The one in seclusion once said that he seems to be from before the Primordial Era..."

These were the last words Ye Fan heard. He was led away from the place and then into a valley. There were vast peach groves, many with ancient trees thousands of years old. A verdant pond lay in the center of the peach grove, with several thatched huts built nearby, creating a natural and harmonious scene. This was Ye Fan's temporary residence.

It wasn't until the fifth day that the perfect, flawless woman reappeared. Her true name was Yan Ruyu, a name synonymous with extreme beauty. If anyone else bore this name, Ye Fan would certainly dismiss it, but this woman, with her spirit like autumn water and bones like jade, seemed to have stepped out of a poem or painting. She hardly seemed a real person and was fully worthy of this name.

Qin Yao was by her side, along with two old women. They floated lightly to the verdant pond and carefully examined Ye Fan's body in the thatched hut, all showing strange expressions. "He can be used as a sacred artifact," one old woman said.

After the three left, Qin Yao came to the spot. Peach blossoms bloomed all around, a scene of pink, but she was more beautiful than the flowers, swaying gracefully. She chuckled, "You must have many questions in your heart. Rest assured, we won't harm you. On the contrary, your great fortune has arrived." Ye Fan asked in a deep voice, "What exactly do you intend to do?" "You've seen the Demon Emperor's Heart, how did you feel?"

"Extremely terrifying." This was the truth. Even powerful cultivators at or beyond the Nirvanic Shore realm couldn't approach that pulsating heart; they would vomit blood from its pulsations. It was hard to imagine how terrifyingly powerful it was.

"Good that you know." Qin Yao gave him a charming glance, giggled, and pinched his cheek. She said, "An immense fortune is about to fall upon you. If you achieve anything in the future, don't forget me."

"What do you mean?"

"Using your body as a sacred artifact to nourish the Great Emperor's heart, keeping it vital. At the same time, it will nourish your physical body. Don't you think this is an immense fortune?" "This..." Ye Fan was extremely shocked, never expecting that his body would be used as a vessel to host the Demon Emperor's Heart.

"You don't need to worry. The Great Emperor's sacred heart has been sealed; otherwise, you wouldn't be able to bear it. Now, it will only benefit your body, not harm it." At this point, Qin Yao exhaled a fragrant breath, lightly blew into his ear, and sweetly smiled, "If you can truly nourish this sacred heart, our Highness is destined to offer herself to you in the future. This is the dream of countless men in the entire Eastern Wasteland!" "I don't want to be a so-called sacred artifact!" Ye Fan did not want to accept this unknown arrangement.

"How many people dream of such a fortune, yet you..." Qin Yao lightly tapped his forehead with a finger and said, "That sacred heart is enough to make you reborn. If someone with your physique weren't so hard to find, do you think such an opportunity would fall to you? In the future, Her Highness will cultivate a supreme demonic art with this sacred heart and will offer herself to you as your wife. With such an unparalleled beauty by your side, what more could you be unsatisfied with?" To nourish the Demon Emperor's sacred heart with his own body and marry that flawless woman felt like a dream to Ye Fan. "An unparalleled beauty by my side is more than I could ask for, but as for that heart, I must respectfully decline. Please find someone else."

"You truly dare to speak so boldly. Who do you think Her Highness is, to accompany you without reason? You're dreaming!" Qin Yao rolled her eyes at him, and with a slender jade finger, she pinched his cheek and said, "Fortune has arrived, and you're actually declining it. I don't know what to say about you."

Whether Ye Fan accepted or refused, it couldn't change this fact. Three days later, the flawless woman Yan Ruyu, Qin Yao, and more than a dozen old women appeared in the peach garden and confined him in front of the thatched hut.

A divine iron rod, as thick as a water vat and carved with various vibrant beast patterns, rose from the verdant deep pond. Sparkling with light, it was inserted into the peach grove, and Ye Fan was bound to it.

Yan Ruyu, appearing around ten years old, was peerlessly graceful. Her delicate features, exquisite beauty, and shimmering jade-like complexion made one feel she was flawless and pure, like heaven's most perfect work of art. She stood there, quietly watching Ye Fan. "Yan Ruyu, my future wife, can you..." As soon as Ye Fan spoke these words, he could no longer speak, his mouth sealed by Yan Ruyu herself.

In the peach garden, waves surged from the verdant pond. Nine golden carp, several meters long, pulled a crystal coffin to the surface. Instantly, an incredibly vibrant life force was felt, as if an ocean was undulating.

The crystal coffin was two meters long and one meter wide, translucent and sparkling. In the sunlight, it shimmered with multicolored divine radiance, truly extraordinary. Inside, there was a fist-sized heart, dripping crimson, brilliantly dazzling, like a divine seat of red jade, incomparably splendid. The powerful life force originated from it. It was the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart!

Sealed within, it was surrounded by crimson mist and glowing fog, causing heart palpitations. It cast a vibrant red glow upon the crystal coffin, shimmering brightly, illuminating everything.

Ye Fan wanted to roar, but couldn't make a sound. He wanted to struggle, but couldn't move. Bound to the divine iron, he was powerless to stop any of it.