Chapter 199: Yaochi Saintess

The Jade Lake Immortal Stone Workshop is elegant and tranquil. Exotic trees and rare plants are cultivated in its courtyards, and stones are scattered around, resembling strange rocks and miniature mountains, creating a charming and well-arranged scene.

Their layout is meticulously designed, featuring gurgling springs and vine-covered pavilions. Stone pieces are artfully arranged everywhere, creating a refreshing atmosphere, as if one has returned to nature. "Are the fairies from Jade Lake who have arrived in Pingyan City truly their Saintess?" "I heard that the Jade Lake Saintess is touring various regions in the Northern Lands, so it's very likely she has come in person. Otherwise, the Immortal Stone Workshop wouldn't have closed in the morning." Many people came here with the intention of catching a glimpse of the Saintess's true face.

This is because the Jade Lake's reputation is immense; it has spread not only throughout the Eastern Wasteland but also to the Central Plains and the Northern Desert. It is considered the most ethereal and spiritual sacred land, and its female disciples are all blessed with the spiritual wisdom of heaven and earth.

Many young talents from powerful factions consider it an honor to marry a Jade Lake fairy. However, very few have succeeded. Even ancient aristocratic families with immense power and great sacred lands with profound heritage can only admire them from afar.

Jade Lake disciples are almost forbidden from marrying outside, let alone the Saintess of the sect. Throughout its long history, there have only been one or two instances where a Saintess became someone's wife.

Ye Fan suddenly noticed someone watching him. He turned to look and saw a young man in purple robes, surrounded by others like a moon among stars, standing not far away.

Beside him were several familiar faces, all of whom Ye Fan had seen at the Rongxiang Stone Gambling House. At that time, they had been accompanying Liu Chengen; now, they were led by the man in purple. "People from the Azure Cloud Sect," Ye Fan frowned slightly, but he wasn't worried. With his current cultivation, having reached the Other Shore realm, he was considered a minor expert. Although he couldn't compare to the heirs of sacred lands, among smaller sects, he was definitely considered a "young hero." "This guy's cultivation isn't weak either," Ye Fan thought, a little surprised that the other party had also reached the Other Shore realm.

The purple-robed man cast a nearly contemptuous glance at him, then turned away, no longer looking at him. Beside him, the others looked even more hostile, glancing over a few times and whispering to each other.

Ye Fan chuckled coldly, unconcerned. Even formidable forces like the Ji Family and powerful sacred lands like the Shaking Light Holy Land couldn't do anything to him, so he naturally wasn't afraid of an "expert" from the Azure Cloud Sect. "Mud monkeys, haven't you returned to the mines? You've earned so much source energy, aren't you satisfied yet?" Someone from the Azure Cloud Sect walked over, his words full of provocation. "Are you here to return the source energy?" Ye Fan glanced at him indifferently. "If not, then get lost and stop being an eyesore here." This was just a servant from the Azure Cloud Sect, yet he dared to speak like that. Ye Fan naturally wouldn't show him any respect. "You... you're really bold! Daring to act wildly in Pingyan City, even making Young Master Liu Chengen write an IOU. You must have a death wish." "You owe me source energy, yet you come here to threaten and intimidate? Are you speaking on behalf of the Azure Cloud Sect?" Ye Fan swept his gaze over him. "A mere servant dares to spout such nonsense. Get out!"

He let out a soft cry. Others might not have felt anything, but to the servant, it was like a clap of thunder. His ears buzzed, and he fell backward onto the ground, his face changing color as he stammered, "You..."

Not far away, the others were startled. The purple-robed man slowly stepped forward, approaching Ye Fan, and looked down at him. "Quite a display of power, aren't you?" "You flatter me," Ye Fan replied nonchalantly, not looking at him but instead admiring the beautiful scenery of the Jade Lake Immortal Stone Workshop. "Do you really think he was praising you? You're just a mere miner, after all," someone beside him sneered. "People of your caliber can only understand things at that level," Ye Fan scoffed, glancing at him. He then stopped Wang Shu and Er Lengzi, who were about to step forward, telling them to stay put and not get involved.

"I heard that my younger brother, Liu Chengen, owes you ninety jin of source energy. Is that true?" the purple-robed man asked indifferently. "That's right. Are you here to pay his debt?" Ye Fan replied unhurriedly. "Hand over the IOU. I want to see if it's real," the purple-robed man demanded, reaching out coldly to Ye Fan. Ye Fan pulled out a piece of paper, holding it between two fingers, and handed it to him.

The purple-robed man didn't look at it himself but simply tossed it to the person beside him, saying, "Take a good look. Is this Chengen's handwriting?"

"Fake! How could this possibly be an IOU written by Young Master Er? It's clearly a forgery," one of the people nearby declared. He didn't even look at the paper after taking it, immediately tearing it into pieces. Then, with a forceful rub of his hand, he pulverized it into dust, which scattered and fell to the ground. "You've got some nerve, trying to extort even me and slander Chengen's name!" the purple-robed man sneered, staring at Ye Fan. "I think you're truly desperate for money! How could these mud monkeys possibly identify stones? They clearly want to extort us. If we don't teach them a lesson, it'll be hard to swallow." "Take them out and beat them half to death!" the people nearby all shouted, ready to grab Ye Fan and drag him away. "You're going too far!" Er Lengzi's eyes turned red. Seeing the IOU torn to shreds, he was about to charge forward and fight with all his might. "How could you do this?" Wang Shu also grew agitated, filled with boundless rage, yet he felt helpless. The Azure Cloud Sect was a legitimate sect, not something their stone village could provoke. "Debts must be paid; that's only natural. Aren't you ashamed of such despicable tactics?" Ye Fan said coldly, simultaneously stopping Er Lengzi and Wang Shu. "You little brat, what nonsense are you spouting? Who owes you source energy?" someone next to the purple-robed man snapped. "Produce the real IOU! If you don't, we'll break your legs today. How dare a mere child try to extort people!" "I..." Not far away, Er Lengzi wished he could pounce on them and bite off a few chunks of their flesh. "Teach these mud monkeys a lesson! If they don't produce dozens of source energy, we won't let them off today! Why bother talking nonsense with them? Just drag them out and beat them half to death first!"

The purple-robed man's companions all gathered around, wanting to drag Ye Fan away. They dared not act violently within the courtyard, fearing the wrath of the Jade Lake Immortal Stone Workshop. "All of you, get lost!" Ye Fan scanned the group. "Aren't you eager to see the IOU?"

As he spoke, he pulled out another piece of paper, but instead of handing it over, he merely waved it in front of everyone's eyes. "This is..." The person who had just torn up the previous paper showed a look of surprise. This was clearly the real IOU; the one before was fake, and he had crumpled it without looking.

The purple-robed man turned back and shot a glance at him, causing the man to shudder. Then, with a fierce glint in his eye, he was about to pounce forward and snatch the real IOU.

"You truly have audacious gall! In broad daylight, under the clear sky, you dare to cause trouble in the Jade Lake Immortal Stone Workshop? Do you truly have no regard for the fairies of a sacred land?" Ye Fan bellowed, his voice carrying far.

In front, all the people who had come to gamble on stones heard him and turned to look back.

"What's going on?" a clear and melodious voice inquired. It was a maiden from the Jade Lake Immortal Stone Workshop.

"Please forgive us, fair maiden of Jade Lake. We merely had a small argument due to a momentary impulse," the purple-robed man said, bowing towards the front.

From the distant halls and pavilions, the sound of a guzheng drifted, and no further questions were asked.

"You mud monkey, you're something else!" All the people around the purple-robed man glared furiously at Ye Fan.

"What, do you still want to cause trouble? Or should we invite a Jade Lake fairy to arbitrate?" Ye Fan sneered, looking at them.

The purple-robed man flicked his sleeve and walked away, his companions following closely behind him.

"Kid, make sure you keep that IOU safe for me. Don't you dare lose it," one of them said, looking back with bitter resentment, his words chilling.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it safe and wait for you to come and pay the source energy," Ye Fan said, lightly flicking the IOU before putting it into his sleeve.

The inner courtyard was even more secluded. In front, there was a small but crystal-clear lake, its banks covered in old vines, making it exceptionally beautiful. Along the shore, stones were piled and arranged to form scenic landscapes, exuding a serene and natural ambiance.

By the lakeside, a pavilion was built right by the water. Ethereal mist hung around it, the pavilion itself nestled among ancient trees, surrounded by lush greenery and enveloped by the mist. The sound of a guzheng, like heavenly music, emanated from there, stirring the soul. The guzheng music was long and lingering, subtly graceful, fresh, and expansive, with endless charm.

Although separated by green foliage and shrouded in ethereal mist, it was as if one could glimpse a fairy in the pavilion gently playing the guzheng, so otherworldly and peerless, untainted by worldly dust, beautiful enough to take one's breath away.

It was as if an illusion appeared: clouds and mist drifted, jade towers and palaces shimmered faintly, and an unblemished woman stood alone on the clouds... This music made one's emotions ebb and flow, moving with the sound. Ye Fan's heart trembled. This person's mastery was extraordinary, no less than Hua Yunfei's; it was almost reaching the Dao. The guzheng music possessed a magical power, seemingly able to influence one's emotions.

At this moment, all the fish in the lake gathered in the clear waters in front of the pavilion, swaying their heads and tails as if dancing, completely engrossed in the music. "Even if she's not the Jade Lake Saintess, she's certainly an astonishingly talented individual," Ye Fan thought to himself. "She's an heir of Jade Lake; their Saintess has truly arrived," an old man said. Ye Fan turned to look and found it was indeed the same group of distinguished elders whom Er Lengzi had previously annoyed. "How do you know?" Er Lengzi, ever familiar, stepped forward to ask. The elders' faces darkened, but none of them paid him any mind, continuing their own conversation. "The Jade Lake Saintess is renowned throughout the Eastern Wasteland; her identity is no small matter. Her arrival will likely attract..." "I just saw a young man from the Jiang Family, and a junior from the Shaking Light Holy Land who fancies himself dashing has also arrived. I've seen them both in Sacred City." "Indeed, many people have come, and a few small bandits have also shown up. Could those scoundrels be thinking of snatching the Jade Lake Saintess? If they really did that, it would be quite interesting." "Jade Lake is truly extraordinary. Whether in our era or the present, those who contend for them are always present."

These elders clearly had extraordinary backgrounds, and Ye Fan secretly felt fortunate not to have offended them. He believed that people of their status wouldn't care about Er Lengzi's informal way of speaking.

At the same time, Ye Fan was surprised. According to these elders, all the young elites from the great sacred lands had come. The allure of the Jade Lake Saintess was evident. With a final "ding-dong," the last clear note faded, and the guzheng music gently ceased.

The door of the lakeside pavilion was pushed open, and several beautiful, ethereal women emerged in single file. The last one appeared veiled in moonlight, like an immortal flower unfurling its petals. Her entire being was hazy and indistinct, yet she exuded a sense of perfect flawlessness.

Her graceful, jade-like figure was slender and elegant, enveloped in a radiant aura, as if she stood in the Guanghan Palace, sacred and distant, giving one the feeling of being forever beyond reach.

"What are you mud monkeys doing here, trying to join the fun?" someone nearby mocked.

Ye Fan felt annoyed, realizing he had coincidentally ended up standing near the purple-robed man and his group again.

"Is this the Azure Cloud Sect's territory? If not, then all of you shut up," Ye Fan said, sweeping his gaze over them. "Alright, alright, alright. Let you be stubborn for now. You'll have your turn to cry," the person next to the purple-robed man retorted.