Chapter 209: Kun Yun

The imperial jade in Ye Fan’s hand felt warm. He carefully put it away, glanced back at Xuanyue Cave, and then vanished over the horizon. Upon returning to Qingxia, he found he couldn't seclude himself. The Lihuo Sect, Luoxia Gate, and Seven Stars Pavilion were restless, seemingly ready to make a move at any moment.

Qingxia had just been conquered by him, and these sects were already trying to seize what he had just won. This made him quite displeased. “Members of the Lihuo Sect are here to visit,” a disciple from Qingxia reported.

“Drive them out!” Ye Fan ordered immediately, without waiting for the three elders to speak. “It’s the Lihuo Sect Master’s eldest disciple… should we really drive him out?” The disciples hesitated, looking at Qingxia’s three elders. “So what if he’s the eldest disciple? Drive him out and say I’m not seeing anyone,” Ye Fan waved his hand dismissively.

“This… might not be wise,” Qingxia’s three elders stood up, patiently explaining, “The Lihuo Sect is very powerful, no weaker than Xuanyue Cave.”

“Don’t tell me they also have old monsters like the Grand Elder,” Ye Fan looked at the three of them.

One of the elders gave a bitter smile and said, “Actually, they have two old monsters. Both were already powerhouses in the third realm of the Dao Palace eight years ago.”

“Not just one, but two can emerge at once?” Ye Fan felt speechless. He had just stabilized Xuanyue Cave, and now the Lihuo Sect was here.

“Du Chengkun, the Lihuo Sect Master’s eldest disciple, requests an audience.” A leisurely voice echoed from the mountain gate, reaching Qingxia’s main peak.

“They truly take advantage of Qingxia’s weakness, daring to act like this, standing outside the gate and directly disturbing Qingxia’s peace.” The three elders were all furious. For a sect, this was an extremely disrespectful act. First Li Youran, then Du Chengkun—such vocal proclamations were a clear sign of contempt for Qingxia.

“They’ve figured out our true situation, so naturally, they’re no longer apprehensive,” Ye Fan sneered, then showed a strange expression and said, “All the sects around you are so ambitious, with powerhouses at the third Dao Palace realm. I truly don’t know how you’ve managed to survive.”

“Qingxia also had such a powerhouse.”

“What?” Ye Fan was surprised. “He went astray in cultivation several months ago and has already passed away,” an elder replied with a helpless, bitter smile.

“Du Chengkun, the Lihuo Sect Master’s eldest disciple, requests an audience.” The leisurely voice came again, noticeably closer.

“Let him in,” Ye Fan sneered, then stood up and said, “I’m going to call a friend.” Moments later, he appeared in the guise of the unscrupulous Taoist, Duan De.

Qingxia’s three elders exchanged glances, opened their mouths as if to speak, but said nothing. Soon after, the Lihuo Sect Master’s eldest disciple arrived below Qingxia’s main peak. Instead of ascending the steps, he flew directly up. This act, as if entering an unmanned territory, was also a form of contempt. If a sect were powerful enough, visitors would not dare to fly freely within its grounds.

Upon reaching the main peak, Du Chengkun did not perform the juniors' salutation. He gave a perfunctory cupped-hand salute and said, “Greetings, seniors. My master sent me with a letter that he insists I deliver personally to your sect master.”

“Our sect master is in seclusion. You may leave the letter, and we will deliver it,” a Qingxia elder stated gravely.

“That won’t do. This matter is of great importance, and my master repeatedly instructed me to deliver it personally to the Qingxia sect master,” Du Chengkun shook his head.

“Isn’t it the same if we deliver it? This is Qingxia, and our sect master is in seclusion. Do you expect him to specially end his seclusion just for you?” A Qingxia elder’s face darkened, clearly displeased.

Du Chengkun’s face showed a hint of arrogance as he said, “This is a letter for your sect master. Naturally, your sect master must receive it personally. No one else will do.”

“Enough with the nonsense!” Ye Fan sneered, directly extended a large hand, which expanded to the size of a millstone, and slammed it down.

*Bang!*

It was an incredibly heavy blow. With a single slap, Du Chengkun was instantly knocked to the ground, his bones fractured in multiple places.

“Who are you, to dare to attack me? I represent Lihuo. Do you intend to provoke a war between our two sects?” Du Chengkun’s mouth bled as he struggled to his feet. His arrogance had slightly diminished, but he still seemed confident.

“This humble Taoist is Duan De!” Ye Fan announced his name.

“Where are you from, and why did you attack me without provocation?” Du Chengkun stood up, wiped the blood from his mouth, and his brows furrowed. As the Lihuo Sect’s eldest disciple, he was proud and had never suffered such humiliation.

“Go back and tell your sect master that this humble Taoist’s master is staying briefly in Qingxia and doesn’t want insignificant people causing trouble. Unless you’ve cultivated to the third secret realm—the Four Extremities—don’t come seeking death.”

Ye Fan swung his palm again, and the millstone-sized hand slammed down, sending Du Chengkun flying off Qingxia’s main peak. He activated the Nine Secrets attack methods, leaving very peculiar injuries on Du Chengkun. He figured if the other party investigated, they would be greatly surprised.

“Reverend Duan, what have you done…” Qingxia’s elders were speechless. This person was even more reckless than a young devil king, having sent the Lihuo Sect Master’s eldest disciple flying. This was inviting great animosity.

“It’s fine. The more humble you are, the more they will attack,” Ye Fan sneered. “I predict that after they see Du Chengkun’s injuries, they won’t dare to attack.”

“Reporting to the elders, disciples from Seven Stars Pavilion and Luoxia Gate request an audience.”

“Let them in,” Ye Fan waved his hand.

“Reverend, you don’t mean you’re going to…” Qingxia’s three elders whispered, their voices filled with trepidation.

As they had anticipated, Ye Fan called the two in and gave them a severe beating. The two screamed in agony as he shattered their bones and tendons before expelling them from Qingxia.

“This…” Qingxia’s disciples exchanged bewildered glances. “Where did this master come from? He’s too fierce!”

“If I didn’t beat them, I wouldn’t have been able to vent my anger. They actually thought they were sacred sons, coming here to order me around. It’s already good that I spared their lives.”

“Reverend, you’re too… direct. This will cause serious trouble,” the three elders said, their hearts pounding.

“I beat them precisely to solve the problem.”

Ye Fan had no choice; he could only act this way. Otherwise, if he showed any weakness, he was certain Qingxia would be instantly annihilated. Others pretended to be pigs to eat tigers, but he was forced to pretend to be a tiger to eat pigs. Only by appearing sufficiently powerful and fabricating a non-existent master could he temporarily deter his opponents.

“This humble Taoist will go invite some friends to help. I’ll be away for half a month, but I believe they won’t dare to attack during this time,” Ye Fan decided to find a place to go into seclusion.

“Reverend, if you just leave like that…” The people of Qingxia were a bit dumbfounded.

“It’s fine. Rest assured, I will pay a visit to those three sects and keep them in check.”

That very day, Ye Fan departed again. He visited the Lihuo Sect, Seven Stars Pavilion, and Luoxia Gate in succession, acting very high-profile, like a successor from a Sacred Land. Of course, he didn’t dare to enter, only strolling around outside their mountain gates. He didn’t want to take risks; it would be troublesome if he were cornered by those old monsters. Even so, it left the three factions suspicious and uncertain, making them believe that Qingxia might indeed have a cultivator from the third secret realm guarding it. Otherwise, how would this unscrupulous Taoist dare to act in such a manner?

Before entering seclusion, Ye Fan made a long trip to Pingyan City. He needed to find out about the movements of the Saintess of the Jade Lake, so he wouldn't miss her. He unexpectedly learned that the Saintess of the Jade Lake was passing through various cities and would likely return to the Jade Lake soon.

“Why is everything happening at once…” Ye Fan felt a little helpless. If he went into seclusion, he might miss this opportunity. After inquiring carefully, some said it was a rumor and not true. In fact, the Saintess of the Jade Lake was very likely heading to the vicinity of the Primordial Mine.

“What would she do outside the Primordial Mine? Which piece of news is true?” Ye Fan found it hard to determine. “It seems I’ll have to go there myself.” He absolutely did not want to miss this opportunity. Being invited by the Saintess of the Jade Lake because of his skill in identifying stones was the safest approach. Otherwise, trying to sneak in later would easily expose him.

Ye Fan traveled at lightning speed, arriving a few days later at an ancient city called Kunyun, ninety thousand miles away. The Saintess of the Jade Lake had already reached this place. Kunyun City was located in a desolate wilderness. The oasis here was not large, but it held many legends. The local people believed that ancient gods protected them. The Saintess of the Jade Lake had been staying here for over half a month, not yet departing. This puzzled many, who wondered what in Kunyun ancient city captivated her.

By now, her followers had reached an astonishing number. Many young talents followed her along her journey, their ranks steadily growing. It had to be said, the Saintess of the Jade Lake’s charm was immense. Young disciples from the Jiang, Ji, and Yaoguang families came to follow her, and even a Prince from Zhongzhou was among them.

“Nonsense,” Ye Fan shook his head, not quite believing it. “I heard that Zhongzhou has no Sacred Lands, but it does have an imperial dynasty that has existed for over a hundred thousand years. The people bestowed with the title of Prince are extraordinary figures. Would they really travel from Zhongzhou to the Northern Region of the Eastern Wasteland just for a woman?”

Ye Fan was already inside Kunyun Ancient City. The cultivator who spoke those words glanced at him and said, “Hey, fat Taoist, your information is too outdated.”

“Outdated how?”

“It’s absolutely true. Although the Prince didn’t specifically rush here from Zhongzhou, it’s pretty close. He was supposed to be in the Sacred City of the Northern Region, but he pursued the Saintess of the Jade Lake all the way here.”

Ye Fan stroked his chin. Does the Saintess of the Jade Lake truly possess such charm? How beautiful must she be for the Saint Sons of various Sacred Lands and even a Prince from an imperial dynasty that has existed for over a hundred thousand years to follow her? It truly perplexed him.

“Isn’t she just a woman?” he muttered.

“Reverend Fatty, you’re a monastic, so you wouldn’t understand. But if you were to see the Saintess of the Jade Lake’s true appearance, you’d probably return to secular life.”

“This humble Taoist isn’t that easily swayed. Even if the Mysterious Maiden of the Nine Heavens descended, I’d still just see her as a normal woman, not someone to worship.”

“This ‘Ox-Nose’ makes a good point. She’s just a Saintess, isn’t she? Someday, when I’m in a good mood, I’ll just snatch her to be my concubine,” a young man with a full beard interjected from the side.

Ye Fan knew at a glance that this bearded man was definitely a bandit, too much of a ruffian. He was probably a descendant of some great bandit leader. With a “whoosh,” everyone nearby scattered, leaving only the bearded man and Ye Fan. “Hey, Ox-Nose, I like the way you talk. How about we find a place for a couple of drinks?” the bearded young man invited.

Being called “Ox-Nose,” Ye Fan could only nod, given that he was currently disguised as Duan De.

The two ascended to a restaurant, ordered some food and drinks, and the bearded man said, “Let’s eat first. I have friends coming later; they can order more.” The bearded young man was very generous, clinking large bowls with Ye Fan and downing eighteen bowls of strong liquor.

“Fantastic!” He wiped the wine from his mouth and laughed heartily, “Are you really a Taoist? You don’t shy away from pork trotters or roast lamb. You’re truly a ‘wine and meat Taoist.’ By the way, I haven’t asked for your name yet.”

“This humble Taoist is Duan De, with the Taoist name Wuliang,” Ye Fan replied.

“Reverend, we truly are fated! Not only does your appearance seem familiar, but even your name sounds a bit familiar.” The bearded young man, with a leopard-like head and piercing eyes, tall and robust, laughed heartily and introduced himself, “My name is Wu Zhongtian.”

Ye Fan’s heart immediately stirred. Wasn’t the Fifth Great Bandit of the Northern Region named Wu Dao? This strong man, full of banditry, was likely a descendant of that Great Bandit. The Fourth Great Bandit was the Azure Dragon King, a renowned mighty figure of the demon race. The Seventh Great Bandit was Tu Tian, who wielded an ancient emperor’s ultimate weapon. Wu Dao, the Fifth, was situated between these two, his power reaching the heavens. His descendants were surely incredibly formidable. In fact, Ye Fan had already sensed the other party’s unfathomable depth. With his unrestrained personality, he was a person worth befriending.

As expected, it wasn’t long before Ye Fan’s conjecture was confirmed. Tu Fei ascended to the restaurant, and behind him followed several formidable young men whom Ye Fan had seen before at the Jade Lake Immortal Stone Workshop in Pingyan City. They were all descendants of Great Bandits. This was a gathering of young ruffians, none of whom were easy to deal with, comparable even to the Saint Sons.

“Tell me, who is this Reverend? I’ve never seen him before,” one of them asked.

Tu Fei took a gulp of wine and also asked, “Brother Zhongtian, who is this Reverend? Please introduce him.”

Evidently, Wu Zhongtian held some prestige among them. After downing a large bowl of wine, he introduced, “I just met this Reverend. He seems familiar, as if we’re fated. His name is Duan De, and his Taoist name is Wuliang.”

“Yes, his name sounds a bit familiar to me too,” Tu Fei mumbled.

Ye Fan secretly thought it was strange. Was the immoral Taoist’s network really that extensive? It was one thing for him to thrive in the Southern Region, but could he actually cross the void and have connections in the Northern Region too? If that were the case, it would be truly extraordinary. To cross such a vast distance was extremely difficult, as the domain gates were all controlled by Sacred Lands.

“Brother Zhongtian, the name Duan De sounds more and more familiar the more I think about it. I remember you seemed to be cursing him a year ago,” one of the Great Bandit’s descendants beside them murmured.

Wu Zhongtian seemed to recall something. His eyes widened instantly, and he glared at Ye Fan, exclaiming furiously, “I knew you looked familiar, you son of a b*tch! So it was you all along!”

“Do we know each other?” Ye Fan felt things were going south. Instead of shifting blame to the unscrupulous Taoist, it seemed he was about to take the blame for the Taoist first.

“Though I haven’t met you in person, I’ve seen your portrait. Even if only your bones were left, I’d recognize your ashes!” Wu Zhongtian screamed in exasperation, ordering people to surround Ye Fan. Pointing at him, his finger trembling, he yelled, “You despicable Taoist! You’re truly audacious! You dared to rob my great-grandfather’s tomb! I’ll shove you into the Primordial Mine!”

Ye Fan’s mouth twitched. This unscrupulous Taoist was truly an absolute scoundrel, daring to provoke anyone, even robbing the tomb of the Fifth Great Bandit’s ancestor. This was truly “disturbing the ancestral grave” in the literal sense. “Gentlemen, this has absolutely nothing to do with me!” Ye Fan cried out in injustice. This was a massive frame-up, one he absolutely could not bear. He cursed Duan De in his heart, thinking him utterly immoral.

Wu Zhongtian was truly enraged. He had felt a sense of familiarity, thought they were fated, and invited this scoundrel to eat meat and drink heavily, only to find out there was an old grudge. He slammed the table repeatedly. “I say, you immoral Taoist are too wicked! Even if Brother Zhongtian’s ancestor was a mighty figure, you shouldn’t just go around robbing graves! If word gets out, how embarrassing would that be for Grandpa Wu Dao, the Fifth Great Bandit?” Tu Fei narrowed his eyes, adding fuel to the fire.

In an unknown ancient ruin at the far reaches of the world, the fat Taoist Duan De sneezed three times in a row, muttering, “Who’s cursing me? Don’t let this Reverend find out, or I’m not done with you.”

At this moment, Ye Fan was truly speechless. The unscrupulous Taoist had caused countless troubles. Seeing a group of young ruffians wanting to skin him alive, he quickly explained, “I’m not Duan De! I have an old score to settle with him myself!” Having no choice, he revealed his true form. If he delayed any longer, he was sure these bandits would tear him apart.

“Is this for real, genius brother? When have we seen such a versatile talent among us?”