Chapter 271: Accidentally Ate a Swan

The palace was splendidly lit, and enchanting women in white robes danced, their movements fluid as if in the Guanghan Palace. Everyone was enjoying drinks and lively conversation.

Behind the white jade tables sat young, powerful experts of the demon race. They clinked glasses, and Ye Fan and Tu Fei also frequently raised their cups, thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere.

"The Yaochi Grand Event is about to begin. I wonder who among us will be attending?" someone asked.

"Her Royal Highness, the Princess, and Qing Yi will both be attending. There might be six or seven of us in total."

"There are many powerful demon cultivators in the Northern Region, not just limited to our small world. Many people will surely be there."

"Even the Golden-winged Little Peng King and others from the central region of the Eastern Wasteland have arrived. You can imagine how lively this Yaochi Grand Event will be."

"Speaking of which, the Golden-winged Little Peng King is clearly targeting the two Divine Physiques and the Saint Son of Yaoguang. I wonder what kind of world-shaking battle it will be."

After discussing this topic, everyone inevitably looked at Ye Fan. The Desolate Ancient Sacred Body, capable of defeating the exceptionally gifted Little Peng King at the same cultivation level, was truly astonishing.

"The Golden-winged Little Peng King can most likely overpower Divine Physiques; even if not quite on par with a Great Emperor in their youth, he's close. Is the Sacred Body really that terrifying?" Many people had strange expressions.

"According to ancient records, only a prodigy with the potential to become a Great Emperor could suppress the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body at the same cultivation level."

The demoness Jin Yan scoffed, "Unfortunately, the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body can only advance as far as the Dao Palace realm."

People didn't delve deeply into this issue. Most understood that no matter how powerful a physique was, if it became trapped in a certain secret realm and could never advance, it would only be considered crippled.

Jin Yan continued, "Actually, the Golden-winged Little Peng King's most formidable innate divine ability can only be unleashed after reaching the Four Extremities realm. His last defeat was truly unfair."

"That's true. The Sky Peng clan becomes more terrifying in later stages. Wasn't there a legend that said, 'When the Dragon-Slaying Art appears, all other arts are useless'?"

"There is indeed such a rumor. The Peerless Sky Peng Dragon-Slaying Art is said to be capable of slaying true dragons. Once this art is unleashed, all other techniques pale in comparison. If they were to face off in the Four Extremities realm, the Golden-winged Little Peng King should be able to contend with the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body."

Ye Fan and Tu Fei clinked glasses nearby. He felt nothing about such remarks; as long as he hadn't entered the Four Extremities realm, he couldn't shake off the label of a crippled physique.

"Damn these bird-brained people!" Tu Fei cursed under his breath. He added, "I really want to see what kind of combat power you'll have after entering the Four Extremities realm."

"Can you provide me with ten million jin of Origin?" Ye Fan asked, picking up some food, unfazed, and enjoying the meal.

"That much Origin?" Tu Fei shook his head. "Unless we rob a Sacred Land, or enter the Primordial Forbidden Zone. I truly hope you can enter the Four Extremities realm and suppress all those Saint Sons and Saintesses."

"The Saintesses should be kept to build a grand harem," Ye Fan laughed.

"It's hard to believe you can still laugh," Tu Fei said, shaking his wine flask. "But then again, not being able to cultivate might be a kind of luck. Otherwise, you might have been suppressed by certain Sacred Lands."

"Is there any difference now? The Ji family is hunting me across the whole world."

"What are your plans for the future?"

Ye Fan smiled and said, "I still have some confidence in Origin Technique. In a while, I plan to go to the Holy City to gamble on stones and visit the stone gambling houses of all the major Sacred Lands one by one."

The big black dog was already drunk, its eyes hazy. It squinted at him, tongue thick, and slurred, "You look like trouble, alright. When the time comes, win this Emperor a Saintess to be a pet..."

"Go stand aside!"

"Woof!"

The dog's bark startled everyone nearby. Then, with a thud, the big black dog collapsed, drunk on the ground.

At the gathering of young demon experts within the small world, discussions touched upon all sorts of topics. At this point, Bai Feng stood up and said, "Jin Yu, Ku Zhu, and I discovered a ruin on our recent outing. We dug up some ancient artifacts whose origins we can't discern, and we'd like to ask for your opinions."

He clapped his hands, and several minor demons carried in a large iron box. It was so heavy that it cracked the jade floor tiles.

After the large iron box was opened, a decaying aura emanated. Inside were dozens of bronze artifacts, all dilapidated.

There was a fragmented bronze bell, a broken gourd, and a rusted bronze tripod—a large pile of artifacts, all heavily damaged, with not a single one intact, making them completely unusable.

Everyone gathered around, holding and examining them, discussing animatedly.

"Could this be the treasury of some minor ancient sect? It's a shame they're all damaged."

"Something isn't right. These artifacts are very heavy, and the remaining Daoist patterns are complex and obscure. They likely have significant origins."

"Could these be artifacts left behind by some ancient great sect?"

Yan Ruyu and Qing Yi also stepped forward, examining the artifacts, but they struggled to draw any conclusions.

Ye Fan woke up the Black Emperor and squeezed forward to observe the artifacts together.

The big black dog immediately became excited. At the same time, Ye Fan noticed that two or three of the artifacts had a ghost-face mark, identical to the mark on the copper pot from earlier that day.

Although those present also noticed the ghost-face mark, they had never heard of or seen it before and could not deduce anything.

"Where were these unearthed from?" Qing Yi asked.

"They were found in Quzhou," Bai Feng replied.

"Indeed..." The big black dog took a deep sniff, its nose glowing faintly, then silently retreated.

Ye Fan was somewhat speechless. A dog's nose was the keenest, not to mention this fellow had become a spirit. The damned dog knew they were dug up in Quzhou and would definitely be able to find the exact location later.

Bai Feng asked Ye Fan for his thoughts, but he couldn't reveal anything. In the end, no one knew the origin of these artifacts or could derive any valuable information, so the large iron box was carried away.

Inside the palace, carved beams and painted pillars gleamed with gold, resplendent. Numerous young demon cultivators gathered, clinking glasses, creating a very lively atmosphere.

A group of beautiful young women danced in the hall. They were true enchanting beauties, each one alluring and captivating, their every frown and smile enchanting souls.

Each enchanting young woman possessed a devilish figure, their slender, jade-like bodies subtly visible through sheer dresses. They had necks like white swans and dark, flowing hair, creating a striking black and white contrast. Their jade-like faces seemed impossibly delicate, filled with infinite charm.

Tu Fei tilted his head back and drained a cup of fine wine, saying, "What's the point of cultivation? In the end, it's just a pile of yellow earth. I've never seen anyone become an immortal. Better to fall into the enchanting mortal world."

"If you didn't cultivate, would you be qualified to sit here?" Ye Fan poured himself a drink and drank it.

His purpose in cultivating was to survive, and then to traverse the void to return to the other side of the starry sky. As it stood, the path ahead was very long.

The big black dog, eyes squinted, looked aloof and said, "None of you understand the true essence of cultivation."

"We don't understand, but do you?" Tu Fei shot it a sidelong glance. Ever since he was bitten by the Black Emperor, he had held no fondness for the big black dog.

"Throughout history, millions have cultivated, but only a handful have achieved enlightenment," the Black Emperor declared. "For this Emperor, it is a path full of hope, and I am on it."

Tu Fei scoffed, "So what if you achieve enlightenment? Becoming an ancient sage, living a few thousand years longer than others... In the end, you still become dust in history. The master of this small world is the best example."

"What kind of enlightenment did he achieve?" the big black dog mumbled indistinctly, gnawing on a roasted lamb leg.

"Your vision is quite high," Ye Fan asked. "Are you talking about the Great Emperors of old?"

"Naturally, them," the big black dog said proudly.

"How many such people have there been from ancient times until now?" Tu Fei poured himself a cup of wine, drank it in one gulp, and said, "Even if the Void Great Emperor, Hengyu Great Emperor, and Western Empress achieved enlightenment and lived far longer than ordinary people, in the end, didn't they all return to dust?"

The big black dog wanted to say something, but ultimately did not refute, instead falling into contemplation.

Behind a nearby white jade table, a young man with a fair complexion sat cross-legged, wearing a resplendent golden Daoist robe. He also sighed, "The Great Emperors of old are simply unfathomable. Even the various Sacred Lords can only helplessly bow their heads, feeling as small as ants."

Qin Yao, sitting not far away, heard this and smiled, "Brother Jin Yu, have you forgotten? Our Princess Yan is a descendant of the Demon Emperor; she must have some knowledge of the Great Emperor."

Jin Yu, dressed in the golden Daoist robe, showed a gentle smile and raised his cup to Qin Yao.

At this point, others around were also drawn to the topic and began discussing.

Bai Feng, dressed in snow-white robes, addressed Yan Ruyu, who was in the center of the hall, and asked, "Your Royal Highness, Princess, could you share some past events about the Great Emperor? What kind of realm did he truly reach?"

Yan Ruyu, true to her name, was like a warm, spiritual jade, peerlessly graceful and flawless. Her pearly teeth gleamed, and her red lips slightly parted as she said, "After our ancestor became a Great Emperor, no one could fathom his realm. Even those closest to him couldn't guess; they didn't know how truly powerful he was."

Everyone gasped. If even those closest to him couldn't fathom it, let alone others, then the Great Emperors of old were truly like insurmountable monuments.

The Demon Emperor was the last Great Emperor of the Eastern Wasteland, and his era was the closest to the present, yet they still couldn't understand him. How much less could they understand those from before the Desolate Ancient Era?

The young man in the golden Daoist robe, named Jin Yu, asked, "How powerful was the Great Emperor in his youth?"

"It's too long ago. Our ancestor passed away ten thousand years ago, and many things have become unclear." Yan Ruyu, with lustrous dark hair and soft, snow-white skin, mused for a moment and said, "He was a born genius. After his emergence, he was invincible among his peers, and within not many years, he had already begun to create some peerless divine arts."

A young man in a green robe, named Ku Zhu, who was not far away, said, "I've heard that the Great Emperor was a heaven-defying genius. He studied various ancient texts and actually created some speculated techniques. Is that true?"

Yan Ruyu smiled faintly, nodded, and said, "Indeed. The first half of the Demon Emperor's Ancient Scripture was created by the Great Emperor in this manner."

"Alas, time is merciless; everything becomes like the eastward flowing water, its waves washing away heroes," a drunken demon cultivator sighed.

"No matter what," another demon cultivator said, "the Azure Lotus Great Emperor is one of the strongest individuals from ancient times until now. Only a handful of people can compare with him."

There were too many topics concerning the Great Emperors, and everyone present yearned for such power, discussing it animatedly.

Ku Zhu continued to ask, "Many ancient texts mention that ten thousand years ago, the Great Emperor intended to establish an ancient Heavenly Court for the demon race. Is that true or false?"

Jin Yu also nodded and said, "There are indeed many rumors. Both human historical records and our demon race's accounts touch upon this matter."

"Unfortunately, it never came to fruition," Yan Ruyu shook her head.

The Black Emperor muttered to itself, "Damn, this Demon Emperor was truly terrifying!"

"An ancient Heavenly Court for the demon race..." Although Ye Fan had heard whispers of it before, hearing it spoken aloud still deeply shocked him.

The gathering continued until late into the night before dispersing. Many people were heavily intoxicated; even the demoness Jin Yan was completely drunk, dancing haphazardly.

A few drunken demon cultivators staggered around, discussing eating black dog meat. The heavily intoxicated big black dog cursed under its breath and eventually scurried away, vanishing from sight.

Bai Feng, Jin Yu, and Ku Zhu swayed as they came to assist Qin Yao, but she giggled and pushed them away.

Tu Fei, supported by the enchanting woman, approached Yan Ruyu and Qing Yi and said, "Ladies... we bid you farewell. We'll be leaving tomorrow."

In fact, the original plan was to leave the day after tomorrow, but Tu Fei felt it would be dangerous for Ye Fan to stay here any longer, so they decided to leave early.

Ye Fan also cupped his hands and said, "We've caused you trouble this time..."

In the end, the group didn't fully disperse until very late.

In the night, clear springs flowed through the pine forest, adding a touch of vitality to the tranquil mountain.

Tu Fei hadn't returned, having gone with the enchanting woman. The big black dog had also disappeared to who knows where, leaving the palace on the mountain peak very quiet.

"You arrived suddenly and are leaving just as suddenly. You haven't done anything bad, have you?" Just then, Qin Yao, slightly tipsy, swayed her graceful body into the palace.

She had a seductive figure, like a beautiful serpent, with a slender physique, full, rounded hips, a delicate waist, and bare arms. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes sparkled like water.

"Why would you think that? Nothing of the sort," Ye Fan said, also a little tipsy. "The reason I'm leaving is that some members of your demon race are coveting my Black-Yellow Origin Root."

"Stop trying to hide it; there must be something wrong," Qin Yao said, giggling. She swayed gracefully like a willow in the wind, exuding endless charm and slightly tipsy. "The Princess suspects you came for Pang Bo, and now you're leaving, probably after doing something bad. She's already rushed to the Immortality Palace and told me to keep an eye on you. Little kid, you can't escape!"

Ye Fan was startled, and half of his drunkeness instantly vanished. Yan Ruyu was indeed perceptive; if Pang Bo hadn't continued to stay in the Immortality Palace, he would have been in real danger this time.

Soon, he relaxed again. He believed Pang Bo wouldn't reveal any flaws, and no matter how astute Yan Ruyu was, she wouldn't detect anything.

"Beautiful lady, are you here to guard me?" Ye Fan teased, still tipsy. "A lone man and woman, in the dead of night, together—that's very dangerous."

Qin Yao smiled charmingly and said, "You're a prisoner now, don't even think about playing tricks to escape. If you really did go to the Immortality Palace, then your life might be at risk, you know."

Ye Fan's heart tightened. Fortunately, he hadn't left any clues, otherwise, it would have been difficult to end well.

"Miss Qin, do you guard prisoners like this? You're tempting me to commit a crime..." Ye Fan said nonchalantly after relaxing.

"What does a little kid like you know?" Qin Yao rolled her eyes at him. "Don't think that just because you're the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body at the second layer of Dao Palace, you can escape my grasp. You can't run."

"If I were to escape, you wouldn't really kill me, would you?"

"Of course I would."

"But we're old lovers," Ye Fan said, shaking his head with a smile. "How could you be so cruel? I don't believe you."

Qin Yao's figure was curvaceous. Her sheer dress outlined her devilish, well-proportioned, exquisite, and highly alluring figure.

Her smile was captivating, capable of enchanting all. She pinched Ye Fan's cheek and said, "If you really dare to escape, I really will strike. Don't believe me? Try it."

"Miss Qin, you're flirting with me," Ye Fan said, swatting her hand away and then cupping her jade-like chin. "If anything goes wrong, you'll be responsible for the consequences."

Qin Yao exhaled a fragrant breath, licked her rosy lips, leaned closer, and whispered, "You... can't do it."

Her warm breath brushed against Ye Fan's ear, making his cheeks flush instantly. He laughed drunkenly, "I can't... who can?"

Qin Yao giggled sweetly. One hand rested on his shoulder, her soft body almost leaning against him, while the other lightly traced his chest. She teased, "Little kid, you're too small."

With that, she pinched Ye Fan's cheek and giggled, "Your skin is quite smooth and tender, as expected of a child."

Ye Fan, without hesitation, also pinched her delicate jade-like face and said, "Beautiful lady, you're playing with fire. I'm a normal man..."

Qin Yao exhaled a fragrant scent, her eyes hazy with intoxication, and sweetly laughed, "I said you're small, so you're small. Don't interrupt, and don't even think about escaping."

"If something goes wrong with the Immortality Palace, would you really kill me?" Ye Fan felt a bit uncomfortable.

"It seems you really have been to the Immortality Palace?!" Qin Yao's eyes sparkled as she stared at him, her hand on his chest pulsing with divine power.

"Please, I'm just a minor cultivator in the Dao Palace realm. Could I possibly enter such a place? I imagine you must have powerful restrictions in place."

"That's good. Be a good boy, alright?" Qin Yao again flashed a captivating smile, her long eyelashes framing hazy eyes. Her dark hair swayed, her skin was snow-white and delicate, and a sweet fragrance wafted from her.

"Beautiful lady, could you not come so close?" Ye Fan said teasingly, cupping her chin. "I'm afraid I might accidentally 'eat' you, and then it would be troublesome if you tried to fight me to the death later."

"You, want to 'eat' me...?" Qin Yao giggled, her body shaking with laughter. Her curvaceous body swayed enticingly within her sheer dress, looking incredibly alluring.

Ye Fan laughed, "If that's the case, I have no more reservations. I might as well indulge myself."

"You greenhorn, trying to tease me..." Qin Yao struggled free, then reached out to caress his cheek and said, "It's more like I'm teasing you, little brother."

As she spoke, she very boldly kissed Ye Fan on the face. Then she retreated with a smile, wiggling her slender jade finger, and said, "Don't even think about escaping. Just wait quietly for the Princess to return, otherwise, I really will kill you, you know."

"I won't escape." Ye Fan came from the other side of the starry sky, so his ideas and views could not be conservative. Being teased by Qin Yao, he naturally wouldn't remain indifferent.

He reached out and wrapped his arm around Qin Yao's slender and rounded waist, pulling her close, and pressed his lips to her charming face.

Qin Yao giggled softly. Her semi-bare jade arm brushed past his ear, then his neck, as she exhaled a fragrant breath and said, "I'm teasing you, not the other way around."

Hearing this, Ye Fan no longer held back and lowered his head to capture her bright, rosy lips.

"Mm..."

Qin Yao's slender and soft jade body struggled, swaying like a water snake, but Ye Fan's arms were like iron. With the formidable physique of the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body, she couldn't possibly break free.

From vigorous struggling to her exquisite, undulating jade body softening, Qin Yao stopped struggling and responded passionately. Her hair was disheveled, her skin glistening, and rosy as jade.

They tumbled onto the large sandalwood bed, clothes flying, their breathing rapid.

"Little kid, get up quickly, or don't blame me for being impolite," Qin Yao said, beginning to struggle and threaten him again.

"Please, my beautiful lady," Ye Fan said, "if you kick me off the bed now, wouldn't that be like killing me? My blood would burn dry!"

"Get up now," Qin Yao said, her exquisite jade-like body twisting like a snake, pushing Ye Fan away.

"If I were to leave right now, afterwards you'd definitely say I'm worse than a beast," Ye Fan said, embracing her slender waist, feeling its smooth and delicate touch.

"Get up!"

"No!"

"Get up!"

"No!"

In their battle of words and bodies, their clothes gradually diminished, flying off one by one to fall on the floor, and gasps filled the air.

Ye Fan helplessly discovered that Qin Yao was on top, pinning him down.

"My dear Miss Qin, it seems this is reversed," he said, gently flipping over, taking control and pinning Qin Yao beneath him.