Chapter 417: An Miaoyi

Chapter 421: An Miaoyi

Life's journey is full of ups and downs. Flowers that bloomed yesterday wither today; who can truly control their destiny? Fireworks erupt with fervent passion, their fragments scattering, leaving behind a desolate silence as they fade.

As the splendor faded, a chilling silence settled. Ye Fan's residence, once bustling, was now deserted, a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of just a few days prior.

The isolated courtyard was quiet, its yellow leaves falling. Ye Fan coughed lightly, blood staining his white handkerchief a vivid and shocking red. He gazed at the deserted courtyard and sighed.

Life's undulations, like the blooming and fading of flowers, include both moments of brilliance and days of dimness and decay, all carried away by the winds of the mortal world.

The Divine City was as it always had been, seemingly unchanged. Yet, when Ye Fan reappeared, the atmosphere felt vastly different to him.

Days earlier, he was virtually known to everyone, constantly greeted until his smile grew numb from the effort. Now, upon his reappearance, while still drawing attention, few approached him; instead, he was met with indifference and coldness.

As he turned, people pointed, whispered, and made cold remarks. He experienced the full spectrum of human attitudes in an instant.

"The Desolate Saint Body is finished. With less than half a year left to live, his light will finally dim. He has been defeated by the heavens and the earth after tens of thousands of years, ultimately failing to create a miracle."

"All the Saint Sons can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The great mountain that weighed on their hearts is about to collapse on its own, and the shadow will completely dissipate."

"The Pearl of the Feng Clan no longer needs to worry. She certainly won't be engaged to a Saint Body like this. Perhaps the Feng Clan should count themselves lucky that no decisions or commitments have been made yet."

"So what if he broke the curse? In the end, he's still going to die. Heh heh."

"What if his combat power surpasses the younger generation? If heaven doesn't want him to live, can he fight against it? He can only wait for death."

Some felt sympathy, others gloated. There were various expressions, voices of regret, and naturally, sounds of mockery and those kicking him when he was down.

Ye Fan walked through the streets, sensing all of this. He remained silent, not uttering a word.

Eventually, he returned to his residence. He didn't visit anyone that day, feeling a need for quiet time to reflect on things.

Late at night, a few faint, solitary starbeams fell into the cold, isolated courtyard, creating a dim and tranquil atmosphere.

Ye Fan began coughing blood again, staining his white robes a tragic crimson. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, gazing up at the starry sky, lost in thought.

Suddenly, he sensed something unusual. He turned to look and saw a mischievous little creature peeking over the wall; it was the tiny golden being.

It had successfully survived its heavenly tribulation, transforming into a small golden Qilin, no bigger than a palm, charmingly naive, with clear, large eyes.

"Cough..." Ye Fan coughed blood again.

The tiny golden Qilin flew over and landed on the ground, glowing all over. Plump and waddling, it cautiously approached Ye Fan and then tugged at his pant leg.

"You unlucky little fellow, not afraid of me anymore?" Ye Fan sat on a stone chair, looking down at it.

The tiny golden creature gave him a big eye-roll, then exhaled a wisp of multi-colored mist towards him. It quickly entered his body, transforming into a warm, comforting energy.

Ye Fan felt a wave of comfort, as if a spring breeze had swept through his life essence. His injuries eased somewhat, but ultimately nothing fundamental had changed.

"You truly are thoughtful..."

Ye Fan hadn't expected that in this desolate night, when no one else came to visit, the Divine Silkworm would come to see him. Although it had forgotten its past, its instincts remained, allowing it to discern good from bad with pure intuition.

Ye Fan pulled out a small, remaining piece of divine source and offered it. The Divine Silkworm immediately became overjoyed, clutching it and gnawing on it with relish.

After enjoying the divine source, it suddenly collapsed onto the ground, its four tiny Qilin legs twitching slightly, which startled Ye Fan. But then the Divine Silkworm secretly opened one large eye, looking at him mischievously.

"You're addicted to playing dead now." Ye Fan smiled.

The tiny golden creature immediately jumped up, grumbling unhappily. Ye Fan was surprised; this little thing was trying to cheer him up.

In that instant, he felt a surge of emotion, thinking of many things. Simple creatures like this were sometimes far more endearing than complex humans.

Ye Fan suddenly realized that even with his iron-hard resolve, he felt a touch of sadness. In the end, it was this little creature that came to see him on such a cold, desolate night. He silently petted the tiny golden being.

He wasn't afraid of death, but he carried a deep regret: he yearned to return to the other side of the starry sky, to see his parents, relatives, and friends in these last days of his dwindling life.

"Why is this unlucky Divine Silkworm here..." Li Heishui's voice drifted in.

"Whoosh!"

The Divine Silkworm angrily waved its tiny paws and darted away in a flash, disappearing into the night sky.

Li Heishui and Tu Fei entered the courtyard. They had been gone for several days, seeking help from the Thirteen Great Bandits for a solution, and had only just returned.

"Take the Qilin Seed. While it won't cure you completely, it will definitely prolong your life for a while, and then we can slowly figure something out."

They said this, implying that even the Thirteen Great Bandits had no solution. Ye Fan had already anticipated this outcome.

At dawn, Pang Bo returned, looking very tired, with the Black Emperor following behind him. They had gone to the important lands of the Demon Clan.

"The Azure Emperor's heart might be able to restore you. I'll find a way to get it," Pang Bo said with determination.

The heart of the Great Demon Emperor possessed endless vitality, but its hiding place was unknown. Pang Bo and the Black Emperor had searched the Demon Clan's important lands for a long time but found no clues.

"Forget it. An injury inflicted by the Great Dao cannot be cured by external means. Those powerful figures speculated that even a mature immortal medicine would be ineffective." Ye Fan shook his head, unwilling to let Pang Bo take such a risk.

"If there's even a sliver of hope, we must try. Even if I have to carve out a bloody path, I'll help you get the Azure Emperor's heart," Pang Bo stated resolutely.

"Alright, none of you need to go risking your lives. Let this Emperor figure something out." The big black dog paced back and forth, then lay down silently.

When he appeared on the Divine City's streets again, and heard the circulating discussions, Ye Fan was surprisingly calm. Even cold remarks failed to perturb him.

"Woof! What are you dawdling about, human pet?" The big black dog was never one to back down. Upon hearing cold remarks, it would immediately charge over, raising its massive head and barking aggressively about taking human pets.

As they walked, countless people gnashed their teeth in anger at the big black dog, but they dared not lash out, only cursing in secret.

"The Desolate Saint Body is finished, yet this damned dog is still so arrogant. When the time comes, we'll skin it alive and eat its flesh!"

"He doesn't have much time left. He can only savor this mortal world for a little longer before he ultimately dies."

The Black Emperor left, traversing through space. It said it would disappear for a few days, perhaps to find a way for Ye Fan to survive.

The Miaoyu Convent, edged with gold by the setting sun, sat nestled among the clouds. A layer of sacred light flowed around it, making it seem ethereal and peaceful.

"Isn't this our Desolate Saint Body? I heard you're unwell. Why aren't you resting properly and instead came here?" Wu Ziming, whom Ye Fan hadn't seen in days, walked with a group of people, a dazzling smile on his face.

"Yes, your health is important. You should rest and recover. Otherwise, hey, look at the sunset—it's beautiful, but it's about to set." Beside him, Li Chongtian squinted his eyes and chuckled.

"If you don't want to die, stay far away from me." Ye Fan glanced at them.

"He's almost dead, yet he's still so arrogant. Does he even have divine power left? I heard he coughs blood every day," someone in the crowd whispered softly.

"Disappear from my sight immediately, or don't blame me for being ruthless." Ye Fan stood with his hands behind his back in the air, staring at the dozen or so young people in front of the Miaoyu Convent.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat. This was the Desolate Saint Body at minor accomplishment; although his life was limited and he coughed blood daily, his breaking of the curse had made the younger generation deeply wary of him.

"Bad luck, let's go!" Wu Ziming dared not stand his ground, turning and leaving immediately.

"He's going to die anyway, no need to pay him any mind. We'll just watch him be taken by the heavens when the time comes," someone muttered softly, unwilling to let it go, as they departed.

Ye Fan sneered, "Though my life is short, I am not someone you can insult. I gave you a chance, yet you still dared to speak disrespectfully."

"Buzz!"

The void trembled as Ye Fan's golden blood energy surged into the sky, and a massive golden hand reached out to grab them.

"You dare to kill us in public?!" someone screamed in fright. "Do you even know who we are?"

"I hadn't decided whether to kill you, but because of that remark, I'll send you on your way!" Ye Fan's golden hand pressed down forcefully in the void.

"Splat!"

The heavens and earth shook, the evening glow was dispersed, and the sky became hazy. Ye Fan's golden hand covered all dozen or so people, and the moment it descended, a spray of blood and gore erupted.

"Brother Ye, don't misunderstand..." Only Wu Ziming and Li Chongtian managed to escape, scared out of their wits, yelling as they fled.

Ye Fan flipped his hand and slapped down again, his golden hand obscuring the sky. Although both were in the Four Extremities Realm, they felt as if they were confronting a Divine Lord and couldn't resist at all.

"Pffft!"

Wu Ziming and Li Chongtian exploded, turning into a mist of blood. Though they were super-experts of the Four Extremities Realm, Ye Fan effortlessly obliterated them.

In the distance, all who witnessed this scene were utterly stunned. Though the Desolate Saint Body was injured, his might remained undiminished and he was still not to be provoked.

The Desolate Saint Body must not be insulted. Everyone felt a chill. The man was dying and would have no reservations, so he absolutely must not be provoked—this thought occurred to everyone.

Especially those who had previously spoken cold words were now even more terrified, their legs turning to jelly. Remembering what they had said, they felt incredibly guilty, fearing that Ye Fan had heard and remembered.

Ye Fan glanced at the others, his white robes billowing, and entered the Miaoyu Convent.

Inside one of the palaces, it was resplendent with gold and jade, adorned with carved beams and painted pillars. Immortal mist swirled, making it seem like a celestial palace.

Ye Fan sat before a white jade table, calmly drinking tea and observing the peerless beauty across from him.

An Miaoyi was peerlessly elegant; her hair was dark and lustrous, her skin fairer than snow, her eyes bright and lively, her eyelashes long, and her red lips sensuous and vibrant. She stood gracefully, breathtakingly beautiful, her figure astonishingly perfect.

"My little man, you've made me sad." Her voice was as beautiful as a celestial melody. She walked lightly towards him, swaying like a crystal-clear immortal flower.

"Though I've broken the curse, my time is short. Do you wish to kill me with your own hands?" Ye Fan smiled.

"I did say that if you failed, I would be the first to kill you. But now that you're in this state, how could I bear to?" An Miaoyi smiled sweetly and captivatingly, yet there was a hint of unwillingness in her eyes.

"Who in this world can escape death? Not even Great Emperors are exceptions. My only regret is not being able to return to my homeland," Ye Fan sighed softly.

"You clearly broke the curse, so why can't you change your fate?" An Miaoyi's dark hair fell gracefully, her skin shimmered like crystal, radiating a sacred glow, as if a flawless goddess had descended upon the mortal world. She asked, "What are your plans?"

"I came to see you tonight, and then I'll bid farewell to the Divine King and immediately leave the Divine City," Ye Fan replied.

"At least you didn't leave without a word," An Miaoyi said, a smile gracing her exquisitely beautiful face. "If I were to fall forever into the mortal world, what would you do?"

Ye Fan started to say something, but she gently placed her jade hand over his lips.

An Miaoyi smiled, stood up, her hair swaying, and said, "Only if you can live on."

Ye Fan said nothing, merely gazing quietly at the incomparably beautiful woman.

"I want you to live," An Miaoyi said, turning and walking to a desk. She then took out an ancient scroll and said, "Memorize this cultivation technique."

"What is this?"

"It was left at Miaoyu Convent by one of Sakyamuni's disciples over a thousand years ago."

"What? Sakyamuni's disciple?" Ye Fan shot to his feet.

"Stay here tonight," An Miaoyi said, gracefully walking closer.