Chapter 978: Heretic

Gentle moonlight, soft as water, dripped into the cave dwelling, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere. Wisps of white mist rose, making it resemble an immortal's abode.

The Phoenix Celestial Maiden, possessing classical beauty yet dressed in modern attire, exuded an unconventional and exquisite charm. Appearing amidst the deep mountain caves, she was as captivating as an elf in the moonlight.

It was as if she were the man and Ye Fan merely a delicate woman as she teased, "Master, just be mine. I’ll take responsibility for you."

"What nonsense is this? Go back and rest!"

Ye Fan had to force himself not to spew out a mouthful of blood. This disciple's words and actions were truly audacious, daring to speak to him so playfully.

"Tsk, what era is this? Why be so prim and proper? I'm not going to eat you," the Phoenix Celestial Maiden said, sitting relaxed on the bed, not caring in the slightest.

She wore a t-shirt as thin as cicada wings, her beautiful hair wet from a recent bath in the valley's small lake. Her skin, as white as jade, was translucent and so delicate one could almost wring water from it. Her shimmering eyes held a captivating charm, making her appear lively and exquisitely beautiful. She was completely relaxed, not caring about anything.

Audaciously, the Phoenix Celestial Maiden draped her snow-white arms over Ye Fan's shoulders. She sat opposite him on the stone bed and laughed, "Master, you're not blushing, are you?"

"Behave yourself," Ye Fan said, trying to assume the air of a stern master.

This female disciple was incredibly bold and avant-garde. She even blew a warm, orchid-like breath into his ear, her hair dancing around her snow-white neck as she laughed in an intoxicating and unrestrained manner.

"Master, you've been cultivating for so many years, have you never held a woman's hand? Do you want your disciple to teach you?"

The Phoenix Celestial Maiden smiled playfully, a shimmering light passing across her face. Her phoenix eyes narrowed seductively, and her laughter was utterly audacious. She clearly didn't regard him as her master.

"If you dare to be so disrespectful again," Ye Fan said in a deep voice, "I will strip away ten years of your cultivation and suppress you in a deep mountain ancient cave for ten years."

"Tsk, what era is this? Master, don't be so old-fashioned, alright?" the Phoenix Celestial Maiden said with a nonchalant expression. "We are modern people, not living in ancient times where men and women couldn't even touch."

Her long eyelashes framed large eyes that sparkled mischievously. Her slender figure sat almost directly opposite Ye Fan, her fair, pretty face leaning so close it almost touched his.

"I say, Master," she continued, "don't tell me you've been an old bachelor all these years? That can't be right." She extended a slender, snow-white hand and traced it across Ye Fan's face, chuckling.

A divine light surged in Ye Fan's eyes, and he raised his hand, ready to suppress her. This disciple was truly too audacious; it was the first time in his life anyone had dared to tease him like this.

"Oh, Master... have mercy!" she cried out, genuinely afraid Ye Fan's hand would fall. Her eyes darted sideways as she cautiously gave him a side-eye, then grumbled, "Why be so old-fashioned? Can't I even make a joke? Besides, I'm just concerned about your personal affairs."

Ye Fan motioned for her to get off the bed and leave. There were taboos between master and disciple, and if other disciples saw them sitting on the same bed like this, they would never be able to clear their names.

The Phoenix Celestial Maiden was usually cold and proud, never mincing words with outsiders. It was rare for her to be so lively and teasing, but now she had met with a gentle rebuff.

"Master, your thinking is too rigid," she retorted. "My cousin is much younger than you, and he had a passionate teacher-student romance in college – and he was the student!"

The Phoenix Celestial Maiden wore hot pants that reached only to her upper thighs, revealing a pair of slender, jade-like legs, as white and delicate as jade, which were quite dazzling on the stone bed.

She shifted slightly, no longer sitting cross-legged, and stretched out her beautiful legs, drawing even more attention. They were incredibly long, straight, and as translucent as ivory, almost perfect, with an ethereal quality.

Her wet hair splayed out, partially obscuring her fair, pretty face. Her lively large eyes, full of provocation, looked at him as she said, "Master, you're not still an old... what was it... bachelor, are you?"

Ye Fan was almost about to lose his temper. This female disciple was truly too audacious; if he didn't suppress her, she would surely say something even more outrageous.

"Master, I didn't hit a nerve, did I? It's alright, your disciple understands," she said, backing away. "Don't... don't suppress me, I won't dare again!"

"Why aren't you leaving?!" Ye Fan shouted.

She did not get off the bed. Seeing that Ye Fan had finally calmed down, she charmingly scooted closer.

"I didn't mean anything else," she said, leaning in close and staring into Ye Fan's eyes. "I just wanted to joke with you and get a bit closer. Don't be so serious, alright?"

Ye Fan's eyes instantly became sharp in opposition.

The Phoenix Celestial Maiden, however, was decisive. She had already anticipated this outcome and moved a step ahead, knowing she wasn't as fast as Ye Fan. A pair of straight, slender, jade-like legs coiled around his body like snakes, sparkling and warm, as white and alluring as mutton-fat jade.

Bang!

With a single finger, Ye Fan fixed her in place. He glanced at her, about to use a great divine ability to throw her back into her own cave dwelling.

"Master, what are you thinking?" she said, her eyes twinkling. "I just wanted to tease you a bit, I didn't mean anything else. Don't get any ideas!"

Ye Fan couldn't be bothered to say anything more. He removed her snow-white, crystal-clear, slender jade legs from his body and activated a divine technique, preparing to send her away.

"Hm?" Suddenly, his expression changed. He released the Phoenix Celestial Maiden's seal, making her stand aside, and extended a large hand into the valley.

Whoosh!

A streak of black light soared through the sky and burrowed into the ground, trying every method to escape, but it could not break free from Ye Fan's palm. He grabbed it back and confined it to the cave dwelling.

This was a black light, formed by a powerful divine sense that had been exploring the valley, now discovered and captured alive by Ye Fan.

The person was from the West; their teasing tone revealing their origin. They said, "Respected sir, beautiful lady, I deeply regret this. My apologies for interrupting you. At this time, with the bright moon high above and all sounds quiet, to engage in a forbidden master-disciple romance—how desirable and romantic that is!"

Ye Fan said nothing, instead directly extracting its divine consciousness imprint to examine its origin. He immediately frowned and said, "The people from the Western Orthodoxy have finally arrived."

"These people are so annoying," the Phoenix Celestial Maiden grumbled. "They don't come early or late, they just have to ruin the atmosphere at this very moment. But Master, don't worry, I'll be responsible for you later." She twisted her slender waist, moving her long, jade-like legs. Her wet, long hair obscured half of her exquisite face as she adjusted her t-shirt and hot pants, then turned and left.

She knew a conflict had begun. The people from the Western Orthodoxy were likely not far away, and there would most likely be a great battle.

Fifteen minutes later, an unusual atmosphere appeared in the valley. The bright moon was swallowed by black clouds, and powerful figures arrived, bringing with them demonic mist that obscured the stars and moon.

Ye Fan walked out of the cave dwelling and stood by the clear lake, saying nothing as he quietly watched, wanting to see what kind of powerful enemies had arrived.

Besides Daoist Qiri, who was in secluded cultivation, Kunlun Twin Fish, Little Dragon, Sparrow, and others were alarmed. They rushed out and appeared behind Ye Fan, feeling waves of trepidation, knowing that some extremely powerful figures had arrived.

The Phoenix Celestial Maiden arrived belatedly, her face full of sanctity and cold arrogance, a stark contrast to her previous demeanor. Others couldn't discern anything amiss.

Ahead, black mist surged, bringing with it the sound of clanking chains, as if someone were emerging from hell. The grating sound of metal was chilling and piercing.

Over a dozen figures walked out of the darkness, stepping across the lake surface. The dense black mist and aura of death made them appear exceptionally eerie and withered.

"Souls lingering outside hell, awaken from your lost path! Walk in along the path my Lord has laid out for you," one person said, their voice low and hoarse.

These were over a dozen men in black armor, like zombies, bound by black chains. At this moment, they simultaneously cast the forbidden art, "Hellish Binding."

They were actually controlled by someone deep within the darkness: an old man holding a skull staff stood quietly at the back, silently chanting an ancient curse to control them.

Clang!

The chains pierced through the void like over a dozen black dragons, rushing forth to specifically target and engulf Ye Fan's primordial spirit.

He remained unmoving. His gaze suddenly surged, shooting out two dazzling beams of light that, like two heavenly swords, split the void. The continuous sound of metal shattering filled the air as all the chains turned into dust.

Boom!

The dozen-plus reaper-like figures collectively activated a great magic power, tearing apart the sky, and a giant black portal appeared, intending to pull Ye Fan and his companions inside.

Ye Fan simply struck out with a palm. At this level of cultivation, no matter how many secret arts or divine abilities one possessed, they were useless; he only needed one palm strike!

In that instant, the black portal turned to ash, and the dozen-plus figures disintegrated into dust, scattering with the wind until nothing remained.

"Ancient spirits, be with me! Conquer the heretics!" In the darkness, the black-robed figure revealed his true form. He was a withered old man of unknown age, holding a staff topped with a white skull.

Behind him, densely packed, appeared troop after troop of ancient soldiers in black armor. Like lifeless automatons, they roared and charged forward.

"Is that all your divine ability amounts to?" Ye Fan said coldly.

Zhan Yifan and the others were terrified. This old man's cultivation was extremely powerful, very likely at the Great Completion of Dragon Transformation, or even higher.

Green light flickered in the old man's eyes. With a wave of his bone staff, all the surrounding spirits rushed forward. At the same time, he also cast a secret art: blood-red light burst forth, forming a blood-red skull that charged to devour Ye Fan.

"Let me be the one to judge you heretics."

Ye Fan murmured softly, instantly activating the Solar Essence Fire. Overwhelming holy flames surged forth, engulfing everything in front and covering all the spirits.

In that instant, it became a sea of fire. Whether human or undead, all instantly turned to ash, not even a single piece of armor remaining.

"Ah!" the old man screamed, becoming a torch in the Solar Essence Fire. He struggled for a moment, then his body and spirit were utterly destroyed.

The black mist dispersed, and the stars and moon reappeared. The sky was filled with glittering stars, and the bright moon hung high, creating a scene of peace and serenity. The lake on the ground reflected a mesmerizing starry sky.

In the distance, a large group of people appeared, each one incredibly sacred, wearing brilliant battle armor, resembling a succession of suns appearing.

The Crusaders on their eastern expedition have arrived!

These were an arrogant group of people, each with an extraordinary identity and status, from different noble families and bloodlines, all with glorious pasts.

Most were middle-aged, each brimming with vigorous vitality and very powerful. Among them were also a few young people of high status, surrounded by others.

All of them had long golden hair. The men were heroic, each like a reincarnation of a sun god. The women were radiant and beautiful, like moon goddesses reborn, appearing very sacred and emitting holy light.

"Heretic, you have repeatedly harmed the cultivators of our Western Orthodoxy! Today, we shall judge you by fire!" shouted a young man with flowing golden hair, who stood in the middle.

Another woman, emitting a sacred radiance from her entire body, raised a hand as white as jade and lightly waved it, giving the command to prepare for the charge.