Chapter 49 - Chapter 1335 to Chapter 1342

Chapter 1335: The True Disciple From The Empyrean River Palace

Ole Mo The Eighth was dismayed. He couldn't quell his trepidation even now. He was one of Qin Thirteen's loyal followers and the only one who'd made it out alive. That wench wasn't any stronger than Qin Thirteen, but the ominous weapon she'd suddenly unleashed was too dreadful.

His face pallid, Ole Mo trembled from head to toe at the mere thought of that flash of light followed by heads rolling. He'd never heard of such a terrifying treasure.

He and his companions had been indulging in pleasure just moments ago, only to see the sectmaster die the next instant, along with all his companions. All of them, dead! Ole Mo himself was now a stray dog.

He looked back as he ran, afraid the mighty weapon would catch up to him if he even blinked.

"Elder Qiu at the Empyrean River Palace won't take Sectmaster Qin's death lying down! This girl might be powerful, but Elder Qiu is an advanced emperor realm powerhouse. She won't look so mighty in front of him. That's right, I must tell Elder Qiu immediately." Ole Mo recovered his clarity of thought after a moment of panic.

"Wait, if I inform Elder Qiu right now, he'll know I'm the only one who survived out of the entire group. If he's angered by that, he might put me to death as a sacrifice for the sectmaster. Won't I get the worst of it then?" Ole Mo had his own personal worries as well.

But as he was fretting, a strand of consciousness suddenly swept through, originating from the sky above. The next moment, a cold haughty voice sounded. "Senior brother, the man below seems a little familiar. I think I've seen him somewhere!"

"Hm? He does really look a little familiar. Let's go down and have a look."

The two men speaking were young men in sect robes, giving off a dignified and extraordinary feeling, particularly the senior brother walking in front. With the dignified gait of a dragon among men, he seemed to exude an undeniable presence, radiating a crushing pressure.

The junior brother behind him seemed younger and more immature, but his expression was equally haughty, as if not many things under the sun were worth his attention. The two of them dropped from the clouds and materialized in front of Ole Mo like two ghosts.

Ole Mo froze when he saw them. He recognized them as Elder Qiu's disciples. In particular, the older one with the extraordinary presence had an exalted identity, being a true disciple. His cultivation was as high as his status was lofty, and he ranked as one of the most notable cultivators amongst the Empyrean River Palace's younger generation.

Ole Mo's impulse was to pick up his feet and flee, but he couldn't move an inch despite the urge. His feet wouldn't budge. They were rooted to the ground. He knew that if he tried to run, it would be no effort for the two disciples to crush him to pieces.

"Senior brother, I think this man is Qin Thirteen's subordinate." The junior brother with a frosty, haughty tone seemed to recognize Ole Mo.

With a wry face, Ole Mo stepped forward and kneeled in greeting. "This humble one is Ole Mo, here to pay respect to the two geniuses of the Empyrean River Palace."

"Ole Mo? Oh I remember, one of Qin Thirteen's men. Ole Mo is it? Why are you sneaking around? Where's Qin Thirteen? Tell him to hurry up and come out so he can welcome us two brothers. Our master will also grace him with his presence today, so tell him to make the necessary preparations!" The junior brother was called Lu Yi. He was also Elder Qiu's disciple, but he wasn't a true disciple, hence he was far below his senior brother in standing.

Ole Mo started bawling. "My lords, Sectmaster Qin… He can no longer welcome the two of you. You came a moment too late!"

"What?" The senior brother, Zhao Mang, frowned. As a true disciple of the Empyrean River Palace, his position was extremely high amongst Elder Qiu's followers, and he held far greater weight in Elder Qiu's heart than a so-called distant nephew like Qin Thirteen.

"A woman came to the Tree Spirit Sect today. She rampaged her way through the mountains and slaughtered Sectmaster Qin, along with many other brothers!" Ole Mo sobbed. "That women is terrible. I don't know what evil treasure she used, but heads rolled on the floor as soon as I saw a flash of light…"

"What? Qin Thirteen is dead?" Lu Yi's brows rose in surprise. "Ole Mo, what the hell are you saying? Is there anyone who can kill him in this damn backwater?"

"My lord, this Ole Mo isn't brave enough to lie to your exalted selves! Judging from her bearing, that woman isn't a local cultivator. Sectmaster Qin tried to pry information out of her, but there was something very off about her. Even the Empyrean River Palace was unfamiliar to her."

"Nonsense." These words infuriated Lu Yi. "Did you believe her just because she said that?"

Zhao Mang waved him off. "Junior brother Lu, don't get overexcited and listen to what he has to say."

"Go on, Ole Mo. Tell us all the details. Don't be evasive and don't even think about concealing anything," Zhao Mang calmly laid out.

In spite of his fear, Ole Mo stammered out a recounting, narrating everything from beginning to end.

Zhao Mang frowned when he heard the entire story. "A beautiful young woman? She fought Qin Thirteen to a standstill at first? If so, she doesn't sound like a genius from a great sect."

As one of them himself, Zhao Mang was aware of how strong one of such geniuses were. If she was merely even with a fifth level sage realm like Qin Thirteen, it would be impossible for her to be a true disciple in a first rank sect despite her passable cultivation.

If not a true disciple of a first rank sect, how would she be so contemptuous in front of his Empyrean River Palace? Or say she'd never heard of the faction? A genius from a small sect would never dare utter these words even if they had ten times the courage.

"Can it be an enemy sect? Is that why she humiliated us on purpose?" Lu Yi voiced his own conjecture.

Zhao Mang pondered for a moment, but couldn't come to a definite conclusion.

"Ole Mo, lead the way, let's go take a look." As a bold and adventurous man, rather than being paralyzed by fear, Zhao Mang was keen to get to the bottom of the matter.

The old man's expression exposed his reluctance. "My lords, that woman isn't gone yet. She's still inside sect grounds as we speak. If we go there now, it'll be impossible for us to avoid her."

"What are you afraid of?" Lu Yi erupted with indignation. "With my senior brother here, why would we be afraid of fighting against a nameless woman? Not to mention that my master will also arrive soon."

Ole Mo's anxiety finally abated somewhat when he heard of Elder Qiu's imminent arrival. But now, he worried whether the elder would take anger out on him when the elder learned of Qin Thirteen's death. He couldn't extricate himself from this hesitation.

"You're not going?" Zhao Mang asked with a faint smile.

Ole Mo prostrated himself, repeatedly knocking his forehead on the ground. "My lord, I'm not as brave as you and don't dare go back. If my lords want to go there, I can tell you the way or even draw you a map if you wish."

Zhao Mang nodded. "You can leave in that case. We naturally have our own ways of finding a trivial Precious Tree Sect."

Ole Mo almost thought his ears weren't functioning. Glancing up, he saw the tranquil look on Zhao Mang's face, as if the latter was really willing to let him go.

"Many thanks, my lord." Ole Mo scrambled away, trying to leave.

An icy glint flashing in his eyes, Zhao Mang thrust a sudden palm into the void, the blow as heavy as a hammer. Ole Mo flew straight into the air, dropping back down in a rather spectacular posture, a big hole pummelled through his body. He was dead as a mackerel.

Without batting an eye, Zhao Mang told his companion, "Let's go."

Lu Yi chuckled and spat on the ground. "Hehe, this guy really didn't know how to appreciate kindness. As Qin Thirteen's man, he let his master die while escaping himself, then dared to haggle with us? He was really looking to die!"

Zhao Mang offered no reply, his thoughts already on the Precious Tree Sect. He'd arrived in advance at the command of his master, but he hadn't expected to happen upon such a situation. He was well aware his master cared very much about this place. The elder had specially dispatched a distant nephew to gather some men and pick up the pieces, setting up a local base in Myriad Domain for the Empyrean River Palace.

But no one foresaw that someone would destroy this so-called Tree Spirit Sect a mere few years later, killing Qin Thirteen in the process.

"Senior brother, who do you think she might be? Someone who has no scruples killing even after hearing our sect's name must be a remarkable figure. Even if it's a girl, it must be a fierce girl who's not easy to deal with."

Zhao Mang tuned out Lu Yi's prattling. It didn't matter to him where she came from or who she was. She was barely strong enough to fight Qin Thirteen to a standstill and had to rely on a heaven defying treasure to kill him. Why would he dread that sort of strength?

She had a treasure, but as a true disciple of the Empyrean River Palace, would he be without his own treasures? For that reason, he didn't take her too seriously. The only thorny issue was the death of his master's nephew. Although his master Elder Qiu might not be very close with his distant kin, Qin Thirteen was nonetheless the master's blood relative.

Zhao Mang could only imagine his master's wrath when he learned of what had transpired. He might even blame his disciple from being too slow and too late to prevent Qin Thirteen's death and the Tree Spirit Sect's destruction. The only thing he could do now was to hurry there, apprehend the killer, and hand her over for his master to handle.

Zhao Mang hastened his steps, afraid the killer might have left.

Dan Fei looked for clues in every nook and cranny of the Precious Tree Sect, but to her chagrin, her efforts ended up fruitless yet again.

"It seems the Precious Tree Sect's departure was so sudden that they didn't leave any clues behind," Dan Fei concluded.

At this moment, two very aggressive streams of air shot from the sky and blew her way. They contained very invasive strands of consciousness. The streams shot inside the Precious Tree Sect, sweeping back and forth across the mountains.

Dan Fei found herself very averse to this sort of untoward action.

"Whoever killed Qin Thirteen, step forward!" A rumbling voice sounded from outside the sect. It naturally belonged to Zhao Mang.

Lu Yi also shouted, "Wench, come out and let my Empyrean River Palace have a look at you. Do you have three heads and six arms? You must be amazing if you dare make a move against my sect's subordinates!"

Men from the Empyrean River Palace? Dan Fei was rather surprised. She hadn't expected them to come so quickly.

Just as she was about to respond, two formidable gusts of wind rumbled down from the sky. With a bang, they crashed into a mountain peak, the enormous impact shaving off a part of the top.

Chapter 1336: A Powerful Showdown

With his extraordinary aura and his status as a true disciple of the Empyrean River Palace, Zhao Mang was ordinarily full of pride. These traits were even more exaggerated now that he'd arrived in an insignificant place like the sixteen kingdoms alliance.

He surveyed the panorama below, his eyes showing disdain for all things living, until his gaze suddenly landed on a young, graceful woman. Her tall and slender figure was beautiful and as conspicuous as a rare orchid in this mountain valley.

"Hm?" Zhao Mang's interest was piqued. Ole Mo had mentioned that Qin Thirteen's killer was an attractive girl.

Zhao Mang hadn't put much stock in the old man's words. Ole Mo was crude and unrefined, so what did he know of attractive women? Seeing her with his own eyes now, he finally realized the truth of the old man's words.

Even he was secretly awed, the stirrings of desire stoked in his heart. "Where does this young woman come from? Such bearing, she should be famous in the human domain!"

Beside him, his junior brother Lu Yi was also stunned by Dan Fei's appearance.

"I'm a true disciple of the Empyrean River Palace Zhao Mang. Might I inquire whose sect you hail from, my lady?" Zhao Mang's attitude had undergone a subtle change.

Dan Fei replied with indifference, "Are you here to avenge Qin Thirteen?"

Zhao Mang smiled leisurely. "That Qin Thirteen was an uncouth fellow. If he offended you, then he was merely go what he deserved and there's be naturally nothing for me to avenge. However, if…"

"There's no need for ifs," Dan Fei immediately interrupted. "Zhao Mang was it? I am the one who killed him. If you want revenge, feel free to come down."

Although Dan Fei could tell Zhao Fei was far stronger than Qin Thirteen, there was still no fear in her.

Zhao Mang had originally planned to show off his poise and elegance. But Dan Fei's biting words cut him off short, undermining all the lines he'd prepared. Fortunately for him, his experience with all kinds of situations allowed him to retain his composure.

"What a strong temper. Among the innumerable sects of my Upper Eight Regions, the ones with notable female geniuses are the Moon God Sect and the Celestial Cicada Court. Which of these two sects do you hail from, I wonder?" Zhao Mang was still keen to find out her identity, because while he was a true disciple, his sect could only be considered third tier among the first rank sects of Upper Eight Region when it came to strength and wealth.

For that reason, it was best to make thorough inquiries even if they were fated to stand on opposite sides. He wasn't one to shy away from trouble, but neither was he inclined to stir the pot for no good reason.

"No need to beat around the bush. I'm not from a first rank sect, you don't need to be so cautious. If you want to attack, then use whatever means you have at your disposal." False courtesy from these sect disciples was what Dan Fei loathed most. Since they were bound to be enemies, why did he waste her time in probings?

Not from a first rank sect? Zhao Mang froze for a split second. She wasn't a first rank sect's disciple despite her talent?

"Miss, with your natural aptitude, are you truly reduced to wasting away the spring of your youth in a second or third rate sect? If so, I feel genuinely sorry for you." Zhao Mang smiled. "Why not turn over a new leaf? As long as you are willing to join my Empyrean River Palace, I swear I'll do everything in my power to smooth away Qin Thirteen's matter for you. I guarantee you'll become an eminent figure of our sect."

With the exalted status of a true disciple, Zhao Mang had full confidence he could make good on his promise.

A teasing expression emerged on Dan Fei's face. "A first rank sect's disciple? Are all of them as narcissistic as you? The Empyrean River Palace? I've never heard of it, have no interest in it, and am even less impressed. Attack if you must, why indulge in one-sided flatteries?"

Dan Fei's sarcasm took no prisoners.

No matter how adept Zhao Mang was at posturing, he could no longer endure Dan Fei's derision. With a cold nod, he said in a frosty voice, "Good. Since you don't appreciate my kindness, then don't blame me for lacking chivalry and being ruthless to the fairer sex!"

"Lu Yi, hold the rear." A murderous aura spread from Zhao Mang.

"Now that senior brother is personally taking action, a swift victory is all but certain," Lu Yi flattered.

Although Zhao Mang hadn't broken through to emperor realm yet, he was nonetheless peak sage realm. When it came to real strength, he could hold his own against Cao Jin, the Ninesuns disciple who once stirred trouble on Mt. Rippling Mirage.

Cao Jin was merely ranked ninth in his sect's younger generation, whereas Zhao Mang was among the top five in the entire Empyrean River Palace, or even the top three.

Unleashing the energy of a sage realm cultivator, strange black mountains immediately emerged behind Zhao Mang. The black mountains appeared dark and sinister, and evil winds raged through them, giving off an eerie feeling. He murmured an incantation. The black mountains suddenly exploded in the air, forming countless black boulders shooting at Dan Fei like artillery shells.

"Black Meteorites! Senior brother, what a formidable move!" Lu Yi applauded with admiration.

Black rocks covered the sky, so dense not a sliver of blue was visible. Like meteorites, they rained down with irrepressible speed and momentum, bringing howling gusts of wind in their wake.

They crashed toward Dan Fei in the space of a few breaths, seemingly about to bury her. Peak ninth level sage realm was outstanding to begin with. On top of that, the Black Meteorites art exerted an innate pressure on consciousness.

At this critical juncture, a feather appeared in Dan Fei's hand. She brushed it across the empty air, rending a crack through space. The void inside this crack swallowed her figure. She disappeared on the spot, vanishing from Zhao Mang's and Lu Yi's eyes.

Zhao Mang stared in faint surprise when he saw multicolored rays of light flash, followed by the woman's disappearance. He looked everywhere around him, but no matter how meticulous his scrutiny, he couldn't find a clue anywhere. She seemed to have faded into the void.

"Senior brother, be careful!" Lu Yi suddenly shouted out loud, his senses on alert.

Zhao Mang's reflexes were lightning quick. With a shake of his arms, black mountains hovered in front of him. At almost the same time, a beam of light shot from the void, followed by a sharp blade slashing across space and the black mountain range.

The sparks born from the cruel impact splashed in every direction. The collision of formidable bursts of energy generated ripples vibrating in every direction, leaving collapsed buildings in their wake.

These buildings belonged to the Precious Tree Sect, so their construction quality conformed to the sect's standards. The two current combatants far surpassed the Precious Tree Sect in power. Naturally the sect's domain couldn't withstand this level of fighting.

A single exchange between the two of them already wrecked untold ruin and destruction.

Dan Fei could sense that Zhao Mang's martial cultivation was indeed much higher than hers. If not for Emperor Peafowl gifting her some protective treasures, she probably would have collapsed from the earlier blow.

The peafowl feathers weren't merely offensive weapons. They could also cut through space and let her dodge formidable attacks when combined with an escape technique. This escape technique was exclusive to Emperor Peafowl, and needed to be used in conjunction with his multicolored feathers.

As for these feathers, they were a great protective gift bestowed to Dan Fei by Sacred Peafowl Mountain.

Under constant usage, Dan Fei became increasingly familiar with them. Operating them with her consciousness, she continuously found more ways to use them. The result was especially satisfying when she manipulated them across the void in lethal slashes. Many techniques Emperor Peafowl taught her in the past emerged from her memories.

Even Zhao Mang was quickly backed into a corner by these feathers. Turning into dazzling beams of light, no one could predict where they would strike.

With a flash of light, the glint of blades once again stopped him dead in his tracks. Zhao Mang was rather depressed. He'd faced many opponents in his life, but without any exception, anyone who could render him helpless had a higher cultivation.

However, it clearly wasn't the case with the woman in front of him. Despite her much lower cultivation, she manipulated the feathers with her thoughts like someone else would a flying sword, attacking from all kinds of unpredictable angles. It was impossible to defend against them.

Many times, Dan Fei's feather blades almost caught Zhao Mang, forcing him to use enormous strength to block them. This sort of attack with no rhythm or pattern fanned Zhao Mang's anger.

"Senior brother, I'll assist you and attack her from the rear. What do you say?" Lu Yi couldn't help offering when he saw Zhao Mang's predicament.

Zhao Mang was a proud man. He naturally rejected the suggestion without a second thought.

"Lu Yi, focus on guarding the rear. This wench is at a lower realm than me, even lower than you, but her treasure is special. It appears and disappears like ghosts. Don't worry, it'll be easy for me to capture her once I grasp her pattern of attack."

Zhao Mang would never agree to let Lu Yi help him no matter how sorry his situation. He didn't want rumors to spread that he couldn't even handle a woman far weaker than him.

His current plan was to rely on his mobility. Under Dan Fei's powerful highly threatening moves, there was no gaps or opportunities for any sorts of attacks. He could only rely on his speed and movement arts, as well as his advantage in cultivation, to avoid Dan Fei's offensive while he groped for a way to reverse the situation.

Will I have any face left if I let her continue with her barrage? Her offensive relies entirely on her treasures. If I can make her lose the ability to use them, a few minutes will be enough for me to capture her.

He leered, "Girl, you're forcing me to it! I admit, your treasure isn't half bad. However, if you think it's enough to bridge the gap in cultivation, you're in for a surprise. Watch carefully!"

Reciting an incantation, Zhao Mang suddenly slapped his head. Three black whirlwinds shot out from the black mountains.

They resolved into enormous red pythons with thick skins and strong flesh. They pounced towards Dan Fei. Churning in the sky, they turned into three black streams of air speeding towards Dan Fei from three different directions.

Dan Fei's consciousness instantly perceived a formidable danger.

"Oh no, withdraw!" She reacted without the slightest hesitation. Multicolored rays of light flashed around her. Added to her absolute speed, she broke away from the three pythons' siege.

However, she underestimated the power of these pythons. After failing their first attempt, they elongated infinitely and spiralled endlessly in the sky, intent on surrounding this entire space with their bodies.

Chapter 1337: An Elder of the Empyrean River Palace

Dan Fei shifted left and right, maneuvering in every direction. Yet no matter how quickly she moved, she couldn't escape the three pythons' encirclement. The three giant snakes were filled with an ancient aura. They'd coiled their sinuous bodies into an invincible formation.

"Hmph, wench! Accept your defeat!" Zhao Mang flashed a contented smirk to himself. Capable hunters always enjoyed most the sight of squirming prey. It was an indescribable feeling, but he was filled with exactly that. A pretty female cultivator falling to his powerful methods!

Dan Fei continually deployed her peafowl feathers. Unfortunately, because her cultivation level was limited, the power that she could extract from the feathers was equally limited.

Though the feathers were faster than lightning and always hit their marks, the three giant pythons had thick scales and hides. The reptiles' tempered bodies meant that they enjoyed the protection of a thick shell. Dan Fei's feathers could score bloody marks, but they inflicted no lasting damage.

The scores were quite shallow. Blood spewed everywhere, but such wounds were hardly lethal. She became more serious. First rank sects' true disciples were difficult to deal with.

Dan Fei had a number of Emperor Peafowl's protective treasures, but was held back by her shallow cultivation and lack of combat experience. She couldn't make ideal use of any of them. Therefore, she was immediately at a disadvantage when her peafowl feathers failed.

The more wounds the pythons received, the more vicious they became. She could just barely hold on using the peafowl feathers' spatial power.

The three giant pythons maintained a clear strategy of restricting her movements by cutting off bits and pieces of available territory. Even if she could escape the pythons' entanglement, she would lose to fatigue.

Zhao Mang was thoroughly enjoying himself when he saw the girl struggle against his attacks. A beautiful female cultivator being played with like putty fulfilled his primitive pride considerably.

"Senior brother, you're amazing. That girl can't take much more." Lu Yi began his flattery anew.

Dan Fei didn't have only her peafowl feathers in reserve. Unfortunately, the other aces up her sleeve were intended for emergencies, and would harm her to a certain degree when used.

Still, she was unconcerned with the three giant pythons in the end. She had a powerful escape glyph at her disposal that would trivialize her current obstacle.

When Emperor Peafowl had given her the glyph, he had told her in person that aside from powerful great emperors, the escape glyph were unlikely to be restricted by anyone. This meant that her glyph was very potent. Zhao Mang was capable, but he wasn't even emperor realm, much less a realm higher.

It was easy enough for her to leave. Fundamentally, her concern lingered with the ordinary women below.

Sweat beaded upon Dan Fei's forehead. The pythons thrashed about like dragons within a vast ocean, creating dynamic waves with each movement of their bodies. She was shaken almost to the point of losing control.

"I can't hesitate any more." Dan Fei had realized the difference in martial strength between her opponent and herself. It was time for her to decide.

If she didn't leave, she would die with the ordinary women. Worse, she wouldn't be given a quick death. Just like Qin Thirteen, Zhao Mang was sure to abuse her many times over before killing her. Dan Fei wasn't scared of death itself, but she shuddered to think of her fate upon defeat.

"The Empyrean River Palace…" Dan Fei imprinted the name viciously to memory. "I better get out of here to fight another day. I'll remember that name."

Producing her escape glyph, she was on the cusp of activating it. As long as she succeeded, she could escape into nothingness.

The beginning of a hand seal was proof of her intent. At that moment, a glimmer of lightning-fast radiance shot into her presence. Dan Fei's hand spasmed as if electrified, her escape glyph falling from it.

This drastic shift greatly shocked the woman. She had no idea where the attack had come from, but her escape glyph had been swatted from her possession.

"Zhao Mang, you've disappointed me greatly. You can't deal with a simple mid sage realm female cultivator?" A sinister voice rumbled from the aether like cacophonous metal. It pained its listeners' ears, instilling in them a deep sense of discomfort.

"Master!" Zhao Mang and Lu Yi blurted out simultaneously in surprise.

The clouds parted to reveal a ray of divine light. A bald-headed old man in ascetic robes and no shoes at all descended from the heavens, palm fan in hand.

It was none other than the Empyrean River Palace's Elder Qiu. He wasn't the most prominent man in his sect, but had a great deal of authority and clout nevertheless. Not because of his own surpassing strength, but rather the presence of a true disciple like Zhao Mang. The expertise of the student invisibly elevated the status of the master.

The bald old man was rotund and heavy, his small eyes in a perpetual squint. A cursory glance would yield the casual assumption that he was an amiable fellow. However, Dan Fei kept her guard up. Her intuition told her that the old man didn't have even a fraction of his benevolent appearance.

The bald man in ascetic robes examined Dan Fei closely. "Little girl, your cultivation level is unremarkable, but you have quite the treasure trove. Who's your master? Tell me."

His master's appearance prompted Zhao Mang to withdraw his methods. "Master." He cupped a fist to the elder. "That girl killed Qin Thirteen and the rest. Please do what is best."

The bald old man's eyes flared with killing intent. "What? Qin Thirteen was killed?"

"That's right, and this woman killed her. She admitted to it!" Lu Yi added fuel to the flame.

"Good! Good! Good!" The old man extolled three times, but his expression was more frigid than winter. He was obviously outraged at the revelation.

Qin Thirteen was one of his relatives. The bald-headed Elder Qiu didn't necessarily like his distant nephew all that much, but this nephew had been one of his juniors nonetheless. There had been a blood tie between them.

Most importantly, Qin Thirteen represented his face and reputation. Moreover, he had been a part of a plan, a jumping-board into that ancient restricted place. Someone had destroyed that jumping-board, and he was none too pleased about it.

"Speak of your origins. Let's see if I can't deal with you yet." Elder Qiu's tone was icy. There was no hint of his prior affability.

"Master, this woman won't volunteer any information. I've asked before, but she remained completely silent. Plus, she says she's never heard of our famous Empyrean River Palace."

"Hmph!" The elder was infuriated. "The human domain is a big place, and few cultivators in it don't recognize our name. Woman, your murder of my nephew cannot be ignored – regardless of what seniors or master you may have. Resign yourself to your fate!"

Crowing with laughter, the elder flared his aura before sending it all toward Dan Fei's direction. Elder Qiu wasn't a great emperor yet at only ninth level emperor realm. Still, a man of his level could easily crush the fourth level sage realm Dan Fei.

"You say you don't know the Empyrean River Palace, little girl? I'd like to see you mouth off some more."

The elder's pressure bearing down upon Dan Fei posed great danger to her. She wanted to retrieve the fallen glyph, but couldn't spare the mental focus to move her body into action. Her consciousness was completely spent on trying to resist Elder Qiu's attack, but she was still having a difficult time.

"Hmph! You're trying to run with an escape glyph? A foolish fantasy!" Elder Qiu dispensed with all pretense. He contorted his face into a grim grin. "Today, I'll teach you what the Empyrean River Palace is!"

"Is the Empyrean River Palace something particularly impressive?" In Dan Fei's hour of danger, an unexpected voice sounded through empty space. The voice was unruly and untamed, tinged with mockery and disdain. Above all, it was filled with cynicism and scorn.

"Who goes there?" Elder Qiu's face fell. He leaped into the air, scanning his surroundings.

Woosh woosh!

Two burly figures landed before the entrance to the Precious Tree Sect. They bore strikingly similar appearances, seemingly identical twins.

"Brother, this should be the place."

"Yes, I believe so. The Precious Tree Sect? Yes, indeed." The two brothers conferred amongst themselves, surveying the environment while they did so. They treated Elder Qiu as nothing but air.

The elder was incensed.

"Where did you two wild ghosts come from?" As an elder of a first rank sect, Elder Qiu was a man with some wealth and authority. The clothing of these two men didn't indicate their status as experts of some powerful faction. Therefore, he had no reason to withhold the natural arrogance in his tone.

The two brothers traded a look. "Brother," one of them muttered, "who is this old man? The Precious Tree Sect doesn't have someone this that, does it?"

"Didn't you hear him say?" The other one replied. "Who knows where that wild ghost has come from? The young lord told us to come take out anyone lingering upon the Precious Tree Sect's grounds. What do you say?"

"Let's do it, then." The first speaker cackled, then grabbed at the nearby Zhao Mang and Lu Yi. He was as swift as coursing thunder, charging with unprecedented ferocity!

"Get out of there, this is very bad!" Elder Qiu felt uneasy at the potency in the man's movements, hastily calling for his disciples to flee.

Chapter 1338: Nearing The Truth

"Haha, but can you escape?" The assailant's voice was rough, but his movements were as quick as could be. Elder Qiu's warning only spurred him onwards.

Lu Yi had no time at all to react before his head received a resounding slap. A crunch was all that was heard before his neck was bent. He fell over dead on the spot.

Zhao Mang was scared witless by the viciousness of this new man. He used all the strength he had to deploy the three giant pythons, sweeping the beasts towards the pouncing man. He himself turned into a streak of light, darting to his master, Elder Qiu.

Dan Fei had personal experience with the strength of the pythons. "Careful!" she cried out upon the snakes' charge.

Glancing at Dan Fei for a moment, the man was a little surprised by the gesture. "No worries, leave it to me," he grinned. "But how kind of you."

A cackle and two outstretched hands heralded the man's Dragon-Slaying Hand technique. He waded into melee combat with the three pythons.

"Break!"

A vicious punch slammed into one of the reptiles' scalp.

Boom!

The python's head was smashed to smithereens.

The man didn't stop there. He continuously pummeled the scaly mass until the two remaining pythons yielded to complete destruction as well.

Dan Fei braced herself at the terrifying sight. She respected the man's abilities a great deal. The three giant pythons had caused her no end of trouble, but the man had gutted them with the same ease as handling fish.

Even Elder Qiu watched the proceedings with mouth agape. For the moment, the elder almost forgot about his disciple's death. He shielded Zhao Mang behind him. "When we start fighting in a moment, escape immediately," he messaged. "Don't linger here!"

Zhao Mang was stunned. "Master, how can I abandon you?"

"Fool! I have my ways of leaving after you're gone. If you don't go, it makes it that much harder for me to." Elder Qiu placed a great deal of importance upon this disciple.

"Friends, we don't know each other. Haven't you been too brash in attempting to kill my disciples when we've just met? Identify yourselves. Let's see if you're worthy enough to stand up to the Empyrean River Palace." The elder was positively fuming.

"The Empyrean River Palace?" The two men cackled once more. "We've heard of it."

Elder Qiu's expression was darker than black. "If you know the name of our Palace, why did you murder our disciples without reason? Your crimes must be punished!"

"What crimes? By whom?"

"Old man Qiu, we're ending your life too. What're you going on about?"

These two men were the Geng brothers, here on Jiang Chen's orders. Upon reaching Regal Pill Palace, the first thing Jiang Chen did was to delegate the brothers to the Precious Tree Sect in order to see how they were doing.

One of the Geng brothers was peak of ninth level emperor realm, and the other simply ninth level. Their power was uncontestable within Myriad Domain.

Even Elder Qiu was merely ninth level emperor realm. Either one of the brothers more than matched him in fighting ability. The two brothers combined could easily squash him. Plus, the Geng brothers were backed by the vast Veluriyam Capital. They had nothing to fear. There was no need to show undue respect to the likes of the Empyrean River Palace.

At the Dragon and Tiger Meet, the brothers had observed the Palace to be a dog of Pillfire City. It was concrete confirmation of what had previously only been rumor. Since Pillfire was Veluriyam's mortal enemy, there was no need to treat the Empyrean River Palace nicely.

The Geng brothers would've weighed the pros and cons against any other sect, but the mention of that particular sect meant that they could dispense with pretense and niceties.

Elder Qiu was angry enough to cough up blood. In all his days traveling the world, very few people had ever dared speak to him this way. This was especially true given his status as an elder of the Empyrean River Palace.

Regardless of any public perceptions about that sect, the Palace was one of the agreed-upon first rank sects and prominent factions in the human domain. However, regardless of any negative emotions he was feeling at the moment, he estimated that he and Zhao Mang would be no match for the two men across from them.

Fighting today was out of the question.

"Brother, why waste time talking to them? If the old man is from the Empyrean River Palace, then he's a bad apple to be mucking around a place as insignificant as the Precious Tree Sect. Let's just kill him and present his head to the young lord."

"Heh, I was just worried that the young lord wouldn't be interested in the head of a bald guy like him. Shall we take him down then?"

The Geng brothers weren't exactly shining examples of kindhearted folk. They had come under instructions to exterminate anyone occupying the Precious Tree Sect's land. The two brothers streaked toward Elder Qiu in two surges of light, flanking the old man from the left and right in a two-pronged attack.

"Zhao Mang, go on ahead!" Elder Qiu called out.

Zhao Mang anxiously took out an escape glyph, preparing to activate it. As he was about to finish doing so, what had happened to Dan Fei was visited upon him in a very similar way. However, his was a much worse fate.

A flash was all that he saw before his entire hand was sliced off by an unknown force. The glyph, still clutched in his now-detached fingers, disappeared from his nonexistent grasp.

"Ah!" Zhao Mang screeched in pain, his left hand clutching at the bleeding stub of his right. Giant drops of sweat ran down his face.

A calm voice echoed through the air. "Baldy Qiu, you can't blame others for your foolishness in coming to Myriad Domain as an elder of the Empyrean River Palace. You ran into the jaws of death of your own volition."

There was a magnificence behind this voice, as relentless as the ocean tide. Elder Qiu felt an agitation in his entire body and could just barely stay standing. Cold sweat pooled on his entire body.

The two brothers were hard enough to deal with, yet the newcomer surpassed them in both cultivation and spirit. His aura alone was far more daunting.

"Could it be a great emperor?" Touching upon this possibility. Elder Qiu became white in the face. If it really was a great emperor, he was probably dead regardless of how crafty his methods were.

"Master, he… he cut off my hand!" Zhao Mang let out a maddened shriek at the sight of his palm-less stump.

There was a flicker before everyone's eyes. Another figure landed in their midst. The new arrival was none other than Emperor Vastsea, hot on the Geng brothers' tail.

As a loyal servant of Jiang Chen, the emperor respected the young lord's orders a great deal. If Jiang Chen said to turn to the left, he would not have veered a single degree to the right.

"Emperor Vastsea?" Dan Fei blinked upon seeing the man. She had followed Emperor Peafowl for many years, so the emperor's face was familiar to her. The sight of the man made her instinctively blurt out his name.

"Hmm?" Emperor Vastsea paused himself at the sound of Dan Fei's voice. "You… you're… Daoist Peafowl's foster daughter, Miss Dan'er?"

As a great emperor, Emperor Vastsea had a photographic memory. He instantly recalled the girl's identity when he saw her. Numerous disciples across multiple emperors' factions had attempted to court Dan Fei in Veluriyam Capital. He himself had done a few favors for his own disciples to that end.

The entire reason Dan Fei had entered closed door cultivation on pain of death was because of the mounting pressure on her romantic life. She had done so in order to alleviate Emperor Peafowl's potential difficulty.

Dan Fei's graceful face paled. "Emperor Vastsea, why are you here? I hear you've turned to the light and joined up with Sacred Peafowl Mountain. Is that true?"

Emperor Vastsea grinned. "That's right. I've turned back at the cliff's precipice, and now I fight for the side of good. But what are you doing here, Miss Dan'er? We haven't seen you for many years now… did you come out to look for Daoist Peafowl?"

Elder Qiu's scalp tingled as he listened to their conversation.

Emperor Vastsea, Daoist Peafowl…

These names connected many passageways inside his brain. Information began to gather together, revealing to him the full picture. It was a bone-chilling one: endless terror swelled up in his heart!

The elder wasn't particularly scared of any would-be fellow first rank sect members. He had reasonable clout within his own sect after all. Veluriyam Capital was what he was most afraid of. And yet – his deepest fear had materialized in front of him!

"Sacred Peafowl Mountain felt a bit stuffy, so I came out for a walk," Dan Fei sighed softly. "I thought I might look for a few people on the side and where His Majesty might be."

She didn't have a favorable opinion of Emperor Vastsea. Although he'd turned to the light and joined Sacred Peafowl Mountain, her previous impressions of his villainy weren't easily erased.

"Ah…" Emperor Vastsea didn't know how to follow up. Emperor Shura had been single handedly responsible for Emperor Peafowl's disappearance. Though Emperor Vastsea hadn't personally been involved in ambushing Emperor Peafowl, he had played an unpleasant supporting role.

"That's right, the young lord you were talking about. Is he the young lord Zhen that His Majesty ordained? Why is he here in Myriad Domain? Why did he send you two to the Precious Tree Sect?" Dan Fei couldn't help but ask when all this suddenly occurred to her.

The Precious Tree Sect was a tiny place. It was as insignificant to something as large as Veluriyam Capital as a grain of rice. She didn't know why the young lord would possibly be interested in a place like this.

Emperor Vastsea chuckled. "Miss Dan'er, how long have you been gone? Haven't you heard of the recent news and happenings?"

"What?" Dan Fei was completely blank. "I've been around only the sixteen kingdoms alliance recently. I haven't heard of anything from outside."

"Haha, what a funny coincidence. How come you're interested in the Precious Tree Sect too, Miss Dan'er? Just like the young lord. He used to be a disciple of this sect. Perhaps you were as well?"

His joking statement shook Dan'er to the core. Electricity coursed through her and her graceful visage blanched."What did you say? Young lord Zhen, he… he was a disciple of the Precious Tree Sect?" Dan'er suddenly found her head spinning. Her mind was completely blank, and she could no longer keep up with reality. She found it difficult to stand upright and had to lean on a small tree beside her for support.

"You really don't know, Miss Dan'er!" laughed Emperor Vastsea. "The young lord comes from the sixteen kingdoms alliance of this Myriad Domain. He stayed at the Precious Tree Sect, once upon a time. He always takes care of his past acquaintances, so that's why he sent us here as soon as possible."

Chapter 1339: Tears Of Joy

Dan Fei's mind turned blank. Her brain WAS mush at Vastsea's words. She murmured, "Precious Tree Sect, the sixteen kingdoms alliance? Young Lord Zhen? Emperor Vastsea, are you playing a joke on me?"

"Of course not." Vastsea grinned. "The whole world knows. Ask the Geng brothers if you don't believe me. Both of them are young lord Jiang Chen's trusted followers."

Jiang Chen?

These two words were a bolt from the blue. Her tender figure shook. She almost thought she was hallucinating. The name she'd longed for for so many years had resounded in her ears without the slightest warning.

Born in the sixteen kingdoms alliance, once a disciple of the Precious Tree Sect, and now the young lord of Veluriyam? Jiang Chen?

"Miss Dan'er, are you alright?" Vastsea was baffled. "Do you really know the young lord?"

Vastsea found this incredulous. Miss Dan'er had been on Sacred Peafowl Mountain all this time while Jiang Chen was the mountain's young lord. They should've met already. How was it possible for them not to know each other?

Dan Fei struggled to compose herself, yet her voice was still raw with emotion. "Young lord Jiang Chen… young lord Jiang Chen. Is this really not a dream?"

Vastsea and the Geng brothers looked at each other. The brothers actually didn't know her. Their attitude had become much friendlier once they learned she was Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter.

"Miss Dan'er, our young lord did indeed come from the sixteen kingdoms alliance, but he didn't stay for long in the Precious Tree Sect. He left for the Regal Pill Palace afterward. After Myriad Domain's invasion, he made a narrow escape to Veluriyam and gained Emperor Peafowl's favor. In a short decade, he displayed his extraordinary talents for the whole world to see, and became a peak existence of the young generation. You're Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter, did you never hear him mention this?"

Dan Fei turned her back to the brothers with tears streaming down her face. She felt dazed, in a dream. Never in a million years would she have imagined that the man she yearned for day and night had been within reach all this while.

Fortune truly toyed with them all!

Seeing them absorbed in their discussion, Elder Qiu threw Zhao Mang a meaningful look. Although sweating with pain, Zhao Mang clenched his left fist, ready to pick up his severed limb and escape.

"Qiu, you better stay honest." Each and every move of theirs was within Vastsea's perception. Once a great emperor extended his consciousness, any blade of grass swaying in the gentlest of breezes within several dozen miles was within his awareness. "How dare you leave? Did this emperor say you could?"

Elder Qiu stiffened, his face pale. He thought he could sneak away while his opponents were distracted. He never imagined this Emperor Vastsea would be so sharp, that he would watch master and disciple so tightly.

While an attempt at forceful escape wasn't entirely doomed, he knew the probability of success was almost negligible. There was a huge disparity in strength between great emperors and those below. Perhaps some geniuses could try to fight despite that gap, but Elder Qiu wasn't one of them.

Most importantly, Emperor Vastsea wasn't one of these initial stage great emperors, but a bona fide veteran with at least two thousand years of fame to his name. He was an advanced great emperor, even if he hadn't reached the peak stage yet.

Vastsea had always been fond of flattering others. People like him were usually very attentive and proficient at reading body language. He saw Dan Fei turn her back to him and somewhat sensed the surge of her emotions. He could even see the slight shake of her shoulders.

A thought occurred to him. Perhaps Miss Dan Fei is truly an old friend of the young lord? That boggles the mind. Both of them were in Veluriyam for the past few years, did they never run into each other?

Then an explanation dawned on him. Wait, the young lord always wore a disguise while in Veluriyam and he never made his identity public. If they never met face to face, it's quite possible for both of them to be ignorant of the other. Otherwise, why would Miss Dan'er be so affected? Why would she show such an exaggerated reaction?

Perhaps… Vastsea's thoughts whirled at top speed. "iss Dan'er lost all her self-possession and became so agitated after hearing the news, so a relationship must be involved… Right, I have to handle this carefully. Wouldn't it be a great accomplishment to bring back the young lord's woman?

Coming to this conclusion, he waited patiently for Dan Fei to regain control of her emotions.

After a long while, Dan Fei finally steadied herself and faced the great emperor once again. She asked quietly, "Emperor Vastsea, where is your young lord now?"

"He's at the Regal Pill Palace. The sect is in the middle of rebuilding and requires his presence. Miss Dan'er, is the young lord perhaps the one you came to find in the Precious Tree Sect?"

Dan Fei wanted to protest, but in the end, she didn't deny. Instead, she quietly responded, "I never thought he'd become Veluriyam's young lord after we parted. I brushed past him countless times, yet thought he was at the other end of the world. Emperor Vastsea, how… how is he doing nowadays?"

Vastsea hurriedly to reply, "Very well, he's doing very well. Miss Dan'er, why don't I take you to him right now? I'm sure the young lord will be delighted to meet an old friend. Before sending me here, he especially told me to make inquiries and see whether I can find old acquaintances from the Precious Tree Sect. For example, a certain Ye Chonglou, or a Tang Hong. Oh I remember, he even told me to go to a mundane kingdom when I'm free…"

"Oh? Did he tell you to look for someone in that kingdom?" Dan Fei's tone took a strange turn as she suddenly thought of something.

"Yes, the young lord told me to visit Skylaurel's king. I think he's called Ye Rong or something. Oh right, there's also a girl. He said she's Ye Chonglou's disciple, called Dan Fei."

Vastsea stopped all of a sudden. His eyes fell on Dan Fei as if he finally understood something. No wonder Dan Fei asked him who he'd been told to look for.

It seems Miss Dan'er happens to be the Dan Fei the young lord asked me to find? Judging by her reaction, it seems her relationship with the young lord is quite deep indeed.

Tears threatened to spill from Dan Fei's eyes, almost getting the better of her. Countless feelings welled up in her.

So he didn't forget me after all! He didn't forget me. A faint wisp of happiness rose amidst her sadness. All of a sudden, she felt that she hadn't suffered in vain during these years, that the torment of her longing had been worth it.

"Geng brothers, why don't you take Miss Dan'er to the Regal Pill Palace first to meet with the young lord. I'll follow you once I capture Qiu." Vastsea didn't act high-handed. Instead, he spoke as if consulting with them.

The Geng brothers shared a look, well aware this Dan'er might well be someone dear to Jiang Chen. They dared not slight her importance. They knew they were strong enough to suppress Elder Qiu if they stayed behind, but it was another story when it came to capturing him.

In an exchange of blows between experts, one wouldn't be able to stop an enemy from fleeing if one was only slightly stronger.

"Miss Dan'er, the Geng brothers are the young lord's trusted followers. With them by your side, nothing will happen to you along the way." Vastsea's tone couldn't be more courteous.

Dan Fei hadn't freed herself entirely yet from the stupor of the happy tidings. She sighed softly, her voice conflicted. "Right now, I'd like to go back to Skylaurel first."

She'd really planned on visiting Skylaurel. Logically speaking, she should be wishing that she could grow wings this instant and fly to Jiang Chen. However, for some inexplicable reason, she was a little afraid of having this decade-old dream suddenly come true.

She wasn't afraid that the dream would shatter, but she was at a loss how to face Jiang Chen. Should she tell him that she'd been his partner during that night of absurd debauchery?

If so, Dan Fei was worried whether Jiang Chen would think her a wanton woman. Would he look down on her? Even if he didn't, even if he felt guilty, Dan Fei knew that Sacred Peafowl Mountain's young lord Zhen had a dao partner.

Dan Fei felt a faint ache in her heart at that thought, as well as a twinge of jealousy. How should she face him? And more importantly, how should she face his dao partner?

Uncertainty and conflicted feelings weighed on her. Although she was still as excited and happy as ever at finding Jiang Chen, a newfound conflict now reigned in her.

Vastsea blinked. Dan'er had cried tears of joy when she learned of Jiang Chen's whereabouts, so why had she become so aloof again all of a sudden? However, he was a clever man. Putting two and two together, he realized Miss Dan'er must be worried about something, or perhaps she couldn't put down her pride as a woman.

With a small smile, he said, "It happens I'm also headed to Skylaurel. Since Miss Dan'er wants to go there, why don't I go with you?"

Dan Fei had been a little prejudiced against Vastsea up until now, because she still held lingering memories of him as Emperor Shura's man. But that prejudice was slowly fading away, because of news of Jiang Chen and how considerate he was. She nodded after some thought. "It will be my honor to have your company."

"Hehe… Miss Dan'er, please wait a moment." Vastsea's figure moved while he spoke. With a wave of his arms, the formidable energy of a great emperor lifted walls of water cresting toward Elder Qiu.

The elder's expression turned to dread. The momentum of a great emperor's full-strength attack was frightening enough. Moreover, the difference in cultivation between Elder Qiu and Vastsea was as great as the distance between the sky and the earth.

The thought of resistance had barely crossed the elder's mind when the daunting water curtains crashed over him, shaping a vortex of water that sucked him inside.

Free and easy, Vastsea's figure blurred as he charged inside the vortex.

Crash!

He came back out of the water holding two men.

Chapter 1340: Dan Feis Decision

Dan Fei secretly admired Vastsea's power. Apart from the even mightier arts she'd once seen from Emperor Peafowl, Vastsea's prowess was as great as anything she'd ever witnessed.

The Geng brothers also shared a look tinged with respect. Great emperors were something else alright. Elder Qiu hadn't had the slightest chance for escape or resistance. The brothers couldn't match the great emperor even if they tried their hardest.

Just like the Jiao brothers, the Geng brothers used to think of Vastsea as nothing more than Emperor Shura's lackey, forced by the circumstances to surrender to Jiang Chen. They thought his character despicable, hence they subconsciously looked down on him.

Now that they'd witnessed his impressive power, they finally realized that flattery wasn't the only thing he was proficient in. His mastery at fighting was nothing to sneeze at.

Elder Qiu drooped like a defeated rooster in Vastsea's hand. After sealing his prisoners' vital points, the great emperor tossed them on the ground.

"Brothers, bring these two guys back to the Regal Pill Palace and tell the young lord everything that's happened here. In particular, don't forget to mention we found a friend of his from the sixteen kingdoms alliance, Miss Dan Fei. Ah, remember to tell the young lord that Miss Dan Fei and Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter Dan'er are one and the same."

The Geng brothers nodded without hesitation. "Alright, we'll leave the rest to you, Emperor Vastsea."

Watching the Geng brothers take away Elder Qiu and Zhao Mang, Dan Fei still had a hazy, persistent feeling that she was in a dream. She'd almost given up all hope before those from Veluriyam Capital had showed up. Zhao Mang had been thorny enough by himself, to say nothing of another Elder Qiu, especially when the elder's strength was so overwhelming.

Although Dan Fei had many escape items, she wasn't certain she could slip away alive from under the elder's nose.

However, the situation suddenly underwent an enormous reversal at her most desperate hour. The appearance of the Geng brothers, followed by Emperor Vastsea, had turned the tide of the battle. Not only that, they even brought with them earth-shattering news she still had trouble comprehending.

"Miss Dan'er, should we depart now? Or should we stay here first?" Vastsea had conjectured that the relationship between Dan Fei and young lord Jiang Chen was anything but ordinary. She was also Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter.

Either of these two identities was more than enough for Vastsea to treat her with patience and respect. After all, his own position was in an awkward spot at present. He was no longer one of the mighty and exalted great emperors of Veluriyam as he'd once been.

Meanwhile, Dan Fei was a little embarrassed at Vastsea's courtesy. He was, after all, a great emperor.

"Senior Vastsea…" Dan Fei decided on this form of address after some thought.

However, Vastsea turned green at her address. He waved his big, leaf-like hands forcefully. "Miss Dan'er, I dare not assume this mantle. Please, don't. You and the young lord are peers of the same generation. I'm presently in the young lord's service. At best, we should address each other as equals. How would I dare be Miss Dan'er's senior?" Vastsea was truly afraid to.

Dan Fei was taken aback by how scared he was at the mere mention of it. However, she came to some conjectures of her own after a moment of thought.

"I'll still call you Emperor Vastsea then. A band of wandering cultivators has seized this Precious Tree Sect. Their leader was Elder Qiu's distant nephew. I killed him, but I didn't think they would come here one after another. The Precious Tree Sect is a mere sixth or seventh rank sect, why is it so important for them?"

This question quite baffled her. The sect wasn't without its own inheritance. The Precious Tree of the Rosy Dawn, for example. However, the tree was a commonplace spirit tree. It was sect-defining at the level of a Precious Tree Sect. But for a first rank sect like the Empyrean River Palace? She found it hard to believe. However, if not for that, what else had attracted their attention here?

Dan Fei searched for clues, but she couldn't find the beginning of one no matter how she looked.

The Precious Tree Sect had vacated the premises many moons ago. The mountains had been home to wandering cultivators for long years, so there were no traces left of the original sect any longer. The mountains and the rivers were still the same, but everything had changed.

She searched but came back empty-handed, so her interest slowly waned, distracted as she was by the ever present thoughts of Jiang Chen. After all, she held no feelings for the sect. She came purely to look for Jiang Chen and Ye Chonglou.

Early next morning, Dan Fei summoned the women and brought them out of the Precious Tree Sect's grounds, taking them back to Skylaurel Kingdom. She'd thought these women would be delighted after being freed from their hell. However, she noticed they didn't manifest any visible excitement or happiness.

This left Dan Fei perplexed. As for Vastsea, he didn't say anything. The only thing he was responsible for was Dan Fei's safety.

"Alright, we're back in Skylaurel Kingdom. Return to where you came from. If you find yourself lost, you can ask someone for the way." Dan Fei was satisfied now that she'd completed her good deed.

Seeing the stupefaction on these women's faces as they disappeared from sight, Dan Fei heaved a heartfelt sigh. "These wandering cultivators were beasts. They ruined these women's lives solely for their own amusement. I hope these poor creatures can spend the rest of their lives in peace, now that they've escaped from their nightmare."

Dan Fei had acted out of compassion, but Vastsea smiled wryly. "I admire Miss Dan'er's benevolence. However, if you will forgive my bluntness, these women are like the walking dead. I fear they won't ever be able to find happiness again in this life. Even how long they can survive is an issue."

"Why so?" Dan Fei's heart fell at his words. She naturally hoped the women could survive after she went through the trouble of saving them.

"The mundane world holds its own prejudices. Dying of hunger is a small matter, but not the loss of chastity. Why do so many people long to cultivate and grow in strength? Precisely so they can break away from mundane conventions and free themselves from the shackles of dogma. These are ordinary women. The mundane world can't tolerate their loss of virginity. I fear difficult days lie ahead of them back home. More importantly, did you notice their dazed faces? None of them have any drive left. Those without drive have very little desire for survival." Vastsea smiled. "Miss Dan'er, you've already done what you could. Everyone has their own fate, you need not be too sad."

Her heart aching, Dan Fei sighed and murmured in disappointment, "Their only crime was weakness. Is there truth in these words?"

Vastsea heaved a sigh. "The mighty is king, such is nature's order. Otherwise, the world of cultivators wouldn't flourish so. Anyone qualified to cultivate yearns to climb on top of the world. Why? Is it not because they want to shed their weakness? Because they don't want to be an ant, to be meat on someone else's chopping block? Sometimes, weakness is truly an original sin."

They reached Skylaurel's capital as they conversed. High above in the sky, Vastsea barely released one percent of his consciousness, but it was enough to cover the whole of this tiny capital.

"Listen up, all foreign cultivators of Skylaurel Kingdom. I am Veluriyam Capital's Emperor Vastsea. On the orders of young lord Jiang Chen, I'm here to wipe out all foreign invaders in Myriad Domain. You have one day to scram from Skylaurel and leave Myriad Domain. Those who fail to do so will be deemed enemies of Veluriyam and killed without quarter!" Vastsea wasted no time with diplomacy, preferring an aggressive approach instead.

His voice resounding like the clap of thunder, he released a fraction of his aura. All of the wandering cultivators residing in the capital felt a strange panic, as if the end days were upon them.

The aura of a great emperor was extremely invasive. If not for Vastsea purposefully restraining himself, it would've been powerful enough to shatter the consciousness of every wandering cultivator in the capital, killing them in the process.

This was no exaggeration. Only emperor realm or stronger could face a great emperor's aura head-on, but no truly powerful cultivators would be in Skylaurel.

"This emperor will only say it once. You have one day. Whether you leave or not depends on you."

As soon as Vastsea's voice fell, countless wandering cultivators squeezed out from every corner of the capital and gushed out of the city gates in a frantic chaos, like anxious rats fleeing judgment day.

Traveling at top speed, the Geng brothers rushed back to the Regal Pill Palace the second day.

There were a hundred things to do in the sect. A simple ceremony had been organized for the sect's reopening. Jiang Chen was in the middle of discussing plans for the reopening when he heard about the Geng brothers' return.

He'd just sent these two brothers out only a few days ago. Why had they returned so fast? The time was barely enough for a round trip even if they were at top speed. Had something happened in the sixteen kingdoms alliance?

The brothers picked up Elder Qiu and Zhao Mang and quickly strode into the Regal Pill Hall when they were summoned.

"Young lord, us brothers ran into many things at the Precious Tree Sect. Emperor Vastsea's entrusted us with coming back first and relaying important news."

"What news?" Happiness shone on Jiang Chen's face. "Did you hear something about my old friends?"

Just as he had feelings for the Regal Pill Palace, he held the same feelings for the Precious Tree Sect. Jiang Chen wasn't one to forget his roots. He would always remember Ye Chonglou's care for him back then, or being sworn brothers with Tang Hong during the trial.

"We rushed there and found some fellows from the Empyrean River Palace attacking a woman. We killed one of them and Emperor Vastsea captured these two. He had us come back with an important report."

"What is it?"

"It's about the woman they besieged. She seems to be an old friend of yours. Emperor Vastsea also knows her. It's Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter, Miss Dan'er."

"Miss Dan'er?" Jiang Chen blinked. "She's from Sacred Peafowl Mountain, but I've never had the chance of meeting her all this time. What was she doing at the Precious Tree Sect? Was she looking for Emperor Peafowl?"

"Nonono. Young lord, what we meant to say is, although Miss Dan'er is Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter, it seems she already knew you before that."

"She already knew me?" Jiang Chen's face suddenly froze. The beautiful silhouette of a woman appeared his mind. He blurted out, "Dan Fei?"

Chapter 1341: Dan Fei, Daner?

A clap of thunder roared past his ears when the name flashed through Jiang Chen's mind, freezing him in place. Dan Fei? Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter, Miss Dan'er?

The thought that they could be related had never crossed his mind. He'd learned of Dan Fei's departure from the Taifu residence after his return from the Skylaurel trial. She'd even left a letter for him to the residence's servants.

The letter contained a single line—Even thousands and thousands of words are insufficient, I will never regret pining for my love.

To this day, the letter resided in his storage ring. The memories of that period sometimes came back to him over the years, reminding him of this girl who was a little competitive, a little arrogant, but also a little petulant.

Many things had happened to Jiang Chen as the years went by. But now and then, in the dead of the night, he sometimes thought of her and his time in Skylaurel. Moreover, Ye Chonglou had also enjoined him to look for Dan Fei when he could.

Jiang Chen had always kept this request to heart. When sending Vastsea and the Geng brothers to the sixteen kingdoms alliance, he'd especially mentioned Dan Fei's name. But he never thought he would hear of her in such a roundabout way, and in such a flabbergasting manner.

This was truly a strange twist of fate that she'd turned out to be Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter.

"Are both of you certain this woman is Dan Fei? That she's Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter, Miss Dan'er?" Jiang Chen asked after a deep breath, his voice grave.

"Young lord, Emperor Vastsea is familiar with Miss Dan'er, so he can't be mistaken. As for the young miss, she only knew of Sacred Peafowl Mountain's young lord Zhen, but wasn't aware of your real identity. Her reaction was quite pronounced when she learned the truth. We're convinced she's an old friend of yours. Her emotions didn't seem fake."

Jiang Chen was elated. "Great, wonderful! Fortune truly toys with men. I never imagined… We were both on Sacred Peafowl Mountain, why did we never meet? Fate is so cruel. I would've recognized her if we met face to face, even if she didn't recognize me."

He sighed with emotion. If Dan Fei really was Emperor Peafowl's adopted daughter, she wouldn't have worn a disguise. He thought back to the first time he'd gone to Sacred Peafowl Mountain.

Ji San had taken him to pay their respects to Miss Dan'er. The Coiling Dragon scion had wanted to win her favor, but they'd failed to win an audience after Dan'er's maid announced their visit.

After that, Emperor Peafowl had enlisted Jiang Chen when every great faction of Veluriyam proposed marriage, but Miss Dan'er had been a step ahead of him. She announced she would enter sealed door cultivation until she broke through, thus denying him another opportunity to see her.

Since then, Jiang Chen hadn't known anything else other than the existence of this adopted daughter cultivating behind closed doors. Now, hearing this stunning news, he lamented not only the coincidence, but also the hand of fate that played with the lives of mortals.

"Why else would she go to the Precious Tree Sect if she isn't Dan Fei? There's no mistake, it must be her." Jiang Chen hadn't seen her with his own eyes yet, but he was confident in his judgment. "Why didn't you bring her back?" he rued.

"Emperor Vastsea meant for us to take her back, but it seems Miss Dan'er was feeling shy. I think she said she's headed to Skylaurel together with Emperor Vastsea. It seems she's looking for someone," the Geng brothers replied.

"She must be searching for Ye Chonglou." Jiang Chen heaved a soft sigh, a slight worry gnawing at him. Back in the day, he'd had a premonition that great changes would descend upon Myriad Domain. He'd given the old master some resources and told him to go into hiding with the core members of the Precious Tree Sect.

It seemed that Ye Chonglou had taken the suggestion.

Only, there hadn't been a peep from them after that. It would be a lie to say that Jiang Chen wasn't worried. After all, the Precious Tree members didn't have that great of a cultivation. Even in hiding, they'd face terrible danger if they ever encountered a half-decent cultivator.

"I'll pay a visit to the sixteen kingdoms alliance once things are settled here," Jiang Chen decided. He could feel the excitement building in him at finally learning of Dan Fei's whereabouts after such a long time, and in such a spectacular fashion to boot.

Cloudsoar Monarch frowned subtly. He glanced at Jiang Chen, about to say something, but decided to hold his tongue.

"Cloudsoar, feel free to speak. There's no harm in it." Jiang Chen smiled.

The monarch shot to his feet and bowed. "Young lord, His Majesty cherished Miss Dan'er as the apple of his eye. Many eminent talents declared their affections for her before, but she always sent them away with nary a word. It seems she already has someone dear. She always called herself a married woman… and she also has a daughter! The child is still with Plumscore Monarch, correct?"

Plumscore Monarch nodded. "His Majesty entrusted Nian'er to this old woman and let me raise her. The child has great natural talent and is also very clever. She has a bright future ahead of her."

A married woman! Nian'er!

Jiang Chen suddenly realized something. Boom!

Lightning bolts crashed inside his skull. A married woman? A daughter? A sudden, inexplicable feeling ignited inside of him.

Countless clues seemed to swim in his head, trying to tell him something. Yet, they couldn't assemble all the pieces of the jigsaw together. Suddenly, Jiang Chen remembered the great trial held by the four great sects of the sixteen kingdoms alliance and a companion at his side who called himself "Xiao Fei."

"Xiao Fei!" Emotion surged in Jiang Chen's heart. Somehow, he was a little afraid of continuing with this train of thought.

The circumstances surrounding that trial resurfaced in his mind, especially that absurd night, that memory both vague yet deeply engraved in his mind.

He'd fallen into a trap and succumbed to an aphrodisiac poison. His body burned with a fiery fever that seemed inexorable. His cultivation was low back then, and he didn't have many solutions available.

Just as he was about to collapse, a mysterious woman suddenly appeared by his side and gifted him with a night of crazed passion. The memory of that night… A flower in the haze, so faint and distant, yet as real as anything could ever be.

That night left many nagging doubts behind. Who was the woman who'd sacrificed herself for him?

He and Xiao Fei had been very close to each other, but he'd disappeared after that night.

Here and now, these puzzle pieces fused into an inconceivable picture, sending Jiang Chen spiraling into confusion and chaos.

"Was it her? Are Xiao Fei and Dan Fei one and the same? Was she in that trial in a disguise? Is she the one who saved me that night? Could I be the one she always thinks of? Also Nian'er, is she…" Jiang Chen's chest wanted to spontaneously combust.

Nian'er.

He wanted to melt when he remembered the little girl as pretty as a flower. An unexplainable feeling of love welled inside him.

He'd sensed a connection with the young girl at first glance, a feeling of natural affinity and intimacy between them. He remembered being puzzled. Why was he drawn to a total stranger? Simply because she was cute and pretty? Surely that wasn't reason enough?

However, if his guesses were right, he could finally explain that feeling of closeness that'd struck him out of the blue.

"Dan Fei, Nian'er…" Inside his chest, his heart was about to burst. A man could be brave and unyielding, but he also had a soft side.

"Gentlemen, let's discuss these matters another time. I have to go to Skylaurel first." He shot to his feet like his pants were on fire and immediately flew away under the crowd's stunned stare.

"I'll go with the young lord." Emperor Peerless cracked a leisurely smile. "Palace Head Dan Chi, as the sect head, you're naturally in charge of the important decisions here."

"Jiao brothers, my good friends, I'll have to trouble the both of you to keep the peace here for Palace Head Dan Chi. What say you?"

The Jiao brothers weren't keen on the idea, but they didn't dare go against Emperor Peerless. They could only mumble their assent.

Emperor Coiling Dragon laughed out loud. "Haha, the more the merrier. I'm also going. I've always been curious what kind of land nurtured a peerless genius like young lord Jiang Chen.

"As for the rest of you, stay at the Regal Pill Palace and give Palace Head Dan Chi a hand. Don't worry, the young lord should be back by the time the invitations are sent and the guests arrive. It's not such a long trip to the sixteen kingdoms alliance after all. We're both in Myriad Domain." He followed closely behind Emperor Peerless after issuing these orders.

Burning with impatience, Jiang Chen didn't have a second to waste. He extracted every ounce of power from his Kunpeng Meteoric Escape and flew toward Skylaurel. He was a ball of anxiousness, guilt, and gratification. Although he kept Dan Fei's letter in his storage ring, it'd gradually faded from his memories since knowing Huang'er.

He'd once thought Dan Fei's admiration for him was merely born from the mediocrity of the other young men in Skylaurel. No one else could make her sit up and take notice. Perhaps, Dan Fei had already found her soulmate somewhere, the sentiments of yesteryear faded with time.

How could he imagine how far Dan Fei would go for the sake of those juvenile sentiments? She'd sacrificed so much for him, yet he'd never taken notice of it. He really was too much of a heartless bastard.

He made haste without respite. However, he wasn't prepared for the cries of slaughter that greeted him in Skylaurel. He could sense formidable battle aura dozens of miles away. This feeling was so oppressive it seemed the entire capital was up in arms.

Jiang Chen frowned despite himself. "What's Emperor Vastsea doing? Does a great emperor like him need to make so many waves in a mundane kingdom? How can an ordinary city withstand this kind of devastation?"

Without another moment to spare, he turned into a beam of light and shot into the city, intent on getting to the bottom of the matter.

Chapter 1342: Under Siege

Skylaurel Kingdom had never seen so much activity or faced such great peril since its inception. The entire capital was a hot cauldron that was about to come to a boil. Three cultivators were clashing in the skies directly above the kingdom. Their exchanges contained enough power to shatter the mountains and split the seas.

Three more cultivators watched from below. They were extremely absorbed in the battle and yearned to join the fight, but their strength was simply inadequate. They'd restrained a woman and were keeping her within reach. It was Dan Fei! She could only watch anxiously as she couldn't move a single muscle.

Emperor Vastsea was one of the three fighting cultivators. As for the other two, one had such a deadpan, expressionless that he seemed like the walking dead or wearing a mask. The other had an ugly face with an enormous horn-like wart growing on his forehead, making him seem extremely fierce and unrelenting.

The two cultivators were teamed up against Vastsea and both great emperors. In fact, stiff-face's cultivation was on par with Vastsea's. The horned cultivator was only a mid great emperor — the weakest out of the three.

Emperor Vastsea was struggling against their combined attacks, but he was fortunately adept in defensive martial dao and able to put up a fight even though he was outnumbered.

The horned cultivator cackled sinisterly. "Vastsea the turncoat. If my memory serves right, you and Emperor Shura were sent on a mission to assassinate young lord Zhen! Did you betray Shura to become the young lord's lackey instead? I hear that the young lord's real name is Jiang Chen and he originates from Myriad Domain!"

He was trying to find Emperor Vastsea's weak spots and push the great emperor into making a mistake. Sadly, the latter was extremely thick-faced and a master in provocation. These elementary insults were completely ineffective.

Yet, the horned cultivator didn't give up. "Vastsea, most people strive to move upwards in life, but you seem to prefer it the other way! You're serving a master who comes from such a backwater shithole! Aren't you ashamed of yourself? If I were you, I would've looked for a quiet corner to kill myself in already."

Stiff-face didn't utter a single word. His attacks weren't as fierce as the horned cultivator, but he was truly as poisonous as a silent snake. He didn't have any flashy moves nor did he exude a powerful and overwhelming aura. Instead, he relied on sudden cunning and deceitful techniques to overwhelm Emperor Vastsea.

Vastsea grew anxious as their combined attacks had begun to wear him down. He would never win a fight against two great emperors, but he could still keep up his defenses for a while more. In fact, if he were alone, he could simply tuck tail and run away if he wished to.

But Dan Fei was in their hands. How was he supposed to explain himself to Jiang Chen if he ran away?

He'd regretted his decision to raise such a high profile. Those bastards wouldn't have come for him if he didn't yell when he arrived at Skylaurel Kingdom. He could only blame himself for being careless and thinking that no trouble would come looking for him in a backwater like the sixteen kingdoms alliance.

Luck just wasn't on his side. There were two great emperors and three emperor realm cultivators hiding in this mundane kingdom! This was a lineup worthy of a first rank sect!

However, there was only so many first rank sects in the human domain. Emperor Vastsea had never met the two great emperors, but could vaguely guess where they were from after exchanging moves with them and listening to them.

Their assassination attempt at Veluriyam Capital was an extremely well-kept secret that only Pillfire City would know about. These men were most likely from the city. However, why on earth had Pillfire sent so many experts to a dilapidated place where not even birds would lay eggs?

The mystery was making Emperor Vastsea very anxious. He was confident that he could keep this up for a while longer, even with the horned cultivator being truly venomous. The insults were flowing incessantly, but he wasn't too trouble by them.

What worried him the most was the fact that the enemy had gotten their hands on Dan Fei. He would be in huge trouble if they used her to threaten him. The lady clearly was an extremely important person to the young lord. He couldn't imagine what would happen if something bad happened to her. There would be no place for him in Veluriyam anymore.

He had to persist no matter what.

As the fight went on, the two cultivators were taken aback by Emperor Vastsea's tenacity. This great emperor was supposed to be a shameless, brown-nosing weakling! They didn't think that he would actually be so tough!

The horned cultivator threw out insult after insult, but Emperor Vastsea wasn't swayed. The stalemate was making the attackers quite anxious. It was two against one! How could they be struggling to take down an equally matched enemy? This was a disgrace!

But, the deadpan cultivator suddenly realized something and cast a look downwards. "Wang He, bring me the girl!"

A tall and lean cultivator below cackled sinisterly. "Martial Uncle, the lass is over here. Shall we kill her?"

"No hurry. Strip her clothes first and summon the dirtiest and ugliest beggars in the kingdom to take their turns with her! Heh! It'll be a scene to behold!" The deadpan cultivator leered sinisterly.

Wang He was delighted when he heard the orders. "Martial Uncle, what a great idea! But a beauty like her shouldn't be wasted on the likes of that filth! Can I have a taste first?"

"Do whatever you please! Strip her naked right now!" The deadpan cultivator cackled.

All color immediately drained from Vastsea's face. His largest fear had come true. Since they weren't able to take him down, they'd chosen to lay their hands on Dan Fei, his weakness.

His expression darkened. "Insolence! None of you will leave Myriad Domain alive if you do that!"

"Hmph! A turncoat like you dares to threaten us?" The horned cultivator replied nonchalantly. "Wang He! What are you waiting for? Get moving!"

The horned cultivator had no relations with Wang He. But since he was a great emperor, he was regarded as a senior as well.

"U-understood! A great beauty like her must have an incredibly sweet figure! My two seniors, I'll boldly have a taste of her immediately. Hehehe…" Wang He reached out to tug at Dan Fei's clothes.

Dan Fei panicked and went white as a sheet. Her eyes were filled with despair, hatred, and indignity. She would've taken her own life already if her acupoints hadn't been sealed. She'd rather die than be defiled by that bastard. She couldn't live with the shame and humiliation.

Emperor Vastsea flew into a rage. "Stop! Wang He, if you touch a single hair on her body, I guarantee on pain of death that you'll not leave Myriad Domain alive!"

Wang He was startled by Emperor Vastsea's charge of maddened rage and unbridled fury. Stiff-face and the horned cultivator worked together to block the great emperor's path.

"Where are you going? We're your opponents!" The horned cultivator cackled.

Emperor Vastsea tossed aside thoughts of defense and recklessly charged the two cultivators like a crazed beast. He wanted to create an opening so he could save Dan Fei.

Wang He was completely dumbfounded by the scene and forgot all about his given task.

"Wang He, stop standing around and get your ass moving!" the horned cultivator yelled furiously.

The deadpan cultivator smiled twistedly. "Vastsea, look at you panic. Is she your daughter? Or maybe even your lover?"

"Eat shit! Do you think that I don't know where you're from? Pillfire bastards like you shouldn't have come to Myriad Domain! Young lord Jiang Chen won't let you off for this! Let go of Miss Dan Fei if you treasure your lives or suffer a fate worse than death!"

"Oh? Is she actually young lord Zhen's woman? That explains why you're so anxious. She's actually your superior! Tsk tsk. Why weren't you just as loyal to Emperor Shura before? Vastsea, aren't you a turncoat? I'll give you an opportunity to surrender. We'll let you live if swear allegiance to Pillfire!" The deadpan cultivator smiled.

"Pah! Do you believe you're worthy of my surrender?" Vastsea yelled. "I'm aware of who I was before, but I'm now a great emperor of Veluriyam Capital and young lord Jiang Chen's subordinate. Being a traitor once is traitor enough!" He was thoroughly enraged. "Touch Miss Dan Fei if you dare! I may not have the ability to kill you, but young lord Jiang Chen is in the vicinity and he has plenty of ways to tear you a new one!"