# Chapter 338: Eighteen Years Ago
"Xinye, let's go for a walk outside," Lin Feng said, looking at the disrupted chessboard.
Duan Wuya had invited him here, seemingly because of Duan Xinye. It appeared it wasn't about the Nine Heavens Azure Dragon Cauldron after all. However, Lan Jiao was together with Duan Wuya, and Lin Feng worried that Lan Jiao might act impulsively.
After all, in Tianluo Ancient City, that beautiful woman had died at Duan Wuya's hands, and Lan Jiao seemed to have a good relationship with her.
"Alright." Duan Xinye nodded, then stood up and walked out of the bamboo forest together with Lin Feng.
At the depths of the forest, a stream made faint gurgling sounds. Stepping onto a small bridge among the bamboo grove, the atmosphere was deep, secluded, and beautiful.
Duan Xinye raised her head, looking at the resting birds on the emerald bamboo. A hint of dreaminess appeared in her beautiful eyes as she softly said, "How wonderful it would be to have a home here with the one I love."
Lin Feng was momentarily stunned, then gave a bitter smile, somewhat awkwardly saying, "The person who built this Longing Forest probably had the same thought as you, which is why they could arrange it so beautifully."
"Mm, the master of Longing Forest was originally a lovesick fool. It's said that for the sake of her beloved, she didn't hesitate to break with her family." Duan Xinye nodded.
Hearing Duan Xinye's words, Lin Feng felt a trace of curiosity and couldn't help asking, "Who is the master of Longing Forest?"
Duan Xinye looked at Lin Feng and smiled, "The number one beauty of the former Snow Moon Kingdom, Yue Menghe."
"Snow Moon's number one beauty." Lin Feng's gaze froze. With Duan Xinye's appearance, being a royal princess of noble status, she still hadn't earned the title of Snow Moon's number one beauty. Yet that Yue Menghe was called Snow Moon's number one beauty. Lin Feng truly wanted to see what kind of person she was.
"Yue Menghe, Meng!" Lin Feng murmured softly, then said to Duan Xinye, "She's surnamed Yue!"
Duan Xinye nodded, "You've thought of it too. That's right, Yue Menghe was a member of the Yue Clan. Moreover, back then, she was the most talented descendant of the Yue Clan, even the most talented woman in the entire Snow Moon Kingdom. Even among men, few could compare to her."
Lin Feng grew more and more curious. The number one beauty of Snow Moon Kingdom, the most talented woman in Snow Moon Kingdom, with few men able to match her — what kind of woman was this Yue Menghe?
"But I find it somewhat strange. Since her talent was so outstanding, the Yue Clan should have treasured her, granting all her wishes. Why would they make her break with the family?" Lin Feng was somewhat puzzled. The Yue Clan stood alongside the royal Duan Clan and the Yu Clan, their strength unquestionable. How could such a talented female descendant break with them?
"This matter goes back to eighteen years ago. At that time, just like now, the royal family, the Yue Clan, and the Yu Clan were all very strong. However, our royal Duan Clan and the Yue Clan, because of their special martial souls, were stronger than the Yu Clan. In terms of strength, whether in the past or now, the Yu Clan cannot compare to the Duan and Yue Clans. But in terms of wealth, the Yue Clan was inferior to the Duan and Yu Clans. Among the three great clans, the Duan Clan had the most abundant strength and wealth, so their position was unshakable. The Yue Clan, being very strong in strength, was vaguely considered the second clan."
Duan Xinye slowly continued, "And in that year, four exceptionally talented individuals appeared in Snow Moon Kingdom. Two of them came from the Duan Clan and Yue Clan respectively, both possessing powerful bloodline martial souls. The other two included a descendant of the Zhuge Clan, a sword cultivation family. The Zhuge Clan, generation after generation, only allowed one person to enter the world to cultivate — that was the third person, Zhuge Wuqing. As for the fourth person, he wasn't from the Yu Clan, the third of the three great clans. He had always been unknown, and no one knew his family background. It was said he seemed to share your surname, Lin. He suddenly rose to prominence in the Imperial City, possessing twin martial souls."
"The four geniuses of eighteen years ago were like today's Eight Young Masters of Snow Moon, famous throughout Snow Moon with unparalleled talent. In fact, their talent was even more terrifying than today's Eight Young Masters. Among these four, there were three young men and one young woman. That young woman was Yue Menghe, who held the title of Snow Moon's number one beauty. Lin Feng, you can imagine — possessing the title of Snow Moon's number one beauty, with unparalleled talent as the Yue Clan's number one genius — would such a woman make the other three's hearts stir?"
Duan Xinye turned her gaze to Lin Feng and asked.
Lin Feng slightly nodded. Snow Moon's number one beauty, a stunning beauty with unparalleled talent. If such a woman were to unite with one of the other three, it would surely be a tale of heroes and beauties, hand in hand across the world. But there were three talented young men and only one woman.
Lin Feng seemed to guess what was about to happen next.
"Three exceptionally talented young men, all in love with the same woman." Duan Xinye murmured softly, as if imagining that heart-stirring story. Every time she heard this tale, she couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Heroes and beauties, yet the song ended and people scattered.
"But Yue Menghe didn't choose the most talented genius from the royal Duan Clan, nor did she choose the emotionless swordsman Zhuge Wuqing. Instead, she fell in love with that unknown, arrogant young man. You should be able to imagine the pressure Yue Menghe and that nameless genius faced."
Lin Feng gently nodded. Not choosing the royal genius who possessed all of Snow Moon, nor the terrifying aristocratic scion Zhuge Wuqing, but choosing a youth without background — the difficulties Yue Menghe and that nameless genius would face were easy to imagine.
"And it didn't stop there. At that time, the royal family and the Yue Clan had an agreement: if the royal family's direct descendant was male and the Yue Clan's direct descendant was female, they would intermarry, and vice versa. In other words, as long as the direct descendants of both sides were of opposite sexes, they would marry. That Duan Clan genius and Yue Menghe were betrothed. Moreover, that senior genius of my Duan Clan was himself an extremely proud, arrogant, and domineering person."
Duan Xinye shook her head, causing Lin Feng's expression to change slightly. He could vaguely imagine why Yue Menghe had broken with the Yue Clan.
"Later, under heavy pressure, Yue Menghe and that nameless genius eloped, planning to wander the world. Zhuge Wuqing's heart turned to ashes, and he sealed his sword from then on. Moreover, he didn't make things difficult for Yue Menghe and the other. The emotionless one was actually the most devoted."
"However, Yue Menghe and that nameless genius still couldn't escape. They were found by the royal family and the Yue Clan. At that time, Yue Menghe's body seemed very weak, for some unknown reason. The remaining nameless genius, knowing they couldn't escape, took Yue Menghe away and then returned her to the Yue Clan. As for himself, he fought a decisive battle with that senior of my Duan Clan atop the Imperial City. In the end, that senior of my royal family won. Using the heaven-defying nature of his martial soul, he sealed the nameless genius's martial soul and cultivation, then expelled him from the Imperial City."
"Of course, I heard all this from my mother. She said I was born not long after that battle. Moreover, my mother told me not to spread it. Lin Feng, you must keep my secret." Duan Xinye said to Lin Feng.
At this moment, Lin Feng's eyes were filled with melancholy, and a trace of desolation arose in his heart. Neither Duan Xinye nor he had experienced the scene of eighteen years ago, nor had they witnessed that thrilling great battle. Everything could only be imagined.
For the sake of his beloved, fighting a decisive battle atop the Imperial City, ultimately leaving in depression. Perhaps that nameless genius's heart was filled with unwillingness.
But what could unwillingness do? Being fortunate enough to survive was already great luck.
PS: Seeing this, everyone can probably guess a lot of information... Asking for fresh flowers.