Chapter 456: Schemes Within the Mysterious Ark
"You want to go alone? No! Absolutely not!" Feng Hengkong shook his head without hesitation. "This world of the Primordial Mysterious Ark is strange and unpredictable. Even I must be extremely careful within it, and might encounter any kind of danger at any moment. You must stay by my side at all times, or else I will never be at ease."
"But, Father, you said yourself that this place is considered the safest area within the entire Primordial Mysterious Ark, while the places you are about to go are far more dangerous. If Xue'er just plays around here, wouldn't that be safer?" Feng Xue'er said softly.
"That..." Feng Hengkong was taken aback, then shook his head again. "Xue'er, you have never left Shenhuang City since you were a child, and you have never gone anywhere dangerous alone. I simply cannot rest easy with you on your own."
"Mm, Xue'er knows. Xue'er has grown up under the protection of Father and the elders. But Xue'er must eventually grow up; it is impossible for her to have every single thing she does be under Father's protection for her entire life. Xue'er has already turned sixteen, well past the age to make her own decisions and to train on her own. Isn't this a perfect opportunity? Does Father wish for Xue'er to forever grow under protection, never having her own world?"
Feng Xue'er's voice carried deep hope, even a hint of pleading.
Feng Hengkong's heart was stirred, but he still couldn't rest easy letting Feng Xue'er truly roam this dangerous place alone. After all, for so many years, he had been accustomed to giving her the utmost protection. Just as he was about to speak, Feng Feiyan leaned in and whispered in his ear: "Sect Master, Xue'er does have a point. She is already sixteen years old... While giving her full protection is not wrong, we cannot keep protecting her like this forever. Otherwise, she will never be able to stand on her own, and it will waste her bloodline and power. Besides, in yesterday's ranking battle, Xue'er's strength has already been exposed; there is no point in hiding it any longer."
"Moreover, with Xue'er's strength, within ten thousand li around, there is nothing that can threaten her. As for others traveling alone... even if Ye Xinghan and Ji Qianrou joined forces, they could not possibly be Xue'er's match. If the Sect Master is still uneasy..." Feng Feiyan gave Feng Hengkong a meaningful look. "Then I will stay behind, protect Xue'er in secret, and it will also be a good chance to..."
Feng Feiyan was right. With Feng Xue'er's strength, there could be no danger within ten thousand li. And with Feng Feiyan's covert protection, it would be absolutely foolproof... At the same time, having Feng Feiyan kill Yun Che would also be absolutely foolproof!
Feng Hengkong had no more doubts. He nodded slowly to Feng Xue'er. "Very well. Xue'er is right. You have grown up, and it is indeed time for you to make your own decisions and train yourself. But always remember what I told you before: be cautious in all things."
"Wow... thank you, Father! Then Xue'er will go on her own now. Father, you must also remember to be careful." Feng Xue'er responded with utmost joy, then waved at Feng Hengkong, lightly leaped into the air, and flew eastward... the same direction Yun Che and Xia Yuanba had gone earlier.
"Ah, this child..." Feng Hengkong shook his head with a smile.
"Sect Master, rest assured. There is nothing here that can threaten Xue'er. And with me secretly protecting her, you can go with peace of mind." Feng Feiyan said with a chuckle.
Not long after, Feng Feiyan also leaped into the air, flying unhurriedly in the direction Feng Xue'er had taken.
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"...Master said before that this is a higher-level world, but I don't quite understand what 'higher-level world' means. What I do know is that here, Sound Transmission Jade and everything used for sound transmission cannot be used. Even Profound Energy sound transmission doesn't work. The range of Profound Energy perception is also very small."
Since Yun Che still couldn't fly, Xia Yuanba walked with him on the ground. The two had advanced unhurriedly for about a dozen li, still facing an endless grassland with no end in sight. Hearing Xia Yuanba's last words, Yun Che tried to extend his perception... Indeed, his perception could only reach less than twenty zhang and could go no further.
"Truly strange," Yun Che said. Two years ago, the Heavenly Pool Secret Realm he had entered was also an independent small world, but the feeling of the Primordial Mysterious Ark world was quite different. Yet he couldn't pinpoint exactly where the difference lay.
Talking as they went, the two gradually picked up speed. In the grassland area, they encountered no Xuan Beasts, and didn't see even half a stalk of rare herbs or treasures—it was utterly barren. After more than an hour, they finally left the grassland area, and before them lay a vast, endless wasteland.
Entering the wasteland, the wind became gentle and desolate, and the surrounding atmosphere subtly changed. This slight shift instinctively raised Yun Che's alertness. Sure enough, after only a few steps, a huge black shadow suddenly shot out from behind a large boulder, lunging straight at Yun Che and Xia Yuanba... It was a gigantic black scorpion! Its long tail gleamed with the colorful light of potent venom.
Yun Che moved his wrist, flashed his body, and instantly appeared beneath the giant scorpion. Dragon Gate struck like lightning, smashing heavily into the scorpion's abdomen.
Boom!!
The giant scorpion was sent tumbling through the air before crashing down heavily. The moment it landed, Xia Yuanba charged forward, let out a low roar, and punched it in the body. With a loud explosion, the scorpion's body burst apart, scattering into countless fragments far and wide. Black blood splattered everywhere, staining the ground completely black where it fell. Two drops landed on Xia Yuanba's arm.
Yun Che quickly stepped forward, using the Heavenly Poison Pearl to purify the poisonous blood from Xia Yuanba's body while inwardly shocked. This venomous giant scorpion's body was incredibly tough. A powerful strike from Dragon Gate had only knocked it back without injuring it. Yet Xia Yuanba, without using any weapon and with just a casual punch, had blasted it into pieces...
Xia Yuanba's current strength was truly terrifying.
"Xuan Beasts are starting to appear. Brother-in-law, you need to be a bit careful." Xia Yuanba kicked away the corpse fragments by his feet, then waved his arm and said, "But Brother-in-law doesn't need to worry too much. There shouldn't be any overly powerful Xuan Beasts around here. With the strength of the two of us, nothing can threaten us."
"If your sister knew how strong you are now, she would be absolutely stunned." Yun Che looked at Xia Yuanba and said very seriously.
"Brother Yun!"
At that moment, a clear, ethereal voice like celestial music came from behind them. Yun Che paused and quickly turned around... That voice was unmistakably Feng Xue'er's!
As he turned, he saw a dazzlingly beautiful young girl descending from the sky. She floated down gracefully, like a dancing red butterfly. Although she still wore the Phoenix Jade Glazed Crown, Yun Che could feel her joyful mood. "Xue'er?! Why are you here? What about your father and the others?"
Feng Xue'er landed in front of Yun Che and said happily, "Father and the others went to explore the interior of the Mysterious Ark. They allowed me to move freely on my own."
"Why would your father allow you to go alone? Before, he wouldn't even let you leave Shenhuang City." Yun Che asked in surprise.
"Hehe," Feng Xue'er smiled radiantly. "I told Father the words Brother Yun had said to me before. I told him that I have grown up and reached the age to be independent and make my own decisions. So Father agreed."
"I see..." Yun Che nodded slightly. Although he still found it hard to believe that Feng Hengkong would truly feel at ease letting Feng Xue'er wander alone in this world that might hold unknown dangers, Feng Xue'er was standing right in front of him, so he had no choice but to believe it.
Looking at Feng Xue'er so close, Yun Che's mood naturally became cheerful. He had thought it would be ages before he could be near her again, but now he had another chance to spend time with her. He smiled and said, "Then... Xue'er, would you like to join us?"
"Mm!" Feng Xue'er nodded vigorously. If the Phoenix Jade Glazed Crown were lifted now, one would see her beautiful eyes curved like a bright crescent moon. She said with a smile, "Then Brother Yun, you have to protect Xue'er, okay... And big brother, you have to protect Xue'er too."
"Big brother" had been staring at the two of them with wide eyes, and only when Feng Xue'er spoke to him did he snap out of it, his eyes bulging as he asked, "Brother-in-law, you... know each other?"
"Mm," Yun Che nodded. "Xue'er once saved my life."
That single sentence immediately changed the look in Xia Yuanba's eyes when he regarded Feng Xue'er. Just based on her saving Yun Che's life—even if she were an old hag of the worst sort, he would hold her in the highest respect and gratitude. He pounded his chest and said, "You saved my brother-in-law's life, which is the same as saving my life. Don't worry, if anyone dares to bully you, be it a person or a Xuan Beast, I won't let them off... Ah, wait!"
Xia Yuanba suddenly remembered Gu Cang True Person's evaluation of Feng Xue'er from yesterday, and his voice abruptly stopped. He stammered, "Little girl... no, no, Snow Princess, your Profound Strength... is it really... Half-step Emperor Lord?"
"That's right!" Feng Xue'er nodded casually, as if this were not something particularly worthy of pride or attention. "By the time I turn twenty, my Profound Strength should reach the true Sovereign Xuan Realm. Pretty impressive, isn't it?"
"Impressive... impressive..." Xia Yuanba swallowed hard, his expression stiff as he nodded. In his nearly two years at the Huangji Sacred Domain, he had witnessed countless powerhouses that existed only in legends before, and his horizons had long since broadened. Yet even in the Huangji Sacred Domain, there had never been an Emperor Lord under twenty! Not to mention Xia Yuanba, even Gu Cang True Person had been visibly astonished yesterday upon sensing Feng Xue'er's strength.
"You... you... are you really only sixteen? How do you even cultivate?" Xia Yuanba couldn't help asking.
"That's a secret, I won't tell you." Feng Xue'er answered with a smile, then moved close to Yun Che. "Brother Yun, where shall we go to play? We have eleven more hours, and I can spend them with Brother Yun again. I'm so happy."
"Where would Xue'er like to go?"
"Hmm... any place is fine! I'll tell Brother Yun a secret: I asked Father to let me move alone just so I could come find Brother Yun. But this place is so empty, and the perception range is so small. I got lost earlier and thought I wouldn't be able to find you..."
Xia Yuanba, left on the sidelines, stared blankly at the two standing intimately together. He silently scratched his head... Their relationship seemed very good. Though strange—didn't Master say that the Snow Princess of the Fenghuang God Sect was never allowed to interact with anyone?
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At the same time, another place.
"Phoenix Grand Elder? Why are you here?"
Ye Xinghan turned around, squinting at Feng Feiyan who had come up behind him. The Yue Ji and Mei Ji beside him slowly spread out, drawing short blades in their hands, their gazes turning icy. This world of the Primordial Mysterious Ark was an excellent place for killing; killing here meant no one else would see or sense it. After the Mysterious Ark disappeared, all traces would vanish completely, allowing unrestrained action. As the Grand Elder of the Fenghuang God Sect and a high-level Overlord Emperor at Level 8 of the Overlord Xuan Realm, Feng Feiyan was definitely not someone Ye Xinghan could defeat.
"No need to be tense. This Phoenix Grand Elder is the most intelligent person in the entire Fenghuang God Sect. His coming to find me brings only good news, not bad." Ye Xinghan raised a hand and walked toward Feng Feiyan. "You didn't go exploring with Feng Hengkong and the others? Could it be that you have other plans?"
"Hehe." Feng Feiyan gave a meaningful smile. "I have naturally come to deliver good news to the Young Palace Master... That grand gift I intended to present to you no longer needs to wait until tomorrow or the day after. It can be done today. And it can be done with absolute certainty."
"Oh?" Ye Xinghan raised his chin.
"The Feng Xue'er that the Young Palace Master desires did not go deep with Feng Hengkong. She is acting alone... And the reason I did not accompany them is that I am following Feng Hengkong's order to secretly protect Feng Xue'er, and also to kill that presumptuous rat Yun Che!"
Feng Feiyan's words caused a sudden flash of extraordinary light in Ye Xinghan's eyes. Then, he threw back his head and burst into wild laughter...
...