Chapter 978: Heretic — Begging for Monthly Votes in the Last Few Hours of This Month!
Moonlight, gentle as flowing water, streamed into the cave dwelling, peaceful and tranquil. Wisps of white mist rose, making it seem like an immortal's abode.
The Phoenix Celestial Maiden possessed a classical beauty, yet wore modern attire, creating a unique and exquisite aesthetic. Appearing in this deep mountain cave, she was as moving as a spirit in the moonlight.
It was as if she were the man, and Ye Fan merely a delicate woman. She teased, "Master, why don't you just give in to me? I'll take responsibility for you."
"What nonsense are you up to? Go back and rest."
Ye Fan barely held back from spitting out a mouthful of old blood. This disciple's words and actions were quite bold, daring to say such things and joke around with him.
"Tch, what era are we living in? Why so serious? It's not like I'm going to eat you." The Phoenix Celestial Maiden sat down on the stone bed, completely relaxed, not caring at all.
She wore a thin, gauze-like T-shirt on her upper body, her hair still damp, having just bathed in the small lake in the valley. Her jade-white skin was crystal clear and tender, as if a pinch would drip water. Her eyes sparkled with a captivating charm that could make one lose focus for an instant, lively and breathtakingly beautiful. She was entirely at ease, not bothered by anything.
The Phoenix Celestial Maiden brazenly draped her snow-white, jade-like arms over Ye Fan's shoulders, sitting on the stone bed facing him. She laughed, "Master, you're not blushing, are you?"
"Behave yourself." Ye Fan tried to put on a stern expression, acting like a strict master.
This female disciple was extremely bold and avant-garde. She even blew a warm breath of air towards him, fragrant like orchid and musk, reaching his ear. Her hair danced around her snow-white neck, her smile intoxicating and unrestrained.
"Master, you've been cultivating the Dao for so many years. Have you never held a woman's hand? Do you want your disciple to teach you?"
The Phoenix Celestial Maiden grinned mischievously, a crystalline luster flashing across her face. Her phoenix eyes slanted upwards, her smile even more unrestrained, as if she didn't regard him as her master at all.
"If you dare to be so disrespectful again, I'll strip you of ten years of cultivation and suppress you in a deep mountain ancient cave for ten years," Ye Fan said in a deep voice.
"Tch, what era is this? Master, don't be so old-fashioned. We're modern people, not living in ancient times, practicing that 'men and women should not touch hands' nonsense." The Phoenix Celestial Maiden looked completely unconcerned.
Her eyelashes were long, her big eyes sparkled with cunning light, her figure was tall and slender. Sitting almost face-to-face with Ye Fan, she leaned her fair, delicate face close, nearly touching his.
"I'm telling you, Master, don't tell me you've been an old bachelor all these years outside. That shouldn't be the case." She stretched out a snow-white, slender hand, slid it across Ye Fan's face, and snickered.
Ye Fan's divine light flared in his eyes. He raised his hand to suppress her. This disciple was far too presumptuous, teasing him like this—it was truly a first in his life.
"Hey, Master... go easy on me." She cried out, genuinely afraid Ye Fan's hand would fall. She cast a sidelong glance, cautiously rolling her eyes at him, and muttered, "Why be so old-fashioned? Can't I even make a joke? Besides, I'm concerned about your personal affairs."
Ye Fan gestured for her to get off the bed and leave. There were taboos between master and disciple. Sitting on the same bed like this, if the other disciples saw it, they wouldn't be able to clear their names even if they jumped into the Yellow River.
The Phoenix Celestial Maiden was usually very cold and proud, showing no kindness to outsiders. Being so lively and teasing was rare, but now she had hit a soft snag.
"Master, your thinking is too rigid. My cousin is much younger than you, and in college, he had a passionate teacher-student romance—and he was the student."
The Phoenix Celestial Maiden wore hot pants on her lower body, reaching only to the top of her thighs, revealing a pair of long, shapely legs, fair and delicate as jade, dazzling on the stone bed.
She moved slightly, no longer sitting cross-legged, stretching out her beautiful legs, which drew even more attention. They were incredibly long, straight, and as crystalline as ivory, nearly perfect, giving an unreal feeling.
Her damp hair was scattered, covering half of her fair, delicate face. Her lively big eyes were full of provocation as she said, "Master, you're not still an old... what's it called... virgin, are you?"
Ye Fan was almost about to lose his temper. This female disciple was far too presumptuous. If he didn't suppress her, she would surely say something even more shocking.
"Master, have I hit a sore spot? It's okay, your disciple understands. Don't... don't suppress me, I won't dare anymore." She backed away.
"Why haven't you left yet?!" Ye Fan shouted.
She didn't get off the bed. Seeing that Ye Fan had finally calmed down, she gracefully shuffled closer.
"I don't mean anything else. I just wanted to joke with you, get a little closer. Don't be so serious, okay?" She leaned in, staring into Ye Fan's eyes.
Ye Fan's eyes immediately narrowed.
The Phoenix Celestial Maiden was decisive, having already anticipated this outcome. She moved preemptively because she knew she wasn't as fast as Ye Fan. Her pair of straight, long legs coiled around his body like snakes, crystalline and warm, as fair and moving as mutton-fat jade.
"Bang"
Ye Fan's finger fell, freezing her in place. He glanced at her and was about to use his great divine power to throw her back to her own cave dwelling.
"Master... what are you trying to do? I just wanted to tease you, nothing else. Don't do anything rash." Her eyes shimmered.
Ye Fan couldn't be bothered to say anything more. He removed her snow-white, crystalline, long legs from his body and activated his divine technique to send her away.
"Hmm?" Suddenly, his expression shifted. He unsealed the Phoenix Celestial Maiden, making her stand aside, and reached out a large hand to grab something in the valley.
"Chi"
A black light shot through the sky and earth, trying every means to escape, but it couldn't break free from Ye Fan's palm. He caught it and brought it back into the cave dwelling.
It was a black light, formed from a not-weak divine thought, exploring the valley. Ye Fan discovered it and captured it alive.
This person came from the West. His teasing tone revealed his intentions: "Respected sir, beautiful lady, I deeply regret this. Sorry for interrupting you. At this time of the bright moon hanging high and all sounds silent, engaging in a forbidden master-disciple romance—how enviable and romantic."
Ye Fan said nothing. He directly extracted its divine thought imprint to see its origin. He immediately frowned and said, "The people from the Western Dao traditions have finally arrived."
"These people are so annoying. They come neither early nor late, but choose this moment to ruin the mood. But Master, don't worry. I'll take responsibility for you in the future." The Phoenix Celestial Maiden twisted her slender waist, moved her long legs, her damp long hair covering half of her stunning face. She adjusted her T-shirt and hot pants, then turned and left.
She knew the battle was beginning. The people from the Western Dao traditions were likely not far away, and a great battle was probably about to ensue.
Half an hour later, an unusual atmosphere filled the valley. Even the bright moon was swallowed by black clouds. Powerful individuals had arrived, and the demonic mist they brought with them obscured the stars and moon.
Ye Fan walked out of the cave dwelling, standing by the bright lake. He looked ahead without a word, standing quietly, wanting to see what kind of great enemy had come.
Except for the Sun-Embracing Daoist, who was in closed-door death meditation, Kunlun Twin Fish, Dragon Little Sparrow, and others were all alarmed and rushed out, appearing behind Ye Fan. They felt a palpitation in their hearts, knowing that some extremely powerful figures had arrived.
The Phoenix Celestial Maiden arrived late, her face full of sanctity and cold pride, a stark contrast to her earlier demeanor. The others couldn't see anything unusual.
Ahead, black mist surged, and the sound of iron chains came, as if someone was walking out of hell. The grating sound of metal and iron was cold and piercing.
More than ten people walked out of the darkness, stepping across the lake's surface. The thick black mist and death aura made them look especially eerie and terrifying.
"Souls wandering outside hell, awaken from your lost path. Walk along the path my lord has laid out for you." One person's voice was low and hoarse.
These were more than ten men in black armor, like zombies, bound with black iron chains. At this moment, they simultaneously executed a forbidden technique—Hell's Binding.
They were actually being controlled by someone. Deep in the darkness, an old man holding a skull scepter stood quietly in the back, silently chanting an ancient curse to control them.
"Clang"
The iron chains pierced through the void, like more than ten black flood dragons charging forward, specifically targeting the soul. They covered Ye Fan from above.
He stood motionless. Suddenly, his divine light flared, shooting out two dazzling beams like heavenly swords, splitting the void. The sound of metal breaking was incessant, and all the iron chains turned to dust.
"Boom"
The more than ten men, like gods of death, jointly activated a great divine power, tearing the sky apart. A huge black portal appeared, attempting to suck Ye Fan and the others inside.
Ye Fan simply slapped his palm over. At this level of cultivation, no matter how many secret techniques or divine abilities you had, it was useless. One palm strike was enough!
In an instant, the black portal turned to ash. The more than ten men disintegrated like dust, turning into fragments that scattered with the wind, leaving nothing behind.
"Ancient spirits, be with me, crusade against the heretic together!" In the darkness, the black-robed man revealed his true form. His body was withered, an old man of unknown age, holding a white human-skull scepter.
Behind him, densely packed, one squad after another of ancient soldiers in black armor appeared, like yin spirits, lifeless, roaring as they charged forward.
"Is this all the divine power you have?" Ye Fan sneered.
Zhan Yifan and the others were horrified. This old man's cultivation was extremely powerful, likely at the Dragon Transformation Great Perfection, or even a higher realm.
The old man's eyes flickered with a green light. He waved his bone scepter, and all the surrounding spirits charged forward. At the same time, he executed a secret technique. Blood light burst forth, forming a blood-red skull that charged at Ye Fan, attempting to devour him.
"It's better for me to pass judgment on you heretics."
Ye Fan murmured. In an instant, he activated the Sun Essence Fire. Overwhelming sacred flames surged forth, engulfing everything ahead, covering all the spirits.
In an instant, it turned into a sea of fire. Both men and undead spirits turned to ashes in an instant, not even a piece of armor remaining.
"Ah..." The old man also screamed, becoming a torch in the Sun Essence Fire. He struggled for a moment before his form and spirit were utterly destroyed.
The black mist dispersed, and the stars and moon reappeared. The sky was filled with brilliant stars, the bright moon hung high, peaceful and tranquil. The lake on the ground reflected a charming starry sky.
In the distance, a large group of people appeared. Each one was sacred and sublime, wearing resplendent battle robes, like one sun after another appearing.
The Crusaders of the Eastern Expedition had arrived!
This was a group of proud people. Each one had an extraordinary identity and status, coming from different families, with noble bloodlines and glorious pasts.
Most were middle-aged, with vigorous blood energy, very powerful. Among them were also a few young people, of high status, surrounded by attendants.
They all had long golden hair. The men were heroic, like incarnations of the Sun God. The women were radiant and beautiful, like Moon Goddesses descending to the world, very sacred, emitting holy light.
"Heretic, you have repeatedly injured the cultivators of our Western Dao traditions. Today, you will be judged by fire!" A young man in the center, with long golden hair flowing, shouted.
Another woman, her whole body emitting a holy radiance, raised her jade-white hand and gently waved it, giving the order, preparing to charge.
Begging for monthly votes in the last seven-plus hours. Time flows like water; this month is about to pass. Today, I will still strive to write more, begging for your final monthly vote support.
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