Chapter 118: Yan Ruyu
On the mountain ridge, the vegetation was lush, with green mists swirling around. The entire scene shimmered with flowing light, as if carved from jade. Mist surged, and an immortal aura drifted ethereally.
Three years had passed, and this mysterious woman had become even more ethereal and transcendent. She was pure and beautiful like an immortal, untouched by the mundane world, as if she might ride the wind at any moment and ascend to the palaces of the Nine Heavens.
She stood within the pavilion, her white robes fluttering, her black hair dancing lightly. Her eyes were like water, seemingly veiled in a misty haze, giving a dreamlike impression. As she looked down and caught sight of Ye Fan, a flicker of surprise crossed her face. "It's you."
Qin Yao, a seductive and enchanting woman with a lithe figure and a captivating smile, bowed gracefully, paying respects to the woman on the mountain ridge.
Ye Fan had to admit that this woman was truly flawless, without a single blemish, nearly perfect. Among all the women he knew, only the Holy Maiden of Tianxuan, whom he had met in the Ancient Forbidden Land, could rival her. "It's me. We meet again."
Qin Yao and the others were somewhat surprised, not expecting the two to know each other. They cast a few glances at Ye Fan before turning their attention to the mysterious woman on the mountain ridge. "Your Highness, this young man was sent by Daoist Duan. As he said, he possesses a precious body and is a rare sacred vessel." Qin Yao reported to the flawless woman.
Ye Fan was inwardly startled. From this form of address, the flawless woman was indeed a descendant of the Demon Emperor. At the same time, he felt sensitive to the term "sacred vessel," finding it strange. "You... what do you mean?"
Qin Yao, with her tall and slender figure, a faint glow emanating from the red mole on her forehead, and a sweet smile in her eyes, said, "Don't worry. If you are chosen, you will receive immense benefits."
The flawless woman on the pavilion was as fresh as a flower tree piled with snow. Her jade-like body was graceful, her skin crystalline, and her face peerless. Her voice was as melodious as heavenly music. "How could it be him..." "I never expected to meet under these circumstances. Please, fairy maiden, tell me where Pang Bo is and how he is now. Let me see him."
Below the mountain ridge, the dozen or so demon clan women showed surprise, not understanding why Ye Fan knew Pang Bo and was requesting to see him by name. "I'm afraid that won't be possible," the flawless woman in the pavilion said softly. "Why?" "He is in seclusion and cannot appear for two years."
Ye Fan felt a sense of unease and asked loudly, "What I truly worry about is his safety. Please tell me, is he still the same Pang Bo?"
The woman on the pavilion was like a celestial maiden from the Nine Heavens, her hair gently swaying, her robes fluttering. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with a face that could topple cities and nations. She said nothing, her expression calm, nodding once and then shaking her head. "What do you mean?" Ye Fan felt anxious.
Beside him, the enchanting demon Qin Yao, with a red mole on her forehead, bright red lips, jade-like teeth, and a seductive smile, said, "Don't worry. There are some things Her Highness cannot answer directly. But rest assured, demons have their own principles. We never harm others without reason. In the future, you will surely see your friend."
"My intuition tells me you're not telling the whole truth," Ye Fan said, staring at Qin Yao. "Please tell me, what has happened to Pang Bo?"
"No one can say for sure now. We'll only know after he emerges from seclusion." With that, Qin Yao bowed to the flawless woman. "Your Highness, this physical body is extremely powerful, truly a precious body, very suitable as a sacred vessel."
On the mountain ridge, crystalline petals drifted in the air, carrying a fragrant scent. The flawless woman, bathed in the dappled light of the flower rain, frowned slightly. "Why does it have to be him..." "Is he not suitable?" Qin Yao asked, puzzled. "His blood energy is vigorous, and his vitality is strong. He can indeed serve as a temporary sacred vessel. But if the one in seclusion senses this, it might disturb his mind and cause complications." As a sacred vessel, what would it be used for? Ye Fan was puzzled and filled with doubt.
The woman standing in the pavilion, with brows and eyes like a painting, glanced at Ye Fan and said, "Take him down first."
Several enchanting demon women, enough to make anyone's heart flutter, walked over with light laughter and led Ye Fan out of the valley. Qin Yao did not leave. Her red lips moved slightly as she asked, "Your Highness, are you overthinking this?"
"There are things you don't know. If something goes wrong, the consequences will be severe."
"If we set aside other factors, what do you think of this precious body?" Qin Yao asked.
"Naturally, it is strong enough, a suitable choice for now." On the mountain ridge, the petals were crystalline, and the woman in white stood like a jade tree, her eyes like autumn waters. She said softly, "The one in seclusion once said that this young man named Ye Fan and Pang Bo both once consumed a sacred medicine. If a demon king were to seize their blood and shells, they might one day become an emperor through their physical bodies."
In the distance, Ye Fan's heart trembled. Although he was far away, his divine sense was powerful enough to hear these words.
"Both of them are..." Qin Yao showed surprise. "No wonder that mysterious Daoist Duan said this child's talent is extraordinary and unimaginably strong. So that's the reason." Then she showed delight. "Isn't that good? The one in seclusion has chosen a physical shell, and this one can be used as a sacred vessel."
Ye Fan, who had already reached the outside of the valley, was shaken. He felt that Pang Bo's situation was dire, with uncertain fortune or misfortune. The flawless woman on the mountain ridge shook her head. "The one in seclusion himself doesn't know if he can prolong his life. In the future, it's hard to say who will benefit whom." "This..." "And this young man named Ye Fan has an unusual body. If used as a sacred vessel, it's hard to predict what might happen. The one in seclusion once said that he seems to be from before the Primordial Era..."
These were the last words Ye Fan heard before being taken away. He was led into a valley filled with peach groves, many of which were ancient trees thousands of years old. A green pond lay in the center of the peach grove, with several thatched huts beside it, creating a natural and harmonious scene. This was Ye Fan's temporary residence.
It wasn't until the fifth day that the flawless woman appeared again. Her real name turned out to be Yan Ruyu, a name synonymous with ultimate beauty. If anyone else had taken this name, Ye Fan would have dismissed it, but this woman, with her autumn-water spirit and jade-like bones, seemed to have stepped out of a poem or painting, not like someone from the real world. She truly deserved the name.
Qin Yao was by her side, along with two elderly women. They floated lightly to the green pond, entered the thatched hut, and carefully examined Ye Fan's body, showing surprise. "It can serve as a sacred vessel," one of the elderly women said.
After the three left, Qin Yao came to the peach grove, where blossoms bloomed in a sea of pink. Yet she was more beautiful than the flowers, swaying gracefully as she laughed. "You must have many questions. Don't worry, we won't harm you. On the contrary, a great opportunity has come your way." Ye Fan asked solemnly, "What exactly are you going to do?" "You've seen the Demon Emperor's heart. What do you think of it?"
"Very terrifying." This was the truth. Even experts at or beyond the Other Shore realm couldn't approach that beating heart. The pulse would cause them to spit blood, making it hard to imagine the terrifying divine power it contained.
"Now you understand." Qin Yao glanced at him coquettishly, giggled, and pinched his cheek. "A great opportunity is about to fall into your lap. If you achieve something in the future, don't forget me."
"What is it?"
"Using your body as a sacred vessel to nurture the Great Emperor's heart, keeping it alive. At the same time, it will nourish your flesh. Tell me, isn't this a great opportunity?" "This..." Ye Fan was shocked. He never expected to use his body as a vessel to house the Demon Emperor's heart.
"Don't worry. The Great Emperor's sacred heart has been sealed. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to bear it. For now, it will only benefit your body, not harm it." Qin Yao breathed softly, her warm breath brushing his ear as she sweetly laughed, "If you can truly nurture this sacred heart, our Highness will surely give herself to you in the future. That is the dream of countless men across the Eastern Wasteland." "I don't want to be a so-called sacred vessel!" Ye Fan refused to accept this unknown arrangement.
"Many dream of such an opportunity, yet you..." Qin Yao tapped his forehead lightly. "That sacred heart can make you undergo a complete transformation. If it weren't so hard to find someone with this kind of physique, do you think such an opportunity would fall to you? In the future, Her Highness will use this sacred heart to cultivate a supreme demon art. She will give herself to you as your wife. With such a peerless beauty by your side, what more could you want?" Using his body to nurture the Demon Emperor's sacred heart and marrying that flawless woman—it all felt like a dream to Ye Fan. "Having a peerless beauty by my side is something I would welcome, but as for that heart, I respectfully decline. Please find someone else."
"You sure have a sharp tongue. Do you think Her Highness is just anyone? To have her by your side for no reason—what a fantasy." Qin Yao rolled her eyes at him, pinched his cheek with her slender fingers, and said, "Fortune has come knocking, and you're still refusing. I don't know what to say to you."
Whether Ye Fan accepted or refused, he couldn't change the facts. Three days later, the flawless woman Yan Ruyu, Qin Yao, and a dozen elderly women appeared in the peach grove. They restrained him in front of the thatched hut.
A divine iron pillar, as thick as a water vat, engraved with various beast patterns, rose from the green pond, shimmering with light. It was inserted into the peach grove, and Ye Fan was bound to it.
Yan Ruyu, appearing around eighteen or nineteen years old, was peerlessly beautiful. Her delicate features, flawless face, and graceful jade-like figure made her seem untouched by any impurity, like the most perfect work of heaven. She stood there, quietly watching Ye Fan. "Yan Ruyu, my future wife, can you..." Before Ye Fan could finish, he was silenced, his mouth sealed by Yan Ruyu herself.
In the peach grove, the green pond surged with waves. Nine golden carp, each several meters long, dragged a crystal coffin to the surface. An incredibly vibrant life force burst forth, like an ocean in motion.
The crystal coffin, two meters long and one meter wide, was translucent and emitted a seven-colored divine radiance under the sunlight. Inside lay a heart the size of a fist, bright red and dazzling, like a divine ruby, radiant and magnificent. The powerful life force originated from it. The Demon Emperor's sacred heart!
It had been sealed here, surrounded by red mists and hazy light, causing palpitations. The crystal coffin was bathed in a bright red glow, shining brilliantly.
Ye Fan wanted to roar but couldn't make a sound. He wanted to struggle but couldn't move, bound to the divine iron, unable to stop any of this. To be continued...