# Chapter 203: Holy Son and Holy Maiden
Ye Fan did not wish to be entangled with the people from Green Cloud Sect, so he led Wang Shu and Er Lengzi toward a distant area.
By the lakeside, green trees shaded the area, pavilions dotted the scenery, creating a poetic and picturesque atmosphere. There were no noisy discussions here; people's hearts were tranquil as they spoke in low voices.
All the influential figures around Pingyan City had arrived, including the Rongxiang Gambling Stone Pavilion and various sects, all sending powerful individuals in person. Ye Fan observed carefully and was surprised to discover Big Mouth Tu Fei. "If he's here to join the excitement, nothing good will come of it." Ye Fan couldn't help but frown. That guy was a loudspeaker who dared to say anything and everything.
Tu Fei stood together with several young people, each either possessing a fierce temperament or exuding a bandit aura, completely incompatible with elegance—like roving bandits.
"The old men mentioned some little bandits—they must be these guys." Ye Fan moved his steps, leaving that area. He didn't want to be discovered by that big mouth, or else many troubles would arise. With those fellows around, chaos was likely to break out. At the very least, Tu Fei was definitely not someone easy to deal with.
"The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi has arrived in Pingyan City. What could be the reason? Is it really just a simple tour?" "Hard to say. Yao Chi has always been low-key; outsiders find it difficult to understand their affairs." Everyone speculated, staring fixedly at the lakeside pavilion.
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi was shrouded in misty radiance, her true face impossible to see clearly. But this only made people yearn more, desiring to glimpse her immortal countenance.
Her body was like immortal jade, proportioned according to the golden ratio—absolutely beautiful no matter how one looked. Yet the most captivating aspect was that hazy, indistinct quality that made her even more alluring. Her voice was gentle, as beautiful as heavenly music, like a warm breeze blowing into people's hearts, touching their heartstrings with a strange magical power.
Only when her words ceased did many people wake as if from a dream. She had just spoken: Yao Chi would display several stone materials for everyone to appraise. If one had exceptional insight, Yao Chi would offer a generous reward.
"This woman is formidable!" Ye Fan was astonished. Her words spread like ripples, containing Dao power, involuntarily making people feel favorable toward her. As for what her voice actually sounded like, it was gradually forgotten, overlooked, remembered only as incomparably beautiful and pleasant. "A very unusual feeling. Is this what those old men called immortal charm?" Ye Fan muttered to himself.
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi gave a very special impression. Whether it was her immortal body or her voice, everything was hazy, somewhat unreal, as if she were in a heavenly palace far beyond the clouds. Yes, in summary, it was the word "hazy."
At her signal, several white-robed maidens fluttered like butterflies, stepping across the waves, retrieving nine stone materials from the small lake like a sapphire boat, arranging them on the shore.
The nine stone materials—the largest weighing about two thousand jin, the smallest no bigger than a palm—looked very ordinary, with nothing remarkable about them. "Everyone may come forward and examine what is special about these source stones." The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi was truly too ethereal, almost illusory, her voice like immortal music. "Just hearing her voice is intoxicating. If I could marry her, I'd have no regrets in this life." Big Mouth Tu Fei muttered, and everyone nearby heard him.
Not far away, the several old men Ye Fan had seen earlier smiled faintly and whispered among themselves: "These little bandits really came to cause trouble." "They wouldn't dare. They're just here to join the fun. Yao Chi's Supreme Elder is following along." "This generation's Holy Maiden of Yao Chi has extraordinary talent, unmatched among her peers. Even without protection, she could roam the Northern Domain freely."
Many people crowded forward to examine those stone materials, all wanting to see clearly.
Ye Fan stood still. He was afraid that people from the Ji Family and Yaoguang Holy Land might also be present. If discovered, he would be in deep trouble. "It feels like something is calling me." Er Lengzi looked a bit confused.
"I also have a strange feeling—my body is uncomfortable, my blood flowing faster. There seems to be a special power ahead." Wang Shu also showed a puzzled expression. Ye Fan was shocked and asked, "You have special feelings?" "Yes, it feels both familiar and unfamiliar, very strange," Wang Shu described carefully. "It's related to those nine stones ahead." Er Lengzi stared with his bull-like eyes at the stone materials by the lake. "Don't say anything!" Ye Fan's heart stirred. He vaguely remembered Fifth Master Zhang mentioning that Wang Shu and Er Lengzi's ancestors had unusual bloodlines. This was probably their innate spiritual intuition at work.
In Stone Stockade, there were only three surnames: Zhang, the descendants of the Origin Heavenly Master, and the other two were Wang and Lei. According to legend, the ancestors of the Wang and Lei surnames were children adopted by the Origin Heavenly Master in his later years, with special bloodlines. Fifth Master Zhang hadn't elaborated on the specifics.
Ye Fan had studied the *Source Heaven Scripture* but had no special spiritual resonance. Yet these two were restless, feeling uncomfortable all over, which deeply surprised him. "No choice. I need to find a way to get closer. Although I haven't mastered the Heaven-Shifting Earth-Transforming technique from the *Source Heaven Scripture*, I've grasped some basics."
Ye Fan retreated, then activated the wondrous technique. His bones shifted, and eventually, his shoulders broadened slightly, and his cheekbones rose. His appearance changed from delicate to masculine, his face becoming sharp, gaining a fierce aura, completely different from before. "I can't maintain it for long, but it should be enough to temporarily fool them."
Beside him, Er Lengzi and Wang Shu were dumbfounded. They opened their mouths to speak but were stopped by Ye Fan, who said, "You two go forward later. No matter what you discover, don't say anything. We'll talk when we get back." The two nodded and squeezed into the crowd separately.
Big Mouth Tu Fei also came forward. After observing the nine stone materials for a long time, he asked, "Fairy of Yao Chi, if I can say something insightful, what reward will I get?" "You will be invited to stay at Yao Chi for a while, and some of your wishes will be fulfilled," a female disciple of Yao Chi Holy Land responded. "My grandfather always talks about how Yao Chi is a wonderful place, but I dare not go. I'm afraid that if I go there, I'll become a prisoner and never come out." "Are you here to cause trouble, you little bandit?" A middle-aged woman's voice came from within the pavilion. "I'm not causing trouble. I'm just here to take a look." Tu Fei stepped back a few paces and said, "My grandfather told me to pay my respects to you." "Then behave yourself." After this voice came from the pavilion, there was no more sound.
Ye Fan's heart stirred. Being invited to stay at Yao Chi was a great opportunity. He was currently troubled by the lack of a mental cultivation method for the Dao Palace Secret Realm. However, the timing wasn't quite right. He hadn't fully mastered the Heaven-Shifting Earth-Transforming technique, making travel inconvenient.
The nine stone materials were dull in color. Although they had been fished from the lake, they carried an earthy quality, as if they had been mined not long ago.
Ye Fan touched them with his hand and felt some special spiritual resonance. These source stones seemed to possess a strange power, making him uneasy.
Suddenly, his heart stirred. This was the aura of the Primordial Ancient Mine. He had cut such stones in the ninth courtyard of the Rongxiang Gambling Stone Pavilion. However, the aura of these nine stone materials was far stronger—they weren't even on the same level. "I can feel it. These stone materials were transported from that Forbidden Zone of Life." Big Mouth Tu Fei spoke up and asked, "Is that correct?"
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi had already returned to the pavilion. A female disciple beside her nodded and asked, "Do you have any other special feelings?" "No." Tu Fei stepped forward a few paces, and his big mouth flaw flared up again. "Is it really true that Yao Chi's disciples cannot marry? I've heard that in the distant past, one or two Holy Maidens became someone else's wives."
Behind him, the crowd erupted. Normally, almost no one dared to mention this taboo topic. This guy had no filter and dared to ask anything. The female disciple of Yao Chi didn't get angry. She smiled and shook her head, saying nothing. "Tu Fei, stop playing the fool here. As a descendant of the Thirteen Great Bandits, you dare to show up here? Be careful you don't leave Pingyan City alive," someone sneered. "Which dog is barking?" Tu Fei looked around, searching the crowd. "Your filthy words are desecrating the fairies of Yao Chi. Stop it!" The voice came again, shifting left and right. It was clearly a young expert, making it difficult to pinpoint their exact location. "You hypocrite! I'm just saying what many people are thinking. What's wrong with that? Even the Saint Lord of the Jiang Family said it." Tu Fei didn't care at all. "Nonsense! How could the Saint Lord of the Jiang Family say something like that?" someone in the shadows rebuked.
This was a different person, not the same voice from before. Many speculated it was likely a young elite from the Jiang Family. "I misremembered. It was the Saint Lord of Yaoguang who said it." Tu Fei slapped his forehead and said, "The Saint Lord of Yaoguang said, 'A man who doesn't want to push down a Holy Maiden is not a good man.'"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted. This Tu Fei was incredibly audacious! How could he say such things... Many people laughed uncontrollably. This guy was too outrageous.
More than one person from Yaoguang Holy Land was present. Upon hearing this, they were furious. This bastard was too malicious! You couldn't just dump a shit pot like that!
Several of them had the urge to rush over and slap him. This big mouth was spouting nonsense, truly making people want to kill. "Stop talking nonsense!" If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't start a fight in Yao Chi's Immortal Stone Pavilion, a great battle would have been inevitable. "Did I say something wrong?" Tu Fei argued confidently. "Look at your Yaoguang Holy Land. Not only do you have a Holy Maiden, but you also have a Holy Son. Throughout history, Holy Maidens have almost always married Holy Sons, who become future Saint Lords. Isn't it obvious? A Holy Son who can't push down the Holy Maiden isn't a good Holy Son and won't become the Saint Lord in the future."
Everyone was completely dumbfounded. This big mouth had no taboos whatsoever, interpreting things in such a way. Many people suppressed their laughter, afraid of offending Yaoguang Holy Land. "Tu Fei, you really have a death wish!" Two young men walked out from the crowd, both handsome and elegant, ethereal as immortals. "Your Holy Son hasn't said anything. Why are you two sticking your necks out?" Tu Fei was clearly looking for trouble with Yaoguang Holy Land. He shook his head and sighed, "Your Saint Lord is truly wise. His words make perfect sense: 'A man who doesn't want to push down a Holy Maiden is not a good man.' You two are sticking up for others, which means you'll never become Holy Sons, because you're not good men."
The onlookers found it both hilarious and exasperating. This big mouth was simply too wicked. "Tu Fei, stop your nonsense, or I'll have you expelled immediately!" Yao Chi's Supreme Elder spoke up. "Fine, I'll stop talking." Tu Fei reluctantly shut his mouth.
Ye Fan found it strange. Tu Fei showed restraint toward Yao Chi but relentlessly mocked Yaoguang Holy Land. His attitude was clearly different.
By now, Er Lengzi and Wang Shu had each touched the nine stone materials. From the depths of their eyes, one could see they were very unsettled. However, they said nothing, silently retreating as Ye Fan had instructed.
Ye Fan didn't leave. He stood in front of the stone materials, continuing to observe carefully.
Suddenly, the crowd parted, and a man and a woman walked over. The man was graceful and extraordinarily handsome; the woman was ethereal and fairy-like, making pearls and jade seem dull in comparison.
They were spotless, as if they could purify the mortal world. Their steps were light, carrying trails of immortal energy, truly like deities. "The Holy Son of Yaoguang and the Holy Maiden of Yaoguang!" someone exclaimed.
Ye Fan frowned. Meeting Yao Xi was not a good thing. He remained motionless, stepping back a few paces, hidden by the crowd. "Tu Fei, I know you've brought many people, hoping to harm us. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed." The Holy Son of Yaoguang smiled brilliantly, like a sun shining in the sky.
Some people didn't need to deliberately show off; a casual gesture revealed their extraordinariness. Without a doubt, the Holy Son of Yaoguang was that kind of person—outstanding, like a crane among chickens, transcendent and refined.
As for Yao Xi, she was breathtakingly beautiful, even more radiant and ethereal, like a divine moon hanging in the sky, flowing with light and color, making those around her feel inferior. Every inch of her skin seemed not to belong to the mortal world, sparkling with the aura of the immortal realm.
Tu Fei didn't care at all. "Holy Son of Yaoguang, what can I say about you? You're far from being as wise as your Saint Lord. You're really not a good man. You've missed your chance. That genius from our line is much sharper."
Many people from Yaoguang Holy Land had the urge to beat him up and then kill him. The Holy Son of Yaoguang, however, didn't lose his smile. He looked at him calmly, saying nothing.
"Let me make it clearer." Tu Fei coughed and said, "You won't become the Saint Lord of Yaoguang Holy Land. Do you know why? Because you can't marry the Holy Maiden. She no longer belongs to you."
Beside him, several young disciples of Yaoguang wanted to rush over and stomp him into the ground. "I'm telling the truth. Don't take it badly. People in our line have the sharpest eyes and judge people most accurately." Tu Fei said seriously, "Fairy Yao Xi doesn't belong to Yaoguang. One day, she will join our line."
"You really know how to joke." The Holy Son of Yaoguang smiled, then shook his head. "I know your purpose. With the people you've brought, you can't kill us. If you don't believe me, feel free to make a move when we leave Pingyan City." "You still don't understand what I mean." Tu Fei's big mouth true nature reappeared. "Haven't you heard? Fairy Yao Xi gave her fragrant clothes as a gift to the genius of our line..."
Yao Xi's brows slightly furrowed, like thin mist covering the bright moon, like flowing light accompanying moonlight. She seemed to be in the immortal realm as she parted her red lips and said, "Tu Fei, it seems your life is short!"
Those familiar with her knew that the Holy Maiden of Yaoguang's killing intent had reached its peak. If not for being in Yao Chi's Immortal Stone Pavilion, she would have already swung her divine sword. "How strange. You and our line's genius, little brother Ye Fan, have already been 'all tangled up.' We're already on the same side. So why do I sense such strong killing intent?"