Chapter 370: Gazing Across the Jade Pool
After a long separation, Ji Ziyue was just as before—when she smiled, her little dimples, sparkling little tiger teeth, and her large eyes curved into crescent moons were full of liveliness with a hint of playfulness.
"Where are you looking?" Li Heishui said with a mischievous grin.
"Be careful, after all, you've cut a large amount of rare treasures from their store."
Some people advised them not to go too far. This was, after all, a Holy Land stone workshop. If they targeted this one specifically, they might really push the Ji family to their limits.
What for?
Before they had gone far, Ye Fan saw a huge fat man bent over, rummaging through a pile of stones.
"Blind my divine eyes, this damn fatty is actually wearing a bright red pair of underwear!" Ye Fan exclaimed in disgust.
As he walked in, using his divine eyes to search for stone kings everywhere, he sometimes inevitably saw things he shouldn't have.
For the female cultivators, he could only silently apologize in his heart, but seeing this fatty so flamboyant left him speechless.
"No, this damn fatty looks familiar. Damn it, it's that dog Duan De!"
Ye Fan was dumbfounded. He never expected this damn fatty to have come here. Sure enough, wherever there were benefits, that unscrupulous Taoist would show up.
Although Duan De had changed his appearance, under Ye Fan's penetrating gaze, he was completely exposed, his sleazy aura fully visible.
Ye Fan really wanted to go over and kick his fat ass, but he held back, not wanting to alert the enemy, and walked away as if nothing had happened.
"Damn fatty, you'd better pray. If you dare to keep staying in Divine City, I'll screw you over."
Ye Fan made a full round of the Ji family stone garden but found no stone king. He eventually left, which made the Ji family people breathe a sigh of relief, seeing him off like they were sending away a plague god.
Then, Ye Fan and Li Heishui went to the Dayan Holy Land stone workshop. But as soon as they entered, someone recognized him, and everyone from that Holy Land changed color.
"I feel like we've become the most unwelcome people," Li Heishui muttered.
Ye Fan laughed and said, "Wrong. They'd be very happy to have us as honored guests; they just don't want us in their stone workshops."
After that, they entered several more Holy Land stone workshops, and the result was the same everywhere. Every Holy Land workshop treated them like a plague, wishing they would leave immediately.
Finally, Ye Fan and Li Heishui entered the Jade Pool stone workshop—their last stop of the day. Ten thousand years ago, the Origin Heavenly Master had left endless legends here. Though many years had passed, some tales still lingered.
The Jade Pool stone workshop was shrouded in misty waters. Beside the Heaven-ranked stone garden was a celestial lake called Jade Pool, sharing the same name as the Holy Land.
Suddenly, a female disciple of Jade Pool approached, saying that the Holy Maiden of Jade Pool had invited Gu Feng.
Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat, and his expression shifted slightly. If anyone could guess his identity, it would be the Holy Maiden of Jade Pool.
By the celestial lake, there was a grove of ancient trees, very quiet and secluded, with no one coming or going. A hazy figure stood there, shrouded in faint mist.
They had met several times before, but Ye Fan had never seen the true face of the Holy Maiden of Jade Pool. Meeting again, he wanted to activate his Source Heaven Divine Sense and use his divine eyes to see through her.
But just then, the Holy Maiden of Jade Pool suddenly spoke. Though her voice was like heavenly music, it shook Ye Fan's mind.
"Should I call you Gu Feng, or should I call you Ye Fan?"
"What does the fairy maiden mean by this?" Ye Fan looked at her calmly.
The Holy Maiden of Jade Pool's voice carried a magnetic quality as she said, "We entered the Primordial Forbidden Zone together and competed for the Nine Secrets in Li Prefecture. Back then, I knew you must have studied the Source Heaven Scroll."
Ye Fan shook his head and said, "I think the fairy maiden has mistaken me for someone else."
The Holy Maiden of Jade Pool said, "Now, although your appearance has changed greatly, your Source Art has not. You cannot change that fact."
Ye Fan smiled and said, "Fairy maiden, what exactly are you talking about? I really don't understand. People from the Source Art Aristocratic Clan all have exquisite Source Art skills. Are they all the person you're looking for?"
The Holy Maiden of Jade Pool smiled and said, "You may have heard that the Origin Heavenly Master of the past was a distinguished guest of our Jade Pool, honored as an external Dao protector. Our Jade Pool can recognize his Source Art."
Ye Fan smiled, still unmoved, shaking his head and saying nothing.
The Holy Maiden of Jade Pool, ethereal like an immortal, walked lightly through the ancient grove and spoke casually, pointing out the unique aspects of Ye Fan's Source Art, hitting the nail on the head.
"Although our Jade Pool does not have the Source Heaven Scroll, we can recognize its unique Source Art."
Ye Fan knew that she had truly recognized him. Back in the Primordial Forbidden Zone, she had deduced from his Source Art that he had inherited the Origin Heavenly Master's legacy. Now, through his Source Art, she had confirmed his identity.
"What do you want?" As he said this, he activated his Source Heaven Divine Sense and looked forward, his eyes gleaming with purple light.
In that moment, he saw through the mist and beheld a peerlessly beautiful face, so stunning it took one's breath away.
As the rumors outside said, even an old monk who had taken vows would be moved to return to secular life upon seeing the unparalleled true face of the Jade Pool fairy maiden.
"You... have obtained stone gall and cultivated the Heavenly Eye? Don't look at me!" The Jade Pool fairy maiden was very surprised, then both shy and angry, unable to maintain her usual calm.
"I haven't cultivated the Heavenly Eye," Ye Fan denied, but the purple light in his eyes grew even stronger as he stared unblinkingly ahead.
His expression betrayed him. Anyone suddenly seeing such a perfectly beautiful body would find it hard to stay calm.
It was as if a Ninth Heaven Mysterious Maiden were bathing in the mortal world—her immortal body was snow-white and delicate, with curves rising and falling, like condensed fat and beautiful jade, captivating the mind.
Jade Pool was famous throughout the world. People from all the Holy Lands and Primordial Aristocratic Clans considered it an honor to marry a woman from Jade Pool, but few succeeded, let alone their Holy Maiden—that was simply impossible.
"You..." The Holy Maiden of Jade Pool suddenly turned and floated into the grove, losing her usual composure.
Ye Fan's eyes blazed with purple light as he watched her retreating figure and muttered to himself, "Truly a peerless beauty, skin like condensed fat, a national beauty that topples cities."
Though it was only her back, the graceful curves and snow-white radiance were still enough to make one's blood boil. But Ye Fan only showed a slight smile.
In this situation, he dared not harbor any profane thoughts. He only wanted to disturb her peace of mind and thus take the initiative in the ensuing conversation.
He knew she did not intend to attack; otherwise, she would not have met him here.
The Holy Maiden of Jade Pool heard his muttering, her body stiffened, and she quickly disappeared into the grove. It took a long time for her to seem to calm down as she transmitted her voice: "You are very boring!"