Chapter 420: Ultimately Unable to Defy Heaven
The Pearl of the Wind Clan was as proud as an immortal phoenix, lifting her flawless, crystalline little chin. Her hair danced in the wind, five-colored divine radiance swirling around her body. She seemed unapproachable, as if standing atop the clouds, looking down upon the world below.
Ye Fan, in contrast, remained utterly calm, as if standing apart from it all. He quietly observed everything, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth, saying nothing.
Seeing him like this, the members of the Wind Clan felt a stir in their hearts. An elder said to Feng Huang, "You have just arrived in the Divine City. Go down and rest. Do not say anything more."
Feng Huang understood his meaning. Lifting her beautiful chin, she swept a glance at Ye Fan and said, "I can see my own future. It will not be tied to anyone, not even the Sacred Body."
Her five-colored divine garment fluttered as she moved with graceful, lotus-like steps and drifted away, leaving behind a faint, lingering fragrance. A few elders looked slightly embarrassed, their brows furrowed.
Feng Huang had arrived, and the news quickly spread throughout the Divine City. Even the details of her first meeting with Ye Fan were circulated without omission.
"Just as the rumors say—the Pearl of the Wind Clan has no intention of being betrothed to the Sacred Body. There's going to be a huge spectacle now."
"This dazzling pearl truly has a strong will. She doesn't even look favorably upon the Sacred Body who broke the curse. I wonder if, a thousand years from now, she will still have such pride."
"I knew this would happen. Who is Feng Huang? She is a heavenly proud daughter of her generation. The reason the Wind Clan delayed their decision was precisely because they feared she would resolutely refuse. Even their Saint Lord did not want to force her."
"The Pearl of the Wind Clan is going to reject the Sacred Body. Now that's a strange tale..."
Every detail was reported without omission, spreading throughout the Divine City. Many people discussed it, and quite a few fanned the flames.
It must be said, Feng Huang's beauty was renowned throughout the Eastern Wasteland, and her charm was immense. She had a multitude of suitors, who naturally supported her decision and created momentum for her.
Ye Fan dismissed it all with contempt, not caring in the slightest. He came from the other end of the starry sky, so he had no real feeling for this so-called arranged marriage.
Even if she were the number one pearl of the Eastern Wasteland, so what? Had he not seen the world's peerless beauties? He figured she was probably on par with An Miaoyi.
Since arriving in this world where the strong are revered, Ye Fan had always maintained a detached attitude toward matters of the heart. He had never actively sought out the long-lost "feeling of being moved."
In the following days, Feng Huang was neither too high-profile nor too low-key. She often gathered with friends, including many of her suitors.
The topics surrounding her never ceased. People understood that she was making her stance clear—she absolutely refused to be betrothed, causing the elders of the Wind Clan a great deal of headache.
Subsequently, she met with various Holy Sons one after another. Although they had kept in touch before, if not for this impending betrothal, she would not have been so frequently out and about.
What surprised people the most was that Feng Huang met privately with the Golden Wing Little Peng King, causing an uproar. The cultivators in the Divine City began discussing it once again.
The Golden Wing Little Peng King, along with the Holy Son Yao Guang and the Divine King Physique of the Ji Family, were hailed as the most powerful young experts of the current Eastern Wasteland, standing at the absolute pinnacle.
In years past, Feng Huang had fought him once. They had been evenly matched, a battle that shook the central region of the Eastern Wasteland and, as a result, forged a certain friendship between them.
The Golden Wing Little Peng King had a significant grudge against Ye Fan. On the night of the full moon, if the Old Peng King had not restrained him, a world-shaking battle would have been inevitable.
For Feng Huang to choose this moment to meet privately with the Golden Wing Little Peng King inevitably invited discussion, immediately becoming the focal point of conversation in the Divine City.
"The Pearl of the Wind Clan has made up her mind. Even if the betrothal is forced through, it will stir up countless waves."
"Feng Huang is making her stance clear. She is meeting with the Sacred Body's great enemy, unwilling to be betrothed to him."
"Anyway, the Wind Clan hasn't made a decision yet. Even if it fizzles out, it's nothing. It can only be said that the Pearl of the Wind Clan has won on her own."
The outside world buzzed with gossip. Ye Fan simply laughed it off. He couldn't be bothered to pay attention, ignoring everything Feng Huang did, because he didn't need to do anything at all.
When many learned of his attitude, they were all surprised and sighed to themselves. The Sacred Body was truly transcendent, as if he were merely a spectator among them, just watching the show.
After Ye Fan made his stance clear, the topics multiplied. Since both were extraordinary figures with such unique attitudes, it sparked endless discussion among cultivators.
The Peerless Divine King was about to leave, telling Ye Fan to travel freely without worry. He seemed to sense that his own time was short and wanted to kill a few more secretly treacherous individuals.
When Ye Fan moved about outside, he naturally attracted attention, but no one dared to make a move, fearing the thunderous strike of the Peerless Divine King. In his final days, no one dared to court trouble.
These past few days, Ye Fan had been constantly attending banquets with Tu Fei, Li Heishui, and the Big Black Dog. There were many gatherings, and he did not refuse the olive branches extended by various major sects, surrounded by people all day long.
Clearly, the Sacred Body's reputation surpassed Feng Huang's, generating even more discussion. Few among the younger generation could rival him. A future Great Accomplishment Sacred Body was worth befriending and paying attention to.
It could be said that wherever Ye Fan went, almost everyone recognized him. No one failed to greet him, no one failed to know him. Especially among the younger generation, many were filled with fear of him.
The members of the Ancient Source Art Aristocratic Clan had all withdrawn, not a single one appearing in the Divine City. Cultivators hostile to Ye Fan, like Wu Ziming and Li Zhongtian, also became extremely low-key, rarely showing themselves.
Invisibly, Ye Fan had established a kind of authority. Even the Holy Sons were daunted by him, trying to keep their distance as much as possible, avoiding him whenever they could.
Even the Golden Wing Little Peng King was suppressing his anger, obeying the Old Peng King's orders to avoid conflict and stay out of sight.
Wherever Ye Fan went, he was met with boundless enthusiasm, but he was not arrogant. He treated everyone with courtesy. When he saw his opponents, he did not provoke them, merely nodding as he passed.
"Pfft"
A mouthful of blood sprayed from Ye Fan's mouth, crimson tinged with a faint gold, staining his clothes in a shocking sight.
"What happened?!" Pang Bo shot to his feet, his thick brows furrowed as he swept his gaze around.
"Little Leaf, what's wrong?" Tu Fei and Li Heishui were also startled.
This gathering included Yao Yuekong, the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi, the Holy Maiden of Dao Yi, the Great Xia Prince, the White-Robed Little Nun, and many other young experts. No one expected Ye Fan to suddenly cough up blood and fall backward.
"Move aside!" Pang Bo ignored everything else, shouting for everyone to step back. He picked Ye Fan up and carefully examined him. White robes stained with bright blood blossoms, Ye Fan lay motionless with closed eyes, his face somewhat pale. It looked very bad.
The Sacred Body had encountered a problem and collapsed at the banquet. This news quickly spread throughout the Divine City, causing an uproar!
The scent of medicine wafted through the air. Ye Fan's room was filled with dozens of types of medicinal pills, all of them rare treasures. Several elders of the Wind Clan stepped forward one by one to examine his injuries, all of them frowning.
"How could this be?"
"Yes, I understand now. It's a Dao Wound. The Peerless Divine King, unmatched as he is, used divine blood to sever the karmic ties for him, using the Divine Prelude to erase the innate Dao Diagram. But..."
"The Great Dao of Heaven did not destroy his Dao foundation, but it severed his life essence, leaving an incurable wound. He has less than half a year to live."
The elders of the Wind Clan made a precise judgment, all of them sighing up to the heavens. This result filled them with immense disappointment.
"The curse of over a hundred thousand years has been broken. He can finally cultivate, and we were about to witness the birth of a quasi-great emperor. But he only has half a year to live..."
"This is a wound left by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Even a mature divine medicine probably cannot cure it."
Their expressions shifted uncertainly. The Wind Clan had spent three million catties of Source for this, and even planned a marriage alliance. Yet in the end, this was the result—something they could hardly bear.
The Sacred Body was about to fall. This news was no less than a tsunami, shaking the Divine City and spreading throughout the world. Many major powers were alarmed.
Especially in the Divine City, a cacophony arose. All cultivators were discussing it, never imagining such a sudden turn of events.
"The Dao of Heaven cannot be defied. Even if the curse is broken, his life cannot be preserved. It was already fated in the unseen."
"This is truly a grand feast ending in desolation. Who would have thought it would come to this?"
"With less than half a year of life left, what can he accomplish? A pity, a lament for the Peerless Divine King's painstaking efforts."
"The Sacred Body had just achieved initial success, already looking down on the younger generation, yet he ends so bleakly, heading toward the end of his life."
No one was not shocked. This result was too unexpected. No one had seen it coming.
"No, this couldn't be a trap set by the Peerless Divine King, could it? To prevent Ye Fan from being assassinated, he devised this plan to hide him away."
Some sharp-minded individuals immediately thought of this possibility, making a startling speculation.
As soon as this theory emerged, many agreed, believing it to be a setup, a deliberate smokescreen to confuse the world.
However, it was quickly confirmed that this was a real injury, not a disguise. The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth had torn apart Ye Fan's life essence, making it nearly impossible to heal.
The people of the Wind Clan sighed but had no solution.
Two Great Powers from the Jiang Family also came, equally helpless. Even the Peerless Divine King furrowed his brow.
Wounds left by the Great Dao are difficult for human power to reverse. Since ancient times, almost no one wounded by the Great Dao had survived.
People from many major powers came, showing great concern. They examined Ye Fan's injuries and left many spiritual pills, but their main purpose was naturally to verify whether the news was true.
Those from the Central Province who had come to observe the ceremony and had not yet left also visited one after another. After carefully examining Ye Fan's injuries, they left some spiritual medicines and departed.
The news was confirmed as true by many great sects. The outside world was in an uproar. Some gloated, some sympathized...
Ye Fan woke up, staring blankly for a long time. He had not expected this.
At night, the starlight was like water. He and Pang Bo lay side by side on the rooftop, gazing at the other end of the starry sky.
"If I die, you must find a way to go back. Don't wait too long."
"Ye Zi, don't say that. You'll be fine. You can survive. We'll go back together."
"Take care of my parents for me."
"Don't say these things. It makes my heart feel heavy."
Only half a year of life—and that was the most optimistic estimate. It could very well be less than a hundred days. Even if his combat prowess dominated the younger generation, it was utterly meaningless now.
In the days that followed, Ye Fan's residence became deserted. No one visited anymore. The enthusiasm of many had turned to cold indifference.
A grand feast had faded, leaving only loneliness and the bleakness of autumn.
The warmth and coldness of human relationships, the fickleness of the world—it was all too obvious, so very real.
Perhaps it was time to leave the Divine City. Ye Fan would go to bid farewell to some people. He did not know if things would remain the same.