Chapter 813: Crisis
The Divine Silkworm Princess, her fingers as delicate as spring onions, brushed aside her purple hair. Her face was fair and pure, calm on the surface, but it sent a chill of terror through the ancient clans before her.
Everyone involuntarily retreated. Even the two Ancient Kings felt their hearts pounding wildly, nearly overwhelmed by the urge to flee immediately.
"Princess, please calm your anger. You have already slain one Ancestral King. Let this end here," one of the Ancient Kings said, forcing himself to speak despite his dread.
All around, the crowd was astonished. She had killed a Queen, yet they endured it, and even spoke so humbly. This showed the immense authority of the Divine Silkworm Princess.
A member of the Primordial Lake stepped forward, shielding Yuangu and isolating him from the Celestial Prince, fearing they might be dragged into the conflict. He spoke with utmost respect: "We beg the Princess to show mercy."
The surrounding onlookers held their breath. The Divine Silkworm Princess's prestige was even greater than they had imagined, forcing even these Imperial Clans to bow their heads in fear.
How many Ancestral Kings could a great royal clan possess? Rarely more than three. The title "Ancestral" represented the entire clan, and killing one was equivalent to declaring war on that clan.
Yet the Divine Silkworm Princess had struck down that Queen without a moment's hesitation, decisive and unyielding, showing no restraint. It was enough to make anyone's hair stand on end.
"Please, Princess, calm your anger." At this moment, members of the Fire Qilin Cave Imperial Clan also stepped forward to plead for mercy.
"When the Princess roamed the Primeval Era, all kings gave way. There is no need to stoop to this. Forgive them," added someone from the Blood Phoenix Mountain.
The Divine Silkworm Princess's purple hair fell, once again half-veiling her celestial face. The corners of her mouth curled slightly, cold and proud, as she fixed her gaze on the Celestial Prince and Yuangu. "Do not rely on your noble birth. Leaning on the legacy of your fathers means nothing. If you anger me, I will slaughter you all cleanly!"
The Celestial Prince felt as if struck by lightning. The nine divine halos behind his head nearly shattered, and his body trembled violently. Yuangu also shook, the black sun in his left eye and the blood moon in his right eye nearly dissolving.
"Princess..." At that moment, members of the Divine Silkworm Ridge also stepped forward to plead.
They too were worried. Although their Divine Silkworm Princess possessed profound cultivation, she was not yet invincible. If she truly killed two Ancient Imperial Princes, the Divine Silkworm Ridge would face endless trouble in the days to come. The Primeval Ancestral Kings would go mad, and might retaliate by killing the Divine Silkworm Daoist in the same manner.
The Divine Silkworm Princess swept her gaze over them, showing no further intention to strike. The others breathed a long sigh of relief. She was indeed a sharp goddess—fresh and beautiful, yet possessing a bold and domineering aura.
And so the storm passed. Everyone had their own scales of judgment. The lineage of the monkey was sparse, nearly extinct, but whenever one emerged, it was enough to terrify. They began to treat him with respect, truly acknowledging him from the bottom of their hearts as the illustrious Holy Prince.
The Divine Silkworm Princess expressed her thanks to Ye Fan, then inquired in detail about the nine divine medicines on the Primordial Abyss, her brow furrowing.
Those belonged to the Divine Silkworm clan's immortality medicine, originally growing on the Divine Silkworm Ridge, containing fragments of the Great Dao. They were the clan's supreme treasure. How had they ended up on that abyss?
She recalled some past events, but could not connect the scattered records. In those days, the ancient medicine had fled on its own, and even the clan's Great Sage of unmatched power had failed to stop it.
"When I have time, I will make a trip there," the Divine Silkworm Princess said.
"Princess, be cautious. Other clan's Ancient Kings have gone but returned in defeat," advised a member of the Divine Silkworm Ridge.
"I understand." The Divine Silkworm Princess nodded. The little creature on her shoulder also hummed and grumbled, rolling its big white eyes, looking mischievous and clever.
"Little one, do you remember me?" Ye Fan asked with a smile.
Beside him, everyone else was silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to speak loudly before this divine woman. But he was not among them, drawing envy from many.
"Hmph, hmph!"
Little Guai gave him a huge white-eye roll, firmly gripping a lock of the Divine Silkworm Princess's hair with one small claw, warily guarding against him, as if afraid of being abducted.
"Ungrateful. Back then, I helped you through your tribulation," Ye Fan said, reaching out to touch it, only to be met with more grumbling.
In the distance, the various Primeval clans frowned inwardly. Was the Human Sacred Body trying to win over the Divine Silkworm Princess, and even the Divine Silkworm Ridge, to their side? Having one monkey was already chaotic enough; adding the Divine Silkworms would make anyone wary.
"The path of humanity lies beneath its own feet. We cannot help you," the Divine Silkworm Princess said, showing no intention of meddling in the conflicts among the clans.
Ye Fan, Li Heishui, and the others couldn't deny their disappointment. Such a powerful ally was beyond their reach.
Yet they also understood that the relations among the clans were complex. The Divine Silkworm Princess had to consider the Divine Silkworm Ridge and would not easily plunge into the chaos.
"The God-Sealing List has intimidated the myriad clans, yet some Ancient Kings still believe Emperor Wu Shi has long since passed. They will come personally to this grand assembly."
In the end, the Divine Silkworm Princess drifted away with Little Guai, light and carefree, leaving only that one sentence for Ye Fan and the others.
The various great tribes present breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Princess of the Divine Silkworm Ridge did not side with humanity, everything could be negotiated. Otherwise, she would truly be a force to be feared.
Ye Fan and his group felt a weight in their hearts. This was not good news. Even with the God-Sealing List revealed, some Ancient Kings remained unconvinced. The situation was dire.
Time was short. When the grand assembly of the myriad clans truly began, these domineering Ancient Kings would descend, likely bringing great chaos—or even catastrophe!
"Even Emperor Wu Shi's God-Sealing List can't suppress them?"
Ye Fan and Duan De were at a loss. This was the most powerful card they could play in the near future, and they had no other options in the short term.
The ancient clans were not limited to the Celestial Prince's lineage in understanding the Ancient Emperor Mountain. Others surely knew some secrets, or they wouldn't be so convinced that Emperor Wu Shi had turned to ashes.
Yet among humanity, aside from Ye Fan and a few others, most still believed Emperor Wu Shi was alive. In recent days, the Northern Domain's human population was as agitated as boiling water, filled with clamor.
They had no idea that some Primeval Ancient Kings were sneering, and a minority remained unshaken. This was a hidden calamity.
Even within the Jade Pool, many human sect leaders thought they had seized the initiative and gained a strong voice, unaware that Ancient Kings were watching coldly from above.
"What can we do?" Li Heishui frowned, seeing the rising human morale within the Jade Pool, and was filled with anxiety.
"Who is controlling the God-Sealing List? Will they appear and be able to intimidate when the time comes?" Ye Fan asked.
"Could it be that dog? Given its identity, it's likely something caught between destruction and reestablishment, now truly standing again. After all, it once followed Wu Shi," Duan De muttered mysteriously.
"Could it really be Black Emperor? That's unlikely. With his greedy and shameless demeanor, how could he be a master?" Ye Fan rubbed his chin, finding it hard to imagine Black Emperor as an enlightened being. That bastard's eyes lit up at the sight of treasure, even robbing acquaintances, more unscrupulous than Duan De.
Now, humanity was severely lacking in powerful experts to hold the line. Once the assembly convened, the situation would likely be very grim.
"Hide this sacred shell first. Since domineering Ancient Kings are about to appear, they'll likely establish their authority immediately. If they don't believe Emperor Wu Shi is alive, they might directly kill the only saint first," the monkey said after careful consideration, raising this grim issue, for he knew the Ancient Kings too well.
"Yes, a sacred shell cannot intimidate. It's not a living saint. If the Devouring Demon Jar is shaken out and they find a dead shell, the consequences would be even worse," Duan De added.
At that moment, Ye Fan and the others felt a biting chill, like an autumn wind sweeping through, withering ten thousand leaves, leaving desolation in its wake.
"Brother Ye, twelve years apart—today we drink until we're drunk." From not far away, the Great Xia Prince approached, a reunion after long separation, his face full of sincere smiles.
Ye Fan set aside his worries for the moment and greeted the Great Xia Prince, then smiled at the White-Robed Little Nun beside him. "Little master, you've grown more beautiful and charming. Have you married?"
Li Tian snapped open his folding fan with a "pa," swaying as he walked, saying, "Little master, how old are you? Would you like to explore the profound principles of Buddhism with me?"
The little nun, who had once been like a delicate porcelain doll, had grown up, but her big eyes were still clear. She still relied on her elder brother, hiding behind him, puffing with anger. "None of you are good people!"
"Heh heh..." A group of dry laughs followed. Even they felt a sense of guilt for profaning a young Buddhist nun like this.
The Great Xia Prince smiled, not angered, knowing these fellows wouldn't dare do anything to his sister—they only took verbal advantage.
"Brother Yuekong, over here!" Li Heishui, sharp-eyed, spotted a group from the Heavenly Demon Palace entering the Jade Pool and called out to their young master.
Yao Yuekong was radiant, his purple robes fluttering, his demeanor far surpassing the past. His power had multiplied countless times, his spirit nearly boiling and burning.
"Ye Fan, Brother Heishui, I never thought I'd see you again!" Yao Yuekong was deeply moved.
"Where have you been all these years? We've had no news of you," the Great Xia Prince asked the young master of the Heavenly Demon Palace.
"I've been in seclusion for over a decade, finally healing my body," Yao Yuekong replied.
Everyone knew that as a Heavenly Demon Body, he should have dominated his generation. But because he was schemed against in his mother's womb before birth, he had always been weak, unable to display the might of the Heavenly Demon.
"Congratulations!" Everyone offered their blessings.
Soon after, Ji Haoyue and his sister arrived, entering the Jade Pool with a group of Ji Family elders. They had not traveled north with Ye Fan and the others.
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi led them over. A gathering of old friends made for a lively scene, temporarily forgetting the confusion of humanity's path and the worries in their hearts. They toasted and drank heartily under an ancient tree.
Some familiar faces from the past kept joining. When the Southern Demon and Qi Huoshui arrived, they brought along the Central Emperor, whom they didn't know very well.
"Is it him? I feel as if I've seen an old friend in a daze," the Central Emperor's words made Ye Fan and Duan De jolt. Only the two of them were paying close attention, so they faintly heard.
This gathering was undoubtedly a small celebration. The monkey dragged the Divine Silkworm Daoist into a fierce drinking contest. The Southern Demon and the Central Emperor used Dao techniques to refine their qi and drink. Ye Fan grabbed Duan De and stuffed a wine jar into his mouth. The Divine King Physique Ji Haoyue and the Heavenly Demon Body Yao Yuekong discussed their constitutions...
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi, Qi Huoshui, Ji Ziyue, and the little nun each displayed their celestial grace, vying in beauty, sipping wine with charming postures.
"Boom!"
Finally, what was destined to come arrived. A domineering Ancient King descended. The divine bell rang loudly, and a overwhelming saintly aura surged into the Jade Pool, completely unbridled.
A Ancient King with a dragon head, surrounded by divine light, strode in. Wherever he passed, all living beings involuntarily knelt in worship.
Such was the pressure of a saint-level being. Ordinary cultivators could not withstand it. He walked straight toward the human group, and with every step, the sound of thudding echoed as they were forced to their knees by his aura.
The might of a saint was irresistible!
He was clearly doing this deliberately, striding forward with a cold laugh. "I hear humanity has produced a saint. How rare. Come, let me see if you live up to the name!"
He was aggressive, carrying a hint of murderous intent. What the Divine Silkworm Princess and the monkey had said had come true. As soon as a domineering Ancient King arrived, he sought to bloodily slay humanity's "only saint."