[Wuxia] The List of Peerless Beauties of the Jiangshan [Complete] - 12

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Chapter Twenty: A Conflict of Attrition

Zhou Yun strode to the center of the tower, first bowing to the Great Yue King, then looking at Ye Feng with cold, sharp eyes!

Ye Feng also stared back coldly, his face expressionless.

A month ago, Ye Feng wasn't even a match for Zhou Yun, but today's Ye Feng was a completely different person. Just now, he had defeated the number one swordsman in the capital with only three strikes. Tonight, in their rematch, who would emerge victorious?

The two stood in the center of the tower, staring coldly at each other for a moment, then bowed simultaneously, saying, "Please enlighten us."

"Clang!"

Zhou Yun drew his curved sword, and immediately a chilling killing intent filled the entire area, giving everyone a terrifying feeling of unparalleled danger. This person's strength was indeed extraordinary.

The Second Prince's side all showed joy. Just looking at Zhou Yun's aura, they knew that his strength was comparable to, or even surpassed, Ye Feng's, and he would definitely be able to regain the face they had just lost.

A murmur rippled through the crowds at Zuiyue Tower and along the Imperial River, clearly assessing the strength of Ye Feng and Zhou Yun.

Ye Feng remained composed, secretly circulating his "Spring Rain Manual," his mind calm. He slowly aimed his "Dragon Breaker" at Zhou Yun, fueled by the momentum of his earlier victory over Sun Huyun. A surge of pride welled up within Ye Feng, a powerful aura emanating from him, and the cold glint in his eyes grew increasingly sharp.

For Ye Feng, defeating Zhou Yun would avenge the humiliation he suffered a month ago at Ru Qing's shop, and more importantly, overcome his subconscious fear and inner demons surrounding Zhou Yun, allowing him to advance further in his martial arts.

Failure, however, would mean continuing to live in Zhou Yun's shadow, his martial arts potentially stagnating, and he might even lose to him again in the future Jade Moon Tournament, losing his beautiful sworn sister, Ru Qing.

Under the weight of his powerful aura, the "Dragon Breaker" in Ye Feng's hand trembled slightly, its power reaching its peak!

Zhou Yun stared intently at Ye Feng, his eyes flashing with cold light, unmoving. His gaze was extremely eerie, like a pool of stagnant water frozen for a thousand years, devoid of any emotional change.

This kind of gaze made people feel very uncomfortable, like a venomous snake staring at you. At the same time, the powerful aura emanating from his blade enveloped Ye Feng.

Before the two even started fighting, the killing intent between them already permeated the entire arena.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone held their breath, both excited and nervous.

One of the contestants was a newly risen star who had defeated numerous masters and remained undefeated. The other was a dark horse who had appeared out of nowhere that night, defeating the capital's number one swordsman with just three strikes. Who would win this battle?

Both were handsome and dashing, leaving the noble ladies unsure which one to support.

Feeling Zhou Yun's growing aura enveloping him, Ye Feng, having fought Zhou Yun before, knew his swordsmanship was extremely sharp and ruthless. He couldn't let Zhou Yun strike first, otherwise, if Zhou Yun gained the upper hand, he would likely be at a disadvantage.

Before Zhou Yun's aura could reach its peak, Ye Feng suddenly roared, and with his roar came the inevitable lightning-fast Dragon Tiger Blade!

But instead, a "whoosh!" sound rang out, followed by a strange and piercing sound of air being torn apart. Suddenly, a dazzling moon seemed to appear before Ye Feng! Cold as snow, sharp as the wind, a sharp blade aura instantly reached Ye Feng's face, and he felt a stinging pain on his skin.

Zhou Yun had actually struck first, before Ye Feng could react.

The onlookers all felt the ferocity and unparalleled sharpness of Zhou Yun's blade, and felt a pain that anyone caught in its path would find difficult to withstand.

※※※

It's that move again!

A month ago, Ye Feng suffered a loss from this very move in front of Ru Qing's shop, and he never expected Zhou Yun to use the same trick again.

Seeing Zhou Yun whirlwind close in on him, his incredibly sharp blade aura already upon him, even more ferocious and faster than a month ago, Ye Feng was startled. He could only halt his attack, painfully raising "Dragon Breaker" to block Zhou Yun's devastating strike! A deafening

clang, like lightning and thunder, rang out as the two blades clashed. Ye Feng felt a surge of immense force, his body jolted, and he lost his balance, forced to take a step back.

A cheer erupted from the Second Prince's side; Zhou Yun's strike greatly boosted their morale. The Crown Prince's side, however, were stunned. Although they had long heard of Zhou Yun's reputation, they hadn't expected his swordsmanship to be so formidable.

Just as Ye Feng realized the danger, Zhou Yun's chilling blade energy surged forth like a tidal wave, slashing and hacking, unleashing dozens of strikes in a single breath. The blade light was like dazzling, cold lightning, fierce and wild! It forced Ye Feng to retreat repeatedly.

The clanging of metal rang out in succession as Zhou Yun pressed his attack, his eyes growing increasingly ferocious and cruel, filled with murderous intent. He clearly intended to kill Ye Feng in this relentless barrage!

Sparks flew, and the energy swirled wildly.

The Second Prince's side erupted in thunderous cheers, encouraging Zhou Yun, while the Crown Prince's side remained silent.

Supporters always side with the victor; even the moderate noble ladies and tens of thousands of people along the Imperial River cheered enthusiastically, spontaneously encouraging Zhou Yun, which only fueled Ye Feng's inner rage.

Ye Feng desperately resisted Zhou Yun's attacks. Although he knew his Dragon Tiger Saber was no less powerful than Zhou Yun's swift blade, having lost the initiative earlier, he couldn't find any chance to counterattack. He could only hold out until Zhou Yun was exhausted.

However, Zhou Yun's energy seemed inexhaustible; his chilling attacks flowed like a never-ending river, leaving Ye Feng no opportunity to retaliate.

"Clang!"

Another thunderous sound rang out as Zhou Yun's saber struck Ye Feng's "Dragon Breaker" again. Ye Feng shuddered violently, staggering back several steps.

Zhou Yun was relentless, his blade flashing, truly intending to kill Ye Feng!

"Wow!"

Everyone in the Drunken Moon Pavilion and tens of thousands of people along the Imperial River stood up. Even Yang Yu involuntarily covered her mouth, clearly unable to bear seeing Ye Feng's blood splattered under the blade.

At this critical moment of life and death, Ye Feng, despite his staggering retreat, skillfully spun in an arc. Then, a brilliant flash of light erupted from his blade, a dazzling display of light that swiftly blocked Zhou Yun's extremely fierce attack.

"Clang!"

The clear, resounding clang of metal clashing echoed through the night sky once more.

Zhou Yun was violently shaken and thrown backward.

"Ah!"

A collective gasp of surprise rippled through the crowd. What had just happened?

※※※

As Ye Feng staggered backward, he suddenly felt an extremely warm yet also extremely cool current of energy surge forth from his dantian and mind like lightning, instantly spreading throughout his body, bringing an indescribable comfort.

Instantly, Ye Feng felt a surge of immense power coursing through his body, as if his clothes were being torn apart.

"The Evil Scripture!"

At this critical moment of life and death, Ye Feng actually activated and absorbed a portion of the spiritual energy within the "Evil Scripture!" He felt a sense of lightness throughout his body, with streams of intoxicating energy constantly surging and flowing from his dantian, extremely comfortable.

Just then, Zhou Yun's blade was already in front of him. Ye Feng cleverly used the momentum of his previous retreat to turn in an arc, casually swinging his blade out. With a loud bang, Zhou Yun was thrown away.

"Good!~"

Amidst the thunderous cheers from the Crown Prince's side, Ye Feng pressed his advantage, unleashing a roar as the long-absent Dragon-Tiger Saber returned!

"Dragon Breaker," with its dazzling blade light, terrifying howl, and overwhelming force capable of shredding everything in its path, swept towards the still-unsteady Zhou Yun like a whirlwind.

The blade light was twice as bright as when Ye Feng fought Sun Huyun, and its speed twice as great!

Zhou Yun, terrified, raised his saber to parry, but with a deafening clang, he staggered back several steps.

Ye Feng was relentless, showing no mercy. This time, Zhou Yun was forced to retreat, utterly powerless.

With Ye Feng's thunderous roar, wave after wave of ferocious blade energy surged towards Zhou Yun, giving him no chance to even catch his breath.

The wind whipped by the blade howled, sending chills down everyone's spines!

At this moment, the surrounding crowd erupted in deafening cheers for Ye Feng, with the noble ladies screaming and shouting incessantly. This left Zhou Yun and the Second Prince's side both furious and helpless.

Ye Feng attacked with sweeping, powerful strikes, one after another, direct and straightforward, completely abandoning any complex techniques, focusing solely on striking Zhou Yun's head. His swordsmanship, though simple, was incredibly sharp and unstoppable.

The Dragon Tiger Sword Technique was known as a sure-kill technique, showing no mercy to those who faced it. It was inherently a fierce and powerful style, and Ye Feng, having learned from his fight with Sun Huyun, constantly used somersaults to amplify his attacks, greatly increasing their power. "Dragon Break" was like a vengeful spirit, the chilling wind from the blade completely enveloping Zhou Yun, causing him unbearable suffering.

The murderous aura activated the evil spiritual energy within Ye Feng's body, making him feel an unusual surge of energy and vitality throughout his body. This evil spiritual energy, in turn, amplified the murderous aura within him, making him appear even more domineering, like a war god descending to earth.

The women watching were completely mesmerized, screaming at the top of their lungs for Ye Feng. Yang Yu, in particular, stared intently at him with alluring eyes.

Despite the freezing weather, beads of sweat appeared on Zhou Yun's forehead, his eyes revealing a mixture of fear and madness, clearly indicating that he knew he was no match for Ye Feng and was determined to fight him to the death.

Ye Feng unleashed another thunderous strike, but Zhou Yun staggered back more than ten steps. Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat; with Zhou Yun's abilities, he shouldn't have retreated that many steps.

Then, Zhou Yun, mimicking Ye Feng's earlier move, used the momentum of his retreat to turn around, followed by a loud shout and a spitting out of blood. Immediately, his blade blazed brightly, and he launched a fierce attack on Ye Feng.

Attack against attack!

Ye Feng's heart stirred. Clearly, Zhou Yun hadn't been injured earlier. Could that spit-out blood be a method to enhance his potential?

When the two blades clashed, a deafening boom resounded, and both Ye Feng and Zhou Yun were jolted, each taking a step back.

That spit-of-blood was indeed a method to enhance potential!

Seeing Zhou Yun's frenzied attack, how could Ye Feng let him succeed? His eyebrows furrowed, his face cold, and "Dragon Break" transformed into a cold light, shooting towards Zhou Yun like lightning.

In an instant, the two had exchanged more than ten blows.

The clash of blades was deafening! The sounds of their attacks were like a torrential downpour, both men attacking desperately, yet they appeared evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand!

To be honest, at the start of the contest, Ye Feng's swordsmanship was slightly inferior to Zhou Yun's in terms of power and speed; otherwise, Zhou Yun wouldn't have seized the initiative with a single strike. However, after absorbing a portion of the spiritual energy from the *Evil Scripture Record*, Ye Feng had gained a slight advantage in strength. But since Zhou Yun had used a strange method to enhance his potential, the two were now evenly matched again. Therefore

, although both were attacking desperately, neither could gain the upper hand!

The fight intensified, with Ye Feng's blade flashing relentlessly, showing no mercy. He was determined to kill Zhou Yun, the nephew of the Vice Minister of Rites. Zhou Yun, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, shared the same goal. Both fought

with deadly ferocity, their attacks becoming a life-or-death struggle, the clash of swords causing the robes of those in the surrounding seats to flutter wildly.

The entire audience fell silent, not daring to breathe, their hearts pounding with fear. They had never witnessed such a dangerous contest before.

Suddenly, a loud "crack!" shattered a cup in front of Yang Yu, startling her with a soft cry of "Ah!"

"Ah?"

All the men in the audience turned to look at her.

The Second Prince abruptly stood up and shouted, "Stop!" Ye

Feng and Zhou Yun, who were clashing swords, retreated several steps after hearing this, both panting heavily.

At this moment, the entire audience came to their senses. Whether it was the officials inside the Drunken Moon Pavilion or the tens of thousands of people below, they erupted in cheers and discussions, marveling at the incredibly fierce competition.

The Second Prince raised his hands, signaling for silence, and then said to the King of Dayue, "Father, I have a suggestion. Let this competition end in a draw between the two warriors. What do you think, Father?"

"Hmm!"

The King of Dayue stroked his beard and laughed heartily, "Your words are very much to my liking. I will grant your request." He then

said to Ye Feng and Zhou Yun, "These two warriors are truly dragons among men. It is a blessing for Dayue to have two such brave men. Guards, bestow upon each of them a thousand taels of gold." Ye

Feng and Zhou Yun knelt down to express their gratitude.

As Ye Feng stood up, a surge of joy welled up within him. This battle had completely eradicated the inner demon Zhou Yun had left in his heart. Ye Feng could now say with certainty that even though he couldn't defeat Zhou Yun yet, his skills were in no way inferior. Given time, or after his swordsmanship became more refined, or after fully absorbing the spiritual energy within the *Evil Scripture Record*, killing Zhou Yun wouldn't be far off.

After this battle, Ye Feng and Zhou Yun simultaneously earned the titles of "Great Moon Sword Saint" and "Great Moon Sword Lord," respectively.

※※※

Back at their seats, Li Fei, Li Huiwei, Zuo Chenxiang, and others congratulated Ye Feng. The Crown Prince, in particular, immediately changed his attitude and gaze towards him.

Li Fei laughed, "I never expected Brother Ye's swordsmanship to be so astonishing! This battle will surely make Brother Ye famous throughout the world!" Li Huiwei nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and said with delight, "

Zhou Yun has never encountered an opponent since his debut. I never expected that he would meet such a nemesis as Brother Ye."

At this moment, Zuo Chenxiang whispered a few words in Li Fei's ear. Li Fei nodded, turned around and whispered to Ye Feng, "Brother Ye, the Crown Prince will summon you tomorrow morning." Ye

Feng's heart stirred, and he nodded, glancing at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince turned slightly, gave him a slight nod, and then turned his gaze to the people at the front of the banquet. Meanwhile, the Second Prince was whispering among himself with the Grand Tutor, the Right Chancellor, and others, constantly glancing at Ye Feng, clearly also eyeing him. Zhou Yun, however, didn't look at him again, his expression cold as he pondered something.

Afterwards, the banquet resumed with singing and dancing, one festive performance after another, until late into the night, when everyone finally dispersed in high spirits.

As he left, Ye Feng involuntarily glanced at Yang Yu, only to find her also looking at him. Seeing Ye Feng's gaze, a smile appeared in Yang Yu's eyes, and she gave him a graceful glance before leaving, surrounded by a large group of people.

Upon leaving Zuiyue Tower and arriving at the Imperial Street, Ye Feng was startled to find a vast crowd gathered. The deafening chants of "Yang Yu!" had barely subsided when they saw him, and the crowd immediately swarmed around him, cheering and pointing. Had it not been for Li Fei and Li Huiwei's entourage clearing the way, he might not have been able to leave.

The battle at Zuiyue Tower that night had made Ye Feng a prominent figure in Jin Yue City.

Especially on the way back, he was constantly being flirted with by noblewomen and beautiful women who peeked out from behind their carriage curtains, casting provocative glances at him, which was becoming increasingly overwhelming.

※※※

That night, Ye Feng rested at the post station again.

Early the next morning, Li Fei sent Li Po to summon Ye Feng to the "General's Mansion." After the morning court session, the Crown Prince, Li Huiwei, the Left Chancellor, and the Duke of Zhao arrived at the "General's Mansion" together.

Ye Feng noticed that the worry on their faces was even deeper than the day before, clearly indicating that the crisis of the Crown Prince's deposition had worsened during the morning court session.

However, when the Crown Prince saw Ye Feng, a gentle smile appeared on his pale, handsome face. He greeted Ye Feng warmly, praising him highly and bestowing many gifts upon him.

Especially after learning that Ye Feng worked for Li Huiwei, he also greatly praised Li Huiwei, saying he had a keen eye for talent, managing to hire such an outstanding individual as Ye Feng.

This pleased Li Huiwei greatly, and Li Fei, the Left Chancellor, the Duke of Zhao, and others also smiled.

Ye Feng was also inwardly impressed. Although he had disliked the Crown Prince from the first moment he saw him, disliking his weakness and believing he was unworthy of the position, he couldn't help but genuinely admire his demeanor and bearing.

The Crown Prince even chatted amiably with Ye Feng for a few moments, clearly intending to recruit him as his attendant. Given Ye Feng's performance yesterday, recruiting him would undoubtedly boost his strength, especially since his struggle with the Second Prince was currently at its peak.

However, Ye Feng wasn't particularly excited about this; the Crown Prince didn't seem to possess any leadership qualities. If he had to pledge allegiance, he'd rather serve the Second Prince, who might offer a better future. But that was impossible; his mortal enemy, Zhou Yun, was there—how could he stay?

Especially since his many wives and concubines were all in Jade Moon City, now was not the time to remain in Golden Moon City.

Of course, he wouldn't show it outwardly. After all, the Crown Prince was still the Crown Prince, although his current position might be very unstable. Things in the royal palace were always unpredictable; today the King might depose him, tomorrow he could reinstate him.

Especially since he currently had a group of influential ministers supporting him, and his mother, who was extremely famous in the Great Yue Kingdom and had a high chance of becoming the future King of Great Yue, offending him would be a serious matter in the future.

So Ye Feng remained outwardly respectful, pretending not to understand his meaning. He wondered whether he should serve the Crown Prince and wait and see.

The Crown Prince was also embarrassed to openly ask Li Huiwei for people, but Li Huiwei was no ordinary person; how could he not understand the Crown Prince's thoughts?

He pondered for a moment, then smiled at Ye Feng and said, "Brother Ye is truly a dragon among men. Even His Highness praises you so highly. Brother Ye should be grateful and repay His Highness by serving him."

Before Ye Feng could reply, Li Fei said, "But what if you encounter Han Ye after you go, Brother Ye? At least His Highness's safety is not a problem."

Everyone pressed for details, and Li Huiwei then explained that the Demonic Sect's Han Ye wanted to assassinate him.

The Crown Prince was deeply moved and said, "Lord Li is truly loyal and commendable. Even when he was in danger, he still thought of me. But how could I bear to let Lord Li weaken his own strength, giving the villains an opportunity? This matter should never be mentioned again."

A glint flashed in Li Huiwei's hawk-like eyes, and he bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Ye Feng, however, was deeply moved. Li Huiwei truly was a man of skill, and this made the Crown Prince appreciate him even more.

※※※

After that, Ye Feng stayed by Li Huiwei's side, protecting his safety. Seven or eight days passed in a flash.

For the first few days, everyone was cautious, fearing assassination attempts by the "Cold Night" organization. However, after so many days, nothing happened, not a single disturbance. But no one dared to relax their guard. The "Cold Night" organization was omnipresent, and the slightest lapse in vigilance could lead to terrible consequences.

During these days, Ye Feng gradually understood what business Li Huiwei was conducting in the capital.

Besides the martial arts competition to select talent, there was another major matter concerning the vassal states of the Great Yue Kingdom: Qiuyun and Chunshui.

Qiuyun and Chunshui were geographically located between the Orchid Kingdom and the Great Yue Kingdom. Both were originally part of the Orchid Kingdom, gaining independence during the war between the two kingdoms between 1450 and 1550 in the Continental Calendar. They later submitted to the Great Yue Kingdom, becoming its vassal states and serving as a buffer zone between the two kingdoms.

However, recent intelligence indicated that these two countries were showing signs of breaking free from the Great Yue Kingdom's control and returning to the Orchid Kingdom's embrace.

This was no small matter, and Li Huiwei, as the military governor of Yuyue, whose territory bordered both countries, would be the first to be affected if anything happened. Moreover, he was quite familiar with the situation in these two countries, so the King of Great Yue urgently summoned Li Huiwei to the capital, and they had been discussing this matter for days.

Meanwhile, the debate over the deposition of the crown prince was also intensifying. Every day at court, the Crown Prince's faction and the Second Prince's faction argued fiercely.

Although the Crown Prince had the strong support of Li Fei, the Left Chancellor Li Xinzhi, and others, and their prestige in the Great Yue Kingdom was extremely high, the evidence increasingly pointed to a disadvantage for him. News had spread from the palace that the Great Yue King planned to depose Crown Prince Li Zhiji after the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth of the lunar month and install the Second Prince Li Weiquan as Crown Prince.

This caused the Crown Prince and Li Fei even greater anxiety.

Meanwhile, Ye Feng was preoccupied with Ru Qing's matter. He had originally planned to use his charm on Zhao Xiu, the young master of the "Jade Tiger Cloth Shop," to gain control of the shop. However, since the second day of the Lunar New Year, Ye Feng had not seen Zhao Xiu. Ye Feng

secretly inquired and learned that Zhao Xiu and Zhou Yun had gone to inspect business in another region from the second day, and it was unknown when they would return. Ye Feng had no outlet for his efforts and had to give up.

During this time, Ye Feng also experienced the pain of being a celebrity. He was now a well-known figure in Jin Yue City, and wherever he went, crowds would gather around him, cheering and pointing, leaving him no private space and causing him great annoyance.

※※※

That evening, Ye Feng and the four Li brothers waited together on the pavilion outside the palace for Li Huiwei to emerge from his meeting. Although they were Li Huiwei's personal attendants, according to palace rules, they were not allowed to enter the palace grounds.

Li Mu sighed and said, "Time flies. It's been over two months since I came to Golden Moon City."

Ye Feng, feeling homesick, sighed, "Yes, time really does fly. I've been here for almost a month now."

Li Jin, one of the four Li brothers, laughed, "Brother Ye, are you homesick?"

The other two, Li Shui and Li Tui, teased, "Brother Ye, you must be missing your sister-in-law. She's so beautiful, be careful someone doesn't steal her away!"

Ye Feng punched them both, saying, "Get lost!" He then cursed, "You're the ones who should be careful of your sister-in-law!"

Everyone laughed. In these few days, Ye Feng had become very familiar with Li Po and the four Li brothers. They were all straightforward people, and soon they were all one of them.

Li Mu suddenly sighed again, gazing at Ye Feng and saying, "The affairs of this world are truly wondrous. It's hard to believe that after our first meeting a few months ago at the Jade Moon City's Beauty Pavilion, we've ended up working under the same master. It all comes down to fate."

Ye Feng nodded, his intuition telling him that Li Mu seemed to have something to say.

Sure enough, Li Mu paused, then earnestly said to Ye Feng, "Although we are in Golden Moon City, we know that Brother Ye is already with Lady Li Yin. Lady Li is a very pitiful woman, and we hope that Brother Ye will treat her well and make her happy."

Ye Feng gazed at the beautiful scenery outside the pavilion and on the Imperial River, and said in a deep voice, "Brother Li, please explain yourself."

Li Mu changed the subject, saying only, "There are many things we cannot say, but all four of us brothers hope that Brother Ye will treat Lady Li well."

He then jokingly added, "Otherwise, the four of us brothers won't let Brother Ye off the hook."

Ye Feng, however, knew the seriousness and earnestness behind his joke.

He glanced at Li Mu and the other three, then gazed at the hazy snowscape of Golden Moon City in the distance, saying calmly, "I, Ye Feng, am not a heartless man. If Li Yin can uphold her virtues, I will treat her well; otherwise—

" Li Mu pressed, "Otherwise what?" His tone already contained a hint of murderous intent.

Ye Feng ignored him, saying indifferently, "Many things don't need to be said so clearly, but we are all men, and I hope you can understand my feelings."

Li Mu and the others fell silent.

※※※

By the time Li Huiwei came out, it was completely dark.

Ye Feng, Li Mu, and the others went to greet him, only to see that Li Huiwei's face was beaming with joy, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

He smiled and said to Ye Feng, "The official business is finally settled, and we can return to Jade Moon City at any time. However, General Li asked me to lend him a hand in the matter of the Crown Prince, so I've decided to go back after the Lantern Festival. That way, I can catch the city-wide competition in Jade Moon City, and I'll be able to witness Brother Ye's divine prowess once again."

Everyone laughed.

Li Huiwei then said to Ye Feng, "Before coming to the palace, Lady Anguo sent someone to deliver a message, inviting Brother Ye to dinner at the General's residence. Brother Ye is truly blessed, even Lady Anguo shows you such favor."

Ye Feng smiled, but felt a warmth in his heart. During this time, his relationship with Li Fei and Lady Anguo had grown increasingly close. When he was with them, he always had a strange feeling that they were his closest seniors, a feeling he cherished deeply.

Li Huiwei glanced at the sky and laughed, "Fortunately, we can still make it to dinner. I won't stand on ceremony; thanks to Brother Ye, I'll also have the audacity to invite you for a meal. That New Year's Eve dinner is still fresh in my mind."

Everyone laughed again, and Ye Feng couldn't help but smile as well.

Then Li Huiwei sighed, his gaze somewhat unfocused, as if he were muttering to himself, "Unconsciously, I've been out for so long. In Jin Yue City, I only had one home-cooked meal at General Li's place. In Yu Yue City, A Yin often cooked delicious food for me..."

His voice trailed off, eventually becoming inaudible, and Ye Feng also fell silent.

※※※

The group hurried towards the "General's Mansion."

Among the group, besides the four brothers Li Huiwei, Ye Feng, and Li Mu, there were more than a hundred valiant followers. These were all brave men carefully selected by Li Huiwei from Yu Yue City, men who were ready to give their lives for him at any time.

Li Huiwei brought over two thousand valiant warriors with him to Jin Yue City. Aside from the hundred or so who stayed with him, the other thousand were stationed outside the city. They

had now reached the southeast corner of the city's north, a gathering place for high-ranking officials and nobles, a secluded and quiet place with few pedestrians.

As they reached a bridge, heavy snow began to fall again, instantly turning the world into a white expanse.

Li Huiwei sighed, "It's snowing again, but I imagine the snow in Yu Yue City is much thicker than in Jin Yue City."

Ye Feng was about to reply when suddenly, an unease welled up within him—a very unusual feeling. Since Ye Feng had practiced the "Evil Scripture Record," his spiritual senses had become increasingly acute.

For no apparent reason, this was a mental warning, a natural alert to external danger!

He raised his right hand and whispered, "Stop the horse."

Li Huiwei looked at him and asked, "Brother Ye, what's wrong?"

Ye Feng remained silent, only gazing through the snowflakes at the row of thick, large trees ahead, his eyes slowly narrowing.

Li Huiwei followed Ye Feng's gaze, and suddenly, Ye Feng shouted, "Protect the master!"

Just then, a whooshing sound rang out, and countless cold stars, accompanied by strange and sharp whistles, rained down on Ye Feng, Li Huiwei, and the others from the surrounding trees.

Under the snow's light, these cold stars all carried a sharp blue glow.

They were deadly poisonous hidden weapons!

※※※

"Everyone, be careful!"

Ye Feng's "Dragon Breaker" instantly transformed into a circular screen of blades, blocking the sharp blue glow.

Glancing over, Li Huiwei, the four Li brothers, and their nephews simultaneously dismounted, rolled, and hid behind their horses. As soon as they landed, they pushed off with their feet, their bodies close to the ground, and immediately sped away, avoiding the blue glow.

The others were not so lucky.

All that could be heard were piercing screams and the incessant neighing of horses. Some of Li Huiwei's followers, unable to dodge in time, were instantly riddled with blue light—a type of cross-shaped, dazzlingly silver concealed weapon—like hedgehogs.

Before they could even catch their breath, a chilling whooshing sound rang out again, and countless cold points shot from the trees wave after wave, at astonishing speed.

Moreover, these cold points spun rapidly as they approached, like a halo of light, extremely eerie.

What kind of concealed weapon was this?

Ye Feng, while wielding his sword to deflect the weapons, glanced at Li Huiwei. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Li Huiwei and the four Li brothers had already stood up. The four Li brothers had even formed a sword screen, protecting Li Huiwei inside.

Although Li Huiwei's clothes were slightly disheveled, his expression was calm, unperturbed despite the chaos. However, several of his followers had been killed in this wave of concealed weapons.

After the hidden weapons were thrown, a rustling sound followed, and the branches of several large trees in front of him swayed slightly. Dozens of masked men silently descended.

These masked men were all dressed in tight-fitting black clothing, their heads wrapped in black turbans, only their eyes visible, and they carried strange curved knives. Judging from their crouching posture and piercing eyes, they were clearly highly skilled martial artists with a chilling aura.

Li Huiwei shouted, "Who are you, daring to assassinate me?"

The masked men remained silent. The one in the middle, seemingly their leader, waved his hand, and the dozens of men roared and silently charged towards Li Huiwei and his men in a triangular formation.

Li Huiwei remained calm, calmly directing his men to form an effective defense.

His attendants, who had initially panicked, quickly regained their composure, forming a protective formation around Li Huiwei, demonstrating their well-trained discipline.

In a flash, these masked men in black arrived, each wielding a knife with both hands, their swordsmanship extremely strange and their attacks fierce and ruthless, like a razor-sharp blade. Upon contact, Li Huiwei's servants fell in droves.

The defensive line was immediately breached, and the chilling glint of blades was already in sight. Thirty-two more masked men in black rushed towards the four Li brothers, followed by Li Huiwei.

A burst of light erupted, and the sword barrier formed by the four Li brothers stood like a rock in a raging torrent, firmly withstanding the fierce attack.

However, they paid a heavy price, suffering numerous cuts from the masked men in black, their clothes instantly stained crimson with blood.

"Protect the master!"

Seeing this, Ye Feng unleashed a dazzling display of light with his "Dragon Breaker," forcing back several masked men attacking him. Then, he soared into the air, his body tracing a graceful arc, his movements agile and elegant, a sight to behold—the "Flowing Cloud Technique" he had recently mastered.

With another somersault, he was now headfirst, descending like lightning towards the four Li brothers.

Even as he was still in mid-air, the sword energy was already upon them, the snowflakes on the ground swirling wildly in the wind.

As the black-clad, masked men's eyes widened in horror, Ye Feng's blade energy had already shattered their formation. Several masked men were cleaved in two at the waist by the sharp blade energy, their colorful entrails spilling out onto the ground.

Even after Ye Feng landed, the residual power of his blade remained, carrying the force to shred everything in its path, sweeping towards the remaining masked men.

However, these masked men were not to be trifled with. After a moment of panic, half of them immediately split up to deal with Ye Feng, while the other half continued to charge towards Li Huiwei.

Ye Feng felt that these people moved swiftly and their formation was unpredictable. Several were locked in combat with him, their blades flashing and creating a constant whistling sound, quite imposing indeed. The others, however, moved erratically, leaping, pouncing, darting, and striking, attacking him relentlessly from the side, making it impossible to defend against. They quickly entangled Ye Feng, preventing him from being able to spare any effort to rescue Li Huiwei.

"Perhaps they are Han Ye? But now is not the time for me to show mercy."

Looking at their strange and fierce attacks, Ye Feng knew the danger. Although he was now the leader of the Demonic Sect, meaning these people could all be his subordinates, showing mercy now could mean he would end up like one of those cleaved in two on the ground

. While the pressure on the Li brothers was greatly reduced with Ye Feng's help, they still couldn't withstand the fierce attacks of the masked men led by their leader. Soon, their sword barrier was breached, and several curved blades immediately slashed down at Li Huiwei.

To Ye Feng and the others' astonishment, a metallic clang rang out as Li Huiwei actually blocked the curved blades with his bare hands.

"...?"

Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat, not expecting Li Huiwei to possess such skill.

A flash of purple light appeared on Li Huiwei's face, his body straightened instantly, he took a step forward, let out a sharp shout, and unleashed a lightning-fast strike with both palms, instantly hitting the slightly stunned masked men in front of him, causing them to spit blood and tumble backward.

Only the leader of the masked men managed to exchange a blow with him, swaying slightly and retreating several steps.

"Moon Sun Palm?"

The thought suddenly flashed through Ye Feng's mind.

He had long heard of the Great Yue Kingdom's "Moon Sun Palm," a supremely powerful and yang martial art, incredibly potent when used. Yet Li Huiwei was using his bare hands to fight off the blades wielded by the masked men in front of him, and when he struck out with both palms, he exuded a kingly aura of absolute dominance. What else could it be but the "Moon Sun Palm"?

But how could Li Huiwei know the Great Yue Kingdom's ultimate technique?

The thought flashed through Ye Feng's mind, and he seized the opportunity to unleash a burst of light from his blade, forcing back the masked men in black before him. He then retreated to Li Huiwei's side, and the two of them, working together, became even more powerful, managing to hold off another wave of masked men surging forward.

Meanwhile, the four Li brothers, having recovered their breath, joined the two's forces, and Li Huiwei's other henchmen fought desperately, instantly changing the tide of battle.

The leader of the masked men charged again, but Ye Feng blocked his way. After a few exchanges, a strange light flashed in the leader's eyes. Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat, and he swiftly retreated. At that moment, the leader spat out a stream of liquid.

Ye Feng smelled a foul odor and knew it was poison. Fortunately, he dodged quickly; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

As he felt both relief and anger, the black-clad, masked leader struck him with both palms again. Enraged, Ye Feng also unleashed a powerful palm strike, the two palms colliding with a deafening roar.

Simultaneously, Ye Feng activated his "Absorption Technique." Upon impact, the black-clad, masked leader trembled violently, a strange look appearing in his eyes. The complexity of his expression was impossible for Ye Feng to decipher.

Suddenly, the black-clad, masked leader pulled something from his robes and slammed it to the ground.

A loud boom followed, and thick smoke billowed.

Fearing the smoke might be poisonous, Ye Feng and the others retreated hastily.

When the smoke cleared, all the black-clad, masked men had vanished, even their dead bodies had disappeared without a trace.

***

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Ye Feng said, "These people are so strangely skilled and ruthless; they must be from the Cold Night Clan."

Li Huiwei nodded, his face showing fatigue. He had just used the powerful "Moon Sun Palm," which had consumed a great deal of his internal energy, and he wouldn't be able to recover for a while.

He silently regulated his breathing for a while, then slowly said to Li Mu, "Carry the wounded brothers away and take good care of them, and give the fallen brothers a proper burial. Their families should also be properly cared for."

Li Mu said, "Yes!"

Li Huiwei said softly to him, "You four brothers are all injured; go back and rest."

Then he shouted, "Seal off the scene."

※※※

Such a big incident quickly spread throughout Jin Yue City. Not long after Ye Feng and Li Huiwei's group returned to the inn, Li Fei, Duke Anguo, Zuo Chenxiang, and others also arrived, and the Crown Prince also came to visit soon after.

Upon receiving the news, the Great Yue King dispatched envoys and imperial physicians to offer condolences and rewards to the wounded and to provide compensation to the deceased.

Finally, the city lord of Jin Yue City, after inspecting the scene, also arrived to apologize. He said that due to his negligence in governance, such a tragedy had occurred, and he deserved to die.

Li Huiwei, with a gloomy face, coldly stated that there were reasons for the incident, and it wasn't entirely the city lord's fault. He only hoped that the city lord could capture the assassin as soon as possible and restore peace to his jurisdiction.

The city lord nodded repeatedly, saying he would do his utmost to capture the assassin quickly and give the military governor an explanation.

After the city lord left, the Crown Prince's faction discussed the matter at the post station for a long time. This city lord belonged to the Second Prince's side, and this incident presented the Crown Prince's side with an excellent opportunity.

※※※

As expected, at court the next day, the Left Chancellor was the first to launch an attack, accusing the city guard of dereliction of duty and ineffective management, leading to such a serious incident within the city. He argued that the guard should be dismissed and investigated as punishment.

The Crown Prince's side spoke in support of the Left Chancellor's proposal.

The Second Prince, however, defended the city guard, arguing that there were extenuating circumstances and the blame did not lie entirely with him. He should be given a chance; if the assassin could not be apprehended within a specified time, then further action would be taken.

Li Huiwei was one of the most important military governors of the Great Yue Kingdom, commanding hundreds of thousands of troops in the Jade Moon Prefecture. The Great Yue King had always valued him highly. However, the Second Prince's opinion could not be ignored. Finally, he decided that if the assassin could not be apprehended within seven days, he would be dismissed, investigated, and imprisoned.

Chapter Twenty-One: Appointed as Leader

After court that day, Ye Feng spent the entire day with the four Li brothers, including Li Huiwei and Li Mu, analyzing the assassination attempt from the previous night in the imperial palace.

It was a consensus among them that "Han Ye" was responsible. Although there had been a battle the night before, these men were elusive and unpredictable, and despite their late-night analysis, they couldn't find any valuable clues. The Ministry of Justice also confirmed this.

Finally, late into the night, everyone went to sleep.

Around midnight, Ye Feng suddenly heard a strange noise outside the window. He immediately woke up and grabbed "Po Long" beside him. He

then saw a figure jump in through the window, dressed in black, with a black headscarf covering his head, only his eyes visible. Judging from his build and eyes, it was the leader of the black-clad, masked men who had attempted to assassinate them the previous night.

As Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat, he saw the black-clad, masked man rip off the cloth covering his face. Ye Feng was immediately taken aback: wasn't this Guan Lü, the top landscape designer of Jin Yue City, known as "Ghost Hand," whom he had met months ago when he applied for a job at Zhao Bai's residence? Guan Lü

knelt before Ye Feng and respectfully said, "Under the Divine Sect, the envoy Gui Wuyan pays respects to the leader of my Divine Sect."

Ye Feng was overjoyed. He had been searching desperately for someone from the Demonic Sect, but unexpectedly, he had found them without any effort at all.

He helped Gui Wuyan up and smiled, "I never expected that yesterday's assassin would be a high-ranking envoy of our Divine Sect. It's truly unexpected. Please rise, High-ranking Envoy."

Gui Wuyan apologized again, "I was very rude last night. Please forgive me, Master."

Ye Feng smiled and said, "Ignorance is no excuse. I don't blame you."

After a moment's thought, he asked, "How did the High-ranking Envoy know my identity?"

Gui Wuyan respectfully replied, "Last night, when my palms clashed with yours, Master used the Absorption Technique. This technique belongs to the secret divine skill of our Divine Sect, a wicked manual that only past masters can practice. I was fortunate enough to witness Master Zhang Hanfeng use this technique, and thus I learned of it."

Ye Feng said "Oh."

"So you know,"

Gui Wuyan continued, "Master Ye must be the thirty-third master of our Divine Sect personally appointed by Master Zhang."

Ye Feng hummed in agreement.

Gui Wuyan tentatively asked, "I wonder where Master Zhang is now?"

Ye Feng sighed, "He has already ascended to heaven."

Gui Wuyan trembled and said, "What?"

Ye Feng then told him about what happened in the abyss and took out Zhang Hanfeng's will from his person and handed it to Gui Wuyan to read.

Gui Wuyan stared blankly, tears streaming down his face, choking out, "Master Zhang..."

Then, gritting his teeth, he said, "That treacherous Liu Zhisuan! Master Zhang treated him like a brother, yet he's so utterly depraved. This revenge must be taken!"

Ye Feng pondered for a moment, then asked, "Didn't any of the brothers in the sect hear about Master Zhang's death?"

Gui Wuyan shook his head, saying, "Two years ago, Master Zhang suddenly disappeared, and Liu Zhisuan immediately took over as master, claiming to the outside world that Master Zhang wanted to practice divine skills and needed to go into seclusion for many years, making it impossible for him to handle sect affairs, so he passed the position to him."

"The brothers in the sect became suspicious because he couldn't produce the sacred tablet passed down through generations of our sect, but he and his cronies, the Four Wanderers, the Second Elder, and the Holy Maiden, used cruel methods to suppress them."

"However, the brothers in the sect also learned of Liu Zhisuan's wolfish ambitions, but they had no choice but to comply due to his tyranny."

"However, despite this, all the brothers are secretly searching for Leader Zhang, hoping to one day find their former master. Most of the brothers in the sect share this sentiment. In particular, the brothers of my Golden Moon Altar branch are even more determined in this regard."

"Last night, after learning that Master Ye possessed the secret divine skill, the Evil Scripture Record, of our Divine Sect, I was overjoyed. I immediately returned to discuss it with the brothers of my Golden Moon branch and then rushed to see Master Ye. Heaven have mercy, Master Ye is indeed the designated thirty-third leader of our Divine Sect."

He then suddenly knelt down and said to Ye Feng, "I implore Master Ye to kill that treacherous Liu Zhisuan to avenge Master Zhang and wipe away the hatred of our brothers."

Ye Feng helped Gui Wuyan up and said in a deep voice, "Your Excellency need not do this. I will certainly avenge Master Zhang."

Gui Wuyan calmed himself down and remembered something, asking Ye Feng, "Does Master Ye possess any of the sacred tokens passed down through generations of our Divine Sect?"

Ye Feng took out the jade token of the Evil Scripture Record hanging around his neck.

Gui Wuyan breathed a sigh of relief, his face beaming with joy, and said, "That's good."

He then probed the surroundings for any sounds and respectfully said to Ye Feng, "This is not the place to talk, Master, please follow me."

Ye Feng had the same thought and nodded.

With a "whoosh!", the two leaped out of the window simultaneously, disappearing into the night sky like shooting stars.

※※※

Ye Feng and Gui Wuyan flew side by side under the night sky. At this moment, Golden Moon City was completely silent, with only the soft rustling of goose feather-like snowflakes falling on the rooftops.

Their figures in the swirling snow were like two snowflakes fluttering in the air.

"Whoosh!"

Ye Feng lightly touched the branch of a large tree in the street with his toes. As the snow accumulated on the branch and fell softly, his figure leaped diagonally several feet, drawing a beautiful arc in the air before shooting into the endless night sky. His movements were extremely graceful and pleasing to the eye.

Ye Feng's recently mastered "Flowing Cloud Technique" was arguably the most beautiful lightness skill in the world. When he unleashed it, Gui Wuyan's eyes lit up. However, Gui Wuyan's lightness skill seemed quite good as well, as he was able to closely follow Ye Feng.

Soon after, the two arrived at a residence in the west of the city.

Ye Feng noticed the residence's ordinary exterior, but his sharp eyes had already spotted the heavily guarded interior, with sentries concealed. Hidden stakes were also scattered among the trees outside, ensuring that any outsider approaching would be undetected.

Gui Wuyan led Ye Feng through a peculiar method to open the courtyard gate, and after passing through numerous traps, respectfully invited Ye Feng to an underground palace within the residence.

Upon reaching the bottom, Ye Feng was startled. The underground palace was enormous, dimly lit, and gave off a terrifying feeling. At the end of the palace was a platform about four zhang long, three zhang wide,

and over two zhang high. On all four sides were colorful soul banners. The platform was divided into three levels, each receding inwards. Various strange symbols were engraved on the side walls of the platform. At each of the four corners of the top level stood a bronze monster, each with a bizarre and different shape, exuding an eerie and terrifying aura! Several thousand men in black stood densely packed on both sides of the underground palace. Seeing Ye Feng and Gui Wuyan enter, all eyes turned to Ye Feng. Gui Wuyan reminded Ye Feng, "Master, please show us the sacred token of our cult." Ye Feng nodded, took out the jade token of the *Evil Scripture Record* from his neck, held it in his hand, and strode forward, with Gui Wuyan closely following behind him. Upon seeing the jade token of the *Evil Scripture Record* in Ye Feng's hand, the men in black all showed expressions of awe and knelt on the ground. Seeing this, Ye Feng knew they had acknowledged him as the cult leader. Gui Wuyan invited Ye Feng to sit down in a luxurious but dark and gloomy seat on the top floor of the platform, and then stood respectfully beside Ye Feng with his hands at his sides.

After Ye Feng was seated, the men in black, led by their leader, all prostrated themselves on the ground, chanting in unison, "Your subordinate, Liu Mingzhi, the leader of the Golden Moon Branch, and all the brothers of the branch pay homage to our Divine Sect Leader! May our Leader live a long and prosperous life!"

As Ye Feng sat in his luxurious seat and heard the cheers, a sense of confusion and bewilderment rose within him. He wondered, "Am I really the leader of the Demonic Sect?" But a moment later, he suddenly realized that he was indeed the leader of the Demonic Sect.

Looking at the prostrate men in black below, he felt a surge of triumphant power. He said in a deep voice, "Brothers, please rise."

The men in black replied in unison, "Thank you, Leader,"

and stood up.

***

At this moment, Gui Wuyan stepped forward and knelt on the ground, followed by dozens more men in black who also knelt.

Ye Feng recognized these people; they were the same members of the Cold Night organization who had assassinated him the previous night.

Gui Wuyan reported, "Last night, your subordinates and the brothers of Cold Night were unaware of the Holy Master's true form and offended you. Please punish us, Master."

The dozens of black-clad men kneeling on the ground also said in unison, "We deserve to die!"

Ye Feng said calmly, "Your Excellency need not blame yourself. Ignorance is no excuse. I, the Master, do not blame you. This matter should never be mentioned again."

Everyone said, "Thank you, Master!"

Ye Feng slowly surveyed the crowd. The scene, coupled with the eerie atmosphere of the underground palace, stirred the evil energy within Ye Feng's body from the *Evil Scripture Record*. A sharp and chilling light shot from his eyes, making everyone who looked at him feel a chill. Everyone who met Ye Feng's gaze lowered their heads, none daring to meet his eyes.

Ye Feng withdrew his gaze with satisfaction and said to Gui Wuyan, "Your Excellency, Envoy." Gui

Wuyan understood and stepped forward, proclaiming loudly, "The Last Instructions of Master Zhang."

Instantly, thousands of men in black below all knelt down.

Gui Wuyan unfolded the letter and read aloud, "I am Zhang Hanfeng, the leader of the Divine Sect. I was imprisoned here by the treacherous Liu Zhisuan, and I hate him dearly! Since you have taken the Holy Pill of my Divine Sect and can absorb its spiritual energy without exploding, you should search the world for the Holy Seeds for my Divine Sect! I will pass on to you the Evil Scripture Record. Study it, and you will become the thirty-third leader of my Divine Sect..." "

...You must avenge this great grudge for me and kill this traitor. Remember, remember!..."

After Gui Wuyan finished reading, thousands of men in black below were all in tears. Upon hearing the news of Zhang Hanfeng's death, they were all filled with grief.

Gui Wuyan raised his arm and shouted, "Leader Zhang was killed by that traitor Liu Zhisuan! Brothers, we must avenge Leader Zhang!"

The crowd roared, "Avenge the traitor! Avenge the traitor! Avenge the traitor! Avenge the traitor!"

The crowd was filled with fervor.

Ye Feng declared loudly, "By chance, I obtained the secret divine skill of our Divine Sect, the 'Evil Scripture Record,' and Leader Zhang appointed me as the thirty-third leader of the Divine Sect. I am deeply grateful. I, Ye Feng, hereby swear to destroy that traitor Liu Zhisuan, avenge Leader Zhang, and bring glory to our Divine Sect."

Led by Gui Wuyan, the crowd again raised their arms and shouted, "May Leader Ye live a thousand years! May your era be boundless!"

"May your era be boundless!"

※※※

Afterwards, Ye Feng, in a secret room, discussed sect affairs with Gui Wuyan, Liu Mingzhi (the leader of the Golden Moon branch), and his four branch leaders.

Since Ye Feng was unfamiliar with the specifics and operations of the Demonic Sect, Gui Wuyan first gave him a detailed explanation.

It turned out that besides the main altar, the Demonic Sect was divided into ten branch altars, each headed by a leader, and further divided into four sub-altars, each headed by a leader. These ten altars and forty sub-altars were spread throughout the country like a spider web, their activities covering all provinces of the Great Yue Kingdom, and showing signs of expansion overseas. Their total membership was now over one hundred thousand.

The main altar was located in the Thunderwind Mountains, on the border of the Great Yue Kingdom and the Winter Cold Kingdom, a strategically important and easily defensible location. Within the main altar were the Loyal Blood Division and the Star Eye Division. The Loyal Blood Division members closely resembled the sect leader, specializing in acting as his doubles in times of crisis. The Star Eye Division was personally led by the sect leader, responsible for internal surveillance.

The current sect leader, Liu Zhisuan, was even more eccentric and unpredictable, rarely meeting with his followers, and even during meetings, he would listen from behind a screen. Within the sect, only those at the level of altar master or higher can have an audience with the sect leader. And only they are qualified to participate in sectarian governance.

The sect has a strict hierarchy and tight management. Besides the ten altar masters in various branch altars who can each handle their own affairs, the sect also has five protectors, four wandering disciples, three messengers, two elders, and one holy maiden, each possessing astonishing strength.

In addition, the sect has several special departments, managed by elders, messengers, and protectors, such as "Cold Night," "Black Star," "Bright Eye," and "Cold Light."

"Cold Night" is responsible for kidnapping, extortion, assassination, and other such matters.

"Black Star" is responsible for tracking and combat.

"Cold Light" is in charge of punishments, containing various horrifying tortures specifically designed for members who betray or violate sect rules.

"Bright Eye" is responsible for espionage and information transmission, maintaining a record of the backgrounds, appearances, sects, special skills, and hobbies of all famous figures in the world.

The Holy Maiden was in charge of a department called "Soul Hook," filled with beautiful yet wicked women who used their allure and poison to ensnare important figures across the land. The Holy Maiden herself was exceptionally beautiful, possessing astonishingly seductive skills, particularly renowned for her Heavenly Demon Dance and Soul-Sealing Bone-Corroding Technique. Coupled with her mysterious and wicked nature, she killed without hesitation, making her a figure of utter terror.

***

Listening to Gui Wuyan's slow narration, Ye Feng felt a tremor run down his spine. He hadn't expected the Demonic Sect to be so powerful. In other words, he now possessed tens of thousands of troops… This was something he could never have imagined.

Finally, Gui Wuyan suggested, "I believe the most important thing now is to inform all the other brothers in the sect about Liu Zhisuan's treachery, so that they can rise up and kill him to avenge Sect Leader Zhang. And have them come to pledge their loyalty to Sect Leader Ye."

Branch leader Liu Mingzhi and his three henchmen unanimously agreed.

Only one other leader, nicknamed "Ghost," had a different opinion. He worried that Liu Zhisuan had many followers within the cult, at least half of whom were his supporters. He feared that doing so might cause unnecessary internal strife and weaken the cult's strength.

In the end, everyone looked to Ye Feng, wanting to follow his decision.

Ye Feng, who had been silently pondering, nodded upon seeing this and said, "The brothers' opinions are all reasonable, but I prefer not to make this public now, to avoid unnecessary division and weakening the strength of our sect."

He paused, then said to everyone, "Don't make a fuss yet. Just secretly inform the other reasonable brothers in the sect to maximize their support. As for Liu Zhisuan, that traitor..."

Ye Feng pondered for a moment, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "It would be best to create an opportunity to expose his true colors and kill him when all the important figures in the sect are present! This will subdue the other members!"

His eyes gleamed as he looked at everyone and said calmly, "What do you brothers think?"

Gui Wuyan, Liu Mingzhi, and the four branch leaders all admired him and said in unison, "The sect leader is wise!"

A smile appeared on Ye Feng's lips, and a feeling of having the world at his fingertips and indulging in a life of pleasure welled up in his heart.

Gui Wuyan and Liu Mingzhi respectfully inquired, "What should we do next, Master?"

Ye Feng calmly replied, "I need you to do the following things immediately!"

Gui Wuyan, Liu Mingzhi, and the four branch leaders knelt on the ground, heads bowed in reverence.

Ye Feng said calmly, "First, immediately halt the assassination attempt on Li Huiwei, the military governor of Yuyue. This man is of great use to me."

He bowed to Gui Wuyan and asked, "Your Excellency, this matter is under your jurisdiction, isn't it?"

Gui Wuyan respectfully replied, "Indeed, Liu Zhisuan recently issued the order, placing me in charge of this matter. The Hanye organization is also under my direct control, directly under the sect leader's authority."

Ye Feng nodded in understanding. He had already decided that Gui Wuyan, with his high status within the sect and unwavering loyalty to the cult, would be a key figure he would focus on supporting in the future.

He continued, "Secondly, our sect has a golden opportunity to greatly expand its power. The Crown Prince has been framed, putting his position in jeopardy. I need you to find out who is behind this. Helping the Crown Prince overcome this crisis will greatly benefit our relationship. If we can secure an official position through this, that would be even better." "Even

if we take a step back, the Crown Prince is weak-willed. If he ascends the throne, it will be even more beneficial to the development of our sect."

Gui Wuyan and the others respectfully said, "Our leader is wise!"

Ye Feng nodded in satisfaction and then said to Gui Wuyan, "Sir, I need you to go to Jade Moon City immediately and secretly meet with Zhang Ning, the head of the Jade Moon branch. Explain the situation to him and make him immediately clarify his stance. If he swears allegiance to me, I will guarantee him wealth and honor. If he remains obstinate, you must imprison him on the spot and tell him that I will make him suffer all the cruelest tortures in the world before he dies."

At this point, Ye Feng's tone was filled with a chilling murderous intent.

Everyone fell silent.

Ye Feng continued, "Of course, this matter must be carried out in secret, without disturbing the others in the sect, lest we alert Liu Zhisuan."

Gui Wuyan respectfully replied, "Understood!"

"Hmm~"

Ye Feng slowly said, "If Zhang Ning complies, you tell him to immediately cease all assassination attempts and attacks against my wife Hua Yi and Yu Yue's military commander Li Yin. If even a hair on their head is harmed, I will hold him accountable. As for Li Yin, I will personally deal with her after returning to Yu Yue City; I am determined to take her hundreds of thousands of troops."

"If Zhang Ning does not comply, you will immediately strip him of all his power and personally manage all affairs of Yu Yue City."

Finally, Ye Feng said gently, "For now, the affairs of Jin Yue City and the Han Ye organization will be managed jointly by me and the altar master Liu Mingzhi. Go."

At this point, Ye Feng felt the helplessness of lacking a capable person. If possible, he would like Gui Wuyan to stay by his side, but currently, only Gui Wuyan could keep Zhang Ning in check, so he had no choice but to send him, and quickly at that.

Gui Wuyan kowtowed and said, "Yes!"

Respect appeared in the eyes of Liu Mingzhi and the four branch leaders. Ye Feng was clear-headed, methodical, far-sighted, and possessed an imposing aura that commanded their respect. It seemed there was hope for the revival of the Divine Sect.

Gui Wuyan was about to accept the order when he suddenly remembered something and said to Ye Feng, "Reporting to the Sect Leader, I have something to report."

Ye Feng replied gently, "Please speak, Your Excellency."

Gui Wuyan probed, "Does the Sect Leader have a sworn sister named Lin Su?"

Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "That's right."

Gui Wuyan said, "The Sect Leader surely understands that my public identity is that of a renowned landscape designer in Golden Moon City."

Ye Feng smiled and said, "The name 'Ghost Hand Guan Lü' is known to everyone in Golden Moon City. I even had to compete with you for a job back in Jade Moon City."

Everyone laughed.

Gui Wuyan glanced at Ye Feng and continued, "Recently, during a fellow cultivator's exchange, I saw Miss Lin Su. Beside her was a man named Li Tan, who fawned over her in every way, behaving in a disgusting and repulsive manner."

"Miss Lin Su is a strong, independent, and kind-hearted woman. I fear this man named Li Tan harbors ill intentions and treacherous thoughts..."

"Is that so?"

Liu Mingzhi and the four branch leaders all showed indignation. Daring to covet even the woman closest to their leader—they were truly courting death.

Ye Feng remained silent for a long time, a strange expression appearing in his eyes. Just

as Gui Wuyan was about to speak, Ye Feng suddenly slammed his palm on the table in front of him. With a loud "crack!", the hard pear wood table shattered into pieces.

Everyone was startled.

Ye Feng coldly said, "That bastard Li Tan is really tired of living. First he set his sights on my sister Yi, and now he's trying to take advantage of my sister Su. Humph, if he wants to die, I'll grant him his wish!"

Liu Mingzhi angrily said, "Master, should I take some men and take care of him?"

Ye Feng smiled and said, "No need."

He stood up and walked to the wall, gazing at a painting of a lady on the wall with his hands behind his back, and said calmly, "I'll deal with him myself!"

※※※

When he left the branch altar, it was already the afternoon of the next day, and Ye Feng's heart was still filled with various complex emotions.

Thinking about how he had suddenly acquired such a powerful force, he still felt like he was in a dream. However, he knew in his heart that this was only the first step in developing his career, and the road ahead was long.

When he left the branch altar, he did not have Liu Mingzhi and the others accompany him. Now was not the time for them to openly show themselves; it was better to let them remain underground. If he needed anything, he would naturally contact them.

Hearing news about Lin Su at the branch altar, however, troubled him greatly. He recalled seeing Lin Su and Li Tan acting quite intimately on his way to the meeting, suggesting their relationship was far from simple. This left him feeling lost.

He had always considered Lin Su a respected friend. Even after jokingly becoming sworn siblings with her under Li Yin's matchmaking, he hadn't felt much for her.

But last night, hearing the news of Lin Su and Li Tan together, he felt a strange pang in his heart. He realized that Lin Su's image was deeply etched in his heart, and his feelings for her were no longer simply those of a friend or sworn sister.

When had she entered his heart? Ye Feng couldn't recall; perhaps it had developed gradually through their interactions.

But what exactly attracted him to her? To be honest, she wasn't particularly beautiful, well, but her figure was alright… Perhaps it was her strength, independence, caring nature, sincerity, and the peaceful feeling that always came from being with her… The more he thought about her, the more virtues he found, and he couldn't find a single flaw.

Finally, only one voice echoed in Ye Feng's mind: "Such a wonderful girl, losing her would be a lifelong regret."

"No, I absolutely cannot allow that to happen!"

Gazing at the snowflakes falling like goose feathers on the street, Ye Feng secretly made a vow: "No matter what it takes, I will bring Lin Su to my side!"

His eyes flashed with cold light: "What is Li Tan? I can take him down in a minute!"

Realizing this, Ye Feng felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders, his heart filled with indescribable joy. He stretched out his right hand, clenched his fist, as if he were already holding Lin Su's soft little hand tightly in his own, and laughed loudly, "The world is in my hands, and the beauty is mine, hahaha..."

Suddenly, the whispers of passersby reached his ears: "What's wrong with this young man?"

"Is he mentally unstable? He's so handsome, it would be such a waste if he were."

"Hey~ isn't that Ye Feng, the Great Moon Blade Saint? Amei, come quick, your idol is here!"

"Wow, it really is him..."

As more and more people gathered, Ye Feng quickly slunk away.

※※※

Just as he returned to the Imperial Palace, he ran into Li Huiwei.

Upon seeing him, Li Huiwei's face lit up with joy. He laughed, "So that's why I couldn't find Brother Ye! Turns out you've been out having fun."

He then looked at Ye Feng's face and chuckled, "Brother Ye, you look radiant! Is there some good news?"

Ye Feng smiled, "Oh, no, I just went for a walk early this morning and enjoyed some beautiful sights in the capital, hence my pleasant mood."

Li Huiwei, unsuspecting, excitedly said, "Just now, Yang Yu sent an invitation to her private banquet at her residence, Tingyu Pavilion. Look, your name is on the invitation! Brother Ye, you certainly have connections!"

"Oh~"

Ye Feng was also thrilled. Since their parting at the Imperial Pavilion, he hadn't seen this captivating woman again. Thinking of Yang Yu's alluring beauty and her heavenly music, Ye Feng's heart burned with excitement.

Immediately, Li Huiwei, Ye Feng, and their entourage headed towards Tingyu Pavilion. The four Li brothers naturally served as their guards. There was also a large number of capable followers. Since the day Li Huiwei was assassinated, he had become even more cautious in his comings and goings.

Walking along the road, Li Huiwei smiled at Ye Feng, "These past few days have been quite lively. Besides hearing Master Yang's performance later, the day after tomorrow we can go to the Silk Art Hall to watch the biennial 'Beauty of the Jiangshan' selection event on the Floating Cloud Continent. It's sure to be a grand spectacle."

"The 'Beauty of the Jiangshan'?"

Ye Feng pondered for a moment. He first heard of it at Zhao Bai's residence, and had heard about it intermittently since. He only knew that the "Beauty of the Jiangshan" was selected every two years, and that those who made the list were the most outstanding and charming beauties on the Floating Cloud Continent; he knew nothing else.

He immediately asked Li Huiwei for clarification. Li Huiwei looked at Ye Feng with surprise, "With Brother Ye's handsome and dashing appearance, you don't even know this?" The four Li brothers also looked at Ye Feng with surprise.

However, men are generally quite interested in this kind of thing, and Li Huiwei enthusiastically explained it to Ye Feng.

It turns out that the "List of the Most Beautiful Women in the Land" has a fifty-year history, held every two years, selecting the ten most outstanding women on the continent each time, accompanied by other exciting performances. It has been held twenty-five times to date, and is entirely organized by the most famous performing arts alliance on the Floating Cloud Continent, the Silk Art Association.

This Silk Art Association is an artists' association with great authority on the Floating Cloud Continent, headquartered in Golden Moon City. It is composed of some of the most famous and talented artists on the continent, with members spread across various countries. They own countless brothels and entertainment venues, of course, the highest-class ones, where they sell their art but not their bodies.

Naturally, the women selected by them are highly respected, and the Silk Art Association benefits greatly from this selection event every year.

Every year during the "List of Beauties of the Land" selection season, the Silk Art Garden in Golden Moon City is bustling with activity, attracting people from all over the continent to witness the spectacle.

Although people from different countries on the continent often harbor animosity due to wars or other conflicts of interest, they share a common ground on this issue, and everyone always leaves politely and with great satisfaction.

After listening to Li Huiwei's explanation, Ye Feng couldn't help but feel excited, eagerly anticipating that day to witness the grand occasion. However, he immediately remembered something: "I wonder if Sister Yi will be on the list?"

※※※

Half an hour later, the group arrived at the "Listening to the Rain Pavilion," which the Great Moon King had personally designated for Yang Yu to rest. The

"Listening to the Rain Pavilion" is located within the royal city and is the royal family's private garden. Inside, the shadows of flowers dance on the walls, peaks frame the windows, and ancient trees and bamboo groves can be seen from time to time, creating a very beautiful scene.

Yang Yu's ability to live in such a place further demonstrates her extraordinary status.

From his casual conversation with Li Huiwei on the road, Ye Feng learned that Yang Yu's identity was indeed extraordinary. Born into a prestigious family, she had fallen on hard times and had to study traditional performing arts under the tutelage of Mei Hanqing, a renowned master of Chinese folk arts, since childhood. By fifteen, she had become Mei Hanqing's most prized student, her talent renowned throughout the land, and she had performed for numerous monarchs and high-ranking officials across the continent.

Even more astonishing was her close relationship with Su Xin Zhai, the most mysterious and prestigious sect on the continent, and her extremely close personal friendship with Jing Suxin, the current successor of Su Xin Zhai.

Su Xin Zhai held an extremely high position on the continent, dedicated to upholding justice and saving all living beings. The sect boasted numerous masters and immense power, wielding great prestige across the continent, and even the monarchs of various countries dared not easily offend them.

Ye Feng already knew that the "Tranquility Manual" of Su Xin Zhai and the "Evil Scripture Record" he was currently practicing were two of the most extraordinary books in the world. Their contents were strange, mysterious, and profound. Anyone who could learn five or six tenths of it would be invincible. They were hailed as sacred books by martial arts practitioners.

Based on this connection, coupled with the fact that Yang Yu's mentor, Mei Hanqing, had countless students, including many noble ladies from various countries across the continent, such as the current Queen of the Great Yue Kingdom, Lady Anguo (wife of Li Fei), and Consort Lan of the Orchid Kingdom, all studied under her, Yang Yu was treated with utmost respect wherever she went.

Finally, her own beauty and talent were unparalleled, and she was approachable and unpretentious, making her popularity self-evident.

When Li Huiwei and Ye Feng's group arrived at "Listening to the Rain Pavilion," they saw dozens of magnificent carriages already parked in the wooded clearing outside, indicating that quite a few people had come.

After Li Huiwei and Ye Feng dismounted, several beautiful maids came out to greet them and led them into the pavilion, while Li Mu and the others remained outside, where they were entertained by others.

The journey was scenic, with paths winding around a pond and corridors leading the way. Once the two were led into an extremely elegant reception room, the maids bowed and took their leave.

Looking around, the reception room was already filled with people sitting on several sets of couches, all conversing quietly. A fire pit burned in the room, providing warmth in the cold winter.

As soon as the two entered, the people in the room stood up to greet them. Ye Feng recognized most of them, and was especially familiar with two: Li Fei and the Left Chancellor. Among the others, Ye Feng also recognized a handsome man, the Second Prince. Beside him was a sinister-looking old man, Grand Tutor An Jingqu.

As for the others, although Ye Feng had seen them before, he couldn't recall their names. Ye Feng secretly decided that he would have Liu Mingzhi and the others prepare a list of the identities of prominent figures in the world for him to study carefully.

He noticed that Li Fei and the Left Chancellor, who had been discussing something with somber expressions, rose and greeted Ye Feng with smiles upon seeing him. They then accompanied the two men to greet everyone present, and everyone returned the greetings with elegant manners and a friendly atmosphere. There was no trace of their previous scheming.

When they met the Second Prince, the prince kindly expressed his condolences for Li Huiwei's fright the previous night and chatted amiably with Ye Feng for a couple of minutes. It was clear that he held Ye Feng in high regard. Grand Tutor An Jing also smiled and nodded at Ye Feng.

After a brief commotion, everyone sat down.

Ye Feng naturally sat with Li Fei and Li Huiwei. Normally, without official rank or position, he wouldn't be qualified to sit with these high-ranking officials, but today was Yang Yu's private banquet. And he was a guest personally invited by Yang Yu. Naturally, no one else could say anything.

Not long after, light footsteps were heard from the inner room. Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat, thinking, "Yang Yu is coming out."

The footsteps reached the door, and soon two stunningly beautiful women appeared at the door. One was Yang Yu, and the other was Lady Anguo.

Yang Yu, dressed in a sable fur coat, looked even more alluring and captivating. Lady Anguo, in a phoenix robe over a white fox fur coat, exuded the charm of a beautiful young woman, standing beside Yang Yu like an elder sister.

The two women were intimate, whispering to each other occasionally, their breathtakingly beautiful faces leaving everyone mesmerized.

Li Fei stepped forward and greeted her, "Madam."

Lady Anguo smiled and replied, "General!" Her eyes then swept over Ye Feng, a smile playing on her lips. She beckoned to Ye Feng, "Xiao Feng, come here."

Ye Feng apologized to Li Huiwei and Zuo Chenxiang, and walked over. Immediately, all eyes in the hall were on him. The Second Prince, in particular, had a strange look in his eyes, but it vanished quickly, replaced by a composed smile.

When Ye Feng reached her side, Lady Anguo smiled and said to Yang Yu, "Junior Sister, let me introduce you to a young and talented man."

Yang Yu's beautiful eyes darted around Ye Feng's face, and she giggled, "Senior Sister, no need for introductions. Actually, I met Young Master Ye in Jade Moon City several months ago. Besides, Young Master Ye's reputation has been soaring these days; who wouldn't know the name of Young Master Ye Feng?"

Standing before Yang Yu, Ye Feng could smell the delicate fragrance emanating from her, much like the scent of osmanthus. Up close, her charm was intoxicating, like a blooming flower, making his heart race.

Hearing Yang Yu call Lady Anguo "Senior Sister," Ye Feng was quite surprised, but then he realized that Lady Anguo had also studied under Yang Yu's mentor, Mei Hanqing, and before her, so she was naturally her senior sister.

He forced a smile and said, "What you say is true, Lady Yang. We have indeed met once before, but in terms of reputation, I, Ye, cannot compare to you even if I were to flatter you."

Under the watchful eyes of the three, he continued, "The other day, after leaving the General's mansion, I happened to run into a large crowd of admirers of Lady Yang on a street. I was caught off guard and even lost a shoe in the crush. How embarrassing! It truly tarnished the reputation of the Great Moon Blade Saint."

He sighed as he finished speaking.

Li Fei and Lady Anguo burst into laughter.

Yang Yu also chuckled, her laughter like a flower swaying in the breeze. She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ye Feng

with captivating charm. Ye Feng felt that this glance was extremely alluring, and his heart trembled violently. He almost lost his soul to her. He quickly circulated the twelfth level of the "Spring Rain Manual" to calm himself down.

Li Fei stroked his beard and chuckled, "Great Moon Blade Saint, what a resounding title!

It's only thanks to Brother Ye that you came up with it." Ye Feng quickly replied, "I didn't name it myself; someone else gave it to me."

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Their incessant chatter drew envious glances from onlookers. They were especially envious and jealous of Ye Feng, who could make Lady Anguo and Yang Yu, two stunning beauties, so happy. However, in front of Yang Yu and Lady Anguo, they dared not reveal their true feelings, but the effort of suppressing them was too much, resulting in strange expressions on everyone's faces.

Lady Anguo laughed for a while, her eyes shifting from Ye Feng to Yang Yu with affection, her gaze carrying a look akin to that of someone looking at a daughter-in-law.

Her gaze, of course, did not escape Li Fei's notice. He knew his wife's old habit had resurfaced, but he genuinely liked this young man, Ye Feng, and said nothing.

And Yang Yu, being so intelligent, certainly understood the meaning in Lady Anguo's eyes. A blush instantly spread across her fair cheeks, but her expression remained composed. Avoiding Lady Anguo's gaze, she said to Li Fei and Ye Feng, "General, Senior Sister, Young Master Ye, let's take our seats."

The two nodded. The group then took their seats.

After Yang Yu was seated at the head of the table, she rose slightly to greet the others in the hall, offering polite words of apologies for keeping them waiting.

Everyone hurriedly stood up, returning the greeting and saying it was no trouble at all.

※※※

The Second Prince laughed heartily, drawing everyone's attention to him, and said to Yang Yu, "After hearing Master Yang's celestial music at the Drunken Moon Pavilion that day, I have been savoring it ever since. I wonder if we will have the fortune to hear Master Yang's celestial music again today?"

Everyone echoed, urging Yang Yu to perform a song.

Yang Yu's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she smiled slightly, her bright eyes sweeping over everyone. Everyone in the hall felt their souls flutter as she swept over them with her captivating gaze, their expressions revealing utter bewitching allure.

Ye Feng was no exception; though his expression remained composed, his heart pounded wildly at Yang Yu's glance. He felt that Yang Yu's allure was innate, every movement natural and unpretentious, yet possessing a captivating charm that reached the very core of his being, making it impossible for anyone to resist.

Yang Yu said softly, "Your Highness is too kind; it is truly an honor for me." After

a brief pause, she continued, "The other day, I composed a new piece called 'Remembering the Past,' which I now present to you all for your enjoyment."

The crowd cheered.

Amidst the crowd's anticipation, Yang Yu ordered someone to fetch a sandalwood pipa, which she held close to her chest as she slowly walked into the hall, first offering a slight bow to the crowd.

The crowd hurriedly rose to return the bow.

After Ye Feng sat down, a thought struck him. Looking at Yang Yu's tall and graceful figure, he estimated her height to be around 1.75 meters. He recalled that Hua Yi and An Guofu were roughly the same height. Why were all the women he encountered around this height? However, Li Yin was 1.85 meters tall, the same height as him. As he pondered this ,

Yang Yu began to play the pipa, and with the tinkling of the strings, she began to sing in a melodious, warbling voice. It was as if he were listening to someone tell a poignant love story in the quiet of the night, listening to Yang Yu's sweet voice gently flowing into his heart. Ye Feng felt his soul being repeatedly captivated. It was the same strange yet familiar melody he had felt that day—Peking Opera! In just a few days, Yang Yu's skill had deepened. The softness and smoothness in her singing had diminished, her enunciation was clearer, and the beautiful feeling of "perfect pronunciation" was even stronger. Coupled with her vivid expressions and graceful movements, everyone listened, completely mesmerized. Her voice possessed a magnetic quality, exceptionally charming, with a near-flawless vocal range. It was hard to imagine such a beautiful timbre existing in the world. Yang Yu's piece was clearly characterized by its dreamlike and poignant quality. Her slender, bamboo-shoot-like fingers deftly plucked the six strings of the pipa, making the melody increasingly tender and wistful, both real and ethereal. It was like a lonely woman in her boudoir, yearning for her beloved; the melody's loneliness and helplessness, its soft, low singing, moved all who heard it. The piece was titled "Remembering," and Yang Yu's expression grew increasingly melancholic, increasingly lost in her own emotions. Ye Feng's heart stirred: "Could she be using the music to express her feelings?... Is she longing for someone?" Suddenly, Ye Feng also thought of the elusive Liu Yan, and a wave of heart-wrenching sorrow washed over him, pulling him away from the melody. Looking around, she saw that everyone was completely mesmerized, speechless with astonishment; even Lady Anguo had tears welling in her eyes. The entire hall was silent, save for Yang Yu's plaintive music. When the piece ended, it took a while for the crowd to recover, and they erupted in applause. Yang Yu lowered her head, bowing deeply to the crowd. When she looked up, her eyes met Ye Feng's. She was momentarily stunned, for she found Ye Feng gazing intently at her, his eyes filled with—pity!

She stared at Ye Feng blankly for a long while before gracefully returning to her seat.

The

Second Prince was the first to applaud, exclaiming, "Her slender fingers swiftly pluck the pillar, her voice bursting forth with sorrow. Emotions stirred within, and the sound emanates outwards—wonderful, wonderful!" Grand

Tutor An Jingqu also praised, "She played a clear melody for me, the sound wounding my heart. Half-dead, no one noticed, who could soothe the heart of the concubine? What falsehoods could Yongmen have, tears flowed freely. Hearing this piece by Master Yang, there is nothing more to regret in this world—how beautiful, how moving!"

Everyone else echoed her praise. Only Li Fei and Zuo Chen smiled silently.

Ye Feng, however, frowned inwardly, feeling that the Second Prince and An Jingqu's flattery was excessive, especially An Jingqu's. What? "Nothing more to regret in this world"—how could he say that? However, he couldn't help but admire An Jingqu's erudition and eloquence, thinking that he must have some talent to hold such a high position.

Yang Yu smiled gently and said softly, "Your Highness and Grand Tutor are too kind to me."

Lady Anguo pondered for a moment and said, "Junior Sister's performance was deeply moving and breathtaking. The portrayal of her demeanor, movements, and expressions was particularly exquisite, capturing her essence perfectly. I, her senior sister, am truly impressed." She was indeed a professional; her words hit the nail on the head.

Everyone nodded in agreement, thinking that Lady Anguo's praise was indeed different from their own, truly insightful.

Yang Yu smiled slightly and said, "Senior Sister, you flatter me."

Lady Anguo then turned to Ye Feng and asked, "What are your thoughts, Xiao Feng?" Her eyes held a hint of expectation.

Ye Feng was well aware of Lady Anguo's good intentions and felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Everyone looked at Ye Feng, waiting to hear his opinion, and Yang Yu's beautiful eyes were also fixed on him.

Ye Feng thought to himself, "Everyone says it's good; if I say it's good too, it will be commonplace." Furthermore, criticism leads to progress, and from his cultural perspective, he was most aware of the shortcomings in Yang Yu's melody.

He then said, "Master Yang's melody is poignant, its spirit expressed perfectly; its strengths are clear to everyone..."

He glanced at everyone, and a look of disappointment flashed in their eyes. They exchanged glances, thinking, "You're just like Lady Anguo.

" "However—" Ye Feng deliberately paused, drawing everyone's attention, including Yang Yu's beautiful eyes.

"The shortcoming of this piece lies in its slightly weak overall dynamic range and impact, due to the monotonous accompaniment."

Yang Yu's body trembled, her face showing shock, and Lady Anguo also stared at Ye Feng in surprise.

The others in the hall didn't understand the impact of Ye Feng's words, but seeing Yang Yu and Lady Anguo's astonishment, they naturally began to pay attention.

Ye Feng continued, "Furthermore, Lady Yang's pronunciation wasn't clear enough, and her rhythm and timing weren't quite right. There were also some issues with her posture and expressions."

Yang Yu and Lady Anguo stared blankly at Ye Feng. But the others disagreed, some even feeling anger. Yang Yu was their goddess of folk arts, how could they tolerate Ye Feng speaking like that?

Grand Tutor An Jingqu sneered first, saying, "Young Master Ye, you're mistaken! Lady Yang's singing is already at its peak. How could her pronunciation be unclear, her rhythm and timing inaccurate, or her posture and expressions problematic?"

The Second Prince also smiled and said, "Grand Tutor is quite right. Young Master Ye's words lack persuasiveness."

The others began to whisper

amongst themselves. Li Fei and the Left Minister showed worried expressions; Ye Feng dared to speak so ill of Yang Yu, they feared he would be embarrassed later. Moreover, they were both secretly angry. Yang Yu was also a god of folk arts and dance in their hearts, and they wouldn't tolerate Ye Feng belittling him like that.

Yang Yu, however, became solemn and said seriously, "Please enlighten me, Young Master Ye."

Lady Anguo smiled and looked at Ye Feng calmly. She had a feeling that Ye Feng would do something amazing later.

Ye Feng pondered for a moment, thinking that theory alone was useless; he should prove it with actions. He then asked, "Does Master Yang have any erhu and clappers?"

Yang Yu was taken aback, not quite understanding why Ye Feng wanted these instruments. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Oh...yes."

He ordered a maid to fetch the two instruments from the back hall.

When the maid came out, the entrance to the back hall was crowded with servants. It turned out that while the maid was fetching the instruments, she had already spread the news of Ye Feng's "challenge" to Yang Yu.

These servants were all loyal admirers of Yang Yu, and upon hearing that Yang Yu was in trouble, they immediately rushed to her aid. The maids who had greeted Ye Feng when he entered the hall now glared at him with anger. Ye Feng had truly incurred the wrath of the crowd.

Ye Feng remained calm, holding his instrument in his hands, inwardly lamenting that without accompaniment, his performance would be less effective, though he believed it would be fine.

Meanwhile, the others stared at the instrument in his hands, whispering amongst themselves.

Ye Feng coughed lightly, wondering how his singing would sound since he hadn't practiced in a long time. As he pondered this, he moved a chair to the hall.

He bowed to everyone, and Yang Yu and the others returned the bow. The servants and maids booed, completely disregarding his status as the "Great Moon Blade Saint."

Ye Feng ignored them, sat down, placed the erhu on his lap, tuned the strings, and said, "Hmm, this erhu is not bad!"

He concentrated, raised his hand, and produced a crisp, clear note.

A sobbing voice cried out, "Hey!"

Then came a section of Xipi Liushui: "Su San left Hongdong County..." It was the most widely sung song in the Peking Opera world, "Su San's Release."

"She came to the street..."

Yang Yu's delicate body trembled violently, while Lady Anguo's eyes showed disbelief.

"Before I spoke, my heart was filled with sorrow, gentlemen of the past, listen to my words... Just say that Su San's life was cut short, in the next life I will be reborn as a dog or horse to repay her..."

Ye Feng sang with great emotion, his singing melodious, his enunciation clear, his rhythm rich and deep, and his sustained notes particularly distinctive. He had been practicing Peking Opera since he was five years old; after more than ten years of practice, he was no ordinary person. His opening lines left everyone speechless, staring blankly at him.

Yang Yu stared at Ye Feng, muttering, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is..." Many things she hadn't understood before suddenly became clear.

Ye Feng's piece was remarkably similar to her own "Moon Song," sharing a similar artistic essence. Moreover, Ye Feng's voice was full of timbre, his tone and emotion perfectly blended, and his transitions were remarkably natural and fluid, with subtle, almost imperceptible shifts at the turning points. His singing was sweet and lingering, like drinking nectar.

Compared to Ye Feng, her own lyrics and singing skills were utterly insignificant. In that instant, Yang Yu made up her mind: even if she had to beg, she would get Ye Feng to teach her these skills.

Yang Yu was deeply passionate about art; it was her life. Over the years, through her experiences and reflections, she had pioneered the art of "Moon Song," encountering numerous unexpected difficulties along the way. The most painful was the lack of anyone to consult. Because "Moon Song" was a completely new genre, even her mentor couldn't help her. Now, suddenly encountering Ye Feng, her guiding light, her joy was beyond words.

After Ye Feng finished his song, Yang Yu asked in a trembling voice, "Young Master Ye, would you please sing another song?" The others also looked at Ye Feng with eager eyes. However, since they had all previously opposed Ye Feng, they hesitated to voice their requests. "

Of course,"

Ye Feng replied after a moment's thought, "I wonder if you, Master Yang, would be willing to accompany me?"

Yang Yu readily agreed. After Ye Feng explained how to do it, Yang Yu, with her exceptional intelligence, quickly grasped the meaning. Then

, to the sound of Yang Yu's erhu playing, Ye Feng struck a spirited pose and began singing a passage from the opera "The Battle of Wits" in Shajiabang.

"Three years ago, my team had just started, with only a dozen or so men and seven or eight guns..." He sang one song after another until Ye Feng finally grew tired. He glanced at Yang Yu, who, being incredibly clever, immediately said softly, "Young Master, you're tired. Please rest." After they returned to their seats, Yang Yu personally rose and poured Ye Feng a cup of wine, saying softly, "How fortunate I am to have met Young Master Ye! Here, I toast you to express my deepest respect." Ye Feng rose and smiled, "You're too kind, Master Yang." He drank the cup in one gulp. Everyone in the hall looked at Ye Feng with envy. To have Yang Yu treat him like this was truly a stroke of good fortune. However, given his strength, there was nothing that could be done. Yang Yu's admirers, whose initial anger towards Ye Feng had softened into gentle admiration, were now filled with awe. To elicit such a reaction from their idol was no ordinary person. After they were seated, Yang Yu sincerely said to Ye Feng, "I wish to become your disciple, Young Master Ye. Would you be so fortunate?" Ye Feng immediately felt surrounded by envious and jealous gazes, and felt deeply honored. He smiled and replied, "You're too kind, Master Yang. I dare not accept the title of disciple, but we can certainly spar and discuss our skills together often." Yang Yu was overjoyed, her beautiful eyes gazing intently at Ye Feng. She smiled radiantly, her beauty breathtaking, leaving everyone stunned. Although Ye Feng remained composed, his heart trembled violently. He felt as if stars were flashing before his eyes; Yang Yu's allure was truly irresistible. Lady Anguo smiled at Ye Feng and said, "I didn't expect you to be so talented. Don't forget to teach me your beautiful singing style when we get back." Ye Feng quickly replied respectfully, "Lady Anguo, you're too kind. How could I dare to hold back? I will definitely teach you." A thought suddenly occurred to him. After today's events, his fame would surely soar, and countless people would want to learn from him. Opening a large opera house would bring him immense wealth. Moreover, Peking Opera requires accompaniment instruments such as the jinghu, sheng, zhongruan, daruan, suona, and flute, as well as percussion instruments like the single-headed drum, clappers, large gong, small gong, cymbals, tanggu, and xingzi. Most of these instruments don't exist in this world. If he could mass-produce them, then… wow… Ye Feng could already see the money rolling in. The Second Prince, the Grand Tutor, and others had already changed their tune, praising Ye Feng incessantly. How could the others be willing to be outdone? Praise filled the hall. Li Fei and Li Huiwei patted Ye Feng on the shoulder and laughed, "Brother Ye, we never expected you to have such a unique skill." "...Oh, right, don't forget to teach us when you get back..." When the banquet ended, Ye Feng was kept behind by Yang Yuken, naturally to exchange skills with her. After this incident, Ye Feng, following his title of "Great Moon Blade Saint," became famous throughout the world as the "God of Song." Chapter Sixty-Six: "Reporting to the Sect Leader, according to our investigation, Miss Lin Su is currently residing in the Sui Xian Pavilion in the west of the city." "Hmm, I understand." "By the way, did the envoy go to Jade Moon City?" "Yes, Sect Leader, he led a group of people to Jade Moon City three days ago." It wasn't until the afternoon of the third day that Ye Feng, based on the information from Liu Mingzhi and others, prepared to go to Lin Su's lodging. It wasn't that he didn't want to go sooner, but he simply couldn't find the time. These past few days, Ye Feng had been completely entangled with Yang Yu. Aside from protecting Li Huiwei, he was constantly at her place, with no free time whatsoever. However, he was willing and thoroughly enjoying it. Every moment with this stunning beauty was intoxicating. The more time he spent with her, the more he discovered her rich inner world. Not only was she highly accomplished in traditional performing arts and dance, but she also had a wide range of interests in other fields. Even more remarkable was her intelligence, kindness, and sincerity. Moreover, her demeanor and temperament always gave people a sense of ever-changing, rich, and captivating beauty. One moment she was alluring and captivating, the next lively, pure, and gentle. Every moment offered a fresh and different kind of allure. Every frown and smile was mesmerizing, leaving Ye Feng utterly captivated and unable to extricate himself. He willingly lost himself in her charm. Her dedication to art also moved Ye Feng deeply. Before he knew it, three days had passed. During these three days, Ye Feng's reputation grew even stronger; the title of "God of Song" spread far and wide. Everyone was talking about how beautiful and moving Ye Feng's songs were, to the point that Yang Yu was willing to become his apprentice. He was truly extraordinary. Suddenly, countless people wanted to learn from Ye Feng, and even the Queen of Dayue was interested in learning from him. This further fueled Ye Feng's idea of opening a music academy.

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