Chapter 1521: Farewell

Zu'an looked at him suspiciously. Given the man's previous attitude, he clearly intended to say something else.

“You came all this way just to say that?” Zu'an recalled hearing from the young empress that the elders in the council were all nearing the end of their lives, and each outing consumed a significant amount of their vitality. Therefore, they would never travel unless it was an absolutely critical matter.

Cold sweat immediately beaded on Wu Fan’s forehead. “Uh, actually, I wanted to ask you about the Elixir of Immortality. You know, for us old bones, time is running out, so we have a rather urgent need for it.”

He couldn't help but change his tune. What kind of monstrous talent was this guy?

Could that terrifying sword strike really have been unleashed by a Grandmaster in the Heroic Soul realm?

Even observing from the side, the power of that sword strike was unsettling. Duan Genggou, who faced its full force, was utterly disintegrated by the sword qi.

Although Wu Fan's cultivation was much higher than Duan Genggou's, he doubted he could withstand that strike. Even if he did, the cost would likely be devastating. For someone already halfway to the grave, any damage to his fundamental essence was unacceptable.

Thus, he immediately shed his previous arrogance, adopting a remarkably gentle demeanor.

The Grand Elder was indeed right. It seemed Mr. Bat did not lose due to a cultivation deviation or going berserk last night, but rather was genuinely defeated by Zu'an.

He couldn't comprehend how this young man possessed such terrifying abilities. Upon his return, the council of elders would definitely need to discuss this thoroughly.

“Didn’t I tell the Grand Elder last night?” Zu'an frowned. He still felt his internal energy surging fiercely, an urge to unleash another sword strike.

Catching Zu'an’s gaze, Wu Fan felt the hairs on his body stand on end, realizing the other man was about to attack him.

While subtly preparing his defenses, he made his tone sound more innocuous: “Mainly, the Grand Elder asked in a hurry yesterday, and some details are still unclear. However, if you’re busy, I won’t bother you any further. I’ll take my leave now.”

With that, he made to depart.

Recalling his grand declarations before coming, he felt his old face flush. Forget it, being ridiculed by those guys back home was better than losing vitality here.

“Wait!” Zu'an’s voice rang out, startling Wu Fan. It wasn't until he heard the rest of the sentence that he finally sighed in relief: “It’s not easy for you to come all this way. I’ll tell you more…”

Zu'an reasoned that, as the current regent of the demon race, and with the young emperor relying on the elders’ protection in the future, it wouldn't be good to create too much tension with them.

Wu Fan was instantly overwhelmed, feeling a surge of gratitude so strong he almost wanted to cry. He had never imagined that a dignified elder of the demon race would have such a day.

Zu'an then generally recounted his experiences regarding the Elixir of Immortality from the secret realm, particularly mentioning Ya Yu’s fate, subtly implying that even if the elixir could extend life, it would likely turn people into mindless monsters.

He hoped this would dissuade them from pursuing the elixir, as having so many powerful elders coveting it would certainly not be a good thing.

After hearing the various legends about the Elixir of Immortality, Wu Fan was secretly astonished. He cupped his hands in a farewell gesture and was about to leave when a graceful figure floated down from the sky. Her long hair, cascading past her hips, gently swayed with her movements, stirring a flutter in the heart.

Recognizing her appearance, Wu Fan thought to himself, "There's such a beautiful woman in the Royal Court? And she's a Grandmaster?"

He had no recollection of her whatsoever. Could it be that a junior from some family had recently made a breakthrough?

While he was puzzled, Yun Jianyue was also surprised and uncertain. She had been searching everywhere for Yan Xuehen but couldn't find her, so she planned to ask Zu'an about the situation.

Just as she arrived at the palace, she learned Zu'an had flown towards the city outskirts, so she pursued him. Midway, she sensed that terrifying sword strike, growing worried that Zu'an might be in danger.

She quickened her pace, using her divine sense to search for Zu'an's location. When she arrived, she found an unfathomable old man beside him.

She couldn't discern the old man's cultivation, which was clearly higher than her own. Her first thought was that he was there to trouble Zu'an, so she immediately conjured her Crescent Wheel, ready to fight alongside Zu'an at any moment.

Wu Fan was perplexed, and a hidden annoyance simmered within him. It was one thing to be wary of Zu'an, but now even any young junior dared to show him attitude?

His gaze turned cold, and he was about to teach this presumptuous woman a lesson when he heard Zu'an’s voice: “Sister Yun, what brings you here?”

Yun Jianyue cautiously eyed Wu Fan nearby as she approached Zu'an. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Zu'an replied.

Wu Fan, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. So this woman knew Zu'an. A beauty and a strong master—truly a perfect match. He sighed inwardly, thinking, "If only I had been this impressive in my youth, I would have had even more women around me."

He offered them a benevolent smile. “Regent, I’ll take my leave!”

With that, his form transformed into a long rainbow and vanished.

Yun Jianyue was somewhat surprised. “Why was that man so respectful to you?”

Zu'an instinctively replied, “Perhaps he’s just good-natured.”

“I noticed a divine weapon’s power erupting here just now. Are you really alright?” Yun Jianyue took Zu'an’s hand, then noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt. His muscular physique glistened in the sunlight, making her expression slightly unnatural. “Look, your clothes are gone, and you say you’re fine.”

Zu'an chuckled wryly. “I’m really fine. I just ran into a dark elf and instantly killed him with one sword strike.”

Yun Jianyue froze, then her gaze fell upon the long sword mark on the ground nearby and the vast canyon in the distant mountain. “You did all this?”

“Did you realize you don’t know me as well as you thought?” Zu'an chuckled, his gaze lingering on Yun Jianyue’s figure. He thought, "Sister Yun is really well-endowed, almost comparable to Big Manman. I wonder how she feels..."

Oh, wait, what’s wrong with me today? Why am I having all these random thoughts?

Yun Jianyue was still in shock and didn’t notice his unusually aggressive gaze today. She wondered how this guy’s single sword strike could possess such power. Then, noticing the long sword in his hand and feeling the unique divine-tier pressure emanating from it, she was startled. “Was the divine weapon’s aura in the palace earlier from you?”

“Yes, Tai’a has successfully broken through to the divine tier,” Zu'an said with a touch of pride, though his gaze was fixed on Yun Jianyue’s long hair, which gently brushed against her backside. He mused, "If she tied that into twin ponytails, wouldn't they make excellent reins?"

“Divine tier…” Yun Jianyue was numb with shock. This guy was truly too mysterious; he always managed to do the unexpected.

Since he could even kill the Demon Emperor, forging a divine weapon didn’t seem like such a big deal anymore.

“It’s good that you’re alright,” she said, not even bothering to ask how he forged it. Then she remembered her reason for coming. “By the way, do you know where the Ice Stone Woman went?”

“I don’t know. I looked for her in the palace after the grand ceremony, but couldn’t find her either.” Zu'an wondered if Yan Xuehen had left in a fit of pique because of yesterday’s events… Oh, Sister Yun smells so good. I really want to lean in and take a good sniff…

No, I can’t. She’s Hong Lei’s master; I mustn’t offend her!

But then he quickly reconsidered: What difference does it make? Yan Xuehen is also Chu Yan’s master. Wouldn't it be even better if masters and apprentices gathered together…

Oh, what on earth is wrong with me today? Why am I thinking all these nonsensical things?

At this point, Yun Jianyue fell silent. After a long moment, she sighed. “I suppose the Ice Stone Woman has left. That’s just her personality; it’s not surprising for her to leave without saying goodbye.”

Given Yan Xuehen’s cultivation, no one in the Royal Court could harm her without a sound. Moreover, everyone was in the palace at the time, making any accident even more unlikely. So, there was only one possibility: she left of her own accord.

She paused, about to say something, when she suddenly noticed Zu'an’s fixed gaze. She first froze, then indignantly said, “You brat, what are you staring at?”

“Sister is beautiful,” Zu'an blurted out.

Yun Jianyue’s heart skipped a beat. Feeling the masculinity radiating from him, she felt a little uncomfortable. Their recent interactions had blurred boundaries somewhat. If he were someone else, it wouldn’t matter, but he was Hong Lei’s man. She certainly didn’t want to create a scandal that the Ice Stone Woman could mock her for.

After a moment’s thought, she said, “That Ice Stone Woman still has the Primordial Spirit Dew from Marquis Sui’s tomb. Is she planning to keep it all to herself? No, I’m going to find her and settle this!”

Zu'an thought to himself: Back in the Great Snow Mountain, to escape the Snow Maiden, I forcibly unleashed the ‘Sword Come’ technique, which pushed my body to the brink of collapse. Yan Xuehen seemed to have used that Primordial Spirit Dew to save me. If that were brought up, wouldn't our relationship be exposed?

Seeing her turn to leave, Zu'an, in a rush, directly grabbed her hand.

Feeling the burning heat radiating from his hand, Yun Jianyue was startled. She thought, "Why is he so hot?"

She turned back, a half-smile on her face. “Oh? You dare to take advantage of me, your elder sister?”

Zu'an looked directly into her eyes. “What if I did?”

***

My condition hasn't been great recently; it's always like this a few days each month. There's a possibility I might miss a day of updates to adjust my state. Since it's difficult to post a single chapter for a leave of absence here, I'm informing everyone in advance. Please don't be surprised if there's no update on a particular day.