In front of the Celestial Jade Sect’s mountain gate, clouds and mist swirled, cranes flew gracefully, and the air was exceptionally fresh. Not long after Jiang Ran and the others ascended the mountain, Li Feng, dressed in a blue robe, descended from the sky, stepping onto the jade steps before the sect gate. Thinking that he would soon see his beloved wife, a gentle smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of his lips.
“Stop! The Celestial Jade Sect is a forbidden area, no outsiders allowed!” Two female disciples in white leapt down from the gate, swords drawn, blocking Li Feng’s way. Seeing he was a man, they frowned and emphasized, “Especially men—no entry into the Celestial Jade Sect!”
Li Feng was momentarily stunned, then chuckled. It was his first time at the Celestial Jade Sect; it was natural that these disciples did not recognize him. “I am Li Feng, here to visit my wife, Liu Ruyue,” he said, cupping his hands in a polite salute and speaking warmly.
“Li Feng?” One round-faced female disciple frowned in thought, then her eyes widened in shock as if seeing a celestial being, “You… you’re Li Feng from Jishang Academy? The one who subdued the Dragon Elephant Beast with one hand? The number one prodigy of the Great Qing Empire who mastered the 3rd level of the Heaven and Man Record in a single day?”
Another female disciple dropped her sword with a clang and stammered, “The… the number one prodigy of the Great Qing Empire! No wonder he has such an extraordinary aura!”
“Sisters, come quickly! Li Feng has come to our Celestial Jade Sect!” The girl excitedly shouted toward the back, and soon a large group of female disciples rushed down the mountain, looking around eagerly for Li Feng.
“Where is he? Where’s Li Feng! I’ve long wanted to see if he really has three heads and six arms!”
“Our Saintess’ husband is here? For a man to be worthy of our Saintess, he must surely be a celestial being descended to the mortal world!”
“…”
A crowd of chirping, excited girls surrounded Li Feng, as if watching a grand spectacle. Li Feng could only nod helplessly, awkwardly standing still while the girls stared at him. Since his fame was established in the court, the title of the number one prodigy of the Great Qing Empire had followed him everywhere, and now it had even reached the Celestial Jade Sect.
“It really is Senior Brother Li!” The round-faced disciple quickly picked up her sword, her face flushed red as she respectfully and shyly greeted him. “Our senior sisters always said how incredible Senior Brother Li is, and today… today…” She struggled to find the right words, her face reddening even more like a steamed bun.
The commotion at the gate quickly attracted more and more disciples from the Celestial Jade Sect. A group of white-clothed girls gathered like butterflies, chattering excitedly and crowding the sect gate.
“That’s Senior Sister Liu’s husband? He’s so handsome!”
“I heard he’s not even twenty and has already reached the 3rd level of the Heaven and Man Record. Even Elder Zhang praised him endlessly!”
“I’m so envious of Senior Sister Liu, she’s truly blessed…”
Surrounded by the enthusiastic disciples, Li Feng’s ears reddened at the constant praise. Though he could dominate in court debates, he had just turned eighteen and was still awkward in such situations.
“What are you all crowding around for? Such disorder!” A cold voice came, and the disciples immediately fell silent, parting to make a path. Senior Sister Leng Yue of the Celestial Jade Sect walked over gracefully. Seeing Li Feng, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes before she respectfully greeted him, “So it’s Senior Brother Li visiting. Pardon our failure to greet you properly. Junior Sister Liu Ruyue is in the main hall receiving guests from Jiuyang Mountain. I’ll take you there.”
Li Feng returned the salute, “Thank you.”
As they left the gate, Li Feng could still hear the girls whispering excitedly behind him.
“Even Senior Sister Leng is so polite to Senior Brother Li! When have you ever seen her smile before? Do you think Senior Sister has taken a liking to Senior Brother Li?”
“I heard he’s already at the Martial Emperor Realm, not inferior even to our sect master. With such talent, not just Senior Sister Leng—even my heart was racing just now…”
“My future husband must have at least one-tenth of Senior Brother Li’s talent. If I marry, I’ll marry someone like Senior Brother Li!”
“…”
Li Feng shook his head with a wry smile and followed Leng Yue toward Hanyue Peak. Leng Yue blushed to the tips of her ears, cursing the younger disciples for being so loose-lipped.
Inside the Celestial Jade Sect’s main hall, Sect Master Fairy Yuehua asked directly, “You have come from afar. What business brings you to our sect?”
Her brow furrowed slightly, clearly surprised by Jiuyang Mountain’s large entourage.
Before the sect master of Jiuyang Mountain could speak, Jiang Ran smiled and stepped forward, cupping his hands, “I have come to propose marriage. I wish to take Liu Ruyue as my wife.” Visit novelping(.)com for the full chapter.
His gaze fell aggressively on Liu Ruyue, unabashed and overbearing.
The hall fell silent.
The Celestial Jade Sect disciples looked at each other, while Liu Ruyue’s face darkened instantly. Everyone knew Liu Ruyue was already married to Li Feng, the number one prodigy of the Great Qing Empire.
Though Jiang Ran was a few years older than Li Feng, his cultivation wasn’t necessarily stronger. How dare he utter such insolent words?
“Does Nephew Jiang not know that Liu Ruyue is already married to Li Feng of Jishang Academy?” Fairy Yuehua frowned.
Jiang Ran sneered, “Li Feng? He’s just a lucky brat. I am already at the Martial Emperor Realm. Among the younger generation of the Great Qing Empire, no one can rival me. For Liu Ruyue to stay with him would be a waste of her talent.”
Unable to hold back, Liu Ruyue stood and coldly rebuked, “Insolent! Insulting my husband in front of me—if you dare utter another word, I will kill you!”
The sect master of Jiuyang Mountain stepped forward arrogantly, “Liu Ruyue, calm yourself. Jiang Ran is a once-in-a-millennium genius of Jiuyang Mountain. At twenty-three, he’s reached the Martial Emperor Realm and has been baptized by the Jiuyang Divine Stone. His future is boundless. Although Li Feng is somewhat famous, how could he compare to Jiang Ran?”
Fairy Yuehua sneered, “Jiuyang Mountain seems quite ignorant.”
“Li Feng mastered the 3rd level of the Heaven and Man Record before twenty, subdued the Dragon Elephant Beast with one hand, and is now the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince. His martial cultivation may have already surpassed the Martial Emperor Realm. While Nephew Jiang is indeed gifted, to say he surpasses Li Feng is premature.”
“Hahaha!” Jiang Ran laughed loudly, “Sect Master Fairy Yuehua, you’ve been fooled by Li Feng’s reputation. Heaven and Man Record? Mere self-promotion by Jishang Academy. If Li Feng were here, I could suppress him with a single hand!”
“Oh? I’m right here. Let’s see how you’ll suppress me.”
A mocking voice rang out. Everyone turned to see Li Feng standing casually in the hall, looking at Jiang Ran with amusement.
Jiang Ran’s pupils contracted sharply. His heart trembled, and he instinctively took a few steps back. Despite his 1st stage Martial Emperor Realm cultivation, he hadn’t sensed Li Feng’s arrival!
Li Feng shook his head, looking at Jiang Ran with pity, “You boast about suppressing me, but now that I’m here, you’re not pleased?”
Seeing Li Feng, Liu Ruyue’s eyes flashed with surprise and complicated emotions. She could feel that Li Feng’s aura was even deeper than before—at least 1st stage Martial Emperor Realm!
“He… he has already broken through to the Martial Emperor Realm?” The Empress’s soul within Liu Ruyue sighed bitterly.
She had painstakingly cultivated to the 9th stage Martial King Realm, thinking she had narrowed the gap, but Li Feng had pulled even further ahead.
The Empress’s soul sighed continuously within Liu Ruyue, “His growth is terrifying. Am I doomed to remain under his control and do those shameful things with him forever?”
Jiang Ran quickly composed himself and sneered, “Li Feng, you came just in time. Today, I’ll show Liu Ruyue what a true prodigy looks like!”
“If you lose, you must annul the marriage and give Liu Ruyue to me!”
Before he finished speaking, Jiang Ran turned into a golden streak, charging at Li Feng with a fist wrapped in scorching Jiuyang true energy, distorting the air around him.
Li Feng didn’t move. A flash of purple light flickered in his eyes.
“Kneel.”
With just two simple words, Jiang Ran’s body froze as if he had crashed into an invisible wall, stopping a step away from Li Feng.
A look of horror spread across Jiang Ran’s face as his knees buckled uncontrollably, slamming into the stone floor with a deafening crack, leaving two deep craters as he knelt like a dog in front of Li Feng.
“What have you done to me!” Jiang Ran roared unwillingly, struggling frantically, but his true energy was completely sealed, leaving him unable to move even a finger.
Everyone stared in shock. Jiuyang Mountain’s number one prodigy, a Martial Emperor Realm cultivator, was crushed to his knees by just one glance from Li Feng!
“Is that all?” Li Feng’s disdainful look made Jiang Ran’s face flush crimson. His nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
“I’ll kill you!”
Shame overwhelmed Jiang Ran, and he lost control, his eyes bloodshot, roaring like a trapped beast.
Wasn’t the voice in his mind telling him he could sweep across the Great Qing Empire, that no prodigy could match him? Why couldn’t he even withstand a single glance now?
The sect master of Jiuyang Mountain, Bai Qishan, was the first to react, his face livid, “Li Feng! How dare you humiliate my Jiuyang Mountain disciple!”
Li Feng said indifferently, “He spoke insolently and attacked first. I merely gave him a small lesson. No need for Jiuyang Mountain to thank me. Just give me ten or so heaven-grade martial techniques and we’re even.”
“Good, very good!” Bai Qishan laughed in anger, his eyes full of killing intent, “If we don’t kill you today, how will Jiuyang Mountain keep its dignity? Elders, form the Jiuyang Burning Heaven Formation!”
Seven Martial Emperor Realm elders moved instantly, surrounding Li Feng.
Blazing true energy interwove into a giant flaming cage, pressing down like a mountain of fire, causing the spirit plants in the hall to wither instantly and the fish in the pond to cook alive.
The disciples of the Celestial Jade Sect screamed and retreated. Fairy Yuehua shouted sharply, “Sect Master of Jiuyang Mountain, do you dare act in our Celestial Jade Sect?”
Bai Qishan sneered, “Sect Master Fairy Yuehua, this has nothing to do with you. Li Feng is too dangerous. He must die today!”
Liu Ruyue stood aside, her face pale, her eyes full of worry as she looked at Li Feng surrounded by the Jiuyang Mountain grand formation.
“Your Majesty the Empress, please help my husband!” she cried inwardly, tears almost falling.
The Empress’s soul, though resentful of Li Feng, didn’t want to see him die either. If Li Feng died, Liu Ruyue might do something foolish, dragging her down too.
Just as the Empress’s soul was preparing to activate a hidden hand within the Celestial Jade Sect, she sneered, “Don’t worry, this boy won’t die so easily.”
“What are you saying? That’s the Jiuyang Mountain’s strongest formation, and even the sect master, at the 8th stage Martial Emperor Realm, is joining in. How can Li Feng deal with that?” Liu Ruyue was still panicking.
“Look at that boy’s calm expression. He’s far from finished.” The Empress said coolly.
Liu Ruyue glanced at the field and indeed saw that Li Feng remained calm and composed within the encirclement.
Li Feng took a deep breath and roared. A purple radiance burst out around him, and the phantom of Heaven and Man behind him expanded wildly, enveloping the entire hall like a god descending.
“Heaven and Man as One, All Qi Returns to the Origin!”
In an instant, spiritual energy within a hundred kilometers frantically surged toward Li Feng, forming a giant vortex that merged into him, rapidly boosting his aura. Within a few breaths, his power rivaled that of a 6th stage Martial Emperor Realm cultivator!
“Not good! Attack now!” Bai Qishan cried out in panic and was the first to strike. A massive fireball, three meters in diameter, was launched like a blazing sun toward Li Feng.
He hadn’t expected the spiritual-grade cultivation method to be so overbearing, allowing Li Feng, initially at the 2nd stage Martial Emperor Realm, to instantly rival the 6th stage Martial Emperor Realm!
If Li Feng wasn’t dealt with swiftly, who knew what other tricks he had up his sleeve. Bai Qishan was afraid!