Chapter 394

Chapter 394: Let Yan Donghuang Guard the Door

Phoenix Flame Holy Sword!

For the people of the Crimson Flame Dynasty, this sword wasn’t just a holy relic, it held immense symbolic value.

Every time the Taixu Dynasty stirred up trouble, Jin Wudi would deliberately wield the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword to provoke and humiliate them. It had become his signature.

So for him to appear now without it left many bewildered, including the grand princess Yan Mengqing and others from the Crimson Flame Dynasty, like Chi Jiuxiao.

“Phoenix Flame Holy Sword? I don’t know,” Zhang Yang replied with a puzzled look. “Why would the grand princess ask me? I’ve never seen the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword before, and this is my first time meeting Jin Wudi.”

Bing Yuyan stood silently beside him, quietly observing his performance.

Yan Mengqing remarked, “Lord of the Sacred Forest just said that an unpredictable disaster was on its way. Clearly, you knew Jin Wudi was coming, and that he’d be targeting you specifically.”

“Oh, that?” Zhang Yang replied lightly. “I have unparalleled intuition. I can sense danger before it arrives.” He then took a leisurely sip of his drink, eyes fixed on the sky with an air of detachment.

Yan Mengqing pursed her lips. She was convinced that Zhang Yang knew more than he let on. The frustrating part was that he refused to say anything. In her life, she had never met someone like him. Not even other women could resist revealing everything to her when faced with her beauty, just a gentle push was enough.

But Zhang Yang seemed completely unaffected.

At first, she had suspected he was simply playing hard to get, using some clever strategy of advancing by retreating.

Later, she realized that Zhang Yang truly had no interest in her. He didn’t even spare her a second glance. Was it because Bing Yuyan was at his side? Or was he simply too preoccupied?

“Lord of the Sacred Forest, can we watch the battle of the saints?” Yan Mengqing asked, quickly regaining her composure and letting a soft smile grace her lips.

Zhang Yang’s eyes shimmered with golden light, and dancing flames flickered within his pupils. If one looked closely, they could vaguely make out the shadow of a holy war—indistinct, but present.

He murmured, “I can’t see anything. I just realized the night is rather beautiful, and I wanted to enjoy it for a moment. Oh, right, have Ancestor Yan Donghuang guard the door for me tonight. I’m heading back to sleep, I’m really tired.”

He set down his cup and strolled away at a relaxed pace.

Bing Yuyan suppressed a laugh and followed behind him.

The others quickly followed suit.

Even the moon-returning dragon waved for his group to withdraw.

Once he left, Lu Hengkong, Yun Tianhuang, and the other Four Holy Sons, finding no reason to remain, also departed.

Seeing him gone, Jin Liuli felt her fear ease and became even less inclined to stay.

In the blink of an eye, the most prestigious guests had all left.

Yan Mengqing stood stunned. She hadn’t even turned to leave, yet everyone else had already gone. Did they not know to stay close to her? Why was everyone orbiting around a man?

In truth, the Four Holy Sons each had their own thoughts. But the moment they saw Jin Wudi storm in and target Zhang Yang specifically, they realized something major was about to unfold. Otherwise, Jin Wudi wouldn’t have acted so recklessly, or sought him out so urgently.

“Grand Princess, it seems he mentioned having a saint guard the door,” Chi Jiuxiao said, stepping forward.

Yan Mengqing clenched her teeth. How dare he make such a request? Her anger flared. Regardless of his status, how could he ask Yan Donghuang to stand guard? Yan Donghuang was the second most powerful saint of the Crimson Flame Dynasty, only three saints in the entire Western Desert surpassed him, and the rest were at best his equals. Asking him to guard a door was downright insulting.

“His request is too outrageous,” Yan Mengqing said, her voice trembling with anger.

Chi Jiuxiao was about to speak again when he noticed someone approaching. He immediately cupped his hands in respectful greeting.

Yan Mengqing turned and was startled. She gasped, “Ancestor!”

The newcomer was none other than Yan Donghuang.

He was the grandfather of Yan Mengqing’s grandfather, the closest ancestor in their direct bloodline.

Yan Donghuang’s expression was deeply conflicted as he said, “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have disrespected him in Liu Town.”

Yan Mengqing and Chi Jiuxiao’s expressions changed dramatically.

The aloof and proud sage had actually said such a thing.

“Ancestor, what happened?” Yan Mengqing asked in disbelief.

Yan Donghuang sighed. “During the Treasure Gathering Night Banquet, Zhang Yang went to the Taixu Imperial Capital, set fire to the Taixu Palace, killed five great sages, seized the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword, and severed Jin Shengtian’s left arm.”

Yan Mengqing and Chi Jiuxiao froze as if struck by lightning, unable to move or speak.

If the words hadn’t come directly from Yan Donghuang, they would have thought they had misheard.

“He… he took the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword?” Yan Mengqing exclaimed.

Just moments earlier, she had questioned why Jin Wudi wasn’t wielding the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword and had even asked Zhang Yang about it, only to receive a feigned response of ignorance. It had clearly been intentional.

A wave of fury surged within her. He had done it on purpose. She had made it clear that if he requested the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword, she would approve it. She had even emphasized it. Yet he deliberately claimed he had never seen it.

It was a slap in the face.

Had he found it amusing to humiliate her, knowing the truth would inevitably surface? After all, she had made that statement during the Treasure Gathering Night Banquet, and everyone had heard it. The story was bound to spread across the Western Desert.

“Lord of the Sacred Forest… no wonder even Chi Zhenyi is willing to serve as his shield,” Yan Donghuang muttered, “I am thoroughly convinced.”

Chi Jiuxiao stared in awe as the second sage of the dynasty walked toward Bi Tian Pavilion.

He was really going to guard the door!

Chi Jiuxiao felt a buzzing in his head. It was almost too much to believe.

Soon, however, understanding dawned.

What Zhang Yang had achieved in a single month rivaled the Taixu Dynasty’s millennia of oppression in the Western Desert.

First, during the Battle at Heavenly Reaching Mountain, he had slain ten great sages and razed the ancient Taixu Palace.

Second, he had destroyed the Black Cloaked Strategist, a being who could rival three hundred saints.

Third, just moments ago, he had once again annihilated the Taixu Palace, killed five more great sages, seized the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword, and severed Jin Shengtian’s left arm.

Even a fool could see it, no one could call it luck anymore. No one could deny that this youngest Lord of the Sacred Forest since Eternal Night truly deserved his title.

Chi Jiuxiao turned and saw Yan Mengqing gritting her teeth, her face flushed with humiliation and rage. She was still caught up in the embarrassment of having questioned him about the Phoenix Flame Holy Sword, not knowing he already had it in hand. Clearly, he had done it to make her look foolish.

He sighed and said, “In my view, Zhang Yang wasn’t trying to humiliate you.”

“Then what was he trying to do?” Yan Mengqing snapped.

Chi Jiuxiao hesitated, then let out another sigh and said nothing.

But Yan Mengqing understood what his silence meant.

If he wasn’t trying to mock her, then there was only one possible reason—

Zhang Yang simply wasn’t interested in her. He was actively avoiding any entanglement.

This realization shook Yan Mengqing’s composure and nearly sent her into a frenzy.

How could any man not want to be entangled with her?

Especially a young man?

She was the most beautiful woman in the entire Western Desert!

“Your words are wrong, Lord. What man wouldn’t be interested in a princess? Don’t make baseless assumptions,” her handmaiden snapped, shooting Chi Jiuxiao a sultry glare. “In my opinion, the Lord is definitely interested.”

Chi Jiuxiao only smiled and shook his head as he turned to leave.

The handmaiden looked ready to explode in frustration.

Yan Mengqing gritted her teeth. “To Bi Tian Pavilion!”

Her alluring and graceful handmaidens tried to stop her, but Yan Mengqing had already hurried off toward Bi Tian Pavilion.