Chapter 28
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Chapter 28: Alliance?
"The Heaven’s Secret Pavilion only conducts transactions; we do not meddle in worldly affairs," Ye Xu said.
Yang Xuanzhan threw his head back and laughed bitterly.
Lu Fengming, having lived for 170,000 years, had long reached saint level perfection. A mere step away from the Saint King realm, he was undoubtedly the foremost powerhouse in the Southern Wilderness.
Seeking aid from Ye Xu was Yang Xuanzhan’s only recourse.
Ye Xu’s refusal plunged Yang Xuanzhan into utter despair.
"Daoist friend, once Lu Fengming succeeds, he’ll become invincible across the Southern Wilderness. Tell me, who should truly be concerned?" Ye Xu said with visible disappointment.
That a major power could be so completely cowed by fear—Yang Xuanzhan truly disappointed him.
As if sensing Ye Xu’s disapproval, Yang Xuanzhan flushed with shame yet grasped the implication instantly.
If Lu Fengming attained the Saint King realm, he would inevitably unite the Southern Wilderness.
Lu Fengming’s parting words still echoed faintly in Yang Xuanzhan’s ears.
"Since we share a common enemy, matters become straightforward," Ye Xu remarked lightly.
"A wise insight, Esteemed One."
Yang Xuanzhan’s voice deepened solemnly as he replied, "This junior understands."
Yet upon deeper reflection, a wave of helplessness washed over Yang Xuanzhan.
Convincing the Southern Wilderness’s other powerhouses of this truth seemed nearly impossible. After all, a mere saint surviving 170,000 years was itself an absurdity beyond belief.
"Ye Hongchen of the Red Dust Demon Sect requests an audience with the Master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."
Just then, a childlike voice rang out—seemingly that of a young girl.
A little girl entered Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, her hair tied in twin coiled braids. A purple bell adorned her left wrist, while a golden bracelet encircled her right. Her face held the innocence of youth, appearing no older than twelve or thirteen. Yet her eyes held a profound, world-weary wisdom—as if they had seen through the mundanity of the world.
"Ye Hongchen?"
The instant Yang Xuanzhan saw the braided girl, his gaze sharpened intensely.
The two were longtime adversaries, locked in rivalry for centuries without either ever gaining the upper hand.
Decades had passed since their last encounter. He never imagined their reunion would be here, in Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.
Ye Xu fixed his eyes on Ye Hongchen, a strange light flickering in his gaze.
Name: Ye Hongchen.
Cultivation: Complete God King realm.
Affiliation: Sect Master of the Red Dust Demon Sect.
Techniques: Red Dust Tribulation Sutra (Holy-tier).
Divine Abilities: Ten Thousand Phenomena Sword Art, Red Dust Pointer…
Deepest Wish: To prove her Dao.
Since the beginning of time, Ye Hongchen remained the only person whose sole wish burned so singularly.
She lived only to prove her Dao.
"Du Yueheng’s path to courtship was probably difficult." Ye Xu silently sympathized for a second.
Ye Hongchen was free of distractions, her heart entirely set on seeking the Dao; she was a fool for the Dao, a steadfast seeker of the Dao.
Unless something major happened, it was absolutely impossible to change her mind.
"Yang Xuanzhan?" Ye Hongchen also spotted Yang Xuanzhan, her eyes sly, "Du Yueheng told me that Xuanfu Palace dispatched people to ‘invite’ the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, but now it seems they have failed."
"Otherwise, it wouldn’t have made an esteemed Palace Master like you come personally."
Yang Xuanzhan felt both embarrassed and scared; Ye Hongchen certainly knew how to stir the pot.
"Ye Hongchen, are you also here for the opportunity to become a saint?" Yang Xuanzhan said with a cold snort.
"Naturally."
Ye Hongchen hid nothing, "Having cultivated for centuries, I’ve hit a bottleneck; finally encountering a chance to become a saint, I couldn’t dare let it slip away."
"This trip of mine is precisely for that opportunity."
"Senior, I am very sincere."
Ye Hongchen blinked at Ye Xu and grinned playfully.
Ye Xu was slightly stirred internally.
Qi Qingsi’s path was that of the Supreme Detachment, severing emotions toward all things in Heaven and Earth; yet she held feelings in her heart, making them painfully hard to relinquish.
While Ye Hongchen’s Red Dust Tribulation Sutra stood in complete opposition. She seemed lively and spirited, full of life and sentiment, yet only the Great Dao occupied her heart.
The two of them were utter extremes.
"Daoist Friend Yang, Daoist Friend Ye is a fine ally." Ye Xu looked at Yang Xuanzhan.
"An ally?"
Ye Hongchen blinked, momentarily failing to grasp Ye Xu’s meaning.
"Senior, what are you implying? I’ve fought with Yang Xuanzhan for centuries—how could we be allies?"
Yang Xuanzhan’s expression grew grave.
Ye Hongchen was the sect master of the Red Dust Demon Sect, a Holy-tier prodigy at the quasi-saint level, backed by the support of saints; as Ye Xu had said, she was the most suitable ally.
However, Yang Xuanzhan suspected Ye Xu’s words held deeper significance.
"Daoist Friend Yang, if you approve, I’ll sell a secondhand piece of information to Daoist Friend Ye. How about that?" Ye Xu added.
At those words, Yang Xuanzhan instantly realized the truth.
Ye Xu meant for him to use the opportunity to become a saint from the Cave of the Ziwei Saint to secure Ye Hongchen’s aid.
Ye Xu could also profit a second time from it.
Yang Xuanzhan smiled bitterly.
"I agree." Yang Xuanzhan nodded, "But my consent alone isn’t binding—it depends on Ye Hongchen’s decision."
"Leave it to me."
Ye Xu grinned as he looked at Ye Hongchen, "Daoist Friend Ye, Daoist Friend Yang has already consented. If you agree to ally with Yang Xuanzhan, then I can sell the opportunity to become a saint to you at a discount."
"Senior, may I ask what exactly the matter is?" Ye Hongchen keenly sensed something unusual. Yang Xuanzhan was the master of Xuanfu Palace with the backing of two saints; he wouldn’t ally with her for no reason. Something major must be happening.
"You should know of Lu Fengming, right?" Yang Xuanzhan spoke up proactively. Though it concerned a secret of Xuanfu Palace, in this life-or-death moment, Yang Xuanzhan couldn’t afford to hold back.
Ye Hongchen nodded. Lu Fengming was famously the top saint who had established Xuanfu Palace’s status; naturally, Ye Hongchen knew of him.
"He isn’t dead yet," Yang Xuanzhan added.
"Hmm… What?" Ye Hongchen couldn’t believe her ears. She stared wide-eyed with her dark, shining eyes, fixed unblinkingly on Yang Xuanzhan. "Are you joking with me?" A whole one hundred and seventy thousand years—how could Lu Fengming possibly still be alive?
"He isn’t joking," Ye Xu interjected.
In that moment, Ye Hongchen fell silent. If there was a possibility Yang Xuanzhan might be lying, Ye Xu, as the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, would absolutely never deceive her. Lu Fengming really was still alive. This was absolutely earth-shattering secret news!
"Yang Xuanzhan, why are you telling me this?" Ye Hongchen frowned. An ancestor who’d lived one hundred and seventy thousand years might have already become a Saint King; he alone could sweep across the entire Southern Wilderness. If that was the case, why would Yang Xuanzhan want to ally with her? "What exactly is your aim?"
Yang Xuanzhan gave a bitter laugh, recounting the truth of how Lu Fengming had created the Nine Revolutions Nirvana Sutra, leaving nothing out. "Once I attain sainthood, my days will be numbered," Yang Xuanzhan said with a bleak expression, looking like he could neither cry nor laugh.
Ye Hongchen couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. Yang Xuanzhan was a peerless prodigy; the two of them had vied for hundreds of years and could be considered companions of a sort. His plight chilled her to the soul.
"Yang Xuanzhan, personally, I sympathize with you deeply. But from the standpoint of the Red Dust Demon Sect, all I need to do is kill you, and Lu Fengming’s scheme will fail." Ye Hongchen, calming herself after a moment, spoke solemnly with an icy voice. She had decided to kill him. As long as Yang Xuanzhan lived, he was a time bomb. If he attained sainthood, Lu Fengming could devour him, breaking through to the Saint King realm and becoming a threat to the entire Southern Wilderness. As the master of the Red Dust Demon Sect, Ye Hongchen’s reasoning was sound. Killing Yang Xuanzhan would mean Lu Fengming couldn’t find another who mastered the Nine Revolutions Nirvana Sutra for at least a thousand years.
"So, Daoist friend Yang agreed to let me sell the saintly opportunity to you again." Ye Hongchen’s words were exactly what Ye Xu had anticipated. This was the significance of his persuasion—convincing Yang Xuanzhan to allow him, in person, to reveal the information about the Cave of the Ziwei Saint to Ye Hongchen.
"Senior, killing Lu Fengming at saint level perfection is no simple matter. Compared to that, purchasing the saintly opportunity holds almost no risk for me," Ye Hongchen said solemnly. Dealing with Lu Fengming might cost them the entire Red Dust Demon Sect, and even that might not guarantee success. It would probably require uniting the forces of all the major powers across the Southern Wilderness.
"Ye Hongchen, if you agree, I’m willing to relinquish the Cave of the Ziwei Saint entirely." Yang Xuanzhan gritted his teeth, clutching the jade slip tightly. He had staked everything; if Ye Hongchen refused, he could only await death.
Ye Xu looked at him sympathetically. Yang Xuanzhan was truly pitiful—the opportunity he’d just gotten, barely had time to warm it in his hands, was about to be handed over. Most critically, thanks to Yang Xuanzhan’s desperate move, Ye Xu saw no chance of earning a second fee for it.
Yang Xuanzhan took a deep breath and declared resolutely, "If you refuse, I will go to the Cave of the Ziwei Saint myself. Live or die, it’s the same dead end. Before I die, I will at least attain sainthood; perhaps there’s still a sliver of hope."
