Betrothal Gifts

A massive vortex engulfed countless divine flames, which were being devoured by the Purple Gold Yuan Venerable. Zhang Xingfeng himself was also constantly absorbing the energy, though his absorption rate was much faster than that of the Purple Gold Yuan Venerable.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Xingfeng felt that he had almost succeeded in achieving the intermediate level of Divine Fire Body, and the degree of compression of the absorbed Divine Fire had reached the limit that Zhang Xingfeng himself could withstand.

Slowly... the divine fire within the star returned to normal, and the enormous vortex disappeared.

At this moment, Zhang Xingfeng was smiling and floating in the center of the sea of divine fire. The Purple Gold Yuan Venerable, emitting wisps of black light, slowly merged into Zhang Xingfeng's body, and the Origin of Fire seemed to be a little brighter than before.

"Well, I've now fully succeeded in achieving the intermediate level of Divine Fire Body. However, since there's so much Divine Fire here, I'll make the most of it and break through to the late stage of Immortal Emperor!" Zhang Xingfeng slowly closed his eyes and continued cultivating.

The Origin of Fire emitted a burst of Fire Element Power. To be precise, this Fire Element Power was purer and more powerful than the Fire Element Power of the past!

This Fire Element Power began to slowly circulate within Zhang Xingfeng's body according to the Method Formula of the first level of the "Fire Origin Secret Canon." The Limitless Power within Zhang Xingfeng's body seemed to be drawn in and also began to slowly circulate...

"Boom!"

Like water bursting from a dam, the Fire Element Power, carrying the Limitless Power, began to circulate within Zhang Xingfeng's body along a specific trajectory, while the protective purple light surrounding Zhang Xingfeng's body also began to shift...

The protective purple light seemed to materialize, slowly shifting and changing...

As the Fire Element Power and the Limitless Power circulated within Zhang Xingfeng's body, the protective purple light became increasingly solid, and it also slowly transformed into other forms.

Finally, the Fire Element Power and the Limitless Power stopped circulating, and at this moment, the protective purple light also changed into a special shape.

Lotus!

Yes, the protective purple light formed a shape resembling a lotus flower, and Zhang Xingfeng was currently on the lotus root, with the lotus petals constantly fluttering. Countless divine flames began to slowly gather towards this enormous purple lotus flower.

Slowly... the lotus leaves closed up. Zhang Xingfeng, who was sitting on the lotus root, closed up among them.

Meanwhile, each lotus leaf continued to absorb the powerful divine fire, which was constantly gathered into the lotus root, slowly nourishing Zhang Xingfeng's entire body.

What Zhang Xingfeng didn't know was that the giant lotus was absorbing the divine fire faster and faster, eventually becoming ten times faster than the speed of the Purple Gold Yuan Venerable just now!

The entire ocean of divine fire was engulfed in towering waves, and the enormous vortex formed by the lotus flowers was several times larger than the previous one; everything was incredibly grand and spectacular. All of this was because Zhang Xingfeng wanted to cultivate diligently.

Slowly, the enormous black lotus began to unfold, slowly unfurling. Zhang Xingfeng remained seated with his eyes closed.

But at this moment, Zhang Xingfeng's body was no longer black as before, but rather translucent and crystalline...

"Drink!"

Zhang Xingfeng's eyes snapped open, and the immense power that had been accumulating within him for so long suddenly exploded with a deafening roar. A significant amount of energy surged forth from his limbs and acupoints, roaring into the sea of divine fire. However, a small amount remained, compressed and refined. Zhang Xingfeng's physical cultivation had reached a new level, so he decisively used the simplest and most effective method—compression!

In the past, Zhang Xingfeng had always operated slowly, constantly transforming and evolving. While that method was safe, it was much slower. Now, Zhang Xingfeng has forcibly compressed the power to obtain some purer Limitless Power. With this trace as a source, the process of purifying the Limitless Power within his body will be much faster.

"Perhaps in a few more months, I will be able to fully reach the late stage of the Immortal Emperor realm. However, the late stage of the Immortal Emperor realm is only one step away from the Heavenly God realm for me. As long as my physical body Divine Fire Body Great Accomplishment, I will also undergo the Divine Tribulation and then enter the Divine Realm. Well, during this period, I should try to maintain the strength of the late stage of the Immortal Emperor and not break through and cultivate casually!" Zhang Xingfeng thought to himself.

Immediately, Zhang Xingfeng flew away and headed towards Snowy Night City.

Two years have passed, a full two years. For two years, Zhang Xingfeng has not returned to the Lan Mansion.

Little Dragon arrived at the Lan Mansion to find Zhang Xingfeng shortly after Zhang Xingfeng left, even though Little Dragon was still in the Dragon Clan's territory in Snowy Night City.

In the garden of the Lan Mansion.

***Yan stood in the garden, fiddling with a flower, but her eyes were vacant, clearly her mind was not on the flower.

Standing behind Yu Yan, Zhang Xingfeng watched Yu Yan desolate figure and suddenly felt a pang in his heart, and tears seemed to inexplicably well up in his eyes.

"Sister Yu Yan, you're really here! Haha, I've been looking for you for so long!" A cheerful girl's voice rang out.

***Yan smiled slightly and looked up at the mischievous Feng Xing entering the courtyard. Back then, the two holy maidens of the Vermillion Bird Clan failed to find Zhang Xingfeng, and afterwards, they became friends with Zhang Xingfeng's wife, ***Yan. In the past two years, ***Yan's mood has improved somewhat because of these two girls.

"Sister Yu Yan, I have something important to tell you, ah... who are you?" Feng Xing stared wide-eyed at the back of Feng Yu Yan.

Yu Yan's body trembled, and she slowly turned her head.

Zhang Xingfeng had a hint of apology on his face. He hadn't expected that he had only been absorbing and cultivating without shutting down his six senses. However, when he returned to Snowy Night City, he found that two years had already passed. Anxious, he rushed to Yu Yan's side first.

"Yu Yan, I'm sorry!" Zhang Xingfeng was filled with remorse. When he left, he had promised that he wouldn't be gone for long, but two years had passed.

Yu Yan blinked and said with a smile, "It's nothing, it's only two years. I actually just went into seclusion, which also took two years. It's just right, hehe!"

Zhang Xingfeng, however, saw the excitement deep in Yu Yan's eyes through her expression, and he knew that Yu Yan must have been waiting for a long time.

He understood that Yu Yan said this to prevent her from blaming herself too much.

Feng Xing blinked, puzzled, and asked, "Seclusion? Sister Yu Yan, you've been in seclusion for two years? How come I didn't know? You've been talking about waiting for that Carefree King all this time, and that bastard has been gone for two years! Oh, right. Don't tell me this guy in front of me is that bastard Carefree King!" Feng Xing arrogantly put her hands on her hips and questioned Zhang Xingfeng.

Zhang Xingfeng nodded slightly and said, "I am the bastard Carefree King you mentioned."

"Ah!" Feng Xing gaped open, as if she could swallow an egg.

"Are you the esteemed Senior Carefree King, whose divine artifacts are even better than those of our Vermillion Bird Clan, whose power surpasses my father's, who can annihilate two Mid-grade Divine Human and six Low-grade Divine Human in a single move, and who is comparable to a Spirit Venerable?" Feng Xing asked with a face full of admiration.

Zhang Xingfeng was immediately dumbfounded.

"Ah. You didn't know? Senior Carefree King, um, can I call you brother-in-law? I've already acknowledged Yu Yan as my sister!" Feng Xing's face was flushed, clearly very excited.

Zhang Xingfeng nodded mechanically, feeling that he couldn't quite figure out who this Feng Xing was.

"Hehe, brother-in-law, my sister Yu Yan waits for you every day. I always play with her. Also, my sister Feng Ming admires you a lot. She often says how amazing you are, how incredible you are..." Feng Xing kept talking.

"Ah, Senior Carefree King, you've returned! Hai Tian and the other places were really worried!" Lan Tian walked in from outside the courtyard gate and exclaimed with delight as soon as he entered.

Inside the main hall of the Ying Family.

"Brother Sheng, what do you mean by this?" The head of the Ying Family frowned deeply as he looked at everything before him.

The hall was filled with betrothal gifts, clearly indicating that the purpose of the visit was to propose marriage.

The head of the Sheng Family smiled slightly and said, "The marriage proposal is for my son Sheng Hao, to ask for a marriage with your Ying Family. This is also an opportunity for the Natural Spirit Faction and the Ghost Spirit Faction to become friendly with each other. Brother Ying, you must seize this opportunity."

"A marriage proposal? Very well, tell me! The Ying Family has countless women. Tell me which star region and which planet you're from! Sheng Hao has now reached the Emperor Rank. There are three Spirit Venerables among them, and I estimate that none of them have reached his level. With such a figure, what woman wouldn't be worthy of him?" The head of the Ying Family immediately smiled. Maintaining good relations with the Sheng Family, the most powerful of the Five Great Families, would still bring many benefits to the Ying Family.

"Ying Rou!"

Sheng Hao said firmly from his seat.

The head of the Ying Family's expression changed drastically.

Several years ago, after the two heirs of the two pillars of the Ghost Spirit Faction — the Ying Family and the Feng Family — Ying Qiang and Feng Shu both fell in love with Ying Rou, the Ghost Spirit Faction Sect was in turmoil. In the end, the Ying Family, the Feng Family, and the Nine Nether Spirit Venerable stepped in and decided on a competition!

A cultivation competition!

Ying Qiang and Feng Shu cultivate at the same time. Whoever reaches the Mid-grade Divine Human first will automatically withdraw, and the winner will have the opportunity to become Ying Rou's dao companion.

Of course, becoming dao companion is not so easy. First, both people must be in love with each other, so the final decision rests with Ying Rou.

The head of the Ying Family still remembered Ying Rou's composure back then. When the Ghost Spirit Faction consulted Ying Rou during their meeting, Ying Rou only said this, "If I dao companion, it must be the winner. Otherwise, I will live a solitary life and will not form dao companion with anyone else!"

The head of the Ying Family said with difficulty, "Sheng Hao, how come you're just like Qiang'er and the others? If you liked another girl, then there would be room for discussion, but you're talking about Ying Rou, so there's no way that's possible!"

Sheng Hao slowly walked to the center of the hall.

He glanced at the head of the Ying Family with a slight smile and said, "Uncle Ying, is it because of that competition?"

Upon hearing this, the head of the Ying Family immediately said, "It's good that you know about this competition, I don't need to say anything more."

Sheng Hao's aura immediately surged, so powerful that even the head of the Ying Family had to stand up.

"Now I have obtained the Saint Artifact of two Spirit Venerables, one is the Fire Wheel of Transformation and the other is the Water Wheel of Kui. You should know what this means." Sheng Hao glanced at the head of the Ying Family, and his aura continued to rise, instantly completely suppressing the head of the Ying Family.

Cold sweat began to bead on the forehead of the Ying Family patriarch. It wasn't because of Sheng Hao's imposing aura; even if Sheng Hao was slightly stronger than him, it was impossible for him to lose his composure just because of his aura. What shocked him most was what Sheng Hao had just said.

It should be noted that within the Natural Spirit Faction, the two Spirit Venerables completely control the overall situation, and this token is precisely the two Saint Artifacts of the Spirit Venerables. Now that Sheng Hao has obtained the two Saint Artifacts, Sheng Hao can be said to be the actual controller of the Natural Spirit Faction.

"Call out..."

With a flash of light, two rotating wheels floated above Sheng Hao's application.

A fiery red wheel, its black flames seemingly burning away the very space around it...

The other wheel was pure white, especially the surrounding chilling aura, a bluish-green chilling aura that constantly permeated the air...

The two wheels seemed like mortal enemies, constantly emitting powerful energy at each other. The power of fire and the power of ice and water clashed, and suddenly the entire hall began to make a hissing sound.

With a wave of his hand, Sheng Hao caused the two rotating wheels to disappear instantly.

"I hope Uncle Ying will tell all the elders that I am going to marry Ying Rou! I swear on my two Saint Artifacts, and also in the name of my future head of the Sheng Family!" Sheng Hao said calmly, then turned and walked out of the hall.

"Oh, right!" Sheng Hao suddenly turned around, looked at the head of the Ying Family, and said, "Uncle Ying, Ying Rou is free. She is not your private property. You have no right to let her be with anyone."

The head of the Ying Family immediately said, "We have already consulted Ying Rou's opinion. She has said that if she is to get married, she will only be with the winner of the competition. Otherwise, she will be alone for the rest of her life. We are not forcing her. She still has a choice!"

Sheng Hao sneered, "Choice? Is this what you call a choice? She can only choose to marry the winner or live alone. Hmph, if she had someone she liked, if that person were me, would she choose me?"

The head of the Ying Family was stunned.

"Don't forget the oath I just made. If you forget it, then you'll be just like this hall!" Sheng Hao turned and left.

"Boom!"

The hall suddenly collapsed; the battle between the two Saint Artifacts had nearly destroyed it.

Only the Ying Family members who Teleportation out remained, along with the smiling head of the Sheng Family.