Besides Lu Chen and Ye Fan, there were others in the small world, namely the Demon Race princess Yan Ruyu and her companions.
The Peacock King had originally spent eight hundred years in secluded cultivation within this space left behind by a sage. Only because the Ji Family had oppressed the Azure Emperor's descendants had he emerged in fury to demand justice for the Demon Race princess, smashing the Ji Family's gates and hunting down Ji Haoyue, who possessed a divine body.
Because of Ye Fan's powerful constitution, Yan Ruyu had recently entrusted him with nurturing the Demon Emperor's heart. The two had nearly become Dao companions as a result, so they already knew each other.
Unfortunately, the Ji Family's pursuit had disrupted that plan. Ye Fan had also squeezed the emperor's heart within his Sea of Bitterness too ruthlessly, causing the Azure Emperor's heart to flee on its own. Naturally, their plans to become Dao companions had fallen through.
Over the past few days, Ye Fan had introduced Lu Chen to the Demon Race princess Yan Ruyu and her group of demons. In this small world, which spanned only a few dozen li, they often interacted.
Among them was a beautiful female demon named Qin Yao, who was often tangled up with Ye Fan. Who knew what matters of life they were secretly discussing!
On this day, an old friend of the Peacock King finally arrived. He was an Immortal Second Realm Mighty Figure from the Northern Region, a Demon King who had attained the Dao as a flood dragon. His fame in the Northern Region rivaled the Peacock King's; both stood at the pinnacle of the world in this era.
Everyone gathered for a small get-together in a pavilion at the center of a lake. Lu Chen and Ye Fan were among those invited.
The one who looked like a delicate-featured youth was the Peacock King, while the imposing, domineering middle-aged man was the Azure Flood Dragon King from the Northern Region.
There was also a young woman of eighteen or nineteen, whose beauty could topple cities and kingdoms. Her bearing transcended the mortal world, like an immortal maiden untouched by its earthly smoke and fire. She was the Demon Race princess, Yan Ruyu.
She sat quietly behind a jade table, her hair dancing gently in the breeze. Her long lashes occasionally fluttered, and mist seemed to drift within her eyes. Her lips and teeth gleamed with an alluring luster, her neck was slender and graceful, and her skin and bones seemed sculpted from ice and jade. With her exquisite face and the hazy curves of her jade-like body, she was like a flawless masterpiece of heaven.
Besides the five of them, several old demons were also present, all longtime attendants of Yan Ruyu.
"The Emperor Tomb emerged, and the Bronze Immortal Palace appeared. The Southern Region has entered a troubled autumn, and now it seems dark currents are surging through the Northern Region as well." The Azure Flood Dragon King's visit had brought much news from the Northern Region, prompting the Peacock King's sigh.
The imposing Azure Flood Dragon King nodded. "A month ago, moonlight filled the sky over the Primordial Ancient Mine, streaming into it like the waters of great rivers. Some even saw hideous ancient creatures appear. I'm afraid something is about to emerge, so I came specifically to invite you to explore it with me, Brother Peacock."
The Primordial Ancient Mine was one of the Eastern Wasteland's Seven Great Life Forbidden Zones. It had remained dormant throughout the long ages, yet recently strange phenomena had begun appearing one after another.
Not only had ancient creatures emerged, but some observers had even seen humanoid beings take action in the sky above the mine's center, summoning wind and rain and making the stars of the heavens pale in comparison.
Ethereal immortal music had even drifted from within the Primordial Ancient Mine, leaving the cultivators outside utterly entranced.
The Primordial Ancient Mine had endured through the ages, already existing when the Human Race first arose on the Big Dipper. Just how ancient it was remained unknown. Even undying powers with legacies stretching back over a hundred thousand years, such as the Northern Region's Jiang Family and the Jade Pool Holy Land, could scarcely uncover its secrets. Ancient records described it in no more than a few scattered words.
Past and present are like the sea, with tides that rise and fall. Now the essence of heaven and earth is beginning to revive, a golden age is approaching, and the beings within the Life Forbidden Zones are awakening! Hearing the news from the Northern Region, Lu Chen, who had once been an outsider to this world, understood the reason behind it.
"At our current realm, breaking through by secluded cultivation alone is far too difficult." The Peacock King nodded in agreement. "Give me some time to prepare, and I'll go to the Northern Region with you."
"Excellent!" The Azure Flood Dragon King laughed heartily. "With your help, Brother Peacock, we'll be even stronger when facing those holy lands and desolate ancient families."
"The Demon Race is weak in the Southern Region now. Would you be willing to relocate to the Northern Region, Princess?" the Peacock King asked, turning to Yan Ruyu.
"Then I'm sorry for troubling you both, seniors!" Yan Ruyu gently set down her wine cup with her slender, translucent jade-like hand and nodded in agreement.
At this point, Ye Fan rose and bowed. "Seniors, when you cross over to the Northern Region, could you take this junior along?" For him, the Southern Region was now fraught with danger at every turn. Only by leaving the territory under the Ji Family's control could he be safe.
"Of course. We'll take you along when the time comes, young Brother Ye," the Peacock King readily agreed.
Ye Fan had been born with a desolate ancient sacred body and had now embarked on the path of cultivation. He had also learned the peerless footwork of the Tianxuan Holy Land's Mad Old Man, giving him a certain connection to that unrivaled figure. These were the reasons the Peacock King valued him and was willing to lend him a hand.
Later, the Thirteen Great Bandits of the Northern Region supported Ye Fan at every turn for much the same reasons. They valued his terrifying potential and wanted to wager on his future.
After all, delivering charcoal in the snow was far more memorable than adding flowers to brocade.
As for those holy lands and desolate ancient families, they had stood high above and looked down upon the Eastern Wasteland for far too long. Their approach leaned toward control rather than winning people over. When they felt that an independent cultivator with astonishing potential like Ye Fan could not be put to their use, their first thought was to destroy him, snuffing him out before he could grow.
"Princess, some time ago, I happened to obtain news of a divine treasure. I'd like to exchange it for something of yours, though I hope I'm not being presumptuous!" Lu Chen had spoken little in the pavilion, and only now did he smile and raise the matter with Yan Ruyu.
"Oh? What would you like in exchange, Young Master Lu?" Yan Ruyu's long lashes fluttered slightly. She was beautiful beyond description, and a hint of curiosity shone in her bright eyes as she asked.
The Peacock King, the Azure Flood Dragon King, Ye Fan, and the old demons all looked toward Lu Chen as well, wondering what he wanted from the princess.
"Two years ago, the Emperor Tomb emerged in the Primordial Ruins, and the sacred heart of the Demon Race's Great Emperor came into your possession, Princess. I'd like to exchange it for a few drops of essence blood from the emperor's heart," Lu Chen said solemnly.
The Azure Emperor had dismembered himself, leaving both the Green Lotus Emperor Weapon and his heart to his descendants. When the Emperor Tomb opened two years ago, Yan Ruyu had obtained them.
"A Great Emperor's essence blood rivals divine medicine and is almost impossible to find anywhere in the world." A trace of curiosity appeared on the Peacock King's delicate face. "Young Brother Lu, what do you intend to offer the princess in exchange?"
The others also looked at Lu Chen, eager to learn what divine treasure he possessed that could be exchanged for the Demon Emperor's essence blood.
"Young Master Lu, if you can truly offer a divine treasure equal in value to my ancestor's essence blood, and it is something I need, then exchanging blood from the emperor's heart is not out of the question," Yan Ruyu said softly, her jade-like lips moving slightly.
Lu Chen smiled, set down the white jade wine cup in his hand, and shook his head. "That divine treasure would be of little use to you personally, Princess, but it is a supreme treasure of the Demon Race. Relatively speaking, it should be even more precious than the Immortal Divine Medicine."
"What!"
"More precious than the Immortal Divine Medicine!" several old demons exclaimed.
The Immortal Divine Medicine was a peerless rarity that could grant someone another lifetime-even an Ancient Great Emperor was no exception. What in this world could possibly be more precious than that?
Could it be an Extreme Dao Weapon!
Before you continue