The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Liu Ling continued, ”Just as the Human Race was suffering one defeat after another, a single human stepped forward. He was the Cyan Emperor. Clad in cyan robes, his three-foot blade suppressed countless demons. Even at the Nascent Soul Peak, his Sword Slash could fell a Divinity Transformation expert. The Path of Extreme Emotion was just that terrifying. He stabilized the Human Race and halted its collapse!”

”The Cyan Emperor was naturally the most dazzling figure of his era. The Human Race, the Demon Race, and even the other Demon Race were all studying his Sword Dao. It was then that Yun Mixue caught the eye of those with ulterior motives. Many sought to use her to control the Cyan Emperor, but she stunned the entire Floating Shadow Realm with a single display of her Frost Dream Realm Divine Technique. For a time, the Fox Demon Race stood above all other Demon Races. Under the combined influence of the Cyan Emperor and Yun Mixue, the Human and Demon Races finally enjoyed a period of peace.”

Chen Dong frowned. ’If that was the case, how could the Floating Shadow Realm have ended up in its current state?’

Liu Ling gave a bitter smile. ”You must be very puzzled, right?”

Chen Dong nodded.

Liu Ling explained with a tone of regret, ”The problem lay in the Daos they cultivated. Though their combat power was exceptional and their talent unparalleled, they were both only at the Nascent Soul Peak. The Floating Shadow Realm is vast, with no shortage of cultivators in the Divinity Transformation Stage. Beneath the fragile peace they worked so hard to maintain, dark currents still surged. Only by breaking through to Divinity Transformation could they have truly suppressed the entire Floating Shadow Realm.”

”And to break through to Divinity Transformation, the Path of Extreme Emotion requires reaching the state of Severing the Dao to Find Oneself, while the Path of Emotion requires transcending emotion to reach the Realm of Emotionlessness!”

Chen Dong was perplexed. He didn’t cultivate either of those paths, so he had no idea what their true meanings were.

Liu Ling sighed again in lament. ”Their two paths were a complete paradox. Once someone on the Path of Extreme Emotion severs the Dao to find themselves, their emotions merge into the Extreme Dao. The object of their affection—in this case, Yun Mixue—would be forever trapped at the Nascent Soul Stage, unable to transcend her own path. Conversely, if Yun Mixue were to first transcend her path and reach the Realm of Emotionlessness, it would instantly destroy the Cyan Emperor’s Dao Heart and render him a powerless cripple. To invest one’s deepest feelings into someone who then becomes devoid of feeling… the Path of Extreme Emotion would simply collapse on its own.”

”They were both peerless geniuses. Knowing what awaited them after their breakthroughs, they chose to remain stagnant for each other’s sake. This continued until a hundred years ago, when the Second Elder of the Fox Race, Yun Miqiu, mastered the Frost Dream Realm. At that point, Yun Mixue cast off the last of her mental shackles, willing to sacrifice herself to ensure the Cyan Emperor’s success. After a millennium as Dao Companions, the two finally set a date for their wedding.”

”But on their wedding day, the Cyan Emperor never appeared. Yun Mixue waited bitterly atop Frost Fox Mountain for three months, only to receive news that during that time, the Cyan Emperor had returned with a baby girl, claiming she was his own daughter. This was the reward for sacrificing her own path to immortality. Instead of transcending her feelings, her Dao Heart shattered and she plunged into an abyss of emotion. She died full of hatred among the Frost Fox Race. Soon after the object of his devotion passed away, the Cyan Emperor lost all of his Spirit Techniques and died on the summit of Cyan Sword Peak.”

Chen Dong’s heart skipped a beat. He sighed, ”Perhaps only an emotional bond that profound can allow someone to wield power that transcends their own Realm.”

A flicker of self-reflection appeared in Liu Ling’s eyes. ’Perhaps that’s really how it is. Otherwise, how could I, a member of the Demon Race, have become the Artifact Spirit of the Demon Refining Pot?’

She then said softly, ”Yun Mengshang was raised by Yun Mixue, and that incident affected her deeply. Ever since then, she has refused to trust any male cultivators and utterly despises the Human Race. But to comprehend the Frost Illusion Dream Realm, one must first experience love—a love as ephemeral and beautiful as a dream. Only then can one construct the Frost Dream Realm…”

Chen Dong nodded. ”I’m not cultivating the Path of Extreme Emotion; we just need Yun Mengshang to experience love herself. If I had the Exquisite Origin Purple Fern now, I would be much more confident. Liu Ling, is there any way for you to get it?”

Liu Ling shook her head. ”The Cyan Sky Sect has Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators. It would be unwise for me to try and steal it directly.”

’As expected,’ Chen Dong thought. ’It’s no surprise that one of the three major sects has trump cards like that.’

Chen Dong said, ”Then send a message to Zisang Jin. Have her get it, and you can go pick it up from her. That would be much faster. If we can heal the Second Elder, we’ll have more time to work with.”

Liu Ling looked at Chen Dong, uncertain.

”Will Zisang Jin really listen to you? Especially if it’s to help the Fox Demon Race!”

”It seems the baby the Cyan Emperor brought back was Zisang Jin! Does she blame the Fox Demon Race for his death?”

Liu Ling nodded solemnly. ”Yes. Of all the Demon Races, Zisang Jin despises the Fox Demon Race the most. If she finds out what you intend to use the Exquisite Origin Purple Fern for, she will certainly refuse to help. That’s why I warned you not to say too much to her.”

”It’s fine. I just won’t tell her the reason. The Guardian Array is no longer secure. Stabilizing a major power among the Demon Race is of great benefit to the Human Race as well. Even if she knew, I’d like to think she would understand.”

Liu Ling had been about to say that the Cyan Sky Sect already knew the Demon Race was searching for the Exquisite Origin Purple Fern. Sending a message now was not only risky, but the chances of actually getting the herb were also extremely low. Hearing Chen Dong’s words, however, she cast aside her misgivings and decided to give it a shot.

Chen Dong took out his Walking Token, and Liu Ling cast a technique on it, allowing it to transmit far beyond its usual range to contact Zisang Jin.

Chen Dong had just begun, ”Peak Master Zisang—”

When Zisang Jin’s scolding voice immediately came through, ”Where in the world did you run off to, you brat? We agreed you’d report in regularly, but we haven’t heard a peep from you for a whole month! If you hadn’t contacted us now, the entire sect was about to send people into the Demon Realm to find you!”

Since he was in the City Lord’s Mansion of Fox Immortal City, and with Yun Misha around, Chen Dong had no choice but to be brief.

”I’m safe for now, Peak Master, no need to worry. But I urgently need the Exquisite Origin Purple Fern. Is there any way you can get it for me?”

On the other end, it was as if Zisang Jin stopped breathing for a second. Her voice dropped as she demanded, ”Are you in the territory of the Frost Fox Race, or are you in Mu Xue City?”