Chapter 7: Chapter Seven: The Yin Heavenly Emperor

Golden threads and silver curtains; an ancient censer births fragrance.

Behind the beautiful woman stood three to five attendants, some holding fans, others incense, others mirrors; they were all young men of handsome countenance, clad in brocade robes and jade belts, their bearing and elegance extraordinary, even faintly radiating Dao Qi around their bodies.

Within this Azure Sky Palace, the music had originally been grand and magnificent, lingering and melodious, creating a scene of sectarian harmony, yet the beautiful woman's words stirred a touch of awkwardness.

All the musicians playing zithers and flutes trembled with fear, wishing only to cover their ears and pretend they had never heard such words.

The three elders keeping company also reacted differently.

Yan Yan Feichen smiled, while Gu Jun's face was gloomy, seeming dissatisfied.

Master Yuanji Master was even more uneasy, glancing repeatedly at everyone's expressions; on his round, fat face, joy and worry mingled, his eyeballs rolling about wildly.

"Wretched woman! Deserve death! Deserve death utterly! Years ago you sought to steal my Yuan Yang and disrupt my Dao Heart; now you bring up old matters again—do you truly think I cannot kill you?"

The master of Xuanzhen Sect furrowed his brows, barely suppressing the anger on his face, his heart greatly troubled.

"Aunt, spare the idle chatter! You were comfortably in Shangyu; why run to my Dharma field? What exactly do you intend to do?"

He sneered with mockery:

"I heard that although you are favored by an elder of the demonic Huzhao Sect, she demanded you alone subdue three vicious, wrathful Yin-Sheng Demons before agreeing to accept you into her sect."

"In recent years, you have stirred up trouble in the mortal realms, committing countless sins, and were chased three thousand li by Jun Yao of Yu Yuchen Sect; were it not for the protection of our clan's elders, you would have long been slain by his thunder techniques as a demon-exterminating act!"

This time, it was the beautiful woman's turn to look ugly.

The master of Xuanzhen Sect regarded her with interest and asked with a smile:

"However, Aunt, it seems you also refined one vicious, wrathful Yin-Sheng Demon? You just hadn't time to subdue it before it escaped, correct? Pity, truly a great pity, heh!"

"Xiao Xiao Jian, there is no need for such behavior," the beautiful woman said coldly.

"If we are comparing misfortune, who could surpass you? Look: once the noble Young Master of our Ai clan, a great Daoist of Yu Yuchen Sect, you have now fallen to such a state that you cannot even secure a Xuanzhu Xuanzhu Fudi, forced to dwell in this broken mountain."

"If, back then, you had advanced to True Disciple—"

"Shut your mouth!"

The master of Xuanzhen Sect instantly flew into a rage; his gaze transformed into two sharp beams of divine light that, with a single swirl, leapt into the air and slashed down upon the beautiful woman's head.

These divine beams, like light and lightning, reached the woman in an instant, yet she remained unhurried; the many servants behind her joined forces to offer up a bronze mirror, shining it toward the sky, thereby firmly locking those two beams in place.

"Ai Xiao Jian, with merely this 'Refining-Degree Eye Sword' of yours, you think to harm me? Even without external tools, it cannot pierce my Dao Body," the woman said, shaking her head in disdain.

"What is this?"

On the Black Crane Cloud Couch, Ai Xiao Jian, who had been bursting with anger, instead calmed down:

"Where did you obtain this Kuigang Mirror? I have not returned to Shangyu for many years; have those clan elders become so generous as to give you a magical treasure suitable for a Golden Core True Person?"

"I am not the original owner of the Kuigang Mirror; I am merely borrowing it."

"Oh?"

"Xiao Xiao Jian, I specifically came here not to quarrel with you; continuing to expose each other's shortcomings will only damage the affection between us." The woman clapped her hands and said with a grin.

Ai Xiao Jian snorted coldly, killing intent flashing in his eyes before vanishing.

"During these years in Xiao Ganshan, you must have heard a rumor from the clan, yes?"

"A rumor? From Shangyu?" Ai Xiao Jian pondered briefly and said indifferently, "Could it be that girl said to be born amidst an omen of red light filling the entire city, bathed in water carried by a green bird?"

"Precisely; Xiao Xiao Jian, do not underestimate her," the beautiful woman said. "Not only was she born miraculous, but now she has caught the eye of Chiming Sect, one of the Eight Sects of the Profound Gate; Zhuojing True Person, who has been in closed cultivation for a hundred years, will personally descend the mountain to take her as a direct disciple—"

"Enough, Aunt, no need to say more! I roughly guess your intention already! I thought it was something else?"

Ai Xiao Jian waved his hand, rudely interrupting her remaining words:

"In terms of cultivation, you are at least a cultivator of Cave-Mystic Second Layer; in terms of kinship, you are her elder. Is a mere yellow-mouthed child worth such efforts on your part?"

"If Aunt wishes to degrade herself, that is your own affair; I will not accompany you in it."

He raised his hand and pointed toward the clouds outside the palace, signaling her departure:

"We simply do not see eye to eye; please leave."

"Asking me to leave is fine, but what about you, Xiao Xiao Jian? I recall that after causing that disaster, you have always wished to return to Yu Yuchen Sect and even sought the clan leader's intervention to mediate for you."

The beautiful woman did not move, still smiling brightly: "If you are willing to help me this time, once the matter succeeds, with this merit added to my speaking well of you before my niece... perhaps you could achieve your wish?"

"..."

Ai Xiao Jian did not answer.

"You only know our niece was born miraculous, yet you do not know just how miraculous she truly is." Seeing Ai Xiao Jian silent, the beautiful woman rose gracefully and spoke:

"She practiced the clan's Hun Qi Fa and cultivated Purple-Clarity True Qi, ranked among the top tier of the nine grades; after bowing to Zhuojing True Person of Chiming Sect as her master, she was further granted scriptures. Within ten years, she established her Dao Foundation, opened her Purple Palace, entered Cave-Mystic... and now, she is nearly drawing in the Five Essences to step into Cave-Mystic Second Layer."

"... How old is she?"

Ai Xiao Jian suddenly asked.

"Twenty-four."

At these words, an immediate uproar arose.

"A Cave-Mystic Refiner at twenty-four? This is a genuine rare commodity! Damn it! Missing this would invite heaven's lightning strike!"

Master Yuanji the Ascended's heart burned with fervor; he could not help rubbing his fists together.

Opposite him, Yan Yan Feichen, seeing his behavior, showed disdain on his face.

Apart from the varied expressions of the several elders and the musicians, who were already stunned into silence and dared not speak.

On the Black Crane Jade Platform, Ai Xiao Jian remained mentally wandering beyond the heavens, as if the matter concerned him not.

After a long while, he slowly spoke:

"Even so, how can you guarantee she can enable my return to Yu Yuchen Sect? Relying merely on a mere Cave-Mystic Second Layer and an elder of another sect?"

"This mountain man has his own marvelous plan; Xiao Xiao Jian, just set your mind at ease. When have I ever lied to you?" The beautiful woman blinked coquettishly.

"Very well..." Ai Xiao Jian's expression flickered uncertainly; after a long moment, he finally sighed:

"Our niece—how does she wish me to serve her?"

"To find someone."

"Who are you looking for?" Ai Xiao Jian asked.

"Naturally, the Son of Yin."

"The Son of Yin?"

Within the True Dharma Realm.

Chen Heng's severed head and broken corpse quickly vanished along with that pool of blood; in the blink of an eye, a new body appeared in the same spot.

"Cough... cough cough..."

After being reborn, he coughed repeatedly, and a sickly flush rose to his face.

Although dying within the Yizhen Fa Zhi Jie caused no harm to one's true body, if an ordinary person died a hundred or so times in a single day, it would still be a peculiar form of torment.

"I have comprehended ninety-nine percent; only the final fraction remains..."

Chen Heng joined his fingers to form a pen and unconsciously wrote and drew upon the ground, frowning as he said, "Where exactly has this final fraction gone astray?"