Huang Xiaolong sneered inwardly, seeing Xie Bufan throw the jade fan towards him in a disgruntled manner. Could he not know Xie Bufan’s intention?
Before Xie Bufan’s unblinking attention, Huang Xiaolong reached out with his right hand and firmly caught the jade fan in midair.
Watching this, Xie Bufan gloated inwardly while thinking, ‘you asked for this, so don’t blame me.’
After catching the jade fan, with a flick of his wrist, the jade fan opened. As he looked at the painting of vast mountains and vigorous rivers on the jade fan, Huang Xiaolong nodded his head in appreciation and praised, “A good fan!”
He then put away the jade fan into the Darkness Holy Ring.
Xie Bufan was dumbfounded. This? He stared at the seemingly unaffected Huang Xiaolong with disbelief. He’s…. fine?
“Huang Xiaolong, you’re fine?” Xie Bufan asked, sounding a little dazed.
Huang Xiaolong smiled, “What could happen to me?” He looked at Xie Bufan meaningfully as he added, “What? You want something to happen to me?”
The corner of Xie Bufan’s mouth twitched as he forced a nonchalant smile on his face. He neither explained nor answered Huang Xiaolong’s question. His heart was bleeding thinking about that jade fan. In order to forge the Scenic Mountain Fan, it had taken him almost a hundred thousand years. Not to mention, countless holy spiritual jade stones he had spent before collecting the necessary one thousand kinds of mountain essences, and one thousand kinds of water essences. He also had paid a large sum to invite the Devil Palace’s Forging Hall Master to forge the fan for him.
The Scenic Mountain Fan was his most prized possession and the fan almost never left his hand. But now…!
In the meantime, the Eternal Chamber of Commerce’s people had already taken two branches and twenty leaves from the Yang Bone Tree, and Huang Xiaolong also put the tree away for safekeeping.
The Eternal Chamber of Commerce’s President Zuo Qiusheng enthusiastically retained Huang Xiaolong, inviting him into the inner hall. Upon seeing that it wasn’t going to be easy to decline Zui Qiusheng’s zealous invitation, Huang Xiaolong could only agree.
Watching Zuo Qiusheng’s beaming face as he invited Huang Xiaolong, Xie Bufan’s expression darkened like a brewing storm as he stared at Huang Xiaolong’s back.
“Senior Brother Bufan, that Huang Xiaolong must have used a secret method passed by the Heavenly Master or one of the four Primal Ancestors to resurrect the Yang Bone Tree.” Dou Rui added, “Do we…?” He was asking Xie Bufan if they were going to snatch the jade fan back.
Xie Bufan replied sullenly, “We’ll discuss this when we go back!”
He had originally come to the Eternal Chamber of Commerce to see if he could figure out a way to resurrect the Yang Bone Tree, so he could borrow the Yang Bone Tree’s effect to raise his own strength further. Who would've thought that he would not only fail to resurrect the Yang Bone Tree, he even lost the Scenic Mountain Fan!
This was a good example of suffering double damage in trying to trick the enemy.
Huang Xiaolong!
If that’s how you want to play, don’t blame my Devil Palace for being cruel and ruthless.
Back in the Devil Palace’s branch building, Xie Bufan immediately summoned all the Devil Palace’s representative disciples participating in the stage battle. He repeatedly emphasized to them that there was no need to be merciful to their opponents on the stage, and they could be as brutal as they liked.
“Remember, immediately after you defeat Huang Xiaolong, take away every single spatial artifact on him. Do you hear me?!” Xie Bufan went on, “Whoever snatches the Scenic Mountain Fan for me will be heavily rewarded!”
“Yes, Senior Brother Xie Bufan.”
On the other hand, Huang Xiaolong was having a good time talking to the Eternal Chamber of Commerce’s President Zuo Qiusheng. It was perhaps because Huang Xiaolong had resurrected the Yang Bone Tree, and Zuo Qiusheng had gotten what he needed to save his wife, he was relaxed and in a good mood, which made him enjoy Huang Xiaolong’s company.
It was half a day later when Huang Xiaolong bid farewell and stepped out from the Eternal Chamber of Commerce’s building.
Huang Xiaolong returned to the Holy Heavens’ branch. At the garden of his courtyard, Huang Xiaolong took out the Yang Bone Tree and placed it at the center of the yard. The yard was instantly lit up by a reddish glow.
As he looked at the Yang Bone Tree, its vivid amber patterns and bright reddish glow enveloping each leaf, Huang Xiaolong was filled with a satisfied happiness.
With this Yang Bone Tree, the chances of him advancing to a Fourth Tribulation half-True Saint before the Trial of Blood increased.
Although the Eternal Chamber of Commerce had taken away two branches and twenty leaves, it did not affect the newly resurrected Yang Bone Tree in any way. There were eight new branches and more than a dozen smaller twigs. In fact, the Eternal Chamber of Commerce had only taken two twigs. As for the Yang Bone Leaves, he had a whole tree full of them. Twenty leaves were nothing but a drop of water in the bucket.
Without wasting time, Huang Xiaolong sat cross-legged on the ground, picked a leaf of the Yang Bone Tree, and then swallowed it down.
Yang Bone Leaf was not as difficult to swallow as Huang Xiaolong had imagined. The leaf melted the moment it entered his mouth, emitting a comfortable warm temperature. A slight sourness hung at the tip of his tongue, but the aftertaste was quite memorable.
Huang Xiaolong circulated the Grandmist Parasitic Medium, absorbing the Yang Bone Leaf. It continued onwards, after absorbing the first Yang Bone Leaf, he picked a second leaf.
The Holy Mandate Imprint glimmered brightly as the Holy World’s origin energy rushed down from the void.
Huang Xiaolong shut out everything happening outside his courtyard, and fully focused on cultivating.
…
In the blink of an eye, half a month went by.
On this day, the Departing Sword Sage came over to report that the Clear Snow Palace’s three beauties had come to visit and asked if Huang Xiaolong wanted to see them?
“The Clear Snow Palace’s three beauties? Lin Xiaoying?” Huang Xiaolong was genuinely surprised by the unexpected guests.
He hadn’t thought that he would see them there at the Mirage Pavilion.
The Departing Sword Sage smiled, “Yes, it’s them. Does Your Highness want to see Miss Lin Xiaoying?”
There was an element of teasing in the Departing Sword Sage’s smile, sending Huang Xiaolong an undisguised meaning. He knew it was Huang Xiaolong who had ‘accompanied’ Lin Xiaoying through some ‘difficult days’ in the Profound River. He was there as well.
Lin Xiaoying could be considered as Huang Xiaolong’s ‘old friend.’
Huang Xiaolong rolled his eyes speechlessly at the Departing Sword Sage’s teasing smile. He stood up and said, “Let’s go out and meet them.”
Since the Clear Snow Palace’s Lin Xiaoying was there, he was bound to go and welcome her personally, or he would be looked upon as tactless and arrogant.
Stepping out from his yard, the Departing Sword Sage followed closely behind Huang Xiaolong, grinning as he said, “Your Highness, you don’t know, but the Clear Snow Palace’s three beauties only arrived here yesterday, and they are already paying you a visit today. This has stirred quite a commotion outside. Now, everyone at the Mirage Pavilion is envious to death of Your Highness.”
Huang Xiaolong smiled, “According to you, there are a lot of people who wish they could kill me with a look?”
Both of them laughed.
When they reached the branch’s main entrance, Huang Xiaolong saw Tan Juan, Ji Xinyi, and Lin Xiaoying waiting. Three beautiful ladies standing there were akin to three different scenic views that pleased the senses just the same.
Apart from the three of them, there was a large crowd, gathering in the distance, consisting of Holy Princes from various holy grounds, who were only courageous enough to peek from afar. These rows and rows of admirers, waiting at bay, were real-life proof of these three ladies’ charm.
Upon seeing Huang Xiaolong coming out, and his tall build with a straight back, and every muscle that screamed masculinity, made the three ladies’ eyes light up. Lin Xiaoying’s heartbeat inexplicably quickened.
Huang Xiaolong walked up to them and cupped his fists as he greeted, “Senior Sisters, welcome. Please forgive me for the delay in welcoming you.”
The three ladies smiled and nodded their heads.
Ji Xinyi spoke first, “Junior Brother Huang Xiaolong, the two of us have no opinion if you call the two of us senior sisters, but if you call Junior Sister Lin Xiaoying as a senior sister, she might not be happy about that.”
Tan Juan laughed, “Exactly.”
Lin Xiaoying blushed, and she shot the two of them a glare.
Huang Xiaolong was afraid even more terrifying words would come out from Tan Juan and Ji Xinyi’s mouths, so he quickly invited them inside.
Huang Xiaolong had barely escorted the three ladies inside, when Li Chen, Xie Yao, Lin Yijia, and several others came rushing out from the hall. When Li Chen spotted Tan Juan, the delight in his eyes was blinding as he hastened towards the three ladies.
