One of my fairy-like friends

Doesn't exist? Mingyan didn't see any creatures when he went up the mountain, so he certainly didn't see that white-haired monster.

An ominous event will occur in his later years... Yu Mudan mentioned this, and even the Demon Emperor could not escape it. But an ominous event does not mean anything. Ming Yan does not believe that the Demon Emperor would be unable to deal with an ominous event. In his later years... he will either die in battle during the dark and turbulent era, or become a Great Human King and step into the world of the Half-Step Extreme Dao. If there is an ominous event, so what? He can suppress it with his powerful strength.

"Being influenced without realizing it, that's what makes the Holy Mountain so terrifying." Bai Ze sighed softly. "In ancient times, a demon elder was possessed by an ominous force, which brought endless calamities. Fortunately, you survived. If you had been killed by that monster, you would no longer be you."

Upon hearing this, Mingyan felt a bit scared. He remained silent for a moment, then said, "I was reckless."

“It’s not entirely your fault… I didn’t expect you to be able to break through the barrier and go outside, so I didn’t tell you the details of the Holy Mountain…” Bai Ze was somewhat speechless. “This ability is quite good, but don’t use it recklessly next time. If your body is possessed by something ominous… with your Human King Body, you alone will give the Empress a headache, not even waiting for the Dark Turmoil to arrive.”

"..." Mingyan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Besides these places, are there any other unique places on the Holy Mountain?"

"I don't know about that. Throughout history, those who explored the Sacred Mountain either went mad or died; none met a good end. Records are very limited. Although the Demon Emperor thoroughly investigated the entire mountain, he didn't reveal much to us. Even I don't know much about the Sacred Mountain. What? You're still very curious about it? You're not still thinking of entering it, are you?" Bai Ze's eyes twitched. "You really aren't afraid of death..."

He was only somewhat concerned about Di Yu; Bai Ze's demeanor didn't seem to indicate that he knew of Di Yu's existence...

Was she genuinely unaware, or was she feigning ignorance? Ming Yan pondered this for a long time, but couldn't come up with a reason for Bai Ze to pretend to be ignorant.

She could easily do them a favor, since Fei Yan had told her that no one else besides women with phoenix blood could use the Emperor's Feather. So why not do them a favor and return the Emperor's Feather to the Phoenix Family? The demon race and the Phoenix Family had no conflict, and because of the Phoenix Family's special status, their relationship was actually quite good. She seemed to have no reason not to return the Emperor's Feather to the Phoenix Family.

So it's very likely that Bai Ze really doesn't know about Di Yu's situation.

That seems even harder to explain. How could Di Yu have come to the summit of the Holy Mountain from the forbidden zone of life out of thin air?

It seems the secrets of the sacred mountain won't be revealed in the short term.

Mingyan bowed and said, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, senior. I will not let you down."

Seeing that Mingyan hadn't forgotten his promise, Bai Ze nodded, "That's good then."

Mingyan left Bai Ze's palace and headed towards his room.

Was I influenced by her? If I tell my master these things, will she... be less angry?

Mingyan pursed his lips. He wasn't the kind of person who liked to defend himself, and he didn't want to say these things to his master.

Moreover, even if one is indeed affected and loses the ability to judge, it is only because one has an obsession in one's heart, and that obsession is too deep.

Mingyan always felt he couldn't do anything for his master, so this time, given the opportunity to repay him, he became so stubborn that, influenced by his master, he couldn't even listen to his beloved master's words...

It's ironic. He was trying to make his master happy, but he ended up disappointing, upset and angry halfway through. Thinking of this, Mingyan felt guilty and remorseful. Is this how he repays his master?

He stood in front of his room and let out a long sigh. Moreover, what his master said was right. He was indeed very stubborn and needed to change.

Mingyan asked, "Master, may I come in?"

The room was silent. Mingyan hesitated for a moment, then pushed open the door and went inside.

There was no one inside, and he couldn't see his master anymore. It seemed that his master had left. Mingyan took a deep breath and treated this incident as a lesson, constantly reminding himself that there were still many people in the world who cared about him.

He... didn't just live for himself.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: An Ancient Opportunity

Mingyan walked into the room and looked at the fragments of starstone on the ground. They seemed to have lost their brilliance, and even if they were put together, it would probably be difficult to restore their former glory.

Mingyan collected the fragments. It turned out that after the star stone was broken, it was no different from an ordinary stone.

He was eager to return to Dongzhou, but Bai Ze had previously mentioned that something was going to happen in Nanzhou, perhaps some kind of opportunity, which he couldn't miss. So, he decided to return to Dongzhou as soon as this matter was over.

We can't go back empty-handed and disappoint our master again.

Mingyan rested inside for a while, then went out and found Yu Mudan.

Yu Mudan still wore that unique gradient-colored long dress, her posture elegant and dignified, truly worthy of the name of peony.

Although peonies are ordinary flowers, lacking spiritual energy, their innate beauty allows them to surpass all other flowers. A flower spirit like the Jade Peony, who has cultivated to such a high level, is the cream of the crop among peonies. Heaven bestowed upon her powerful talent for cultivation and an unparalleled beauty...

Is this Great Dao and Heavenly Dao truly fair?

"Brother Ming." Seeing Ming Yan approach, Yu Mudan smiled lightly, like a delicate flower blooming. Ming Yan remained unmoved. "Does Fairy Yu know what's happening in the Southern Continent recently?"

"I forgot to mention to Brother Ming, do you know anything about the seas beyond the mainland?" Upon hearing this, Yu Mudan's smile remained unchanged. She gestured for Ming Yan to walk and talk. The two walked side by side, one with unparalleled beauty and the other with a handsome face, making them seem quite well-matched.

"I've heard that some demons and humans also live in the seas beyond the mainland?"

“That’s right. There are some unique demon and human races living in the sea. Every ten years, they open those mysterious sea areas to other cultivators for exploration. They can take away any opportunities they find, but of course, they also have to bear all the consequences themselves.” Yu Mudan chuckled. “These demon and human races were initially sent to the seas outside the continent to investigate, but later they stayed in the sea and on some small islands. Over time, they formed some unique races and settled there.”

The origin of the demon race is not Yao Guang Star, and before the demon race came, the human race did not exist in this world. Ming Yan believes that it is very likely that the human race itself was not born on this planet, but came from other places.

They were all outsiders who settled here and spread to four continents and overseas.

“And this year is the time when the sea will be open,” Yu Mudan said. “Although the demon race and the human race have been living in the sea for a long time, they still have not been able to explore the entire ocean. The ocean is mysterious and rich, but it also has its violent and ferocious side.”

"What can we find in these sea areas?" Mingyan asked curiously.

Yu Mudan pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Ming, do you still remember the origin story of the demon race that I told you?"

Mingyan nodded.

"The arrival of the demon race on this planet is documented, and their origins can be traced. However, over the past hundreds of thousands of years, as we have continuously explored the seas, we have discovered that even before the demon race's origin, which was several million years ago, tens of millions of years ago, there were already some demons and humans on this planet. They cultivated immortality just like us, but their system was different from ours. There are some speculations that tens of millions of years ago, both humans and demons lived on this land, but due to some special reasons, they left this planet and went to other places."

"The Milky Way is vast, and it is not only Yao Guang Star that has humans and demons. Brother Ming should know this. However, their cultivation system is the same as ours, which comes from the supreme being of the human race who created and unified the current cultivation system. The civilizations discovered in the sea are completely different from the current cultivation system, but they are also extremely complete. The opportunities in the sea are the things left behind by cultivators from tens of millions of years ago."

Yu Mudan smiled and said, "Actually, I'm very curious about what era our two races were born in. Many people also want to trace our origins and find the place where we were born. There are too many secrets in this world that make people want to explore them, and they always keep us moving forward."

A cultivation system from tens of millions of years ago? Ming Yan pondered for a moment, thinking that it was very likely that people from millions of years ago knew about these things, but such a long time had passed, and the people of that era had long since died and disappeared.

Except for one person... that is "Mother", the first human king, who created the current cultivation system.

My sister once said that behind that wall was "Mother," and that Mother might have fallen into a deep sleep in some way. Perhaps she knew all of this?

"To enter these seas, one must pass through the entrance to the Southern Continent. The Southern Continent was the earliest settlement of the human and demon races. Those humans and demons also traveled to the seas from here. It is not possible to enter the seas from other continents; it is easy to get lost."

"Get lost?" Mingyan asked curiously. "Can one get lost simply by entering the sea from the Eastern Continent, the Northern Continent, or the Western Continent?"

“Yes…of course, if you are strong enough, for example, if you are a Saint of the Manifestation Realm or above, such as a Great Saint, Human King, or Great Emperor, then you don’t need to worry and can directly enter the sea through the mist. But for cultivators of our level, including Saint Lord level figures, that is, those Human Transcending Realm cultivators, we cannot guarantee that we will not get lost in these seas. Once we get lost, it means we will vanish into thin air.” Yu Mudan said, “These are all lessons learned in blood.”

These experiences need no further explanation; they must be because someone tried it and died.

"In general, geniuses from other continents will also be coming this time. These kinds of events are usually for cultivating the next generation, so there are some restrictions on entering these sea areas. Those whose strength exceeds the Divine Realm will not be allowed to pass."

"So, if Fairy Yu breaks through to the Taiyi Realm now, she won't be able to enter?" Mingyan asked.

“That’s true.” Yu Mudan smiled gently. “And obviously, Gu Hanshuang won’t miss this opportunity either, so it’s a pity that she can’t travel with Brother Ming.”

Yu Mudan assured Mingyan that she was only making sure he wouldn't stand against her and wouldn't let Gu Hanshuang know about their relationship, so that Gu Hanshuang wouldn't see Mingyan as an enemy.

Of course, this was just an agreement between the two of them. Only Yu Mudan herself knew what she really thought.

Mingyan nodded. Originally, he had planned to gradually show his willingness to help Yu Mudan, so as to establish a friendship with her and make it easier for him to climb the sacred mountain. But now that he had climbed the sacred mountain, he no longer needed to gain Yu Mudan's friendship in this way.

The current goal is to ease the conflict between the two and maintain this secret relationship so that he can find a way in.

Having already agreed, Mingyan certainly wouldn't just pay lip service.

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Leaving the Holy Mountain

To resolve the conflict between them, we must understand the conflict between them.

If Mingyan were to stand directly beside Yu Mudan, he would lose the opportunity to interact with Gu Hanshuang, so keeping this relationship a secret is essential.

Yes, it's a completely new attempt, and if it's successful, it will be quite rewarding.

"This is the first time I've seen Brother Ming's master in person. She is truly stunning. Even though I can't see her face clearly, I, a woman, am completely captivated." Yu Mudan sighed softly. "I've heard my master talk about some things about the Moon Shadow Saintess. If she weren't in this era, she might have the ability to touch or even enter that realm."

For other cultivators, having a Great Emperor on the throne is a blessing, because with a Great Emperor in the world, there will be less filth and bloodshed. But for these top geniuses, the Great Emperor's reign means that no matter how talented they are, they will not have the opportunity to become emperors.

Completely mesmerized... Upon hearing this, Mingyan couldn't help but smile. His master never revealed his true face to outsiders. Mingyan still remembered the first time he saw his master's face; he was completely stunned and captivated.

Mingyan had never lost his composure like this before. He was someone who knew how to appreciate beauty and wasn't face-blind, but he had never lost his composure like this when he saw the faces of Feiyan, Ning Feixuan, and his senior sister.

Moreover, it wasn't just his appearance; his master's temperament and his cold yet warm-hearted nature also made Mingyan feel an extraordinary fondness for him.

The master said that it was only because he possessed the Human King Physique that so many resources were poured into him.

Although Mingyan was somewhat saddened, he didn't take it entirely seriously. His own talent was certainly one of the reasons, Mingyan didn't deny it, but did he really think his master had absolutely no feelings for him? Mingyan didn't believe it. He still remembered the slightly subtle expression on his master's face when he gave him the Tranquil Half-Moon.

The fact that she didn't stop herself from learning about her past shows that her master couldn't have cultivated her solely out of a desire to exploit her, as she claimed.

Three parts truth, seven parts falsehood—that's probably it.

Master, in terms of looks alone, it's hard to surpass all others, right? Take Fei Yan's mother, Huang Junru, for example. In terms of looks, she and Master are completely equal, and her sister, Wang Qingchu, is even slightly better than Master. But Master treats him differently. Perhaps it's because she appeared too early and left an indelible impression on him, or perhaps Mingyan simply likes Master too much.

"Do you think it's a good thing that we live in this era?" Yu Mudan asked softly.

“Good news? Not really, after all, dark turmoil is coming.” Upon hearing this, Ming Yan came back to his senses and shook his head. “However, since we live in this era, we have our mission.”

"Do you think it's your responsibility to fight against the dark turmoil?" Yu Mudan asked, looking at Ming Yan.

"If I can protect those around me and still have the capacity, I certainly won't sit idly by." Mingyan nodded. "I will strive to improve myself and ensure that I can protect those around me from harm."

This statement is subtle... It sounds much more pleasant than the previous one. Yu Mudan smiled gently. Although the content has not changed, it sounds much better in this tone than the previous statement that seemed to have no ambition at all.

He risked his life to protect those around him... If his master's guess is true, then that Moon Shadow Saint Master may have even reached the Saint Realm.

There must be someone like this Moon Shadow Saintess among the people around her, so if you want to protect her, you naturally have to surpass her.

To surpass a saint is to become a great saint, or even a human king.

Hehe, with the Great Emperor in the world, the Great Dao is severely suppressed. How difficult it is to become a Great Sage or even a Human King.

Even her master, Bai Ze, with his extraordinary talent, was only a sage...

It seems I misunderstood Mingyan before...

Yu Mudan thought for a moment, then smiled slightly, "That's not easy."

Mingyan nodded. "I was already mentally prepared."

————————————————————

After returning to his room, Mingyan wanted to know where his master had gone. He couldn't help but think of the Heart-Sharing Pendant. His master hadn't taken the Heart-Sharing Pendant away. Perhaps he could use it to see if his master had really gone back.

Mingyan tried to use the Heart-to-Heart Pendant to observe Yue Wuxia, but soon found that he could not see any images. He was a little surprised, as it was not like this before. What happened?

He suddenly realized, could it be that his master had somehow obscured his vision, preventing him from observing her through the Heart-to-Heart Pendant?

Well... it's not entirely unexpected. After all, Master definitely understands the Yin-Yang Harmony Realm better than I do, and she's well aware that I can see her through the Harmony Pendant, so it's normal for her to find a way to prevent me from seeing her.

How can I appease Master's anger? If I gain a lot of opportunities this time, Master should calm down, right?

Come to think of it, Master probably often used the Heart-to-Heart Pendant to see what I was doing, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have contacted me at that time.

Knowing that his master clearly cared about him, Mingyan felt much more at ease.