As the Scarlet Flame Angel perished, the Radiant Angel in the far west awakened.
He did not gain the Scarlet Flame Angel's power, but he did witness the scene of his destruction.
The Scarlet Flame Angel's end was truly miserable, besieged by four equally powerful beings.
Enraged, the Radiant Angel, who ranked sixth among the twelve-winged Seraphim, knew the Scarlet Flame Angel was a pillar of the Light Race. Witnessing such a fate, he resurrected three other angels upon awakening.
These four angels, with him at their head, prepared to descend upon Huaxia to avenge the Scarlet Flame Angel.
Despite facing a four-on-four battle, he was confident in his strength, being the only one among them to have broken through the mid-Nascent Soul stage. He was also the third-ranked among the twelve-winged Seraphim. Had it not been for a catastrophe a thousand years ago, he would surely have grown his wings.
Alas, he was just a step short, though it did not affect his power.
News of the four angels' emergence stirred the West, for their gods had awakened.
For a period, Western news and television were dominated by reports of the four angels.
This development directly impacted the secular world.
Many Westerners began publishing articles, their central theme being the resurrection of the four angels. They prophesied a dark era for Huaxia, a time when it would tremble beneath the West's feet.
Though only a few understood that the angels' resurgence meant disaster for the secular world due to a shortage of cultivators, as angels, to regain their peak power, would extend their dark reach to the secular realm, sparing even ordinary people.
However, for the fervent few, this was of no concern. Many deranged individuals were even willing to sacrifice their lives for the angels.
After all, this represented a monumental leap. For the past five thousand years, the West had been suppressed by Huaxia.
Indeed, when Huaxia entered a civilized age, the West was still a collection of primitive tribes. Now, with the resurrection of the four angels, for these individuals, it was more than just a shift in the balance of power; it was the potential plunge of Huaxia into an era of utter darkness.
This was a future many Westerners yearned for.
Yet, their fervent hopes were short-lived. Before they could revel for long, the four angels began their path of darkness, and several Western cities were annihilated overnight.
The four angels were the culprits, having plundered the life force of these secular civilians.
Though the power was diluted, with hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people, the four angels reaped a bountiful harvest.
Overnight, the West trembled. They had expected the angels to hasten to Huaxia upon their resurrection, but instead, this unfolded.
However, to many Westerners, the sacrifice was deemed worthwhile, as the four angels had already declared war on Huaxia.
As long as Huaxia could be plunged into eternal night, this sacrifice was, in their eyes, entirely justified.
In Huaxia, the Heavenly Emperor, Tian Di, naturally learned of this news.
He hurried to consult Yun Fan, for as the Heavenly Emperor, he could not stand idly by while the secular world faced peril.
Yet, he felt powerless, as the four angels were too formidable; the secular world's forces were no match for their might.
"Junior Yun, do you have confidence?" he asked Yun Fan.
In this moment, Yun Fan was his only hope.
Yun Fan replied, "Rest assured, if they dare to come, I will ensure they never return!"
In truth, he only said this to reassure the Heavenly Emperor. After all, facing four angels alone would be a monumental challenge.
Moreover, one of the four angels possessed a power that surpassed his own, as recorded by Dai Qisi: the Radiant Angel was already in the mid-Nascent Soul stage.
"It is a pity that I cannot assist you at this time," the Heavenly Emperor sighed helplessly.
Yun Fan said, "Fear not, confronting such transcendent power is the responsibility of my Ghost Valley. You only need to maintain stability among the people!"
Yun Fan comforted him, "Their ambitions will not be realized. Huaxia's path will only become wider and brighter, never plunging into eternal night!"
"Good!"
The Heavenly Emperor did not linger, departing to rally the populace.
Indeed, the Heavenly Emperor's presence made a difference. Following his speech, those who had despaired began to regain their morale.
Unity was a noble tradition of Huaxia, and Yun Fan found this unsurprising.
Since no one would stand with him against the darkness, he would face it alone.
He had no retreat, and for the sake of all living beings in Huaxia, he could not falter.
...
"Where are you going?"
In the Jade Pool Holy Land, the Jade Pool Holy Lord asked the Jade Pool Saintess.
The Jade Pool Saintess replied, "I have been in seclusion for too long. I wish to go for a walk!"
"Do you think I don't know where you're going?"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord said, "You're going to the secular world, aren't you?"
She had recently noticed that the Jade Pool Saintess, after breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, had become increasingly rebellious, defying her will time and again.
The Jade Pool Saintess said, "Master, I have grown up. Must you still control me?"
Hearing this, the Jade Pool Holy Lord said angrily, "Of course. In my eyes, you will always be a child who never grows up!"
The Jade Pool Saintess continued, "Master, I know everything you do is for my own good, but this time, I must go to the secular world!"
"Why?"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord inquired.
The Jade Pool Saintess replied, "The secular world is facing an invasion. As the Saintess of our Holy Land, it is my duty to resolve the crisis!"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord, who had not been overly angered until now, became furious.
"That is that brat's business. What does it have to do with you?"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord said, "Our Holy Land does not meddle in such affairs. It would be even better if this demon were to die, saving us the trouble!"
The four Holy Lords had suffered great humiliation in the secular world, and thus, no one harbored more hatred for Yun Fan than they did.
However, the Jade Pool Saintess countered, "Five thousand years ago, many disciples from our Holy Land went to the secular world, transforming the savage lands into civilized ones. By that account, the people of the secular world and our Holy Land are of the same lineage. Now that they are in danger, should we not help them?"
Although she had schemed against Yun Fan many times, on matters of righteousness, the Jade Pool Saintess was unwavering.
"That was thousands of years ago. If you still recognize me as your master, then you will listen to me!"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord was nearly exasperated. Her disciple was lecturing her on principles, but principles were universally understood.
The secular world had no connection to them. Even a thousand years ago, when the great disaster struck, the various Holy Lands had not intervened. Instead, a powerful demonic cultivator had driven the calamity away from Huaxia.
Furthermore, he had decimated the Light Race. At that time, they had merely stood by and watched, and the same would be true this time.
The Jade Pool Saintess directly refused, "Master, I am sorry, I cannot do that! Whether it is for the sake of righteousness or to fight against the invaders, I must go. I wish for him to die by my hand, not by the hands of these invaders!"
She spoke her true feelings.
The Jade Pool Holy Lord was heartbroken. Her disciple was excellent in every way, except for her stubbornness. Once she set her mind on something, she would not deviate.
Therefore, she prepared to resort to her stern methods.
"If you still refuse to heed my advice, then I will have to suppress you myself. In the future, I will not pass on the position of Holy Lord to you!"
Upon hearing this, the Jade Pool Saintess's eyes remained unmoved.
"Master, we are both in the Nascent Soul stage. You cannot defeat me!"
At this moment, the Jade Pool Holy Lord's vision went black. What kind of words were these? After a lifetime of wisdom, she had produced a rebellious disciple.
"I wish I had never taken you in!"
She cursed the Jade Pool Saintess angrily.
The Jade Pool Saintess calmly replied, "Have you finally spoken your true feelings? Do you regret giving birth to me?" SuDan Novel Network
"What?"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord was shocked. This was her secret, never revealed to anyone, yet the Jade Pool Saintess knew.
The Jade Pool Saintess continued, "Although you have never told me, I know that I am your daughter. I learned this during our last bloodline merging."
The Jade Pool Holy Lord froze. She had never imagined that the secret she had kept for over twenty years would be discovered.
Indeed, the Jade Pool Saintess was her daughter with the old Heavenly Master of Ghost Valley. Back then, people only knew they had a past relationship.
They did not know she was pregnant. A past relationship allowed her to remain Holy Lord, but pregnancy was a grave taboo in the Jade Pool Holy Land. Thus, she concealed the matter, publicly claiming the Jade Pool Saintess as an abandoned disciple she had taken in.
At this, she sighed and whispered, "Daughter, I am sorry!"
The Jade Pool Saintess shed tears. Thinking back on her childhood, she had never experienced a warm family life, only a cold and cruel world.
Her quiet and reserved nature stemmed from her experiences.
The Jade Pool Holy Lord said with guilt, "I do not regret giving birth to you. However, as the Holy Lord, I could not give you the affection a daughter deserves. I could only educate you strictly, training you to be the most outstanding successor, so that when you grew up, you would not be deceived by men like I was!"
She spoke her true heart.
The Jade Pool Saintess shed tears again, "I do not blame you, Mother!"
This one word, "Mother," melted the frozen heart of the Jade Pool Holy Lord. They then embraced and wept.
At this, the Jade Pool Saintess said, "Mother, I have grown up. I desire more independence! This time, I must go, because..."
"Because of what?"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord asked, confused. Even she did not understand why her daughter had such a strong obsession.
"Because he is your future son-in-law!"
This declaration stunned the Jade Pool Holy Lord. So that was the reason. Ever since she learned that the Jade Pool Saintess had lost her purity, she had been secretly investigating who this scoundrel was.
At the time, she had resolved to kill him without hesitation once she found out his identity.
She did not want her daughter to be stained by shame. She never imagined that this scoundrel would be Yun Fan. Neither she nor the old Heavenly Master could have predicted that such an event would occur between two destined enemies.
Now, it was too late to intervene. This outcome had indeed embarrassed both her and the old Heavenly Master.
Of course, the old Heavenly Master was likely in a worse predicament, trapped in a forbidden area while his daughter was defiled by his disciple.
The Jade Pool Holy Lord asked angrily, "Did he use some trickery?"
If that were the case, she would certainly stand up for her daughter, even if it meant self-detonation to take Yun Fan down.
The Jade Pool Saintess shook her head and recounted the events of that day.
Instantly, the Jade Pool Holy Lord was stunned. From her daughter's account, it seemed Yun Fan was not entirely to blame.
"Then, how do you feel about him?"
The Jade Pool Holy Lord asked again.
The Jade Pool Saintess replied, "Although it was an accident, my purity was given to him, so I am his person!"
In fact, after that incident, the Jade Pool Saintess had considered forgetting Yun Fan, even viewing him as her primary enemy.
She had believed that once she broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, all these feelings would fade, and she would personally kill Yun Fan upon their next meeting.
However, after reaching the Nascent Soul stage, she began to develop the slightest of feelings for Yun Fan. Initially, she suppressed them.
But a single spark could ignite a prairie fire. This feeling grew stronger and stronger. Back then, when she learned that her mother had suffered for love, she felt nothing but disdain.
Now, facing it herself, she finally understood how terrifying love could be.
Upon hearing this answer, the Jade Pool Holy Lord sighed, "Alas! A fated entanglement!"
She knew her daughter was facing a love tribulation, more intense than her own.
She then said, "I understand your intentions, but with the ties of love, you will not go far. I wish for you to become a heartless person and break through to the realm of Earthly Immortal!"
The Jade Pool Saintess replied, "Then I must go even more. I must resolve my love tribulation!"
At this, the Jade Pool Holy Lord said, "Fine, I agree to let you go!"
The Jade Pool Saintess was inwardly delighted. It was enough that her mother had agreed.
However, the Jade Pool Holy Lord unexpectedly cautioned, "Although your purity was given to him, I must still remind you: there are no good men in Ghost Valley. His master is not a good person, and neither is he!"
The Jade Pool Saintess was already mentally prepared for this. Judging by the women in Yun Fan's life, he was undoubtedly a womanizer.
The Jade Pool Holy Lord continued, "Also, when you go this time, you cannot reveal your identity!"
"Why?"
The Jade Pool Saintess asked, perplexed. If it was merely to avoid offending other Holy Lands, she felt it was unnecessary.
The Jade Pool Holy Land, with two Nascent Soul cultivators, was not a weak force. Even if other great Holy Lands were offended, they could endure it.
The Jade Pool Holy Land could absolutely withstand it.
The Jade Pool Holy Lord explained, "The pressure from the three great Holy Lands is not a concern, but we have reported this matter to the Feng Shan Land!"
"What?"
The Jade Pool Saintess's expression changed instantly. The Feng Shan Land was an existence that transcended the four great Holy Lands. The four great Holy Lands were not absolute rulers, nor was Ghost Valley. These forces were like ants before the Feng Shan Land.
Even though the Feng Shan Land had not emerged for a thousand years, it did not mean they did not exist.
For millennia, emperors, before their enthronement, had to perform the Feng Shan ceremony at the Feng Shan Land.
It was essentially an acknowledgment; without the Feng Shan Land's approval, the emperors would feel uneasy even after their coronation.
It could be said that the Feng Shan Land was an entity that governed all. However, after a thousand years, with the decline of spiritual energy, no one had emerged from the Feng Shan Land.
Facing such a terrifying power, even the Jade Pool Holy Land dared not offend it.
She knew the terror of the Feng Shan Land because it had taken a disciple in this era.
This disciple, once a disciple of the old Heavenly Master, surpassed him after only a few years of cultivation. He had offended the old Heavenly Master over a matter and was expelled from Ghost Valley. Later, he was taken in by an envoy from the Feng Shan Land, and his current strength was unimaginable.
The Jade Pool Holy Lord explained, "The Feng Shan Land plays games with the mortal world. Emperors throughout history were their puppets. Once an emperor's power exceeded their control, they would intervene. Emperors like Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han, who were unmatched in their time, all had the shadow of the Feng Shan Land behind their demise! My long-cherished wish is for you to break through to the realm of Earthly Immortal and become a member of the Feng Shan Land, pursuing a higher Dao. Therefore, you cannot expose your whereabouts and must not leave any stain on the powerful individuals of the Feng Shan Land!"
"I understand!"
After making her preparations, the Jade Pool Saintess set off for the secular world.
The Jade Pool Holy Lord could only remain, filled with bitter resentment. In the past, she had been wronged by the old Heavenly Master, and now her daughter had not been spared, being harmed by the old Heavenly Master's disciple. She held an irreconcilable hatred for Ghost Valley.