Chapter 159: Stirring Desires

Apologies for the interruption. Before I begin, I must mention that the Heavenly Kings Alliance group has been established—for those interested, you are welcome to join. Group number: 11716410.

The Heavenly Kings Alliance was rapidly constructing a grand city, naturally attracting many young and skilled talents eager to join by reputation. In no time, tales of the alliance spread far and wide along the shores of the Eastern Sea.

Within the sacred courtyard of the ancient city of Loulan, two elderly men sat in a secluded chamber, their faces grim and expressions tinged with weariness.

Had Ye Feng been present, he would have immediately recognized one of them as one of the three who once stormed the Ye family.

“This youth has already become a force to be reckoned with. If left unchecked, he will become the greatest enemy of our sacred domain,” one elder murmured slowly.

On the square table before him lay a milky white orb, about the size of a human head, within which the image of the sacred hall was clearly displayed.

“Tell me in detail the specifics of his battle against Mitun and the others!” From the orb came a resonant voice—the Sovereign seated upon the throne of the sanctuary.

The elder then recounted, in a broken manner, the details of Ye Feng’s confrontation with Mitun and the others.

“Oh… Dragon clan’s divine power! And a monkey as well!” The sound of rhythmic tapping against the armrest echoed, followed by a prolonged silence.

“Remember this well: Ye Feng may be slain, but that monkey must not be harmed. At most, injure or entangle it!” After a long pause, the Sovereign’s voice came again.

It was clear that the Sovereign, with unfathomable power, was fully aware of the monkey’s origins.

Upon hearing this, the two elders exchanged awkward glances, neither daring to speak. Should they admit their inability to overcome Ye Feng and the monkey, the Sovereign might order their execution.

To outsiders, the sacred domain appeared a mysterious and just force. But at their level, these two knew all too well the unsavory methods employed behind the scenes.

Not long ago, the Sovereign had covertly ordered the massacre of a small nation with a population exceeding one million—no one was spared—all to refine a mere handful of fiendish spirits. Such cruelty spoke volumes.

The image within the orb slowly faded away as the two elders exchanged bitter smiles in silence.

Within the sanctuary, the Sovereign, shrouded in milky white radiance, snorted coldly and muttered to himself, “If even a mere adolescent cannot defeat them, what use are you to me?”

With a sweeping gesture, two figures swiftly entered the hall and prostrated themselves before the Sovereign.

“Order Bill to lead a contingent of our young elite to Loulan City immediately. Also, dispatch several red-robed stewards from other factions. Our sacred domain must be unified; these fractious sects are nothing but a band of incompetents.”

The two middle-aged men nodded respectfully and withdrew.

In the vast sanctuary, only the sound of the Sovereign’s fingers tapping the armrest echoed softly.

While the Sovereign schemed to eliminate rival factions, within Loulan City, two red-robed stewards gathered several experts of the sacred domain to formulate a plan.

“You will stealthily infiltrate tonight and find that young girl from the Xiao family. On the night after tomorrow, you must ensure the release of the Bone-Eroding Powder! Should we fail again, our faction will have no standing within the sacred domain.”

Upon hearing this, the young men below tensed, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

“What are you staring at? Our faction has already waned. Losing three Spirit Emperors more would plunge us to the very bottom of the thirty-six factions. Do you think the ever-dominant Sovereign would let such an opportunity slip by?” The elder slammed the table, voice stern and commanding.

They now deeply regretted their choices. To secure places within the ruins, some of their branches had united to pressure the Sovereign, stipulating the extermination of the Ye family as a condition, securing nearly ninety percent of the slots.

Yet, of the nearly one hundred who entered the ruins, including the one sent from above, only about a dozen survived to escape, leaving their faction’s young elite almost entirely wiped out.

...

On a dark, windy night, a firework shot swiftly into the sky over an empty beach, dazzling brilliantly before vanishing into nothingness.

At the Heavenly Kings Alliance courtyard, Xiao Ying stared blankly at the fleeting firework, an overwhelming sorrow welling within her.

“It must be them urging me to poison again! Even if it costs my life, I will never harm Brother Feng and the others again,” she vowed firmly, clenching her fists.

Elsewhere, Ye Feng furrowed his brow, murmuring to himself, “This is the sacred domain’s unique signal... Are they making a move again?”

His mind raced over all matters concerning the sacred domain as he walked quietly, unknowingly arriving outside Xiao Ying’s room.

Seeing her clearly more haggard figure, Ye Feng sighed with a complex mixture of emotions, then slowly approached.

“Don’t blame yourself too much. Some things are best left in the past,” he said softly, affectionately brushing her hair as he had once done in Zhetian City, offering comfort.

In truth, Xiao Ying had long since noticed Ye Feng’s presence. But having done what she did, she could no longer face him directly, so she stood motionless.

“Brother Feng, I know I was wrong. I will never hurt you again. Even if they kill me, I won’t do anything to betray you,” tears steadily streamed from her eyes as she grasped his hands tightly, her voice resolute yet tinged with guilt.

At this moment, regret filled her heart so deeply she almost welcomed death. Previously, she had detested such closeness, feeling as if Brother Feng saw her as a mere child.

But now, even those previously despised gestures felt like a luxury.

“Don’t worry. Here, no one can harm you.” Ye Feng raised his hand gently, intending to wipe away her tears, but for some reason, his hand faltered mid-air and slowly fell.

Xiao Ying saw this and forced a smile, saying, “Even if they set off countless fireworks, I won’t go out again.”

“Hm?” Ye Feng blinked sharply, pointing at the dark night sky, eyes wide. “You mean the fireworks just now were the sacred domain’s signal to you?”

Xiao Ying then revealed how the sacred domain’s men had given her the poison.

Contrary to her expectation of Ye Feng’s fury, his face brightened. He grabbed her hand and hurried toward the courtyard, shouting the names of his elder brothers and others.

Though uncertain why Ye Feng was suddenly so eager, Xiao Ying felt an inexplicable joy swell within her as she was pulled along.

This feeling was truly nostalgic...