Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Calm Before the Storm

The emergence of the giant ape had made the three nobles wary of acting against Ye Feng. But the arrival of Xiao Chong, Lie Kuang, and the others utterly crushed any hope the Qi family and their allies had of reclaiming their dignity.

On the lawn of Ye Feng’s secluded estate, a row of grand armchairs was arranged in a line. Xiao Chong, Garo, Demon Slayer, Lie Kuang, He Tao, Ao Yun, Ye Feng, and the monkey lounged lazily in their chairs, basking in the comfortable sunlight of late autumn.

Their arrival not only frightened away the three nobles but also brought important news to Ye Feng: the ancient ruins were about to open once more. All the scions of the imperial capital’s powerful families would compete, and ultimately, thirty of the strongest young talents would be chosen to enter the ruins.

The ancient ruins opened once every five years. It was said to be an old battlefield, filled with countless treasures and illusory scenes of battles among the mighty warriors of various races. If someone was fortunate enough to witness a battle scene aligned with their own path, it would benefit them for a lifetime.

Moreover, because of the ancient powers who fought there, the laws of the Dao were revealed with remarkable clarity in the ruins. Anyone with sufficient insight could rapidly deepen their understanding of the Dao.

Yet, as with all things, there were two sides to every story. The intense battles of ancient powers had left the ruins severely damaged, and spatial rifts capable of devouring all appeared from time to time.

In short, as long as one could enter the ancient ruins and survive for three months, their cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds.

Upon hearing this news, Ye Feng was visibly pleased. He still needed to find clues about the lackeys of the Holy Land, and without enough strength, even if he found them, he would be powerless. If he could improve his cultivation further, he would have enough power to confront those wandering nobles at the Spirit Emperor level.

“What will you do next?” Xiao Chong asked, casually pulling the monkey over and gently stroking its silvery fur, as if making idle conversation.

Ye Feng placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. “Let’s take it step by step. I’ve heard someone is trying to recruit wandering nobles to oppose us. Have you heard anything about this?”

The others were surprised, then shook their heads.

“There are more than a hundred wandering nobles in the capital. If they remain divided, they’re nothing to fear. But if someone really manages to unite twenty or so, the resulting power would be terrifying," said He Tao, his baby face creased with worry as he shook his head repeatedly.

The others agreed. A couple of wandering nobles were insignificant, but a group of Spirit Emperors and even Spirit Sovereigns banded together could overturn the current order of the imperial capital.

“It’s not as frightening as you imagine. Let alone uniting a hundred; if someone could bring together twenty nobles, they wouldn’t let me come here unhindered. And alliances built purely on interest are hardly reliable. If we can find the person or force behind all this, the wandering nobles will no longer be a threat.”

Ye Feng opened his eyes and continued, “So what we need to do now is find this force. Have you ever heard of a beast called the ‘Cuckoo Eagle’?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“Kid, the Cuckoo Eagle loves to eat first-tier beasts called ‘Burrowing Mice.’ All you need to do is investigate which force in the capital is buying or hunting Burrowing Mice in large quantities, and you’ll basically find the mastermind,” the Dragon Jiao King from the Monster King Domain suddenly spoke.

Ye Feng relayed this to the others, sternly instructing them to conduct their search quietly and not alert the enemy.

While Ye Feng and his friends were making plans, elsewhere in the imperial capital, another group was also in discussion.

“The actions of those three families have already uncovered the Ye family’s backup. What do you all plan to do next?” In a shadowy chamber, nearly ten middle-aged men sat in a circle, all wearing grave expressions and furrowed brows.

“I want to know when the Holy Land will act. If we make a move, some of us are sure to be exposed. If Ye Lao Wu loses his temper, none of us here could withstand him!” One man in coarse robes shook his head after pondering for a long time.

“Exactly! Even if Ye Lao Wu isn’t in the capital now, don’t forget there’s a powerful beast guarding that boy. Who could defeat it?” another chimed in.

Silence fell; no one spoke.

They were nobles without real power, hoping through this alliance to gain some advantage in the struggle between the Holy Land and the Ye family’s Tianwu Empire, and win some real authority.

No matter how tempting power was, when faced with danger, none of them were foolish enough to act rashly.

“Fifteen years ago, the Holy Land withdrew from Tianwu Empire, but do you really think no masters remained behind in secret? Rest assured!” The elder at the head of the table, with snow-white hair and beard, tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table, sneering.

With their safety assured, several nodded in relief. But some still harbored doubts, their brows tightly knitted. “If the Holy Land truly has people here, could we meet them?”

“Very well! Open your eyes wide. Soon the Holy Land will make its move. If you’re asked to contribute then, don’t be as timid as today. Power is reserved for those who make themselves useful!”

The elder slowly lifted his hand from the table and left the chamber.

Perhaps some unknown connection existed, for almost as the group in the chamber filed out, Xiao Chong and his companions also departed the Ye estate, sending their people to investigate the Burrowing Mice.

Days slipped by quietly as each group employed their own covert methods.

To outsiders, it appeared that the Qi family and their allies had conceded, abandoning their feud with the Ye family, and thereby publicly acknowledged the Ye family’s meteoric rise.

For a time, tales of the Ye family’s glory from centuries past were revived by storytellers throughout the capital, spreading far and wide.

Ye Feng knew nothing of this, but after several days of discreet investigation, Xiao Chong finally brought news of the Burrowing Mice.

It was said that some adventurers had sold Burrowing Mice at a livestock slaughterhouse, though the identity of the buyers remained unknown.

“Having leads is better than knowing nothing at all,” Ye Feng said, still lounging on his chair, enjoying the warm sunlight.

In these days, besides searching for clues about the Burrowing Mice, the shadow of the black-clad maiden often appeared in Ye Feng’s mind.

Her ethereal grace in every smile and frown, her charming beauty when her cheeks flushed, and the tranquility she radiated while reclining with closed eyes in the grand chair—her dark silhouette was more soothing to Ye Feng than even the autumn sun.