Shrouding the Heavens - Chapter 209

"Do you think changing your appearance will make me not recognize you? I’d know your bones even if I peeled off your skin!" Wu Zhongtian, broad and strong, his full beard trembling, looked like a roaring lion, his eyes sharp and piercing.

Tu Fei circled Ye Fan twice, laughing. "I also think you’re that shameless Daoist. Don’t think changing your appearance fooled us; it’s surely some Blinding Technique unless you provide evidence."

Ye Fan shook his wide Daoist robe and said, "Brother Tu, you’re deliberately giving me a hard time. Others might not recognize me, but you? We’ve met at the divine sources mine of Flickering Light."

"This guy sure has some skills. He can change his form in an instant. He’s definitely an experienced offender, well-prepared for mischief," the offspring of nearby bandits jeered.

Tu Fei chuckled. "Easy. Just bring out the Yaochi Saintess’s garment for us to see, and that would prove it."

"You... aren’t you being too much?!"

"You’ve got nothing to lose. The one who should be going mad is Yao Xi. Too bad she’s not here." Tu Fei grinned mischievously and turned to the surrounding bandits. "You guys never believe me, thinking someone as lofty and untouchable as Yao Xi couldn’t possibly be violated. Today, I’m showing you."

"Is it real or fake? From what you’re saying, he’s not Daoist Duan De?" Nearby bandits weren’t convinced.

Ye Fan, having no such perverse inclinations, had kept the garment only to annoy Yao Xi at a critical moment, merely to save his life.

Instead of taking it out, his bones cracked, and he suddenly transformed into the appearance of the Flickering Light Sacred Master, the Seventh Great Bandit, saying, "Tu Fei, don’t be naughty."

Tu Fei sputtered, "What the—"

The surrounding heirs of bandits were dumbfounded, then roared with laughter, pounding the table forcefully.

"I say, we can’t have this! Young Brother Ye, change back quickly!" Tu Fei was completely antsy.

"Now do you believe I’m not Daoist Duan De?"

"Believe it? I knew you weren’t Daoist Duan De all along," Tu Fei said sullenly.

The other young bandits, of course, had long realized the person before them wasn’t the shameless Daoist and were laughing incessantly.

Wu Zhongtian also sat back down, staring at Ye Fan continuously. "Did you really burn a Grand Elder of the Ji Family to death?"

"Just a stroke of luck."

Surrounding them, these descendants of great bandits were very well-informed; they had heard the rumors long ago and all gasped.

"I say, Young Brother Ye, did you really take one of Yao Xi’s garments?" another bandit asked.

"Well... how should I put it? Accidentally, I happened to acquire one."

Upon hearing this, the tavern erupted in wolfish howls. The eyes of these few lit up with a green glint, all extremely excited.

Elsewhere in the tavern, other patrons had long since fled in fear, vaguely guessing that these were the descendants of the thirteen great bandits and all made themselves scarce.

"Heavens, Yao Xi is so saintly, yet she was actually... There’s no justice!"

"I say, Young Brother Ye, you’ve really broken my heart."

"What’s there to be heartbroken about? This is exhilarating! Last time, she and that Saint Heir chased Tu Fei and me for three thousand miles. Now, this is truly satisfying revenge!"

A few hot-blooded young bandits slammed their fists on the table, howling long and loud.

"I say, Young Brother Ye, why not sell that garment to me? I’ll offer you a hundred jin of Source. I’ll put it on display, and if I don’t make that proud wench spit blood from anger, I won’t be satisfied!" Nearby, a bandit cozied up to Ye Fan, filling a large bowl of wine for him.

"I’ll offer five hundred jin of Source! I want to parade that garment through the sacred city and auction it!" another young bandit proposed.

"Why auction it in the sacred city? Just sell that brassiere to the Prince from the Central States and fleece him!"

"That way, it’s hard to vent our anger properly. Better to auction the Saintess’s brassiere in the northern region. Invite all the young talents, and maybe even send invitations to some of those unscrupulous old-timers."

These young bandits were one more despicable than the next. Seeing their enthusiasm, they were fully prepared to ruin Yao Xi’s reputation permanently.

"I say, all of you are too despicable. How could you even think of such ideas?" Ye Fan was dumbstruck; they truly are a bunch of scoundrels.

"The Flickering Light Sacred Lady and Saint Heir are utterly hateful! Not long ago, they teamed up with many powerful cultivators to hunt us down. They almost killed us! Naturally, we need to give them a proper thrashing."

You guys better not drag me into this... Ye Fan knew he couldn’t compare to them. Each had an incredibly powerful grandfather backing them. Even if they caused earth-shattering trouble, someone would cover for them.

If he dared to auction Yao Xi’s brassiere, the Flickering Light Sacred Land, to save face, would absolutely stop at nothing to obliterate him.

"What are you afraid of? Stick with us. Are you still afraid of that yellow-haired girl?"

If I stick with you guys, who can give me an ancient scripture to cultivate? Who can offer me a million jin of Source? Ye Fan muttered quietly.

"I say, Young Brother Ye, you’re too greedy! How many ancient scriptures are there in the entire Eastern Wastelands? A million jin of Source? Such a huge amount! Go ask those Sacred Lands if even they can produce it."

"Come, come, let me introduce everyone," Wu Zhongtian said, proceeding to introduce the people present.

"This fellow is called Liu Kao." Wu Zhongtian pointed at a somewhat wild-looking young man, who turned out to be the direct grandson of Liu Feng, the Sixth Great Bandit.

Ye Fan really didn’t know what to say. The name was too unconventional. Wasn’t it just ’Bandit Liu’? A perfect match for Tu Fei’s name in terms of sheer bandit-ness.

"This is Li Heishui." Wu Zhongtian pointed at a swarthy, robust young man, the grandson of Li Heng, the Eighth Great Bandit.

This name... equally strange. ’Black Water.’ No matter how you heard it, it sounded like something rotten, like ’foul black water.’ Had these great bandits conspired when naming their grandsons?

Tu Fei looked disgruntled. "I know what you’re thinking. Can’t be helped. Those old geezers were sitting around, cracked a few jokes, and our names were set."

Ye Fan’s mouth twitched. Having such grandfathers was truly unlucky.

"He’s Jiang Huairen." Wu Zhongtian pointed at another young man. He was the eldest grandson of Jiang Hi, the Ninth Great Bandit. Speaking of which, his origins were quite significant, hailing from an Ancient Nobilities family—the Jiang Family.

Of course, their branch had long since rebelled and become notorious great bandits, a development that had truly stunned everyone back then.

Ye Fan thought this name, at least, was passable and seemed normal. Unexpectedly, the others around him all snickered, while Jiang Huairen sullenly poured himself a large bowl of wine and downed it in one go.

"His grandfather was a man of integrity, didn’t want to follow the crowd, and decided to give him a meaningful name. Who knew it would turn out even more absurd."

"Jiang Huairen (Jiāng Huáirén)... doesn’t that sound like ’Jiang the Bad Person’ (Jiāng Huàirén)?" Tu Fei explained from the side.

Ye Fan was completely speechless. That actually worked as a pun...

Tu Fei, Liu Kao, Jiang Huairen, Li Heishui—the four names together made him want to burst out laughing, but he could only grit his teeth and hold it in. These guys’ names were truly works of art.

Speaking of which, among these five, only Wu Zhongtian’s name was relatively normal. However, his temperament and image were just like the other four; one look and you knew he was not to be trifled with. If they all went for a walk outside, they could definitely clear the streets instantly.

"Young Brother Ye, do you have any plans?" Wu Zhongtian asked.

Tu Fei also chimed in, "What are you doing in Kunyun Ancient City? It’s a remote, backward place. Besides occasional strange occurrences, there’s nothing special here."

"I want to find out if the Yaochi Saintess is returning to her sect soon," Ye Fan probed.

Li Heishui immediately howled, "You animal! What an animal! You just snatched the Flickering Light Sacred Lady’s undergarment, and now you’re planning to extend your demonic claws toward the Fairy of the Jade Lake? I say, Young Brother Ye, a man needs to have some conscience!"

"This is too much! Do you plan to capture all the sacred ladies of the Eastern Wastelands in one go? A man can’t be too greedy. You should be satisfied with having the Flickering Light Sacred Lady," Liu Kao also shouted.

"Ye, you lecher! By now, you’re basically one of us, but you can’t overstep like this! Are you trying to block all our future paths, brother?" Tu Fei grumbled.

Jiang Huairen, more composed, said, "One must not be too Ye Fan."

"You missed a few. Actually, not only do I wish to capture a few sacred ladies of the Eastern Wastelands, but I also want to snatch a few bright pearls from the Ancient Nobilities. Furthermore, I intend to abduct the princess from the Immortal Dynasty of the Central States, one that has been passed down for over a hundred thousand years. I want to build a grand harem!"

"Animal! What an animal!"

「An hour later.」

They were full from the meal and drink, laughing and talking as they descended from the restaurant.

Ye Fan’s body crackled, and he transformed into the appearance of the Flickering Light Sacred Master, the Seventh Great Bandit.

Tu Fei immediately grew anxious. "Hey, we’re buddies, but if you take advantage of me like this again, I’ll really get mad at you!"

Ye Fan pondered. He felt that posing as the shameless Daoist would be too risky. That bastard had committed heinous deeds beyond counting. Transforming into his likeness might mean he’d end up taking the blame for something new, completely unfairly. Finally, his joints creaked, and his form changed dramatically. He became a Daoist clad in a flowing Feather Robe, his features graceful and jade-like, his aura pure and transcendent, exuding an air of being detached from the mortal world.

Kunyun Ancient City had a long history. The stone tablets paving its streets were worn down significantly from countless years of use, making it difficult to ascertain its true age.

The locals of this city all believed in ancient gods, thinking that deities protected this place. The Yaochi Saintess having stayed here for half a month without leaving was considered to be related to this belief.

The group made their way to the Yaochi Immortal Stone Workshop. These young rogues were no pushovers; wherever they went, peace certainly wouldn’t follow.

Ye Fan knew these guys were plotting something, likely to stir up some enormous trouble in this city.

However, he wasn’t worried. Walking around in his current guise, he wasn’t afraid of being held accountable for their actions.

"Calculating the dates, the Yaochi Saintess should be leaving this city soon," Wu Zhongtian said.

"I really want to deal with that Flickering Light Saint Heir soon!" Li Heishui declared fiercely.

"That guy is too strong. When he unleashes the Holy Light Technique, he is nearly invincible among his peers; not even a divine body could necessarily suppress him. For now, we can only aim to make him suffer a bit. If we want to kill him, we’d have to get the old-timers involved."

The Yaochi Immortal Stone Workshop, though located within the city, was an elegant and tranquil place. Ancient trees stood amidst falling leaves, streams murmured, and small bridges lay gracefully. Stones were artfully arranged, creating picturesque scenes and miniature landscapes, evoking the essence of a classical garden.

As these were the final days before the Yaochi Saintess’s departure, the Immortal Stone Workshop was bustling with an endless stream of people. Despite the crowd, no one was shouting; everyone conversed in hushed tones.

"People from Flickering Light are traveling with the Fairy of the Jade Lake. It seems they truly are going to the area outside the Great Primordial Mine," Tu Fei said, his eyes glinting.

"Young Brother Ye, I’m begging you, sell me that undergarment! I really want to wave it around and auction it right here!" Li Heishui urged through gritted teeth.

Yao Xi stood ahead, her glossy black hair flowing, her beauty breathtaking, luminous as the Divine Moon. She appeared ethereal, as if enveloped in mist. Her long dress trailed on the ground, elegantly outlining her graceful figure with delicate curves as she stood tall and poised.

The Flickering Light Saint Heir was also up ahead, resembling a blazing sun. A layer of golden light flowed over his body, and his every move drew attention, making him look like a Divine Son.

Li Heishui and Tu Fei had suffered greatly at their hands, nearly being killed. They had barely escaped with their lives.

"The Flickering Light Saint Heir is genuinely terrifying. When he uses his Holy Light Technique, he’s Immune to All Techniques; it’s impossible to break through his defense. He truly possesses an invincible aura," Tu Fei sighed. "Even the most powerful Attack Skill struggles to be effective against him."

"But didn’t we invite Brother Zhongtian here? Surely he can suppress him," Li Heishui said coldly.

"Restraint. I’m afraid even I might not be his match. We’re not here today to kill him, but merely to create a smokescreen. Whatever you do, don’t act impulsively," Wu Zhongtian warned softly.

"Rest assured, we won’t go looking for trouble."

"Where did Young Brother Ye go? Why isn’t he around?" Jiang Huairen asked.

"Animal! What an animal! This kid may be young, but he’s truly an animal! Look, he’s heading for the princess of the Central State Great Xia Dynasty! I... I’m not falsely accusing him! That kid definitely went for her!" Liu Kao yelled.

"I just hope he doesn’t cause any trouble. The Great Xia Dynasty has an immortal heritage of over a hundred thousand years; its foundations are unimaginably deep. There’s a powerful Prince there too," Li Heishui muttered nervously.

Ahead, a young man was protected at the center, surrounded as if by stars deferring to the moon. He wore golden armor that radiated a dazzling and magnificent light. This was the Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty. Full of vigor, with Dragon Qi circulating around him, he was splendidly brilliant and possessed an unfathomably deep cultivation base.

Ye Fan was not heading for him, but for a woman beside him. She was dressed in pure white, exuding an innocent, bright beauty and a special, transcendent aura.

Ye Fan wasn’t romantically moved but thrilled. This woman, though innocent and holy, beautiful and otherworldly, truly captivated his attention because she was a—nun.

Of course, he didn’t harbor any peculiar interests. It was her identity that made him feel an irrepressible excitement, making it difficult to remain calm!

This was a follower of Buddhism! He desperately wanted to ask her: Is the Buddha in this world?!