Chapter 51: Yue Qingcheng

Lady Qingcheng!

The arrival of the newcomer made Gu Ningyun startle slightly at first, and then joy blossomed on her face, instantly sweeping away the solemn expression she wore just moments ago.

With her around, even the Ninth Prince of the Jinyun Dynasty would certainly not dare to act too presumptuously.

"Yue Qingcheng, they are merely a group of ants. Aren't you meddling a bit too much?"

The appearance of the girl immediately caused the previously arrogant Jin Mefuyu to restrain himself considerably, as he seemed quite wary of her.

"My friends are about to be beaten to death by you, so it's only reasonable for me to step in and stop it, isn't it?"

Friends?

Jin Mefuyu was slightly taken aback, while Huo Shan beside him contracted his pupils, as if he hadn't expected that Gu Ningyun and her group would actually be acquainted with someone whom even Jin Mefuyu, the Ninth Prince of the Jinyun Dynasty, feared.

"Hmph, Yue Qingcheng, I'll give you face. Today's matter will not be pursued further. If these friends of yours ever offend me again, even if you step forward, I will show no mercy whatsoever. Let's go!"

With that, Jin Mefuyu led Huo Shan and his trailing followers away from the mountain col. Before leaving, he cast a deep look at Lin Fan, the murderous intent in his eyes completely undisguised.

What a troublesome fellow!

Lin Fan's eyes lowered, and no one saw the flash of coldness that flickered through his pupils.

Jin Mefuyu's look clearly meant he had marked him out.

Facing someone who harbored such murderous intent toward him, he never gave the other party a chance to survive.

However, Jin Mefuyu's current strength was far superior to his. Even with the [Vague Light Chasing Shadow Sword Technique] making it possible to trade blows for a round, he knew very well that before stepping into the Metang Realm, he was definitely no match for this person.

Having forced Jin Mefuyu to retreat, the simply dressed Yue Qingcheng, whose face had been cold until just a moment ago, suddenly broke into a smile. That smile was lively and vibrant, like a spring breeze brushing across the surface of a lake, stirring up layer upon layer of ripples.

Her radiant smile was like sunlight piercing through the clouds, instantly brightening the surrounding atmosphere and making one's heart feel effortlessly light, evoking an indescribable sense of joy.

There was a carefree and uninhibited air to her smile, effortlessly drawing others in with her aura.

The girl's attire was simple yet ingenious, a light and ethereal blue dress accentuating her elf-like temperament. The hem of the skirt fluttered in the wind, seeming to dance along with her mood, while the delicate belt and pearl ornaments at her waist highlighted her figure to absolute perfection. Her long hair fell loose naturally, occasionally tucked behind her ear with a playful gesture, making her appear even more agile and adorable.

"Sister Ningyun, long time no see. Oh? Is this the little sister you mentioned? How adorable!"

As she spoke, Yue Qingcheng blinked her large eyes, mischievous starlight sparkling within them, evidently in high spirits after encountering an old friend in a distant place. Her words were full of warmth, making Gu Ningyun and her companions feel a gentle glow in their hearts.

Such expressions and demeanor undoubtedly showcased her vibrant yet witty personality.

"Lady Qingcheng, thank you very much for this!" Gu Ningyun slightly cupped her hands toward the other and said gratefully.

"Sister Ningyun, you're being too formal. Didn't I tell you to just call me by my name from now on?"

Well, alright, Qingcheng.

Gu Ningyun's reserve made Lin Fan couldn't help but wonder who on earth this Yue Qingcheng was, not only capable of deterring a prince of the Jinyun Dynasty, but also causing Gu Ningyun to display such a deferential demeanor.

"Heehee, Sister Ningyun, won't you introduce your companions to me?"

Hearing Yue Qingcheng say this, Gu Ningyun hurriedly introduced the others to her, while simultaneously revealing Yue Qingcheng's background to the group.

When he learned that Yue Qingcheng belonged to the Yue Imperial Clan of the Shenxiao Dynasty, Lin Fan was suddenly startled, looking at her in surprise.

The Shenxiao Dynasty was an empire personally fostered in the Land of Ten Thousand Nations by the Shenxiao Sect, one of the eight great divine sects of the Southern Wasteland. His third aunt, Lin Qiuyan, was precisely a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect.

Based solely on this connection, the look he cast toward Yue Qingcheng unconsciously carried a hint of unfamiliar yet distinct warmth.

"Your surname is Lin, and you're from the Tianfeng Empire?"

After the introductions were complete, Yue Qingcheng, who had taken a great liking to the little loli Gu Ningxiang and pulled her into her arms while affectionately stroking her hair, looked at Lin Fan with a trace of surprise and asked.

This inquiry immediately made everyone's attention fall upon the young man, and even Gu Ningyun couldn't help feeling curious.

Could it be that Lin Fan was quite famous?

Seeing Lin Fan nod with a somewhat bewildered expression, Yue Qingcheng continued, "Do you know Lin Qiuyan?"

Lin Qiuyan?

Lin Fan was suddenly taken aback, and hurriedly said, "She is precisely my aunt. Does Lady Qingcheng know my aunt as well?"

"So you really are related! Heehee, it seems my intuition is still quite accurate." Yue Qingcheng blinked her eyes and said excitedly.

"Ahem, it's like this. I went to visit Younger Sister Xue some time ago and happened to taste Aunt Qiuyan's delicious dishes, which I still remember unforgettably to this day. What a pity that she follows Younger Sister Xue; otherwise, I really would have wanted to invite her back to the Shenxiao Dynasty."

This...

Lin Fan was stunned. Were his aunt's dishes really that delicious?

Come to think of it, it had indeed been a while since he last ate them.

"Wait, Qingcheng, the Younger Sister Xue you speak of, could it possibly be..."

Gu Ningyun accurately grasped the key point, asking with a mixture of doubt and anticipation in her eyes.

"That's right, it's none other than our renowned Fairy Xue, Shen Aoixue."

Gasp!

The name of Fairy Xue resounded throughout the Southern Wasteland. Even situated in the Land of Ten Thousand Nations, Gu Ningyun and the others had heard her legends.

She was universally acknowledged as the number one prodigy of the younger generation in the Southern Wasteland, having already begun assaulting the Grotto-Heaven Realm at the tender age of seventeen.

Such talent was truly breathtaking.

"To think Lin Fan has such a background. If you had just mentioned earlier that your aunt follows Fairy Xue, Jin Mefuyu probably wouldn't even have dared to let out a fart before scuttling away tail between his legs."

Gu Ningyun exclaimed in continuous wonder, looking at Lin Fan incredulously and teasing with a smile.

Jin Mefuyu was merely a prince of an empire fostered by one of the eight great divine sects, and not even the most supreme among them. Compared to Fairy Xue, he fell short by more than just a star or two.

Lin Fan smiled faintly, knowing this was just Gu Ningyun's jest and certainly not to be taken seriously. Moreover, he had never intended to pull out his aunt and Fairy Xue's relationship to pad his own background.

Strength was what mattered most in this world. Background was merely the icing on the cake.

"Right. Qingcheng, appearing here—could it be that you are also after the heritage of the Burning Flame Valley? I remember that fire attributes aren't your primary cultivation path, right?"

Hearing Gu Ningyun's question, Yue Qingcheng wore a smile and softly countered, "Sister Ningyun, have you never heard the principle that things at the extreme must reverse?"

Observing Gu Ningyun's slightly puzzled look, Yue Qingcheng paused briefly before slowly unveiling her purpose: "Legend has it that deep within the Burning Flame Valley lies a miracle known as the Eternal Night Fire Pool. Since ancient times, the fire of that pool has never extinguished for even a single moment."

She continued, "Back in the day, the disciples of the Burning Flame Valley relied on the extremely pure fire-attribute spiritual qi of this fire pool to cultivate."

Subsequently, Yue Qingcheng mentioned a clever move by the Valley Master of Burning Flame: "To moderate the blazing ferocity of the fire pool, the Valley Master deliberately planted some primordial ice lotuses along the edges of the pool."

"Although the Burning Flame Valley was destroyed and both the ice lotuses and the fire pool suffered varying degrees of damage, according to the ancient histories within my clan, one seedling of the ice lotus was never destroyed."

"Now, after all these years, this ice lotus is likely fully matured."

"My target this trip is precisely this ice lotus."

So that was it.

Gu Ningyun and the others nodded in understanding, while Lin Fan sighed internally, thinking it truly deserved to be an empire fostered by one of the eight great divine sects; such information would likely be completely inaccessible to anyone else.

"What about you all? You must also be preparing to enter the ruins of the Burning Flame Valley, right?"

Hearing Yue Qingcheng's inquiry, Gu Ningyun glanced at Lin Fan and said, "To tell you the truth, our primary goal this trip is actually to find a beast fire within the body of a [Black-Eyed Fire Python] for Lin Fan."

Oh? You're an alchemist?