Imperial God Emperor Chapter 401-405

Ye Qingyu could intuitively sense that Xing’er’s blood had a mysterious effect. After it was tossed out, the seeping killing intent in the landscape all around all retreated, or perhaps it could be said that the killing formations hidden within this beautiful scenery fell into a half slumbering state.

Using fresh blood to open the way?

Ye Qingyu began to understand.

After walking forward for a bit.

A swathe of forest appeared.

In the tight and clustered forest, there was a slab trail heading up.

This little slab path was like it was natural. On the two sides of the trail, there were wildflowers. The silver white stone slabs connecting together seemed like there was a little snake travelling throughout the forest, that was slowly climbing up a gentle mountain slope.

The killing intent coming from the landscape all around once again gradually increased.

The feeling of being enveloped by such a killing intent, was extremely awful.

It was like this entire world was a painting scroll. Ye Qingyu and Xing’er were like two little worms lying on the painting scroll within it. An invisible force was currently distorting this beautiful scroll, and Ye Qingyu and Xing’er would also similarly be crushed into smithereens.

It was as if this piece of landscape would not allow the two to exist.

Xing’er once again let out a drop of blood.

The mysterious effect of that blood droplet once again spread around.

That terrifying killing intent once again retreated.

“Within the ancestral land, there is the most terrifying and absolute killing formation within. It was said that it was personally erected by the [Founding Heaven War God] when Snow Empire was founded. It can even kill experts at the Heaven Ascension stage. To enter here and not die, one must be the descendant of the Yu clan which has the Imperial blood running through them. Using such blood as a conveyor, it can reduce the killing intent of this formation…”

Xing’er gave a word of explanation.

“I can tell that already.” Ye Qingyu calmly said, and asked again, “[Founding Heaven War God]? Who’s he?”

“Oh, he’s a figure that is not even very well recorded in the scrolls of the Imperial family,” Xing’er said. “He was once a person that I was extremely interested in. It was said that the reason the Snow Empire was able to run rampant across so many sects was because of the martial ability of this person. With a sweep of his hand, he suppressed countless old monsters of the sects. However, it was a pity that his legend disappeared, and only left three great sword mantras behind…”

“Three great sword mantras?”

Ye Qingyu’s heart moved.

He instantly thought of the War God mentioned by Dugu Quan.

Could they be the same people?

To be able to leave the three great sword mantras behind, as well as participate in arranging such a terrifying landscape killing formation for the ancestral land of the Imperial Yu clan. Such a existence, just how prodigious and peerless was he? To be able to suppress all the old monsters of the age of sects with a swipe of his hand? This seemed like a complete fairytale.

But at this time, Ye Qingyu already could not pay attention to such things.

Because as they entered deeper into the ancestral land of the Yu clan, the brass military badge became increasingly hot in his hands. It was like red hot coal, causing Ye Qingyu’s mood to grow more and more unsettled. As they constantly neared, the heat of the heroic military badge continued to increase.

This meant the path Xing’er took was coming nearer and nearer to the Offering Temple.

After fifteen minutes, when Xing’er had shed the sixth drop of blood, and the killing intent had disappeared, the brass badge in Ye Qingyu’s palm had already began humming and vibrating soundlessly.

Such a feeling, was as if a slumbering vagabound was finally able to return to his home. Ye Qingyu could clearly sense that impatience originating from the brass military badge.

But at that time, Xing’er finally halted her footsteps.

“We’re here.”

She turned her head to regard Ye Qingyu.

The Ye Qingyu who had fallen into deep thought finally lifted his head. They had already reached the end of the path.

He evaluated his surroundings.

The end of this little stone path was the Imperial Offering Temple. It’s scale was not as vast as imagined. It was only like a courtyard residence that could not be counted as too large within the greenery and landscape.

The area of this courtyard was around two or three acres. From its decoration, it was not fashioned in the classical imperial style, but more like some courtyard of some rich wealthy local family. There was a golden rivet mahogany door, and red bricks and green-glazed tile at the side of the stairs. The white walls were clean and bright, without the slightest hint of dust. The building was delicate and refined, with a vermillion red pillar and intricate scenery surrounding it.

The courtyard lay on a flat of a depression in the mountain.

At the rear of the courtyard, there was a ten-meter-wide waterfall rumbling downwards like a white chain into a pool hundreds of meters below. Mist spread around everywhere, causing rainbows to be formed in the air, creating a delightful scene.

“Where is this?” Ye Qingyu was curious. “Did you not say we were going to go to the Offering Temple?”

“Offering Temple? When did I say this?” Xing’er began laughing as if she had just played a prank. “I said part of the Ancestral Hall of the Imperial family. This place is also a part of the Ancestral Hall. We have already arrived. Haha, I forgot to tell you, the Offering Temple is too central. Even I can’t enter."

Ye Qingyu was speechless

The brass heroic military badge in his hand was increasingly scorching hot. It was about to reach some sort of threshold. But it was at this particular moment, it stopped just like that. Ye Qingyu’s heart was like there was a kitten scratching at it, it was extremely itchy.

But he knew that today he had no way of entering the Offering Temple.

If not for the fact there was the blood of the Imperial family running through Xing’er’s body, with his current cultivation, not to mention trespassing, he would not even have walked a few steps in this killing formation before being smash to smithereens.

Feeling disappointed, Ye Qingyu stowed away the brass military badge.

However, he had understood the lay of the land and experienced the ancestral land of the Imperial family. This could be counted as a great gain. If he wanted to come again in the future, then he would not have to figure things out blindly, and could prepare some things in advance.

“I’ve brought you here to see two people."

Xing’er’s mood seemed to have turned for the better. Bouncing up the stone steps, she knocked on the door.

Ye Qingyu also followed up the steps.

Since he had no way of entering into the Offering Temple, then he would just go along with the flow and not think about other matters.

The courtyard building in front of them could fit several hundred people. But it was strangely quiet, without any noise sounding out, as if there was no one inside at all. Ye Qingyu was suspicious, that this was only a branch of the Offering Temple, and what contained within was stuff like ashes…

Then why did Xing’er knock on the door?

Creak!

The main door did not open.

But the side door opened.

But no one came out.

The door opened automatically.

Xing’er excitedly jumped up and down where she was. “It’s open, it’s open. quickly follow me inside. Hey, this time you’re accompanying me, you just need to follow beside me. Remember, this place is terrifying, you must mind your words. If you say something wrong, you will be forced to remain here forever. Don’t blame me for not reminding you…”

As they finished, they entered through the door at the side.

Ye Qingyu did not know whether to laugh or cry as he followed behind her.

As they stepped past the boundary, there was greenery and shrubbery inside.

There was not too great a difference from the layout of a normal family courtyard. It was only that it seemed that it had been a long time since anyone had refurbished anything, or perhaps the master liked a natural aura from the courtyard. There were weeds all around, and nameless wildflowers blooming around. One could faintly see weeds in the crevices between the stone tiles…

The courtyard was silent as if no one lived here at all. There was no one to be seen at all.

But on the rack next to the Chinese parasol tree, there were several pieces of clothing that seemed to have been recently washed. There was a faint fragrance floating in the air, and at the bottom corner of the clothing, there were clear transparent droplets of water falling to the ground. It indicated that there really was someone living here.

Seeing that Xing’er had quickly shut her mouth, Ye Qingyu felt confused.

Why was there such a place appearing in the ancestral land of the Imperial Yu family. There were little signs of a person living here, and it seemed to have been a residence that had been abandoned for a long time, with only a few female servants patiently waiting…

Walking past the front of the courtyard, and going through a corridor above water, there was another courtyard building.

Next to the flowing water, there was the the sound of splashing water.

There was a woman wearing plain white, that was currently sitting on the stone steps next to the water. Her back was bent washing clothes, her hair that was like silk cascading down, blocking her full face. From Ye Qingyu’s angle there was no way of telling just what she looked like, but the white jade-like skin exposed by her sleeves and her intricate fingers that were currently holding a branch of the Chinese parasol tree as she washed, had an inexplicable charm.

The sensation this gave off was extremely elegant. She seemed to be a female goddess or female empress that was high up and mighty, surveying the mortal world, and not a person washing clothes.

"Aunt Heng’er?”

Xing’er walked over. This was the first time she was so timid, as she tentatively asked.

Even when she had directly faced the Apex Prince Yu Feiyan, this spoiled princess had never shown such an attitude. Ye Qingyu could not help but be curious. Just who was this woman washing clothes?

“You are little Xing’er?”

Hearing Xing’er’s call, the woman washing the clothes finally lifted her head with a smile. Her right hand that still had water droplets fixed her long black hair cascading downwards, her movement natural and smooth. Slightly lifting her head, she smiled, “Counting the time, it was about time that you arrived. Was it not said that you would come alone, why have you brought a little tail?”

When she lifted her head, Ye Qingyu could finally see this elegant woman’s face.

it was a face…

Oh, it was a dignified and composed face.

Ye Qingyu seemed to have been slightly disappointed at this moment.

This face was approximately in her twenties. Her skin was white like jade. But solely from the perspective of a woman’s face, her face could not be counted as that intricate. You would not be stunned by her beauty at one instant, and could only be counted as average. Compared to the bent waist and that cascading black hair, it caused a sensation that this face was not fit for a person with such skin, body and aura.

It was as if this face completely spoiled all the invocations of beauty in Ye Qingyu’s heart the instant her head was lifted.

But without knowing why, when the woman smiled, her originally normal features, suddenly emitted an indescribable warmth. there was a charm that Ye Qingyu did not know how to describe. At that moment, it was as if something fiercely struck Ye Qingyu’s heart.

“That smile….”

Ye Qingyu stood dumbly where he was.

At that moment, Ye Qingyu’s heart had a descriptive word running through it that was commonly used, but it’s definition could hardly be captured —

Gentleness.

That’s right, gentleness.

When the woman washing clothes suddenly smiled, Ye Qingyu suddenly felt that everything was logical and reasonable. In this entire world, there was nothing more gentle than this smiling face. Any peerless and beautiful face would lose it’s splendour in such an extremely gentle smiling face.

Such a gentle smile was enough to make one lose their will and ambition.

This differentiation from what the sight saw and what the heart felt was too great.

It was enough to make even Ye Qingyu feel at this moment that the sunlight was too bright, enough so that it caused him to feel dizzy.

“Hehe, he is my friend. I would be bored on my own, so I invited him to see my two aunties,” Xing’er said laughingly, then hopped over excitedly. “Aunt Heng’er, you haven’t gotten even a bit older in these ten years. You’ve even gotten more and more beautiful. That’s right, where’s Aunt Han? Why can’t I see her?”

As she said this, the girl turned backwards to give a strange face to Ye Qingyu.

Ye Qingyu did not say anything.

At this time, he had fallen into the role of a spectator, an outsider entirely.

Although he did not understand just what Xing’er wanted by coming here, but Ye Qingyu was sure on one thing: this was not just a momentary impulse of Xing’er. The situation was not as she described earlier, that she had only passed here by coincidence and brought Ye Qingyu here by chance.

The Xing’er that was a girl seemed like an impulsive and spoiled little princess.

But Ye Qingyu could clearly remember the Xing’er who had assumed the identity as the little student boy of the [Painting Saint]. Within the Pass Lord’s residence, he was an important character who could not be ignored. When encountering the number one villain of this generation Yan Buhui deep within the territory of the Demon Race, Xing’er was calm and unshaken. Many martial experts that had experienced many battlegrounds would not have performed better than her.
For such a person with a background from the imperial family, her vision and cultivation would definitely be many times higher than the so called geniuses. Her actions, her words, would definitely not be as simple as it looked on the surface.

“You girl, you are still as silly as ever…” Aunt Heng’er stood up, placing all the washed clothing in a wooden tub. Then carrying the wooden tub, she smiled at them, “Do as you wish. Your Aunt Han must be currently undergoing a Zither lesson, let’s go and have a listen…”

The wooden tub made up of some unknown material was filled with completely drenched clothing. It weighed at least several hundred pounds. But Aunt Heng just lightly lifted it with two of her fingers, like lightly lifting a strand of straw. Her initial impression did not seem to give off that as a person she was skilled in the martial arts, and she did not emit the slightest of yuan qi aura. But the more he looked, the more shocked he was. Gradually, Ye Qingyu had a sensation that the true strength of this so called Aunt Heng, was even higher than he himself.

Such a judgement made Ye Qingyu stunned.

It seemed ridiculous.

But without knowing why, following behind the two as they gradually went further into the courtyard building, the more he looked at the back of Aunt Heng, the more he felt that his judgement was correct. He did not have any evidence, but this was just an instinctive sensation that he had from his own heart.

As they walked, they passed a swathe of bamboo forest.

There was the infrequent sound of the Zither coming out.

The sound of the Zither was saintly.

Like flowing water.

Like floating clouds.

Like the tranquilness of a mountain stream.

Like light wind blowing past.

Ye Qingyu was never someone who understood music. But without knowing why, when he heard the faint and unclear sound of the zither emitting from the bamboo forest, such images would appear in his mind. The more they neared the bamboo forest, the more he felt there was an invisible gentle hand drawing something with Ye Qingyu’s brain. Gradually, Ye Qingyu felt a sign that he was barely able to control the direction of his own thoughts…

“The sound of the Zither… there's a demonic power in it, it’s able to control someone’s thoughts?”

After falling briefly into it, Ye Qingyu was stunned.

He shook his head, realizing the sound of the Zither was strange. He instantly focused and rejected this strange power to prevent his spirit from being disturbed by the sound of the Zither.

But without knowing why, some memories that were hidden deep within his heart suddenly and uncontrollably floated in Ye Qingyu’s mind, flitting by without any restraints…

It was as if there was an irresistible power that was currently searching through Ye Qingyu’s memories.

“Crap.”

Ye Qingyu stopped his footsteps.

Without knowing why, he suddenly felt that his vision had become more and more blurred. It was like the moon within the water or flower within the mist. The path underneath him, the bamboo forest in front, as well as the surrounding landscape all became blurred…..

Why was it like this?

Ye Qingyu was shocked.

Just who did this Zither belong to, that it could reach such a terrifying state?

With his current cultivation today, he could verry well be referred to as a top level expert. But this zither sound that came from so far off had placed him under its control without even him noticing?

Ye Qingyu could be sure that everything around him was an illusion. His senses had already been controlled by the sound of the Zither. Such a method was really far too amazing. No matter whether it was the information sources from Dugu Quan or Ouyang Buping, or the report from the Two River Gang, it had not mentioned that there was such a terrifying existence within the capital that was so skilled in the musical arts.

Within his mind, there were all sorts of scenes constantly flickering.

From when he was small, till when he grew up, till when his parents died in battle, and he had hidden himself for fours years, till when he entered White Deer Academy and started practicing martial arts, meeting fortuitous encounters and heading to Youyan Pass…

Such thoughts that were incomparably coherent appeared uncontrollably without Ye Qingyu having any control over it in his mind.

“That’s not right. These are not my own thoughts, but it's constantly appearing… I understand… Not good, that master of the Zither is using the secret arts of the Zither to read my memories?”

Ye Qingyu finally had a moment of enlightenment.

Then all the hairs in his body stood up.

The reason that he would begin remembering his memories uncontrollably and that there were even memories that even he himself had forgotten was very likely due to the master of that Zither. A secret art was currently being used deep within his consciousness that began flipping through his own memories.

At that instant, Ye Qingyu had a feeling of his blood running cold.

Such a method was really too terrifying.

If his memories were really read by the master of the Zither, then what secrets would he have? Everything would be bared naked to the person…

This was unacceptable.

There was an anger that could not help but be provoked within Ye Qingyu’s heart.

He activated his consciousness to the fullest, wanting to resist against the demonic power within the Zither.

But it seemed to have the opposite effect entirely.

Ye Qingyu discovered, the more he resisted, the more he concentrated his spirit, the quicker his memories were read from his mind. The scenes that appeared uncontrollably within his mind became increasingly clearer.

There was absolutely no way of resisting.

“What? What do I do?”

This was Ye Qingyu’s first time encountering such a strange predicament.

He madly searched in his heart for a method to deal with this.

Without realizing, his body began to fluctuate with the nameless breathing technique.

After cultivating in it for so long, this nameless breathing technique had nearly became instinct for Ye Qingyu. Perhaps it was because his body could clearly sense the dangerous situation, it automatically began activating the nameless breathing technique.

The strange breathing rhythm and beat caused Ye Qingyu to slowly settle his spirit as the breathing technique fluctuated. Those scenes that uncontrollably flickered past his mind gradually disappeared. Then his brain was like when he normally cultivated, it was in a state of blankness.

This was the effect of cultivating in the nameless breathing technique day after day.

The Ye Qingyu right now was in a state where he had forgotten himself. Everything in his mind had already fallen into a slumbering state. Even if the zither had a greater demonic power, it had no way of making a person who had even forgotten themselves, remember anything regarding himself.

It was unknown how long such a state would last.

Ye Qingyu slowly opened his eyes.

The noise of the Zither had already disappeared.

Everything had been restored to normal around him.

There was still a path beneath his feet, this was still the picturesque courtyard residence. The little stone path led to the bamoboo forest far off, and there was still the faint sound of Zither coming out from it. But right now, hearing it, there was no longer that terrifying demonic power within, it was no different from the normal sound of a zither…

Ye Qingyu was still apprehensive.

At this time, Xing’er hopped out from the bamboo forest.

She carefully examined Ye Qingyu’s expression. She did not see an expression of rage or the sort, and carefully approached him. With an expression of apology, “The matter is not as you imagine, I really did not mean to, don’t misunderstand…"

The emotions of the little princess was currently conflicted.

She did not imagine herself that such a matter would occur. From the entire situation, it was like she had deliberately led Ye Qingyu here and allowed Aunt Han’s zither sound to browse the secrets within Ye Qingyu’s memories.

Ye Qingyu smiled: “How do I imagine it?”

“that is… that is…” Xing’er was stuttering from guilt, not able to formulate a complete sentence. Finally she lifted her head, closing her eyes, and displayed a heroic expression. Saying with fervour, “Fine, this time it was my wrong. I nearly caused you to fall into a perilous situation, if you want to kill me, I, Yu Xiaoxing will definitely not complain."

“Hahahaha…”

Ye Qingyu could not hold his laughter.

Extending his hand, he tapper her head. “It’s enough. As a princess, how could you admit wrong to one of your subjects? I don’t dare accept… Are you finished with your business? If you are finished, is it time for us to return?”

“What?” Xing’er was stunned. "You’re not angry?”

“You said it wasn’t your intention, so why would I be angry?” Ye Qingyu asked back.

Xing’er hesitated, a charming smile appearing on her exquisite little face. Then she returned to normal, and said with a laugh, “The matter has not yet ended. Aunt Han told you to enter. Hey, just what sort of secret is hidden on your body? This forest that belongs to Aunt Han had never allowed a man to enter in a hundred years. Even father is not an exception. To think that she would let you enter and break all the rules… speak, just what is this?”

Chapter 403 – White Hair, White-Clothed Beauty

Ye Qingyu cast a glance over at her, saying to himself: 'I should be the one asking what is going on. Before this, I do not know about the existences of what Aunt Han or Aunt Heng, but now your Aunt Han is letting me into the bamboo grove. How would I know what is going on?'

But Ye Qingyu also believed in what Xing'er had said.

The little princess did not intentionally take him here for his memory to be read.

This was the trust he had in her.

"The one playing the zither just now, was that your Aunt Han?" Ye Qingyu asked while walking along.

Yu Xiaoxing hastily nodded. "Of course it's her, besides Aunt Han, in this world, who can play the [Demonic Zither] to this level… However, I don't know why, but today Aunt Han seems a little different from usual. Once you enter the bamboo forest, you must speak carefully. If you anger Aunt Han, no one in this world can save you."

Ye Qingyu's footstep abruptly stopped. "Then, can I not go?"

"No." Xing'er jokingly smiled. "It's too late now."

"Fine." Ye Qingyu stroked his face, saying, "Luckily I have a not-bad-looking face, so I should not annoy her… Hey, I said, you've been pushing me into the fire pit all the time today. Is there some deep-seated hatred between the two of us?"

Yu Xiaoxing bent forward with laughter.

It was at this moment that the little princess was certain that Ye Qingyu was really not angry at her.

She was a little moved. Clenching her teeth, she replied, "Don't worry, no matter what happens today, even if I risk my life, I will protect you."

Ye Qingyu shot a look at her, "Why is it that the more you say it, the more I feel I'm doomed? I feel like a prisoner going to the execution grounds…"

While speaking, they had entered the bamboo grove.

From the outside it seemed like a little bamboo grove, but once one stepped inside, the green surging bamboo was like a forest, bamboo leaves connecting heaven and earth, moving up and down with the wind, and the sound of wind beating the bamboo leaves was like the crashing sea waves. The scenery and atmosphere was too beautiful.

Following behind Yu Xiaoxing, one step seemed as though striding over hundreds of miles.

Inside this bamboo forest, there were formation restrictions.

In dozens of steps, they had crossed the endless forest.

A dozens-of-meter-wide waterfall came crashing down from the mountains, like the Milky Way falling from the ninth heaven. It was the waterfall that Ye Qingyu saw outside the village, and at the end of the bamboo grove was a flying crag, relying on the topography of the mountain to stretch into midair.

On the flying crag was a small bamboo pavilion.

Inside the pavilion were flowers, tea, wine, a zither, a sword and people.

Besides the graceful Aunt Heng, there was another slim elegant figure, her long hair snow-white like the moon frost, glistening under the sun, and through the hazy mist of the waterfall, he could tell that this woman was not old. She was sitting proudly on a bamboo chair as if she was wielding a long machete and riding on a horse, her manner was exuberant and heroic, holding a light yellow wooden seven-stringed zither, and drinking wine…

The first impression the white figure gave Ye Qingyu was that she was not a quiet woman living here in seclusion, but an invincible sword hero, brave and heroic.

Was this that Aunt Han?

She was completely different from what Ye Qingyu had imagined before.

He found it hard to believe that the stable and terrifying demonic sounds of a zither, as though it were carried by the cool breeze, came from such a bold and unrestrained woman. The person and the music were of two completely different styles.

Xing'er brought Ye Qingyu over, stopping hundred of meters away from the bamboo pavilion.

"Haha, Little Xing'er, why are you standing so far away? Bring your little boyfriend over," a voice echoed out of the pavilion.

What kind of voice was this?

Her tone, which carried a hint of teasing, for some reason was subconsciously ignored by Ye Qingyu, and the instance he heard this voice, he could not help but have a strange thought coming onto his mind———

What's going on?

It seems he had heard this voice before?

Xing'er gently tugged at Ye Qingyu's sleeve, winked at him, and then staggered forward. He could tell that the unruly princess in front of this Aunt Han was somewhat in awe of the white-clothed woman in the pavilion.

Ye Qingyu followed behind.

They arrived outside of the pavilion, when Xing'er stopped again.

"This girl, we haven't seen each other in only 10 years, you're so distant to Aunt." The woman in white rolled her eyes at Yu Xiaoxing, then very casually dropped the wooden zither to one side and grabbed a jar of wine from the bamboo table. She gulped down a mouthful of wine, an aroma came wafting out, laughed out loud, and casually threw the wine jar out the small pavilion.

But this jar of wine was not thrown at Yu Xiaoxing.

But thrown in the direction of the Ye Qingyu.

Ye Qingyu raised his arm, and caught the jar of wine with a confused expression on his face.

Even Xing'er who was next to him and Aunt Heng in the bamboo pavilion had a look of surprise on their face.

Nobody thought that the white-clothed woman would throw a wine jar to Ye Qingyu.

"Uh… drank a little too much today and was dizzy. I threw in the wrong direction, hahaha…" the white-clothed woman explained, ending in a loud hiccup, her long white hair flowing down like a waterfall of snow. She casually pulled her hair into a knot, all her movements were done in a kind of bold and carefree manner, and then glanced at Ye Qingyu, shouting, "Doesn't matter, it doesn't matter I threw it wrong. Little fellow, what are you looking at? Hurry up and drink it, do I have to toast to you?"

Ye Qingyu stood with a stunned look across his face.

When the long white snow-like hair was pulled back, Ye Qingyu was finally able to see the appearance of the woman in white. If that Aunt Heng amazed Ye Qingyu with her smile, then this white as snow Aunt Han, truly made Ye Qingyu's mind go a bit blank from her unique beauty.

Even the most gorgeous rhetoric in the world cannot describe the delicate beauty of the woman in white. Ye Qingyu had met a lot of beautiful women, but had never seen such a beautiful face before.

This face was so beautiful that it was almost sacred.

It's hard to believe that there will be such a beautiful face in this world if not seen with one's own eyes.

When Ye Qingyu first saw her white frost-like hair, he instinctively thought that, this Aunt Han should be quite old, but now he just realized that he was completely wrong.

This was clearly a face that would forever stay as young as sixteen or seventeen years old.

The pure aura that a maiden radiates was like that of a naive and pure fairy, completely uncontaminated with the slightest mortal aura. This kind of temperament should not match with that long white hair, but for some reason, when this face and temperament was really put together with the snow white hair, a breathtaking and dazzling beauty was produced.

Ye Qingyu suddenly became a little awkward.

He was foolishly carrying the jar, not knowing what to do for a moment.

This was definitely not because of the beauty of the woman in white, but a very strange feeling.

Standing in front of the woman in white, Ye Qingyu felt an unprecedented constraint.

Somewhat nervous.

Compared to facing a fierce person like Yan Buhui, he was much more tense.

Yu Xiaoxing stretched out her fingers, gently poking him.

Ye Qingyu suddenly came out of his trance, realizing something. He opened his mouth and inhaled, drinking a huge mouthful of wine in the jar. He immediately felt a delicate fragrance and warmth seeping into his heart and spleen, like he was walking on clouds like a fairy. The wine contained a majestic spiritual energy, just like origin crystal. Once the wine enters the mouth, it immediately transformed into a current of energy flowing to his four limbs and throughout the rest of his body.

Good wine!

It was absolutely not an ordinary wine.

Ye Qingyu was inwardly shocked.

Such fine wine. Although he did not know what ingredients it was brewed from, if it was placed outside, many people would break their skull to fight over it. One drop could be worth thousands of gold!

But…

Ye Qingyu saw that inside the small bamboo pavilion, across the bamboo floor, and dripping down from the clothes of the woman in white… were all large wine stains. It seemed that the woman in white treated the wine that can't be bought for thousands of gold as the most ordinary coarse wine, splashing the wine everywhere. Ye Qingyu still remembered that just now, when this woman in white was drinking, she was carrying the wine jar backward and more than half was trickling down the collar onto her clothes and body.

"Three mouthfuls."

The woman in white looked smilingly at Ye Qingyu.

She suddenly seemed interested, wanting to make fun of Ye Qingyu.

"Ah?"

Ye Qingyu looked very foolish.

Yu Xiaoxing anxiously poked Ye Qingyu again. "Why are you standing there blankly, Aunt Han told you to drink another three mouthfuls. Hurry and drink, not even my father may be able to drink it… Usually you look very alert, why do you suddenly look so blank at such an important moment?"

Ye Qingyu looked absently, said "oh", and began drinking.

Yu Xiaoxing was completely infuriated at his indifference, stamping her feet.

Aunt Heng who was in the pavilion also could not help laughing.

That incomparably gentle smiling face that Ye Qingyu marvelled at before, enough to make him hold his breath for years, when next to the woman in white, was suddenly less colourful. The charm of the woman in white was masking up everything, even the stunning gentle smile of Aunt Heng had also lost its brilliance.

When Ye Qingyu drank another three mouthfuls of wine, he felt a little dizzy.

Back when Ye Qingyu was at Youyan Pass, he could drink jars of sorghum wine without getting drunk, but obviously this wine was not an ordinary wine. Even a top expert would get dizzy drinking it.

The woman in white smiled, looked at Ye Qingyu. She rolled up her sleeve exposing the soft white skin of her arm that was as light as the touch of frost and as white as snow, and suddenly laughed loudly, "Hey, youngster, you're going to be drunk… how about this, if you finish the jar of wine, then I'll let you off for secretly listening to me playing the zither outside the bamboo grove…"

Ye Qingyu, "……."

It was clearly you that was reading my memory with the zither sounds, how could you say I secretly listened in on you playing the zither?

Utterly unreasonable.

But under the situation of Yu Xiaoxing giving signals with her eyes to Ye Qingyu, so much so that she was about to hurt her eyes, Ye Qingyu ultimately obeyed instructions. He honestly lifted up the jar and finished in one breath the rest of the wine. He could not help but let out a drunken burp, as his knees weakened and his bottom impacted the ground.

The wine was too strong——

Chapter 404 – The Daughter of Lu Zhaoge

Seeing that Ye Qingyu had finished the wine, the smile on the lips of the woman in white immediately widened, like a child who had just made a prank, laughing like blossoming plants swaying in the breeze.

Yu Xiaoxing and Aunt Heng threw each other a glance.

The former's eyes were filled with astonishment and confusion.

The latter's eyes were equally astonished, shaking her head slightly.

It was obvious that at this moment, Aunt Han was definitely not the person that they were familiar with. Today she was indeed a bit abnormal.

In the past, let alone an ordinary little noble like Ye Qingyu, even if it was the Snow Empire's Snow Emperor, as long as Aunt Han disagreed, it was impossible for them to enter this bamboo forest. Unexpectedly, today, for the first time, she let Ye Qingyu drink the [Drunken Immortal Wine] that she personally brewed, and also drink a whole jar.

It should be said that [Drunken Immortal Wine] was really comparable to origin crystal, in that there is no market price and the materials used were all spiritual medicines and herbal ingredients collected from this ancestral land.

This ancestral land was once a herbal medicine field of a top sect in the era of sects, and later was unknowingly transformed into an ancestral land by a war god of Snow Empire, and its terrain was changed. Under the protection of formations for hundreds of years, the ancestral land still maintained its original style, there have not been picking and destruction, and the spiritual medicines and herbal ingredients remained in perfect condition. In the ancient times, even members of the imperial family may not be allowed to pick the herbal plants, but Aunt Han could pick them as she wished, like she was pulling out radishes, and brew them into wine following an ancient method. For martial artists, this wine was simply a priceless treasure.

Although Aunt Han treats such fine wine as ordinary alcohol, she was not at all stingy to the people close to her. But to outsiders, she would speak bluntly and harshly.

Once there was a relative of the imperial family, taking advantage of the fact that the blood of the imperial family runs in his body, intruded the bamboo forest, and was directly killed by Aunt Han's zither sounds and turned to smithereens.

So today, at first, Yu Xiaoxing was hesitant to take Ye Qingyu into the bamboo forest.

Unexpectedly, this time Aunt Han herself wanted to see Ye Qingyu, an outsider.

That would have been astonishing enough.

But now she even let Ye Qingyu drink all the [Drunken Immortal Wine].

She said she threw it in the wrong direction, but from the beginning it was obvious that she was clearly aiming it towards Ye Qingyu?

Xing'er angrily thought to herself.

While Ye Qingyu was already feeling dizzy and his vision blurred. He could only feel countless heat currents flowing around his body like horses running wild, all muscles, bones, flesh and blood were burning, but there was no pain, and instead felt warm and comfortable, as if he had returned to his mother's womb.

Ye Qingyu's sight was a little blurred.

When he opened his eyes, the figures in front were seen overlapping into several layers of images.

Vaguely, he seemed to have seen the white-clothed beauty Aunt Han. She came towards him step by step, stretched out her hand, gently stroked his head. There seemed to be glistening teardrops that flashed into those clear as autumn spring eyes, and then Ye Qingyu was too drunk, immediately falling asleep…

It was unknown how much time had passed.

Ye Qingyu was waking up in a confused state.

He was slightly frightened until he suddenly examined the surroundings, realizing that he was lying on his back on the deck of the ship, reeking of alcohol. His hands and feet felt weak, but his body was full of strength and he felt an unprecedented comfort throughout his body.

The unruly Princess Yu Xiaoxing was sitting at the bow of the ship with her feet in the air.

Ye Qingyu sprang up, touching his head.

The memory in his mind was seemingly real, but somewhat vague.

Drawing a deep breath, Ye Qingyu rested on his stomach at the side of the ship, overlooking below. There were temples one after another, deity statues and magnificent temples. The sounds of chanting and smell of incense filled the air. It seemed that they had come out from the Imperial Ancestral Land, and into the outside the temple area.

Ye Qingyu looked over at Yu Xiaoxing, who looked bored with her hand under her chin, asking, "How long has it been?"

"Not long." Xing'er casted a very strange glance at Ye Qingyu.

Ye Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, good, good."

Xing'er then added, "Only two days and two nights have past."

"What?" Ye Qingyu suddenly jumped up. "That isn't long?"

Xing'er stared at him with a gaze like she was looking at an idiot. "The people that get drunk from [Drunken Immortal Wine] sleep for three or four months while you only slept two days and two nights, is that very long?"

"But…" Ye Qingyu's face darkened. "I will miss the allotted time of the military report."

"Oh," Xing'er nodded. "I see. It's not that important, although the army said that military orders cannot be disobeyed, but just by missing the allotted time, they won't kill you.

Ye Qingyu, "…"

Xing'er sniggered out loud, "Well, it's not that serious, so don't worry. I have already told people to tell my brother, the Crown Prince, you can go a day or two later."

Ye Qingyu, "…"

Ye Qingyu felt he was almost tricked to death by this unruly princess.

"Hey, seriously, have you seen Aunt Han before?" Xing'er moved closer, her eyes wide and unblinkingly staring at Ye Qingyu, with an extremely curious and nosy gaze.

Ye Qingyu said snappily, "What do you think?"

"I don't think you could have ever seen her," Xing'er answered with a perplexed expression on her face. "But why do I feel like Aunt Han's attitude to you is too strange. She has never been so nice to others before."

"Nice?" Ye Qingyu couldn't help laughing. "You think that forcing me to get drunk the first time we meet is being nice to me?"

"Tut-tut…" Xing'er curled her lips contemptuously. "Look at your face like you've been mistreated. You've gained an advantage but pretending otherwise. Did you know that the first time I went, I just drank three bowls of [Drunken Immortal Wine]? Did you know that my older brother Crown Prince wants to drink this [Drunken Immortal Wine] but he can't? Did you know…"

Ye Qingyu proudly smiled.

That wine really was something good.

"Do you know that when you were asleep, Aunt Han was very concerned about you? She told Aunt Heng to take you to the Bamboo House of [Snow Peak Platform], even my father had not set foot there before, you know my father is Aunt Han's older brother…" Xing'er blurted out.

"What?" Ye Qingyu exclaimed in shock. "That Aunt Han is your father's younger sister?"

"I call her aunt, she is obviously my father's generation of people, what's so strange?" Xing'er looked at Ye Qingyu with disdain.

"But…" Ye Qingyu felt that there seems to be something wrong and asked again, "What about that Aunt Heng?"

"Aunt Heng is my elder, but she is not of the Yu clan." Xing'er hesitated for a moment, before continuing, "In fact, this Aunt Heng and you have a little relation."

"Me?" Ye Qingyu was dumbfounded.

Xing'er nodded, "You know Aunt Heng's father."

"Ah?" Ye Qingyu was at a total loss.

Xing'er smiled, "Guess."

Ye Qingyu had nothing to say, but to entertain Her Highness Princess Xing'er, he said one or two names. Xing'er finally just laughed, "[War God of Youyan Pass] Pass Lord Lu, is the father of Aunt Heng, you couldn't guess right?"

Ye Qingyu was so shocked his jaw dropped.

That gentle woman is the daughter of Lu Zhaoge?

Why would the daughter of Lu Zhaoge be in the Iimperial capital, be at the imperial family's ancestral land?

Is it not said that those without the blood of the Yu clan cannot enter the imperial family's ancestral land?

"Aunt Heng started out as a maid of Aunt Han and grew up with Aunt Han. They have always been very close, and later something happened. Aunt Heng was involved in a calamity, and almost died. Aunt Han was furious and personally killed tens of thousands of noble experts of the Empire, blood flowed for thousands of miles, and even the current Right Minister was almost killed in that battle." Xing'er sighed. "I don't know much about this matter, after all. I was still small at that time. There are many things I have not personally experienced, and don't remember clearly… But since then, Aunt Heng left Youyan Pass, followed Aunt Han and has been living in the ancestral land."

There was such an incident.

Ye Qingyu nodded slightly.

It sounded like another mystery of the higher-levels of the empire, outsiders won't know too much.

But since Aunt Heng is the daughter of Lu Zhaoge, how was she involved in a calamity and almost died?

Within the empire, there were indeed some that dared to touch the daughter of Lu Zhaoge, but they could absolutely be counted with one's fingers.

And this mystery also involves the most powerful Right Minister of the Empire today?

"The reason I came here today, besides to pay respect to my ancestors and visit Aunt Han, was to bring a letter to Aunt Heng from Pass Lord Lu," Xing'er explained. "In fact, Aunt Heng and Aunt Han are people of cruel fate. They both have someone they love, but can't be together with him, are forever separated, and most likely would never see each other again in this life… Why would fate be so cruel to such remarkable women?"

Ye Qingyu was speechless.

This trip to the Imperial Ancestral Land, for him, was like a dream.

About this vague past that Xing'er had mentioned, Ye Qingyu did not understand too much, but for some reason, when he thought of the two women of unsurpassed beauty in the ancestral land, Ye Qingyu could not help but feeling a burst of compassion and bitterness for them.

From what Xing'er had said, these two women of unsurpassed beauty have encountered the ups and downs of love.

Ye Qingyu also couldn't help thinking of Song Xiaojun.

The girl who had lost her memory, where was she now?

"Don't know why, but Aunt Han seems to give you special preferential treatment, she not only let you drink the [Drunken Immortal Wine], but also let you onto the [Snowy Peak Platform]. If words get out, it would most likely cause a storm within the imperial family, it is far more shocking than you using the [Three Thousand Feet of White Hair]…" Yu Xiaoxing stared at Ye Qingyu, "Why is that?"

Ye Qingyu very seriously thought for a moment, then said, "Is it not because of you? Doesn't she also think that I'm your little boyfriend?"

Chapter 405 – This old woman finds you pleasing to the eye

"You looking for a fight." Yu Xiaoxing's cheeks flushed rosy red, saying abruptly, "You know that the matter is not finished… Besides, I didn't get such good treatment, so how could that be the reason… Oh, yes, when Aunt Heng took me to the ancestral temple to collect herbal ingredients at the medicinal peak, only Aunt Han herself was taking care of you, you…" The princess looked Ye Qingyu over with a suspicious eye. "You really did not wake up at all?"

Ye Qingyu nodded. "Of course."

"During the time that I wasn't there, nothing had happened right?" Yu Xiaoxing said in a skeptical tone. "The reason that Aunt Heng took me to pick herbal ingredients, was it to deliberately send me away?"

"You're thinking too much?" Ye Qingyu replied, taken aback

"There must be something strange," Yu Xingyu said firmly.

But she couldn't find any other suspicious points.

Ye Qingyu didn't say anything else.

He vaguely remembered that before he passed out, there was a scene that he saw: white hair, white-clothed Aunt Han was reaching out her hand to touch his head, her eyes were glistening with tears… Was that an illusion that he saw, or did it really happen?

Ye Qingyu tried to ask Yu Xiaoxing.

Yu Xiaoxing stared at him blankly, from her expression it was evident that she did not know about this.

What's going on?

Ye Qingyu was increasingly baffled.

At that time he clearly remembered that Yu Xiaoxing and that Aunt Heng were both present.

Why would this be.

This matter disclosed a kind of strangeness.

And Ye Qingyu faintly felt that in his mind there seemed to be information, but for some reason, he could not grasp the key pieces and put them together. It was as though when something was about to penetrate and break through, but a layer of window paper was in the way.

Ye Qingyu could not understand this matter as he thought of it over and over again. In the end, he simply forgot about this matter.

Since the alcohol of [Drunken Immortal Wine] was still surging within his body, Ye Qingyu sat crossed-legged, exercising his breathing and harmonizing qi, and began refining the alcohol yuan qi in his body.

The nameless breathing technique was activated.

Ye Qingyu was about to enter a meditative state, when suddenly he realized that his mind seemed to be… there seemed to be something more.

"That's…"

Ye Qingyu was astonished.

It was two bright balls of light that suddenly jumped into his mind while he was operating the nameless breathing technique.

What's going on?

There was something in his mind that he did not even know?

Vaguely, Ye Qingyu felt that this may be related to Aunt Han. When her hands touched his head, she probably quietly did something…

Ye Qingyu's eyes shot open. "That Aunt Han's strength, is it very terrifying?"

Yu Xiaoxing firmly nodded. "If Aunt Han's strength is not strong, how could she develop the [Demonic Zither]?"

Ye Qingyu said, "I don't know much about the [Demonic Zither]."

"All right." Yu Xiaoxing rubbed her forehead, saying, "[Three Thousand Feet of White Hair] is one of the four greatest weapons of the Empire. The [Demonic Zither] is one of the other three, you should have seen the power of the [Three Thousand Feet of White Hair]. You almost used it instantly to kill Du Heng, but the [Three Thousand Feet of White Hair] I gave you is just a replica of the real weapon, so you should understand the power of [Demonic Zither], right?"

"Replica?" Ye Qingyu exclaimed in shock.

Xing'er said in a firm tone, "Of course, if it is authentic, how could I give it to you? And even if I want to give you the real one, with my status, even I can't get the real [Three Thousand Feet of White Hair]."

"That's… you're right." Ye Qingyu nodded.

Of course, before he had also been wondering that if he really had one of the greatest treasures of the empire, then he should have been able to use it more than once, and it should not have fallen into his hands so easily.

"You've come to the imperial capital for a while now, you should have heard about the [Divine Dragon List]?" Xing'er asked again.

Ye Qingyu nodded.

The [Divine Dragon List] is one of the major lists of the imperial capital, which ranks the real top martial artists, and saying that it is a ranking for the strongest of the Human Race also wasn't an exaggeration.

"Aunt Han by herself can sweep away all experts of the [Divine Dragon List]." Xing'er added.

"How could that be possible?" Ye Qingyu jumped up.

This piece of information was really a bit too shocking.

Those on the [Divine Dragon List] were real top-ranked experts, there were even a lot of Ascending Heaven existences that could be called old monsters and old demons. They have been famous for so many years, a mention of any one of them could make a child cry. Yu Xiaoxing said that Aunt Han can sweep away these evil-doers.

"Haha, look at your face, the things you don't know, there are many," Xing'er said proudly. "Without my Aunt Han, Snow Empire would not have had smoothly established the empire."

Ye Qingyu did not speak, and just quietly listened.

The matters were getting more and more mysterious.

"Of course, to be exact, the reason the Yu clan can sweep away people from all sides, crush the major sects and top martial artists of the era of sects, was because of that invincible War God uncle. But without Aunt Han, there wouldn't be that War God uncle…" Yu Xiaoxing looked more and more complacent, but the more she said the more puzzled he was.

As she was speaking, a golden armoured guard came over, whispering something in Yu Xiaoxing's ear.

The expression on Yu Xiaoxing's face slightly changed, she said a few words to Ye Qingyu before turning away and went into the cabin of the ship.

Ye Qingyu waved his hand and did not say anything else.

War God uncle?

What does that mean?

Was it that legendary invincible War God?

Ye Qingyu shook his head. He felt that the matters of the imperial family Yu clan really were too secretive.

Since Yu Xiaoxing was gone, there was no way Ye Qingyu could solve all the question on his mind. He sat at the bow of the ship by himself for a while, operated the nameless breathing technique, and immersed in the state of cultivation, to see the two mysterious bright balls of light that inexplicably appeared in his mind.

The sea of divine knowledge of a martial artist was as boundless as the stars of the universe.

The two balls of bright light, like two huge stars, were suspended in the endless sky.

Ye Qingyu carefully separated out a wisp of divine thought, attempting to touch one of the balls of light.

The second the divine thought touched the light, it suddenly ruptured, silently splitting into several specks of light, twinkling in the void of knowledge.

Startled, Ye Qingyu was cautious and alert.

The countless bright specks of light were constantly fluttering and flashing, constantly combining and arranging in order, as if they had life and were changing into something.

Ye Qingyu held his breath in deep concentration.

Gradually he came to understand.

The specks of light were changing into some kind of handwriting.

After a short moment, all the specks of light had finished changing.

Thousands of flowing words were appearing in the void of the sea of knowledge.

Ye Qingyy blankly looked at the four characters at the top——

This was the [ivine Emperor Sword Mantra]?

Before the specks of light had finished changing, Ye Qingyu thought of countless possibilities, but had not thought of this.

Right now Ye Qingyu was basically certain that the two large balls of light in his mind were definitely because the white hair white-clothed beauty Aunt Han used some supreme ability to penetrate into his sea of knowledge——If, as Yu Xiaoxing had said, this Aunt Han was a master that can crush the top experts, she could have easily done this.

The problem was that, why would she be so nice to him at their first meeting?

She not only let him drink a jar of [Drunken Immortal Wine], but also gave him the [Divine Emperor Sword Mantra]?

Although Ye Qingyu had always felt that his luck was good, wasn't this sort of luck too unbelievable?

The Three Great Sword Mantras were known as the pinnacle absolute mantras of the Sword Dao. It was absolutely a martial treasure that could be enough to cause the entire Heaven Wasteland Domain to fight and shed rains of blood for it. Even the current Snow Emperor would not be able to obtain such an item, how could Aunt Han have it in her hands? And for her to give it to him?

Ye Qingyu had many questions in his mind.

Then he attempted to separate a wisp of divine thought to touch the other ball of light.

But as he was approaching the second ball of light, there was a gentle force pushing him away.

"The three major sword techniques complement one another. Little fellow, your present strength is not enough to peek into the mystery of the [Life Sword Mantra]. Don't be too greedy."

A familiar voice sounded in Ye Qingyu's mind.

It was Aunt Han.

Ye Qingyu heard clearly. This voice was the voice of that Aunt Han, he was sure of it.

"Senior? Can you perceive the activity of my sea of knowledge?" Ye Qingyu was startled, hurriedly asked.

"Haha, little fellow, do you think I shouldn't have peeked at your sea of knowledge? I shouldn't be peeking at your secret? Are you angry? Haha, there's no use in being angry. I, this old woman, have read all your memories, there's no secret anymore." Aunt Han's voice was filled with a kind of delight."To tell you the truth, it is just a wisp of divine thought, it can't do anything to you, but if you encounter any danger in the future, I can come to your help in time."

Ye Qingyu did not know whether to laugh or cry.

This was the style of Aunt Han.

From her words, there was no doubt that the second ball of light contained the [Life Sword Mantra] of the three major sword techniques.

"Senior's generous gift, I am really scared, why is senior so generous to me?" Ye Qingyu was also unsure of his current mood.

"I, this old woman, finds you pleasing to the eye, haha. After so many years, I finally have a pleasing toy… Well, don't ask, I, this old woman, am going to play the zither now. I have no time for you. First practice your martial arts well, you think you're already very strong by reaching the Bitter Sea stage in one year, right? I'll tell you, your cultivation level is still far away, I can kill tens of thousands of you with one finger, not to mention those people… Pleh pleh pleh, almost blurted it out." ——

Chapter end