Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Tumultuous Aftermath

Zhang Ning clung tightly to his suddenly appearing senior brother’s slender waist, letting out a low moan. “Fourth Senior Brother, you’re so mean! You vanished for so long after seeing me just once—I thought you’d abandoned me!”

Don’t misunderstand—Zhang Ning was originally a resolute university student from Azure Water Star, hardly a coquettish boy given to pouting. It was just that, having woken up and recalled all that had happened, he felt as if he’d narrowly escaped death. The world seemed beautiful to him now, and seeing his Fourth Senior Brother Han Zhifei stirred such an overwhelming sense of longing. Not to mention, Zhang Ning had always thought that men with Han Zhifei’s complexion exuded a rugged masculinity and were incredibly handsome; he’d long been both envious and admiring, especially since this senior brother had shown him kindness from the very beginning.

Han Zhifei was left at a loss by Zhang Ning’s words, but quickly replied with a touch of urgency, “I would never abandon you, Fifth Junior Brother—never! I promise!”

Feeling the solid warmth of Han Zhifei’s body, Zhang Ning lifted his head and looked up at him, grinning foolishly. “Good! You said it yourself, Fourth Senior Brother!”

Of course, Zhang Ning knew Han Zhifei had misunderstood. But Han Zhifei seemed the earnest, principled type, someone who took his promises seriously. There could be no harm in securing such a vow, so Zhang Ning craftily accepted it, making no move to explain that he’d only been joking. His heart grew lighter with glee.

Seeing Zhang Ning’s joyful expression, Han Zhifei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Fifth Junior Brother, how are you feeling now?”

“Very well! Senior Brother, did you arrive after Han Zun?”

Han Zhifei nodded, then shook his head, beginning to explain. If it weren’t for his serious demeanor, Zhang Ning would have thought someone had invented a wild story just to amuse him.

It wasn’t just Han Zhifei who arrived after Zhang Ning fainted; the tale grew far more convoluted from there.

When Han Zun had nearly beaten the two Martial Emperors into submission, Zhang Ning’s trusted aides, Yu Zhong, Su Ye, Tang Dao, and several other Martial Emperors, as well as many who, though not under Zhang Ning’s direct command, belonged to their sect, all descended upon the scene. With Zhang Ning’s status, his sudden loss of contact—especially with a beast tide erupting in the Ten-Thousand Mountains—was akin to a crown prince vanishing from an ancient feudal court: chaos was inevitable.

By the time Zhang Ning’s subordinates—or perhaps his fanatical admirers—arrived, the two Martial Saints truly did kneel and beg for mercy. It was said they wept bitterly, wishing they’d never been born. But even then, their ordeal was far from over; they’d been interrogated for a week and counting—though that was a tale for another time.

After everyone had assembled, a boat-shaped magical artifact descended from the sky—trailing blue smoke, no less—and a crowd of people tumbled from it. These were not enemies from the Grand Freedom Demon Sect; rather, both sides found themselves awkwardly facing familiar faces.

As it turned out, after Han Zun had broken free from Zhang Ning’s Third Senior Brother, Zhuge Yi’s, roundabout house arrest, he led his followers in pursuit, declaring he would find Zhang Ning—he belonged to Han Zun, and Zhuge Yi could forget any schemes. The declaration nearly drove Zhuge Yi to apoplexy.

The most astonishing part, however, was that a large group of onlookers—especially a sizeable contingent of newly inducted disciples led by Lin Feng—had always believed there was enmity between the Third and Fifth Princes, teetering on the brink of open conflict. At this turn of events, they defected without hesitation, following Han Zun.

They tracked Zhang Ning’s movements all the way to the Five-Deep Gorge Grasslands. Upon learning Zhang Ning was below, Han Zun leapt down without hesitation, and the rest experienced a series of perilous adventures, ultimately failing to fully master the smoking boat-shaped artifact. In the end, they landed right in the midst of the Grand Freedom Demon Sect experts who had come to rescue Zhang Ning.

This unexpected encounter brought no small measure of awkwardness, but the tension soared when Zhang Ning’s group discovered a Martial Saint had been covertly trailing Han Zun’s party.

The mysterious Martial Saint put everyone on edge, but since the Grand Freedom Demon Sect was brimming with talent, they weren’t afraid of him. The two sides were on the verge of conflict—fortunately, the higher one’s cultivation in the Azure Heavens Realm, the greater the tradition of exchanging words before exchanging blows. After explanations were made, it turned out the Martial Saint was following a female disciple, Yin Hongling, whom Zhang Ning had recently recruited into the sect—sent by her father, the Devil Sovereign of the Divine Cauldron, to protect her.

This revelation left everyone speechless. No one could fathom why someone with a Martial Saint in their household would send their daughter to the Grand Freedom Demon Sect as an ordinary disciple. Moreover, the assembly soon deduced whose daughter Yin Hongling must be, which left everyone even more dumbfounded. Still, none of this was the sect experts’ main concern.

Before any real conflict could break out, those new disciples led by Lin Feng all leapt from the airship, dropping to their knees beside the dazed Zhang Ning and vowing to die for their prince, to serve him in any way he wished. The scene was so theatrical it left a lasting impression—everyone marveled at Zhang Ning’s ability to command such loyalty.

“Did that really happen?”

Zhang Ning blurted out, but seeing his Fourth Senior Brother’s impassive face, he felt almost ashamed for doubting his integrity.

Han Zhifei, unfazed, nodded solemnly. “Yes, it really happened.”

Zhang Ning covered his face with his hand, feeling as if the world was spinning.

He truly couldn’t fathom what went through the minds of these hormone-fueled youths. Hadn’t they been at each other’s throats on the airship not long ago? What could have turned them so united, so... incorrigible?

As Zhang Ning struggled with his thoughts, Han Zhifei spoke again. “Junior Brother, there are two matters that require your decision, or perhaps three—but two are urgent.”

“Please, speak, Senior Brother,” Zhang Ning replied.

Han Zhifei said, “First, all the subordinates of the Golden Lion Saint have been executed, and their families and clans seized as well. What do you intend to do with them? Second, Yin Hongling, daughter of Devil Sovereign Yin Wuji, whom you recently admitted into the sect—how do you plan to treat her?”

The second matter was less pressing, but the first sent a chill through Zhang Ning, as if he could smell blood in the air.

Once again, Zhang Ning was acutely aware that he was now heir to a demonic holy land, and for a power of such magnitude, no matter how benevolently they treated their followers and commoners in daily life, any clandestine attack on the successor would be met with thunderous wrath.