This was a desolate ancient land, where the ground faintly revealed a brownish hue, as if living beings had once spilled blood here.

Desolation, barrenness, vastness, bloodiness... this was the Land of Emptiness!

Ye Chen followed the twelve Great Masters through the void and descended into this strange world, sensing the broken and desolate atmosphere.

"Qi Li, Qian Qiu, Zi Yan, Yi Ran, Qing Ya, Tian Yu... you go look for the dragon insignias, I'll search for Qin Yan. Let's split into twelve teams and conduct a wide sweep of the Land of Emptiness!"

Master Lingyun, being the leader of the Twelve Golden Hairpins and with neither the acting nor the main Palace Master present in Baihua Palace, had all the disciples under her command, even Great Masters like Qi Li, Qian Qiu, Tian Yu, and Bai Ning were no exception.

Eventually, the twelve Great Masters dispersed, each leading a large group of disciples forward.

The Twelve Golden Hairpins had just arrived in the Land of Emptiness and conducted no investigations, yet they acted as if they had understood everything, taking control of the overall situation.

Master Lingyun walked leisurely in the high sky, inspecting this piece of heaven and earth, as if searching for traces of Qin Yan. Ye Chen, Holy Maiden Feng Wu, and other disciples scattered to different locations, searching for the dragon insignias.

"Ye Chen, Feng Wu, there are ninety-nine dragon insignias scattered throughout the Land of Emptiness, each lying in every corner of this realm!"

"The dragon insignias are dark gold throughout, about the size of a palm, engraved with mysterious patterns. You must pay extra attention!"

Master Lingyun was aware of the existence of the dragon insignias and even their distinctive features; she seemed to know everything, capable of anything.

"Master, is the reward you mentioned real?" Ye Chen asked.

"It's real!" Master Lingyun said.

"..."

The Land of Emptiness was the old land of the Dragon Clan, concealing peerless treasures which Baihua Palace coveted intensely. Moreover, the twelve Great Masters promised the palace disciples that anyone who could find a dragon insignia and turn it into the sect would receive ten treasures that were the pride of the sect!

If someone could turn in three insignias, they would be directly promoted to Holy Maiden, becoming a figure similar to Feng Wu, the second Holy Maiden of Baihua Palace!

Ye Chen desired those sect treasures and aspired even more for the position of Saint Heir, so he diligently moved stones and dug small holes, seriously searching for the dragon insignias.

Of course, there were those even more eager than Ye Chen, with the core disciples longing to become Holy Maiden!

"The Land of Emptiness has gathered countless formidable beings, each searching for dragon insignias..." Holy Maiden Feng Wu stood proudly alone, aloof from the world, not searching for dragon insignias like the others. "The Land of Emptiness is vast and boundless. With ninety-nine dragon insignias dispersed throughout, they would logically be very hard to locate thoroughly. But considering how many powerful beings have gathered here, the dragon insignias are likely already found by others. The only way to obtain one is through fierce battles for possession, there's no other way!"

"Hey, Ye Chen, how about we join forces for a strike, to kill and seize the treasure?"

Feng Wu wanted to break away from the team and wander the Land of Emptiness, waiting for the chance to hunt and aggressively plunder. But Feng Wu was not strong enough on her own; she needed an accomplice, and Ye Chen's fighting prowess was magnificent and supreme, perfectly fitting the role of an accomplice.

"You, you, who are you?" Ye Chen managed to squeeze out three words after a long time, indicating he didn't recognize Feng Wu at all.

"You don't recognize me?" Holy Maiden Feng Wu exclaimed in shock.

As a disciple of the Saint and the sole Holy Maiden in Baihua Palace, how could Ye Chen, also a Baihua Palace disciple, not recognize her?

"You are very pretty, but I don't know you!" Ye Chen shook his head and didn't even glance at the Holy Maiden.

When Ye Chen had taken on the persona of the Heavenly Emperor, he had made the Holy Maiden cry for her father and mother; Feng Wu certainly had a deep impression of him. Ye Chen, fearing that his shoes would get wet by the riverside, did not want to interact with Feng Wu, lest she see through his identity.

"I am Feng Wu!" Feng Wu said with an embarrassed face.

Feng Wu was a young supreme being, a disciple of the Saint, the Holy Maiden of Baihua Palace, with many aureoles upon her person. Who in Baihua Palace did not know her?

Even if they had not officially met, but being disciples of such prominent sects, shouldn't they have long been familiar with each other's reputation and considered spiritually acquainted?

The ignorant expression on Ye Chen's face angered Holy Maiden Feng Wu!

"Who is Feng Wu?" Ye Chen asked with a blank expression.

"..."

Holy Maiden Feng Wu's eyes widened in disbelief, wondering if Ye Chen was joking with her. Was he really asking who Feng Wu was?

"Beautiful lady, please don't bother me anymore. I'm still trying to gather three dragon insignias to ascend to the position of Saint Heir!"

Feng Wu was stunningly beautiful, with a graceful figure and a youthful aura about her that stirred some thoughts in Ye Chen.

But relative to bullying beautiful women, Ye Chen cherished his life more.

Feng Wu had clashed with him before, familiar with his aura; Ye Chen feared revealing even a shred which would be thoroughly recognized by Feng Wu.

To avoid this kind of danger, Ye Chen didn't want anything to do with Feng Wu at all!

"Ye Chen, are you really playing dumb, or you genuinely don't know who I am? I'm the Holy Maiden Feng Wu," she said, perplexed.

"When you put it like that, now I understand!" Ye Chen nodded as if suddenly enlightened.

"How dare you pretend not to know me!" Holy Maiden Feng Wu gritted her teeth.

Ye Chen's dumbfounded appearance made Feng Wu feel foolish too. But as she considered the situation, it dawned on her—Ye Chen was feigning ignorance!

"Holy Maiden, the rules and precepts of Baihua Palace are extremely strict. Please don't purposely approach me; it's not good for either of us," Ye Chen said with integrity.

"I'm purposely approaching you?" Feng Wu was shocked once again, finding Ye Chen utterly shameless for having the gall to slander her!

"Holy Maiden, please go play somewhere else and don't get in the way of my search for the dragon insignias!" Ye Chen hopped off, leaving the bewildered Holy Maiden behind.

"Is he... is he trying to disgust me?"

Feng Wu was completely flabbergasted on the spot, somewhat unable to comprehend it, incredulous, because when Ye Chen was facing her, he actually showed a look of disgust!

Was Ye Chen trying to disgust her?

"Ye Chen, how dare you insult me like this, I...."

Feng Wu watched Ye Chen's receding back, her hand clenched so tightly it crackled, yearning to dash over and give Ye Chen a thorough thrashing.

"Feng Wu, you must not act rashly; you can't defeat Ye Chen at all. Charging at him would only bring shame upon yourself..." The Holy Maiden Feng Wu consoled herself inwardly, trying to stabilize her emotions and not to stoop to Ye Chen's level.

"Holy Maiden, please don't follow me, I really don't want to hurt you!"

Ye Chen glanced at Master Lingyun, then at Feng Wu, and continued kicking pebbles, planning to pick up a couple of dragon-patterned stones to play with.

"Eh?" Ye Chen's body stiffened, as if he'd made some discovery.

"Ye Chen, what are you trying to pull!" Holy Maiden Feng Wu came at him again.

"Holy Maiden, I'm not at all acquainted with you. Why do you keep bothering me?" Ye Chen bent down to pick something up and casually placed it in his pocket, he said.

"What did you pick up?" Holy Maiden Feng Wu's face changed as she asked.

"Dragon patterns!" Ye Chen said.

"Keep dreaming!" Holy Maiden Feng Wu sneered.

"Believe it or not!" Ye Chen turned and ran, completely ignoring the Holy Maiden.

"..."

Ye Chen's indifferent behavior left Feng Wu in disarray in the wind. She really couldn't understand, what was going on? Couldn't they just peacefully kill people and snatch treasures?

"Ye Chen, I am the Holy Maiden of the Baihua Palace, and you're just a True Disciple. How dare you disrespect me like this?" Feng Wu chased after him again.

Why should Feng Wu actively seek out abuse from such a despicable, shameless bastard like Ye Chen? Feng Wu wouldn't allow anyone destined to ignore her!

"Why do you keep bothering me? Are you secretly in love with me or something?" Ye Chen didn't care what he said; he just wanted to disgust Feng Wu enough to drive her away.

"Do you want to die?" Feng Wu said with a mix of shame and anger.

"Hmph!" Ye Chen gave a disdainful laugh.

"..."

"Ye Chen, what did you just stuff into your chest?" Feng Wu asked.

She saw Ye Chen picking something up again; before she could see clearly what it was, Ye Chen had stuffed it into his pocket.

"Dragon patterns!" Ye Chen repeated.

"..."

"Ye Chen, I want to join you in wandering the void, hunting for dragon patterns together. We would surely find them faster than you on your own!"

Holy Maiden Feng Wu issued her sincerest invitation. As a young supreme being, and Ye Chen even stronger than her, if the two of them joined forces, who could stand in their way except the Other Shore Grand Master?

"You better stop harboring any ulterior motives and start looking under your feet. I've already picked up a pile of dragon patterns here!" Ye Chen said as he prepared to leave again.

"Ye Chen, do you find this amusing?" Feng Wu stepped in front of Ye Chen and said coldly. "You deliberately pick up pebbles from the ground, tricking me into thinking you found dragon patterns. Do you think I'm a three-year-old kid?"

"Please, just stop pretending. Just seeing you makes me sick!" Holy Maiden Feng Wu had lost all regard for her status, her words as unpleasant as they come.

Ye Chen's disregard was impolite and markedly unfriendly, making Feng Wu very uncomfortable and intent on making things difficult for Ye Chen.

"Feng Wu, remember you're a Holy Maiden, not a shrew. Mind your attitude!" Ye Chen said sternly.

"..."

Feng Wu felt a maddening frustration, as Ye Chen was just too detestable -- she couldn't out-argue him!

"Shameless scoundrel, always fooling people with pebbles!" Feng Wu expressed her disdain as she watched Ye Chen pick up something else.

"Qin Yan!"

Suddenly, Master Lingyun's call startled Ye Chen and the other disciples.

"Qin Yan!" A jolt went through Ye Chen's heart.

Qin Yan was in a dire situation in the void, surrounded and close to death. Master Lingyun had been searching heaven and earth for her, and now, he had finally found her!

"Not good, Qin Yan's situation is dire!" Master Lingyun's face changed dramatically, his robe tearing through the void as he sped onward.

"Boom!"

Ye Chen instantly switched to sprint mode, running like a wild, raging ape, his footsteps shaking the ground, closely following behind Master Lingyun.

"Fairy Qin Yan, I truly admire you for holding out for so long!"

"But now, you have no chance. Hand over the dragon patterns on you, or you are surely doomed today!"

"Fairy Qin, your beauty has long set my heart aflame. If you hand over the dragon patterns, I'll treat you well... But if you keep resisting, I swear I will torture you until you wish for death!"

"Fairy Qin Yan, stop resisting so stubbornly. Unless the Heavenly Emperor descends, who can stop us?"

Qin Yan was in crisis, surrounded by a group of powerful individuals. Before Ye Chen had even approached, he could hear the heavy threats and arrogant words.

"To bully the outnumbered and insult my disciple, your crimes deserve death!" Master Lingyun's voice thundered through heaven and earth, filled with towering fury.

"The Master?" The young people surrounding Qin Yan showed panic on their faces upon seeing Master Lingyun.

"Die!"

A phoenix burst out of the void, bringing with it an aura of destruction, bearing down on the group of young people.

Master Lingyun was overwhelmingly powerful. The young individuals were clearly of extraordinary origin, but she showed no hesitation in striking to kill.

"Rumble—"

As the phoenix obliterated everything, a giant hand spanned across the sky, snuffing out the phoenix unleashed by Master Lingyun in a single grasp.

——

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PS: Chapter Two. I've been struggling with writer's block and writing too slowly. I owe you a chapter, so I'll make up for it with four chapters tomorrow.

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