Chapter 304: He Voluntarily Relinquished the Pride of a Prodigy!

(The previous chapter has been updated with an additional two thousand words; just refresh to read it!)

Under the watch of countless gazes, the Spirit Empress allowed Li Xuanfeng to lead her by the hand. While she appeared composed on the surface, her heart was racing slightly.

She knew that both the Yao Race and the Human Race were surely exchanging messages via Divine Sense in private. However, after Li Xuanfeng swept a glance over them, everyone consciously fell silent and withdrew their Divine Sense.

Swoosh!

Li Xuanfeng pulled the Spirit Empress along, their figures turning into a streak of light that vanished into the distance in an instant.

The Ice Feather Empress stood outside the Heaven Refining Formation, watching the Spirit Empress willingly let Li Xuanfeng hold her hand. Her mouth hung open, but she was speechless.

Didn't they say she wasn't interested in love and romance?

Didn't she only find Artifact Refining interesting?

How could the change be so abrupt and so fast?

She clearly hadn't felt even a hint of the Spirit Empress's heart fluttering for Li Xuanfeng. Based on her understanding of the Spirit Empress, she should have disdained such intimate contact with a man.

How could she be willing to let him hold her hand in the blink of an eye?

Was this right?

Was this still the Spirit Empress she knew?

Watching the streak of light rapidly recede, the Ice Feather Empress stood in place, silent.

She didn't know if it was because of her previous choice to remain neutral, or because the Spirit Empress's thoughts were entirely on Li Xuanfeng, or perhaps because Li Xuanfeng took the Spirit Empress away too quickly—her friend of many years seemed to have ignored her.

The Ice Feather Empress felt that a single different choice had caused her to lose many precious things.

"I plan to follow him from now on. You can decide for yourself which palace you want to go to."

The Spirit Empress's Divine Sense transmission fell into the Ice Feather Empress's mind as she stared blankly in the direction where the two had disappeared.

She hadn't lost this friend because of a different choice, but their relationship seemed to have undergone a change.

Swoosh!

A rainbow light enveloped two figures as they sped past.

The space where the Ancient Yao Palace was located was vast and boundless; every palace represented a world.

The Spirit Empress's initial nervousness had faded. Feeling the warmth of Li Xuanfeng's large hand, she actually felt a sense of peace.

"Are you still going to risk going to the Central Palace?"

The Spirit Empress couldn't help but ask.

She already knew that Li Xuanfeng wasn't looking for a suitable place to Cultivate the Yin-Yang Profound Refining Technique with her right now, but was heading for the Central Palace.

Regardless of whether Li Xuanfeng's struggle for the Innate Spirit Flame and High Grade precious medicine was for her sake, she was worried about his safety.

"While it would be better to steadily help you improve your Domain, the Innate Spirit Flame and High Grade precious medicine cannot be missed."

Li Xuanfeng smiled.

The Spirit Empress said no more, only tightening her grip on Li Xuanfeng's hand with her own delicate one.

Li Xuanfeng's current strength was above the Spirit Empress's, but as the number one in the King Realm, her strength was not to be underestimated. Not only would she not hold Li Xuanfeng back, but she could also provide him with some help.

Since he refused to give up the fight for the Innate Spirit Flame and High Grade precious medicine, she would accompany him to the end!

She had already made up her mind to stand by his side long ago, and now that she understood her feelings for him, what more was there to say?

For someone like the Spirit Empress, who had never had any romantic experience, once her heart was moved by someone, that feeling was intense and burning, just like everyone's first awakening of love.

She was willing to give more for Li Xuanfeng, and this devotion had nothing to do with the idea of investing in him.

Li Xuanfeng seemed to sense her feelings, and the strength with which he held her hand increased slightly.

The Spirit Empress's figure and appearance were both of the top peak tier, flawless. Moreover, she had not hesitated to make enemies of seven super forces for him. How could he possibly miss out on or let go of such a woman!

The two of them stopped talking, holding each other's hands tightly as they sped toward the Central Palace as a rainbow light.

A short while later, the two of them suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?"

The Spirit Empress asked in confusion.

"The intelligence gatherer is here."

Li Xuanfeng looked into the distance, where a black dot suddenly appeared and quickly swept to the front of the two.

It was a bald young man.

"Blood Demon King?"

The Spirit Empress was somewhat surprised.

The Blood Demon King was also somewhat surprised, especially when he saw Li Xuanfeng and the Spirit Empress holding hands.

After witnessing Li Xuanfeng display such astonishing strength, he felt a sense of survival after a disaster and a deeper awe for Li Xuanfeng. Consequently, he had consciously left the Heaven Refining Palace to gather intelligence.

He wanted to demonstrate enough value before Li Xuanfeng to see if there was a chance for a "reduced sentence."

This time, as he headed to the Central Palace, he had indeed discovered some relatively important information.

He had intended to gather more information before telling Li Xuanfeng all at once, but he hadn't expected to meet him here.

"The gates of the Central Palace have opened, and all the Venerables have entered!"

Li Xuanfeng and the Spirit Empress were openly holding hands, their relationship self-evident. Although the Blood Demon King was surprised, he kept his eyes forward and didn't ask questions, reporting respectfully to Li Xuanfeng.

"Have you found any traces of the Spirit Flame or the precious medicine?"

Li Xuanfeng asked.

"No, the Central Palace is a bit strange…"

The Blood Demon King immediately relayed all the information he had scouted.

Li Xuanfeng listened quietly and then fell into deep thought.

Venerables from various forces had indeed descended upon the Ancient Yao Palace and were all gathered at the Central Palace. Together, they had forced open a crack in the palace gates. Inside, a blood-colored mist swirled, which eyes could not penetrate and Divine Sense could not bypass. That blood-colored mist seemed to faintly stimulate one's Battle Intent and killing intent.

After a brief hesitation, the Venerables all chose to enter the palace.

Some bold Cultivators followed them inside shortly after the Venerables entered.

However, whether it was the Yao Race or the Human Race members who entered the hall, they all lost contact. To be precise, they could not be reached via communication stones; that door cut off everything.

Furthermore, as long as one approached the gates of the Central Palace, a desire for battle and slaughter would arise.

More cautious Cultivators chose not to enter because not a single Cultivator who went in had come back out. It was unknown whether they didn't want to come out or couldn't.

Some Cultivators wanted to test this and decided to enter the gate and then come right back out, but after entering, there was no more news from them.

"You may step down. Continue to gather intelligence and report to this King at any time!"

After a moment of thought, Li Xuanfeng looked at the Blood Demon King and spoke indifferently.

"Yes!"

The Blood Demon King nodded respectfully and turned into a blood-colored streak of light, vanishing instantly.

"You've subdued him?"

After the Blood Demon King left, the Spirit Empress looked at Li Xuanfeng with a face full of wonder.

Although the Blood Demon King's strength was not worth mentioning now, he was once a peerless Prodigy who led other King Rank experts by a massive margin—a super Prodigy from the Blood River Holy Land!

How could he be so respectful to someone outside of a Holy Land?

"To stay alive, he voluntarily relinquished the pride that belongs to a Prodigy."

Li Xuanfeng said.

The Spirit Empress immediately understood his meaning.

"The Central Palace is a bit strange. This time, we not only need to be careful of the Venerables but also other potential dangers."

Li Xuanfeng looked at the Spirit Empress.

Every Cultivator who entered had lost contact, and so far, no one had come out. There was definitely a problem with this palace.

The fact that no Venerables had descended upon the Heaven Refining Palace to deal with Li Xuanfeng probably had something to do with this as well.

Perhaps those Venerables didn't even know what had happened in the Heaven Refining Palace yet!

"You must be careful too!"

The Spirit Empress tightened her grip on Li Xuanfeng's hand.

Whether it was the Venerables from the various major forces or the strange Central Palace, neither could be taken lightly.

As the core area, the Central Palace might have some Formation Restrictions or defensive measures. Rumor had it that the Ancient Yao Palace was comparable to a Holy Land at its Peak. If such things were truly left behind, they would be enough to threaten the lives of Venerables, let alone Kings.

"Are you afraid?"

Li Xuanfeng caressed the smooth back of the Spirit Empress's hand.

With the help of the System, he saw that the color of the Spirit Empress's fate had changed slightly; within the rich gold, there was a very faint, thin gray glow.

This indicated that she might encounter some danger, but the danger wasn't great—much like when she was injured in the Heaven Refining Palace earlier.

With the strength of a King, such an injury could be recovered from very quickly.

That was why Li Xuanfeng specifically reminded her to be careful.

"Do I look like someone who is afraid of trouble?"

The Spirit Empress smiled.

She had never been one to fear trouble; otherwise, she wouldn't have publicly declared her intention to protect Li Xuanfeng in front of all the Cultivators back at the Weapon Refining City.

In the Heaven Refining Palace, she had been even more fearless in making enemies of the seven super forces.

If she were someone who feared trouble, she would never have acted in such a way.

Of course, that didn't mean she was truly fearless of everything. She also had times of nervousness and stage fright, such as when Li Xuanfeng first held her hand in the Heaven Refining Palace.

"Actually…"

The Spirit Empress paused, as if gathering a lot of courage. Her expression was bashful, and she didn't dare look directly at Li Xuanfeng as she said softly, "With you here, I'm not afraid!"

Li Xuanfeng was dazed for a moment.

No beauty in a thousand years could compare; she was a delight to the eyes.

For a figure like a high-and-mighty, cold Fairy to show such a bashful side and speak words like a confession in front of him made his breath hitch.

His large hand reached out, and amidst the Spirit Empress's cry of surprise, he pulled her slender waist toward him.

In her panic-stricken state, Li Xuanfeng leaned closer to her red lips.

"Wait… wait a minute, mmm…"

The Spirit Empress had just opened her mouth when there was no more to follow. She instantly lost the power to speak, as if an electric current were passing through her entire body; her mind went completely blank.

The dignified number one person in the King Realm, the top King of the Eastern Barrens before Li Xuanfeng's Breakthrough, now felt her body go soft, completely losing her ability to resist.

It felt like only a brief moment, yet it also felt like a long, long time had passed.

The Spirit Empress's breathing was disordered, her red lips had become even more vivid, and her eyes were rippling with light. Her entire body was like that of a Mortal who had exhausted their strength, unable to stand steadily, relying entirely on Li Xuanfeng's large hand supporting her waist.

She hadn't had any time to prepare herself mentally before losing the first kiss of her life, which she had kept for hundreds of years.

Looking at the peerless immortal face before him, Li Xuanfeng's eyes were filled with smiles.

The Spirit Empress's romantic experience was a completely blank sheet of paper, so it was perfectly normal for her to behave this way.

A Spirit Empress like this was one of a kind. Later, once she slowly got used to it, he would never see this side of her again.

After a while, the Spirit Empress finally recovered some strength. Her eyes were shimmering as she gave Li Xuanfeng a somewhat resentful look: "I haven't even agreed yet… mmm…"

Before the Spirit Empress could finish her sentence, she was sealed by Li Xuanfeng again.

What did it matter whether she agreed or not? If she truly didn't agree, she would have pushed Li Xuanfeng away long ago.

After a long time, the two separated. The Spirit Empress's body was still somewhat weak, and she didn't dare speak again.

She just looked at Li Xuanfeng with a bit of resentment, wanting to blame him but unable to bear it. She hadn't expected things to develop so quickly.

She was still lingering in the happiness of holding hands, not expecting to reach such an intimate step in the blink of an eye.

But it had to be said that the feeling was truly wonderful, like lying on a cloud, floating like an immortal. Her brain gave up thinking, and all troubles and external things drifted away, leaving only that moment of intoxication.

"Let's go!"

Li Xuanfeng's hand had never let go of the Spirit Empress's delicate one. Seeing that she had recovered, he couldn't help but say with a smile.

"Mm."

The Spirit Empress nodded gently, her voice as faint as a mosquito's. In the gaze she directed at Li Xuanfeng, her tenderness and love could no longer be hidden.

Swoosh!

The rainbow light pierced through the air, passing over countless palaces before finally arriving in front of a magnificent hall.

The Heaven Refining Palace was already incredibly massive, yet compared to the Central Palace, it felt like a small wizard in the presence of a great one.

The entire palace floated in the air, with two massive bronze doors opened just a crack, as if leading to another world.

Through the crack, red mist swirled, making it difficult for both sight and Divine Sense to penetrate.

Numerous figures of the Yao Race and Human Race stood at the palace entrance, hesitant to move forward, as if they would never return once they stepped into that red mist.

"It's the Spirit Empress and the Unparalleled King!"

"I didn't expect them to come too. Are they going into the Central Palace?"

"Why are they holding hands? This… what's going on?"

"What else could it be? They're Dao Companions!"

"Didn't I hear that the Spirit Empress only likes Artifact Refining and doesn't like men?"

"Heh, doesn't like men? She just hadn't met someone who moved her heart! That's the Unparalleled King, a being who instantly killed eight King Rank experts, a Prodigy unique in this world. Which woman wouldn't be moved?"

"Unparalleled… King, has he really broken through to the Late Stage of the King Realm?"

"Nonsense, I saw him break through with my own eyes! With a 'snap,' very quickly, he jumped from the Peak of the King Realm to the Late Stage of the King Realm. It's simply incomprehensible! Thirteen Kings, eight of whom were King Rank experts, were taken out in a few sword strikes. He's simply freakishly strong!"

"That's the Unparalleled King. You think he's freakishly strong, but that's actually just his normal state!"

"No wonder the Spirit Empress stood so firmly on his side; it seems she knew of his strength long ago!"

"Sigh, it seems not looking for a Dao Companion was all a lie; she just hadn't met someone who moved her heart!"

"I think the Spirit Empress has had feelings for the Unparalleled King for a long time; otherwise, why would she publicly protect him? I truly envy the Unparalleled King for meeting someone who chose him so resolutely!"

"Heh, you envy the Unparalleled King, but I envy the Spirit Empress! For a Prodigy like the Unparalleled King, who knows how many female Cultivators would be willing to line up to throw themselves at him? For the Spirit Empress to gain his affection, who knows how much jealousy it will cause!"

One was the Grand Elder of the Thousand Weapons Sect, the top Artifact Refining talent in the Eastern Barrens, the number one King before Li Xuanfeng's Breakthrough, and a Fairy in the eyes of countless Cultivators.

The other was a unique talent, a peerless Prodigy of this age, known as the number one King of all time while still in the King Realm, and after breaking through to the Late Stage of the King Realm, he had instantly killed eight King Rank experts.

Either one of these two appearing alone would cause a stir, let alone the two of them appearing together hand-in-hand.

Streaks of Divine Sense intertwined as they discussed in secret.

Li Xuanfeng's indifferent gaze swept over them, and the intertwined Divine Senses immediately dissipated. Both the Yao Race and the Human Race tactfully stopped their communication.

He looked at the red mist behind the palace gates. Even with Li Xuanfeng's strength, he couldn't see through it.

"Has anyone who entered this place come back out?"

Li Xuanfeng looked at the many figures gathered before the palace gates, his indifferent voice spreading out.

"Reporting to the Unparalleled King, I have been observing this place from a distance from the beginning. After the Venerables joined forces to open the palace gates, they all entered. Many experts followed afterward, but so far, no one has come out!"

A Late Stage King Realm Cultivator said respectfully to Li Xuanfeng.

"Reporting to the Unparalleled King, both Human Race and Yao Race Cultivators specifically tried to test it, planning to enter and immediately come out, but so far, everyone who entered has vanished without a trace!"

Another King spoke up.

Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly to show he understood.

Those two Kings were instantly overjoyed; even just being a familiar face to the Unparalleled King was worthwhile.

The Unparalleled King was different from any other King. He was uniquely powerful, and his talent was in a class of its own. No matter how desperate a situation might seem to outsiders, he could easily resolve it.

Especially after witnessing the battle at the Heaven Refining Palace, most people had begun to firmly believe that even the seven super forces couldn't deal with Li Xuanfeng. He was bound to rise against the tide—no, he *was* the tide of heaven and earth!

He was a being destined to leave his name in the history of cultivation!

Who knew how high his future achievements would be? Being a familiar face to such a great figure was something worth boasting about.

That was why those Kings were so eager to answer.

If it were any other Late Stage King Realm Cultivator, they might be respectful, but they wouldn't be so proactive and eager.