The moment his words fell, however,
Yun Fan unleashed his Devouring Flames and utterly incinerated Yuan Zu.
"Ah!"
Yuan Zu let out a shrill cry, feeling the searing pain of the flames. It was a tragic scene, for he was utterly powerless to retaliate.
He himself had never imagined that becoming prey would lead to such a grim fate.
Only after Yun Fan had completely burned Yuan Zu did the battle finally conclude.
At this moment, Nightmare Saint Ancestor was immensely shaken. Yun Fan's methods had truly terrified him; they were too horrific.
Thankfully, he was not Yun Fan's enemy. Otherwise, how could he possibly resist Yun Fan? With Yun Fan's strength and killing moves, he seemed utterly invincible.
It was likely that Yun Fan was not far from the Saint Ancestor realm. Such monstrous talent was indeed why he had been chosen by that certain individual.
Then, he spoke to Yun Fan, "Young friend, the mission is complete. I shall depart. However, I must remind you that the Immortal Path Curse, as the foremost power in the Immortal Path, views Yuan Zu's death not as an end, but merely a beginning!"
Yun Fan replied, "Thank you! However, Senior, you are now on the same ship as us. Are you interested in joining us?"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor was immensely powerful. If he joined the alliance, it would significantly bolster their fighting strength.
Yet, he also knew that beings like Saint Ancestors were typically proud and would not easily join another's faction.
Thus, his inquiry was merely a tentative one. It would be good if the other party joined, and if not, it was also acceptable.
While there had been some misunderstandings previously, with no one suffering any harm, there was no need to dwell on them.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor had been of great assistance this time, a favor Yun Fan kept firmly in mind.
After a moment of hesitation, Nightmare Saint Ancestor finally said, "Young friend, I can join you, but I desire freedom!"
Indeed, he agreed. It wasn't that Nightmare Saint Ancestor wasn't proud, but rather that he had obstructed Yuan Zu's plan.
Consequently, he was now an enemy of the Immortal Path Curse lineage, a colossus he could not afford to offend.
For the Immortal Path Curse lineage, they were an invincible existence, having annihilated countless worlds.
Only the figure behind Yun Fan could barely contend with them; others, no matter how powerful, had to offer sacrifices in every era just to survive.
Otherwise, they would perish. In the eyes of the Immortal Path Curse, there was only annihilation; even subjugation was out of the question.
If he had been the one to propose joining Yun Fan's ranks, he would have lost face. However, with Yun Fan's invitation, he could only go with the flow, for he wished to live and did not want to die.
Yun Fan was surprised that he had agreed to join. He immediately said to Nightmare Saint Ancestor, "Rest assured, I will not restrict your freedom. I only ask that you be present when your assistance is needed!"
In truth, he had never restricted anyone's freedom; that was his guiding principle.
Hearing this, Nightmare Saint Ancestor breathed a sigh of relief. This was the only path left for him.
Yun Fan then instructed Heart of Curse and Undefeated War God to go heal, while he still had many questions for Nightmare Saint Ancestor.
"Senior, what is the name of the figure behind me?"
Unquestionably, although that individual had helped him multiple times, he still did not know who they were.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor was greatly surprised. He had not expected Yun Fan to be unaware, which far exceeded his expectations.
To this, he replied, "Tai Qing Heavenly Empress!"
"What?"
Yun Fan was stunned. He had not expected it to be a woman, which was quite beyond his anticipation.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor then explained, "Countless ages ago, the Immortal Path Curse lineage invaded the world of Tai Qing Heavenly Empress. Tai Qing Heavenly Empress engaged them in a decisive battle. In that battle, she eliminated two of the four great experts of the Immortal Path Curse. The remaining two dared not continue the fight. However, Tai Qing Heavenly Empress also fell into a deep slumber, only reappearing in this epoch!"
The moment Nightmare Saint Ancestor first saw Yun Fan, he had noticed the mark of that individual upon him.
Therefore, he was certain that Yun Fan was indeed chosen by Tai Qing Heavenly Empress.
He had never imagined that Tai Qing Heavenly Empress would choose Yun Fan. After all, despite being a Saint Monarch, Yun Fan was merely an ant!
Yun Fan then said, "So that's how it is!"
"What are their realms? Does Yuan Zu count among the four great experts?"
This was Yun Fan's new line of questioning.
Upon hearing this, Nightmare Saint Ancestor said, "You think too highly of him. He is merely a high-ranking expert within the Immortal Path Curse lineage, not one of the four great experts. The four great experts are at the pseudo-emperor level!"
"Pseudo-emperor?"
Yun Fan was perplexed. He had never heard of this realm, and the name itself did not sound particularly auspicious.
What exactly was a pseudo-emperor?
Nightmare Saint Ancestor elaborated, "That's right. They are beings that surpass Saint Ancestors, existing between Saint Ancestors and Heavenly Emperors. They are the pseudo-emperors!"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor continued, "Pseudo-emperors are currently the strongest beings in the three thousand great worlds. After all, only one Heavenly Emperor has ever been born since antiquity!"
He explained to Yun Fan, and Yun Fan finally understood the intricacies.
Without a doubt, the sole Heavenly Emperor must be the master Yuan Zu had spoken of.
Yun Fan then asked, "What do you mean by 'three thousand great worlds'?"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor replied, "For example, what you refer to as the Great Thousand World is merely one among the three thousand great worlds!"
"Hiss!"
Yun Fan gasped, drawing in a sharp breath. So, the Great Thousand World was not unique! While there might not be exactly three thousand of them, it was certain that there were very many.
However, considering it, apart from the somewhat lacking Great Thousand World, the Taigu Immortal Realm had also been quite decent.
If the Taigu Immortal Realm had not been destroyed, his ancestor Undefeated War God could have broken through to Saint Ancestor in that era.
According to Nightmare Saint Ancestor's explanation, worlds that produced Saint Ancestor powerhouses were the truly powerful ones among the three thousand great worlds.
The outside world was vast, and he had been too limited in his perspective. The Immortal Path Curse, which they had struggled so hard to resist, was the strongest entity among the three thousand great worlds.
There were many Saint Ancestor level beings, and four pseudo-emperors. However, two of them were killed by Tai Qing Heavenly Empress, leaving two.
Though this number seemed small, a single pseudo-emperor could annihilate a great world like the Great Thousand World.
One could imagine the immense disparity. However, the good news was that the remaining two pseudo-emperors had also been injured by Tai Qing Heavenly Empress.
At least, they would not emerge from seclusion for a while. Otherwise, a single pseudo-emperor emerging would be enough to sweep through the Great Thousand World.
Yun Fan then asked, "Is their goal to resurrect the Heavenly Emperor?"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor shook his head. "Not entirely!"
"Oh?"
Yun Fan was slightly puzzled.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor explained, "They seek to extract more power from the curses emanating from the Heavenly Emperor. For them, resurrecting the Heavenly Emperor is not important; what matters is becoming beings like the Heavenly Emperor. They cannot achieve this solely through cultivation. This is evident from the four pseudo-emperors and Tai Qing Heavenly Empress. Although they are the strongest beings in existence, they cannot break through to become Heavenly Emperors. Clearly, Tai Qing Heavenly Empress has traveled the furthest, nearing the Heavenly Emperor realm!"
This was his explanation to Yun Fan.
"Then, what is Tai Qing Heavenly Empress's purpose in choosing me?"
Yun Fan asked, perplexed.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor replied, "Most likely, it is to break through to the Heavenly Emperor realm!"
In fact, not only was Yun Fan bewildered, but Nightmare Saint Ancestor was also perplexed. In his eyes, Yun Fan was too weak. To choose Yun Fan for the sake of breaking through to Heavenly Emperor, what extraordinary qualities did Yun Fan possess?
Yun Fan then said, "Alright, I understand!"
"Mm!"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor continued, "Other worlds have already surrendered to the Immortal Path Curse. In every era, they sacrifice living beings to nurture the Immortal Path Curse. However, this world has consistently resisted the Immortal Path Curse, making it a very special world!"
This was Nightmare Saint Ancestor's confusion. While the Great Thousand World might not have many powerful individuals, even lacking top-tier experts, it had consistently resisted the Immortal Path Curse. This spirit was truly beyond his expectations.
Given this trajectory, perhaps they could indeed achieve something earth-shattering.
After all, Yun Fan's talent and uniqueness had already astonished him.
Yun Fan then asked, "How can I travel to other worlds?"
This was also Yun Fan's point of confusion.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor replied, "When you eventually break through to Saint Ancestor, you will be able to freely tear through spatial rifts and travel to other worlds. Saint Monarchs do not possess this ability!"
Yun Fan understood his meaning.
Subsequently, Nightmare Saint Ancestor did not leave but remained as a guest in the Great Thousand World with Yun Fan. In fact, at this juncture, Nightmare Saint Ancestor dared not leave.
He assumed that the powerful figures of the Immortal Path Curse had already deduced the cause of Yuan Zu's death. If he were to leave the Great Thousand World, he would likely face certain death.
Although the Great Thousand World itself was no match for those powerful beings, let us not forget that the strongest existence resided here.
That was Tai Qing Heavenly Empress, the strongest being below the Heavenly Emperor.
As the two of them arrived at the alliance, Yun Fan saw his parents return.
"Father, Mother, where have you been all this time?"
Yun Fan had always assumed they were in seclusion, breaking through, and had not had the time to investigate. Now, seeing their fearful expressions, he suspected that things were not as simple as they seemed.
Du Gu Zhan Tian did not know what to say.
But Bai Ling spoke, "My child, something terrible has happened!"
"What terrible thing?"
Yun Fan asked, perplexed.
Bai Ling replied, "My child, your wives in the universe, those of unparalleled beauty, are all clones of a single person!"
"What?"
Yun Fan immediately gasped. Clones of a single person, this was somewhat terrifying.
Could it be that what Lin Tianxin had told him in his dream was true? If so, then Lin Tianxin was undoubtedly Tai Qing Heavenly Empress.
If that were the case, then he would undoubtedly be the biggest loser. Why was he the biggest loser? Dozens of people reduced to one, who else would be the loser?
This situation was utterly unacceptable to Yun Fan.
Therefore, at this moment, his heart was somewhat in turmoil, unsure of what to do.
"Mother, are you sure?"
Yun Fan asked, bewildered.
"I am sure!"
Bai Ling stated firmly, "We wanted to tell you this earlier, but she sealed us. We only recently found an opportunity to break free!"
At this moment, Yun Fan's heart turned cold. If this were true, he had dozens of wives!
"A woman's opinion!"
Du Gu Zhan Tian voiced his thoughts.
"Regardless of the situation, whether it's one person or dozens, it doesn't change the fact that she is my son's wife and our daughter-in-law!"
Du Gu Zhan Tian's perspective was broader. In any case, whether she changed or not, she was still their daughter-in-law.
"But what if she intends to harm my son?"
Bai Ling worried.
"Hmph!"
Du Gu Zhan Tian snorted. "With her strength, if she wanted to harm my son, why would she go to such lengths? She could simply act directly!"
In his opinion, this was highly improbable. If the other party intended to harm his son, they wouldn't bother with such elaborate schemes and dispersing dozens of clones for Yun Fan to dally with. What would be the point?
Therefore, although the situation seemed perilous, he was not worried at all.
Just then, a figure descended.
"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, why did you suddenly leave without saying goodbye?"
The next moment, Lin Tianxin appeared. It had to be said that she was truly breathtaking in her current state. In terms of appearance, she was peerless. As for her strength, even Yun Fan's expression changed, as he couldn't gauge it.
However, to him, Lin Tianxin in this state felt unfamiliar; her familiar aura had completely vanished.
It gave off a sense of unreachability.
"I met you in a dream!"
Yun Fan said directly.
"Pfft!"
Lin Tianxin chuckled. "Husband, we've been together from the very beginning. How can you say you only met me in a dream?"
Yun Fan felt deeply unwilling, but there was nothing he could do.
At this moment, Bai Ling quickly pleaded, "Tianxin, no matter your identity or origin, please do not harm my son!"
"Mother-in-law, you jest. He is my husband; how could I bear to harm him!"
Lin Tianxin smiled enchantingly. Not only men, but even women were captivated by her smile.
Yun Fan then said, "I want to talk to you alone!"
"Alright!"
The two of them then left.
Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that Yun Fan could endure.
At this moment, the most shocked was Nightmare Saint Ancestor. Sudian Novel Network
...
The two arrived at a secluded spot.
"Is what they said true? Were all my wives merely your clones?"
Yun Fan asked directly, his emotions clearly low.
If it were true, it was more than just surprising; his entire life had been meticulously planned.
Therefore, at this moment, he still clung to a sliver of hope.
Lin Tianxin replied, "That's right, they were all my clones!"
"What?"
Yun Fan instantly collapsed to the ground, as this outcome was unbearable for him.
"Are you reluctant to part with them?"
Lin Tianxin asked pointedly.
"Yes!"
Yun Fan nodded firmly. He remembered every past moment with them fondly; each one was his treasure. How could he bear to let them go?
Lin Tianxin said, "You don't need to worry about this. I can be them, and they can be me. I can manifest whichever one you desire!"
This was Lin Tianxin's attempt at comfort, but Yun Fan felt no relief; he only felt more distressed.
"You must understand that they are all my clones. To you, it's as if it were all a fleeting dream. Obtaining me is equivalent to obtaining them. There is no need for lingering attachments; they were merely different aspects of my personality manifested before you!"
"Why did you do this?"
Yun Fan's emotions were deeply low. He didn't understand why Lin Tianxin had done this. In the eyes of the strong, emotions were insignificant.
But in Yun Fan's eyes, he cherished every relationship.
Dozens had become one. Although her appearance and strength had reached an unprecedented peak, only Heart of Curse could contend with her.
But for Yun Fan, the past was gone forever.
Lin Tianxin explained, "It is because I want each of my clones to become the strongest, and upon merging back into me, I wish to take that unparalleled step!"
This was Lin Tianxin's ambition. Undoubtedly, in the face of her ambition, even the ambition of Heart of Curse could not compare.
Yun Fan then asked, "Why did you choose me?"
For him, the greatest pain in life was gaining and then losing. Although he hadn't truly lost, it felt no different from losing now.
"You will know in the future!"
Lin Tianxin said, "I cannot tell you now, but as you grow, you will understand!"
Yun Fan's emotions did not seem to improve, perhaps due to the transformation from dozens to one.
"Of course, you don't need to be so devastated!"
Lin Tianxin continued, "They were originally one with me. They recognized you as their husband, which means they recognized you. If, in the future, I break through to Heavenly Emperor without any flaws, I will return them to you. For now, it is impossible!"
Yun Fan was deeply moved by this.
"Are you sure?"
"Not sure!"
Lin Tianxin clarified, "If there are no flaws, I can relinquish these clones. If there are flaws, then they will no longer appear, but merely manifest within me. Possessing me is equivalent to possessing them!"
With that, Lin Tianxin rose directly.
"I will give you time to accept this. Also, I will be in seclusion for a long time. From now on, you will have to rely on yourself. I will assist you in the future!"
With that, Lin Tianxin disappeared. While she wished to be intimate with Yun Fan, she knew that Yun Fan was currently resistant. Therefore, she did not force him.
Although she could easily handle Yun Fan with her strength, she did not want to incur his disgust.
After all, merging dozens of clones had already caused Yun Fan immense grief, so she did not want to provoke him further, until he accepted her.
And so, Yun Fan sat there for a year. After a year, he emerged from seclusion. Although his mood had not improved, he knew it was time to refine his accumulated power and break through to Saint Ancestor.
After all, at present, Saint Ancestor was his goal. Even though there wasn't a significant gap between Saint Ancestor and pseudo-emperor.
Although there was only one major realm, within this major realm, there were countless minor realms.
Therefore, the path to breakthrough had only just begun. Whether he could break through from Saint Monarch to Saint Ancestor this time was still uncertain.
Everything depended on circumstances and luck.
"Young friend, you have finally emerged!"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor said to Yun Fan in a panicked tone.
"Senior, what's wrong?"
Yun Fan was puzzled. Judging by Nightmare Saint Ancestor's state, he seemed to have been waiting for him for over a year.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor then said, "I have something important to discuss with you, but I heard you were in low spirits, so I delayed!"
"What important matter?"
Yun Fan asked.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor then pulled him aside and said, "This secret you may find difficult to accept, but I must tell you!"
"I know!"
Yun Fan said, "Senior, you want to tell me that Lin Tianxin is Tai Qing Heavenly Empress, right? You don't need to say it; I know!"
"You know a pile of rubbish!"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor said speechlessly, "Can you let me finish!"
"Uh..."
Yun Fan no longer cared to speak. He wanted to see what Nightmare Saint Ancestor had to say.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor then said to him, "Lin Tianxin is not Tai Qing Heavenly Empress!"
"Holy crap!"
Yun Fan was instantly dumbfounded. Unquestionably, this outcome was unacceptable to him. He, and everyone else, had assumed Lin Tianxin was Tai Qing Heavenly Empress. To think she wasn't, this time, he was not so calm.
"Then who is she?"
Yun Fan asked, hoping that the well-informed Nightmare Saint Ancestor knew Lin Tianxin's true identity.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor shook his head. "I don't know either. But I can tell you that she is not weaker than Tai Qing Heavenly Empress!"
"An existence like this is unknown?"
Yun Fan was somewhat incredulous.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor replied, "Who knows! But I can tell you that she is definitely not Tai Qing Heavenly Empress. I was thoroughly beaten by Tai Qing Heavenly Empress before! I can definitively rule her out!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Fan said, "In that case, Tai Qing Heavenly Empress and I definitely don't know each other!"
"No!"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor insisted, "You absolutely know each other. Otherwise, why would you have Tai Qing Heavenly Empress's aura on you, and why would Tai Qing Heavenly Empress threaten me to save you!"
"Uh..."
Yun Fan found that things were becoming increasingly complicated.
Nightmare Saint Ancestor then added, "Lin Tianxin is even more terrifying. She actually stole Tai Qing Heavenly Empress's Dao fruit in advance, and Tai Qing Heavenly Empress didn't even notice!"
The so-called Dao fruit was naturally on Yun Fan.
At this moment, Nightmare Saint Ancestor realized that Yun Fan's origins were truly extraordinary.
One Tai Qing Heavenly Empress was already terrifying enough, but to have another hidden figure who stole Tai Qing Heavenly Empress's fruits was truly remarkable.
What was it about Yun Fan that attracted these two top-tier powerhouses who both admired him and went to such lengths to manipulate him?
It was truly baffling.
Yun Fan found it even more absurd. Therefore, at this moment, he put aside the matter of Lin Tianxin's identity and asked Nightmare Saint Ancestor, "You've seen Tai Qing Heavenly Empress before, right? Draw her portrait for me to identify!"
Hearing this, Nightmare Saint Ancestor said, "I apologize, I dare not!"
"Why dare not?"
Yun Fan was contemptuous. Could this old fellow have a shred of courage?
Nightmare Saint Ancestor explained, "Since she doesn't want you to know her identity, it must not be the right time yet. If you were to reveal it prematurely, you would be fine, as you are husband and wife. But I would certainly be doomed!"
Nightmare Saint Ancestor was not foolish and would absolutely not tell Yun Fan.
This displeased Yun Fan. As an ally, this old fellow was not cooperating.
He then said to Yun Fan, "I will take my leave. I will not be returning for a while!"
He dared not stay any longer. If he disrupted the plan of these two female powerhouses to secure Yun Fan, he would be finished. Therefore, at this moment, escape was paramount.
Yun Fan was instantly speechless. He still had to find her himself, but the target had been narrowed down.
After all, those within the universe were Lin Tianxin's clones. Those outside the universe were few.
First, he could rule out Heart of Curse.
Because Heart of Curse was born under his watchful eye, and she belonged to the Curse lineage, making it even more impossible.
However, she had now become his wife. Excluding Heart of Curse, then...
Yun Fan was instantly dumbfounded. Other than Heart of Curse, any of the other women were possibilities.
While the target pool was not large, verifying it personally would be extremely difficult.
Furthermore, Heavenly Mandate Maiden and Hundred Flowers Fairy might not be the ones, as Yuan Zu had met them and had not recognized them.
Therefore, these two women were also not it.
Then, who could it be?
...
At the boundary between the universe and the Great Thousand World, Lin Tianxin and another person were locked in a confrontation.
This person was none other than Zi Xuan.
"You are so despicable!"
Zi Xuan cursed at Lin Tianxin.
Lin Tianxin scoffed, "I won him through my own abilities. How is that despicable?"
"You stole my Dao fruit! I will not let this go!"
Zi Xuan was furious. She had been on the verge of reaping her rewards only to discover that Lin Tianxin had stolen her Dao fruit.
Of course, she hadn't been entirely robbed; about one-third had been left for her, but one-third was far from her goal.
What was even more infuriating was that Lin Tianxin had used the same method as her to steal her Dao fruit, and a full ten thousand years earlier.
In terms of time, she had no advantage. While it was a plan set in motion ten thousand years prior to be harvested in this era, it was still ten thousand years earlier.
Lin Tianxin coldly sneered, "I left you a sliver of soup to drink; you should be grateful! Otherwise, you wouldn't even have a drop!"
Zi Xuan's eyes blazed with fury. "You are a bandit! You are a thief!"
"So what?"
Lin Tianxin sneered, "Winning a man's heart is about capability! If you lack my abilities, you are destined to be trampled underfoot!"
Zi Xuan wished she could fight Lin Tianxin to the death, but she knew she couldn't. Lin Tianxin had already merged with her clones, while she had not.
In their prime, their combat power was equal. At this moment, she was no match for Lin Tianxin.
She had been planning since the Taigu Immortal Realm era. To accelerate her harvest, she had directly arranged for Yun Fan to transmigrate to the Taigu Immortal Realm era and claim her clone. However, she had never expected the plan to fail in the end.
She could only blame herself for being too young, believing everything was under her control, and not realizing that Lin Tianxin was the true schemer.
She had directly backstabbed her. However, strictly speaking, it wasn't a backstab; she had simply gotten ahead of her. How infuriating!
If Lin Tianxin hadn't arranged for Yun Fan's previous life in the universe ten thousand years ago, Yun Fan would have been hers for sure.
Unfortunately, it was too late to say anything now.
If Yun Fan were present, he would have fainted on the spot. Not only had his life in the universe been meticulously arranged, but it had also been orchestrated in the Great Thousand World.
It could be said that the two women were directors, orchestrating Yun Fan's every move.
"You should actually be fortunate!"
Lin Tianxin said coldly, "From the moment he stepped out of the universe, I knew your plan. If I wanted to claim him solely, I could have simply killed all your clones. There would have been no need to spare you, as I was capable of doing so at the time! But I still let you live. You should be grateful instead of complaining!"
"Hmph!"
Zi Xuan retorted coldly, "I doubt you had that in mind. However, you were busy reaping your rewards at the time and didn't have the time to deal with me. Otherwise, I might not have even gotten one-third!"
Indeed, she had used the same method as Lin Tianxin, exhibiting remarkable consistency. Yun Fan's wives in the Great Thousand World, with the exception of Heart of Curse, were all Zi Xuan's clones, and Zi Xuan herself was Tai Qing Heavenly Empress.
If Yun Fan knew this, he would likely collapse. Dozens reduced to two, why was he so distraught?
Zi Xuan then said, "Although you succeeded in advance, he is both our husband. I will not fight you to the death, but the benefits must be divided equally, half and half!"
Undoubtedly, one-third of the Dao fruit was too little for her.
However, Lin Tianxin did not agree.
"I'm sorry, that's impossible!"
"Then there's nothing more to say. It will be either your death or mine!"
Zi Xuan said angrily.
Lin Tianxin replied, "In fact, even half and half is useless. The key to breaking through to Heavenly Emperor lies with our husband!"
"How do you know?"
Zi Xuan asked, confused.
"You don't need to ask me how I know. It's because my era is even more ancient than yours!"
Lin Tianxin said, "Now is not the time to discuss the Dao fruit. We should consider how to help our husband smoothly reach the Heavenly Emperor realm, which is when we will have an opportunity!"
Zi Xuan then calmed down, realizing that the Dao fruit's effect was likely not that significant, otherwise Lin Tianxin would have already broken through.
She then said to Lin Tianxin, "Assisting our husband is our duty. But before that, I really want to know your true identity!"
"It's fine to tell you. My name is Seven-Wicked Fairy!"
Upon hearing this, Zi Xuan was stunned.
"An existence from the Heavenly Emperor era?"
"That's right!"
Lin Tianxin nodded in agreement. Zi Xuan was deeply shocked, confirming that Lin Tianxin's age was indeed immense.
She then said, "I have a difficult problem now, and you must help me!"
"Tell me!"
Lin Tianxin looked at Zi Xuan.
"I want to reclaim my clones and tell my husband the truth, but he will definitely not forgive me!"
Zi Xuan was somewhat distraught. "So, I really want to know, how did you get him to accept you?"
"Accept me?"
Lin Tianxin shook her head. "He still hasn't accepted me!"
Yun Fan was shocked by this statement. "If he doesn't accept us, what then?"
"Short pain is better than long pain. Tell him directly. His non-acceptance is inevitable. This requires the passage of time. After all, we deceived him first, so this punishment is deserved!"
"Okay!"
Zi Xuan nodded in agreement with Lin Tianxin's suggestion. Lin Tianxin then bid her farewell. Before leaving, she mentioned the situation with Heart of Curse.
"This woman is not on our side. She belongs to the Immortal Path Curse lineage. How should we deal with her?"
After all, both they and Yun Fan shared a common enemy: the Immortal Path Curse.
Therefore, at this moment, they were discussing how to deal with Heart of Curse.
"Why not just kill her?"
Zi Xuan said directly. After all, she despised the Immortal Path Curse lineage the most. Ages ago, she had slain two pseudo-emperors.
"Inappropriate!"
Lin Tianxin said, "We have already displeased our husband. At this time, we must not do anything else that would displease him!"
"Then what should we do?"
Zi Xuan asked, puzzled.
Lin Tianxin replied, "Why don't we warn her? If she is not genuinely loyal to our husband, then don't blame us for being ruthless!"
In fact, Lin Tianxin was also considering whether to eliminate Heart of Curse, a newly acquired ally, and then use the reason of her being an enemy to dismiss the matter.
If Heart of Curse were to hear this, she would undoubtedly tremble. Was she that easily bullied?
However, there was nothing she could do. Who was she to oppose these ancient powerhouses? She had started very late.
At this moment, the two of them rushed to where Heart of Curse was located.
On the way, Zi Xuan asked Lin Tianxin, "Is the Heavenly Emperor truly infected with the Immortal Path Curse?"
Lin Tianxin shook her head. "He is a madman. He was absolutely not accidentally infected; rather, he wanted to use the Immortal Path Curse to break through the Emperor's path again, and thus was backlashed!"
"It seems that the rumors are not entirely accurate!"
Zi Xuan also recognized the seriousness of the situation.
"Of course not!"
Lin Tianxin said, "Greed is the original sin!"
As the two women spoke, they arrived at Heart of Curse's location.
Heart of Curse was very angry that her seclusion was being disturbed. She eagerly wanted to see who the visitors were.
As long as it wasn't Yun Fan, she would definitely teach them a lesson! If it were Yun Fan, she would never dare to scold him!
She loved him too much!
However, upon seeing who had arrived, Heart of Curse's legs instantly went weak. Not for any other reason, but because she could not afford to offend either of these two.
"You... what do you want?"
Heart of Curse asked fearfully. Although both of them were not at their peak, they could easily subdue her with a single move.
Zi Xuan said coldly, "We don't want much. Just answer one question, and we'll let you go!"
"What question?"
Heart of Curse asked, perplexed. In her opinion, this was definitely not as simple as it seemed, and she had to proceed cautiously.
Lin Tianxin asked first, "What is your purpose in approaching our husband?"
Heart of Curse naturally knew that they were referring to Yun Fan. She firmly replied, "Because I like him, because I love him! I can give up everything for him, including my inheritance!"
Her words were from the bottom of her heart, and there was nothing wrong with them, but the two women did not believe her.
"Are you sure?"
The two looked at her unpleasantly.
Heart of Curse said helplessly, "I'm sure. I promise, isn't that enough?"
Seeing her sincere attitude, the two women did not retaliate.
"From now on, you will only be junior in front of us, understand?"
The two said in unison. They were constantly vying for the position of eldest and second eldest, so the junior, Heart of Curse, naturally became their target for venting.
"I understand!"
Heart of Curse quickly replied.
Then the two women left arrogantly. Yes, you read that right, they left arrogantly.
Heart of Curse cursed them silently. Were they so arrogant just because they were powerful figures? When she became a powerful figure herself, she would make them pay.
She also inwardly complained, why wasn't becoming a Saint Ancestor considered being a powerful figure?
The starting requirement for a powerful figure was too high!
...
One day, Zi Xuan met with Yun Fan.
"My dear wife, why have you come?"
Yun Fan asked.
"I am your wife, can't I come?"
Zi Xuan gave Yun Fan a sidelong glance.
"That's not what I meant!"
Yun Fan knew that everyone was busy breaking through, and he hadn't expected Zi Xuan to have time to visit.
Zi Xuan then said, "Husband, I have something to confess to you!"
"Are you Tai Qing Heavenly Empress?"
Yun Fan asked, bewildered.
"Mm!"
Zi Xuan nodded timidly. Yun Fan's vision went black; he was almost infuriated to death. He had never imagined that Zi Xuan was Tai Qing Heavenly Empress.
Zi Xuan said guiltily, "Husband, it's not that I intentionally lied to you! It's just that I..."
"Stop talking!"
Yun Fan said, "I accept it, but as long as you don't do what Tianxin did and eliminate my dozens of wives, I will forgive you!"
This was Yun Fan's bottom line at the moment.
But at this point, Zi Xuan had no choice but to brace herself and say, "Husband, in fact, my path is the same as hers!"
"Holy crap!"
Yun Fan's vision went black, and he almost fell over.
"Which ones were your clones?"
Under Yun Fan's insistent questioning, Zi Xuan reluctantly said, "In the Great Thousand World, among your wives, all of them except Heart of Curse are my clones!"
"Including Heavenly Mandate Maiden?"
Yun Fan asked, unwilling to accept it.
"Mm!"
Zi Xuan nodded timidly. Yun Fan fell to the ground again. Zi Xuan quickly helped him up. Undeniably, at this moment, Yun Fan was completely broken.
None of these outcomes had been within his expectations. He could only blame himself for being too young.
Zi Xuan then said, sobbing, "Husband, I know this is hard for you to accept, after all, you loved all those clones of mine and have always loved them! But this is reality!"
"Do you two think I'm easily fooled and are both trying to trick me?"
Yun Fan said mournfully. It was more than just a trick; the nature of this was far more serious!
This was forcibly arranging his life. His life had been meticulously planned out.
"We didn't want to, but who can you be if not our destined husband!"
Zi Xuan said to Yun Fan, "Husband, I can guarantee, and she can also guarantee, that we are now taking back our clones. After our great achievements, we will release the clones and give you back a complete family, how about it?"
This was their promise to Yun Fan. In reality, Yun Fan knew that whether he agreed or not was no longer important.
After all, he had no right to manage them. He was completely disheartened.
Zi Xuan then said, "Husband, please agree for my sake! After all, they are me, and I am them. It's not that you won't see them again, it's just that it will be for a while!"
"Do as you please!"
Yun Fan said directly. He was currently emotionally wounded.
Zi Xuan continued, "Husband, I believe you will agree. Just rest assured, with us, you will not be alone!"
"It's just a bit exhausting!"
Yun Fan said speechlessly.
Finally, he compromised. He then asked, "Can I see them one last time before you reclaim them?"
"No!"
Zi Xuan replied, "I'm afraid you'll be even more devastated and heartbroken. After we have achieved our great deeds, you will be able to see them again. I will serve you alongside the clones!"
This was Zi Xuan's promise. However, it was clear that Yun Fan had not yet recovered from his grief.
"After I merge with the clones, my appearance might be slightly different from now, just as she looked different after merging with hers. But my heart will not change!"
Zi Xuan promised Yun Fan.
"You can go! I want to be alone!"
Yun Fan said directly. At this moment, he truly wanted to be alone, in a place where no one would disturb him.
"Husband, I will come find you after I merge!"
Zi Xuan retreated. After all, the merging could not be delayed any longer. Although Yun Fan was heartbroken, she knew that this was a path they both had to take.
However, she still had confidence that Yun Fan would regroup, although it might take some time. It could be said that for the next period, Yun Fan would have to resist the Immortal Path Curse alone.
At this moment, Yun Fan, at the peak of his despair, decided to stop thinking so much. The wounds inflicted by love were irreparable. From now on, he would dedicate all his energy to cultivation and distract himself from the pain.
His next goal was the Saint Ancestor realm.