After the crowd dispersed, the Crown Prince entered his private reception room.
Only those who frequently accompanied the Crown Prince knew the profound significance of this reception room. He would only invite truly influential figures into this room.
Today, a distinguished guest of special standing had arrived.
The visitor was a middle-aged man, his demeanor calm and composed, with an aura that matched the Crown Prince's own. Even seated opposite the Crown Prince, he did not appear diminished.
"Sect Master, I have been waiting for you for a long time!"
The Crown Prince personally poured a cup of tea for his guest. Anyone for whom he would personally pour tea must have an extraordinary background. Indeed, the guest was Kunlun Xu, the Sect Master of the Kunlun Sect.
The Kunlun Sect rarely emerged into the secular world, but they had clashed with Yun Fan on several occasions. This time, even the Sect Master himself had come out of seclusion.
Kunlun Xu immediately asked, "Crown Prince, what is your intention in inviting me to the secular world this time?"
"Actually, Sect Master, you already know. I invited you here for two reasons: first, to deal with Yun Fan, and second, to assist me in achieving a great undertaking!"
Kunlun Xu frowned, "Dealing with Yun Fan is not a problem; after all, he killed my Kunlun Sect members. But your great undertaking..."
He paused, then continued, "As you must know, Sect Master, we cultivators are forbidden to enter the secular world! Therefore, I fear I cannot assist you."
"That was the past. Who can predict the future? As long as you help me achieve my great undertaking, I will permit the Kunlun Sect to enter the secular world!"
Upon hearing this, Kunlun Xu was astonished. He had not anticipated such a generous offer from the Crown Prince.
Among the various sects, the Kunlun Sect was considered very ordinary, even at the bottom. Although the Kunlun Sect had once reached its peak, it had long since declined and been surpassed by other major sects, rendering it stagnant. Furthermore, the forced seclusion of the major sects in the past had further exacerbated the plight of the already small Kunlun Sect. If no change occurred, the Kunlun Sect would disappear from this world within a century, becoming mere legend. This was precisely why he had ventured into the secular world this time.
The Crown Prince scoffed inwardly. Kunlun Xu's personal arrival, despite his outward reluctance, was merely a ploy to obtain what he desired.
Kunlun Xu asked directly, "Can you make this promise?"
"I cannot currently make this promise, but once I ascend to the throne, I can grant your request. Allowing the Kunlun Sect to enter the secular world will likely have little impact!" the Crown Prince explained calmly.
However, Kunlun Xu was deeply moved. If the Kunlun Sect could enter the secular world and leave behind their harsh mountainous abode, within decades, they would see an abundance of talented individuals, and their former glory would be within reach. Thus, no matter what, he had to take this gamble.
To that end, he said to the Crown Prince, "Since the Crown Prince has so graciously invited me, it would be remiss of me not to accept!"
"Excellent! Then let us achieve victory together!"
The two raised their teacups in a toast. Afterward, the Crown Prince handed over the compiled information to Kunlun Xu.
"Sect Master, this is the culprit. I hope he will disappear before my wedding!"
Kunlun Xu glanced at the photograph of Yun Fan and replied, "No problem. Leave this trivial matter to me!" With that, he took Yun Fan's file and departed.
...
That evening, as Yun Fan was preparing to sleep, his hotel room door was suddenly opened, and a woman entered.
"Bang!"
Yun Fan turned on the light and clearly saw who had entered.
"What are you doing here?"
Yun Fan showed no pleasant expression. He hadn't expected Ye Qingcheng to be so bold, especially considering that several women were staying in the rooms next door. He hoped Ye Qingcheng would leave quickly to avoid any misunderstandings.
Ye Qingcheng replied, "I missed you. Can't I come and see you?"
"Hmph!"
Yun Fan did not believe she had such good intentions. He immediately said, "If you don't get out now, don't blame me for being impolite!"
"Oh?"
Ye Qingcheng said with a half-smile, "Then I'd like to see how impolite you can be. If you mean 'impolite' in bed, then I welcome it!" Saying this, she directly shed her outer clothing and lay down on Yun Fan's bed.
"You damn..."
Yun Fan scrambled off the bed. He feared nothing except women being overly forward, especially a vixen like Ye Qingcheng. Su Dan Novel Network.
"You said you'd be impolite. I've come to you willingly, why are you afraid now?" she asked Yun Fan with amusement.
Yun Fan had not expected Ye Qingcheng to be so shameless. He immediately berated her, "Don't you have any sense of decency?"
"Since you think that way, if I were to be reserved, wouldn't I be a laughingstock in your eyes?" Ye Qingcheng retorted irritably.
"Fine! You win!" Yun Fan said unhappily. "What do you want?"
"I'm here to cooperate with you!" Ye Qingcheng stated directly.
"Cooperate with me?"
Yun Fan was surprised that Ye Qingcheng would seek his cooperation. In his opinion, Ye Qingcheng was a proud woman like himself, unlikely to cooperate with others. Her seeking his cooperation this time must mean she had encountered a formidable opponent. However, after previous encounters, he wouldn't agree so easily, as he had learned that this woman was untrustworthy.
"First, tell me what we are cooperating on," Yun Fan pressed.
Ye Qingcheng said, "What else could it be? You know everything that needs to be known. I am to marry the Crown Prince, but I don't love him!"
Yun Fan thought, "So what? It has nothing to do with me!"
Yun Fan then asked, "And then?"
"Therefore, I want to join forces with you and create a major spectacle. At the very least, I will not marry him!"
"You can't defeat the Crown Prince?" Yun Fan asked, confused. It shouldn't be like this! Although the Crown Prince was famous and the son of the high and mighty Heavenly Emperor, Ye Qingcheng was not inferior. As the leader of the Ye family, the foremost of the four great families, and of similar age to the Crown Prince, she was always considered a peerless prodigy.
"It's not that I can't defeat the Crown Prince, it's that I can't defeat my mother!" Ye Qingcheng said through gritted teeth. "The reason I'm marrying the Crown Prince is my mother's decision!"
"So that's it!" Yun Fan understood. That woman named Ye Ji was indeed formidable.
"Then you should leave. I don't want to cooperate with you!" Yun Fan said directly. After all, cooperating with her would be like seeking to profit from a tiger.
Ye Qingcheng said, "You will cooperate with me because I offer you terms you can never refuse!"
"Tell me," Yun Fan was very curious, wondering what irresistible offer she would present.
"As long as you cooperate with me, I can give you what you desire, such as the Ye family!" Ye Qingcheng said calmly. "The reason you came to Jinling is to reclaim what rightfully belongs to you. I can help you reclaim everything, and we both have a common enemy, the Crown Prince!"
Admittedly, this offer was very tempting, but Yun Fan found it fraught with contradictions.
"You would use the Ye family as a bargaining chip?"
Ye Qingcheng seemed to anticipate his question and replied, "Yes, I will use the Ye family as a bargaining chip."
"What's the reason?"
"I cannot tell you. I only ask if you agree?" Ye Qingcheng asked Yun Fan.
Clearly, he didn't trust her, but at this moment, Yun Fan faced a situation where he had no choice but to agree. Firstly, there was the Crown Prince, whom he didn't fear, but it would be better to resolve this obstacle sooner. Secondly, there was Ye Ji. Unlike the Crown Prince, Ye Ji was a truly terrifying woman. If he could maneuver well and turn Ye Qingcheng to his side, dealing with Ye Ji in the future would be much simpler. As for whether Ye Qingcheng would give him the Ye family, it didn't matter much to Yun Fan, as long as he could eliminate Ye Ji, Ye Qingcheng would be at his mercy. Although he was boasting now, only those who truly knew him would realize he was not one to brag, but rather to speak facts.
"I agree!" Yun Fan nodded in agreement.
Ye Qingcheng smiled, "I knew you would agree. After all, you've come to your senses, and I've made up my mind..."
"Stop!" Yun Fan interrupted. "Since our cooperation is agreed upon, let's discuss the specific terms!"
"It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go outside!" Ye Qingcheng suggested, as the specific terms were too numerous to discuss in a short time.
"No, right here!" Yun Fan refused outright. If they went outside, he couldn't guarantee Ye Qingcheng wouldn't play any tricks. In his current view, this woman was completely untrustworthy.
"Alright! If our conversation becomes a bit too loud later, or if your little wives come to check on us and there's a misunderstanding, don't blame me!" Ye Qingcheng said with a playful smile.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Yun Fan seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation. At present, his several senior sisters were quite strict with him.
"Then let's talk outside!" After confirming multiple times that his senior sisters hadn't noticed, Yun Fan sneakily followed Ye Qingcheng out.
Ye Qingcheng wore a look of disdain. Yun Fan's current demeanor made it seem as though they were sneaking off for an illicit affair.
Once outside, Yun Fan expected Ye Qingcheng to find a coffee shop to talk. However, to his surprise, she led him to a barbecue stall.
"Give me ten skewers of lamb kidney!" After ordering other dishes, Ye Qingcheng added ten skewers of lamb kidney.
"You like lamb kidney?" Yun Fan asked, puzzled.
"I ordered them specifically for you!" Yun Fan was speechless. However, the roadside barbecue stall was very efficient. Within ten minutes, several grilled dishes were served. Ye Qingcheng skillfully opened a bottle of beer and handed one to Yun Fan.
"No need, I'll do it myself!" Yun Fan refused directly. The reason for his refusal was simple: Ye Qingcheng had used her teeth to open the cap, and it was still smudged with lipstick. Yun Fan found it utterly disgusting.
Ye Qingcheng, seeing the disgust in Yun Fan's eyes, gnashed her teeth. She was a peerless beauty, and most people wouldn't even dream of getting close to her. Yet, Yun Fan dared to show such disdain. However, as they were now partners, she would tolerate him for the time being. Once the crisis passed, she vowed to break Yun Fan's limbs and then force-feed him beer opened with her mouth, until he was utterly defeated.
Yun Fan opened a bottle himself.
"Cheers!" Yun Fan downed the beer in one gulp and then picked up two skewers of lamb kidney, beginning to devour them.
Ye Qingcheng said, "The specific cooperation plan is simple. First, we need to deal with this marriage of mine!"
"How do we deal with it?" Under Yun Fan's probing, Ye Qingcheng explained, "It's simple. You and I will stage a grand performance, then spread photos of us sharing a bed. Even if the Crown Prince is patient, his family will never allow him to marry a woman as 'promiscuous' as I am!"
"No!" Yun Fan refused immediately.
"Why?" Ye Qingcheng asked, confused.
Yun Fan said, "With this plan, I'm at a disadvantage! While you women value reputation, we men do too!"
"You..." Ye Qingcheng was furious. She couldn't believe how shameless he was. How was he at a disadvantage? By all accounts, she was the one at a disadvantage!
"Protest invalid. The plan is set! Whether you agree or not, it's happening!" Ye Qingcheng gave Yun Fan no room to refuse.
Yun Fan considered carefully, "Even if we do this, you must compensate me for the emotional distress!"
"What kind of compensation do you want?" Ye Qingcheng asked, suppressing her anger.
Yun Fan said, "At the very least, you should compensate me with ten to twenty billion!"
"Ten billion! No more!" Ye Qingcheng finally conceded. She had no choice, as her situation was more dire than Yun Fan's.
The prospect of getting ten billion for free was incredibly exhilarating. Yun Fan knew that after this job, combined with the ten billion from Jiang Xueyan, his future would be secure. He then asked, "When do we start?"
"Tonight!"
"So soon?"
"What do you think!"
After eating and drinking their fill, they returned to the hotel. Yun Fan then asked, "Why are you drawing the curtains?" He was surprised that Ye Qingcheng had drawn all the curtains, which made him feel uncomfortable.
Ye Qingcheng replied, "Of course, we need to be photographed. I've already arranged for people to take photos from across the street!"
"Do we have to go this far?" Yun Fan was impressed. Normally, wouldn't a selfie suffice? Why the elaborate plot?
"It's for authenticity, isn't it?" Ye Qingcheng explained. "Our roles in this act are that of lovers. I'm stealing you, so it needs to be clandestine and caught on camera to be convincing. A selfie would seem staged."
"Fine! I'll listen to you!" Yun Fan asked timidly, "Has the ten billion arrived?" He didn't trust Ye Qingcheng and had to receive the money before sacrificing his 'virtue'.
Ye Qingcheng glanced at him with disdain and immediately transferred ten billion to him. Seeing the numerous zeros after the '1', Yun Fan breathed a sigh of relief. He enjoyed doing business with such generous people.
Then, the two lay down on the bed. Yun Fan put his arm around Ye Qingcheng's waist, but she kicked him off the bed.
"What are you doing?" Yun Fan asked angrily.
"Don't touch me!" Ye Qingcheng retorted irritably. It was just an act, and she hadn't expected him to get carried away.
"Get into character! Do you understand?" Yun Fan said irritably. "I'm doing this purely for the sake of acting!"
"Alright! But I warn you, don't get out of line!"
"Hmph!" Yun Fan scoffed. "I'm afraid of you getting out of line!"
"Get lost!"
And so, the two lay on the same bed, being photographed from across the street. They even managed to capture Ye Qingcheng kissing Yun Fan passionately. Of course, this was just a staged kiss; nothing had actually happened between them. Afterward, they both got under the covers, and the bed creaked and groaned. In reality, this was also a sham. Yun Fan was deliberately shaking the bed to make the act more convincing. He had truly thrown caution to the wind, knowing that his reputation was likely ruined. His senior sisters, in particular, would not let this matter go easily, but he could only try to explain it to them. Then, the lights were turned off, and the clandestine photography concluded.
...
"That's enough. The effect has met my requirements!" Ye Qingcheng said to Yun Fan.
At this moment, Yun Fan asked, "Could you do me a favor?"
"Speak!"
"When my senior sisters question me later, you need to explain that nothing happened between us," Yun Fan said sheepishly.
"Alright, don't be so pathetic. Even if you don't explain, I will." Ye Qingcheng was exasperated. This guy was getting the best of both worlds. Then, the two left the hotel, exiting through the back door. Not surprisingly, many reporters were likely waiting outside the front entrance. After leaving the hotel, they prepared to go their separate ways. However, on the quiet avenue lined with blooming flowers, both Ye Qingcheng and Yun Fan sensed the approach of a powerful expert. They looked warily ahead, and indeed, a figure appeared. This figure was none other than Kunlun Xu. He was an extremely powerful individual. Even without engaging, Yun Fan sensed that his strength had likely reached the Innate realm, qualifying him for the Heaven Ranking. Kunlun Xu approached them step by step.
"Miss Ye, you should leave!" Kunlun Xu recognized Ye Qingcheng's identity, but his purpose was not to harm her, only to kill Yun Fan. He dared not harm Ye Qingcheng, for fear of angering Ye Ji and leading to the annihilation of the Kunlun Sect.
"Who is it? Oh, it's the Kunlun Sect Master!" Ye Qingcheng had seen many photographs and portraits of leaders of hidden sects and recognized him. Although the Kunlun Sect was considered a minor player among the hidden sects, they were top-tier experts in the secular world.
"Since Miss Ye recognizes me, I ask that you do not interfere!" Kunlun Xu said concisely.
However, Ye Qingcheng stated directly, "You should leave. Otherwise, once your transgression into the secular world is revealed, you may not be able to return to the Kunlun Sect alive!" This statement, though seemingly a reminder, was in fact a warning.
"Miss Ye, you need not worry about that!" Kunlun Xu replied.
"Attack!" Ye Qingcheng signaled Yun Fan with her eyes, and the two charged towards Kunlun Xu. She was a decisive person. Knowing Kunlun Xu would not retreat, she decided to attack first.
Seeing them charge at him, Kunlun Xu remained unfazed. Having reached the Innate realm, he was not afraid of two peak Half-Innate experts. In an instant, Kunlun Xu blocked their attacks.
"Break!" With a mighty roar, both were repelled. They were peak Half-Innate experts, yet they were at a disadvantage after just one exchange. Before they could react, Kunlun Xu lunged at Yun Fan. His sole objective was Yun Fan; once Yun Fan was dead, his mission would be accomplished.
"Be careful!" Ye Qingcheng quickly warned Yun Fan. Yun Fan responded calmly and, after several exchanges with Kunlun Xu, was again repelled. At this moment, Ye Qingcheng launched a surprise attack. Kunlun Xu had no choice but to turn and face Ye Qingcheng. Unexpectedly, Yun Fan seized the opportunity and struck Kunlun Xu's back with a powerful blow. Kunlun Xu stumbled back several steps before regaining his footing.
"An Innate master is nothing more than this!" Ye Qingcheng said dismissively.
"Hmph!" Kunlun Xu snorted. "Given your identity, I spared you. But you are ungrateful, so do not blame me for my actions!" In an instant, Kunlun Xu unleashed his true power, the aura of an Innate master. Both their brows furrowed.
"Kunlun Divine Skill!" With a fierce roar, Kunlun Xu attacked them with his peak combat power.
"Kill!" The two, with their peak Half-Innate strength, engaged Kunlun Xu in a fierce battle. Their combined might was earth-shattering. The Kunlun Divine Skill was even more potent. With a single strike, it hit Ye Qingcheng, who immediately vomited a mouthful of blood. At this point, only Yun Fan and Kunlun Xu remained in combat.
"Slash!" With Kunlun Xu's furious shout, immense power erupted, and a strike hit Yun Fan. Yun Fan felt an icy chill invade his entire body, a terrifying cold permeating his organs. He quickly circulated his internal energy to resist Kunlun Xu's cold poison.
"Kid, you should never have offended my Kunlun Sect!" Kunlun Xu advanced step by step towards Yun Fan, seeing him as a lamb awaiting slaughter.
"Damn it!" Ye Qingcheng sensed danger and tried to help Yun Fan, but she was severely injured and could not stop Kunlun Xu. She then threatened Kunlun Xu, "If you dare kill him, my mother will not let you off!"
"Miss Ye, you are merely confused and misled by his sweet talk. I believe the Ye family head will not blame me!" Unthreatened by Ye Qingcheng, he pressed on towards Yun Fan, intending to finish him quickly to avoid any further complications.
"No!" Just as Ye Qingcheng believed Yun Fan was doomed, she was shocked to see him block Kunlun Xu's attack. Kunlun Xu was unable to harm Yun Fan.
"How is this possible?" Kunlun Xu was bewildered by Yun Fan's sudden surge in power, enabling him to match him. Even Ye Qingcheng was astonished. An Innate master fighting a Half-Innate was as simple as a Half-Innate fighting a peak Postnatal. In a one-on-one fight, no matter how terrifying Yun Fan's talent, he couldn't possibly turn the tide. How did he do it? Then, Yun Fan delivered another punch, repelling Kunlun Xu.
"Pfft!" Kunlun Xu felt a surge within him and coughed up blood. He wiped the blood from his lips and said to Yun Fan, "You have already possessed the strength to break through to the Innate realm, so why have you been suppressing yourself?" He could tell that Yun Fan's aura was strong, his power no less than his own, perhaps even greater. Yet, Yun Fan's cultivation remained at the Half-Innate level, which was peculiar.
"Is it any of your business?" Yun Fan said coldly. He had been suppressing his cultivation and delaying his breakthrough because he had not yet reached that final stage. Until he did, he dared not break through. He had even been suppressing his strength, and only against a formidable opponent like Kunlun Xu would he unleash it.
"Has he become this strong?" Ye Qingcheng was horrified. So Yun Fan's cultivation was deliberately suppressed. Others would have eagerly broken through to the Innate realm and become the pinnacle of the secular world. But Yun Fan had chosen a different path. She wondered what he was waiting for, but she knew he possessed a secret she was unaware of, and it was undoubtedly significant enough for him to forgo reaching the Innate realm sooner.
"Hmph!" Kunlun Xu snorted. "Even if your power is immense, what does it matter? An Innate master is not determined by strength alone! As long as you haven't reached the Innate realm, killing you is as easy as flipping my hand!"
"Yes, I cannot defeat you without reaching the Innate realm, but if I want to leave, you cannot stop me!" Yun Fan declared firmly.
"You won't escape!" Kunlun Xu immediately attacked, but the next moment, he lunged at empty air. Only Yun Fan's afterimage remained. By the time he reacted and turned, Yun Fan had already vanished, and with him, Ye Qingcheng on the ground.
"Damn it!" Kunlun Xu roared. "Kid, you can't escape!" He prepared to pursue them, knowing that as an Innate master, they, being injured, couldn't get far. However, at that very moment, a figure silently appeared behind him. Kunlun Xu quickly turned around.
"Mistress Ye!" In the darkness, the figure's appearance was indistinct, but the aura could not conceal their identity. Besides Ye Ji, he couldn't fathom who else in the secular world could be this powerful.
"Kunlun Xu, how dare you!" The voice boomed, striking terror into Kunlun Xu's heart. He quickly explained, "Mistress Ye, you have misunderstood. I only intended to kill that boy and have absolutely no disrespect for your daughter!" Seeing her remain silent, Kunlun Xu breathed a sigh of relief but dared not linger. He bowed respectfully, "Mistress Ye, I shall take my leave!" Though he was the Sect Master of the Kunlun Sect, Ye Ji's status in the hidden sects far surpassed his. In her presence, he not only dared not be presumptuous but also had to tread carefully.
"Did I say you could leave?"
"Mistress Ye..." Before Kunlun Xu could finish speaking, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Unbeknownst to him, Ye Ji's silver needle had already pierced his heart.
"Those who trespass into the secular world shall die!" Ye Ji glanced at Kunlun Xu's struggling expression as he died, then vanished from the scene.