Chapter 205: Chapter 20: Miaoxiang Tower, Celestial Demon Curse

Fang Cheng returned to Madam Ye and the others, carrying the Mad Daoist’s head. He took out the Mad Daoist’s storage pouch and said, "Second Senior Brother, you should handle the distribution of this pouch."

’After all, Huang Shen was the one who delivered the final blow.’

Huang Shen glanced at the group and smiled. "We all had a hand in killing this man. However, since we were commissioned by the Ye Family and have already been compensated, the three of us won’t be taking anything else. You can keep the storage pouch."

Feng Ziang and Master Wanqing both nodded in agreement, clearly unconcerned with dividing the spoils.

Fang Cheng chuckled lightly. "In that case, I’ll accept. I’ll be hosting a banquet later on Cangwu Mountain on Xiaocang Island. My senior brothers and sister must do me the honor of attending."

The three of them smiled and agreed.

The battle had some unexpected turns—they hadn’t anticipated that the Mad Daoist had cultivated the Thunder Jade Scripture—but the outcome was acceptable.

In particular, Fang Cheng’s Immortal Binding Rope had proved decisive in turning the tide of the battle.

Watching from the side as Fang Cheng bantered cheerfully with his martial siblings, Madam Ye couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration.

’As expected of Sun Fugai’s disciples,’ she thought. ’Their grasp of timing in battle is truly at the Peak of Profound Skill.’

From the moment Fang Cheng unleashed the Immortal Binding Rope to suppress the Mad Daoist, to Feng Ziang’s all-out sword strike that severed the man’s arm, they had both timed their moves to perfection. They had an uncanny ability to spot the openings in the Mad Daoist’s fluctuating Magical Power.

Afterward, Fang Cheng handed the Mad Daoist’s head to Madam Ye. "I saw Ye Junxian earlier," he said in a low voice. "I believe he was watching the entire fight."

Madam Ye nodded lightly. "He’s a True Disciple, after all. It wouldn’t be wise to make the conflict public. But since Ye Huang dared to resort to such a venomous scheme, we no longer need to show him any courtesy."

Her words implied she already had a plan to deal with Ye Huang.

Huang Shen, Feng Ziang, and Master Wanqing, all sensitive to such energies, caught the fleeting killing intent on Madam Ye’s face. But being clever people, they all pretended not to have noticed.

Then, the group returned to the Magnificent Jade Ship, sipping tea and regulating their breathing to recover.

Madam Ye then used her communication jade pendant to summon other Ye Family Elders to take over Jiachen Island, re-establish the Grand Array, and organize the mining of the Spiritual Ore.

The Jade Boat leisurely returned to Xiaocang Island.

In the main hall of Madam Ye’s Cave Mansion on Star-picking Platform, Cangwu Mountain, a sumptuous feast of Spiritual Cuisine was already prepared.

Fang Cheng and his wife, Ye Yan, personally entertained their fellow disciples from Demon Lion Peak, while Madam Ye took the Mad Daoist’s head to the Ye Family’s ancestral hall to offer it in tribute to the late Elder Ye Yushuang.

The other Ye Family Elders were also present. When they saw the horrifically contorted expression on the Mad Daoist’s face, they were utterly aghast. They mistakenly believed that Fang Cheng had actually managed to get the Vice Hall Master of the Yinluo Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall involved.

As a result, they held Madam Ye in even greater awe, treating her with the utmost courtesy and heaping fawning praise upon her.

Ye Huang and Ye Junxian acted completely unfazed, just as they always did. After completing the memorial rites, they were the first to depart. The other Elders soon followed, leaving after exchanging brief pleasantries.

Soon, only the Grand Elder and Madam Ye remained in the Ye Family’s ancestral hall.

Madam Ye gazed at the ancestral tablets of the Ye Family’s past generations, a cold glint flashing in her phoenix eyes.

"Was it really Ye Huang’s doing?" the Grand Elder sighed.

Madam Ye sneered. "Ye Huang has signed his own death warrant."

The Grand Elder’s expression was complex. "If you two try to kill each other, the Ye Family will suffer a grievous blow. Qingyao, considering the family has always treated you well, I hope you won’t let this spiral out of control."

Madam Ye said calmly, "I will forever remember your kindness, Elder. However, things have already come to this. In the end, it must come down to a life-and-death struggle between myself and Ye Huang."

The Grand Elder was silent for a long moment. He suddenly turned to Madam Ye and asked in a low voice, "If Ye Huang hadn’t made the first move this time, would you still have sought to kill him?"

Madam Ye didn’t answer. Instead, she said softly, "Elder, I have other matters to attend to. Please excuse me."

With that, she gave a deep curtsy and turned to leave.

The Grand Elder watched her retreating back and said slowly, "Qingyao, if I’m not mistaken, it wasn’t that you didn’t *want* to strike first... you just hadn’t prepared the means to do so yet, had you?"

Madam Ye’s soft voice drifted back. "You’re overthinking things, Elder."

As she spoke, her form dissolved into a streak of cold, watery light and shot into the sky, heading back toward Cangwu Mountain.

...

On Star-picking Platform, the group toasted and drank, their conversation filled with laughter and jokes. Third Senior Brother Feng Ziang and Fourth Senior Sister Master Wanqing, in particular, were constantly teasing and bickering with each other, adding greatly to the merriment.

After Madam Ye returned, she offered another round of toasts to Huang Shen and his two companions, expressing her sincere gratitude.

When the banquet ended, the three from Demon Lion Peak took their leave.

Fang Cheng stayed to chat idly with the mother and daughter. He planned to stay on Cangwu Mountain for a few more days before taking Ye Yan back to Demon Lion Peak to continue her cultivation.

Just then, a streak of golden light appeared outside the main hall.

Madam Ye reached out her hand, and a short golden sword flew into the hall, landing in her palm.

"It’s a Flying Sword Communication from your senior brother." Madam Ye glanced at the golden sword before handing it to Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng took the Flying Sword, and a mental message instantly entered his sea of consciousness. It was from Huang Shen, just as he’d expected, asking him to come out for a private conversation.

Fang Cheng put away the Golden Sword and stood up. "Second Senior Brother needs me for something. I’m going to see what it is." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Ye Yan asked, puzzled, "Why would he be calling for you? He just left."

A slight smile touched Madam Ye’s lips. "Just let him go."

Fang Cheng was just as confused, but he turned and left the main hall, flying off the island.

「In the main hall.」

Seeing her mother’s odd expression, Ye Yan asked, "Mother, do you know why Huang Shen is looking for my husband?"

Madam Ye patted Ye Yan’s head and smiled. "That Huang Shen has a nickname, you know. They call him the ’Female Subduing Sect Leader of Abyss Lake.’ I suspect he felt our hospitality was... lacking, but was too embarrassed to say so directly. That’s why he went to find your husband."

Ye Yan’s eyes widened in realization. "Then... does that mean they’re going to...?"