Chapter 286: Finale

"I'm back!!!"

Ye Xiu finally arrived at the foot of Mount Huashan. Seeing the familiar mountain, his mood brightened.

After all, for Ye Xiu, Mount Huashan was his home in this world. Having been forced to leave Mount Huashan due to Pang Ban's threats and wandering around for so long, he was naturally excited to finally be back.

"Ye Xiu, you're finally back!"

Dongfang Bubai and his group, who had known Ye Xiu would return, had been waiting for him at the foot of Mount Huashan.

Seeing Ye Xiu, they were also incredibly excited.

After all, their man had been gone for so long, how could they not be excited?

It was mainly due to the diary's pampering, which made them feel completely in love with Ye Xiu. The longer they were pampered by the diary, the more they felt they couldn't live without him. Even women like Dongfang Bubai and Yao Yue began to accept Ye Xiu's numerous women.

So, that night, a group of women crowded into Ye Xiu's room and worked tirelessly all night long.

"

Junior Sister Qin, what's going on today?"

The next day, the clueless Jin Bingyun sensed something was amiss in the atmosphere around Huashan, and couldn't help but ask.

"Ye Xiu's back," Qin Mengyao explained.

"Ye Xiu's back? Is Ye Xiu's retreat over?" Jin Bingyun asked, taken aback.

Hearing Jin Bingyun's words, Qin Mengyao realized she'd made a mistake. Fortunately, Jin Bingyun hadn't noticed anything was wrong, so she simply ignored her mistake.

"Well, he's out, so Dongfang Bubai and the others—" Qin Mengyao paused,

knowing what she meant. But Jin Bingyun understood what she meant.

Her eyes lit up slightly. Ye Xiu had finally emerged from his retreat. All she had to do now was seduce him, and through intimacy, she could plant the demon seed in him, thus completing the mission Pang Ban had given her.

However, the thought of surrendering her body to Ye Xiu made Jin Bingyun feel strange.

After all, Jin Bingyun's crush was Pang Ban, and now she had to give her virginity to Ye Xiu. She felt a bit sorry for Pang Ban, but since it was Pang Ban's order, she had no choice but to obey.

If she hadn't known about the demon seed, Jin Bingyun would have suspected Pang Ban of having some special hobby.

However, Jin Bingyun didn't find it offensive. After all, Ye Xiu was indeed a very handsome man, despite his philandering ways. But giving her virginity to such a handsome man wasn't a loss.

Qin Mengyao watched Jin Bingyun's expression change, and she knew exactly what she was thinking.

But she knew that Jin Bingyun would be absolutely disappointed this time; her goal was impossible.

Putting aside Ye Xiu, whose strength had greatly increased thanks to his year-end bonus, he had become a celestial being on the same level as Pang Ban. A mere demon seed could possibly absorb everything from Ye Xiu? It was clearly impossible.

Besides Ye Xiu, Dongfang Bubai, Yaoyue, and the others also received significant benefits from their year-end bonuses.

This benefit allowed them, like Ye Xiu, to ascend to Celestial Being status.

Murong Qiudi, though not a Celestial Being, achieved Celestial Grandmaster status.

Ning Zhongze also achieved Grandmaster status.

It's safe to say that, aside from a shortage of lower-level warriors, Huashan now surpasses Pang Ban's Mage Palace in both mid-range and high-end combat power.

Ye Xiu, Dongfang Bubai, and Yaoyue might be no match for Pang Ban individually, perhaps due to their initial advancement into Celestial Being status. However, combined, Pang Ban might not even be enough for them, let alone a mere demonic being.

Truth be told, Qin Mengyao possesses a deeply devout heart for the pursuit of the Dao. In the original novel, she even abandoned the protagonist Han Bai in pursuit of Shattering the Void, returning to Cihang Jingzhai to pursue a higher realm through seclusion.

Now, Qin Mengyao could barely watch as the strength of those around her soared.

Take Wanwan, for example. Originally, her strength was no match for hers, but after Wanwan's master, Zhu Yuyan, became Ye Xiu's woman, her affection for her and her family spread to her. Every month, Wanwan's strength increased even more than hers. Especially after receiving her year-end bonus, Wanwan had leapt to Grandmaster status, her power now completely surpassing Qin Mengyao's.

This transformation filled Qin Mengyao with a twinge of jealousy.

Then there were Yaoyue and Dongfang Bubai. Qin Mengyao had watched them rise from Vajra Grandmaster to Zhixuan Grandmaster, then to Celestial Grandmaster, and now even to Celestial Being status, all in the space of a few months.

Regardless of the emotional connection, the sheer speed of this growth had already made Qin Mengyao determined to become one of the women closest to Ye Xiu, like Dongfang Bubai and Yaoyue.

In reality, it wasn't just Qin Mengyao; all the other diary owners, save for the clueless Jin Bingyun, shared this sentiment.

After all, watching everyone around them soar in power while their own barely budged, no one could resist the allure.

Especially since the rise in cultivation level impacted appearance, status, strength, lifespan, and so on—what woman could resist such a temptation?

Even if they could resist it initially, over time, envy and jealousy would gradually grow, perhaps even to the point of resentment.

Furthermore, Qin Mengyao knew that Ye Xiu had returned this time with the intention of sleeping with Jin Bingyun, so it was inevitable that the look she gave Jin Bingyun was a bit more strange, even a hint of envy and jealousy.

After all, in Qin Mengyao's view, whoever slept with Ye Xiu would have a higher level of intimacy with him, and Jin Bingyun was no exception; at most, it would just be a slight increase in favorability.

When Qin Mengyao realized she was feeling envy and jealousy toward Jin Bingyun, she suddenly realized her thoughts had become distorted by the diary.

Her pursuit of power and realm had driven her to extremes.

As the most accomplished heir to the Cihang Jingzhai of the Ming Empire, Qin Mengyao quickly calmed herself down. However, even after calming down, she found that the envy and jealousy she felt couldn't be dispelled, reflecting her true inner thoughts.

Qin Mengyao realized that her ultimate goal from the beginning of her cultivation had been to increase her strength and realm. She wanted to reach higher heights, become a Grandmaster, a celestial being, or even a terrestrial immortal. She wanted to see the scenery from a higher perspective.

So, Qin Mengyao decided to follow her heart and find a way to sleep with Ye Xiu, improve his favorability, and ultimately reach a higher realm.

...

"Young Master Ye, congratulations on completing your retreat and your significant improvement in cultivation," Jin Bingyun said with a smile upon seeing Ye Xiu emerge from Ning Zhongze's room.

"Thank you. This time's retreat is indeed quite long. Haha." Ye Xiu laughed.

Jin Bingyun was speechless when Ye Xiu said this. A few months of seclusion was common for martial artists, especially those who had reached the Grandmaster realm. Sometimes, even those at the Innate Realm would go on for months. Ye Xiu, however, said that a few months was too long. What would those who had been in seclusion for years or even decades think?

Jin Bingyun didn't show his inner thoughts. Instead, he smiled and said, "Young Master Ye, you must be very tired after such a long time. How about I perform a dance for you to relax?"

"Okay!" Ye Xiu looked at Jin Bingyun, who was offering him this, and didn't refuse. After all, Ye Xiu had long been planning to take advantage of Pang Ban's sweet talk. He just wanted to see how Pang Ban would react.

Well, regardless of Pang Ban's reaction, Ye Xiu would feel good.

So, in the room with only Ye Xiu and Jin Bingyun, Jin Bingyun began to dance gracefully—

…

"Hmm? Is this the demon seed?" He sensed something strange in his mind and was quite curious about it.

Since Ye Xiu could easily expel it from his body, he didn't sense any danger.

Instead, Ye Xiu was curious about the demon seed's existence.

He carefully sensed and analyzed it. He discovered that it was a piece of mental energy, condensed into a demon seed through a special method. This demon seed possessed demonic properties. Once it entered the body of the person it was seeded with, it would absorb the person's mental energy and other things to strengthen itself.

However, under normal circumstances, without a disordered mind or excessive mental fluctuations, the demon seed would find it difficult to absorb anything.

Therefore, in the original novel, Feng Xinglie, after being betrayed by Jin Bingyun, experienced extremely intense mental fluctuations, and the demon seed subsequently drained his mental energy and cultivation, leaving him crippled and nearly dead.

Without this intense mental fluctuation, if the demon seed were allowed to slowly absorb, it would likely take at least a hundred years to grow.

"So, once this demon seed is planted within me, Pang Ban will do everything he can to stimulate me, allowing it to absorb more nutrients and mature into a fruit ready for harvest," Ye Xiu concluded after analyzing the demon seed to some extent.

As for how to stimulate Ye Xiu?

First, Jin Bingyun will likely try to make Ye Xiu fall in love with her. She'll have already told him that she doesn't like him at all, and that her presence at his side is Pang Ban's scheme or conspiracy. This will trigger intense mental fluctuations in Ye Xiu, creating a flaw in his mind.

If this method fails, Pang Ban might target someone close to Ye Xiu, perhaps abducting a woman or several close to him and committing brutal acts like torture, rape, or something similar, in order to break Ye Xiu's mind and shatter his heart, creating a flaw in him.

As long as Ye Xiu harbors feelings, Pang Ban will have a way to strike.

However, this was simply impossible for Ye Xiu at this point. Ye Xiu himself was a Celestial Being, capable of easily annihilating the demon seed within his own body. Not to mention Dongfang Bubai and Yao Yue were also Celestial Beings. Most importantly, Pang Ban was unaware of their status.

Under these circumstances, anything Pang Ban attempted would be sheer suicidal intent.

However, just as Ye Xiu was analyzing Pang Ban's demon seed, he suddenly sensed a faint mental fluctuation from Mount Hua, nearly identical to the demon seed Pang Ban had implanted within him using Jin Bingyun.

Although the fluctuation was subtle and weak, it would have been completely undetectable if Ye Xiu hadn't just analyzed Pang Ban's demon seed.

This puzzled Ye Xiu. Could there be a second demon seed of Pang Ban's on Mount Hua?

Curious and even concerned, Ye Xiu followed the mental fluctuations and quickly located the second demon seed.

This second demon seed was a sword.

...

"The Heavenly Sword? Lianxing, did you steal it from Emei?" Ye Xiu asked Lianxing, holding the Heavenly Sword.

"Well, didn't you mention before that you were curious about the Sword of Heavenly Sword? So I snatched it back from the Emei Sect. So? Is there something wrong with the Sword of Heavenly Sword?" Lian Xing nodded.

"There really is something wrong with the Sword of Heavenly Sword!" Ye Xiu nodded.

Hearing Ye Xiu's words, Lian Xing was startled, yet also relieved. She had sealed the Sword of Heavenly Sword away when Ye Xiu mentioned it in his diary, suggesting it might be like the Evil Emperor's relic from the Sui Dynasty. If Ye Xiu hadn't found it, it would probably still be gathering dust at the bottom of a box.

"The Sword of Heavenly Sword actually contains Pang Ban's demon seed! Anyone who wears the Sword of Heavenly Sword for a long time will be corrupted by Pang Ban's demon seed, becoming irritable and prone to extremes. Nun Miejue's violent temper is probably due to her constant presence of the Sword of Heavenly Sword." Ye Xiu's expression was slightly quizzical.

"The Sword of the Heavenly Sword can actually make people irritable, so what about the Dragon Slaying Sabre? I'm afraid

it's similar to the Sword of the Heavenly Sword?" "They should be similar. After all, the Sword of the Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Slaying Sabre are a pair of magical swords, and they should have been made by the same person. The Sword of the Heavenly Sword makes its holder angry and prone to losing his mind. The Dragon Slaying Sabre should also have a similar effect. So, Xie Xun, who holds the Dragon Slaying Sabre, will become more insane, and eventually become a puppet of the Dragon Slaying Sabre."

"No wonder the Dragon Slaying Sabre and the Sword of the Heavenly Sword caused a bloody storm in the martial arts world of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Is it because of Pang Ban's demon seed?" Lian Xing was surprised.

"Yes, by storing the demon seed within the Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Slaying Blade, they drive their possessors insane and insane, thus influencing the entire martial arts world. Once a person of extraordinary talent becomes the wielder of either sword, the demon seed will directly enter their body, transforming them into Pang Ban's cauldron."

"Pang Ban's method truly kills two birds with one stone. On the one hand, it destabilizes the martial arts world, making it difficult for them to significantly impact the Mongols. On the other hand, it allows him to select suitable talents from the Mongols' martial arts world to serve as cauldrons."

"Hmm, so looking at the Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Slaying Blade reminds me of the Evil Emperor's relic from the Great Sui Dynasty. That relic is probably the work of the Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian. Perhaps he stored the demon seed within it, and then used this method to transform all those who possessed it into his cauldrons, helping them cultivate the Dao Heart Demon Seeding Technique." Ye Xiu couldn't help but sigh.

"So this is the truth behind the near absence of Grandmasters within the Great Sui Dynasty?" Lian Xing was shocked.

"That's pretty much it. Lu Miaozi said that anyone who comes into contact with the Evil Emperor's relic will experience a drastic personality change and die a violent death. Yet, the relic keeps reappearing. Even though Lu Miaozi hid it in Yang Gong's treasury, word of its existence has somehow spread. I'm afraid the Evil Emperor's relic was the handiwork of the Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian."

After figuring out the truth, Ye Xiu couldn't help but lament that both Xiang Yutian and Pang Ban were shady scoundrels. He wondered if Xiang Yutian learned this technique from Pang Ban, or if Pang Ban learned it from Xiang Yutian.

But none of this mattered to Ye Xiu now, as he was already a celestial being. Pang Ban and Xiang Yutian's schemes were no longer effective against him.

As for the possibility that Xiang Yutian had become a terrestrial immortal,

Ye Xiu wasn't worried.

Pang Ban was a celestial being, and still alive and well.

People like Xiang Yutian and Pang Ban from the Demon Sect are all selfish.

If Xiang Yutian became a terrestrial immortal, he would probably immediately capture the celestial being Pang Ban and suck him dry to fulfill his own destiny.

After all, for celestial beings, national borders are not a problem at all. Since Pang Ban is alive and well, it means that Xiang Yutian, like Pang Ban, is just a celestial being. Since he is a celestial being, he poses no threat to Ye Xiu.

Ye Xiu continued to stay in Huashan for a while. During this time, the relationship between Ye Xiu and Jin Bingyun seemed to be getting better and better.

Jin Bingyun even had the illusion that Ye Xiu had been conquered by her and had fallen deeply in love with her.

Just looking at Ye Xiu's handsome face, Jin Bingyun couldn't help but feel a liking for him.

After all, after becoming a Celestial Being, Ye Xiu possessed a natural aura. Just as Jin Bingyun, enveloped by Pang Ban's aura, developed a fondness for him over time, now that Ye Xiu was also a Celestial Being, under his influence, Jin Bingyun couldn't help but develop a fondness for him. This was perfectly normal. In fact, under the impact of Ye Xiu's aura, the image of Pang Ban in Jin Bingyun's mind began to blur.

After all, when Jin Bingyun was with Pang Ban, she had simply observed him with her eyes.

Unlike now, Jin Bingyun had not only experienced Ye Xiu's strengths and weaknesses, but had also tasted him, something far beyond what Pang Ban could truly experience.

So now, Jin Bingyun was torn between whether or not to activate the demon seed within Ye Xiu. If she didn't, she would be betraying Pang Ban, but if she did, she would feel sorry for Ye Xiu.

But soon, Jin Bingyun's dilemma would cease.

"Bingyun, I have some things to do, so I'll be away from Huashan for a while. It'll only be a month at most, and I'll be back soon. I'll have a surprise for you when I get back," Ye Xiu said with a smile, pinching Jin Bingyun's cheek.

Jin Bingyun was stunned for a moment, but a quiet sigh of relief settled in. At least for the next month, she wouldn't have to sleep like she was now. At least she could still recover for another month.

...

"Friend Ye, you've actually already—" Zhang Sanfeng stared at Ye Xiu in shock. He hadn't expected that in just a few months, Ye Xiu, once a mere Grandmaster, had already become a master of the Heavenly Man Realm, just like him.

"I was lucky. I had a small adventure, so I broke through and became a Heavenly Man." Ye Xiu gestured, indicating that it was indeed a small adventure.

Zhang Sanfeng was speechless. Could a Grandmaster become a Heavenly Man? Could a small adventure be the result?

Crucially, Zhang Sanfeng discovered that besides Ye Xiu, Dongfang Bubai and Yao Yue were also Heavenly Man.

Three Heavenly Mans at once? What kind of small adventure could bring about this?

"Young friend Ye, you two ladies are just in time for this. Ever since I became a Celestial Being, I've been wanting to discuss the Dao with someone, but I've struggled to find the opportunity. So, I'm hoping you three can help me with this." Zhang Sanfeng suspected that Ye Xiu and the other two might be feeling lost about their future paths after becoming Celestial Beings, and so they were seeking help and guidance from a senior like him. So, he'd mentioned

this upfront, giving them a way out. "Thank you, Master Zhang, for your kindness. But we can discuss the Dao later. Actually, we're here to ask for a favor." Ye Xiu understood Zhang Sanfeng's good intentions, but he wasn't here to discuss the Dao.

"Oh? Is there anything Young friend Ye can do that I can help you with?" Zhang Sanfeng asked curiously.

"There's been a conflict between Pang Ban and me. While the three of us have been fortunate enough to become Celestial Beings, Pang Ban is still a veteran Celestial Being. So, I'd like to ask Master Zhang to join us in trying to reason with him."

Upon hearing Ye Xiu's words, Zhang Sanfeng's eyes lit up, and a smile spread across his face.

Zhang Sanfeng had long wanted to defeat Pang Ban. However, despite his slightly superior strength, he couldn't bring himself to defeat a Celestial Realm expert. Attacking Pang Ban without being able to kill him would be a disaster for the Wudang Sect.

Therefore, Zhang Sanfeng could only endure it, remaining in charge of the Wudang Sect, effectively holding his own against Pang Ban.

Now with Ye Xiu and three other Celestial Beings present, Zhang Sanfeng felt that defeating a Celestial Being was no problem at all.

...

In the Demon Master Palace, Pang Ban, in a cheerful mood, was wondering when the demon seed Jin Bingyun had helped plant would mature into a mature fruit, and how much his cultivation would improve after consuming it. Perhaps, he could truly break through the limits of his Dao Heart Demon Seed and ascend to the level of a terrestrial immortal.

The thought of his future as a terrestrial immortal made Pang Ban smile.

But just as his smile was breaking through, his brows furrowed as he sensed the presence of Zhang Sanfeng, a seasoned Taoist.

"What's Zhang Sanfeng doing here?" Pang Ban wondered, but he dodged and left the Magic Master Palace. Arriving on a hill not far from the palace, he spotted an old Taoist priest dressed in a slovenly, greasy robe.

"Zhang Sanfeng, what are you doing here in my Magic Master Palace?" Pang Ban asked bluntly.

"Hehe, recently I had a dream. It reminded me of my youth. When I was young, I had a terrible temper. I'd beat up or even kill anything I encountered. So, when I woke up, I thought of you," Zhang Sanfeng said with a chuckle.

Pang Ban's face darkened. "So, Zhang Sanfeng, do you think you can beat me up? Or do you think you can kill me? I see your cultivation hasn't improved much, has it?"

"My cultivation hasn't improved much, so I've called in some helpers. Hahaha, Young Friend Ye, please show up," Zhang Sanfeng laughed.

Then Pang Ban noticed that three people had suddenly appeared beside him, forming a square with Zhang Sanfeng.

Pang Ban sensed it clearly: these three people who had suddenly appeared were clearly celestial beings.

Pang Ban's face darkened even further: "Zhang Sanfeng, you are so despicable, even though you are so presumptuous as to call yourself a celestial being!"

"Hehe, I never said I wasn't despicable! When I was young, I did everything. So, Pang Ban, you can only blame your bad luck."

"Damn it, the Dao Heart Demon Planting Technique!!!" Pang Ban roared, attacking first.

Bang bang bang bang...

Pang Ban lay peacefully on the ground, truly peaceful, so peaceful that no one would protest. Even if someone urinated on him right now, he wouldn't even blink.

...

Jin Bingyun looked at the gift Ye Xiu had brought her from the mountain. It was the size of a football, oval in shape, and had several holes on it...

"You, him, you..." Jin Bingyun could no longer form a complete sentence.

--End--