901: Chapter 902 Refusal

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping across the crowd with an unquestionable indifference and detachment:

"Indeed, ever since Yao Delong stepped onto the path of cultivation, I have only sought the freedom of the Great Dao. I have grown accustomed to being a wandering cloud or a wild crane. Whether it be the Chaos Dragon Transformation Pool of the Chaos Mang Clan, the Heavenly Fox Spirit Spring of Qingqiu, or even..." He paused slightly, not looking in Xue Shushu's direction, but everyone understood what he was referring to. "Yao Delong appreciates the sentiment. However, external possessions and the covenant of Dao Companions are not what Yao Delong seeks. The Great Dao is vast and boundless; Yao Delong only wishes to follow his heart, remaining true to the Dao of Alchemy and true to his own soul. I ask the Seniors to please forgive me."

His words were neither humble nor arrogant. He had politely declined the heavy material temptations of the Chaos Mang Clan and indirectly rejected Mo Jue's shocking proposal of a marriage contract that had stunned the entire audience!

"Following his heart... remaining true to the Dao of Alchemy..." Patriarch Cang Lü of the Qilin Clan repeated in a low voice, the sharp light in his eyes growing even brighter. "This lad's Heart-Nature is truly extraordinary!"

Tushan Yunting looked at Yao Delong, and for the first time, a trace of genuine approval emerged within his habitually scrutinizing gaze.

A flash of disappointment and embarrassment crossed Mo Jue's face, but it was mostly replaced by helplessness and a faint, hard-to-detect sense of relief. He understood the principle that forced fruit is not sweet. This Yao Delong's willpower was even firmer than he had imagined.

The one most impacted was naturally Xue Shushu. Yao Delong's indifferent words of rejection were like a cold needle, piercing through the immense shame and embarrassment brought by her father, yet they also caused an indescribable feeling to well up in her heart... a sense of bewilderment and a... strange sensation?

He actually... refused? So decisively? So calmly? As if she, the Pearl of Qingqiu, along with the power and endless resources she represented, held no great attraction in his eyes? This caused her, for the first time, to view this 'Yao Delong' with a completely different, complex, and difficult-to-define scrutiny.

In the air, Ming Hao's expression instantly became extremely dark and unsightly after Yao Delong spoke his rejection! The two main goals of his trip—to cause disruption and to poach talent—seemed to have both failed! More importantly, just as Yao Delong was speaking, Ming Hao's powerful Divine Thought keenly captured an aura deep within the Qingqiu Sacred Land. It was the aura belonging to Demon Emperor Xue Wuya, which had been forcibly suppressed but was now becoming clearer and more majestic, faintly carrying a hint of Imperial Might!

He was horrified: "As expected! The outside rumors are true! Not only is Demon Emperor Xue Wuya not dead, he really is charging toward the Demon Emperor realm! That Grade Nine Medicinal Pill was also truly effective!"

Seeing the gazes of the experts from the various Central Royal Clans below, which clearly carried closeness and respect toward Mo Jue and Yao Delong, Ming Hao knew that staying any longer today would only result in self-humiliation. Once Demon Emperor Xue Wuya successfully made his Breakthrough, coupled with that unfathomable Yao Delong... the consequences would be unimaginable!

"Hmph! Not knowing what's good for you!" Ming Hao snorted coldly, his voice thick with unwilling resentment and wariness. "Great Master Yao Delong, the promise of my Chaos Mang Clan remains valid forever! We will welcome the Great Master at any time should you change your mind!"

Before his voice had even faded, the purple-black demonic patterns all over his body suddenly erupted, transforming into a thick cloud of black mist that emitted an ominous aura!

"Mo Jue! Yunting! I, Ming Hao, will remember today's events! We have a long time ahead of us! Let's go!"

The black mist billowed, enveloping several Chaos Mang Clan experts. As abruptly as they had arrived, they instantly shrank back into the spatial rift burning with purple-black flames and vanished. Only his threatening words remained, echoing in the silent venue.

An earth-shattering conflict that had almost erupted seemed to temporarily subside with Ming Hao's withdrawal.

While Ming Hao's venomous and threatening words still echoed coldly in the air, the spatial rift burning with eerie purple flames had completely sealed shut as if it had never appeared. However, the nearly frozen atmosphere of the entire Ten Thousand Fox Banquet venue testified to the heart-stopping events that had just occurred.

From top to bottom, the experts of the Heavenly Fox Clan—whether from the Qingqiu or Tushan lineages—finally felt their taut heartstrings slowly relax. Many quietly let out a breath of turbid air. Although it felt stifling, now was indeed not the time for a complete fallout.

The icy blue fire of anger in Mo Jue's eyes slowly subsided, but the deep-seated, bone-deep hatred and solemnity did not diminish in the slightest. He turned to Tushan Yunting beside him, who also looked grave, and lowered his voice with an unquestionable urgency: "Yunting, that bastard Ming Hao's retreat is definitely not out of fear! He must have sensed the crucial aura of Wuya charging for the Emperor realm! I fear that since this probe failed, the subsequent counterattack from the Chaos Mang Clan will be even more frenzied and unscrupulous!"

Tushan Yunting's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's as it swept over the prototype of the Imperial Might deep within the Holy Land, which was becoming clearer and more majestic. He nodded slowly, his voice grave: "Rest assured, Brother Mo Jue. Nephew Wuya's realm-breaking is the top priority of our Heavenly Fox Clan! I will personally return to Tushan shortly to meet with Demon Emperor Demon Emperor Zhe Yan and report everything! If the Chaos Mang Clan truly dares to take advantage of the situation, the Demon Emperor of my Tushan lineage will surely descend! When the time comes, our two lineages will join forces and ensure they never return!" His tone was resolute, carrying the pride and determination of a top expert of the Heavenly Fox Clan.

"Good!" A flash of gratitude appeared in Mo Jue's eyes, and he heavily patted Tushan Yunting's arm. "With those words from you, I can rest easy! If there is any movement, I will message you immediately!"

The transmission between the two was extremely fast, and the many guests below did not fully notice it. At this moment, with Ming Hao's departure, the atmosphere of the entire venue finally began to truly warm up.

Countless gazes focused once again on Mo Jue and the master of the Dao of Alchemy beside him, 'Yao Delong', who had created all these miracles. Envy, awe, and the desire to build a connection were almost palpable!

Mo Jue took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions churning in his heart. His face once again wore the heroic smile of a host as he announced loudly, his voice echoing through the venue: "Distinguished guests! A few small fry disturbed our pleasure, but it's not worth mentioning! The Ten Thousand Fox Banquet continues! Fine wine, delicacies, celestial music, and wonderful dances—please enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"

The celestial music rose melodiously again, and the dances became graceful once more. The sound of clinking glasses gradually rose, but the atmosphere of the entire banquet was already vastly different from before. An invisible undercurrent was surging, and the center of conversation inevitably shifted from the banquet itself to the mysterious Great Master Yao Delong, the rejected marriage contract, and Demon Emperor Xue Wuya, who was currently charging toward the Demon Emperor realm.

The space around Yao Delong seemed to have been cleared. Those Royal Clan experts who originally wanted to come over and chat seemed to have tacitly retreated for the time being. Only that cold and stunning figure, carrying a hint of complex emotion, moved with light steps and slowly sat down in the empty seat beside Yao Delong, a faint fragrance following her.

It was none other than Xue Shushu.

She turned her exquisite face, which was enough to make the moonlight pale in comparison. Her deep eyes, which seemed to contain ten thousand years of ice and snow, carried a hint of subtle inquiry, embarrassment, and deep confusion as she looked straight at Yao Delong. Her vermilion lips parted slightly, her voice cold with a hint of resentment she hadn't even noticed herself:

"Fellow Daoist Yao Delong," her gaze seemed capable of piercing through one's heart, "just now, you rejected my father's words so cleanly and decisively... Do you feel that I, Xue Shushu, am lacking in talent and shallow in cultivation, unworthy of entering your Dharma Eye? Or is it... that this physical shell of mine does not even catch your eye?"