40: Chapter 40 The Three-Year Promise, I'll Wait for You

The wind stopped.

True Monarch Qingyue's face turned deathly pale.

Golden Core Great Perfection!

These four words struck her Divine Soul. She could ignore a Golden Core Early Stage, or even not fear a Golden Core Middle Stage, simply because the foundation of the Qingyun Sect was her source of confidence.

But a Golden Core Great Perfection was no longer an ordinary powerhouse; it was an existence that had touched the threshold of Nascent Soul and could become a regional Old Ancestor at any moment. Such a figure, even in the Qingyun Sect, was at the level of a founding Elder who could stand on equal footing with the Sect Master.

Was it worth offending such an old monster for a dead Inner Sect Disciple?

True Monarch Qingyue's thoughts spun rapidly, weighing the pros and cons.

But her dignity as an Elder of the Qingyun Sect did not allow her to retreat. She was certain that although the opponent was strong, he would not dare to truly kill an Elder of the Qingyun Sect.

Killing her was equivalent to declaring war on the entire Qingyun Sect.

No one dared to do so, especially a Family entrenched in a small, mundane city.

The two confronted each other in mid-air; one had an ancient and overbearing aura, while the other had a cold Domain. The two Golden Core pressures collided invisibly, tearing at the space, yet they maintained a strange, delicate balance.

Neither dared to make the first move.

On Ancestor Jiang Xuan's withered old face hung a playful smile, but he knew that his palms, hidden beneath his wide Daoist robes, were already slick with a fine layer of cold sweat.

This Golden Core Late Stage pressure experience card was truly effective, but it was fake after all.

He could feel that although this pressure was intimidating, it was empty inside, with no matching true Qi to support it. Once a fight started, he wouldn't be able to hold on for even a second before his secret was revealed.

Ancestor Jiang Xuan was gambling now—gambling that the opponent wouldn't dare to strike first, and gambling that she would be completely intimidated by the title of Golden Core Great Perfection.

Beside him, Jiang Feng's heart pounded violently.

He held Lin Yueyao tightly, forcing his facial expression to remain unchanged, even wearing a hint of provocation, while screaming frantically in his heart.

"Old Ancestor, be strong, don't drop the ball! If this act fails today, our Jiang Family will be packed up and headed to the underworld for a team-building exercise!"

As for City Lord Fang Ming in the distance, the moment Ancestor Jiang Xuan appeared, this deep-scheming City Lord rolled his eyes and fainted cleanly, lying on the ground motionless with a weak breath.

In a confrontation of this level, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him didn't even qualify to be cannon fodder.

He just couldn't understand how Ancestor Jiang Xuan, who was only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage when he went into seclusion eighty years ago, had become a Golden Core Great Perfection upon emerging.

This wasn't Cultivating at all!

If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't bother; playing dead was the only way to survive.

In the dead silence of the confrontation, Ancestor Jiang Xuan finally spoke again, his voice raspy yet carrying an inherent, overbearing tone.

"Do you still want to destroy my Jiang Family?"

This question made True Monarch Qingyue's heart tremble.

"Destroy? With what?"

The four Disciples behind her were still being pressed to the ground by that pressure, their bones groaning, unable to even lift their heads.

Although she could resist, she had no chance of winning if they actually fought.

True Monarch Qingyue took a deep breath, her chest heaving, and the cold expression on her face slowly faded.

She knew that today, she had to step back.

"This matter was the fault of my Qingyun Sect Disciple, Senior Brother Qin Feng, for disturbing your cultivation. His death is not worth grieving over."

True Monarch Qingyue's voice returned to its cold tone, but it lacked the condescending attitude and carried a bit more of an equal conversational tone.

"When I return to the Sect, I will certainly report the full story to the Sect Master and see that justice is served for you, Senior."

She changed the subject, her gaze falling on Lin Yueyao in Jiang Feng's arms, a flash of determination in her eyes.

"However, Yue Yao is my Personal Disciple, possessing a High Grade Heavenly Spiritual Root, and is the future hope of our Qingyun Sect. The Sect wronged her back then, and now that her Spiritual Root has been reshaped, I must bring her back to the Sect and Cultivate her with all our resources."

Senior Brother Qin Feng could die, and the Jiang Family could be spared, but she could not give up on Lin Yueyao.

She knew better than anyone what a flawless Ice-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root meant. This represented the possibility of the Qingyun Sect birthing a Nascent Soul, or even a Soul Transformation powerhouse, within the next five hundred or even a thousand years!

Ancestor Jiang Xuan did not answer immediately, instead casting his gaze down at Jiang Feng below.

Jiang Feng's expression darkened.

He knew this was a very tricky problem.

He was reluctant to let Lin Yueyao go, and he was worried that she would encounter danger within the Sect. If he didn't let her go, he couldn't break the stalemate today. Once a fight started, the Jiang Family would surely perish.

In his arms, Lin Yueyao's body trembled slightly. She looked up, gazing at Jiang Feng with her cold eyes, her expression filled with pleading. She knew that the only person who could save the Jiang Family now was herself.

"Husband..."

She spoke softly, her voice choked with emotion, "I can... go back with my Revered Master."

Jiang Feng felt a tightness in his chest, almost unable to breathe.

Lin Yueyao broke free from his embrace, turned back to face True Monarch Qingyue in the sky, and knelt down again.

"Revered Master, this Disciple is willing to return to the Sect with you."

"Good!"

A flash of joy crossed True Monarch Qingyue's eyes.

"Wait."

A calm voice interrupted her.

It was Jiang Feng.

Everyone's eyes converged on him.

Jiang Feng stepped forward, standing side-by-side with Lin Yueyao, his gaze fixed on True Monarch Qingyue as he spoke word by word.

"Yue Yao can go with you, but you must agree to one condition."

"Oh?"

True Monarch Qingyue raised an eyebrow.

Ancestor Jiang Xuan's ancient voice rang out at the right moment, carrying a sense of majesty, "His condition is my condition."

True Monarch Qingyue's expression stiffened, and she nodded, "Please speak."

Jiang Feng's gaze swept over True Monarch Qingyue, then looked at Lin Yueyao, and he said slowly, "The matter of Yue Yao's Spiritual Root being reshaped is too bizarre. I do not want her to be probed for secrets using Soul Searching techniques after she returns to the Sect."

"Therefore, I need you to plant a Restriction within her Divine Sense."

"This Restriction will not have any effect under normal circumstances. But if anyone attempts to use forceful means to probe the secrets of her Spiritual Root within her Sea of Consciousness, the Restriction will immediately erupt, destroying that memory, and even..."

Jiang Feng paused, his voice becoming somewhat dry, "...even shattering her Sea of Consciousness, forever... becoming a fool."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yueyao's body shook violently, but she also knew that Jiang Feng was doing this to protect her.

True Monarch Qingyue's pupils also constricted sharply.

"How ruthless!"

This was not just to protect secrets; it was even more of a threat!

Once this Restriction was planted, it was equivalent to telling everyone in the Qingyun Sect that no one should think of prying into Lin Yueyao's secrets, otherwise, they would only end up with a useless person.

Although this method could protect Lin Yueyao, the risk was also immense.

Jiang Feng looked at Lin Yueyao's pale face, his heart aching. How could he be willing to do this? But it was the only way. He could not gamble on the character of those old monsters in the Qingyun Sect. Only by making Lin Yueyao have no research value would she be safe.

True Monarch Qingyue fell silent.

She took a deep look at Jiang Feng, and then at Ancestor Jiang Xuan.

This Family—each one was more ruthless than the last.

But she had no reason to refuse. Her goal was to Cultivate a future Nascent Soul, not to study the secret of a reshaped Spiritual Root.

As long as Lin Yueyao could Cultivate properly, this Restriction would have no impact on her.

"Fine, I agree."

True Monarch Qingyue did not hesitate at all; she gathered a mysterious silver rune at her fingertip and flicked it. The rune turned into a streak of light and entered Lin Yueyao's glabella.

Lin Yueyao's body swayed, and her face grew a bit paler.

The matter was settled.

True Monarch Qingyue flicked her whisk, and a gentle force lifted Lin Yueyao, causing her to slowly fly toward her.

"Husband..."

Lin Yueyao turned back, tears finally streaming down.

Jiang Feng stood on the roof, his posture straight.

He watched his beloved woman about to leave, seeing the reluctance in her eyes, and forcefully suppressed the emotions in his heart, using all his strength to shout loudly toward the sky.

"Yue Yao, wait for me!"

"A year at the shortest, three years at the longest!"

"I will personally step onto the Qingyun Sect and bring you home in glory!"

His voice spread throughout all of Jiangyuan City; it was a man's promise to his wife.

In mid-air, Lin Yueyao smiled through her tears. She looked at the white-haired figure below and nodded heavily.

"Husband, I will wait for you."