Chapter 12: Arrival in the Eastern Continent
When Ying Tong decided to leave, all she had to do was give a word, and her people would take care of everything.
At that moment, Ying Xuechen and Ying Xuan, who were trudging along the road, looked up at the flying boat in the sky with some envy.
“Brother Chen, doesn’t that flying boat look a lot like ours?” Ying Xuan remarked.
Hearing this, Ying Xuechen glanced up. “Like ours?” he said. “That’s not just similar—that is ours.”
Bi Luo, who had been following behind them, tasked with protecting the two, couldn’t help but sigh at their antics.
Ying Tong had instructed them to keep a low profile upon entering the Jinghong Secret Realm and avoid revealing their identities. After all, outside, they were the young masters and direct descendants of the Ying family. But once inside the secret realm, where authority meant little, people would kill first and ask questions later, regardless of one’s status.
However, it seemed the two brothers had misunderstood her instructions. As soon as they left, they began trying to “lay low,” and the result was that, after a full day of traveling, they hadn’t even made it out of their own family’s territory.
*
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
High above the Eastern Continent, a grand and luxurious flying boat hovered silently in the sky.
The distinctive phoenix emblem of the Ying family made it easy for anyone to recognize the flying boat’s owner at a glance.
Ying Tong stood atop the flying boat, gazing down at the scenery below. Standing beside her was Fentian, as usual.
However, unlike his previous flamboyant appearance, where he had been surrounded by flames, today he looked much more subdued—except for his striking red hair, which remained unchanged.
The Ying family’s influence was vast, and even in the Eastern Continent, their presence could be seen.
Currently, the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty was a member of the Ying family.
…
Meanwhile, inside the Prime Minister’s mansion, the atmosphere was tense, as if something significant was unfolding.
“Prime Minister, Li Fan and I are deeply in love. I beg you to grant us your blessing!”
In the grand hall, a tearful young girl knelt before the Prime Minister, with a tall, upright young man standing beside her.
The young man’s features were not particularly handsome, but he exuded an unusual presence that made him stand out in a crowd.
Sitting above them, a middle-aged man, the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, observed the scene with a cold gaze, saying nothing.
“Father,” the girl, Ying Rou, spoke with determination, her voice trembling with emotion, “I truly love Young Master Li. I beg you to let me be with him. I am willing to give up my position in the Ying family and leave the Prime Minister’s estate, never to return again.”
Hearing this, Li Fan’s expression flickered briefly, but he quickly composed himself. He hastily said, “Rou’er, I don’t want you to sacrifice so much for me. This is your home—how could I bear to see you leave it?”
Then, he looked toward the Prime Minister, who remained silent on his high seat. “Prime Minister, though I know I am not worthy of Rou’er right now, I will strive to rise in the world. One day, I will become someone who can deserve her love. I ask for your blessing.”
Suddenly, a voice, laced with mockery, broke the tense silence. “You want to win the girl, but you don’t want to let go of the influence of the Prime Minister’s estate. You want both the fish and the bear’s paw. Quite the greedy one, aren’t you, young man?”
The Prime Minister’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the man and woman who had just entered the hall. His expression changed, and he immediately stood up, bowing with great respect. “I greet Venerable Yunhuang, and Lord Fentian.”
Ying Tong gave a slight nod and, without hesitation, took the Prime Minister’s seat as though it were her own. Fentian remained standing behind her, towering like a protective figure.
The Prime Minister stood to the side, his face filled with apology. “Please excuse this embarrassing scene, Venerable Yunhuang.”
“If you know it’s embarrassing, then hurry up and deal with it,” Ying Tong replied coolly.
At her words, the Prime Minister wasted no time, immediately issuing orders. “Take these two away.”
The sudden turn of events left Ying Rou and Li Fan utterly shocked. It wasn’t until her arms were seized that Ying Rou finally reacted. Struggling, she shouted loudly, “You can’t treat me like this! I’m not even a real member of the Ying family. I don’t have their blood in my veins. What right do you have to do this to me?”
Her words piqued Ying Tong’s interest. She had overheard bits and pieces of the situation involving Ying Rou outside, and originally thought this was just another case of a love-obsessed girl. But it seemed there was more to the story.
“Presumptuous!”
Before the Prime Minister could speak, a young man standing nearby couldn’t hold back his outrage any longer.
“Ying Rou, don’t forget who took you in when you were on the brink of starvation! And now, for the sake of an outsider, you’re willing to break Father’s heart like this? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?”
“Ying Ming’er!” the Prime Minister snapped, casting a warning glance at his son, reminding him to stay silent, especially with Ying Tong present.
Meanwhile, Ying Tong’s attention was focused on Ying Rou. A faint smile played on her lips, as if she were an amused spectator watching a drama unfold, waiting to hear more.
Ying Rou’s face twisted with indignation.
“It’s true you took me in, but you did it with an agenda all along. Now, you refuse to let me leave with Young Master Li because you want me to enter the palace and become a royal concubine. Do you really think I don’t know your plans?”
After her outburst, Ying Rou turned her gaze to Ying Tong.
“Venerable Yunhuang, is it wrong for me to pursue love that belongs to me?”
“Pursuing love is certainly not wrong,” Ying Tong replied with a faint smile, her voice calm and measured.
The others in the hall were stunned, their expressions filled with disbelief. They hadn’t expected Ying Tong to seemingly take Ying Rou’s side.
Among everyone present, only the Prime Minister Ying and Fentian remained calm.
While the others were shocked, Ying Rou, on the other hand, appeared as if she had just tasted sweet nectar. She broke free from the two people holding her, standing tall like a triumphant little hen, her head held high as she looked at the others.
“However…” Ying Tong’s smile didn’t waver, “Pursuing true love isn’t wrong, but you don’t have the right to.”
Ying Rou’s smile froze, and she instinctively asked, “Why?”
“As an orphan, you’ve lived a life of luxury these years, even bearing the Ying family name. What do you think that is?”
“But I never asked for this. You forced it upon me,” Ying Rou retorted.
“Did you ever refuse it?” Ying Tong countered.
A flicker of guilt crossed Ying Rou’s face, but she stubbornly replied, “How could I dare refuse something given by a prime minister?”
At that moment, Ying Ming mocked from the side, “Isn’t that something! There’s actually something in this world you’re afraid to do?”
Ying Rou choked on her words, her nose stinging with emotion as she looked at Ying Ming, feeling wronged.
Seeing this, Ying Tong continued, “Whether you wanted it or not, for years you’ve lived in the Ying family, with all your food, clothes, and cultivation resources provided by them. Even the man beside you desires you for the status that comes with being part of the Ying family.”
At those words, all eyes instinctively turned toward Li Fan.
Li Fan’s heart skipped a beat. Facing the skeptical gazes, he clenched his teeth and declared, “You’re wrong! My love for Ying Rou is sincere—how could I care about her status!”
**TN
I forgot to add the meaning of Heart Demon. In cultivation, you need a “clear mind and pure heart” to level up to the next realm. A heart demon is like an obsession or an unfinished business or guilt. There is this danger of falling into a demon (becoming crazy or receiving backlash or just simply failing to level up) if you fail to clear your mind and heart. But this setting depends on the authors too. Haha!
