Chapter 127: Cloud Radiance

Seeming to have anticipated Jiang Yuan’s reaction, Fei Lian asked with a smile, “Do you know who I am?”

“You are the first to call yourself ‘I’ (Laozi) in my presence, Fei Lian,” Jiang Yuan replied, his tone cold.

“You know who I am?” Fei Lian was deeply puzzled. He was currently in human form, showing no traits of his true nature other than his gender. He hadn’t even mentioned being one of the Ten Great Demon Sages; how had Jiang Yuan guessed it so quickly?

Jiang Yuan knew Fei Lian must be utterly bewildered. *Didn’t expect that, did you? I’m a cheater.*

“Do you know who I am?” Jiang Yuan asked with a smile.

“Who are you?” Fei Lian frowned.

“I am the Human Emperor of this heaven and earth,” Jiang Yuan said, his voice calm. As he spoke, the aura of the Human Emperor radiated from him, the overwhelming pressure of a tyrant crashing toward Fei Lian.

This took Fei Lian by surprise. The Human Emperor dared to enter the heart of the Celestial Clan? The conflict between humans and the Celestial Clan had been festering since the ancient era. As one of the Ten Great Demon Sages, Fei Lian knew this well, having been a great demon from that very era.

“The Human Emperor? Coming to rescue a member of the Celestial Clan?” Fei Lian was perplexed.

“I am not here to rescue a Celestial princess, but to rescue the mother of a human,” Jiang Yuan said indifferently.

“Oh? Interesting.” Fei Lian’s interest was piqued.

“Yunhua is his mother,” Jiang Yuan said, gesturing toward Yang Jian.

Fei Lian glanced at Yang Jian and immediately realized the truth. “No wonder the dignified Third Princess of the Celestial Clan was sent to guard Mount Tao. It turns out it was because she bore a child with a human.”

“Guarding Mount Tao?” Jiang Yuan frowned. Wasn’t Yunhua imprisoned there?

“They call it guarding, but it’s no different from being imprisoned. Either way, she can’t leave this mountain,” Fei Lian sneered. “The Heavenly Emperor is truly heartless; he was willing to treat his own precious daughter this way just because of a human.”

“How did you get in here?” Jiang Yuan asked.

“Because I refused to bow to the Heavenly Emperor, that old man threw me in here,” Fei Lian said dismissively.

“You have backbone,” Jiang Yuan affirmed.

“Of course. Who am I? I am one of the Ten Great Demon Sages. How could I ever serve a shameless wretch like the Heavenly Emperor?” Fei Lian said with disdain.

“It seems the Heavenly Emperor has great ambitions, even eyeing your Demon Clan,” Jiang Yuan remarked.

“It’s not just the Demon Clan; he has designs on the entire Three Realms,” Fei Lian quipped. “Since you’re here to save people anyway, why not rescue me as well?”

“What do I gain by saving you?” Jiang Yuan asked calmly.

“The benefit is that it would irritate the Heavenly Emperor,” Fei Lian replied matter-of-factly.

“That’s a reason, but it’s not enough,” Jiang Yuan flatly refused. He was already irritating the Heavenly Emperor; a little more wouldn’t make much difference.

“Then what do you want?” Fei Lian asked, frowning.

“Follow me for ten years. After ten years, you are free to go wherever you please,” Jiang Yuan proposed. He had no intention of letting such a powerful combatant slip away.

“You know why I was imprisoned here. Why would you make such a request?” Fei Lian’s tone turned cold.

“The Heavenly Emperor wanted you to serve him forever. I only ask for ten years. For a great demon like you, surely ten years is nothing?” Jiang Yuan continued, “You’ve been stuck on this Mount Tao for more than ten years already, haven’t you?”

This enticed Fei Lian. If Jiang Yuan didn’t let him out, he would likely remain trapped here forever. It was better to serve for ten years in exchange for freedom.

“Only ten years?”

“Only ten years,” Jiang Yuan confirmed.

“Deal!” Fei Lian was straightforward. His nature was fiery, and he would likely go mad if he stayed here any longer.

“How do I get you out?” Jiang Yuan asked, suddenly thinking that Mount Tao felt suspiciously like the Five-Finger Mountain. Was he supposed to be Tang Sanzang? Did he need to climb to the top and peel off a seal?

“It’s simple. The spirit of Mount Tao is in the hands of Yunhua, the one you’re here to save. Just have her release me when the time comes,” Fei Lian laughed.

“Where is Yunhua?”

“At the end of this path.”

Jiang Yuan nodded, sealing their agreement. He turned to Yang Jian and said with a smile, “Let’s go. We’re going to save your mother.”

Yang Jian nodded nervously. Soon, they reached the end of the path, where a woman dressed in ethereal, cloud-like robes sat reclining on a stone bed.

Yang Jian rushed forward, crying, “Mother?”

The woman, thinking she was hallucinating, turned her head in disbelief. She looked at Jiang Yuan and the others in shock. “Are you all newly imprisoned by my father?” Yunhua’s voice was exquisite, as clear as a lark’s.

“We are here to take you away,” Jiang Yuan said with a smile.

“Take me away? Why?” Yunhua was confused.

Jiang Yuan said nothing further, looking instead at Yang Jian. A third vertical eye appeared on Yang Jian’s forehead. “Mother, it’s me. It’s Yang Jian.”

Yunhua stared at the third eye on Yang Jian’s forehead, her eyes welling with tears. Back then, to ensure the safety of her husband and son, she had been forced to obey her father and return to the Celestial Clan. She never expected that, in the blink of an eye, Yang Jian would be so grown.

“Let’s go,” Jiang Yuan said, leading Zhang Kui, his wife, and the curious Nezha away. They needed time alone.

“Yang Jian, how did you get in? I couldn’t even leave to see you and your father,” Yunhua said, filled with guilt.

Yang Jian explained the whole story of how Jiang Yuan had brought everyone to the Celestial Clan to rescue her.

“You’ve suffered,” Yunhua said, her heart aching.

“As long as I could save you, Mother, it was all worth it,” Yang Jian smiled.

“Where is your father?” Yunhua asked.

Yang Jian fell silent for a moment before saying, “Father… he was killed by the Celestial Clan. I only survived because my master, Guang Chengzi, took me as his disciple due to my innate talent.”

Upon hearing this devastating news, Yunhua turned pale. Her father had broken his word! He had promised that if she returned to the Celestial Clan, he would guarantee the safety of her husband and son. She never thought the Heavenly Emperor would be so treacherous!

Her rage turned into helplessness. She could not forgive the Heavenly Emperor, but she could not bring herself to seek vengeance against her own father—not only because she lacked the strength, but because the love he had shown her over the years made it impossible for her to raise a hand against him.

Yunhua only wanted to leave this place of sorrow; she felt a sudden disgust for the Celestial blood flowing through her veins. It was too arrogant, too detached from all else. Yunhua was not such a proud person, but her father, the Heavenly Emperor, was—and that pride had cost her her husband and her son.

“Let’s go. We will discuss everything once we are out of the Celestial realm. Don’t keep the Human Emperor waiting,” Yunhua said, her voice heavy and choked with tears.

Yang Jian, unsure of how to comfort his mother, nodded silently and headed toward the exit.