Chapter 1946 - 1942: The Final Cultivation
Knowing full well that leaving might mean eternal separation, Ye Fan was willing to stay a little longer with Lu Xiaoman, as a small form of intimacy was good, especially since the two were already practically husband and wife; there was no need to avoid certain things. Some things could be done as they pleased, without unnecessary concealment.
Ye Fan held Lu Xiaoman up, and although Lu Xiaoman was worried about her sister, she also wanted to deepen her relationship with Ye Fan. So she completely surrendered herself to him, allowing him to decide her joys and sorrows as a form of release from the deep suppression she had been feeling. Ye Fan was the only one who could help her. She treated him with a gentle demeanor, a characteristic she possessed, wanting to show her best side to Ye Fan.
"Ye Fan, I know you are very tired too. Can I take it from here today?" Lu Xiaoman asked in a soft voice after Ye Fan laid her gently on the high bed and soft pillows.
Ye Fan nodded and said, "Alright."
So they switched positions, with Lu Xiaoman letting Ye Fan lie down while she acted like a gentle and considerate woman, helping Ye Fan relieve his fatigue. She had rarely done this before, as the time she spent with Ye Fan wasn’t long, and Ye Fan never forced her into anything. Their relationship was always respectful, but now Lu Xiaoman was willing to humble herself so Ye Fan could understand more of her gentleness.
"Ye Fan, I love you." At that moment, Lu Xiaoman expressed her innermost thoughts to Ye Fan, hoping to earn his affection. As he gently stroked her hair, Ye Fan’s eyes exuded warmth, viewing Lu Xiaoman not just as his woman but as family, offering his love in the closest and most genuine way.
Lu Xiaoman appeared very gentle, and Ye Fan closed his eyes to savor the moment instead of looking at her. This was very different from other women, as Ye Fan sought the heart of a woman. Lu Xiaoman asked nothing of him and was with him purely out of love, embodying the graceful, gentle qualities Ye Fan had long pursued—the ideal of a pure and chaste woman.
At the moment, Lu Xiaoman seemed a bit unconfident, frequently asking Ye Fan for his thoughts. Ye Fan did not restrain or criticize her; many things between them followed naturally.
Ye Fan stayed with Lu Xiaoman for over an hour before leaving. Although he could have stayed longer, he knew he couldn’t waste too much time on such matters. His relationship with Lu Xiaoman did not involve cultivating the cauldron, and even if he had such thoughts, they needed to be based on cultivation, as he realized that without effort, it was impossible to challenge ancient powers like Pan Gu and Fu Xi within two days.
...
...
Upon returning to the secret realm of Pan Gu, Ye Fan went straight to Tiancheng, where Sang Yuan was waiting for him.
At this point, Sang Yuan had reached a point of complete trust in Ye Fan. She knew that the most powerful force in the cosmos had awakened—Pan Gu’s force. If not for Ye Fan, she would have been enslaved by Pan Gu and Fu Xi. Not wanting to serve another master, she hoped to help Ye Fan save against the heavenly tribulation and empower Ye Fan with the power over life and death in the universe.
This way, she could become the Cosmic Sovereign’s assistant, helping Ye Fan with any future matters or even replacing him if needed since Ye Fan didn’t have the desire for dominion. She might hold great power then.
Ye Fan approached Sang Yuan, who respectfully knelt before him, "Your servant greets the young master."
"Hmm," Ye Fan nodded, "Let’s talk at the Hundred Immortals Building. The heavenly tribulation is only two days away; in Pan Gu’s time, it’s about fifteen days. Help me arrange cultivation matters."
Sang Yuan said, "Young master, shall I arrange for a few female cultivators above the Mahayana Realm? They were once my believers."
"No need," Ye Fan replied, "I already have enough people around me for cultivation; there’s no need for such arrangements."
Sang Yuan went ahead to the Hundred Immortals Building, while Ye Fan stayed behind to give some instructions to Xi He. It was something even Xi He hadn’t anticipated. After Xi He left, Ye Fan headed to the Hundred Immortals Building. Inside were several women, apart from Sang Yuan, including Song Mei and Bing Ting, whom Ye Fan had brought back from the Great Cold Sect, and two others, Wu Ding and Ping Han from the Tianxuan Sect.
As Ye Fan entered the Hundred Immortals Building, Sang Yuan approached him again without a word, slowly knelt, and gazed at him with reverential admiration, reaching out to undo his collar.
"Young master..." she addressed him softly, then proceeded to assist Ye Fan in a manner he could accept.
The actions were observed by Wu Ding, Song Mei, and the others; they watched but did not approach. In terms of respect for Ye Fan, Sang Yuan indeed excelled more than the other women.
The next to step forward was neither Wu Ding nor Song Mei but Ping Han, followed by Bing Ting.
These two younger girls harbored no grand intentions, viewing Ye Fan with a fearful reverence because they knew of his immense strength. Without Ye Fan’s help, it would be hard for them to enhance their cultivation, and Ye Fan was the man who could protect and save them.
Now, three women stood before Ye Fan, seemingly not needing anything else.
But in the end, he still glanced at Song Mei and Wu Ding, who were both the Sect Master and elder of their sects and had previous statuses in the cultivation world. Although Song Mei’s cultivation was a significant deception, her actual realm was at least above Mahayana.
Their outward arrogance meant nothing before Ye Fan.
Eventually, both of them approached Ye Fan, allowing him to cultivate as he wished, deciding not to leave Pan Gu’s secret realm for the next few hours.
Sang Yuan stood up and said, "Serve the young master well; this is your best opportunity. I don’t need to guide you beyond this, right?"