SACRED BODY OF THE IMMORTALS

Chapter 1148 1148 The Eighteen Riders of Yanyun

Ling Yuan's idea could only be described as earth-shattering.

If the Supreme Immortal Court truly joined forces with the Jun family.

That would absolutely be enough to suppress the entire Nine Heavens Immortal Domain.

Even if there were forces lurking beneath the surface, such as the Cang Clan and others.

They would have no way of completely overthrowing the Immortal Court and the Jun family.

This was indeed an utterly mad idea.

But more importantly.

Ling Yuan said that Jun Xiaoyao could one day become the master of the Immortal Court.

And she would be the Heavenly Empress.

The meaning was already perfectly clear.

It was just short of telling Jun Xiaoyao directly: I want to be your wife.

Of course, given Ling Yuan's hopelessly tsundere personality, she would absolutely never say something like that.

But after hearing this, Jun Xiaoyao simply shook his head and smiled.

"Ling Yuan, you really are adorably naive."

"Jun Xiaoyao, you……" Ling Yuan bit her lip.

She was the imperial daughter of the Immortal Court, and yet she was being called naive.

This was a first.

But that tone, which sounded almost like playful banter, quietly made Ling Yuan's cheeks flush.

Jun Xiaoyao continued, "One mountain cannot hold two tigers, unless one is male and one is female."

"Is the Immortal Court willing to be the tigress?"

The Jun family had always been accustomed to dominance and assertiveness.

Even in a partnership, they would have to hold the position of absolute leadership.

Would the Supreme Immortal Court, once the overlord of the Nine Heavens Immortal Domain, ever be willing to show weakness?

Obviously not.

On top of that, the nine great Immortal Lineages of the Immortal Court didn't necessarily share a unified opinion.

Even if the Nuwa Empress Immortal Lineage, where Ling Yuan belonged, was willing.

Would the Fuxi Immortal Lineage, where the Ancient Emperor's Son belonged, agree?

So Ling Yuan's idea could only be called naive.

But Jun Xiaoyao also confirmed something from this.

The soul of the Heavenly Maiden Yuan had indeed influenced Ling Yuan.

Combined with the fact that Ling Yuan herself had developed changed feelings for Jun Xiaoyao after experiencing a hundred lifetimes of fate.

Ling Yuan likely would not become his enemy.

Jun Xiaoyao had no desire to make an enemy of Ling Yuan either.

After all, the soul of the Heavenly Maiden Yuan resided within her, continuing to exist through Ling Yuan's identity.

"I suppose I really was being naive, wasn't I?" Ling Yuan revealed a faintly bitter smile.

Was this fate toying with her, trapping her and Jun Xiaoyao between two completely opposing forces?

"That's not necessarily true — who can say what the future holds?"

"Maybe one day I'll grow strong enough to make the Immortal Court bow." Jun Xiaoyao said with a calm smile.

Gazing at Jun Xiaoyao's strikingly handsome smile, Ling Yuan was momentarily stunned.

Perhaps it was also this confidence of his that drew her in.

After all, how many people would dare claim they could make the Immortal Court bow?

"So, the Immortal Tribulation Sword Art……" Jun Xiaoyao steered the conversation back.

Ling Yuan's slender hand tightened, then she let out a soft sigh.

She reached into her spatial artifact and retrieved a jade slip.

"This is what you wanted." Ling Yuan said.

Jun Xiaoyao smiled faintly, unsurprised.

He took the jade slip and gave it a quick sweep with his divine sense.

It was indeed the Immortal Tribulation Sword Art.

"Thank you." Jun Xiaoyao put the jade slip away.

Then, as a gesture of courtesy, he gently pulled Ling Yuan into a light embrace.

Ling Yuan's delicate body went rigid, her mind instantly went blank, and her thoughts seemed to shatter.

It was only when she felt the warmth of Jun Xiaoyao's arms that Ling Yuan realized she was being embraced.

A trembling joy that reached deep into her soul surged forth like a tide.

It was not hers alone.

It was also the joy of the Heavenly Maiden Yuan.

Jun Xiaoyao released her quickly.

Ling Yuan felt a hollow emptiness settle in her heart.

"I won't take advantage of you for nothing — you can have this Spring of Life."

Jun Xiaoyao also produced some Spring of Life.

Ling Yuan accepted it in a daze, still savoring the memory of that brief, gentle embrace.

"Alright, I should be on my way."

Jun Xiaoyao smiled lightly and turned to leave.

"Wait……"

Ling Yuan called out on instinct, stopping Jun Xiaoyao.

"Hm?" Jun Xiaoyao was puzzled.

"Didn't you ask me whether I still remembered that dance?" Ling Yuan said in a soft, distant tone.

Jun Xiaoyao looked at Ling Yuan.

Ling Yuan said nothing, but suddenly began to move, breaking into a dance.

Dressed in a flowing snow-white glazed gown, her dance was all the more breathtaking.

Like a spirit beneath the moonlight, like an immortal exiled from the Moon Palace.

Graceful as a startled swan, sinuous as a soaring dragon.

Radiant as a lotus rising from the green waves.

Ethereal and fluid, enough to make one forget to eat.

It was none other than the Goddess of the Luo River's Startled Swan Dance.

Jun Xiaoyao was somewhat surprised, but he stood in place and watched.

After all, across the entire Nine Heavens Immortal Domain, there was likely no one worthy of having Ling Yuan dance for them alone.

And it had to be said — as a goddess-tier figure, a single dance from Ling Yuan was enough to astound all living beings.

A glimmer of brightness flashed through Jun Xiaoyao's eyes.

He was no saint, and when something was worth appreciating, he would never pretend otherwise.

When the dance ended, Ling Yuan's cheeks were flushed.

Whether from the exertion of dancing, or from the fact that she had danced for Jun Xiaoyao, was hard to say.

"Impressive — I didn't expect the imperial daughter's dancing to be so breathtaking." Jun Xiaoyao said.

Being praised by Jun Xiaoyao like this, Ling Yuan actually felt a trace of embarrassment.

Of course, with her tsundere personality, she would never let it show.

But just then, Ru Ying's voice drifted in from outside the cave.

"Imperial daughter, someone has come outside."

"Hm?"

Ling Yuan's willow-leaf brows furrowed slightly.

The atmosphere had only just begun to warm up, and now someone had to interrupt at a time like this.

"If it's the Ancient Emperor's Son, tell him I'm not seeing anyone." Ling Yuan said coldly.

Before, the Ancient Emperor's Son had been pestering her constantly, asking what her attitude toward Jun Xiaoyao really was.

Ling Yuan couldn't even be bothered to see him.

"It is the Ancient Emperor's Son, but he's not alone — there are three others with him, who call themselves the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders. They appear to be… followers of that ancient young emperor."

At these words, Ling Yuan was taken aback, then her brows furrowed slightly.

A subtle light flickered through Jun Xiaoyao's eyes.

"The Immortal Court's ancient young emperor — how interesting……" Jun Xiaoyao smiled inwardly.

"I'll go out and take a look." Ling Yuan said.

She didn't particularly care about the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders.

But the Immortal Court's ancient young emperor — honestly, even she, the current young emperor, had to treat that matter with caution.

"I'll come with you." Jun Xiaoyao stepped forward at the right moment.

Ling Yuan was silent and said nothing.

But deep inside, she felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

As though she suddenly had someone to lean on behind her.

"Alright then……th……thank you." Ling Yuan said a little awkwardly.

Given her personality, managing to say the word "thank you" was genuinely no small feat.

Jun Xiaoyao simply smiled.

At this moment, outside the cave dwelling.

Four figures stood waiting.

One of them wore a Eight Trigrams robe, with handsome features, an upright bearing, and an air of refined elegance.

It was none other than the Ancient Emperor's Son.

The other three — two men and one woman — wore battle armor of different colors. Their auras were immensely powerful, and their expressions carried a certain cold arrogance.

Beneath them, they each rode fierce beasts and birds of prey, such as jade-eyed golden eagles and chi dragons.

Around them, many of the academy's most talented cultivators had gathered to watch the spectacle.

"Hiss, are those the geniuses among the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders?"

"I've heard they were heroes of the same era as that mysterious ancient young emperor of the Immortal Court — every single one of them incomparably powerful."

"In the end they were defeated and subdued by that young emperor of the Immortal Court, becoming his followers and being sealed away together with him."

"In terms of talent and strength, the Yan Yun Eighteen Riders are absolutely superior to some seed-level figures — otherwise they could never have become followers of that ancient young emperor."

"What are they doing here?"

"It seems to have something to do with that divine son of the Jun family — perhaps they feel that Ling Yuan has been getting too close to him."

"Tsk tsk, this is getting interesting — an ancient young emperor and a current young emperor — is this about to turn into a battle for supremacy?"

While everyone was whispering and murmuring among themselves.

Two figures emerged from within the cave dwelling.

Ling Yuan's expression was cold as frost.

In front of Jun Xiaoyao, she was like an ordinary woman.

But in front of everyone else, she was the supremely noble imperial daughter of an Immortal Lineage, the exalted young emperor.

"How dare you clamor before this princess's cave dwelling — do you not regard this princess's status as young emperor at all!"

Ling Yuan's cold rebuke rang out, radiating the full dominance of a queen!