The white veil on Nangong Huaitian's face was finally swept away by the wind and waves during the intense melee.
She revealed her face.
It was a beautiful face, exceptionally so. Even the most discerning man in the world would find it difficult to suppress his excitement, for Nangong Huaitian was truly stunning.
Consequently, many, like Yue Hengtian, began to harbor other intentions towards Nangong.
Foremost among them was Dongfang Yuchu.
On the fifty-eighth flight of stairs, a youth in a pale blue robe embroidered with white fish, possessing a delicate and feminine appearance, spoke:
"Saintess Nangong hails from a prestigious clan, her status extraordinary. Her talent, beauty, and character are all peerless in this world. She is not someone that any commoner can covet."
Upon hearing this, Yue Hengtian's expression immediately darkened. He turned to Dongfang Yuchu and asked sternly, "Who are you, and I advise you not to meddle!"
"Who I am is none of your concern, and you are not worthy of knowing, for you and I are not on the same level." Dongfang Yuchu stood with his hands behind his back, positioned between Nangong Huaitian and Yue Hengtian. His blue robe flowed like clear water, and his delicate eyes smiled at Nangong.
"Your Highness Saintess, my name is Dongfang Yuchu. Perhaps you have heard of me."
Nangong Huaitian gazed at the youth before her and nodded silently, then replied, "Yes, I know you."
"Two years ago, an elder from your clan brought a young girl to the Nangong family to challenge me. After she lost, she claimed to be Dongfang Yuchu's sister and vowed to have you teach me a lesson."
Dongfang Yuchu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled faintly and said, "My sister has a childish temper; please, Saintess, do not take offense."
Seeing that the two seemed to be conversing amiably, Yue Hengtian immediately landed a fierce palm strike on Dongfang Yuchu's back. Nangong Huaitian frowned and was about to intervene, but she saw Dongfang Yuchu smile at her, signaling her not to panic.
Threads of gray energy flowed from Dongfang Yuchu's body, converging into lines and merging into his blue robe.
Thus, Yue Hengtian's murderous palm strike did not land on Dongfang Yuchu but stopped a foot in front of his back, where gray energy roamed, seemingly forming a barrier.
"The Daoist arts I cultivate are not exactly presentable, but they are most resistant to these brute-force physical cultivators."
Dongfang Yuchu spoke, turning his head with a smile, his demonic eyes fixed on Yue Hengtian. Then, strands of gray silk crawled out from his body, attempting to wrap Yue Hengtian's body like a silkworm cocoon.
In that instant, Yue Hengtian felt death.
Greatly alarmed, he immediately tried to withdraw his hand to evade, but Yue Hengtian soon discovered he was unable to do so.
His hand, at some unknown time, had been firmly entangled by those strands of gray energy, like a mosquito caught in a spiderweb, struggling fruitlessly.
"Quick, help me!"
Yue Hengtian cried out in alarm. His two brothers immediately rushed forward. The three unleashed their abilities in unison, forming an ancient bronze cauldron that completely covered Yue Hengtian's body.
Hiss...
The yin-like gray energy washed over the ancient cauldron. The ancient bronze energy grew thinner and thinner, the cauldron's surface increasingly mottled, as if it would soon be broken.
At this moment, Yue Hengtian, enveloped by the cauldron, finally managed to withdraw his hand. He retreated several steps, body and cauldron, then stared at Dongfang Yuchu with a look of lingering dread.
Dongfang Yuchu raised an eyebrow and ceased his attack, merely gazing at Yue Hengtian's withered and aged right hand, and smiled, saying, "Yang energy, I'm not particularly fond of it."
"But if it comes to me, why refuse it?"
Yue Hengtian swallowed hard, still shaken. He had a rough idea of Dongfang Yuchu's ability, and he spat with disgust, his expression one of revulsion, "You pervert, what do you want to do!"
"I wish to represent the Dongfang clan and form a marriage alliance with Saintess Nangong of the Nangong clan." Dongfang Yuchu spoke, slowly turning around, his eyes yin-like and frivolous as he looked at Nangong, smiling and asking, "Saintess, do you agree?"
"I do not," Nangong Huaitian replied with vigilance, looking at Dongfang Yuchu.
She had heard long ago about his cultivation of yin methods, absorbing yin to supplement yin, and that many young girls had met tragic ends. How could she possibly form a marriage alliance with such a man?
Dongfang Yuchu, while his gaze frivolously appraised Nangong Huaitian's appearance and figure, smiled and said, "Your Highness Saintess, your Nangong clan is currently facing internal and external troubles. You must greatly need external support like that from our Dongfang clan."
"A marriage alliance with me, I only need one night. After that night, we will have no further connection. But I can guarantee that the Dongfang clan will wholeheartedly help your Nangong clan overcome this crisis."
"And the price you need to pay is merely what cultivators value least: your yin essence."
Nangong Huaitian, without hesitation, coldly declared, "This is impossible."
"As the Saintess of the Nangong clan, if the clan is in trouble, I will find a way to handle it myself and do not require outside interference or pity!"
Dongfang Yuchu's gaze gradually turned cold. He said, "Your Highness Saintess, do not refuse a good offer."
"Let's not even mention your clan's affairs. Even now, without my help, do you think you can continue climbing? You cannot deal with those three people!"
"Forming a marriage alliance with me, I can not only protect you during this journey but also secure your clan. Is this not killing two birds with one stone?"
Nangong Huaitian's delicate face showed a hint of sternness. Just as she was about to speak, a new, unfamiliar voice echoed through the space.
"The one who can protect Saintess Nangong and help her overcome her clan's crisis is not only your Dongfang clan, but my Zheng clan can as well."
A youth in a plain brocade robe, holding a square seal as a magical artifact, with a just countenance and a resonant voice, spoke. He walked from the edge of the fifty-eighth flight of stairs and landed between Nangong Huaitian and Dongfang Yuchu.
"My surname is Zheng, the Zheng of the Zheng clan. My name is Fangxing. My mother is of the royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Marrying me would be the best choice."
Zheng Fangxing looked at Nangong Huaitian and said quite earnestly, his voice resonant, as if he were indeed of royal blood, carrying a certain authority.
Nangong Huaitian frowned and was about to refuse when Dongfang Yuchu spoke first, his voice yin-like and filled with killing intent, "Zheng Fangxing, with your illegitimate status, you dare to compare yourself to me, Dongfang Yuchu? Believe it or not, I will kill you right now!"
Zheng Fangxing's eyes emitted brilliant golden light, majestic and powerful. He raised his hand and sent a palm strike towards Dongfang Yuchu, his voice deep, "How dare you disrespect me, you deserve to die!"
"Go to hell!" Dongfang Yuchu could bear it no longer. All the gray energy on his body erupted, and he immediately charged forward to fight Zheng Fangxing.
Nangong Huaitian's dark pupils slightly constricted. She stepped on a pure lotus and quickly tried to escape this treacherous place to ascend to the fifty-ninth flight of stairs.
But Yue Hengtian had been watching Nangong Huaitian for a long time. He ignored Dongfang Yuchu and Zheng Fangxing, who were locked in combat. The three brothers, riding on turtle shells, lunged towards Nangong, their faces contorted as they roared, "Saintess Nangong, here I come!"
"Today, you will either agree to a marriage contract with me, or you will not leave this staircase!"
Seeing this, Nangong Huaitian gritted her teeth, withdrew her jade leg, and formed inscriptions between her hands, preparing to deal with these three first.
But unexpectedly, another somewhat unfamiliar figure blocked her path. The person wore a simple cloth robe and held a tattered scripture.
"Saintess Nangong, you go first. Leave this to me."
Ji Xuansu turned back and smiled slightly at Nangong, then stepped forward, chanting resonant scriptures as he engaged the three brothers.
"This..." Nangong Huaitian was stunned. She had not expected that the scholar, Ji Xuansu, whom she had only met once in Medicine King Valley, would help her at such a critical moment and block those three brothers.
And he asked for nothing in return.
"Thank you!" Nangong Huaitian had no time to think further. The inscriptions around her condensed, and the seven-colored pure lotus shimmered with radiance, supporting her as she ascended to the next flight of stairs.
Boom!
The immense pressure pressed down like a tide, thunderclouds roiled, but Nangong forcefully withstood it, firmly establishing herself on the fifty-ninth flight.
At the same time, Xuanyuan Shennian also ascended. Without much effort, she exchanged a glance with Nangong Huaitian, and then they both looked towards Zhou Jie.
This Ghost King Disha of the Jialan clan had been sitting there for a long time, his intentions unknown.
Zhou Jie glanced at Xuanyuan Shennian, his gaze casually sweeping over her voluptuous figure, then at Nangong Huaitian, struck by her beauty.
Finally, he glanced at the various geniuses engaged in fierce combat below, and thus, he too began to harbor some peculiar thoughts about Nangong Huaitian.
"Nangong Huaitian, I am Zhou Jie."
"Now, I wish to represent the Jialan clan and form a marriage alliance with you."
Zhou Jie spoke, his eyes narrowed as he smiled at Nangong, "You cannot refuse."
...