C281 The Empire's Aristocrats!

In a corner, a man stood with a displeased expression on his face.

He was not a soldier of the Silvermoon Empire, but rather a cultivator, clad in a bright yellow robe. Sitting quietly by the corner, he held a spiritual jade in his hand, drawing in spiritual energy, seemingly indifferent to the clash between the Silverfrost Dragon and the Tusk Troops' commander.

Even as Yu Yuan and his companions, enveloped in Lee Yuangui's spiritual mist, ascended from the forest below, the man remained uninterested.

His annoyance stemmed from the chainmail-clad warrior who had ushered Yu Yuan and the others to his vicinity, disrupting his tranquil meditation—despite the ample empty space around them.

Yu Yuan, who had been unceremoniously dumped on the ground, recognized the shouter as "Van Yan" from his call.

"Van surname," Yu Yuan thought with a cold smirk. Once he regained his footing, he calmly and silently surveyed the Cloud Sail.

Contrary to Van Yan's claims, the Cloud Sail was far from overcrowded.

At over ten meters in length and seven to eight meters wide, the deck was quite spacious, easily accommodating dozens of people.

The less than twenty individuals on board were spread out, not cramped at all.

Van Yan's assertion of overcrowding was clearly a ruse, a deliberate manipulation of spiritual energy to corner Yu Yuan's group of four into an awkward nook, a targeted act.

Yu Yuan's expression remained unchanged as he focused his attention on Van Yan.

Without resorting to the covert probing powers of the heavenly soul, Van Yan's tall and burly stature, his full beard, and the chainmail he wore marked him as a seasoned warrior.

With the surname Van, he was almost certainly connected to the Silvermoon Empire's Van family.

As Yu Yuan's gaze met Van Yan's, the latter returned a fierce glare, his eyes as large as copper bells.

Remaining impassive, Yu Yuan turned his attention to the others. From their attire, if they were all from the Silvermoon Empire, they were undoubtedly from wealthy or noble backgrounds.

Their jewelry, pulsing with spiritual energy, and their opulent garments, adorned with intricate patterns, bore signs of magical array enhancements, suggesting hidden functions.

The man nearest to them, who had accused Van Yan, stood out in his plain attire.

Clad in coarse linen and straw sandals, he possessed no valuables and carried neither a bag nor any other container.

He was empty-handed, his linen garment revealing his forearms.

The muscles on his exposed arms were knotted, veins protruding like the sinuous bodies of malevolent dragons and serpents.

Yu Yuan's gaze rested on those small arms for quite some time.

Noticing Yu Yuan's prolonged attention, the man rebuked Van Yan, then closed his eyes. Upon reopening them, he fixed Yu Yuan with a steely look and demanded, "Kid, what are you staring at?"

"Nothing," Yu Yuan replied with a casual grin and a dismissive smile.

It was then that the old general, having briefly conversed with Qin Yun, soared through the air and alighted at the heart of the Cloud Sail, gesturing towards Yu Yuan and his companions as he introduced them offhandedly.

He skipped over Wei Feng, mentioning only Yu Yuan, Ning Ji, and Bai Shenshen.

Aboard the ship, aside from the stoic practitioner, the introduction drew many curious glances towards Yu Yuan.

Clearly, he had piqued their interest.

"Yu scion, did you encounter my nephew, Van Ning, in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area?" Van Yan bellowed suddenly. "I've been told that my nephew had a run-in with you there."

Yu Yuan feigned ignorance and turned to Lee Yuangui, "Elder Lee, who is this?"

"That's Van Yan, a member of the Van family serving in the Empire's military," Lee Yuangui replied with a slight frown, his tone betraying a lack of fondness for Van Yan, yet restrained by the man's family ties.

"Ah, the Van family," Yu Yuan nodded, understanding the situation. "Van Ning parted ways with us early in the Forbidden Area. He led the surviving Van family members back to the Empire ahead of schedule. I'm not clear on the details that followed, but Elder Lee here at the Forbidden Area's entrance might have some insight."

Van Ning, in his haste to reach Silvermoon City, met his end at the hands of the bronze monument's coffin lid, his soul consumed within.

To the bronze monument, Van Ning's soul was just one among millions, insignificant and feeble.

But for the Van family, it was a devastating loss.

Van Ning, distinguished as one of the five moons, was the sole casualty of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area Trial.

The remaining individuals, including Lim Zhuyun, who was believed to have encountered trouble, were all confirmed to have survived. They were even escorted to the Heavenly Source Continent by the Cold Yin Sect, where they continued to send back positive updates.

Lee Yu, Yan Lu, Su Yan, and the others emerged from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, each having attained the Profound Break Stage.

Zhan Tianxiang, Zhao Yafu, and others began to rise to prominence, showcasing their newfound prowess.

The cataclysmic events within the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area led to the tragic demise of many esteemed cultivators from both nations. The Moon Demon's rampage resulted in the ruthless culling of the weaker participants.

The survivors, whether they gained direct benefits in the forbidden area or endured harsh trials, managed to break through to new levels of power.

The Empress herself remarked that, judging solely by the outcome, the trial was a stroke of luck for the empire!

She placed great expectations on the survivors, seeing them as the future mainstays of the empire.

Yet, joy and sorrow were unequally distributed among the families.

The Van family bore the brunt of the losses, with Van Li and almost the entire family perishing.

Van Yan, a member of the Van family, somehow came to believe that Yu Yuan, who had exhibited odd behavior in the forbidden area, had ostracized and oppressed Van Li, forcing him to part ways with the main force.

This ultimately led to Van Ning's death.

"Did the previous generation of the Lim family perish because of you?" Van Yan scoffed, rising to his feet and casting a sidelong glance at Yu Yuan. He then addressed Lee Yuangui, "Old General, there are rumors that this young man conspired with the Alien Soul Demon in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. The Rainier Empire has also claimed that many of their cultivators perished because of him. Despite his youth, his intentions are malevolent. He should be thoroughly interrogated to uncover the truth."

Lee Yuangui's expression soured.

Yu Yuan let out a derisive laugh and retorted, "If it's true that many cultivators from the Rainier Empire died because of me, wouldn't that make me a hero of our empire? We are sworn enemies with the Rainier Empire, and regardless of the methods I used to bring about their cultivators' demise, the Empress should indeed reward me."

"He's quite the sharp-tongued young man," remarked a female general, clad in armor that struggled to contain her ample figure. She laughed heartily and introduced herself, "My surname is Yan, and my name is Yan Yu. Yan Lu is my nephew."

Yu Yuan offered a light chuckle and a respectful bow. "Pleased to meet you, elder."

During the time in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, the normally reserved Yan Lu had gradually warmed up to Yu Yuan, evolving from a stance of non-interference to one of camaraderie through repeated battles side by side.

Yu Yuan believed that since Yan Yu was from the Yan family and professed to be Yan Lu's elder, she likely wouldn't harbor the same animosity towards him as Van Yan did.

"Yan Lu speaks very highly of you," said Yan Yu, whose robust demeanor belied her feminine form. "Unfortunately, that young rascal isn't the head of the Yan family. His praise was a tad excessive, causing our elders to think he's selling himself short. They see him and Lee Yu as the future of the empire."

"The elders were quite perturbed by your sudden emergence from Darkmoon City, especially with Yan Lu holding you in such high regard."

Yan Yu spoke nonchalantly of the family's internal oddities before her curiosity piqued. "This place isn't exactly close to Elfview. What brings you here? And with the recent dangers nearby, didn't Yuan Lianyao from Darkmoon City advise you to stay put and not venture out so lightly?"

"No," replied Yu Yuan simply.

"Yuan Lianyao has certainly grown bolder," Yan Yu observed, her armor barely accommodating her physique. Despite being somewhat overweight, which gave her a double chin and a pleasantly plump appearance, she was actually quite attractive. "She used to be quite cautious, but now, with someone backing her, she's let loose."

It seemed there was some bad blood between Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao, as her tone was lukewarm when bringing up the City Lord of Darkmoon City.

"Old General!" Van Yan interjected, eager to speak.

Lee Yuangui, clearly irritated, huffed, "I was there at the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area too. Since I didn't hold Yu Yuan accountable, there's no issue. If he had truly committed an atrocity in the Forbidden Area that enraged the empire, the Emperor would have issued an arrest warrant as soon as word of his presence reached us."

The old general's eyes methodically scanned the faces of those aboard the Cloud Sail before he spoke, "Without Yu Yuan, the empire's losses would have been far greater. It's unthinkable that so many could have returned safely from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area."

He was well aware of Yu Yuan's actions, many of which were incredibly frustrating. He also knew about the ongoing feud between Yu Yuan and Su Xiangtian, which was a source of great irritation to him.

Yet, he recognized that without Yu Yuan, talents like Li Yu, Lee Yuchan, Yan Lu, Zhao Yafu, Zhan Tianxiang, and others might have met their end in the treacherous Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.

The Empress herself had inquired repeatedly and, after a clandestine review, concluded that Yu Yuan's merits outweighed his missteps.

Thus, when Yu Yuan once again stepped into the light and made his way back to Elfview Town, he did so unimpeded.

"Let's not forget why we're here."

The old general cast a stern glance at Van Yan and declared, "Our presence here, in force, is not merely due to an encounter with Yu Yuan. We're here to prevent the conflict at Hidden Dragon Lake with that individual from spilling over and affecting our Silvermoon Empire!"

With those words, many shifted their attention from Yu Yuan, gazing instead towards the horizon.

Shortly thereafter, a radiant beam, bright as a meteor, burst forth from the north, piercing the sky.

As the light streaked across, the heavens crackled. Serpentine bolts of lightning appeared to be yanked from the clouds, forging into long whips that snapped ferociously towards the horizon.

"An expert from the Thunder Sect!" Yan Yu inhaled sharply, visibly moved, "The Cold Yin Sect is likely to answer the call. Those lurking in the shadows will probably strike soon."

Wai Feng, looking forlorn and helpless, bowed her head, her shoulders quivering ever so slightly.

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