After all, they were all Daozuns who had cultivated their Primordial Spirits, old monsters who had practiced for millennia. Although they had been caught off guard by Han Dong's unexpected move and sent crashing to the ground, they hadn't suffered any serious injuries. As they rose to their feet, intending to make another move, Han Dong descended from above, her voice sharp and cold.
"I already showed you mercy just now. If you persist in your delusion, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Her name suited her, and so did her voice.
Han Dong was Han Dong.
Her person was cold, her countenance was cold, and her voice was even colder.
Holding her Icy Snow Frost Sword, she descended from the sky, her white robes fluttering like swirling snowflakes. The chill spread three feet deep, and the surrounding area was shrouded in a layer of icy mist.
"Sister Han Dong!"
Ouyang Ye rushed over, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
When she saw Ouyang Ye, a trace of worry also flashed through Han Dong's cold, beautiful eyes that resembled ice and snow. "Ye Ye, where have you been? I've been looking for you for a long time..."
"I just came out of a cave dwelling," Ouyang Ye replied, glancing at the people surrounding Han Dong. Knowing they were experts from Hei Feng Cave, she asked in a low voice, "Sister Han Dong, why are these people from Hei Feng Cave attacking you?"
"Because of a crystal stone!"
Hearing 'crystal stone,' Ouyang Ye immediately understood. Without even thinking, she knew that Sister Han Dong must have obtained a superior crystal stone, and these old fellows from Hei Feng Cave couldn't stand it and wanted to snatch it, chasing her all the way here. This kind of shameless, reputation-tarnishing act was something only people from Hei Feng Cave would do in the entire Great Northwest.
"Junior!"
One of the elders from Hei Feng Cave leaped into the air, landing in mid-air, his gaze sinister as he stared at Han Dong and sneered, "Hand over the crystal stone! Otherwise, don't even think about leaving here today!"
At the same time, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—the other members of Hei Feng Cave immediately surrounded Han Dong and Ouyang Ye.
Han Dong stood fearless and unafraid, holding her Frost Ice Sword, standing proudly in mid-air. "Treasures from unowned cave dwellings in the present world have, since ancient times, belonged to the capable and the first to obtain them. Since I have already obtained it, why must you all still try to seize it by force?"
"Junior! Don't spout nonsense! Clearly, you snatched that crystal stone from our hands! How dare you quibble!"
Everyone in the Great Northwest Frontier knew exactly what kind of character the people of Hei Feng Cave possessed—framing others, killing for treasure, bullying men and dominating women—truly capable of every evil deed. Both Han Dong and Ouyang Ye had grown up in the Great Northwest since childhood; how could they not know this?
"Junior, this old man advises you not to struggle pointlessly. I admit you possess great fortune and formidable strength, but my Hei Feng Cave has experts as numerous as clouds, with many having entered the Peach Blossom Secret Realm. If I send out a single message talisman... tsk tsk... by then, you won't be able to leave even if you want to!"
"Today, out of respect for Feng Zhuyue of Yao Yue Palace, as long as you obediently hand over the crystal stone, we will spare your life. Otherwise... hmph!"
The people of Hei Feng Cave were originally a motley crew of all sorts, filled with various heretical demons and unorthodox paths. They were already notorious and naturally didn't care about any reputation.
"Ye Ye, you go back first and wait for me!"
Han Dong knew the people of Hei Feng Cave wouldn't let the matter rest. She decided she would no longer hold back.
"Sister Han Dong, I won't go back!"
Han Dong was Ouyang Ye's savior. Although Ouyang Ye was a woman, she valued loyalty and righteousness extremely highly. How could she abandon Han Dong and leave alone?
"You people from Hei Feng Cave are utterly shameless! Shame on you all for calling yourselves seniors, yet now you gang up to besiege my Sister Han Dong and even try to snatch her crystal stone! You have no face at all!"
Ouyang Ye had a straightforward nature and never minced her words. Pointing at these old fellows from Hei Feng Cave, she began to berate them.
"Wild girl! How dare you disrespect us! This old man thinks you're tired of living!"
"This lady *is* tired of living, so what? Bite me!"
Ouyang Ye was sharp-tongued. When it came to quarreling, no one was her match.
Scuffles over cave dwelling spirit treasures were something everyone had long grown accustomed to; it was nothing strange. Not only were people fighting over spirit treasures here, but after the chaos in the Peach Blossom Secret Realm subsided, such battles were occurring everywhere within the realm.
However.
Quite a few people still specifically came here to watch the commotion, because this time, the person being besieged by Hei Feng Cave was Han Dong.
A heavenly favored daughter known to everyone in the Great Northwest Frontier, and also a Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace whose fate was full of twists and turns, evoking pity and helplessness.
Yes.
Pitiful and helpless.
Because everyone knew that although Han Dong was the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace, she was a Heir Apparent without power or influence, even isolated.
This matter had to be traced back to Feng Zhuyue.
Ever since Lord Chixiao was judged by the Immortal Dao, the Borderland Queen Feng Zhuyue had lost all heart for managing the affairs of Yao Yue Palace. She passed the position of Palace Master to the Great Elder of Yao Yue Palace, Daozun Feiyan.
Daozun Feiyan was also a highly respected senior in the Great Northwest Frontier, having cultivated there for thousands of years and admired by all. Whether in character or virtue, she was beyond reproach. But she had one flaw: she was too kind-hearted. It was precisely because of this that when Yao Yue Palace, which once ruled the Great Northwest and was hailed as the Yao Yue Dynasty, passed into her hands, it began to decline and fall into ruin. Coupled with the fact that during the Calamity, Daozun Feiyan suffered severe injuries, directly leading to the complete collapse of the Yao Yue Dynasty.
After being injured, Daozun Feiyan knew she could no longer serve as Palace Master of Yao Yue Palace. She placed all her hopes on her disciple Han Dong, pouring her heart and soul into nurturing her, hoping that one day she would inherit the position of Palace Master.
Alas.
Things did not go as wished.
After Daozun Feiyan was injured, the faction led by the Second Elder began to grow restless, wanting to contend for the position of Yao Yue Palace Master. Originally, the Great Elder could still suppress them, but as her injuries grew worse day by day, she was already powerless and overburdened. By the time the Great Elder announced Han Dong as the Heir Apparent, the forces within Yao Yue Palace had already been largely won over by the Second Elder.
Therefore, from the day Han Dong became the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace, she was only a Heir Apparent in name. No one in Yao Yue Palace treated her as the Heir Apparent; she didn't even have the right to enjoy the cultivation resources of Yao Yue Palace.
Initially, a few old friends of Great Elder Daozun Feiyan and some seniors from the Great Northwest would occasionally stand up for Han Dong. However, after the Second Elder gained the support of the Immortal Mansion, even if Daozun Feiyan's old friends wanted to help, they were powerless. After all, the Second Elder had already obtained the support of the Immortal Mansion. If they stood up to support Han Dong again, they wouldn't just be opposing the Second Elder, but the Immortal Mansion, and even the Immortal Dynasty.
To this day, Han Dong was still Han Dong, still the Han Dong who only held the empty title of Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace. Beyond that, she had nothing. Even so, she persisted bitterly, never fleeing, never giving up.
This was also why people sighed with pity—lamenting Han Dong's ill-fated destiny and feeling sorry for her.
If Han Dong were not the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace, with her talent, she would likely have long become the most dazzling new star in the Great Northwest Frontier.
If she were not the Heir Apparent of Yao Yue Palace in name only, the people of Hei Feng Cave wouldn't dare to besiege her so brazenly. Yao Yue Palace might have declined, but it was only a decline. As the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even today, Yao Yue Palace's power should not be underestimated; it remained one of the giants of the Great Northwest Frontier.
Only, none of this belonged to Han Dong.