106 The Final Round 1

The martial competition was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds.

All the common protégés were startled. It was because this was the very first time that they had seen the clan protégés of their Patriarchy Clan and moreover it was the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds.

The elders had warned them to bow their heads when the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds had come and to be extremely respectful.

The common protégés could see that the elders were all nervous and were even afraid. It was because they did not know why the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds were here today. As the saying goes, no news is good news.

"Are the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds here to punish us for the attack on the Solitary Manor?"

When the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds had finally arrived, a group of seven young beautiful maidens could be seen walking gracefully toward Qin Keqin.

But everyone knew that these 'young' beautiful maidens may not be actually young at all. It was because they were all cultivators of the fourth realm which was the ageless state of divinity.

The Heavenly Fragrance Heralds were said to be the elite core protégés of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa and they were in turn led by the Four Fragrance Heralds. It was said that there were only around two hundred of them and they would travel across the Heavenly Fragrance Divine Realm to execute the wish of the Heavenly Fragrance Princess.

Although two hundred Heavenly Fragrance Heralds may sound little but most of the second and third tier ranks would have great difficulty in coming up with two hundred fourth realm experts. The number of fourth realm experts and above in the Heavens Ridge Villa could be counted with ten fingers!

The leading maiden that was leading the group had golden eyes and blonde hair. Needless to say, she was at least a fifth realm expert. At the same time, there were two other maidens that also had golden eyes as well.

When Lu Qingyun saw them, he was thinking. "They are so graceful like the Great Saintess Feng Minyue…"

The leading maiden said softly, "Our respects to Sect Leader Qin. Shen Yufeng greets you." Although her voice was soft but it was imbued with her profound strength and it was heard clearly by everyone.

Then all seven maidens lifted up their fingers to display a unique hand gesture as they all said at the same time, "Our humble respect to Fragrance Elder Qin Keqin!"

When they had suddenly greeted Qin Keqin as the Fragrance Elder Qin Keqin, all the common protégés, elders and grand elders of the Heavens Ridge Villa were stunned and had a most astonished look. Did they hear right?

The Fragrance Elder was the elder position of the Patriarch Clan Heavenly Fragrance Villa and they had actually greeted Qin Keqin as such?

"The rumors are true? Our sect leader is really an elder of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa?"

"The goddess of our clan is actually a protégé of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa at the same time?"

"I know that our sect leader must have a most impressive background���"

"Her mother consort is a saintess. Maybe she is from the Heavenly Fragrance Villa as well…"

"You are too ignorant. The protégés of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa cannot get married. It is their sacred laws…"

"What a pity…"

Many of the common protégés and elders were now heaving a soft sigh of great relief. It was because very few of them had actually believed that their sect leader was an elder of the Patriarch Clan Heavenly Fragrance Villa. In fact they had thought that she had probably stolen it or brought it from the black market…

As a matter of fact, there were more than three hundred common protégés that had quietly left the Heavens Ridge Villa for the other celestial clans as they feared that a calamity would soon befall them.

Their Patriarchy Clan would certainly not tolerate anyone from marauding as their elder and there were many devious celestial clans in New Empyrean City that had secretly made a petition against Qin Keqin and the Heavens Ridge Villa. The rivalries between the various celestial clans were extremely intense and there were plenty of back wheeling.

Moreover with the Heavens Ridge Villa emerging as the number one celestial clan in New Empyrean City, there were many powerhouses that were secretly envious or anxious. Therefore they had secretly sent their complaints to the Heavenly Fragrance Princess.

New Empyrean City was not particularly big when compared to the other major domains but almost everyone had their own network in New Empyrean City. Therefore the common protégés knew what would be their 'fates'.

However there were many loyal protégés and they would rather die and live with the Heavens Ridge Villa for this was their home. Many of the core protégés had also formed a deep bonding with the senior common protégés during the attack that was on Solitary Manor.

Moreover they had all believed that their sect leader had sacrificed her chastity for their sake. Although Qin Keqin had denied it and had claimed that Old Saint Wen was afraid of her when she had shown him her leadership heavenly fragrance token, there were few believers.

Even the other celestial clans did not believe it either and they were secretly writing a petition to inform the Heavenly Fragrance Princess and hoping that they would get a reward for doing the whistleblowing.

"Haha, I have always believed in our sect leader. She is really an elder of our patriarchy clan…"

"Does it mean that from now onward, the Heavens Ridge Villa will have a special status in New Empyrean City?…"

"Those losers that have fled the clan. I hereby look down on them! Don't let me see them ever again!"

"Our sect leader is not only a peerless number one beauty in New Empyrean City but she is also an elder of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa…"

"Since our sect leader is an elder of our patriarch clan, does it mean that she is unmarried?"

"I know what you are thinking. Stop dreaming. She is like the sun and we are like the roving ants on the ground…"

"I got it! It was no wonder that Supremacy Wen was defeated by our sect leader. No matter how good he is, his cultivation resources are only that of a second tier celestial clan but our sect leader is different. She has the benefits of all the cultivation resources from a first tier celestial clan and moreover she is their elder…"

"Our sect leader is so righteous! Did you all see that earlier? She is so afraid that the ballot is rigged and is even checking it…"

"Sect Leader Qin, you are my idol…" Many of the female protégés were looking at her with looks of adoration…

Everyone was in joyous mood now because they had all realized that the Heavens Ridge Villa that they had called home was no longer in trouble and in fact, was going to emerge as the solo powerhouse.

Even a beautiful goddess like Supremacy Yin Shisi had also joined them as elder.

So what were they afraid of now?

It was now considered to be a prestige to be a protégé of the Heavens Ridge Villa when words of this spread throughout New Empyrean City!

Just days ago, the common protégés were all ashamed to tell the others in New Empyrean City that they were from the Heavens Ridge Villa. As a matter of fact, some of them were even scorned by the ex-protégés of the Heavens Ridge Villa and were called stupid for sticking with the doomed clan like the Heavens Ridge Villa.

Suddenly in the eyes of the common protégés, Qin Keqin was now towering like a goddess in everyone's mind and everyone's heart was jumping excitingly as they could not wait to tell their network about this news.

And of course there were a few ugly faces as they were the spies of the other celestial clans…

…

…

…

Qin Keqin chuckled as she said to Shen Yufeng and her group, "Come up here to the stand with me! We are going to watch a most exciting duel that is about to take place!"

Leng Qiuyue and Ouyang Xue were the most startled. They had thought that it was a story that was made up by their sect leader…

Even Yin Shisi was startled as she stared blankly at Qin Keqin. This sect leader really had such a formidable background. And to think that she had wanted to challenge her just a few days ago. It was lucky that she was not around and instead, she had met Lu Qingyun…

Shi Guanyin was staring blankly at Qin Keqin and so were Yun Xing, Kong Guxin, Wang Ming and Mu Han.

She muttered with trembling lips, "Sect leader, you…are you really an elder of the Heavens Ridge Villa? Why didn't you tell us earlier…"

Qin Keqin returned a mysterious faint smile but said nothing. She had pleaded with Feng Minyue to give her this position at the very last minute. Naturally she could not tell this to anyone.

Feng Minyue had suddenly made a secret transmission to Qin Keqin, "Don't let them know where I am currently at. I don't wish to see anyone."

Shen Yufeng and her protégé sisters were now at the leadership stand.

"Our respects to the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds…" all the grand elders and everyone who was near the leadership stand had all got up as they quickly greeted them.

Shi Guanyin and Yun Xing were both secretly looking at each other. It was as though they were saying to each other; it seemed that our sect leader really knew the people in the Patriarch Clan Heavenly Fragrance Villa really well. So this matter could not be a fake.

Shen Yufeng said, "Please disperse with all formalities."

She turned to Qin Keqin as she displayed a polite hand gesture and said, "Fragrance Elder Qin, I wonder if…"

But Qin Keqin quickly interrupted her, "Yufeng, come over and sit with me. I didn't see you for such a long time already! She doesn't have the mood to see anyone. You should know that it is common for old ladies…"

Feng Minyue, Xuan Danfeng: …

Shen Yufeng: …

Qin Keqin knew that Shen Yufeng had missed Feng Minyue and had wanted to ask her about the whereabouts of the Matriarch Heavenly Fragrance Princess. But Feng Minyue had made it clear that she did not want to reveal her whereabouts to anyone.

With a soft sigh, Shen Yufeng took a discreet look at her protégé sisters before they all sat down next to Qin Keqin.

The seven of them were the core protégés of Feng Minyue and they were indebted to her. They were all hoping to have some news of their Matriarch Heavenly Fragrance Princess. But they knew that they could not force Qin Keqin.

After all, they had all known who Qin Keqin was and she was really the Great Saintess Fan Yuqing. Qin Keqin was just her false alias.

They were extremely polite to her not just because they knew that she was the Great Saintess Fan Yuqing. It was because in the Heavenly Fragrance Villa, Fan Yuqing was their Great Benefactor who had once protected the honor of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa from the Nine Celestial Goddess Ye Jing who had rampaged throughout the Nine Celestial Fraternity as she plundered numerous celestial clans in a crazy attempt to become a saintess.

Fan Yuqing had also aided their Matriarch Heavenly Fragrance Princess Feng Minyue to become a saintess back then. Even their current Heavenly Fragrance Princess Su Shanyue had to address Fan Yuqing as Great Benefactor Fan Yuqing.

Even if Fan Yuqing had wanted the sun and the moon from the Heavenly Fragrance Villa, her request would not be rejected. Moreover this was only a mere elder position that she had only wanted for fun.

Elder or not elder, all the core protégés had to bow their heads in front of Great Benefactor Fan Yuqing!

While everyone had thought that it was their honor that the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds were in their presence but for Shen Yufeng and her protégé sisters, they felt that it was their great honor to be sitting together with the Great Saintess Fan Yuqing.

She was not just their great benefactor but the Great Saintess Fan Yuqing was a legend back then in the Nine Celestial Fraternity. Until today, there were still many senior cultivators in the Nine Celestial Fraternity who had recalled her duels with fondness, especially her 'Heaven and Self as One' sword stance against the Devil Isle Xiao Shuai who had terrorized the Nine Celestial Fraternity.

As Yufeng sat down with Qin Keqin, she saw Yin Shisi. With a wry smile, she said. "This lady cultivator here is a sixth realm cultivator?"

Yun Shisi returned a faint smile and nodded gently.

Shen Yufeng smiled, "To think that New Empyrean City actually has a sixth realm expert here."

Qin Keqin chuckled, "Two in fact. One is Elder Yin and the other one is you."

Shen Yufeng smiled before she said respectfully to Qin Keqin, "Fragrance Elder, I have two important matters to raise with you first. These are the main reasons why we're here."

Qin Keqin returned a curious look at her, "Oh? What is it? What is so important that you can't wait until the duel is over first?" Then with a wryly smile, she exclaimed delightfully. "My Yun'Er will be fighting in the final round. I can't wait to see how he performs."