A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)

He grew extremely uneasy.

Apart from the crisis related to the Universe Tree, which Ye Fan was still depending on Duanmu Wan'er to help him resolve, he had also made a commitment to assist her in locating her brother. The promise had yet to be fulfilled, and if something were to happen to Duanmu Wan'er at this juncture, Ye Fan could never find peace.

"Wan'er! Wan'er?"

Anxious and fraught with stress, Ye Fan immediately resumed his search. However, no matter how many times he combed through the area, there was still no sign of Duanmu Wan'er.

Throughout the entire abode, there were absolutely no indications of a struggle or fight having taken place.

Furthermore, the displays and arrangements remained precisely as Ye Fan had left them. It was as if Duanmu Wan'er had evaporated into thin air.

"How could this happen? Where on earth did Wan'er go?" Ye Fan was overwhelmed with profound worry, and in the end, he unleashed a furious punch of frustration against the stone wall in front of him. The resulting deep rumbling resembled thunder, causing the entire cave mansion to quiver ever so slightly, yet it remained completely undamaged.

Ye Fan had already experienced the remarkable durability of this cave, so he wasn't taken aback by its resilience.

"What should I do now? Mucheng hasn't been found, and now even Wan'er has disappeared. And come to think of it, where's Eigetsu?" he mumbled to himself.

Ye Fan suddenly recalled that he hadn't seen Eigetsu around either. He had left Eigetsu in this abode as well.

"Who? Who exactly brought Wan'er and Eigetsu away?" Ye Fan let out an angry growl.

He seldom lost his composure like this, but recent events had put Ye Fan in a terrible mood. His mindset had shifted, and he no longer possessed the serenity and calmness he once had.

However, just as Ye Fan felt utterly powerless, the previously tranquil abode abruptly began to shake.

Then, in an area where the stone wall was securely sealed, a tightly shut stone door suddenly swung open.

A remarkably beautiful young girl peered out, and upon spotting Ye Fan, she emerged from within and approached him.

"Wan'er?" Ye Fan exclaimed with delight, quickly rising and rushing over to her.

"Where have you been, you little rascal? I've been searching high and low for you, and you were nowhere to be found! Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" he exclaimed, a hint of irritation in his tone Duanmu Wan'er stuck out her tongue. "I'm sorry, okay? Please don't be mad at me. Come quickly. I need to show you something."

She apologized to Ye Fan first before taking his hand, and together they passed through the stone gate.

Upon passing through the stone gate, the once-narrow interior of the abode unexpectedly expanded into a vast space.

Before their eyes, was a captivating sight that resembled a hidden paradise.

In the distance, pavilions and towers stood elegantly, while a never-ending stream meandered through the landscape, accompanied by the melodious chirping of birds and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers. Overhead, the sun radiated brilliantly against a backdrop of a clear, azure sky.

Upon witnessing this sight, Ye Fan couldn't help but be utterly surprised. "Wan'er, where... where are we?"

He was so astonished that for a moment, he thought he was hallucinating.

Sensing that the energy in this location far surpassed that of Earth, he deduced that this place was not on Earth.

Furthermore, the spatial fluctuations here were entirely distinct from those outside.

Duanmu Wan'er laughed. "Ye Fan, we are still in the abode."

"How can this be possible? If this is part of the abode, then what is the place we lived in for several years before?" Ye Fan found it somewhat hard to believe.

After all, the environment here was so drastically dissimilar to the formerly dull and uninteresting cave that Ye Fan found it hard to consider them as the same place.

Duanmu Wan'er explained, "It's true. After you left, I was thinking of sprucing up this abode to welcome your loved ones. But, I stumbled upon a mechanism on the stone wall that could be activated. After entering, I discovered this place. I've been exploring here early in the morning recently. In the end, I arrived at a conclusion. This abode is actually a magical treasure that is lost to the mortal world. Furthermore, it is exceedingly precious and rare, a palace-type treasure of the highest caliber. The region we were previously in was merely the corridor of this palace. This place should be the palace courtyard. As for the sky and the sun above our heads, they are likely not real but an illusion conjured through a certain formation technique. Nevertheless, these plants and animals are indeed genuine. After all, the energy here is abundant enough to sustain these little lives."

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan was undeniably overwhelmed with shock and joy.

"Wan'er, are you saying that the space we've been living in is a palace-like magical treasure? How is this possible?" He was grinning so widely that he couldn't even close his mouth.

If this truly is a palace-like treasure, then we've undoubtedly stumbled upon an enormous stroke of luck.

Even though Ye Fan didn't know much about these magical treasures, he had gleaned their value from the Book of Celestial Cloud, which had been passed down by his ancestors.

Back then, how had the Chu family's ancestor, Chu Yunyang, soared like a comet from obscurity, ultimately founding a magnificent empire and becoming a legend? A substantial part of his success could be attributed to the fact that Chu Yunyang had also acquired a palace-like magical treasure.

Such a treasure possessed the capacity to preserve lives.

As long as one took refuge within, it was incredibly challenging to breach it from the outside. At most, it would ensnare an individual within until their eventual demise.

Plus, these palaces often contained numerous legacies and valuable treasures left behind by their previous owners.

It was easy to imagine just how excited Ye Fan was feeling at this moment.

"Yes, it's true. I've verified it; this is indeed a rare treasure, probably left behind by a celestial," Duanmu Wan'er affirmed with a smile.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry and make it yours. Once we gain mastery over this palace, we can manipulate it as we wish in the future, coming and going as we please!" Ye Fan urged.

Without hesitation, he took Duanmu Wan'er with him and proceeded toward the castle ahead.

To wield control over such a treasure, one typically needed to become its master like how Ye Fan's Sword of Yunyang recognized its owner through a single drop of blood.

"Ye Fan, calm down," Duanmu Wan'er advised.

Ye Fan was understandably ecstatic. "How can I possibly remain calm? Wan'er, we've stumbled upon an incredible treasure! I'll assist you in establishing ownership through a blood pact and take command of this place. In the future, with this celestial palace guarding you, who in the world could pose a threat to you? When we search for your brother, we'll have this celestial palace with us, and if we encounter a formidable adversary we can't defeat, we'll unleash this celestial palace and crush them! Furthermore, celestial palaces are typically inhabited by the mighty. The former owner of the celestial palace may have left treasures within its confines. Once you take charge of the palace, you should be able to uncover the location of these treasures. In this way, we might just be able to address the crisis on Earth!"

In life, when one faced challenges, the circumstances might appear bleak and insurmountable, but there would always be an unexpected twist of fate, leading to a fresh solution or opportunity. Originally, Ye Fan had given up all hope, But now, the appearance of this celestial palace had undoubtedly rekindled Ye Fan's hope for the future of Earth.

However, just as Ye Fan and Duanmu Wan'er were nearing the castle, a dark shadow abruptly raced toward them.

The velocity of that figure was astonishing, akin to a streak of light.

By the time Ye Fan became aware of it, it had already appeared right in front of him.

"D*mn it!" Startled, Ye Fan swiftly evaded.

However, he was too late, as the adversary's foot landed squarely on his chest.

The kick bore immense force, as though a colossal mountain had just collided with his chest.

Ye Fan felt something sweet rise up his throat and immediately coughed up a mouthful of bright red blood before staggering backward.

"B*stard!"

To his astonishment, he had been kicked so forcefully that he coughed up blood. Filled with rage, Ye Fan charged forward, prepared to counterattack. "Watch out! Behind you!" Duanmu Wan'er yelled in alarm.

Only at that moment did Ye Fan sense a figure hurtling toward him from behind.

Bang!

There was absolutely no time for Ye Fan to react when a powerful punch struck him squarely on the forehead.

In an instant, he felt the world spinning around him.

With a thud, he collapsed to the ground, immediately losing consciousness.