Seeing this, Wu Fa and Mu Chen Dong were utterly frustrated. They knew Ye Fan was doing it on purpose, and their eyes flashed with fire as they tried to challenge him.

But Ye Fan simply asked, "Have you finished your homework?"

The two dared not answer. They were each carrying a weight of tens of thousands of pounds in the form of a peculiar Immortal Mine. Though only the size of a rubber ball, it was terrifyingly heavy.

At that moment, Ye Fan said, "You’re only halfway done. Keep going. You’ll be free when the sun goes down."

"Boss, we want to practice Body Refinement with you! Doing this every day doesn’t seem to be working!" Wu Fa protested.

Ye Fan kicked him, nearly sending him toppling over.

"Cut the nonsense," Ye Fan said. "This is a set of Body Refinement techniques I’ve designed for you. This is just the beginning. There are even more brutal things waiting for you later, Hahaha!"

At that moment, he seemed like a complete scoundrel, inspiring fear and even terror in the two of them.

They desperately wanted to rebel, but this training had been approved by both the Red Sand Main God and the Evil Punishment Main God. As long as Ye Fan didn’t kill them, anything was fair game. Besides, even if they fought back, they were no match for him.

So, they could only endure in silence.

Ye Fan knew that although their foundations were excellent, no worse than the geniuses of the Evil God lineage, they were completely incomparable to him. To properly forge their bodies, he had no choice but to devise this plan. This was just the start. To develop bodies of steel, they still had a long way to go.

「...」

That evening, Ye Fan gazed up at the starry sky, his thoughts turning once more to his family, the women he loved back in his homeland, and his many brothers in life and death.

But he knew it would be impossible to contact them anytime soon. If he couldn’t overthrow the rule of the Divine Race, he would never be able to reunite with his loved ones. For now, all he could do was drown his sorrows in wine.

"Boss!"

Suddenly, a voice called to him from the shadows. Ye Fan turned to see it was Mu Chen Dong and Wu Fa.

He walked over immediately and asked, "What is it? What’s with all the sneaking around? Shouldn’t you be sleeping? Your hellish training continues tomorrow!"

"Shh!"

They gestured for him to lower his voice.

"Boss, we have some good news. Want to hear it?" the two of them asked with wicked smiles.

"Not interested!" Ye Fan said, turning to leave.

"Don’t be like that, Boss! The Red Sand Dynasty is buzzing with excitement tonight!"

"What kind of excitement?" Ye Fan asked.

Mu Chen Dong explained, "Tonight is the Red Sand Dynasty’s Lantern Festival! The streets and even the Imperial Palace are bursting with activity. There will be all sorts of spectacles and countless beauties. So, Boss, are you in?" Mu Chen Dong tempted him.

Ye Fan replied calmly, "I’m not the lecherous man you imagine me to be. You’d best not try to entice me! If I were to tell my two Senior Brothers about this..."

"Don’t, Boss! We were wrong!"

The two of them nearly dropped to their knees. They were most afraid of people like Ye Fan, who were secretly thrilled but put on a cool, virtuous front. Who is he even putting on this act for? But they didn’t dare say anything, so they could only play along.

At this, Ye Fan said, "However! I understand what you mean. You’re just looking for some fun, right? I can take you with me!" He then looked at Mu Chen Dong. "But what if your father finds out?"

Mu Chen Dong slapped his chest and swore, "I’ll tell my father that I insisted on coming! That our Junior Martial Uncle couldn’t change our minds and had no choice but to come along to protect us!"

"Well... alright, then. I’ll reluctantly go with you. But we’re still in a very dangerous situation, especially with the Evil God lineage searching for us, so we must not be too conspicuous!"

"We understand!" the two chorused.

But Ye Fan had a feeling they didn’t understand at all. Did they really take my words to heart?

「...」

In Shazhou City, Mu Chen Dong and Wu Fa swaggered down the street, flirting with any beautiful woman who passed by as if they were afraid of not being recognized. Ye Fan was speechless. What happened to being cautious and laying low? They hadn’t heeded his words in the slightest.

But for Mu Chen Dong, it was impossible not to be conspicuous here. First of all, the Red Sand Dynasty belonged to his Mu Family. More importantly, the Red Sand Immortal Mountain held a far higher status than the Red Sand Dynasty, which was insignificant in the vast Divine Domain. While the Divine Domain had many dynasties, the Red Sand Immortal Mountain was one of its nine—no, ten great Holy Lands, counting Demon Mountain.

Most people here probably wouldn’t recognize his face, but they all recognized the Token of the Red Sand Immortal Mountain. He wore it at his waist, a picture of pure arrogance.

Wu Fa was cut from the same cloth; they were birds of a feather. Ye Fan desperately wanted to put some distance between himself and these two. This is so embarrassing.

Just then, Ye Fan asked Mu Chen Dong, "Your family is so influential in Shazhou. Why don’t you take us for a look inside the Imperial Palace?"

Ye Fan was eager to see the ancient and elegant palace for himself. After all, the Red Sand Dynasty was the greatest power in Shazhou, second only to the Red Sand Immortal Mountain.

But Mu Chen Dong nearly fell to his knees in response.

"What are you afraid of?" Wu Fa sneered. "So spineless. Are you even a man?"

Mu Chen Dong stammered, "Uh, Boss, not today!"

"Why not today?" Ye Fan asked. Wu Fa, being hot-tempered, looked like he was about to explode.

"Because my father is also in the palace today!"

His words made it clear. If the Red Sand Main God found out, Ye Fan would be fine, as they were at least peers. But Mu Chen Dong and Wu Fa would face a miserable fate. The Red Sand Main God could discipline them without breaking a sweat, which was why they were terrified.

Ye Fan was speechless. These two turned into cowards at the mere mention of the Red Sand Main God. He felt so helpless.

Later, amidst the fading lantern lights, the three saw a woman performing on a stage. Her figure was graceful and her face stunning. Although she couldn’t compare to peerless beauties like Huang Ji, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress, or even Mu Keqing, she was undoubtedly a first-rate beauty in the Divine Domain.

Mu Chen Dong had briefly stepped away, having taken an interest in some fabrics at a textile shop.

"Boss, let’s go up and take a look!" Wu Fa, captivated by the graceful dance, urged Ye Fan impatiently.

"Let’s wait for Mu Chen Dong," Ye Fan said.

"No need! He’ll find us!" Wu Fa exclaimed, enthusiastically heading toward the stage and shouting his praises.

The captivating dancer glanced at Wu Fa before continuing her performance. Wu Fa was practically drooling, and Ye Fan cringed in disgust. This guy really loves to make a fool of himself, doesn’t he? There are several hundred people watching! Can’t he have a bit more self-respect?

As it was, however, the crowd paid Wu Fa no mind; all eyes were on the dancer. Her performance was reaching its climax, the dance filled with soft, alluring charm.

The crowd cheered, but Ye Fan just shook his head, resigned. Though her skill was impressive, he wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it. He had too many serious problems weighing on his mind and had no interest in such diversions.

Just as he was about to drag Wu Fa away, a sharp clap echoed through the air.

The dance stopped abruptly.

Everyone turned to see a man approaching, escorted by a contingent of guards. Although the man himself wasn’t very imposing, his attire suggested an extraordinary background. More importantly, his guards were impeccably dressed. They wielded the exclusive royal sidearms of the Golden Guard. There were a dozen of them, each one powerful, clearly indicating the importance of the person they protected.

The man had an ordinary face, but his eyes held a blend of ruthlessness and cynicism, marking him as a member of the Royal Family.

Immediately, the crowd fell silent. This was the Red Sand Dynasty’s territory. Who would dare to cause trouble and challenge the Royal Family? In all of Shazhou, aside from the Red Sand Immortal Mountain, no one would dare cross them. Furthermore, the Red Sand Immortal Mountain and the Royal Family were essentially one and the same.