It would've been better if Miao Yi hadn't mentioned this topic at all, as Yun Feiyang was close to breaking out in tears when he brought it up.
With a bitter expression, Yun Feiyang grabbed onto Miao Yi's arm, unconcerned as to whether he would agree to it or not, as though he was afraid Miao Yi would run away. He then started shaking his head and said, "Lord Miao, oh Great Lord Miao, I'm just your humble servant, alright? Do you know how much trouble I went through just to find you? Ever since the day I arrived on the Western Star Sea, I've been going at full speed and without rest, killing my way straight to the area you were supposed to have alighted from. I've practically looked through the entire Celestial Nation forces. There was no place I didn't search! Do you have any idea how I spent these last nine years? I pretty much traveled across the whole fucking Western Star Sea and even circled it a few times. This island that we're currently standing on, it's already my second time here. Otherwise, how else do you think I could be so familiar with the terrain and manage to cut off your escape so accurately? In order to find you, I almost worked my two legs to the breaking point. Fortunately, fate isn't cruel to those pure of heart, and I managed to find you in the end!"
Miao Yi almost broke out in a cold sweat at suddenly being called Great Lord Miao. He hadn't even cleared up the situation yet, and he was already the lord of the Devil Sage's grandson? Miao Yi didn't dare wield such prestige!
'This is too strange!' Yan Beihong was absolutely confused.
"Young Master Yang, did Luo Shuangfei ask you to find me?" Miao Yi asked. Besides this, he could think of no other reason for Yun Feiyang's actions.
"ASK?! Don't you think you're underestimating that little ancestor a little too much to be using the word 'ask'? Does he really seem that benevolent to you?" Yun Feiyang continued in frustration, "I was FORCED. He forced me to look for you. You think I wanted to come to this accursed place of my own free will? That guy set me up. I had no choice but to look for you!"
Miao Yi and Yan Beihong exchanged glances, the former then asking, "Young Master Yang, surely you're joking? You are the Devil Sage's grandson. Who would dare force you to do anything?!"
"As if!" Yun Feiyang cried out, "So what if I'm the grandson of the Devil Sage?! My grandfather has eight children and over fifty grandchildren. It's a matter of question whether the old man even remembers all our names…"
Seeing that he was starting to get out of hand, Yun Feiyang's subordinate quickly grabbed onto his wrist and made a deep cough.
Yun Feiyang was startled. Realizing that he was indeed mouthing off a bit too much, he too made a deep cough, before continuing, "The point is, Luo Shuangfei knew you were going to join the Sea of Constellations Subjugation Crusade and was worried that something might happen to you. So he came to me and made me join the Subjugation Crusade as well. Initially, I was against coming here. Why would I throw my peaceful days away just to put myself through such torture? Unfortunately, he managed to get ahold of my weakness. Thus, I had no choice but to come here, and once I arrived, I still had to ensure that you safely leave the Sea of Constellations. Now that I found you, I can finally breathe easy!"
Miao Yi was lost for words. He knew perfectly well how queer Luo Shuangfei could be. He wondered what sort of weakness Luo Shuangfei was holding over the grandson of the Devil Sage that could make the guy come looking for him. This was the most puzzling thing in his mind right now. Like how a mere mortal could never threaten Miao Yi, the same logic could be applied to Luo Shuangfei. Even if he wanted to threaten the Devil Sage's grandson, he needed to have a certain degree of status first.
"How did Brother Luo manage to get acquainted with Young Master Yang?" Miao Yi asked, trying to find out what sort of background Luo Shuangfei possessed.
Yun Feiyang was slightly taken aback, but he soon laughed aloud. "How could he not? Do you think that he's someone ordinary? His clan can be considered one of the few major forces in the entire cultivation realm, and they frequently have dealings with the Great Devil Realm. You can say that he and I have known each other since we were kids."
Miao Yi immediately asked, "May I know which mighty clan Brother Luo is from?"
Yun Feiyang shook his head and laughed. "Since he kept it from you, then he should have his own reasons for doing so. It wouldn't be wise for me to tell you. If I upset that little ancestor, I wouldn't hear the end of it. He can be really annoying when he's persistent. Brother Miao, I suggest you don't think too hard on it. I am sure Brother Luo simply wishes to speak with Brother Miao as equals and not let his background constrain your relationship with one another. Why should Brother Miao be so bothered by it then? Do you still not see Brother Luo's intentions? All you need to know is that he does not hold any malice towards you!"
Even though he seemed loud and boisterous, Yun Feiyang was actually a careful and considerate man deep down and was not someone easily swayed by the heat of the moment.
Seeing as the other party was not willing to divulge Luo Shuangfei's background, Miao Yi figured it would be uncouth of him to ask any further. All in all, regardless of what sort of background Luo Shuangfei possessed, Miao Yi was still quite touched by his actions deep down. He'd never imagined that Luo Shuangfei would be so concerned about his safety here in the Sea of Constellations and had even asked such a powerful protector to look after him. Miao Yi was sure that Luo Shuangfei must have paid a hefty price to do so. Otherwise, how could anyone request a favor from a person of the Great Devil Realm so easily?
'I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to meet Luo Shuangfei again!' Miao Yi sighed inwardly, thinking, 'This Young Master Yang is unwilling to reveal Luo Shuangfei's background. I imagine it'll be quite difficult to find him again.'
"Young Master Yang, since it's all just a misunderstanding, then our transcendent artifacts…" Yan Beihong suddenly gave a reminder. That Flowing Cloud Killer was highly important to him.
"Oh! I nearly forgot." Yun Feiyang slapped his forehead, and with a flip of his hand, revealed the Pixiu. As he invoked his arts, the Pixiu immediately opened its mouth and spat out the Flowing Cloud Killer and Mother-Child Flying Sword.
Miao Yi and Yan Beihong received the two transcendent artifacts and thanked Yun Feiyang. As he looked at the two transcendent artifacts, Yun Feiyang chuckled and asked, "Seeing how these two transcendent artifacts are in your possession now, then I trust the others must have perished at your hands?"
"They did!" Miao Yi boldly admitted. They wouldn't be able to hide it anymore anyway.
"That saves me a lot of trouble then," Yun Feiyang said as he raised his arms and stretched his back lazily. He then waved to his four subordinates and said in a relaxed tone, "Everything's fine now. We can finally rest easy."
Miao Yi and Yan Beihong exchanged glances and quickly understood what the other was thinking. For them, every day in the Sea of Constellations was fraught with anxiety and fear for their own safety, but to someone like Yun Feiyang, it was like nothing more than a game. The Sea of Constellations Subjugation Crusade was not over; the most dangerous part of it had yet to come. However, to Yun Feiyang, everything was fine already. There really was no comparison between the two parties.
"Young Master Yang is a benevolent man for letting us go. It looks like we won't have to run around anymore!" Miao Yi said to Yan Beihong with a smile, trying to curry favor with Yun Feiyang.
Yan Beihong also wished to do the same. After all, there was strength in numbers. The two of them wouldn't survive two seconds if they aggravated the other party. However, before Yan Beihong could even open his mouth, Yun Feiyang suddenly turned around and exclaimed, "Oh my dear Great Lord Miao, please stop running around already. It wasn't easy at all for me to find you. If I lose you again… This place is highly dangerous to you two. If anything were to happen to you, I wouldn't be able to explain it to Luo Shuangfei. When that happens, that bastard will surely tarnish my reputation to the point of no return!"
Miao Yi and Yan Beihong exchanged glances again, wondering what sort of weakness Luo Shuangfei held over Yun Feiyang that could tarnish the latter's reputation to the point of no return.
Miao Yi smiled and courteously replied, "Since Young Master Yang has shown us mercy, the two of us can obviously stop running."
"That's right! You don't have to run around anymore. This island has a pretty decent environment. Why don't I stay here and accompany you two then?" Yun Feiyang said, looking around with a captivated expression on his face. Now that he was free of worry, any scenery could become a beautiful one in his eyes.
"You will stay here and accompany us?" Miao Yi was startled. He couldn't bear the honor of having such an esteemed guest by his side.
"Of course! I have to be here to protect you. Once the Sea of Constellations Subjugation is over and you have safely returned, my mission will finally be over." Yun Feiyang then waved his hand and continued, "Don't try to convince me otherwise. I've already run back and forth across this damned place for almost nine years. My legs are on the verge of breaking already. I can finally rest easy, and whoever tries to stop me will face my wrath!"
Miao Yi was lost for words. With such a reliable protector looking after him, he should be able to safely survive the ordeal that was the Sea of Constellations Subjugation Crusade. He hurriedly cupped his fists and said gratefully, "Thank you so much for accommodating us, Young Master Yang!"
With a wave of his hand, Yun Feiyang replied, "Don't thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank Luo Shuangfei."
Yan Beihong immediately nodded and said, "Yes, yes, of course. When the opportunity comes, I will be sure to thank Brother Luo in person and have a look at his esteemed countenance."
The other party had never once said that they would protect him too, so Yan Beihong had to take the initiative to kiss up to them.
Miao Yi could understand his feelings, and in order to help Yan Beihong garner some favor, he intentionally noted, "Big Brother Yan, actually you've met Brother Luo as well."
Yan Beihong was taken aback. "I've met him too?"
Miao Yi continued, "When I came to look for you, he was beside me. Do you remember? The one who looked the most 'unique' of all."
Yan Beihong thought for a moment before asking, "The brother with the giant mole on his face that even had a few strands of hair growing out of it?" Luo Shuangfei's facial features were simply too vivid for him to forget. If they were talking about someone with a unique face, then there was only that person.
Miao Yi nodded. "That's him alright."
"A hairy mole? Pfft…" Yun Feiyang suddenly broke out into laughter, chortling with his head thrown back all the way. It took him some effort to finally regain his composure. Seeing the perplexed look on the other two's faces, he hurriedly waved his hand and said, "I didn't mean anything by it. Brother Luo's esteemed bearings are indeed not something pleasant to look at. Your descriptions were truly very appropriate!"
He quickly changed the subject, issuing commands to his subordinates with a wave of his hand, "Find a place with a good view and build us a few houses. We will be staying here from now on!"
The subordinates acknowledged the order and immediately left to survey the island to find a place that offered the best view.
After they decided on a location, they went into the mountains to find some high-quality lumber. They were prepared to build a few wooden houses between the quiet, verdant mountains sitting in the back, and the turquoise ocean and clean white sands of the beach resting in front.
Miao Yi and Yan Beihong figured they shouldn't just sit around and wanted to help out with the heavy work, even if it was just to curry some favor with Yun Feiyang. They really didn't have the privilege to be acting haughtily before that man.
"Just let them handle these kinds of things. How could I have you do it yourself? Let us sit down and chat for a bit!" Yun Feiyang pulled Miao Yi aside, but then casually waved his hand to Yan Beihong and said curtly, "You should go with them."
Yan Beihong was not someone who was ignorant of his own standing. The other person was only willing to let him go out of respect for Miao Yi, so how could he hope to be treated the same way too? What was a little heavy labor if it meant he could continue to live on?
Yun Feiyang grabbed Miao Yi and pulled him over to sit by the white beach. He then constantly asked him questions about Luo Shuangfei, much to Miao Yi's annoyance. He was practically a chatterbox.
"Brother Miao, I heard from Luo Shuangfei that you have a thing for big-chested women? Is this true?" Yun Feiyang seemed to hold quite a bit of interest for certain kinds of gossip.
Miao Yi immediately remembered the time he met Lin Pingping in the Fifth Earthly Branch's capital city. He was a little distressed, thinking, 'This Luo Shuangfei really likes to blurt just about everything out. It seems like he's truly quite close to this guy.' Miao Yi didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he said, "Young Master Yang, nothing of the sort. Brother Luo simply misunderstood."
Blinking his eyes excitedly, Yun Feiyang made a sly grin and chuckled. "I have an older sister. She's quite beautiful, and her chest isn't exactly small either. Would you be interested? Why don't I introduce you to her?"