The four grandmasters joined their divine wheels as one, illuminating the Blood Sacrificial Platform. The features of the young woman within surfaced — lifelike and vivid, as though she lay in peaceful slumber.

Flash!

The Source Heavenly Divine Wheels vanished, the strange stone dimmed, and all within grew blurred and indistinct — impossible to see any further.

“Why have the divine wheels been withdrawn? We haven’t seen enough yet. Please, senior practitioners, continue — let us see it clearly.”

“Yes, it is too mysterious. We barely glimpsed it for a moment before it disappeared…”

Nangong Qi shook his head. “The four of us are not the Source Master of Heaven. We can only sustain this for so long.”

Inside and outside the stone garden, everything erupted completely. People could not contain themselves. The scene they had just witnessed was astounding — a person sealed within a strange stone, as if from a fairy tale.

Although such rumors had circulated before, they were from so long ago that people had nearly stopped believing them. Now that they had truly witnessed it, no one could remain calm.

“Tens of thousands of years ago, someone cut a world-defying beauty from a stone — and yet all the sacred grounds combined could not hold her, and she escaped.”

Events so distant had grown almost dreamlike. Nothing was more persuasive — or more staggering — than witnessing something with one’s own eyes.

Yao Guang’s people, not a single one of them could manage a smile. This was a devastating blow. Everything about this was a catastrophe.

In the past, they had gone through immense hardship and great effort to transport that collapsed ancient divine temple out of the Primal Forbidden Zone. They had cut six of the nine blood stones and obtained nothing of note.

In the end, what appeared to be the scraps and off-cuts — the smallest blood stone — had been placed in the stone workshop for auction. And yet this apparent “waste piece” contained a world-shaking treasure of extraordinary rarity.

Yao Guang’s people were utterly wounded. All of them had the urge to vomit blood. Even the elder guarding the Heaven-grade stone garden could not keep his composure, his emotions surging in great waves.

With a development of this magnitude, the Divine City was shaken. Sacred Master-level figures would have to be summoned — without them, there was no way to handle this.

Before long, the Imperial Uncle of Great Xia arrived, clad in golden battle armor, a Nine Dragons crown upon his head, striding forward with the bearing of a dragon and the might of a tiger, looking like the Celestial Emperor come to earth. Above his head, the manifestation of an ancestral dragon’s head appeared.

He was a Sacred Master-level figure. The moment he arrived, the minds of all present trembled, and people instinctively made way for him without being asked.

Flash!

A beam of light flickered. Soundlessly and without warning, the Heaven-grade stone garden gained another presence — the Third Great Bandit of the Northern Region, Xu Tianxiong, had arrived. His power surpassed even that of the great power Azure Serpent King.

He was dressed in a green robe, his features gaunt and lean. The moment he appeared within the stone garden, those around him immediately fell silent. He had been in the Divine City during this period, arriving at just the right time.

A short while later, a tall, imposing figure flickered into view and appeared within the stone garden — it was the guardian of the Ji Family’s stone garden: that elder with snow-white hair and a complexion like mutton-fat jade.

The senior figures knew who he was, but the younger generation was uniformly astonished. No one had imagined he was a great power — standing guard over a stone garden in some corner of the world was entirely contrary to anyone’s expectations.

For three Sacred Master-level figures to be present in the Divine City at a time when experts from every direction had converged on the Purple Mountain — that in itself was already astonishing and unexpected.

“The Crimson Dragon Old Daoist is also in the Divine City. Go and invite him…” one of the old men suggested.

Yet almost no one responded, as though they held extreme wariness toward the Crimson Dragon Daoist and were unwilling to involve themselves with him any further.

“This old daoist has come on my own!” Suddenly, without any sound of movement, a new presence appeared in the stone garden — an old daoist robe, a gaunt and emaciated frame, as though he had been standing there all along.

A great many people shuddered involuntarily — including senior figures, and even Supreme Elders from the various sacred grounds, who couldn’t help stepping backward.

Even the Imperial Uncle of Great Xia, the Ji Family’s great power, and Xu Tianxiong — the Third Great Bandit who surpassed even the Azure Serpent King — all showed wariness toward him, maintaining a measured distance.

Ye Fan and Li Heishui exchanged a glance. This Crimson Dragon Old Daoist was far more terrifying than they had imagined — capable of unsettling even Sacred Master-level figures.

After a moment’s thought, it made sense. The Crimson Dragon Old Daoist had lived for three thousand years — a full generation above even the current Sacred Masters. His power was unfathomable, and he could roam the Eastern Wasteland unchecked.

“That head is indistinguishable from a human’s — it is most likely one of the ancient royal clans, or perhaps a sacred spirit!” The Imperial Uncle of Great Xia spoke.

The Third Great Bandit, Xu Tianxiong, said, “We only saw a head. We have not glimpsed the full body. There is no certainty it is a living sacred spirit or an ancient ruler.”

The Ji Family’s great power said, “We must proceed with caution. Let us inscribe the formation first. If it truly is a living ruler of an ancient royal clan, we will transfer her to the heavenly prison of the Divine City.”

“Agreed.” The Imperial Uncle of Great Xia nodded.

Of those present, only the Crimson Dragon Old Daoist said nothing, standing there in silence like a wooden stake. Yet no one dared say anything more.

The Ji Family’s great power, Xu Tianxiong, and the Imperial Uncle of Great Xia moved together, spreading out jade pieces and carving formation patterns with great care and precision.

So the Divine City had a heavenly prison — many were hearing of this for the first time. But seeing the focused expressions of three Sacred Master-level figures as they inscribed the formations, all present felt certain this prison must be something extraordinary.

Despite all this, the stone-cutting contest had not been interrupted. Ye Fan and Nangong Qi began to cut their stones.

Many people were expectant. Even with Sacred Master-level figures present, it had done nothing to dampen anyone’s spirits — if anything, the anticipation had grown even more intense.

“Cut open the strange stones! Today, world-shaking divine objects are certain to emerge!”

“With a peerless divine maiden within the Blood Sacrificial Platform, what could lie within the other stones? Could there be an equally incredible existence sealed inside the Immortal Tomb?”

Everyone was stirred, eager to witness a miracle. The stone garden, inside and outside, surged with life. Even the presence of great powers went unnoticed.

Crack!

Nangong Qi held a silver blade, his movements practiced and fluid. Like a dragon in flight, silver light flickered as he cut the Blazing Sun Stone.

A grandmaster-level figure’s technique was truly beyond the ordinary. The blade in his hand seemed alive, possessing beauty and grace — like the elevation of an art form, technique approaching the level of Dao.

Clang!

The blade sang like a dragon’s cry, silver light returning to the scabbard. He had completed the stone-cutting in nearly a single breath, then stepped back a few paces and lightly blew a breath.

The Blazing Sun Stone scattered like falling snowflakes and drifting dust. A miniature sun burst out, hovering in midair, its radiance sweeping across countless li, illuminating the entire stone garden. No one could look directly at it.

A divine Source stone the size of a human head!

The very first stone had already produced a world-shaking object of this caliber. It was astonishing — his blade technique was unmatched, and in the space of a single breath he had completed it without damaging a single hair of the divine Source stone.

Inside and outside the stone garden, a great commotion broke out. No one could keep calm.

Yao Guang’s people felt their hearts ache, their lungs ache, their livers ache… every part of them ached!

No one was more aggrieved than they were. The very first stone had already more than recovered all of Nangong Qi’s total expenditure — it was worth five hundred thousand catties of Source.

“Unbelievable. Source technique grandmasters command such awe and reverence.”

“I might as well give up cultivation and take a grandmaster of Source technique as my teacher. With such a supreme art, one could walk proudly anywhere under the heavens.”

……

No one was not envious. In the time it took to laugh and chat, a world-shaking divine Source stone had been revealed. Many small and mid-sized sects, even if they exhausted every resource they had, could not match the value of this single divine Source stone.

“Young friend, your turn.” Nangong Qi smiled.

Ye Fan’s blade technique was not as practiced as his, but it was full of graceful beauty — extremely nimble and ethereal, like playing a celestial melody, tracing the rhythm of the great Dao.

Suddenly, his body shuddered. The blade in his hand nearly split the Wind Hollow Stone open. Dragon energy had surged toward him, running along the earth veins, almost activating the Wind Hollow Stone, which nearly collapsed and exploded outward to injure him.

He let out a cold snort and looked toward Nangong Qi and the others. They all wore smiles and said nothing, without the slightest indication.

Ye Fan laughed coldly in his heart and continued cutting. Yet more currents of dragon energy came surging up from underground — like rolling thunder, entirely intent on taking a life.

“To think the several seniors hold me in such high regard!”

He lowered his blade and drove it forcefully into the Wind Hollow Stone, plunging it into the earth vein. A great dragon took form and shot toward the divine Source stone on the opposite side.

Nangong Qi and the others were horrified. They had not expected him to act so openly. If that divine Source stone the size of a human head were set off, not just the four of them — everyone present would suffer heavy casualties.

Five hundred thousand catties of pure Source worth of power concentrated in one place, if detonated, was unimaginable. It could level the Yao Guang Stone Workshop and reduce countless cultivators to ash, body and soul.

All four moved at once to sever the great dragon and protect the divine Source stone.

“Young one — do you intend to kill everyone present?” Nangong Qi said in a low, sharp voice.

“I may be young, but I conduct myself openly and above board. This was a retaliatory strike. You are my elders, and yet you act with such darkness and malice — repeatedly attempting to take my life. What standing do you have to lecture me?” Ye Fan was entirely merciless, saying this openly before all those assembled.

“Source technique contests are decided by life and death — that is the rule passed down by our ancestors. There is no darkness or light in it. If your skills are inferior, death is your only lot!” Nangong Qi said coldly.

“Then do not blame me for what you call ‘acting openly and recklessly’!” Ye Fan said with a sneer.

Ding!

At that very moment, he drew the blade back and stood still. Stone chips fell like flower petals, scattering in all directions. Rays of divine light shot outward, rivaling the radiance of the sun itself.

He had cut open the Wind Hollow Stone, revealing a block of divine Source the size of a fist — dazzling and brilliant, drawing gasps from all around.

Many senior figures gaped in astonishment, crying out, “Ancient Worm Divine Source!”

“That’s right — the world-rare spiritual medicine: Ancient Worm Divine Source!”

Within the fist-sized divine Source stone, there were a full forty-some tiny insects — each no larger than a thumbnail, every one golden and radiating divine brilliance.

“These ancient worms feed on Source. They can secrete refined Source essence and are supreme medicinal ingredients for refining ancient elixirs!”

The so-called ancient elixirs referred to those ancient formulas capable of extraordinary effects, whose ingredients could no longer be fully assembled — many of the rare substances they required had long since vanished from the world.

“Heavens — they fed on divine Source. These are all Ancient Worm Kings. Their value is beyond estimation.”

These ancient worms, having consumed divine Source, had become Worm Kings — capable of substituting for nearly any ingredient found in ancient elixir formulas. They were the rarest of spiritual objects, surpassed in preciousness only by divine medicine itself.

Not far away, Shen Can struggled fiercely, trying to break free and rush over. Ji Ziyue grabbed its little dragon-shaped tail and would not let go, while the little nun coaxed it gently.

“Little Obedient, don’t make trouble. That doesn’t belong to us.”

They dared not release Shen Can. If that little golden spirit creature were to swallow something worth tens of thousands of catties of pure Source in one gulp, they would never be able to pay for it.

The little golden spirit creature was deeply aggrieved, its large eyes brimming with tears. Without making a sound, it pointed at Ye Fan’s divine Source stone, then pointed at itself, looking up at the little nun lolita and Little Moon and lodging a silent protest — still unable to forget how Ye Fan had once taken its divine Source.

“This block of divine Source may only be the size of a fist, but with these dozens of Ancient Worm Kings within it, it is worth a full six hundred thousand catties of pure Source!” declared a Supreme Elder from one of the sacred grounds.

Boom!

Once again, both inside and outside the stone garden erupted. A sky-high price had truly been cut out — and this was merely the first stone from each side.

Originally, many people had already given up on Ye Fan. After all, the Blood Sacrificial Platform might yield a divine maiden — nearly everyone believed he was certain to lose.

Yet now, people changed their minds. Anything was possible! Ye Fan’s Source technique was extraordinary. The first stone alone had surpassed a grandmaster-level figure. Who was to say the Immortal Tomb might not contain a world-shaking immortal treasure capable of matching a primordial divine maiden?

Yao Guang’s people had gone completely green. The result was more than they could bear. Today’s losses were severe.

After this battle, the Heaven-grade stone garden would in all likelihood hold not a single true rarity anymore. What remained would very likely be nothing but worthless stones.

“This Ancient Worm Divine Source is of extraordinary value — it could be used according to ancient elixir formulas to refine a Life-Extension Elixir!”

A group of weathered old men surged forward with red eyes, on the verge of an all-out brawl. Many among them had lifespans nearly exhausted. A spiritual object like this was what they craved above all else.

“Senior practitioners, there is no rush. After the stone-cutting wager is settled, there will still be time to consider the Ancient Worm Divine Source.” Ye Fan said with a smile.

“True enough — this is not the time to compete for it.”

“Let us not harm our good relations over this. We can discuss it when the Source technique contest concludes.”

The group of old men with little lifespan left slowly calmed themselves.

The various Sons and Holy Maidens were shaken. A Source technique master seemed to have even brighter prospects than they did — even powerful figures from the senior generation would come to him seeking favor.

“Little Brother Ancient Style, to rival a grandmaster-level figure at such a young age — you will certainly become a Source Master of Heaven one day,” An Miaoyi transmitted secretly.

Ye Fan wasn’t sure whether she was also flattering the Source technique family’s people. He smiled and nodded in reply — but the moment he turned, his expression froze.

The Holy Maidens were right in front of him. Once again he had seen “heavenly secrets” — and what was more captivating than one peerless beauty was certainly two or more of them.

Several Holy Maidens stood before him — an expanse of snow-white crystalline forms. He felt his eyes unable to take it all in, and yet out of politeness he could not turn away immediately.

The various Sons and Holy Maidens were all smiling at him, conveying goodwill. They had a feeling that this young man might truly one day become a Source Master of Heaven.

Such a remarkable figure — every sacred ground would treat him with great courtesy, and in the future there would be many things they might have to seek his aid for.

The Sons’ smiles Ye Fan could still manage to bear. But the Holy Maidens’ smiles made his heart pound rapidly. No normal man, standing before several peerless physiques, could possibly remain composed.

He happened to notice that the Holy Maiden of Yaochi was particularly unusual this time — he was unable to see through her. He was quite surprised. The Holy Maiden of Yaochi was wearing her innermost silk garment, diaphanous and indistinct — clearly an extraordinary divine object.

A cold snort sounded in his ear. He keenly perceived it came from the Holy Maiden of Yaochi. She was clearly displeased, apparently having been reminded of what had happened three days ago.

Ye Fan turned around and faced Nangong Qi and the others once more, not looking back again.

“What does it matter if you’ve cut out an Ancient Worm Divine Source? Even if you cut it out, it can only belong to the winner.” A young disciple of the ancient Source technique family sneered coldly.

“Exactly — you’re just doing the work and giving us the spoils. We’ll use it to refine an ancient elixir and advance our cultivation.” Another young disciple laughed loudly.

“Wait until you actually beat us before getting smug.” Li Heishui said sharply — yet in his heart he had no confidence at all. The Blood Sacrificial Platform contained a peerless divine maiden, and even now he could barely believe it.

“Enough talk. Let us continue cutting stones!” Ye Fan said.

“Yes, cut the stones — let’s determine the outcome!”

“We want to see what’s in the Immortal Tomb!”

The onlookers all shouted this, yearning to see rare treasures emerge.

Nangong Qi once again displayed his brilliant blade technique — the silver blade soaring like a phoenix in flight — and in just a few breaths, he had cut open the second stone, which was as large as a small house.

With a sweep of his wide sleeves, stone chips flew in all directions and settled in a cascade. A single divine Source stone floated in the air, its divine light blindingly brilliant.

It was slightly larger than a human head, and within it was unmistakably a skull, the divine Source just barely enclosing it.

“Heavens — a human head!” Everyone cried out.

“Indistinguishable from a human’s — it must be an ancient royal clan!” Many lost their voices, their faces completely changed.

Divine Source stones enclosing corpses — this rumor had long circulated. But apart from what Ye Fan had witnessed in the Purple Mountain and the Ten Thousand Dragon Lair, there were few in this world who had actually seen such a thing. It was naturally cause for astonishment.

“A head of an ancient royal clan is of immense value — beyond estimation!” A Supreme Elder from a sacred ground cried out.

Even the Ji Family’s great power, Xu Tianxiong the Third Great Bandit, and the Imperial Uncle of Great Xia — the three Sacred Master-level figures who had been inscribing formation patterns to the side — were startled enough to stop. They strode over to have a closer look.

“It is indeed the skull of an ancient royal clan!”

The skull belonged to a middle-aged man. His purple hair was extremely thick and dense, his skin the color of ancient bronze, his face sharp-featured as though carved by a blade. His eyes were closed, his neck severed cleanly by a sharp edge — a perfectly straight cut, clearly not a natural death.

“It would be of immense use for researching the ancient clans and understanding their weaknesses!”

“Extraordinarily rare — throughout all of history, very few complete corpses of high-ranking ancient royals have ever been obtained. This is truly precious!”

The Sacred Master-level figures offered this assessment. Everyone else was shaken. Clearly, this skull was of exceptional value.

Crack!

At that very moment, Ye Fan cut open his second stone — the Demon Embryo.

The Demon Embryo, long rumored to absorb the essence of the sun and moon and contain a sacred spirit within, had once been a hotly coveted strange stone. But after a Source technique grandmaster vetoed it, it plummeted in reputation, its price dropping several times over.

Now worth one hundred and twenty thousand catties of Source, it would likely have continued to drop with no buyers in sight — but at this moment it was finally cut open.

Bang!

Ye Fan gave it a light tap. Stone chips flew. A rush of purple divine light surged skyward, along with an astonishing outpouring of spiritual energy. Even the Crimson Dragon Old Daoist was roused by this — he immediately appeared at Ye Fan’s side.

The moment he drew near, the group of old men who had been about to rush forward all stopped dead in their tracks. Even the other three Sacred Master-level figures maintained a cautious distance from him.

They seemed to be dodging some primordial ferocious beast, terrified of being caught in the Crimson Dragon Old Daoist’s attack. The terror of his aura said it all.

This was a bowl-sized block of divine Source. It should originally have been golden in color, but the rare treasure within it had suffused it throughout with purple, leaving it one breathtaking blaze of brilliance.

It rippled with wisps of purple mist, spiritual energy coiling thickly around it, carrying a sacred aura — as though it could purify the body and spirit, washing clean the soul and the flesh.

Many people felt exactly this sensation. All were stunned. Everyone’s eyes burst with divine light as they gazed toward this divine Source stone, trying to see through it to what lay within.

“A powerful surge of life!”

“That’s right — an incomparable sacred aura. What on earth is this? There is a living creature inside!”

The crowd grew anxious. It proved extremely difficult to truly see through the stone — purple radiance flickered within, light blazing to the sky, allowing only an indistinct shadow to be glimpsed.

“This is… a Qilin!” The Imperial Uncle of Great Xia’s face was filled with astonishment as he caught sight of the living entity within the divine Source.

The Ji Family’s great power too was dumbfounded. “That’s right — a purple Qilin!”

The Crimson Dragon Old Daoist was extraordinarily agitated. He appeared at Ye Fan’s side, eyes fixed intensely on the bowl-sized divine Source stone.

At this moment, the divine Source radiance began to pull inward, starting to absorb the refined essence of heaven and earth and the sun and moon. The others finally caught sight of the living entity within — and not a single one was not shaken.

“Heavens — it truly is a Qilin!”

“This defies all reason. How can such a creature exist? It is a being ranked alongside the True Dragon and the Immortal!”

“And yet — it is so small. It’s no bigger than an infant’s fist.”

The stone garden erupted with clamor. No one could remain calm.

Since ancient times, no one had been able to speak with certainty about what Immortals truly were. The same applied to sacred spirit creatures. Many speculated that True Dragons did not exist — that only serpentine dragon-like creatures called jiao did — and that the Qilin could be reasoned about in the same way.

“It is far too small. Could this be a primordial True Qilin, young and tiny, gestated by heaven and earth in the age before the ancient past?!”

The sacred aura was overwhelmingly dense, making those within the stone garden feel as though they had received a baptism — as though they had been purified.

“This is not a Qilin. This is a seed!” the Crimson Dragon Old Daoist suddenly said. Yet he showed no disappointment — if anything, his emotions grew even more agitated.