Many among the younger generation were pressing forward — killing intent rolling in wave after wave, like a surging tide. For everyone understood that if this moment was missed, challenging a Holy Body again would become vastly more difficult.
The Holy Body had only just formed and had not yet fully solidified. Many had perceived this. If they allowed him to continue breaking through, there would likely be very few among the younger generation left who would dare provoke him.
The moon was bright, like a great silver disc hanging in the night sky, its soft radiance spilling down, as though a layer of white gauze had been draped over the Divine City — clean and hazy.
Ye Fan stood in the void, and among the many young powerful cultivators pressing toward him, he recognized very few. Those he paid the closest attention to were the Little Peng King of the Golden Wings and Xia Jiuyou.
The two were the most outstanding figures of the younger generation, having crossed paths with him several times already. A great battle between them had long since been destined. And now, at last, they had met again.
What mildly surprised Ye Fan was that the Holy Son Yao Guang had not stepped forward. He remained perfectly still and serene, with no intention of making a move whatsoever.
He was enveloped in sacred light, one hundred and eight divine rings encircling his body, outshining even the divine moon above — like a divine sovereign in the night, utterly motionless.
“Young Master, do not go forward!” Two grey-robed elders tightly gripped Xia Jiuyou’s arms.
Elsewhere, the Elder Peng King appeared as well, one hand pressed firmly upon the Little Peng King’s shoulder, making it impossible for him to move even an inch.
“I will fight you!” A man in yellow stepped forward. He appeared to be around twenty years old, his body powerfully built, sturdy as an iron stake, his skin gleaming with a metallic sheen.
“Who are you?” Ye Fan asked.
“I have nothing to say to you. Let me see just how powerful a Holy Body really is — don’t accidentally get yourself killed by me right after breaking your curse!”
The man in yellow spoke with cutting sharpness, a cold smirk on his face, showing not the slightest respect. Yet he was also being very cautious, standing far away without moving any closer.
Just moments ago, Ye Fan’s resistance against the heavenly tribulation had been witnessed by all. The power and terrifying nature of his physical body had left a deep impression on everyone. Fighting him in close combat would be nothing short of courting death.
Ye Fan said nothing further. He stepped through the void — one step, one dissolution — this footwork that was akin to folding space made many people’s hearts lurch.
The young man in yellow did not dare let him approach. He struck without hesitation, and five-colored light erupted forth — like a gorgeous display of fireworks blooming in the sky, splendid and magnificent, illuminating the entire night.
Yet what caused even greater alarm was the energy fluctuation that surged from it. This was actually a “Forbidden Weapon” — something extraordinarily dangerous, possessing inconceivable destructive power.
Forbidden Weapons come in many varieties. Most can only be used a few times before they are destroyed — consumed entirely — but they possess tremendous lethality.
The man in yellow had struck not for a true contest of strength, but clearly intended to use the Forbidden Weapon to erase Ye Fan from the world entirely.
The brilliance of what seemed like fireworks transformed into a cloud of enchanting multi-colored light, blotting out the sky, surging straight toward Ye Fan and swallowing him beneath it.
“Using a Forbidden Weapon to kill someone — that is truly ruthless.”
“He was certainly given orders. Otherwise, how could he possibly have a Forbidden Weapon on him?”
Many among the spectators found this deeply objectionable. This was not a fair contest in any genuine sense — the man had clearly come specifically to kill Ye Fan.
“Swish!”
Ye Fan vanished from the spot in an instant — like drifting light, like a fleeting shadow — reappearing directly in front of the man in yellow, his fist already swinging.
“You…” The young man in yellow was stunned.
No one had expected Ye Fan’s speed to be this fast. Behind him, the stars and moon faded. The brilliant five-colored clouds consumed that stretch of void, unleashing a devastating aura of destruction.
But none of it mattered any longer, because Ye Fan was no longer there. He had already arrived right in front of the man in yellow.
“Crack!”
All manner of light flashed. More than ten weapons flew out — but every single one of them was shattered by Ye Fan’s golden fist at the very first moment, unable to slow him by even half a step.
“Spit!”
Ye Fan’s golden fingers sliced through the air like the blade of a peerless sword sweeping downward. The man in yellow was split clean in two. Ye Fan charged straight through him, and blood sprayed in every direction.
A single strike, and death.
The man in yellow was a cultivator of the Four Extremes Realm, yet he had no ability to resist — not even the faintest capability. He was like a painted scroll that Ye Fan had casually torn apart.
Ye Fan’s robes were without a drop of blood. He did not even turn his head. His sharp eyes swept over the many young powerful cultivators ahead of him.
“Who else comes forward!”
The faces of many among the younger generation changed. Dead silence fell. Not a few of the older generation were visibly shaken as well. A Holy Body in its initial stage already possessed such dominance — this was deeply troubling.
“I will challenge you!”
A young man in blue strode forward. He appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age — a cultivator at the fourth layer of the Four Extremes Realm, close to the Grand Completion of that stage, nearly ready to advance to the next great Secret Realm.
“Clang!”
Light flashed from his body, and a cold silver battle armor emerged, shielding him completely, shimmering with silver light. It was clearly a precious garment, one that flowed with the resonance of the Dao.
“That is… a Sacred Ground-level battle armor!”
Many people were startled. The silver battle armor was interwoven with the laws of heaven and earth, carrying the aura of the Great Dao, making the man appear boundless and ethereal — giving people the sense that he had merged with the natural order, heaven and man as one.
“Who is this person, that he would wear a Sacred Ground-level battle armor?”
“He is a young powerhouse from the Central Continent — I just saw him walking out from behind those great figures of the various philosophical schools!”
The crowd was alarmed. This was without question a formidable young expert — quite possibly the most dangerous adversary the Holy Body had encountered since its initial formation, far more terrifying than the one who had just relied on a Forbidden Weapon.
“Gu Mingdao of the Central Continent.” The newcomer announced his name.
This powerhouse who had come from the Central Continent had only his eyes exposed. Their divine light was deep and clear. The Sacred Ground-level battle armor’s silver radiance flowed over his entire body, as though he had merged with the Great Dao itself.
In his hand, he held a purple-gold lamp, shooting out streaks of purple light. Countless auspicious rays cascaded down, making him appear like a divine sovereign standing in glory.
Without question, this purple-gold lamp was also a Sacred Ground-level weapon — tempered ten thousand times, imbued with divine patterns, possessed of tremendous destructive power.
There was no lengthy exchange of words. Gu Mingdao made his move. The purple-gold lamp in his hand shot out a blazing beam of purple light, illuminating the entire night sky — magnificent and resplendent.
At the tip of Ye Fan’s finger appeared a small sword barely an inch long. He pinched it gently, then gave it a light shake. In an instant it surged against the wind and expanded.
The Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Holy Spirit Sword grew to ten zhang in length, thick and imposing. Its black sword body was branded all over with dragon patterns — as though it had absorbed the very will of heaven and earth.
The moment this sword appeared, every single person drew in a sharp, cold breath. Its origin was extraordinary — it had been cut free from the Nine Apertures Stone Man, making it a small-scale sacred object.
“Hmm!”
Ye Fan swung the ten-zhang greatsword, collapsing the void, slashing down into the brilliant purple light. In a single strike he shattered it completely. That one blow alone carried the force of ten thousand armies.
“Bang!” “Bang!” …
Ye Fan gripped the black greatsword, its blade pointing obliquely toward the southern sky. Step by step, he advanced through the void, causing the vault of heaven to tremble. His footsteps were like divine drums beating in the celestial halls.
With every step he took, people felt a jolt through their bodies — a mysterious Dao power, as though someone were stamping upon their hearts. Not a few people stumbled backward rapidly, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.
“The Holy Body is this powerful?!” Many were completely astounded.
“No wonder even a young expert from the Central Continent with Four Extremes Grand Completion felt compelled to don Sacred Ground battle armor before stepping forward…” People could not help but be shaken.
“Boom!”
The purple-gold lamp in Gu Mingdao’s hand flew upward, fixing itself in the vault of heaven like a purple sun hanging in the sky, and from it descended thousands upon thousands of auspicious rays — purple light blazing into the heavens.
Every ray of light was like a great waterfall. Ten thousand of them cascaded down simultaneously — a scene vast and awe-inspiring, rumbling with power, purple mist surging like an ocean. Like ten thousand purple great dragons connected between heaven and earth, swirling and dancing.
Ye Fan stood at the center, bathed in those ten thousand “waterfalls,” imprisoned within ten thousand “great dragons.” The purple-gold lamp’s Dao power was boundless, generating annihilating radiance, seeking to refine and consume Ye Fan entirely.
“So this is a cultivator at the Grand Completion of the Four Extremes, wielding a Sacred Ground-level weapon — it is terrifying!” Many were completely stunned.
“Boom!”
Suddenly, all of heaven and earth trembled. A blue lotus appeared at Ye Fan’s side — bearing only three leaves, yet carrying within it the meaning of the Dao giving birth to all things. A gentle tremor from it, and everything was instantly brought to a halt.
“The Chaos Seed Blue Lotus!”
“The Holy Body has manifested its phenomenon — this is one of the most terrifying powers from the Ancient Era!”
Many cried out in shock, their faces betraying awe.
Ye Fan was like a divine being, walking through those ten thousand waterfalls cascading down from the heavens, his bearing unhurried, the black greatsword in hand, pressing forward step by step.
His footsteps never halted. The rhythm never changed. Not even a Sacred Ground-level weapon could stop him.
Gu Mingdao’s expression changed. He tried to recall the purple-gold lamp — but it was completely beyond his control. He had no choice but to continue pouring in divine power, attempting to use the purple-gold lamp to refine and destroy Ye Fan.
Yet all of this was futile. The Chaos Seed Blue Lotus phenomenon was devastatingly powerful — it had fixed the divine lamp completely in place. And within one zhang of Ye Fan, ten thousand laws could not touch him, nothing could approach his body.
Those ten thousand purple great waterfalls bridging heaven and earth — he walked through them as though through empty air, as though strolling in a place with no one else present.
Gu Mingdao kept retreating, but could not shake Ye Fan off at all. In an instant Ye Fan was upon him, gripping the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Holy Spirit Sword and bringing it down in a vertical slash.
Gu Mingdao had nowhere to evade. His arm shot out as a silver ancient shield materialized before him, blocking upward. The black greatsword came down with the weight of a mountain, pressing upon it with crushing force.
“Clang!”
A sky-shaking crash rang out, making people’s eardrums feel as though they would burst — this was the force of ten thousand divine weights!
Gu Mingdao, clad in Sacred Ground-level battle armor, defending with an ancient shield that interwove the Dao and its principles — and still he was sent hurtling upward into the sky. One could only imagine what colossal power lay behind it.
“Hmm!”
At just that moment, the purple-gold lamp shook free of its restraints and flew into Gu Mingdao’s hands.
Ye Fan cast one glance toward the distant sky and said nothing more. He understood that someone hidden in the shadows had made a move to help the purple-gold lamp break free from its restraints.
He advanced step by step. The black greatsword pointed toward Gu Mingdao from afar — heavy as a mountain, as though capable of cleaving this entire world apart.
“Hmm!”
The void shuddered. Ye Fan swung the Holy Spirit Sword in a sweeping arc, charging forward with the force to sweep away a thousand armies. The greatsword cleft the vault of heaven asunder, emitting a terrifying, almost demonic resonance.
“Clang!”
Gu Mingdao gripped the purple-gold lamp to resist. Divine flames blazed to the heavens. The night sky turned entirely purple — yet still it could not stop Ye Fan’s advance. His fighting spirit was unparalleled, his momentum unstoppable.
“Clang!” “Ring!” …
Ye Fan swung the black holy sword again and again. He was like a war god of ancient times reborn — black hair in wild disarray, eyes sharp as blades, white robes billowing. He bore down on Gu Mingdao with overwhelming force.
A golden light took hold of his body. He drove the black Dragon-Patterned Holy Gold Sword forward in rapid succession — thirteen strikes in total, each one landing. Even with Sacred Ground battle armor protecting him, Gu Mingdao coughed up great mouthfuls of blood from the repeated impacts.
Everyone was completely stunned. Not even a weapon interwoven with the Dao and its principles could stop Ye Fan — what possible means remained for resistance?
Gu Mingdao was powerful in his own right, clad in Sacred Ground battle armor and wielding Sacred Ground weapons — and still he was no match, very nearly being shaken to death by Ye Fan.
“Clang!”
With Ye Fan’s final sword strike, Gu Mingdao was sent flying a full five hundred zhang, blood staining the long sky crimson. He had no power left to fight back and crashed down into the dust.
“Swish!”
A purple streak of light appeared, swept him up, and he vanished into the distant sky.
“Who else wishes to fight?” Ye Fan swept his gaze over those ahead.
Everyone was deeply shaken. The Holy Body was newly formed — he had only just advanced into the Four Extremes Secret Realm — and already he commanded this level of power. He could already look down upon the younger generation!
Many people fell silent. The gazes of countless cultivators turned toward the various Holy Sons and Holy Maidens. As things stood, only they could still step forward and fight. The rest of the younger generation could not contend with him.
The Holy Son Yao Guang, the Ji Family’s Divine King Body, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi, Yao Xi, the Holy Maiden of the Purple Palace — none of their expressions changed. But no one could know what they were truly thinking inside.
Only An Miaoyi was smiling faintly. Seeing Ye Fan demonstrate such combat strength, she smiled with a beauty that could topple cities, peerlessly elegant, utterly at ease — radiating endless allure.
“Let me go!” Xia Jiuyou’s voice rang out as he shouted at the two grey-robed elders. The space between his brows blazed with seven-colored divine radiance.
“Young Master, wait until you advance to the next realm before fighting him — there is still time.” The two grey-robed elders advised.
“If I advance one more realm, I will no longer be in the Four Extremes Secret Realm. What would be the point of killing him then?!” Xia Jiuyou was as imperious and unyielding as ever.
At those words, everyone was rendered speechless. The Holy Body had shown such terrifying combat power — and there was still someone who dared say something like that?
Yet when everyone saw who had spoken, they all understood. This was a young man who had risen like a comet — possessing a world-shaking talent almost unheard of throughout all of history.
He was barely thirteen or fourteen years old, and already he had reached the Grand Completion of the Four Extremes Realm — nearly ready to advance to the next great Secret Realm. How many others in the entire world could say the same?!
“Young Master!” The two grey-robed elders broke out in a cold sweat.
“Stand aside. Who exactly is the master here, and who is the servant?” Xia Jiuyou snapped. Though his lips were red and his teeth white — a face of extraordinary beauty — he still carried an aura that could make people tremble.
Ye Fan stood with the greatsword at his back, hovering in the void, watching all of this with a calm expression and a tranquil air.
In the end, Xia Jiuyou stepped forward. The two grey-robed elders could not stop him. With supreme self-confidence, he strolled through the air at an unhurried pace.
“You have finally broken your curse. The Holy Body has begun to take form — now you can provide sacred blood for my elixir-making!” Xia Jiuyou was exactly as he had always been — regarding Ye Fan as his prey. The fact that Ye Fan had advanced into the Four Extremes Secret Realm was of no consequence to him whatsoever.
“Do you have what it takes to use me for elixirs?” Ye Fan showed no anger. He looked steadily at this impossibly beautiful, almost monstrously talented opponent.
“What does it matter that you broke your curse? In the resplendent era before the Ancient Era, when kings rose on all sides, even a fully mature Holy Body could not stand as number one under heaven — there was never a shortage of great adversaries to contend with!” Xia Jiuyou sneered repeatedly. His red lips and gleaming white teeth shimmered with crystalline brilliance. “I am going to defeat you mercilessly, and make you my servant for all of eternity — to let you understand what it truly means to be number one under heaven!”
“If you lose, how about becoming my servant?” Ye Fan stepped forward, each step resounding like a battle drum, making heaven and earth tremble.
“I am number one under heaven — whether in constitution or in cultivation, I am fully capable of crushing you.” Xia Jiuyou pressed forward, his hair streaming in the wind, giving him an ethereal, transcendent appearance. “Provide me with sacred blood for eternity, and be my servant!”
“Hmm!”
Ye Fan made his move. Against someone like this, words were pointless — only by overwhelming her with pure force could all of this be resolved.
“That is… the Immortal King Presiding Over the Ninth Heaven!”
“One of the most terrifying phenomena from the Ancient Era!”
The crowd cried out, every one of them gripped with tension.
Ye Fan unveiled one of his phenomena — giving rise to another version of himself, seated high in the ninth heaven, dark yellow breath swirling around him, like a divine Immortal King looking down upon all living things!
The Immortal King within the phenomenon reached out one great hand, reaching toward Xia Jiuyou.
Suddenly, this entire world was sealed off. Xia Jiuyou seemed to find herself standing in another sky full of stars, her expression growing solemn as she contended against the Immortal King. A soft and distant immortal melody rose up.
“This is… the Nine Profundities Immortal Melody!”
“What — does he share the same constitution as Gai Jiuyou? This is a Dao sound that stands shoulder to shoulder with the Divine Prelude — terrifyingly powerful!”
Eight thousand years ago, the Central Continent had produced a figure known as Gai Jiuyou — one who had fallen just barely short of becoming a Great Emperor, having battled through all under heaven without a single defeat. It was said that in the end he had entered parinirvana somewhere in the Eastern Desolation.
Many knew of this, and now the connection was made in an instant, linking Xia Jiuyou to that peerless, invincible figure of legend.