The lake water was clear and bright, like a pool of liquid jade, flowing clouds and auspicious mist, steam and vapor rising, rainbow mist drifting — five-colored and shimmering, crystalline and translucent in every direction.

The Immortal Transformation Pool sat upon the peak of a great mountain. Though it was not very large, it gave one the illusion of being a whole world unto itself.

Indeed — it did not resemble a mere body of water. It was more like a living, beautiful little world, one that seemed to hold within it the secret of life’s very origin.

“There is a sound!”

The pool of jade liquid connected to the ancient heavens beyond and produced a surging, tide-like resonance — as though someone sat cross-legged in the void, expounding the great Dao of the universe’s creation.

The immortal pool’s surface shimmered with light, mist and haze flowing, five colors shifting — gentle and light, not intense in the least, one might say almost soft. Yet many present furrowed their brows, for within that gentleness they could faintly hear heaven and earth reciting an ancient scripture.

Splash!

One cultivator could not hold back — and was the first to leap into the lake, plunging headfirst into the depths, searching for fragments of imperial weapons and other sacred objects.

“There must be extreme Dao imperial weapon fragments here — it is their inner Dao scriptures resonating outward!”

Clang!

One cultivator raised a sword against another, competing for an advantageous position. Splat — a head flew from its neck, blood blossomed outward, and a body crumpled to the ground.

None who faced the immortal pool could remain calm. One by one they acted, many leaping into the lake in succession, hoping to haul up world-shaking sacred objects.

Boom!

A violent shockwave arrived. Two Holy Master-level figures came to blows, sending great waves crashing upward. The life essence of the immortal pool spilled outward in abundance, making every heart present lurch.

The Immortal Transformation Pool and the ancient dragon lair — obtain either one, and you had a thread of hope for witnessing the Dao. This legend had spread far and wide, and naturally stirred everyone’s heart. All wanted to find something worth taking.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of people had already leapt in. Others, unwilling to fall behind, dove after them in a rush.

“Something is wrong — how has not a single person surfaced?” Ji Ziyue murmured quietly to herself.

The lake water was clear and bright, blue as a sapphire, with streaks of auspicious light flowing through it — yet not one person could be seen rising back to the surface. People were going in, but none were coming out.

Many of the powerful cultivators grew apprehensive, sensing that something was amiss. All of them halted in their tracks. Even those who had just leapt into the air cried out in alarm and twisted back before they hit the water.

“A Great Ability expert leapt in just moments ago — and has not surfaced…” Someone said in a hushed voice.

The remaining people all felt a chill. Not a single one of them dared act rashly. Had those who entered all met with an accident — died below the surface? People’s hair stood on end.

“Allow this old man to take a careful look.” A dragon-vein geomancer stepped forward and opened his eyes wide, examining the immortal lake.

Everyone held their breath and waited for his conclusion. Faced with a place that might allow one to witness the Dao, yet unable to enter, the tension and anxiety in every heart were at their peak.

“There should be no problem — this is truly a land of ascending immortals, its wonder beyond all words, unparalleled in the world. How could there be danger…” the geomancer muttered to himself.

Ou Yang Ye stepped forward. He was from the Eastern Desolation, renowned in the world of source arts — infinitely close to reaching the level of a Source Ground Master, his methods extraordinary.

“This immortal lake is perfect. Not a single flaw can be found in it. One might say this is truly a place for true immortals to descend — there can be no problem at all. They haven’t surfaced… could they simply be hiding below?”

Several source art grandmasters from the Eastern Desolation all stepped forward, and every one of them agreed with Ou Yang Ye’s assessment. This was a place of ascending immortals — flawless and unblemished.

“Brother Ye is here as well — his source arts are singularly distinctive, being the inheritor of the Eastern Desolation’s Heavenly Master lineage. I imagine he must have a superior perspective.” One source art grandmaster spoke.

“Little Friend Ye, please do not hold back. If you have any insights, we hope you will share them and offer guidance to those present who follow the same path.” Ou Yang Ye said, his tone neither warm nor cold.

Ye Fan shot him a sideways glance. This old scoundrel had provoked him again and again back in the Eastern Desolation. In the Northern Region’s sacred divine city, when his identity as the Holy Body was exposed, he had nearly died because of it.

At this moment, had no one else been present, Ye Fan would have already made his move and sent this old scoundrel to hell. But he walked together with several Great Ability experts — they were not easy to deal with.

“You’ve already said everything worth saying — what is there left for me to add?” Ye Fan replied.

“You speak incorrectly, young friend. You have obtained the Source-Heaven Master’s inheritance — surely you have your own unique insights. We hope you will not be stingy, and help clarify the doubts of the heroes gathered here.” Ou Yang Ye stroked his beard.

Standing beside him were several Holy Master-level figures — and it was precisely these people who had invited him from the Eastern Desolation. For the moment, he had every reason to be bold.

“Old stick — looks like you have a death wish. Even now you’re trying to sow discord. Watch out, or Lord Pang will have you fed to the dogs!” Pang Bo spoke bluntly.

“Why must young people be so aggressive? This old man was merely making an inquiry on behalf of those present.” Ou Yang Ye said.

“Get far away from me. I want to kill you — and no one can stop me!” Ye Fan stood with his hands behind his back, eyes cold, staring at the source arts expert.

“Save me…” Suddenly, from within the immortal pool — where mist and haze flowed freely — the water’s surface broke open. A silver figure three inches tall burst out and cried loudly for help.

This was an incomparably powerful divine thought — belonging to the Great Ability expert who had leapt into the lake earlier. The divine force from within his brow had taken on the shape of a human-like divine being.

Now his physical body was nowhere to be seen. Only a silver little figure had escaped — which said everything. He had met with catastrophe.

“Fellow cultivator — what happened?” One Holy Master demanded.

“Ah…” That silver little figure was beyond terrified. A crack appeared at its brow — and then, with a pop, it split apart in four directions, dissolving into a flash of white light that sank back into the lake.

“That was a Great Ability expert — and he died just like that!” Every person stumbled back, a chill running through their bodies, a cold wind rising from the depths of their hearts.

After a long silence, one Holy Master finally spoke: “Little Friend Ye — please offer us guidance.”

The several people beside Ou Yang Ye all spoke up as well, one after another urging him. The Source-Heaven Book was a miraculous volume — many had come close to worshipping it. They believed it could break through any terrain configuration in all the world.

“Young man — don’t be so selfish. In a place like this, everyone must work together. Hoping to swallow the Immortal Transformation Pool by yourself is not very realistic. Otherwise, a great disaster will befall you.” Ou Yang Ye said.

“Do you truly think I wouldn’t dare kill you?” Ye Fan had not a shred of goodwill toward him. He strode forward. The source-sky vein patterns at his feet flickered — and a crimson dragon burst outward, transforming into a stream of crimson light and lunging toward Ou Yang Ye.

Clang!

A Holy Master moved to block it. The entire mountain summit trembled violently. The crowd was frightened — Ye Fan could truly contend with a Holy Master of a great faction.

“There is no need for such killing intent, young friend.” That Holy Master said.

“We simply find this petty man beneath contempt. A man of his age — has he been living all these years for nothing?” Li Heishui got in ahead of Ye Fan, and the group all fixed their gazes on Ou Yang Ye.

“This is a land of ascending immortals, accompanied by an irresolvable great calamity. If any of you wish to find something of value, search in the shallows.” Ye Fan spoke. He was the first to walk into the lake.

Pang Bo, Dongfang Ye, Li Heishui, the Holy Maiden of Jade Lake, Ji Ziyue, and the others followed. They waded into the shallows, the water reaching their knees, and dared go no further.

Seeing this, the others followed as well, spreading out around the great lake, searching carefully. It was not long before someone cried out in shock: “A divine object!”

One young cultivator splashed and hauled out of the water a lump of crimson jade — large as a human head, dripping red as fresh blood, radiating rosy clouds. The light it shot outward mapped every bone in his body right through his skin, rendering his entire body nearly transparent.

“A Crimson Jade King of the Nine Heavens!”

“Heavens — this is a supreme divine object that even ancient sages could never find. It can be used to refine an indestructible holy weapon!”

Every set of eyes present went red with desire. Even several Holy Masters could not sit still — they rushed over in great strides. In secret, many were already reaching out their hands to seize it.

Suddenly, this human-head-sized Crimson Jade King of the Nine Heavens transformed into a streak of crimson rainbow, tore itself free from that person’s grasp, and flew into the center of the lake — disappearing without a trace.

That young cultivator nearly fainted on the spot. He had thought himself arrived in heaven — only to be kicked into the ground in the very next moment. He let out a scream that seemed to tear his heart and split his lungs.

“A supreme divine object that ancient sages spent their entire lives searching for… I despise the heavens!”

Everyone else was also stunned, filled with profound regret. The Crimson Jade King of the Nine Heavens was possessed of spiritual awareness and had fled under its own power — defying all expectations.

“The immortal pool truly contains treasures! From the primordial age to now, imperial weapon fragments have sunk into it, and the Azure Emperor was born here as well — search, quickly!”

On the lakeshore, the crowd stirred and boiled. This was only the beginning, and someone had already seen a divine object. One could only imagine what lay within this lake.

“There truly are treasures here!” Pang Bo muttered. He nudged Ye Fan and said: “Make the Source-Heaven Book earn its keep — look carefully, and fish out two extreme Dao sacred objects.”

“Indeed — if one could haul up fragments of an imperial weapon, no price paid would be too high.” The savage man’s eyes blazed with light.

“Little Leaf — you look carefully now.” Ji Ziyue, the Ji Family’s little moon, whispered. The Holy Maiden of Jade Lake stood beside them, smiling faintly.

“Stay close to me — I need to walk a bit further into the depths.” Ye Fan said.

By now, it was not only Ye Fan who had made that decision — the others too had grown bold, wading inch by inch further inward, searching for immortal weapons.

Boom!

Suddenly, a violent tremor arrived. At the root of the other great mountain, the ancient dragon lair breathed out its primal dragon energy — a dragon cry rang upward to the nine heavens, downward into the nine depths.

It was clear that a group of Holy Master-level figures had forced their way in, triggering a violent change. The ancient dragon lair had come alive!

Within the ancient cave there was said to be a human world immortal pill, dream-grade divine marrow — even a sacred being comparable to a Great Emperor. Many changed color.

“Could the ancestor of the Cai Clan — the Fourth-Generation Source-Heaven Master — have also emerged into the world?!” Ye Fan was astonished.

“Heh heh…” Ou Yang Ye let out a sinister chuckle: “The dragon energy of this place has returned to its source. It can no longer be summoned and used by an outsider.”

The moment those words were out, every gaze in the area shifted toward Ye Fan. Ou Yang Ye had plainly said this to target him — announcing to all that they could kill him now.

“Ou Yang Ye — today you will certainly die, and no one can save you!” Ye Fan spoke plainly.

“Without the ability to summon dragon energy, can you compare to me?” Ou Yang Ye sneered coldly. He had come prepared, long resolved to eliminate Ye Fan.

“Something is wrong — can it truly be that another Great Emperor is still alive in this world?!” From the lakeshore, the Ailing Elder suddenly spoke in a shaken voice. The dim light in his eyes shot out two beams of terrifying radiance — enough to send several nearby Holy Masters stumbling back in shock.