The various great factions withdrew. Having witnessed Ye Fan’s divine prowess during his tribulation crossing, many of them were heavy-hearted. The Sacred Body had already grown to this point—could he still be eliminated?
At this time, Duan De and Ye Fan were still bickering endlessly. The two of them, neither willing to yield, sat atop a picturesque mountain peak, glaring at one another.
“Fat Duan, don’t push me. If you make me truly angry, once we’re in the Northern Domain—my territory—I’ll use my source arts to stuff you into the Primordial Ancient Mine!”
“Do you think I’m afraid of you? If I’m in a bad mood, I’ll use the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Jar to suppress you right now and toss you into the Southern Heaven Gate inside the Divine Ruins—never to escape again!”
Duan De clung stubbornly to his demand that Ye Fan owe him a hundred source-heaven divine formations, and insisted that Ye Fan carve eight of them right now—otherwise, he had to compensate him immediately with a few king-grade divine soldiers.
“Duan De, you broke into my Ji clan’s burial grounds and dug open the ancient tomb of our primordial invincible Divine King. How do you account for that?” A Mighty One of the Ji Family descended, his face dark.
“Don’t come picking a fight with me. Combat is forbidden within the Extraordinary Scholar’s Mansion. Besides—I went into that tomb and didn’t find a single thing. I got covered in misfortune for nothing, then got chased for hundreds of thousands of miles.”
“This is an insult to my Ji clan. You won’t be leaving the Extraordinary Scholar’s Mansion. Dare to show yourself, and you’ll be seized on the spot!” the Mighty One threatened.
“Duan De!” Wu Zhongtian roared, dropping down from the sky with Li Heishui and the others close behind.
“Who are you? I don’t know you!” Duan De’s guilty conscience showed.
“You dug up my family’s ancestral graves. This matter is far from over!” Wu Zhongtian’s expression was very unpleasant. His grandfather, Wu Dao, had chased Duan De for hundreds of thousands of miles and still let him escape.
“Let’s talk this through calmly—stop shouting.”
Duan De began to lift himself off the ground to make a run for it.
“Fellow Daoist Duan, where is the Heavenly Demon Lamp?” Yao Yuekong flew over, her expression equally unfriendly—the ancient mausoleum of the Heavenly Demon Palace in the Eastern Desolation had been dug through by someone as well.
“That divine lamp was something I picked up. Besides, it was taken off me by three rotten turtle-spawn. Go find them to settle accounts.” Duan De tried to slip away, only to find that more and more people were closing in on him.
“Swish!”
A figure materialized out of thin air—a stately and impressive man stepped in front of him, cutting off his escape. It was the Central Emperor, Xiang Yufei, his expression calm, without the slightest ripple of emotion. He said, “The Longevity Lock—return it.”
From a distance, the crowd was dumbfounded. Duan De truly had the nerve to steal from anyone. The moment he showed his face, a mob of aggrieved parties came knocking—even the Central Emperor among them.
“That was a cenotaph. The real body was carried off by someone nine thousand years ago. I did find a lock—but that, too, was looted from me. Don’t come demanding it from me.”
“Fellow Daoist Duan, you entered the Demon Emperor’s secret burial ground nine times and came out nine times—what did you take? Did you see the supreme treasure, the Desolate Tower?” A woman of perfect and flawless appearance appeared—Yan Ruyu had come to her door.
“Don’t pin labels on me. Forget the Desolate Tower—I didn’t even get into the underground main gate of the secret burial ground. This has nothing to do with me, not even a copper coin’s worth!”
Duan De was genuinely starting to panic. He glanced at Ye Fan, who had jumped out in a moment of anger without realizing how quickly such a large mob of creditors would emerge. His heart wavered.
“Fellow Daoist Duan, it’s one thing for you to dig up tombs in the Eastern Desolation—but you came to the Central State to run rampant as well. The Nine Divine Soldiers lay buried for fifteen thousand years, yet you dug them all out.” The powerful young Feathered King of the Central State, Xu Zixuan, appeared.
“That Feathered King has nothing to do with you. Don’t pin every messy account on me.”
“Those eighteen pearls, though—those should concern us, shouldn’t they?” From another direction, a young lord of the Central State approached, his expression very unfriendly.
Duan De’s scalp went numb. He felt the timing of his appearance here truly couldn’t have been worse—hemmed in by a mob of creditors with nothing to say for himself.
Ye Fan smirked and chuckled. “Elder Brother Duan, you’ve done too many rotten things. You have one Heaven-Swallowing Demon Jar and that isn’t enough for you—you go around digging up ancient mausoleums everywhere. That’s really too low.”
“To gain control of an imperial weapon, you must nurture its weapon-soul. No number of weapons is ever enough.”
“Duan De, you’re terrible! You broke into my Ji clan’s burial grounds and even tried to find the Void Great Emperor’s ancient tomb!” Ji Ziyue leveled her accusations.
At her side, the Divine King Body Ji Haoyue’s expression was very unfriendly—eyes sharp and piercing, fixed unblinkingly on him.
“Damn it! Now I understand why so many people came to make trouble for me—it’s because of those two scoundrels!” Duan De’s eyes locked onto two figures in the distance: Pang Bo, and the barbarian Dongfang Ye, who were working hard to rally the crowd, spreading stories about the deeds of the tomb-robbing monk.
“You two—one of you robbed me before, and the other is using my Nine Divine Soldiers right now. Get over here and die!” the fat monk bellowed, and then charged after them—vanishing in a flash, running for his life.
Pang Bo and the barbarian exchanged a grin. This was indeed the plan they had devised to solve Ye Fan’s problem—otherwise the fat monk would have truly been a headache to get rid of.
“You’ve got nerve. Stay in the Extraordinary Scholar’s Mansion forever if you like—dare to leave, and I’ll flay you alive!” a Mighty One of the Ji Family said, then turned and departed.
Ye Fan spent another half-month at the Extraordinary Scholar’s Mansion, carefully searching through their ancient scripture library. Yet he found not a single scrap of information about the nine great consummate Sacred Bodies from the primordial era.
“I’ve been misled!”
He tried to find the Vice Mansion Master, Lin Daochen, to ask for details—only to be told he was in seclusion, probably hidden away in some corner somewhere, possibly motionless for decades on end.
“In those ancient years, there truly were several Sacred Bodies who came through. But all of them departed long ago along the ancient starry road.” One of the Mighty Ones said as much.
“Heading where?” Ye Fan pressed for an answer—naturally none came. That was among the Extraordinary Scholar’s Mansion’s most closely guarded secrets.
Several days later, Ye Fan departed. He waved his farewell to everyone. “Don’t worry—we’ll meet again soon. I’m going to take care of some matters, then I’ll be right back.”
“Little Leaf, take care of yourself!” Ji Ziyue urged.
“Leaf, when I finish eating this coffin plank and enter the Immortal Platform Secret Realm, I’ll come find you immediately.” Pang Bo said it with absolute resolve, leaving the group momentarily speechless.
“There will soon be a great battle in the Eastern Desolation. The Extraordinary Scholar’s Mansion may very well send us there for tempering—perhaps we’ll fight side by side!” Dongfang Ye said.
“When you see that damned dog, tell it to hurry and find Tu Fei and bring him back. It’s been several years since we lost track of him.” Li Heishui and the others still couldn’t let it go. They also told Ye Fan they would most likely participate in the coming great battle in the Eastern Desolation.
“Even if you are truly sent for tempering, don’t act rashly. This time could involve the primordial royal clans—even Holy Lords going there would be useless. And besides, I’m not heading to the Eastern Desolation!” Ye Fan warned.
At last, the transmission array activated. Ye Fan was about to vanish from where he stood, crossing the void to traverse to his destination.
“Boy, have you made up your mind? Will you go to the Eastern Desolation? I’ll be waiting at the Ancient Emperor Mountain—come join the great battle in the Eastern Desolation, meet the primordial kings, and retrieve the Wushi Bell!” Duan De shouted from a distance.
But Ye Fan could no longer hear him. His figure faded and thinned, and he was gone.
“You grave-robbing scoundrel, you dare show your face?!” A mob gave chase, shouting.
Duan De was shameless no longer—he made himself scarce without delay, not daring to linger. But before vanishing, he shouted: “Anyone up for fighting the primordial kings in the Eastern Desolation? Anyone up for digging up the Wushi Great Emperor’s tomb? Anyone up for catching the undying divine phoenix herb? We’re forming a group!”
Some indeterminate time later, Ye Fan stepped out of a domain gate and arrived in the southern part of the Central State. Here, plants and trees flourished in abundance—a landscape brimming with vitality, lush green as far as the eye could see.
He had not gone to the Eastern Desolation, for he knew that the Ancient Emperor Mountain would be very difficult to breach. Back then, the Eastern Desolation and the Central State had mobilized several imperial weapons together and still returned empty-handed. He did not believe the Northern Emperor had that much power.
“If the primordial kings were to awaken, it may truly be possible to break it open—for that is their Ancient Emperor Mountain. And there are ancient kings within the Purple Mountain as well. If they were to cooperate from the inside while others strike from without, then this…” Ye Fan considered the possibility, a sense of unease stirring in his heart.
The Undying Heavenly Emperor, the Ancient Emperor Edict, a divine egg, the Wushi Scripture, the Wushi Bell, the undying divine phoenix herb, the Wushi Great Emperor’s physical remains—many sacred things had appeared there, and at least a considerable number still remained.
“I haven’t seen the Black Emperor in so long. Who knows how many people that dead dog has been tormenting. Its greedy nature never diminishes—I truly wonder how it dealt with the Northern Emperor Wang Teng.”
Ye Fan’s thoughts drifted, and he recalled all manner of memories from the Eastern Desolation.
“I wonder how little Xiao Nannan is doing—whether she’s grown a bit older. What exactly is the origin of this so-called divine infant?”
He felt that perhaps, once he had handled matters here, he should go back to the Eastern Desolation to have a look. It had been a very long time.
Stretching out boundlessly before him was a vast expanse of land. In the distance rose an ancient city, and even from far away it could be seen—auspicious mist rising, ten thousand streams of iridescent light, incomparably sacred and serene.
This place was none other than the holy land of the Yin-Yang Sect. Many of the great sects of the Central State were the same—they built cities to nurture dragon energy. After more than two hundred thousand years, this had long since become a divine ground.
Majestic walls extended as far as the eye could see—like a black iron great wall stretching endlessly before him, cutting across the horizon. Full of solid power, the ancient city was magnificent and imposing, with a momentum that seemed to pierce the clouds.
“I, Ye, have arrived!” Ye Fan strode forward. He gazed out at the Yin-Yang Divine City from afar, and a cold smile curved the corner of his mouth. “Every time, it is you who comes to provoke me. Today, I have come to break your city!”
Naturally he would not launch a frontal assault. The Yin-Yang Sect was one of the most distinguished great sects in the Central State—high-level experts were as numerous as clouds, powerful figures as plentiful as rain, looking down upon all of the Central State. They also had an ancient Yin-Yang mirror anchoring their foundations, and no one had ever dared to offend them.
The death of one Yin-Yang Sect Master would certainly be followed by a second, a third, a fourth…
For a supreme great sect like this, the loss of one elderly Sect Master counted for nothing. Their foundations were deep and settled. Unless one wielded the human race’s imperial weapons, it was impossible to shake them.
He had already witnessed the might of an incomplete holy weapon—slaying a Holy Lord was as easy as crushing an ant. If that authentic ancient Yin-Yang Mirror were to emerge, nothing could withstand it. The person who had wielded it in ancient times had been peerless beneath the heavens.
“The Central State is a land of outstanding people and rich in spiritual essence. Since ancient times it has had many ancestral roots, nurturing dragon energy and giving rise to one sacred ground after another—yet it also presents me with an opportunity!”
Ye Fan circled the Yin-Yang Divine City for three full days, measuring the terrain of the mountains and rivers, preparing to channel the dragon energy to oppose this ancient great sect.
He racked his mind in deep concentration. In the four cardinal directions—east, south, west, and north—he excavated four massive dragon veins. Then, densely and without gap, he carved an endless array of talisman inscriptions, driving his source arts to their utmost extreme.
During these past several months on the Central State’s great earth, the whole land had been in uproar. The death of the elderly Yin-Yang Sect Master had sent rippling shockwaves throughout many great factions. The sect had issued a kill order at an astronomical price:
“To whoever slays Ye Fan—one king-grade divine soldier will be awarded!”
“To whoever kills Ye Fan—five million catties of origin stone will be granted!”
“A heavenly reward—whoever slaughters the Sacred Body will receive one jar of incredible dragon marrow!”
And there was more—it was precisely because of this that Ye Fan had come. The Yin-Yang Sect and he were now locked in a mortal struggle, and he saw no reason to be gentle.
“Whoever brings the head of Ye Fan to us—our Yin-Yang Sect will gift him one passage of insight left behind by an ancient saint!”
“All who can kill the Sacred Body are welcome to come to our Yin-Yang Sect and listen to the Dao’s celestial tones for ten years!”
The Yin-Yang Sect’s proclamations shook the entire world. The conditions they offered made many eyes turn red with envy. Naturally, those who were not afraid of death began to move, and many powerful wandering cultivators started searching for Ye Fan.
In these past days, the people of the Central State had their appetite fully whetted. All of them were tempted. The insight of an ancient saint—the enlightenment tones of the Yin-Yang Sacred Ancestor—even many Holy Lords could no longer sit still.
These conditions were simply too generous. No one could resist their appeal. The Yin-Yang Sect had clearly resolved to eliminate the Sacred Body, calling out to every powerful expert across the Central State!
This was a great earthquake—a violent storm on the verge of breaking. Experts of every kind surged forth and nearly turned the Central State upside down in their search for Ye Fan.
Some even barged into the Extraordinary Scholar’s Mansion knowing Ye Fan had left—desperate to find a lead that might earn them such an extraordinary reward.
This was a massive storm that swept across the land of the Central State. No one had expected the Yin-Yang Sect to be so willing to part with such things—determined at all costs to eliminate the Sacred Body.
“The Yin-Yang Sect has felt the pressure. They’re even afraid. They fear the Sacred Body’s continued growth!”
“Indeed—once Ye Fan crosses the threshold of a Holy Lord, it will be a calamity for the Yin-Yang Sect. They dare not allow him to prove his way!”
All debated the matter; through these days, the entire Central State trembled.
The corner of Ye Fan’s mouth curved in a cold and detached smile. “Since you and I are locked in a mortal struggle, and you have issued such a death order against me—then I will accompany you to the very end!”
No one had anticipated that at the height of this storm, he would dare to take such a reckless risk. Alone and single-handed, he had come to the gates of the Yin-Yang Divine City—and not a soul knew he was about to tear through the heavens!
Ye Fan was very patient. He spent a full half-month, pouring his heart and mind into it—carving endless talisman inscriptions into the earth, laying out an unparalleled source-heaven divine formation that far surpassed even Ouyang Ye’s in ingenuity. It was superhumanly vast, encircling the entire ancient city within it, drawing upon the forces of mountains and rivers, borrowing the power of the stars, and igniting the primordial dragon energy of ten thousand ages.
Beyond the four main dragon veins in the four cardinal directions, Ye Fan also excavated eighty-one underground dragon channels, completely transforming this stretch of land into his primary battlefield!
Even so, he could not help but marvel—a supreme master of years past had clearly laid out defenses when choosing this site for the city. Every possible danger had been anticipated and guarded against.
“Even so, I will make sure you swallow what you cannot stomach!”
Several more days passed. The Yin-Yang Sect issued yet another round of stunning proclamations, stirring up the world and calling for the Sacred Body Ye Fan to be exterminated.
“To whoever can provide information on where this boy is hiding—there is also a great reward!”
“Whoever kills the little thief Ye Fan may enter the ancient Yin-Yang Mirror to seek enlightenment for a hundred years!”
“Whoever slays the vile wretch Ye Fan will receive an extraordinary divine treasury!”
“Yin-Yang Sect—I have come. All of you, crawl out here and receive your deaths!” On that day, a great shout rang out, resounding through the Yin-Yang Divine City.
No one had expected it—Ye Fan, alone and single-handed, had stormed their sacred ground. He had come right to their door. All of the Central State had been searching for him, yet he had come to knock on their door himself.