Golden Cicada was someone who should not have appeared—why had he shown up on this ancient path? Ye Fan found it hard to believe, lost in a daze.
“How old is he?”
“At most one or two hundred years.” The Southern Demon sat on a stone chair, his heroic bearing upright, black hair loose, expression solemn, clearly wary of Golden Cicada.
Ye Fan pondered—this should have been a fictional person, one who should not exist in the world. Why had he truly appeared?
Golden Cicada was the previous incarnation of Tang Sanzang—this was the account in Journey to the West, but there was no such record in orthodox Buddhism; it was merely a fabrication.
Yet now Golden Cicada had actually appeared, truly a disciple of Shakyamuni, his magical power boundless. Even the resplendent Jue Youqing had been far from his match, her fate unknown to this day.
The Golden Cicada on the human race’s ancient path was only one or two hundred years old, yet the true Master Xuanzang was an ancient figure from one thousand five or six hundred years ago. If one forcibly linked the two as the same person, it clearly didn’t fit.
Ye Fan pondered for a long while, lost in thought—this ancient path was truly complex, filling his heart with fog.
“Is there any more news about him?”
The Southern Demon shook his head, saying: “This young monk is very mysterious, always showing his head but never his tail.”
Though Golden Cicada had also appeared on the human race’s ancient path, he wasn’t heading toward the endpoint—he was following in the footsteps of his master, Shakyamuni.
Ye Fan’s heart trembled, saying: “News of Shakyamuni—are there legends of him on the ancient path?”
The Southern Demon said: “Never heard of any. It’s only that Golden Cicada let slip some information while inquiring around—it’s said his master vanished on the ancient path long ago, and even he cannot find him.”
Ye Fan cared deeply about Shakyamuni—this was an ancient figure of great wisdom, supremely powerful, who had traveled deep into the starry sky, only to vanish without a trace in the end.
Now, unexpectedly, there was a bit of news, drawing his particular attention. Even Golden Cicada had emerged, making his heart uneasy.
“Following the ancient path, where exactly is Shakyamuni headed?” Ye Fan murmured to himself, his heart surging with turmoil.
The Southern Demon said: “Not limited to the human race’s ancient path—Golden Cicada crosses between territories, having shown himself on the star paths of the divine race, human race, demon race, and others, searching for his master’s whereabouts.”
Shakyamuni had been missing for a very long stretch of time, no one knowing his whereabouts. If not for Golden Cicada’s emergence, people wouldn’t even know he had once passed through.
There were quite a few secrets concerning Shakyamuni, forbidden matters of the Western Desert’s Buddhist sect. Over two thousand years ago, he had once fought a battle at Mount Sumeru. Someone at the Southern Demon’s level could naturally learn a bit about it.
“Would Brother Ye be willing to venture into the demon race’s ancient path with us?” The Southern Demon asked.
Ye Fan shook his head. Although the human race’s ancient path was fraught with thorns, and great trouble might lie ahead, he did not wish to leave.
The Ji family siblings and Pang Bo were up ahead—he needed to go meet them, especially to rescue Pang Bo from that great Emperor’s tomb as soon as possible.
“My words from before still stand—if we meet on the Emperor’s Path in the future and you are defeated, I will let you go.” The Southern Demon said, starry rivers shattering within his eyes, carrying an air of ruling over all under heaven.
Ye Fan laughed and nodded, declaring that if they truly met, he would show no mercy, but in the end would spare his life.
Qi Huoshui pouted disdainfully, saying: “Ugh, truly two fools—what’s there to fight over? In the end, aren’t you both just going to lose to the passage of time, all failures.”
Her figure was tall, her legs long and slender, her waist slim enough to grasp in one hand, her body crystalline white as jade, her hair light and graceful, her eyes like clear water, her red lips vivid, her pearly teeth crystalline—worthy of being called a peerless beauty.
On the ancient path, few could be as nonchalant as her—anyone who set foot on this path harbored fighting spirit, contending for supremacy every step of the way.
Hearing this, Ye Fan sighed softly, feeling there was some truth to what she said—after a whole journey of battles, in the end, it might not be the result one truly wanted.
However, countless boats contended in the current, heroes competed for supremacy—without advancing, one would retreat, and now there was no other choice. The path to immortality was too distant; for now, rising on the ancient path, strengthening himself, and rushing toward the Emperor’s throne, drawing ever closer, was what mattered.
“I urge you to drain one more cup of wine—venturing far onto the demon path, there’ll be no old friends.” Starlight flickered as Ye Fan stood outside the human race’s Fiftieth City, raising his cup as the Southern Demon siblings saw him off.
“See you on the path to immortality!” The Southern Demon held a silver cup, drained it in one gulp, and taking his sister with him, soared across the void.
Only such a man would dare say such words—to enter the Immortal Realm required great resolve; how many people under heaven could contend for it?
In the starry river, an ancient demon narrowed his eyes, streaks of piercing light shooting out, gazing down below toward the human race’s Fiftieth City, transmitting sound to Ye Fan: “Little friend, how about a trip to the demon path?”
“There will be a clash. The demon race can wait to marry off their daughters.” An old voice from within the city answered on Ye Fan’s behalf, starlight cascading down like a silver waterfall, cutting off the path ahead.
“Heh!” The ancient demon turned, and taking the Southern Demon siblings with him, vanished into the cold universe.
Ye Fan returned to the city. On the ancient streets paved with bluestone, many cultivators showed a look of astonishment upon seeing him. Ye Fan’s single battle had shaken all directions, making the Hegemon bleed and subduing the various heroes.
In the eyes of the various Sages, this would very likely become the most formidable contender on the human race’s ancient path—his rise was now unstoppable.
Ye Fan went to see the receiving envoy Zhao Gongyi, solemnly requesting the Divine Light Platform. He no longer wanted to proceed step by step according to the rules—time was pressing, and he needed to save Pang Bo.
“Truly, there isn’t much to spare. There aren’t many of these divine objects.” Zhao Gongyi rubbed his hands, his expression showing difficulty.
“Twenty years of fierce battle against a Sacred Spirit—that’s the reward I deserve. Envoy, sir, you won’t want to drag this out for four thousand years, will you?” Ye Fan urged.
“Actually, letting you charge into the depths of the starry sky too early isn’t good for you or anyone else—you must be extremely cautious,” Zhao Gongyi said solemnly.
“I only want to go save a friend. I don’t wish to clash with anyone else,” Ye Fan answered.
“Well, alright then.” The receiving envoy Zhao Gongyi nodded, finally agreeing to hand the Divine Light Platform over to Ye Fan.
The starry river was resplendent, the human race’s Fiftieth City suspended in the universe, wreathed in silvery waterfall-like radiance, appearing sacred and peaceful.
News that the Sacred Body was about to leave spread, and all the trial-takers let out a long breath, feeling as if a great burden had been lifted.
The battle in the starry sky had too great an impact—Ye Fan was like a great mountain pressing down on this city, making everyone who walked the ancient path feel a sense of oppression.
By now, many people had already recognized the situation, long since giving up on the Emperor’s Path, seeking only to advance one more level, searching for their own fortunate encounters.
If they had to travel the path alongside such a man, as dazzling as the rising sun, godlike and demonic, that would truly be unbearable—no one wanted that; it would be a kind of torment.
“Master Uncle, are you really leaving? Take me with you, please?” Beneath the starry sky, Yang Xi clung to Ye Fan’s leg, refusing to let go, tilting his small face up to look at him, blinking his big eyes, pitifully.
“Cultivate well here. In the future, we will meet again,” Ye Fan crouched down, patting his head, showing a doting expression.
“When will the future be? How far away?” The little scamp looked at him with pleading eyes, tears welling up, full of reluctance to part.
“Not too far. As long as you become strong enough, able to cross the starry sky on your own strength, you can come find me anytime,” Ye Fan comforted him, pinching his little face.
“I will become very strong, just like Master Uncle, and defeat the people of the Heavenly Hegemon Blood lineage, suppressing all enemies,” Yang Xi said earnestly, clenching his small fists.
Ye Fan smiled, saying: “Hurry and grow strong then. Who knows, one day you might really need to fight alongside me.”
“Definitely!” Though the little scamp said this, when the moment of parting came he still burst into tears, and very sadly, wiping his eyes repeatedly, waving frantically at him while crying out.
“Let’s go.” Ye Fan rode across the starry sky, taking the twelve Sacred Ones with him, leaving the human race’s Fiftieth City.
They arrived in the starry sky, lingering for several days before the ruins of the ancient Heavenly Court array formations. Ye Fan studied them carefully, and in the end even dug out several formation arrays.
The Divine Light Platform flickered, its surface covered in mottled patterns, spilling wisps of immortal radiance. Ye Fan and the others transformed into a blazing beam of light, vanishing from that spot, heading directly into the depths of the starry sky.
“Hmm, the Sacred Body should be arriving. He’s marching toward the very front of the ancient path—he should be almost there.”
“That’s right. It’s said he crossed the starry sky several days ago already—he should be near, why hasn’t he shown himself yet?”
“This will get lively. If the young Supremes up ahead learn he’s coming, will they turn back to challenge him?”
These past few days, the front of the ancient path had been abuzz with noise—the Sacred Body was about to arrive, crossing dozens of cities ahead of schedule, becoming the hot topic people discussed.
The Star Ruins—a place with countless fragments of shattered stars, like an abandoned wasteland, the burial ground of stars.
True to its name, the Star Ruins had one continent after another floating within it, most lacking vitality, appearing quite unusual in the dark universe.
This was a vast and mysterious ancient star region. Over all these years, it had drawn cultivators from all directions to converge and rush here.
Within the Star Ruins lay the mausoleums of ancient Emperors. Every cultivator wished to obtain the fortune found here—people came and went, and no one knew how much blood had been spilled outside these lands, bones buried here.
Among them, a dozen or so continents were most renowned. Over the years, young Supremes had come and gone many times, repeatedly attempting to breach them, wanting to open them, confirmed to contain the secrets of Emperors.
Ruins City, the center of this star region, lay among the dozen or so Emperor continents, not very far from any of them.
The starry sky was silent, yet this city had always been bustling, never lacking for powerhouses. Over the years, too many soul-stirring great battles had taken place here.
This day, wisps of blazing lightning appeared outside the city, the starry universe torn apart, a divine platform emitting dazzling light, flying out from the void.
Atop it stood a man with a calm expression, behind him a group of Sacred Ones—some ancient beasts, some of other races, all fierce and unruly, supremely powerful beyond compare, surging with heaven-flooding blood energy.
“We’ve arrived. This star region—this should be the legendary Ruins City.” Ye Fan had arrived, dressed in blue robes, stepping upon starlight, gazing at the ancient city floating ahead in the universe.
“Huh, who is that person? He didn’t come out of the altar formation array—he can cross the star region on his own.”
“This… could this be the Sacred Body everyone’s been discussing? Counting the time, he should be appearing now!”
Two cultivators returning from outside the region, about to enter the ancient city, happened to see Ye Fan and his group, immediately widening their eyes.
They sensed that the Star Ruins was about to grow lively—a controversial figure of terrifying potential had appeared, and great turbulence would likely follow.