Eternal Azure Gold!
A piece of metal no larger than a palm shimmered with a mysterious luster — a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times more dreamlike than the finest blue sapphire. One look, and the eyes could hardly be drawn away.
This was an Emperor-level divine material — a rare immortal substance reserved exclusively for the Great Emperors of antiquity. Ordinary people could never hope to obtain it.
This was Ye Fan’s first time seeing Eternal Azure Gold. Its radiance was like a beautiful dream, blue light swirling within it like the most brilliant star in all the cosmos.
Yet its bizarre and terrifying qualities were also enough to chill one’s heart. Droplets of blood rolled across its surface — each one a startling and vivid sight, each like a vast ocean in miniature. Should they come rolling down, perhaps they could drown all living things.
“The blood of the Void Great Emperor…” Ye Fan murmured to himself. His gaze held reverence, and also shock and bewilderment as he studied it carefully.
Without question, this Eternal Azure Gold was merely a fragment — a corner of a weapon, broken off. It was stained with the blood of the Void Great Emperor, having fallen from the Ji Family’s ancestral hall.
These circumstances invited endless speculation — and wave after wave of alarm. The Void Great Emperor had sustained an injury. A fragment had remained lodged within his body.
More than a hundred thousand years had passed. The aura contained within these few drops of supreme Emperor’s blood had already dissipated, and the azure gold itself had worn away the resonance of the Dao within them. As a result, they were no longer overwhelming — they could be approached.
“Within this Eternal Azure Gold there are fragments of divine consciousness. They have tainted Wang Teng’s soul. I do not wish for it to continue bringing harm to the world — I intend to cast it into the divine lake, and use the Disorder Ancient Great Emperor’s tomb gate to suppress it forever.”
The crane spoke, having no intention of giving this rare Emperor’s weapon and immortal material to Ye Fan. It feared this would give rise to great disaster, and chose to seal it away for eternity.
“Let the events of those years disperse with the wind, and let them not affect those who come after.”
Thud!
The old crane finished speaking and cast the Eternal Azure Gold into the lake. Water splashed high into the air, then surged skyward. The crane spread its wings and cried out, soaring into the sky.
“In a thousand years, the new generation of the Disorder Ancient Great Emperor’s successor will appear in the world — washing away all taint and radiating the most brilliant light.”
Ye Fan walked out of the great Gobi Desert. He looked back one final time, then disappeared into the boundless steppe. In his hand he held a piece of ancient wood. No trace of light gleamed from its surface. When he tapped it, it rang with a clear metallic note.
“The Qian character secret is connected to this thing — and yet there is nothing unusual about it that I can perceive…” He could not help but murmur to himself.
Following the old crane’s hint, this piece of ancient wood was of immense importance. Should it be destroyed, the lineage of the Qian character formula among the Nine Secret Arts would be completely severed.
Ye Fan studied it for a long while and found not even a single thread of a Dao trace. In the end he put it away carefully. Some scriptures could not be comprehended until the right moment arrived — it was all a matter of fate and opportunity.
He left the Northern Plains, crossed through a domain gate, and entered the Central Region alone, heading toward the Hall of Extraordinary Individuals. He wished to investigate the ancient starry path that led beyond the domain.
“Where exactly is this so-called greatest trial in all of history taking place?”
In recent days, the Eastern Desolation had been convulsed with great upheaval. The Heaven Prince had been slain. The Eight Divine Generals had been wiped out. The Kunzhou Great Sage had been killed. It was as though a great embankment had burst open, sending torrents of water surging downward.
Every person across the Eastern Desolation was discussing it. The entire world was paying attention. Though the Holy Emperor’s Son had taken all responsibility upon himself, people knew well that a mysterious individual had been the one to cut down the Heaven Prince.
Who was this person? Everyone across the Five Domains wanted to know — this had become the burning question of the age. The world speculated that Ye Fan must have returned.
Now, every corner of the Eastern Desolation was unsettled. One great battle had drawn to a close, but its ripples were only just beginning.
Though the Victorious Fighting Buddha had wielded his great power and forcibly imposed a restraint — barring sage-level ancient kings from personally moving against him — he had, after all, already returned to Mount Sumeru. When he might descend the mountain again was anyone’s guess.
Many wished to find Ye Fan — especially the ancient clans, who hoped to learn the world he had gone to and what secrets it held.
During the battle at the ancestral temple in the Central Region years ago, no one had managed to find the green cauldron. People had reason to believe that the ultimate five-colored altar might hold secrets related to it.
In the end, only Ye Fan had used that stellar realm gate to depart. No one else had been able to board it. Many among the ancient clans wanted to understand whether there was a connection.
“It need not necessarily be Ye Fan. Now that the sages from beyond the domain are coming and the path to immortality is about to open, it could well be a disciple of some sage from beyond the domain.”
Of course, not everyone held that view. Some cultivators speculated that perhaps it had been some other visitor from beyond the domain.
“Impossible. It was absolutely the human Holy Physique who returned. Otherwise, why would he have acted together with the Holy Emperor’s Son? Even that wretched great black dog appeared!”
The vast majority were certain — it was absolutely the human Holy Physique who had come back. The moment he arrived on this ancient star, he had done something that shook all under heaven, slaying the Heaven Prince. That was undeniably earth-shattering.
In the Eastern Desolation, in street and alley alike — wherever there were cultivators to be found — all conversation revolved around matters related to Ye Fan.
The same was true in the Central Region, the Southern Ridge, and the Western Desert. In recent days, everyone had been speculating about where he had gone and when he would reveal himself.
“The human Holy Physique is too powerful — he even killed the Heaven Prince. The Void Dao, Huo Qizi, and the others could not stop the tragedy. What a catastrophe.”
“Hmph. I imagine he has not had an easy time of it these past days either. Even if the Victorious Fighting Buddha has spoken and sage-level ancient kings are barred from moving against him — I refuse to believe none would dare take a risk in secret!”
“That is true. The Undying Heaven Emperor is a divine being revered by ten thousand races. To kill the Heaven Prince with one’s own hands, and then to forbid all retaliation — there must be sage-level ancient kings who burn with fury within, and even if they dare not come openly, would they not go after him in secret?”
“Indeed. He holds the secret of crossing the stellar domain. He knows of a mysterious ancient star of life. Setting all else aside — on that account alone, ancient kings would go looking for him.”
In recent days, Ye Fan had left the Eastern Desolation, and all factions had dispatched their people. Every one of them was searching for him, all wishing to find him first.
When no sage is present, who can contend for supremacy?
This was the common understanding. In this age without sages, there were likely very few who could stand as Ye Fan’s equal. The Heaven Prince had been slain — that was a glorious achievement difficult to surpass.
The Void Dao, Ji Zi, the Holy Emperor’s Son, and those of their stature were among the very few who could be spoken of in the same breath as him now. Unless powerful figures from beyond the domain descended, who could be his enemy?
Ye Fan arrived at the Hall of Extraordinary Individuals, keeping a low profile as he entered. He did not wish to be recognized. In these turbulent times, there was no way to know how many people were trying to drag him into the open.
Many years had passed. The Hall of Extraordinary Individuals had not changed greatly. It was situated within the mountains of densest spiritual energy, tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of layers of purple mist stretching above it, immortal light curling and floating, a magnificent and breathtaking sight of boundless variety.
Orchids took root atop stone peaks. An ancient flood dragon sported in the deep pools. Simurgh birds circled beyond jade towers and crystal pavilions. Ancient qilin beasts rested alone before stone platforms.
So many years had passed. The cultivators who had stayed behind in the Hall had long since made names for themselves across the world. They had nearly all grown and matured, gradually replacing the elder generation.
In this age when heaven and earth were changing and the great Dao’s laws were beginning to reveal themselves, so long as one strove upward, those of exceptional and heavenly talent would always shine — everyone could carve out a corner of the world for themselves.
Returning to this place of old, Ye Fan observed everything in the Hall of Extraordinary Individuals, feeling a measure of nostalgia. Ji Ziyue, Pang Bo, Zhong Huang — one after another they had gone far away. Wang Teng had even died at his own hands. The strong were departing, no longer in this world.
“Where exactly have they gone to? Why is it called the greatest trial in all of history?”
Ye Fan walked onward, heading toward the closed-retreat location of the Hall’s master. Having cultivated to this level, he felt ever more strongly that the Hall of Extraordinary Individuals was unfathomable — every arrangement within it had its profound purpose.
Stone mountains rose and fell, fine peaks stretched in clusters, and dragon energy surged upward from the earth. Every outstanding disciple could have a mountain peak as their place of closed retreat.
A winding ancient path had existed for who knew how many tens of thousands of years. It seemed very short, yet could never be walked to its end.
“Our generation… the dead have died, the vanished have vanished. Among the brilliant extraordinary figures who defied heaven in those years, very few remain.”
Tea houses and small taverns were set along the roadside, built into the mountainsides. Disciples and cultivators of the Hall of Extraordinary Individuals sat within, discussing the state of the world under heaven.
“Do you think it was truly the Holy Physique who returned? He was truly too powerful — even the Heaven Prince was slain. Who under heaven could be his enemy?”
“Hmm, have you heard? Someone spotted Wang Teng in the Western Desert — it seems he was killed by the Holy Physique. Several cultivators witnessed that battle from a distance.”
“What? Even Wang Teng is dead? He was the Northern Emperor of his day — one of the foremost figures in the Hall of Extraordinary Individuals, the strongest of the young generation under all heaven, a model for all peers. And just… like that, it’s over.”
Many lamented. A generation’s most outstanding talent had ultimately met such an end. All were shocked by Ye Fan’s power — he had swept through the highest-ranking figures of both the ancient clans and the human race. There was clearly no one who could match him.
“It’s truly hard to believe. More than ten years with no word at all, and upon his return, his combat power had reached such a level. On the road to the Dao, corpses of the strong are plentiful. Holy sons, divine sons, ancient emperor’s sons — one after another they have fallen dead at his feet. I seem to vaguely see a Great Emperor rising.” A cultivator said.
“This… there is truly no one to match him. If the Void Dao and Huo Qizi do not appear, there is no one in this present age who can keep him in check. I wonder when those with ancient emperor bloodlines will face him in battle.”
“In the end he will find it hard to attain the Dao. Who doesn’t know — since ancient times there have only been Holy Physiques that reached great completion, never a precedent of one attaining the Dao. Beyond that, can he evade the sage-level ancient kings? Word has it the ancient clans are making moves — some may be planning to act in secret.”
Ye Fan heard their conversations, and his brow furrowed slightly in the shadows. Even so, he was not particularly worried. The incomplete immortal cauldron could obscure the workings of heaven — no one could divine anything about him, and there was no need to fear being found.
“Ahem. You’re here.” The tavern keeper walked out, his cough sounding very aged. He looked at Ye Fan and said these words.
“You are…” Ye Fan was startled and unsure.
“The Hall Master from several generations ago.” The old man said. Cloth in hand, he wiped a table clean, invited Ye Fan to sit, and set out a pot of aged wine and several dishes of small foods.
Crash, thud!
Beside them, people leaped up in shock and cups and dishes clattered to the floor. A group of people rose to their feet in disbelief, staring at this old man.
The proprietor of the small tavern appeared to be in his sixties or seventies — hunched with age, his eyes murky, with not the slightest air of a transcendent being. His hair was sparse and flecked with white.
“Our human race has produced yet another extraordinary Holy Physique. It is truly rare. Some hundred thousand years ago, several Holy Physiques departed from this place. Some became invincible across another stretch of the starry sky, opening up immortal legends. Others encountered Emperor-level beings that shook the ancient cosmos, and bled and buried their bones in foreign lands far beyond the domain.” The old man said.
Ye Fan’s heart gave a sudden jolt. This was absolutely a sage. The world had long since rumored that the Hall Master from several generations ago was an old sage who had hidden himself from the world. To think he would meet him today.
“He really is our… former Hall Master, a great ancient sage!?”
“It’s him. This young man is the Holy Physique — he is Ye Fan. Unbelievable that he truly came back, and has come once again to this immortal hall of the Central Region!”
Everyone was stunned and could not help but rise from their seats. Neither of these two was an ordinary person — whether old or young, the appearance of either one alone could shake all under heaven.
Most especially Ye Fan. If he were to walk out now, the Central Region would seethe, the Eastern Desolation would explode, and cultivators across all the world would be watching — all wishing to find him.
“Come, sit. Let us speak of the path to immortality, talk of the greatest trial in all of history. This old one has been waiting for you for fourteen years.” The old man arranged the bowls and dishes and invited Ye Fan to sit, pouring two cups of wine and raising his in a gesture of invitation.
The others, knowing their place, fell back entirely and stood outside the small tavern.
“Your troubles are not small.” The old sage said.
Ye Fan did not dare be disrespectful. He poured wine for him and addressed his question with great care. “You are referring to the ancient clans?”
“Not only them — there are also those.” The old man pointed toward the sky. “The sages from beyond the domain who are capable of traveling the ancient starry paths and finding their way here — is there a single ordinary one among them? They are nearly here. If their disciples accompany them, there will certainly be some exceptional young figures. You will not be short of opponents.”
Boom!
Suddenly, a great clamor erupted in the distance. It was very loud, and many voices were raised in excitement.
“A major event — a tremendous event! A sage from beyond the domain has descended upon the Eastern Desolation!”
“Word has it this happened two days ago — but the news was suppressed, and has only now reached the Central Region. The visitor from beyond the domain was received by an ancient clan. His disciple wishes to challenge all the outstanding talents of the Eastern Desolation, and then fight all the way to the Central Region. He has named specific targets — he wants to battle the Void Dao, defeat the Holy Emperor’s Son, and suppress the Holy Physique Ye Fan!”