The sages from beyond the outer realm had arrived, descending upon the Eastern Wastelands. This was a momentous event of far-reaching consequence, heralding a coming era of grand and turbulent upheaval.

Where they had come from, no one knew. Yet everyone understood that ancient saints capable of crossing stellar domains were no ordinary figures — they were absolutely world-shaking existences.

Inside the small tavern, the elderly master of the Hall of Extraordinary Figures wore a calm and composed expression, showing not the slightest surprise. He had just pointed to the sky and declared that sages from beyond the outer realm would come, and his words had immediately proven true.

“As for how many Sacred Physiques have passed in and out of the stellar void from here — hmm, I’ve lost count myself. In any case, their experiences have all been quite extraordinary.”

“I want to know — where exactly did they go?” Ye Fan asked.

“They journeyed to a distant ancestral land,” the old sage said. “Countless sages and worthies have fought and bled upon those grounds. Any who have not been bathed in divine blood cannot be counted among the truly strong.”

Ye Fan showed a look of surprise. What kind of place was this? He had never heard of it before — it seemed to be an extraordinary ancient land unlike any other.

“Today, achieving immortality has become the shared pursuit of all the most powerful cultivators,” the old sage said. “Interest in everything else has faded. And yet — who among them will succeed?”

Ji Ziyue, Pang Bo, Ji Haoyue, the Central Emperor, the Western Bodhisattva, the Southern Demon, and others had all departed. But what Ye Fan had not expected was that the old sage also mentioned another name — Yao Guang.

“He went as well… So what remained at the Yao Guang Sacred Ground was not his true body?”

Ye Fan was astonished.

“Only his avatar and Dao body. His true self departed five years ago.” The old sage gave him a definitive answer.

At the same time, he revealed a secret: why the Green Emperor had been able to attain the Dao even after the great transformation of heaven and earth. It was because he had entered that ancestral land through this very place, seizing the creative forces of heaven and earth in defiance of their natural order.

Of course, the Green Emperor had not gone as a disciple of the Hall of Extraordinary Figures — rather, he had “borrowed the road” by force, fighting his way into that stellar domain and undergoing the baptism of countless bloody battles.

“This is a very cruel ancient path,” the old sage said. “What it is truly like, I cannot say — after all, this old one has never experienced it.”

Over the course of these past hundred-thousand-plus years, every ten thousand years a group would set out — as few as one or two, as many over ten. Yet those who actually returned alive were exceedingly rare.

“Over such a vast span of time, several Sacred Physiques made the journey. According to the records, three of them were slain beyond the outer realm, buried in foreign soil, and fell upon that path.”

“So brutal?!” Ye Fan was shaken. In the ancient era before recorded history, a Sacred Physique was an almost invincible constitution — in one’s youth, save for the young Great Emperor, who could compete?

What kind of path was this, where even those mighty Sacred Physiques renowned as undefeatable had bled and died? The perils and horrors of what lay ahead were plain to imagine — no wonder it was called the greatest trial in all of history.

Ye Fan still clearly remembered that years ago, the Black Emperor had told him with great seriousness that the Beginningless Great Emperor had also walked this path — stepping over countless corpses, through rivers of blood, having encountered some extraordinarily powerful adversaries.

Who was the Beginningless? Incomparably mighty — even at a time when he was far from having attained the Dao, no one else could compare. That he had encountered worthy opponents was truly astounding.

Of course, being born in the same era as the Beginningless was an absolute tragedy for those other souls — being defeated was entirely predictable, for he was one of a kind.

Of those who returned alive, the count was small. The Beginningless and the Green Emperor came back. Yet even three Sacred Physiques had died, their blood dried up, their cold bones strewn across the ground.

Ye Fan lingered at the Hall of Extraordinary Figures for several days, then bid farewell and departed, waiting for the ancient path to open six months hence so he could step through the mysterious stellar gate.

In the Eastern Wastelands, the descent of an outer-realm sage sent massive shockwaves through the land — the entire world was abuzz with discussion. The Path to Immortality was about to open, and this world would know peace no longer.

Achieving immortality — the ultimate pursuit of the ancient Great Emperors — yet to this day no one could say clearly whether an immortal domain truly existed, or whether one could truly transcend and ascend.

The Ancient Emperors and the Human Emperors had all foreseen this great era in their calculations, entrusting their hopes to those who would come after. That age had finally arrived.

Wang Xu issued a denial, claiming he had never said he intended to fight Huang Xudao, defeat the Sacred Prince, or suppress the Sacred Physique of the human race — asserting that someone was stirring up trouble.

He did concede, however, that he genuinely wished to exchange pointers with some of the younger powerhouses in order to advance his cultivation.

Wang Xu was the disciple of an outer-realm sage, having descended upon this world together with his master and senior brother. No one knew their origins. It was said they had once been invited as guests by an ancient king of sage-level standing.

Despite Wang Xu’s denial, there were those who still insisted they had heard it with their own ears — that his words had not been false.

Two days later, in the Divine City of the Northern Domain, Huo Qizi and Huo Lin’er — the brother and sister pair — met with Wang Xu over drinks, and the conversation flowed pleasantly.

Yet before even half an hour had passed, the wine pavilion that stood towering in the clouds began to collapse — fracturing from within before crumbling apart entirely, dust and smoke filling the sky.

Many onlookers saw Wang Xu stagger out, his face badly bruised and swollen, his expression as wretched as could be.

“Wang Xu came to blows with an Imperial Prince and came away the worse for it!”

“To survive an Imperial Prince’s hands with nothing more than a battered face — his cultivation is truly impressive.”

Many spoke in hushed tones. Everyone in the Divine City was stunned. The wine pavilion lay in ruins, and Wang Xu’s expression was dark, his face a mass of purple bruises.

“Brother Wang, do take your time leaving — I truly apologize for this. I had not anticipated that another imperial brother would arrive, and it seems there was some misunderstanding between you two.” Huo Lin’er called out from behind him with a smile.

Upon hearing this, people felt puzzled. From the look of things, the Huo Lin siblings had not been responsible — so was there someone else?

Dust and smoke filled the air. People could only make out a blurred silhouette departing in the distance; no one saw who it truly was, and speculation ran rampant.

“Could it be that the Sacred Prince arrived, dissatisfied with his boastful words, and struck Wang Xu down?”

“Most likely. Who else would do such a thing? Only the Sacred Prince would have that level of power.”

“No — that blurry silhouette just now looked like Huang Xudao!”

People were uncertain, but ultimately could not confirm who the shadowy figure had been.

“What does it have to do with me? I simply came at just the right moment.” The Sacred Prince suddenly appeared above the Divine City and swept his iron staff horizontally.

“You—!” Wang Xu was furious and startled. During the drinking session he had already suffered a concealed blow and been suppressed by Huang Xudao, and now he was being blocked by a monkey on top of everything — truly the worst possible luck.

“The real Sacred Prince is here — that person earlier was definitely Huang Xudao!” People suddenly understood.

Above the Divine City, an unexpected clash erupted. The sky shattered, Life Essence boiled and surged, and clouds of radiant mist veiled the sun and moon.

Wang Xu was indeed powerful, but he was still a cut below the Sacred Prince — he couldn’t withstand that black iron staff. He was sent flying on the spot, spitting blood, the lower half of his body a mangled ruin.

The monkey struck and left, too lazy to spare him another glance. He did not take his life. “I thought I could attain enlightenment through battle,” he said. “But you’re nothing more than this.”

“This Wang Xu has truly had the worst luck of eight generations — first suppressed by Huang Xudao, then nearly beaten to death by the Sacred Prince. Did he really think that crossing the stellar void meant he could look down upon this ancient star? He never even stopped to consider who he was provoking.”

People discussed it among themselves; many shook their heads.

“Nothing special. And here I thought he was supposed to be impressive.” Ye Tong was also within the Divine City. Beside him trailed a black cat — Black Emperor transformed in disguise, since he was far too reviled to strut about openly.

Wang Xu had nearly been beaten to death. His soul had been shattered by the impact, the lower half of his body almost entirely gone. He plummeted directly from above the Divine City, nearly slamming into the cobblestone ground below.

Only when he was two zhang from the ground did he manage to stabilize himself. He struggled painfully upward into the sky, casting one last furious glance at the Divine City — this was a place of bitter humiliation that had left him utterly stripped of all face.

“Hey — you’re just leaving like that? I want to ask — did you or did you not say that you intended to defeat the Sacred Prince and suppress the Sacred Physique of the human race?” Ye Tong called out, arms folded across his chest, standing at a distance. He was a strikingly handsome youth, his face bright and radiant.

“So what if I did?!” Wang Xu replied coldly, his expression dark. Everything had gone wrong today.

“What I want to say is — you’re far from good enough. In a few more years, once I sever the Dao, I estimate I could slap you into eight pieces with a single palm.” Ye Tong shook his head.

“How audacious — a mere wet-behind-the-ears brat dares to disrespect me!” Wang Xu flew into a rage on the spot, forgetting all about his master and senior brother’s reprimands and the matter of coming to issue a denial. Having suffered repeated humiliations today, the veins on his forehead bulged.

He sent a palm strike crashing down — the technique of a peak-level Dao Severance powerhouse — naturally fearsome in its momentum, as swift as a divine bolt of lightning.

“Neeigh—!”

A horse’s whinny rang out. A wild horse that didn’t look particularly magnificent came charging forward furiously, lifting Ye Tong onto its back, galloping through the air straight toward Wang Xu.

It was Long Ma, of course — though he had not revealed his true form, concealing his dragon bones and disguising his true appearance, transforming into a wild horse. Otherwise, as a sacred beast that only an ancient Great Emperor could possess, appearing in his true form would be far too conspicuous.

Ye Tong sat upon his back with perfect composure. Long Ma’s innate attack power was extraordinarily high. He flung a hoof forward and roared: “I’ll stomp your lungs in!”

Thud!

Wang Xu was sent flying sideways on the spot — his entire arm nearly shattered, and there was a clear hoofprint across his chest and lungs, having nearly been kicked clean through.

“This appears to be Ye Tong — the disciple of the human race’s Sacred Physique. To think he has come as well.” Someone had guessed at Ye Tong’s identity, visibly startled. In an instant, the attention of everyone within the Divine City was drawn to him.

Wang Xu’s chest burned with rage. Being suppressed by Huang Xudao and the Sacred Prince was one thing — but even some young upstart had the audacity to ride a vicious horse and ram into him. The fury within him was unbearable.

“You are the disciple of the human race’s Sacred Physique? I’ll subdue you first, then go settle accounts with him!”

“Hmph — stop blowing hot air. With just this much ability, you can’t even get past me and the heavenly steed here.” Ye Tong shook his head, a composed smile on his face.

In Wang Xu’s eyes, this was contempt and insult. Huang Xudao and the Sacred Prince had at least come in person — yet the Sacred Physique of the human race was far too arrogant, dispatching only a disciple and a vicious horse as if Wang Xu weren’t even worth his time. It was utterly beneath him.

Wang Xu unleashed his most powerful secret arts, striking with a terrifying blow. Even Long Ma had to be careful, maneuvering around him.

Ye Tong also struck, executing the Solar Divine Art. His entire body blazed with light like a brilliant sun, then he unleashed an Emperor-level secret art and swept forward.

“Truly bearing the bearing of the Sacred Physique in his prime — very much like Ye Fan of old, brimming with divine valor!” Many onlookers praised him.

Thud!

Long Ma attacked, lashing out with a kick that dismantled Wang Xu’s strongest offensive technique, then carried Ye Tong galloping through the sky, sending Wang Xu hurtling hundreds of zhang away.

Man and steed trod across the heavens. In their wake lay a sea of blood — Wang Xu had been trampled beyond recognition, drenched in blood, bones exposed, his lungs stomped clean through by the hooves.

“With the human race’s Sacred Physique yet to appear, his disciple alone has already dealt with Wang Xu. Truly…”

“I hear this Ye Tong has no betrothal yet. He is certain to be a second Ye Fan in the future — this would be a fine time to arrange a marriage alliance.” Many among the great sects were moved. Quite a few gazes were filled with admiration and great expectation for this youth who had grown so impressively.

Wang Xu was consumed with hatred. For the Sacred Physique of the human race to not even show himself — instead sending one disciple and a vicious horse to gravely injure him — was the greatest humiliation imaginable.

“My master’s lineage is no weaker than any other. We inherit an unparalleled technique of this world. We will come back to reclaim this debt!” He departed, his heart full of bitter resentment.

Yet this was truly an injustice to Ye Fan. He had only just arrived in the Eastern Wastelands and had arranged none of this — he had no idea whatsoever that any of it had taken place.