A gentle breeze caressed his face, and the bamboo grove in the courtyard rustled softly. The sky was darkening, with fiery clouds scattered across it. The last light of the setting sun stained the trees and rooftiles red — this place was quiet and harmonious.

Ye Fan pulled out the wooden stopper of the purple gourd. Immediately a clear fragrance drifted out, and within moments the entire garden was filled with sweet perfume. Immortal energy drifted like mist and rosy clouds — intoxicating to both body and mind.

He quickly confirmed it: this was stronger than the evolution fluid he had seized from the violet-eyed young woman and her companions. The liquid was crystalline, its fragrance hazy and captivating — giving one the illusion of being about to ascend and become an immortal.

“Truly worthy of a refinement method drawn from the way ancient divine beings refined immortal elixirs — and achieved in just a few months at that!”

Ordinary people taking evolution fluid needed careful preparation — body and spirit needed to be brought to their most peak state, followed by concentrated focus, guarding the Dao heart with unwavering resolve. A single mistake could bring severe consequences.

This preparatory process could not be rushed and could not have the slightest flaw — otherwise all previous efforts would be wasted and the sacred fluid squandered.

For Ye Fan, however, there were far fewer such concerns. He was different from the people of the Eternal Realm. He focused on excavating the body’s hidden treasures and nurturing the primordial spirit — he rarely relied on external instruments and could begin at any time.

“Truly worthy of the divine materials melted together — the Fated Rock of Heaven, the Dried Vine Core of the Fallen Star, the Primordial Life Stone among the primary ingredients. Now refined into liquid form, the divine efficacy is nothing short of extraordinary!”

In the second half of the night, the garden fell utterly still. Only moonlight like clear water poured down, causing wisps of pure white mist to rise from the bamboo courtyard — elegant and mysterious.

Ye Fan poured a small drop of the sacred fluid into his palm. Immediately it transformed into a stream of clear energy that circled his body and seeped in through his pores, causing his flesh and blood to tremble. The sound of rolling thunder resonated within him — as though undergoing a special body technique training.

This was merely a first taste — a test. He felt the effect was remarkable, and this needed to be approached with seriousness and care.

The courtyard had long since been prepared with a jade pool. Ye Fan sat cross-legged within it, took out the purple gourd, and prepared to pour all the evolution fluid out into the pool for absorption and refinement.

The purple gourd appeared small — it was the fruit of a sacred vine, barely more than half a chi long. But within it was stored a substantial amount of sacred fluid, inscribed with spatial laws. It was enough to fill half the jade pool.

The Fated Rock of Heaven, the Dried Vine Core of the Fallen Star, and the others had dissolved their effective components. The liquid was an incarnation of heaven and earth’s spiritual energy, and the true essence within it was drawn from the most refined and pure substance dwelling within the Primordial Life Stone.

“If this produces a miraculous effect on me — allowing me to break through to the next level — then the Eternal Realm will be my place of awakening to the Dao!” Ye Fan murmured.

Suddenly, a strange cold laugh drifted over. The clear bright moon in the sky was blocked by a dark cloud, and the courtyard instantly turned icy.

The white moonlight vanished. The sacred, pure aura was completely swept away. The bamboo grove turned dark and sinister — pitch black. Someone had used great power to seal the bamboo garden, flooding it with a cold and murderous intent.

In the darkness, a silver-white silhouette appeared — striking and conspicuous against the black mist, the only source of brightness in the pitch-dark garden.

This was an elderly man with a tuft of goatee beard, silver pupils, and a body withered and scrawny as a dried-out tree branch that had taken on a life of its own.

Though he appeared short and gaunt, he was brimming with spirit and energy. In particular, his pair of eyes blazed like two lantern flames, difficult to look at directly. He wore silver metallic armor that gleamed and shimmered, strikingly bright in the night.

“Who are you, and why have you broken into my dwelling?” Ye Fan asked in a stern voice, his eyes fixed on this person. He also stored away the purple gourd, choosing not to pour out the evolution fluid.

“Impressive young man — your cultivation runs deep. Not only the Immortal Feather Star Sea, but in time you may claim a place within the Eternal Realm itself.” His silver pupils shimmered with flowing divine light, utterly composed. He walked to the stone table and chairs in the garden and sat down as though he owned the place.

In this bamboo garden, he behaved as though he were the host and Ye Fan were the visitor. His voice was resonant and penetrating, like the hum of a bronze bell: “Come and kneel before me — this old one has a sympathetic eye for talent, and I have a bright road to show you.”

Ye Fan’s expression turned cold. He stared at the man with flat indifference and said nothing. The atmosphere in the bamboo garden immediately became deeply peculiar.

“What — you do not believe what I say?” The silver-pupiled elder said casually, pouring himself a cup of tea and taking a light sip.

“What is your relationship to Xuanmo?” Ye Fan asked.

“He is my grand-nephew.” The elder set down his teacup, tapping the stone table lightly with one finger at a steady rhythm.

“No wonder. Have you come to settle accounts on his behalf?” Ye Fan said coldly.

Xuanmo had provoked the fight, intending to stomp down on his skull. He had not expected to end up being the one tormented instead — thrown about and hammered into the ground by Ye Fan, stomped on repeatedly with a foot to the face until his cheekbones and forehead were shattered.

“Young man, when one becomes too prominent, it is easy to suffer greatly — and even easier to die young. The so-called outstanding talents are all early to their graves — or rather, killed by others’ hands.” The silver-pupiled elder said in a tone that was neither warm nor cold.

“By that reasoning, you must be utterly worthless — which is why you’ve managed to live until now?” Ye Fan sneered.

“Quite a sharp tongue — people like that die the fastest. I rather think you may not live to see tomorrow morning’s sun!” The elder said darkly.

Ye Fan did not reply. He suddenly moved instead — transforming into a bolt of lightning and charging at the elder. He had sensed the danger and had no desire to let his opponent make the first move. He struck first with lethal intent.

He flew sideways across the room, pressing both palms forward, as though a golden heavenly stele were descending in suppression. The silver-pupiled elder’s face changed. His silver-white metal battle armor lit up and rapidly expanded, becoming a silver giant of cast metal, towering several zhang high.

Clang!

Ye Fan’s palm struck against the alloy body, leaving two shallow handprints on its surface with a piercing sound — yet without causing any damage.

He was forced to step back. His eyes shone brilliantly, shooting forth two beams of light over ten zhang long, fixed on the metal battle armor.

“Such a powerful physical body — beyond my imagination. I nearly underestimated you. But your struggle is futile — you have no chance whatsoever!” The silver-pupiled elder said, clearly shaken.

The silver-white metal figure emitted waves of sacred instrument fluctuations — terrifying beyond measure — as it began to fully awaken!

This was a Saint’s mechanized armor. It was not enormously large, and not as overwhelmingly terrifying as a sacred warship, but it had crossed into the sacred threshold. For close combat, it was terrifyingly effective.

Such sacred instruments were few in number and extraordinarily difficult to forge. Even super-powerful factions possessed very few of them — only the most important individuals could be entrusted with their control.

“Hey — Ye Fan, weren’t you so arrogant? Let me see how you escape this calamity today!” From a distance came Xuanmo’s voice, radiating bone-deep hatred.

This was clearly a revenge visit. Xuanmo had brought his grand-uncle. Unless one had achieved Sainthood, who could resist this with only their physical body? Xuanmo stood at a distance, his face etched with bone-deep cold menace. He had suffered greatly not long before, and now he had come to repay it.

“Young man, present the ultimate bloodline evolution fluid in your hand — and I will grant you a dignified death.” The silver-white armor’s interior carried the elder’s voice.

Xuanmo laughed with savage cruelty from his position at a distance: “You’ve obtained a spot and wanted to break through tonight — and I am here at this critical moment precisely to interrupt you. I will seize your sacred fluid and make you watch helplessly, completely powerless to stop me!”

He was deeply versed in the art of tormenting people. For anyone else, to have their precious fluid snatched away at such a critical moment would be enough to drive them mad.

The silver-pupiled elder and Xuanmo were nothing short of vicious — wanting Ye Fan to feel suffocated with frustration, to die in despair and regret. That was why they had come in the second half of the night.

“You think you have me at your mercy?” A cold smile played at the corner of Ye Fan’s lips.

“No one can save you. This garden is sealed. Unless I die, no one outside will ever know what has happened here. Young man — I send you on your way!” The silver-pupiled elder said.

“Ha ha… ha ha ha…” Xuanmo laughed with arrogant malice, saying in a chilling tone: “Outsider brat — the moment of your death has come. Not long ago you subjected me to unspeakable humiliation, left me unable to raise my head. Now I return it to you a hundredfold. I will refine your skull into an exquisite ring and wear it on my finger as a trophy!”

The silver-pupiled elder seemed unwilling to create too great a commotion and launched directly into a killing assault. The armor was not enormous, but it was supremely agile, wielding a large silver sword in hand.

“The armor had not awakened before — now come and try again!” He closed in for a melee kill. In this world, without achieving Sainthood, no one could withstand this war figure with only their physical body.

Ye Fan’s face changed. This was a sacred-level fluctuation — a true sacred instrument had awakened. The silver greatsword was peerlessly sharp, with tens of thousands of threads of Dao markings, a vast expanse of white.

Moreover, the elder himself was a fully accomplished king — a near half-Saint existence. Driving this sacred mechanized armor, he was in complete command of it, controlling its power with consummate mastery, not wasting a single thread of divine strength. An endless expanse of Dao markings and sword energy all converged upon Ye Fan.

Ye Fan acted decisively. His true body entered the stone cocoon. Overhead hung one black sacred arrow, and in his left hand he held another — double protection. At the same time, his right hand gripped the battered-looking green cauldron, and he transformed into a bolt of lightning that crashed into the silver battle armor.

Clang!

The green bronze cauldron struck that large silver sword. Though the cauldron showed no fluctuations, no Dao divine markings on its surface, and had not awakened — it nonetheless shattered the greatsword in two!

Rumble!

Moreover, the green cauldron’s momentum did not falter. Swung by Ye Fan, it moved like a green streak of light and struck the chest of the silver-white metal battle armor — piercing straight through it.

Ye Fan pressed his advantage without mercy. He had precious few opportunities here. If any distance opened between them, his opponent could use the armor to project Saint-level divine power. If others were alerted, it would bring him great calamity.

He had to seize this most precious opportunity and kill his opponent!

Both sides, it could be said, had no desire to make a large commotion. They had launched straight into full combat from the very start, each wanting to resolve the fight in the shortest possible time, each relying on the strength of their own solid battle-body.

But now, the silver-pupiled elder was filled with regret. This was a monster — without sacred-level divine power, he nonetheless possessed a sacred-level body. And the green cauldron in his hand was far too terrifying — it had smashed his sacred mechanized armor to pieces.

Clang!

The sound of metal-on-metal rang out without cease. Ye Fan struck blow after blow, all landing on vital points — causing large holes to appear all over the armor’s body. In recent days, he had comprehensively studied the structure of sacred warships and mechanized armors, understanding precisely where their weaknesses were concentrated.

Crack!

Sparks flew in all directions. Many of the silver-white armor’s Dao markings were destroyed, and the body’s sheen dimmed considerably. The silver-pupiled elder changed color with shock — it had all happened too fast. Never had he once imagined that a Dao Severance cultivator could break through a sacred instrument!

“Your Indestructible Golden Body… your bloodline has fully awakened — it has become one of the most powerful constitutions!” He couldn’t help but cry out.

In the past, only the Primordial Demon Body, the Fan Heavenly Battle Body, and the Supreme Immortal Body could crack sacred instruments barehanded. The person before him had not yet achieved Sainthood and already possessed this kind of power — this was absolutely not someone beyond the tenth-some generation.

Accompanied by a flash of electric radiance, Ye Fan wielded the green bronze cauldron and smashed half the armor’s body to pieces. Dao markings and sparks flew in all directions, as curls of white smoke rose up.

The silver-pupiled elder was so filled with regret that he wanted to ram his head into a wall. He had been far too presumptuous — and just like that, a precious sacred mechanized armor had been destroyed. The loss was beyond calculation.

But this was no moment for hesitation — survival was paramount. He burst out of the armor, tearing open the void to flee.

Ye Fan, however, had absolutely no intention of giving him that chance. This man had come to bully him, and now that the green bronze cauldron was exposed, the elder had to be silenced!

Boom!

He deployed the character formula, transforming into a streak of flowing light. In an instant he was there, seizing the man in one hand.

The silver-pupiled elder was horrified. He was a fully accomplished king — yet he was snatched up like a chick being grabbed by the scruff of its neck, unable to break free.

“Young man, let us talk this through. This old one can give you endless benefits.” The silver-pupiled elder utterly crumbled, his face going pale.

Ye Fan gave a cold laugh, then with a single movement ripped the man’s head clean from his body. Blood spurted in a torrent from the severed neck.

“Stop — do not do this! Kill a fully accomplished king like me and you will face catastrophic trouble!” The silver-pupiled elder’s primordial spirit cried out in terror.

“A fully accomplished king — so what?” Ye Fan’s expression was cold and ruthless. One palm came down — like smashing a watermelon — and that head was reduced to a pool of blood. He had killed the man completely and utterly.