Beneath the Bodhi tree, Ye Fan’s true body sat cross-legged. Behind him, the human figure formed from condensed blood and vital energy extended its limbs. Each time it moved, ten thousand scriptures resonated in unison and the stars of the heavens manifested across the sky.

The Emperor’s Fist was undergoing nirvana, gradually taking form. Its power had barely revealed the tip of the iceberg, yet it had already moved both Pang Bo and Ji Haoyue. This was without question a supreme secret art — a true invincible Dao.

BOOM!

The illusory Ye Fan threw a punch. Flames surged to the heavens as a Vermillion Bird cried out, flying free from the blazing punch, scorching half the sky to cinders.

Next, he struck with both fists simultaneously — left hand grasping the sun, right hand seizing the moon — like an ancient heavenly god descending, everywhere brilliant with light, his divine power covering all the ages, shaking the four wilds.

The golden source-heaven formation array and the void divine markings were disintegrating. The Heaven-Deceiving formation markings had also dimmed. The materials used to construct the array cracked and crumbled. This area was about to be completely exposed to the world.

“Ye Fan’s time in enlightenment has truly stretched too long — thirty years without awakening. If this continues, there will surely be complications,” Pang Bo murmured. He feared that prolonged delay would invite disaster.

Once the great array scattered, there would be no secrets to speak of. Very likely many enemies would arrive.

Ji Haoyue and Ji Ziyue joined forces to deploy the formation arrays from the Void Emperor Scripture, but the effect was limited. The supreme divine array for concealing vital-force auras was the Heaven-Deceiving formation markings — and all of those had been destroyed.

Beneath the Bodhi tree, Ye Fan’s true body wore a tranquil and serene expression. But the illusory body formed from golden blood and vital energy charged like a ferocious lion — swallowing ten thousand miles with its spirit, striking with broad and sweeping movements, manifesting a supreme fist-meaning to the fullest possible extent, shaking all eight directions!

“There is still something lacking — it needs time. There is no way to gain full comprehension of these boundless divine and demonic runes in a short time,” Ji Ziyue said quietly, with some concern.

The figure formed from that golden blood and vital energy manifested the fist technique — like an iron source-block being hammered in a furnace. It flew up into mid-air and threw its punches among the tens of thousands of runes.

This was a grand spectacle: a thousand great Daos, ten thousand divine principles, ringing out without cease, clanging and resounding without end.

“The Emperor’s Fist undergoes nirvana, transcending all techniques in the world!” Pang Bo also watched with close attention.

Ten thousand Daos across all the heavens, the runes of various divine beings and demons all manifesting at once — transforming into the world’s most terrifying flames, refining that fist-meaning. At one moment supremely firm, at another supremely soft, at yet another centered and harmonious.

Though Ye Fan’s true body sat beneath the tree, rumbling thunder also transmitted from within his body. His blood surged like a great river in flood, then like a vast sea rising and falling — deafening to the ears.

Upon his body’s surface, various scriptures began appearing, engraving indestructible marks. His two hands in particular were dazzlingly resplendent. Though his true body had not yet moved, it already exuded a mighty power that could sweep through the nine layers of heaven.

Ye Fan was like a human-shaped true dragon in deep slumber, liable to awaken at any moment — and then soar ninety thousand miles, look down upon ten thousand domains, and suppress all enemies in the world!

“Not good — I sense a terrifying fluctuation. Someone is coming!”

“Quickly dig out the Qilin divine medicine and keep it safe — we must prevent it from being seized.”

Ji Haoyue, Pang Bo, Long Ma, and the others all felt their hearts sink. They sensed a surging wave of blood and vital energy — a peerless and powerful being was closing in, nearly arriving.

Indeed, the distant sky resembled an immense surging ocean, with raging waves sweeping forward. It was the vital-force aura of a supremely powerful being — vast and unfathomable, as though the nine heavens were pressing downward.

Ji Ziyue dismantled the formation array, seized the Qilin Immortality Medicine — suffused with violet energy and crystalline throughout its body — and put it away, concealing the spiritual aura of the precious medicine from this place.

“What do we do? Ye Fan has not yet awakened, and the Bodhi tree cannot easily be put away.”

“Ye Fan once said that if something happened we could wake him immediately, and if truly necessary we could take him away directly.”

“This has been thirty years — he has reached the most critical moment of enlightenment. He cannot be disturbed. Otherwise, everything could be ruined.”

Everyone was anxious. According to Ye Fan’s instructions, no matter what happened, everyone’s safety came first and they were to wake him directly. But the group was reluctant to interrupt his enlightenment.

“Let us hold on a little while — I believe he will succeed very soon,” Ji Ziyue said with firm resolve.

Thirty years of painstaking effort had gone into this. The techniques manifested in his mind numbered unknown — certainly tens of thousands of times over. If interrupted now, that would be truly heartbreaking — an enormous setback.

“He is only a thread away. I believe Ye Fan will succeed soon,” Pang Bo also said solemnly.

“We will fight for it — hold them off a while!” Ji Haoyue’s expression was grave. His cultivation had grown ever deeper over the years, and he now possessed a terrifying and great dignity.

“Roar…” A beast’s shriek rang out — shattering the earth — and on the horizon appeared a blood lion. Its entire body looked as though carved from blood-diamonds, its crimson eyes staring fixedly in this direction.

“Extraordinarily powerful. Is this the mount of some Great Sage? The hostility is too intense,” Pang Bo said with a furrowed brow.

“No. This is a Beast King. It chose not to cultivate a human form — like us,” Long Ma said in a low voice.

They immediately realized that far too much had changed in the outside world over these thirty years. Even more powerful beings from beyond the domain had arrived — this was clearly a young supreme being from some ancient domain.

It was not Sang Gu who arrived first, nor was it the Great Lord of the Golden Serpent who descended. Instead, a terrifying ancient beast never seen before appeared — filled with powerful hostility, staring at the Bodhi tree.

This precious tree was too special. Even from a great distance it was obvious this must be a divine tree. All over its leaves swayed and trembled, like the sound of chanted scripture — deeply stirring.

The blood lion let out a great roar and struck first. From its mouth it spat out a sky full of crimson light — a battle spear that appeared as though it had been dipped in divine blood, emanating the vital-force aura of a divine being, ringing out crisply. In an instant it extended for dozens of miles.

This was no battle spear at all — it was practically a blood-colored mountain range. Rather than say it was thrust forward, it was more accurate to say it came crashing down from all directions in an overwhelming tide.

“Rise!”

Ji Haoyue advanced to meet the enemy. Behind him, a vast sea of immeasurable magnitude surged — the tides swelling within that deep blue sea as a bright moon rose, scattering pure and brilliant light, rising to meet the blood spear.

This full moon was like the hand of a god. With a resounding clang it instantly halted the battle spear in place. One streak of divine radiance after another erupted from that point, and then it suddenly exploded.

The crimson battle spear flew back, hovering in the space above the blood lion’s head. Ten thousand threads of primordial chaos-energy cascaded downward in a haze, swallowing its body — only a pair of blood-red eyes remained, extraordinarily soul-shaking.

“This ancient beast is extraordinarily powerful — it has reached the eighth layer of Saint-King heaven. Far more terrifying than the young supreme beings we encountered thirty years ago!” Long Ma said.

And this was only the beginning. Heaven only knew what other powerful beings would come next. Every person present felt their heart sink. Today might very well bring a world-shaking blood-battle!

The blood lion struck again — reaching out one enormous claw to swipe downward. It extended forty-some miles, going straight for the Bodhi tree and the Ye Fan beneath it.

Ji Haoyue transformed into a beam of divine light and shot skyward to engage the blood lion. Behind him, a vast sea of immeasurable size rolled up ten thousand layers of crashing waves — any weapon that fell into it would be dissolved.

“How many moves do you think the Divine King would need to deal with this blood lion?” Pang Bo asked.

“At least a hundred exchanges, surely. This is, after all, the strongest being on an ancient path — and as a primordial exotic species, its potential is boundless,” Long Ma said.

The result, however, defied expectations. Ji Haoyue activated the Heavenly Evolution Divine Art unique to his divine physique lineage, performed intricate calculations, and then decisively unleashed a great art of slaughter.

In just ten exchanges, Ji Haoyue smelted the void and imprisoned the blood lion — only for a brief instant, but he grasped the battle opportunity with pinpoint precision. He surged forward in a single rush, and with a sharp sound he tore it apart into two halves. Blood flew and scattered.

The Divine King’s black hair flew wildly, his eyes like two blinding bolts of lightning. Dominant across all the world, his peerless divine power was fully on display — a surging momentum that swallowed the nine heavens, cleanly and decisively tearing the beast apart with his bare hands.

It was dead — a powerful young supreme being just like that torn in half by the Divine King with his bare hands, blood dripping and fresh!

“We have not met for many years, yet brother Haoyue’s bearing surpasses what it once was,” Pang Bo said — a sincere exclamation from the heart. In those days in the Northern Dipper, who did not know the name of the Ji Family’s divine physique? Renowned throughout heaven — and now walking the ancient path among the stars, it still dominated the eight wastes.

Suddenly Pang Bo turned his head, gazing into the distance. Powerful vital-force auras of great enemies appeared one after another. This time it was not just one — but a whole company!

Ji Haoyue and the others all felt their hearts sink, expressions turning solemn.

“There is actually an Immortality Tree — inconceivable. It shall belong to me!” This person was exceedingly domineering, surveying all ten directions, the first to step forward.

This was a demonic ape with a human physique — yet its entire body was covered in green scales. Its head resembled that of an ape, with a flood-dragon horn growing from the crown of its skull, a wide mouth with protruding fangs, and a ferocious appearance.

Of course, though this one was arrogant, it was not what worried Pang Bo and the others most. What they were truly concerned about was that a number of old powerful enemies had all appeared!

From due west, the Gold-Devouring Beast and the Bronze Ant King arrived together with eight or nine others — killing intent rolling like surging waves, thunder shaking the heavens.

From due south, there was only one person: the Corpse-Fiend. Death-energy flooded the sky. His entire body was black as pitch. He planted his feet upon the earth, and all the cadaverous malevolent energy of the Divine Demon Burial Ground poured into his body.

From the northwest, the Heaven-Devouring Beast strode through a sea of blood — like a world-destroying beast sovereign. Its enormous body pressed down upon people until they felt they could not breathe.

From due east, Sang Gu appeared. As the descendant of primordial divine beings and demons, he was more sensitive to this burial ground than anyone — the first to have rushed here, yet only appearing at this moment.

Ye Fan’s enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree had created far too great a disturbance. Ten thousand scriptures resonated in unison, three thousand Dao runes manifested, tempering his fist-meaning — and it had alarmed every great enemy in the Divine Demon Ridge!

Even in ordinary times, everyone else wanted to kill him. All the more so at this critical moment — no one wished him to live. And moreover, nearby, a precious tree radiated green light. Its leaves turned and rustled, like the recitation of scripture — deeply stirring — causing everyone to covet it.

“I’ll go and eliminate one first!” Pang Bo struck out, charging at the demonic ape — for this young supreme being, who had arrived on the far shore in later times, was already charging forward.

It had never experienced the era when Ye Fan lorded over all rivals. It considered itself supreme within its domain and nearly undefeatable among its generation, and was the first unable to contain itself — rushing toward the Bodhi tree.

This was a great collision — like a comet crashing into the earth, stirring up ten thousand layers of billowing waves. Light tore open the vault of the sky, causing the mountains of the Divine Demon Burial Ground to ring and tremble.

Those were the corpses of divine beings and demons, screaming!

Pang Bo had spent years cultivating the Dao, with few opportunities to kill. Yet today his killing intent was like an ocean. A dragon-shaped flame of light burst from the crown of his head, penetrating heaven and earth above and below!

He was more ferocious than any divine being or demon — his body over ten feet tall carrying overwhelming fluctuations as he battled the demonic ape in fierce, brutal combat.

Wide-mouthed and fang-bearing, this “demonic” ape — the word demon in its name spoke to how terrifying it was and how powerful its physique — yet at this moment blood poured from its mouth and nose as Pang Bo’s blows shook its seven orifices open.

The demonic ape was like something crushed under a great mountain. After only ten-some exchanges, the bones throughout its body had broken in eight or nine places.

If the demonic ape could be called a human-shaped violent ape, then the magnificently powerful figure opposite it was a human-shaped violent dragon!

“Ahh…”

The demonic ape screamed in agony. Half of its head was slapped away by Pang Bo’s palm — the size of a fan. Red blood and white brain-matter mixed and splattered, like ten thousand peach blossoms blooming.

The Azure Emperor’s Dragon-Seizing Art!

This was a technique Pang Bo had been comprehending for over a hundred years — the peerless secret art left behind by the Azure Emperor, said to be capable of seizing and slaying the true Vermillion Bird, Dragon, Roc, and Immortal Phoenix of the immortal realm.

Pang Bo spun once, sweeping his right leg horizontally. The demonic ape was cleaved into four separate pieces. Crimson blood-rain cascaded down, body and original spirit vanishing forever.

Beneath the Bodhi tree, Ye Fan had still not risen. Still as bedrock, he comprehended his own Dharma, manifesting the supreme Emperor’s Fist — and from nirvana emerged an invincible fist-meaning!

The enemies grew more and more numerous. The Great Lord of the Golden Serpent surveyed all eight directions with disdain, crossing over to arrive. His eyes were unutterably cold. Behind him, in addition to the Fourth Lord of the Golden Serpent, there were another eight or nine people — a powerful combination.

And from another direction, Emperor Tian, the Great Demon God, and Xin Lan also appeared — all wearing expressions of cold indifference.

This place was surrounded. The Nine-Eyed Jade Toad, the Ancient Golden Roc, the White-Haired Heavenly Wolf, and other exotic divine and demonic beings — one supreme being after another from foreign domains, all with blood and vital energy flooding the sky — numbering in the tens, appearing one after another, gazing coldly ahead.