Ye Fan strode forward. In all these years, his expression had never been as agitated as it was now. He walked straight to the base of the tall sacred wall, ran his hand across the carving, and studied it closely.

How many years had Xiao Nannan been missing? More than a hundred!

Back then, he had searched the Eastern Wasteland from one end to the other, traversed the Central Continent, combed the entire world — and still she was nowhere to be found. The poor little girl had vanished as though into thin air, never to be seen again.

It was not that he had no theories. At the very least, his heart was shrouded in a great fog of conjecture about where she might have gone — but he had no coordinates for those places and no way to go and see.

This had been one of Ye Fan’s greatest regrets. He had searched for many years without finding Xiao Nannan, never expecting to encounter her carved likeness here at the human race’s final pass — the shock was overwhelming.

This had been left by a powerful figure — carved with precision and artistry, infused with spirit, as though alive. The little girl’s eyes trembled on the verge of tears, as though she might step out of the stone wall wiping them away at any moment.

In a daze, Ye Fan seemed to hear again that small, timid voice — timorous and childlike.

“Who left this portrait?!” Pang Bo also walked over, his voice raised and his expression agitated. He still remembered so many things from those days — anyone who had seen that little one would have felt great tenderness for her.

Ji Ziyue ran her hand over the carving and murmured softly: “It should have been carved here within the last few years.” She too had once held that little girl in her arms, adoring her — and yet an entire century or more had passed since they last parted.

“This was left by a peerless powerhouse — it appears to have been carved here five years ago.” One of the Three Heroes of Kunlun stepped forward and said.

“Who is he?” Ye Fan asked urgently.

Through years of cultivation, his heart had grown still as water. No matter how great an event, he had remained composed and unmoved — even if a mountain collapsed before his eyes he would not waver. But today his heart was unsettled, and he desperately wanted to find Xiao Nannan at once.

Tattered little clothes, small shoes with holes where the toes poked through — a child begging alone in the sea of people, timid, head bowed, as though she had done something wrong, eyes hanging with tears… These images surged up in an instant, and Ye Fan’s heart could not be at peace.

“Is the medicinal paste good to eat?” Tormented by the Yin Yang Sect’s cruelty, the little one had gone hungry and watched the other children with longing eyes as she asked — these memories still brought a pang to Ye Fan’s heart even now.

“His name is Yin Tiande. His achievements have shaken the world, and it seems he came here specifically to wait for you.” One of the Three Heroes of Kunlun said.

“Him!” A beam of cold light erupted from Ye Fan’s eyes — like lightning tearing through the void — and in an instant the entire street fell silent, everything going still to an absolute extreme.

Ye Fan had not forgotten this person. He was absolutely a terrifying, peerless great enemy.

After so many years with no news of him whatsoever, he had appeared here at the human race’s final pass, leaving behind this mark.

“Yin Tiande of the Purple Subtlety Ancient Star Domain?!” Pang Bo was stunned. He stepped forward to study the carving, truly feeling a natural Dao resonance emanating from it.

Ji Ziyue and the others had all heard Ye Fan speak of his experiences in the Purple Subtlety Ancient Star Domain, and every one of them wore an expression of gravity.

For Ye Fan, when listing the most fearsome figures of this generation, had spoken of this person specifically — meaning he was certainly a peerless great enemy, with whom a battle of unimaginable ferocity might one day be unavoidable.

“How formidable can he possibly be?” Long Ma had heard Ye Fan mention this once before but had not listened carefully and had not taken it to heart. Now that the name was raised again, it naturally felt some indignation.

“Should we meet in the future, there will inevitably be a battle. When that day comes, you will understand his ferocity. If you are careless, there will be no grave for your corpse.” Ye Fan warned it.

He rarely spoke of anyone in such terms — yet this was a man he had met only briefly, with whom he had never truly crossed blades, and who remained clearly in his memory. He understood his strength well.

It should be noted that at the time, Yin Tiande had barely severed the Dao, yet he had dared to snatch food from a tiger’s mouth — wresting the Divine Spirit Ancient Scripture directly from the hands of several peak great kings.

And who were those people? The Golden Crow King, the Pristine Ancient Daoist, the Radiant King, the Human King — each one more formidable in origin than the last.

Setting the others aside — the old Human King of the Purple Subtlety Ancient Star Domain alone must have possessed eight divine prohibitions. A physique like his was terrifying, considered supreme among the human race — seen only once in fifty thousand or a hundred thousand years.

And the Radiant Physique was said to be on par with the Divine Physique in renown — sacred and supremely powerful.

As for the Pristine Ancient Daoist, he too was no ordinary figure — coming from the Changsheng Temple in the Purple Subtlety Dark Ridge, as the temple’s very name suggested.

Back then, Yin Tiande had only just severed the Dao, and yet he dared to strike out against these peak great kings who had severed the Dao in the desolate post-ancient era, seizing the Divine Spirit Ancient Scripture from them — this said everything.

“Long before then, when I entered the Purple Subtlety Ancient Star Domain, this man had already triggered a divine prohibition.” Ye Fan added, for this secret had come from Yi Qingwu, and there was no mistaking it.

“A divine prohibition?!” Long Ma drew a sharp breath — this time it had not been distracted. It had truly heard clearly.

In the battle of old, had Ye Fan not intervened, the Seizing Character Secret would have been unified by Yin Tiande and held entirely in his hands. Instead, Ye Fan had unexpectedly seized half a page of it — a grudge born from that encounter.

Beyond this, when Ye Fan descended upon the Purple Subtlety Ancient Star Domain, his very first battle had been to slay Yin Tiande’s younger brother — a great and irresolvable enmity.

“What does Yin Tiande mean by this — does he have Xiao Nannan in his hands? Is this a provocation and a threat to us?!” Pang Bo was furious, wanting nothing more than to cut this person down on the spot.

Ji Ziyue also began grinding her small tiger teeth. Her large, crescent-shaped eyes rarely revealed a trace of killing intent — but now they did. Though they had not spent as much time with Xiao Nannan as Ye Fan had, they all cared deeply for her.

Ye Fan sighed softly. He still remembered the scene of that time when he and the Old Madman, the Black Emperor, Li Heishui, and Xiao Nannan had ventured together into the Sacred Cliff — how they had looked upon the Samsara Lake, and how Xiao Nannan had said she saw a large purple star: a vision of things to come.

Ye Fan had also suspected it. Perhaps that was the Purple Subtlety Ancient Star Domain, and Xiao Nannan had somehow ended up there. Now it appeared to be true.

Given all this, how else could Yin Tiande have known of Xiao Nannan?

“Where is Yin Tiande?” Ye Fan asked in a low, steady voice.

“This man is unfathomably deep — he arrived here ten years ago, waited five years for you, and when you could not be found, he set out. In the end he left behind this carved portrait.” The Celestial Daoist said.

“Yes, indeed — this man is remarkable. It is said he did not travel the human race’s ancient path but instead crossed multiple domains in battle, ultimately breaking through the final pass of another clan’s ancient path, and then came here.” Others filled in the details.

Yin Tiande — an immensely powerful prodigy, of this there was no question. He had fought across the star path for over a hundred years, sweeping across the world with no match to be found.

Far away in another star domain, he had heard Ye Fan’s name, learned of the Farther Shore and all that had occurred, and crossed domains to come — yet regrettably had not encountered him. He left Ye Fan a page of a battle declaration: at the sole Emperor Pass that all clans must enter at their journey’s end, they would settle the matter decisively.

Once the human race’s final pass was broken through and the conditions were met, one could enter the singular true path and arrive before that Emperor Pass. Yin Tiande was waiting ahead.

“A black sun rising in the sky, blocking the road ahead — it is something to be wary of.” Ji Ziyue said.

“Did he say anything about what became of this little girl?” Ye Fan asked the crowd.

“No. He only said he would await you on the road ahead — that once you meet, all will be known.” Someone replied. It was clear that many in the human race’s final pass had met Yin Tiande.

A great enemy waiting ahead — and in an instant, Ye Fan was filled with fighting spirit. These days, those he truly regarded as great enemies, worth keeping firmly in his sight, were genuinely very few.

“Xiao Nannan won’t be in any danger, will she?” Pang Bo was worried.

Concern breeds confusion. Ye Fan had also been agitated at first, but now he slowly calmed. He no longer worried. “There are not many people in this world who could harm her,” he said.

For he had thought back to certain things from the past. When they entered the Undying Mountain, the Sacred Cliff, and other deadly ancient grounds, she had moved through them as though treading level ground — able to perceive the true veins of a Great Emperor’s formations, even the sacred spirit having been afraid of her.

The Black Emperor had willingly let her ride atop it. The Old Madman had marveled at her in wonder.

The more powerful and more knowledgeable a being was, the more reverent it seemed before her. Back then, Ye Fan had been barely starting out on his path — too much of a fledgling to see clearly or sense anything in particular.

Thinking back now: truly supreme beings could not genuinely harm her. And if one tried to force it, it might awaken some inexplicable power sleeping within her.

Even so, even having thought all of this through, Ye Fan could not fully set his heart at rest. He resolved to find her as soon as possible — to storm toward the sole Emperor Pass where all clans gathered, meet Yin Tiande, and settle who was superior.

All rivers flow to the sea, and the sea receives all rivers — the supreme singular path at the end was exactly like this. There one would encounter the most powerful and brilliant prodigies from the entire universe.

The human race’s final pass was vast. At its center, various islands and taverns floated in the sky, a spectacular sight.

Ye Fan and the others, surrounded by a crowd, arrived at the central square and climbed to the upper floor of a venerable establishment — a restaurant that once had a Great Emperor of antiquity come to taste its dishes.

“It is said that the Beginningless Great Emperor came here, and the Azure Emperor came here — both once climbed this tower and had a drink.”

“Nonsense — who can be certain? Who says the two people who came back then were truly the Beginningless Emperor and the Azure Emperor?” Someone disputed.

This was a vast and magnificent jeweled hall — elaborately carved beams and painted pillars, all gilded splendor, with many beautifully cultivated female cultivators weaving among the guests, serving dishes and pouring wine. They were like a group of immortals demoted to the human world — some refined and ethereal, some alluringly graceful, some boldly dazzling. Each had her own distinct charm and manner.

The arrival of Ye Fan and the others naturally drew sidelong glances. Every hero in the hall was quietly paying attention, and many had a peculiar look in their eyes — for their fame was simply too great, ringing throughout the human race’s ancient path.

With so many people following them here, inviting Ye Fan’s group to eat, drink, and converse freely, they naturally had no wish to disappoint well-meaning hosts. Cups were raised and exchanged, and the conversation touched on many battles.

Beautiful women poured their wine, fluttering among them like butterflies around a tree, dancing gracefully. The atmosphere was lively.

“Brother Ye — once past this pass, you will enter another world entirely. May you attain the Dao!” Someone rose to offer a toast.

“Well — generally speaking, without the strength of a Great Sage level, one cannot clear this pass, and cannot enter that final Emperor’s path.” Another said quietly, a gentle reminder.

“That’s not so strict, and besides — Ye Fan has slain supremes from multiple domains. Right now, even as a Saint King he is more than sufficient, and can enter the battlefield on the other side directly.”

The crowd brought up the battles of recent years, inevitably speaking of Ye Fan’s record — resplendent and astonishing, with no shortage of glowing words.

Suddenly, someone let out a cold snort. A pair of eyes with a penetrating gaze — startlingly, from a child barely in his teens — who turned and walked away, his eyes full of venomous resentment.

“Whose child is this, with such powerful resentment?” Pang Bo frowned.

Everyone shook their heads, indicating they did not know — they had never seen him before.

A divine thought reverberated through the jeweled hall: “Where is the Holy Physique of the human race — will you come speak with me for a moment?”

“Who are you — do you have some matter to bring to me?” Ye Fan asked, looking toward the outside of the magnificent hall.

“You owe me something. I have come today to reclaim it.” A group of people walked in from outside. Among them, an old man spoke: “Bring out the Myriad Things Mother Energy Cauldron.”

Before Ye Fan could react, Long Ma was instantly enraged: “Bold words — who are you people?”

“The primal source of the myriad things was left by our ancestor. It belongs to our clan. Today we ask you to return the immortal material!” Someone said coldly.