The former glory… had all come to an end!

The Big Dipper of the present was lifeless and desolate, blood everywhere, corpses everywhere, forming seas and mountains — this was the most tragic scene of an apocalyptic end times.

The Ancient Land of Life had been shattered into pieces, so much… so much… no longer existed, never to return, eternally destroyed, no trace to be found.

Along the way, he didn’t know how much blood and bone he had seen. Ye Fan stood outside the Sacred Cliff, fists clenched. In this dark chaos, human life was truly cheaper than grass, filling him with grief and rage.

Behind him was the Black Emperor, who had come to help decipher the array patterns — having it accompany him made entering the Sacred Cliff far safer. Besides that, there was also Xiao Nannan, who possessed strange abilities that always manifested at critical moments.

“Brother…” The little girl’s big eyes brimmed with tears. What she had seen along the way filled her eyes with crystalline sorrow — this tragedy of the mortal world was too heavy a burden for a child to bear.

“Someone’s here!” Ye Fan’s hair stood on end. He immediately summoned the Green Bronze Cauldron, which radiated brilliant treasured light, enveloping the area.

For him to look this grave, there naturally had to be an extremely dangerous fluctuation present — a powerful figure approaching with hostile intent. Otherwise he wouldn’t have directly deployed the Immortal Cauldron.

“Heh! Your instincts really are sharp.” At the edge of the Sacred Cliff, a hazy ball of light appeared, and a tall figure manifested, an oppressive force like an ocean arriving in an instant.

A terrifying aura, powerful fluctuations of strength, and a grim killing intent foretold that this was a supreme powerhouse — like an ancient heavenly dragon looking down upon ants.

That arrogance, that transcendent and invincible bearing was somewhat dazzling to behold. He made no effort to conceal his edge; imperial energy permeated the air, extremely terrifying.

This was a Quasi-Emperor. Ye Fan hadn’t expected that after such a great calamity, there would still be such a terrifying figure here, one showing clear hostility and killing intent toward him.

“You are the Sacred Body, Ye Fan?” he asked flatly.

“Yes. And who are you?” Ye Fan’s eyes flickered as he asked in a deep voice.

“Vice Sect Leader of the Divine Court — Yuhua Tian.” His expression was cold, mist swirling around his body, chaotic power surging, a powerful aura rushing forward, striking fear into the heart.

If it had been an ordinary Great Sage, they would have simply been crushed to pieces, reduced to blood mist and shattered bone — this was the overwhelming pressure of a Quasi-Emperor, more than capable of crushing all “ants.”

The Green Bronze Cauldron shone, ringing out with a clanging sound, shaking out powerful fluctuations, immortal radiance scattering down, protecting Ye Fan and keeping him standing firm as a mountain. Yet inside, his heart was far from calm — he hadn’t expected to meet this person here, now.

The Lord of the Divine Court had once issued a decree summoning him for an audience, which he had refused, even severing the Dao foundation of the arrogant messenger who delivered it, causing that man to fall from the Great Sage realm. This had naturally created a feud.

Afterward, this Vice Sect Leader had drafted another decree, its words threatening, demanding he go to the Divine Court to answer for his crime, or else be hunted and slaughtered across a hundred million miles until dead.

This was truly unexpected — in this dark chaos, powerhouses from every faction were like startled birds, fleeing for their lives. He hadn’t imagined that here, at the very source of this dark upheaval — the Big Dipper — he would encounter the Divine Court’s Vice Sect Leader, Yuhua Tian.

To be precise, he was here to leave this place.

Clearly, Divine Court Vice Sect Leader Yuhua Tian was audacious. While powerful figures everywhere trembled in terror, he had shrewdly and quietly made his way to this bloodied land where the chaos had erupted, lingering near the old lairs of various supreme beings.

This truly took nerve, one had to admit. For now, the Big Dipper was actually relatively safe — with so many supreme beings not yet returned, this seemingly most dangerous place was in fact the most tranquil sanctuary.

Now, he was about to leave, for he calculated that the supreme beings would likely return before long, and he couldn’t linger — he could only avoid disaster for a time.

“This old fossil is slicker than a fried dough stick,” the Black Emperor grumbled inwardly, cursing in its heart. Encountering a Quasi-Emperor here, one with such thick hostility, was no good sign.

If they could just climb the Sacred Cliff, retrieve what they needed, and be done with it, they need not fear him — but now things looked bad.

“What are you here for?” Yuhua Tian asked coldly, his killing intent no longer concealed — he was about to make his move.

Ye Fan’s expression remained calm as he said, “The dark chaos has come. I want to give what effort I can.”

“You? Hahahaha!”

Yuhua Tian laughed toward the heavens, chaotic energy spreading from his body. Then the laughter abruptly cut off, and he said contemptuously, “Just relying on being one measly ant, you dare speak such big words? What could you possibly do?!”

“However small an ant may be, it can still give its portion of effort. I’m not strong enough, but I want to make my voice heard — even if I die in battle, to prove that I once resisted!” Ye Fan replied coldly.

“What good would that do — you’re just an ant, doomed to die in vain, giving people something to laugh at, haha…” Yuhua Tian laughed, his face full of mockery.

“At least I made my voice heard, fought back with my roar, with my actions. If everyone in this world were like you, like the Hegemon Body, then there would truly be no hope left at all.” Ye Fan said coldly.

The smile on Yuhua Tian’s face grew even wider, but his voice turned sinister as he said, “Even if you had ten thousand lives, charging in wouldn’t stir up so much as a ripple — utterly laughable!”

“I’m not strong. But you are strong enough. And the Lord of your Divine Court behind you is stronger still — he’s already about to attain the Dao, capable of fighting an Ancient Supreme. If you could bring him out, at the very least a Supreme Being might be made to bleed!”

“Why would we go to war? Why should we?” Yuhua Tian’s expression turned cold.

“I believe there are more than just the two of you who are truly powerful. If none of you bowed your heads, if you all went to aid Emperor Void, lending him strength, perhaps the tide of battle could be turned. The roar of a hundred million ants could make heaven and earth tremble. But if everyone stays silent, that will be the sorrow of all living things!” Having said this, Ye Fan’s face had gone expressionless. Though he already knew the outcome, he had said it anyway.

“Hahaha…” Yuhua Tian couldn’t help but laugh, then his expression turned grim as he said, “If you want to die, go die yourself — no, better yet, let me send you on your way directly, and spare you the suffering of losing all your life essence and soul-blood. Defying the Divine Court is a capital crime with no pardon. Today I’ll settle you, to uphold proper order!”

The Black Emperor’s expression turned ugly. It had seen people who made its dark heart boil with rage before, but never like this, making its blood truly seethe. When this age of darkness and chaos had come, not exerting effort was understandable enough — people’s thoughts differed. But to be this vile, when someone else wanted to give their portion of effort, mocking them was one thing, but to directly try to kill him for it — that was truly unforgivable.

“Get lost!” the great black dog roared furiously, directly setting up several killing formations. It had originally meant to send Ye Fan off properly — though it wouldn’t do much, it was a token of feeling.

“BOOM!”

A true Quasi-Emperor existed on an entirely different level. Yuhua Tian was who knew how many times stronger than the old Python Serpent — how could he be killed so easily? He took one step forward, and heaven and earth cracked apart, blocking the formation array, which failed to descend and was not trapped within it.

“In ordinary times, you lecture the world from on high, lording it over all living beings — but now that you’re truly needed, you’re not even worth dog shit!” Ye Fan cursed outright.

The Black Emperor ground its teeth but said nothing.

The Divine Court’s Vice Sect Leader spoke coldly, “There’s no use saying anything more. All I know is that you’re about to die. I’ll take your head now and offer your blood to the Divine Court — this is the result of disrespecting divine decree!”

“A person like you also wants to reign supreme over the universe, rebuild the ancient Heavenly Court? What a pipe dream. Shameless and vile — you disgust me!” Ye Fan said with contempt.

Yuhua Tian stepped forward, ready to strike Ye Fan dead, his gaze fixed on the Green Bronze Cauldron, the fire of greed deep in his eyes burning hot as the blazing sun.

“Brother…” Xiao Nannan grabbed at the hem of Ye Fan’s robe, poking her small head out from behind him, looking ahead with immense worry. Then she ran out in front of him, stretching out her small arms to shield him, crying out angrily, “You’re not allowed to hurt Big Brother!”

“Nannan, no need to worry. The vile have no face, and we have legs — he can’t do anything to us.” Ye Fan scooped her up, and together with the Black Emperor, made straight for the Sacred Cliff.

Just as Yuhua Tian was about to make his move, he suddenly shuddered with a cold chill. Fixing his gaze on Xiao Nannan, the more he looked, the more his heart was seized with terror. Goosebumps rose all over his body. When he extended his spiritual sense, it was as if he had fallen into an endless black abyss — he couldn’t help but cry out, recoiling in shock.

Ye Fan and the Black Emperor’s figures flashed, and seizing the opportunity, they entered the Sacred Cliff region directly. Following the array map the Black Emperor carried, they advanced step by step toward that blood-stained old place.

“This way…” In truth, the Black Emperor’s array map wasn’t even needed. The moment they went deep in, Xiao Nannan’s eyes turned crystalline and radiant, and she pointed her small white finger toward the path ahead — just as she had done back when they’d ventured deep into the Immortal-Slaying Mountain. She seemed to have “awakened” once again, able to see through all Dao patterns.

Outside the restricted zone, Yuhua Tian stared at their retreating figures, his eyes a mix of cold cruelty and confusion. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, but he did not leave — he stood guard outside.

He believed Ye Fan would never have come here without reason. He’d long heard rumors that this place might hold the “Nine Mysteries” — immortal treasures. A grim expression crossed his face as he waited quietly outside.

That little girl had unsettled him — he’d glimpsed something of the truth of her “scene” — but he believed that a sudden ambush, striking Ye Fan dead, would still pose no problem.

“I’m only guessing, I can’t be sure it’s here. I only heard the Great Emperor mention something once, but I didn’t understand it at the time,” the Black Emperor said.

The Great Emperor it spoke of was, of course, Wushi — the Beginningless.

“Doggy, you must remember carefully. Big Brother knows he’ll surely die but still wants to risk his life fighting. I don’t want him to have an accident — you have to think of a way,” Xiao Nannan said earnestly, moisture welling in her eyes.

At last, they ascended to the main peak. Along the way they passed several ancient figures, standing upon the mountainside, their bodies submerged in mist.

“All such extraordinarily powerful figures — surviving nine deaths to reach here, having comprehended the Dao, yet unable to outlast the years, all ending up passing away in seated meditation…”

In truth, these were already the fortunate ones. Far more had died along the way; those who made it here by good fortune were the rare few.

Along this path, they proceeded cautiously and carefully, finally ascending to the peak’s cliff, arriving once more at this place.

Ye Fan opened that great coffin. Two corpses lay within, the scene bloody and eerie, utterly tragic. One of them was the Lord of the Heavenly Court, a peerlessly powerful figure — yet his death had been gruesome, strangled to death by the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body, whose entire body was covered in green fur!

Ye Fan had come for the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body’s corpse, and also for whatever Emperor Wushi had inscribed — to search carefully, for according to the Black Emperor, Wushi should have left something behind here, back in the day.

This corpse was truly monstrous, terrifying beyond measure. In a moment of disorientation, its eyes seemed to open, flashing with a cold, chilling light.

However, this was not a real scene — merely a lingering trace of malevolent energy.

By now, so many long years had passed that this place had grown quite peaceful, with nothing else present.

Ye Fan used the Green Bronze Cauldron to press down and suppress it, holding it in place. Even incomplete, it was still equivalent to an Emperor-tier artifact — a treasure of the Emperor-tier used for exorcism and suppression of malevolence, so naturally there was no problem at all.

“Though you’re already a Great Sage now, not what you once were, you still can’t remain merged with this body for too long. Otherwise, without a Supreme Being even having to lift a finger, you’ll be in danger yourself — even a god couldn’t save you by then.” The Black Emperor gave this stern warning, its expression grave to the utmost.

It couldn’t approach — only Ye Fan could get near this supremely powerful Great Accomplishment Sacred Body, because they shared the same bloodline. Ye Fan had cultivated the technique of the Sacred Body’s Secret Realm passed down through their lineage, allowing him to make contact.

Anyone else would have had absolutely no way to even touch the corpse, let alone attempt to merge with it.

“Unfortunately, he lost too much blood, staining the Sacred Cliff red. If he weren’t at his peak, even you wouldn’t be able to approach.” The Black Emperor’s mood was complicated.

Ye Fan nodded. Regrettably, they found nothing that Wushi had left behind in this place — nothing at all.

“I understand — it might be there!” The Black Emperor’s eyes flickered with a faint gleam as it said, “Although doing that would be disrespectful to Emperor Wushi, there’s no other way now.”

“Then let’s not delay — go at once!” Ye Fan urged.

“Kid, you need to understand — even with heaven-shaking cultivation, going there this way means certain death. Even wielding what Emperor Wushi left behind to fight, it’s still hard to change your fate and outcome. You’ll lose your life.”

“I’ve already decided. I will only give the effort that is mine to give. I’ve fought — I have no regrets!” Ye Fan said resolutely and decisively.

The dark chaos had arrived, and there was no pure land left under heaven. He wanted to use his own blood and soul to give meaning to this era’s refusal to bow — to prove he had once existed, once fought!

Just as they were about to leave the Sacred Cliff region, Xiao Nannan pointed her small finger forward and said, “That bad person is hiding out there.”