The night sky was like water, pouring down from above. Column after column of blood-energy pierced through heaven and earth like great dragons ascending.
“When will I have cultivation like that?” Ye Fan walked down the main street, speaking softly to himself.
Li Heishui sighed. “That’s a fearsome bunch. I’d wager at least a few of them are holy lords. To think they’d actually mean to kill Old Divine King Jiang Taixu — truly audacious beyond belief.”
“By all reasoning, with the Hengyu Divine Furnace watching over him, the Old Divine King’s life should be safe — and yet somehow I keep feeling that something isn’t right.” Ye Fan frowned.
“Don’t tell me those people are carrying paramount weapons?” Li Heishui’s heart lurched. If that were the case, the divine city might be leveled, left to cease existing.
Ye Fan shook his head. “No one would bring a paramount holy weapon with them — that would expose their identity. These coming days in the divine city will bring great upheaval. It cannot possibly pass in peace.”
They had not been out for long before someone spotted them. The two of them quickly rose into the air and made for the Water Moon Pavilion, anxious not to be surrounded.
Da Xia Prince had extended an invitation, and Ye Fan could not easily decline — both Xia Yiming and Yaoyue Kong had spoken up for him when Nangong Qi was making things difficult, after all.
The Water Moon Pavilion hung suspended in the night sky. Its scenery was tranquil and graceful — utterly unlike anywhere else, with no jade towers or grand palace halls.
This place was a world unto itself — a small realm of its own, close to nature: swaths of bamboo groves, stretches of emerald pine forest. Moonlight cascaded down, and a quiet spring trickled and murmured.
The Water Moon Pavilion, the Exquisite Desire Nunnery, and the Guanghan Pavilion stood as the three most refined and elegant places in the divine city — a tender, soft haven capable of wearing away even the greatest hero’s ambitions.
Yet their styles were worlds apart. Many people regarded the Water Moon Pavilion as a sanctuary of the spirit — a place where one could find a measure of peace within the heart, far from the clamor of the mortal world.
And indeed, it was so. The silver moon hung high, the pine forest was a painting, clear springs flowed over stone, and wooden pavilions were dotted through the landscape in harmony with nature — an authentic and pure beauty.
It truly felt like a place beyond the mortal world — a serenity as though one stood outside the Three Realms — pale, soft, tranquil, and beautiful in its stillness.
“Can it be that Da Xia Prince is inviting us here to savor wine, flowers, and the moon?” Li Heishui said.
“That’s impossible — he has a little shadow trailing behind him, so he doesn’t dare go too far.” Ye Fan laughed.
“Now that you mention it, that little white-robed novice is quite clingy — forever following right behind her older brother. The two of them really do have an unusually close bond.”
Ye Fan laughed too. “That little novice is in the midst of her worldly cultivation — she’s even been growing her hair out.”
They entered the grove of clear springs and trees, and were led by the attendants of the Water Moon Pavilion to a wooden pavilion, where they soon found themselves face-to-face with several familiar people.
Ye Fan’s heart gave a jolt. He nearly turned around and left on the spot — the Ji Family’s Sacred Body was there. If they resonated with each other, it would be enormous trouble.
Besides that, there was also the Ji Family’s little moon, the little novice, Da Xia Prince, and Yaoyue Kong — not gathered inside the wooden building, but up on a high terrace, drinking wine beneath the moon.
“You’ve come late — drink as forfeit.” Yaoyue Kong laughed broadly, motioning for someone to pour the wine.
“We’ll take three cups as our own punishment.” Ye Fan and Li Heishui stepped onto the terrace and drank three cups of fine wine in quick succession.
“Three cups aren’t nearly enough to wet your throats — three jars would be more like it,” Da Xia Prince said with a laugh.
“Have some mercy on us, please.”
The moonlight spread like a vast expanse of white moonfeather across the pine forest. The high terrace was level with the treetops — perfectly positioned to gaze up at the moon and take in the tranquil scenery.
In the distance, faint strains of music floated on the air. A few young women danced through the moon-drenched sky — like the moon goddess herself ascending to the heavens, dreamlike and moving.
“It’s truly difficult to get you to come out, Brother Gu — haven’t seen a trace of you these past few days.” Ji Haoyue smiled. His sword-like brows and starry eyes gave him a martial and exceptional bearing.
“I’ve been burdened by the divine medicine seed and haven’t dared step outside,” Ye Fan explained, then asked what, in the end, the holy lands had obtained after breaching Purple Mountain.
“Can it really be true that they got Wushi the Great Emperor’s inheritance?” Li Heishui also asked. “I’ve been hearing people say that someone saw Wushi the Great Emperor’s remains — lifelike and intact.”
Ji Haoyue shook his head. “Though my Ji Family also took part in the assault on Purple Mountain, I genuinely don’t know the true situation inside. But from what’s being said, it seems some of the Great Emperor’s secrets were indeed discovered — which is what caused people to be driven back out of Purple Mountain in alarm.”
Ye Fan’s expression shifted at once. “Some are saying that Wushi the Great Emperor is seated atop a Dao platform — still alive. Surely that can’t be true?”
“I would like it to be true as well, but most likely it isn’t. No one can live that long.” Ji Haoyue shook his head.
“Little Source Grandmaster, you can’t very well show up empty-handed. You don’t have to bring us a gift — but how can you come without something for Little Guai?” Ji Ziyue’s smile was sweet, her cheeks lit by the moonlight and luminous.
Across the way, on the little novice’s shoulder, the golden little creature was staring at Ye Fan — eyes bright with golden light, unmistakably sentient.
Ye Fan burst into a laugh. “That little creature really does hold grudges — still brooding over that Source.”
“That was Little Guai’s Source. Of course it hasn’t forgotten.” The white-robed little novice muttered quietly.
Ye Fan took out a dozen or so divine Source pellets and held them in his palm. The Divine Silkworm immediately could not stay still — it wanted to go take them, but was also disgruntled, and it glared hard at Ye Fan, rolling its eyes in exasperation.
“I’m offering you divine Source out of the goodness of my heart, and you’re still staring at me like that — fine, I won’t give them.” Ye Fan teased it.
Flash!
A beam of golden light shot out from its body and instantly swept away all dozen-odd divine Source pellets. In the next moment, it darted behind the little novice and Ji Ziyue, peering out at Ye Fan with a mischievous, furtive look.
Everyone present was taken aback. Even Ji Haoyue spoke up, remarking, “If that divine technique were cultivated to full mastery, couldn’t it seize practically anything in the world?”
“A born little bandit.” Ye Fan laughed.
Soon, the conversation shifted to the subject of Jiang Taixu. No one brought up who might want to kill the Divine King — it was far too sensitive a topic.
They spoke only of how formidable the Nine Secrets were, the wonders of the Dragon Transformation Pool, and the extraordinary gifts of the Divine King Jiang.
Da Xia Prince and Ji Haoyue both wanted to purchase the divine medicine seed, and each raised the matter with Ye Fan in a roundabout way, saying the price was open to negotiation.
Ye Fan could not make any promises — he only spoke of his own difficulties and deflected everything to the Celestial Demon Treasure Pavilion auction house.
Ji Haoyue gazed up at the star-filled sky. “Everyone — how far away do you think the other side of the star sea is from our world? Could there be cultivators there as well?”
“Why do you bring this up, Brother Haoyue?” the young lord of the Celestial Demon Palace asked, puzzled.
“Just a momentary reflection.” Ji Haoyue shook his head.
Ye Fan’s heart gave a jolt. He felt it was likely that a classmate who had come to this world alongside him had run into trouble — someone in the Southern Region had disclosed the heavenly secret.
“There are indeed visitors from beyond the realm — it is mentioned in my Great Xia’s ancient records,” said Da Xia Prince with a nod.
“Oh? Please enlighten us, Brother Xia.” Ye Fan pressed eagerly.
Da Xia Prince shook his head. “I only heard it mentioned once, in passing, from an elder ancestor.”
“If the person with the Sacred Body truly came from beyond the realm, do you think they could break the curse?” Ji Haoyue spoke up once more.
Ye Fan’s heart leaped — but he swiftly composed himself, leaving not a ripple of reaction on his face. He did not want to betray anything. A bad feeling settled in his chest; he feared that someone in the Southern Region had truly disclosed the heavenly secret.
The Southern Region — he had been away for so long. He wondered how those old friends from those early days were faring now. Many memories came rushing back to him.
It was deep into the night before Ye Fan and Li Heishui finally took their leave. They then made their way to the Exquisite Desire Nunnery to honor that invitation.
In the end, Li Heishui was stopped at the entrance and escorted to a separate hall — he was never brought before An Miaoyi, which left him deeply disgruntled.
Though being invited to visit the nunnery by night could be called being “taken into confidence,” Ye Fan had no illusions about it. Knowing An Miaoyi’s sharpness of mind, she would sooner choose a holy son than choose him.
And indeed, so it proved. An Miaoyi managed everything with impeccable precision — at the end of the day, it was all for the sake of the divine medicine seed.
The successive generations of the Exquisite Desire Nunnery had always maintained a certain indescribable relationship with the most powerful of the holy sons — a relationship that greatly benefited the nunnery’s development.
Ye Fan keenly sensed that An Miaoyi seemed to be acting on someone else’s behalf in seeking to purchase the Qilin Seed. He smiled and responded, answering each of her moves with equal craft.
By the time he left the Exquisite Desire Nunnery, it was already past midnight. When Li Heishui heard Ye Fan’s account, he sighed and said, “Poor Little Ye Fan — you didn’t make the cut. You absolutely cannot become her confidant.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“I’m being serious. An Miaoyi may be making her decision very soon. Every generation of the Exquisite Desire Nunnery’s heirs makes this kind of choice. Let me think — who will she pick? It’ll certainly be a powerful holy son.” Li Heishui considered it carefully.
“A woman like that is too calculating. What’s worth pondering?” Ye Fan shook his head.
“Even if you’re eventually destined to become a Source Grandmaster, you’re still full of variables — and most importantly, you have no backing. You can’t compare to the holy sons.” Li Heishui gave his assessment. “If the Yaoguang Holy Son hadn’t been suppressed, I think An Miaoyi would definitely have chosen him. As it stands, it’s hard to say who it’ll be now — but I imagine she’s already made up her mind.”
“You really have nothing better to do…” Ye Fan shook his head.
The next day, Ye Fan began hosting banquets for the various holy sons and holy daughters. He had no way to accept each invitation in turn — it was easier to host them himself instead. He couldn’t help but wonder what expression these people would show when they one day found out he was the Sacred Body.
For now, many in the divine city were calling him the Little Source Grandmaster, vying to draw him in. When his true identity was eventually exposed, the scene that unfolded would surely be something else entirely.
Ye Fan had no way of expecting just how quickly that day would come.
That very afternoon, as he moved through the holy land’s stone bazaar, a white-haired elder appeared in the same stone garden — accompanied by Nangong Qi and several Source Arts Grandmasters.
“You’ve changed your appearance?” The elder leaned on a walking stick, ancient and frail beyond words, thin as a skeleton. He was practically no different from a bag of bones — yet at that moment, his clouded old eyes shot out two bolts of electric light that pierced straight through Ye Fan’s disguise and saw his true face.
“Who are you?” Ye Fan’s heart lurched. He was shaken to discover that this person had nearly cultivated the Heavenly Eye — those murky old eyes emitting piercing electric light that saw through him completely.
Nangong Qi rebuked, “Show some respect — this is Senior Ouyang Ye of the Source Arts world. Across countless ages, the only person who has ever come infinitely close to the realm of the Source Earthen Master.”
An Earthen Master was worlds apart from a Heavenly Grandmaster — and this terrifying old man of the Source Arts, however many years he had cultivated, had only managed to draw infinitely close to the rank of Earthen Master without reaching it. One could only imagine just how lofty the realm of the Source Heavenly Grandmaster truly was.
“You know the Heaven-Earth Transposition Art — you must have obtained the Source Heaven Scripture!” Ouyang Ye was skin stretched over bone — as old as old could be — but in that moment, two terrifyingly radiant beams shot from his eyes, ablaze with an intensity beyond description.
“Why are you blocking my way?” Ye Fan’s mind shook inwardly. The one small comfort was that this old man had been in seclusion for many years and had long since withdrawn from the world — he had never seen the painting of the Ancient Sacred Body, and therefore did not recognize him.
“We invited Grandmaster Ouyang out of seclusion in hopes that he might offer some guidance to you, this young successor of the Source Arts.” Nangong Qi smiled, the meaning behind his words anything but simple.
“Very well — no problem. Tomorrow, at the Grand Cosmos Stone Bazaar — if you don’t come, don’t blame me.” Ye Fan agreed readily and turned to leave at once. He could not bear to stay a moment longer — his identity had been compromised.
He pulled Li Heishui to a place where no one could see them, brought out the Mysterious Jade Platform, and prepared to cross the void — only to fail. He discovered with a shock that it was utterly impossible to cross the void.
Back in the Grand Cosmos Stone Bazaar, Nangong Qi asked, “Grandmaster Ouyang, you said he changed his appearance — what does his true face look like?”
Ouyang Ye pressed a hand against the void. A true form materialized — and it was Ye Fan’s original appearance.
“It’s him — the Ancient Sacred Body!”
“How can this be — it’s actually him!”
The young members of the ancient Source Arts families, along with Nangong Qi and the other Grandmasters, were all completely stunned. They could not, no matter how they tried, have imagined it would be Ye Fan.
The Ancient Sacred Body had stirred chaos throughout the Northern Region, provoking boundless upheaval — even killing young powerhouses from holy lands. Every one of them had seen the painting.
“After him — don’t let him escape!”
“Gufeng is Ye Fan — he is the Ancient Sacred Body!”
Nangong Qi bellowed, his voice carrying for tens of li. The other side possessed a sacred object and the Source Heaven Scripture both — he was a living divine trove. He had to be captured.
That single thunderous shout — and every cultivator in the divine city heard it, all of them thrown into uneasy doubt.
The disciples of the ancient Source Arts families shouted out, explaining to people what had just happened.
The entire area erupted into a clamor at once, and every cultivator gave chase.
“He can’t escape — the Jiang Family’s paramount weapon, the Hengyu Divine Furnace, has locked down the divine city. He has no way to leave!”
“After him — we must find him!”
The streets fell into chaos. Cultivators were shouting from every direction, fanning out in pursuit.
An hour later, the news had reached countless ears, and the divine city shook.
“Gufeng is Ye Fan!”
“Heavens — how is it possible that the famed Gufeng of the divine city was actually the Ancient Sacred Body? This is beyond astonishing!”
When the various holy sons and holy daughters received the news, every one of them stood gaping in disbelief. The man they had been hunting had come right under their noses — had sat across the table from them and shared wine with them.