A corner of Emperor Hengyu’s formation pattern spread densely across the void, cutting off the path ahead. The chessboard pattern was interfered with, and crossing the void within a short time would be impossible.
“This is bad!” The Great Black Dog, for the first time, let out a cold utterance. It had not anticipated that the opposing side would move so swiftly — Jiang Chuan had not shown himself before, evidently having been setting things up in secret all along.
“Leave behind the Cauldron of All Creation’s Primal Breath, and I will not make things difficult for you. After all, you were saved by the Divine King Elder Ancestor.” Jiang Chuan was calm — yet his words carried an irresistible authority.
He stood in the void in his purple robe, which billowed in the wind, looking down upon Ye Fan from above. He said nothing more — like a dragon deep in an abyss, ready at any moment to surge skyward and strike.
“Jiang Chuan, you truly have become more and more capable — domineering and above all things. It seems nothing constrains you anymore.” Jiang Yi stepped forward, each step cracking the high sky as though he were ascending to heaven.
“What rightfully belongs to my Jiang Clan, we will naturally contend for. It will be our clan’s second sacred weapon — it cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of an outsider.” Jiang Chuan said calmly.
Every person there felt his dominance. He appeared very young, but his seniority was extremely high, and he stood toe-to-toe with Jiang Yi without yielding in the slightest.
“Does it truly belong to you?” Ye Fan stood in the void, cold and unmoved.
By now, the Cauldron of All Creation’s Primal Breath had shrunk and become fist-sized, resting in the palm of his hand. Ten thousand threads of primal breath cascaded from it — in natural harmony with the Dao, unassuming and grand.
“If I say it is the Jiang Clan’s, then it is.” Jiang Chuan answered, looking down.
“You say it’s yours and that makes it so? Fine — then I’ll shatter this cauldron and let the primal breath of all creation scatter into heaven and earth. Go ahead and rob all of heaven and earth.” The light between Ye Fan’s fingers flickered in and out.
This cauldron had been cast within his Wheel Sea — before its Dao patterns were truly interwoven and crystallized, there were naturally secret methods to dissolve it. He was prepared to shatter it and scatter it throughout heaven and earth.
“You dare—” From a distance, Jiang Yichen and certain others cried out, yet they were genuinely alarmed.
“If you shatter this cauldron, I will annihilate your form and spirit entirely.” Jiang Chuan’s expression turned cold and indifferent as he looked down at Ye Fan, formless killing intent surging.
“Then let us both go down together!” Ye Fan laughed coldly.
In truth, his heart was searching for a way out. He commanded the “Motion” character secret, which would naturally allow him to evade the present dangerous situation. His only remaining concern was that they were inside the Jiang Clan — breaking through to the outside presented considerable difficulty.
“How dare you!” Jiang Chuan cried out loudly. Truly afraid that Ye Fan would shatter the cauldron and scatter all the primal breath of all creation, he reached out one large hand and swept it forward.
“Old Thirteen, the more capable you’ve become, the more you enjoy throwing your weight around with the younger generation. Let me come and take a measure of your true strength.” Jiang Yi said in a loud voice.
“Bang!”
His right forearm shone, cyan energy spreading. His palm and fingers shook together, striking into the air, clashing with Jiang Chuan’s large hand — producing a muffled impact.
“Let’s withdraw first — go around Emperor Hengyu’s corner of the formation pattern and cross the void somewhere else.” Li Heishui said.
The Cauldron of All Creation’s Primal Breath was already in hand — there was no longer any need to continue lingering here. The longer they stayed, the more dangerous it would become; they needed to break through as early as possible.
“Tingting, come with us.” Ye Fan said, not wanting to leave her here.
“Grandfather is still here.” Tingting was hesitant.
“Little big sister, come with us.” Xiao Nannan looked up and tugged at Tingting’s arm.
“They wouldn’t dare do anything to Old Uncle Jiang. In fact, it’d be fine if Tingting stayed — no one would dare bully her anymore.” Jiang Huairen said.
Ye Fan’s desire to take her away was not out of concern for her immediate circumstances, but because he wanted to use the immortal sacred medicine to completely heal her Supreme Yin Physique.
However, a pinnacle powerhouse had already locked in on them — Jiang Yichen’s grandfather, Jiang Rui, had sent two golden threads from his eyes, watching their every move.
“Sixth Elder Brother, is this truly what you want?” The Jiang Family’s Ninth Great-grandfather stepped forward, intercepting his gaze.
“Ninth Brother, what you’re doing is useless. The ancestral Emperor’s formation pattern is already deployed — they can’t leave. It wouldn’t matter who it was — this can seal off this entire area.” Jiang Rui shook his head.
“None of you are going anywhere!” Jiang Yichen shouted tauntingly.
“Damn it — earlier we didn’t finish ripping your mouth apart. You still haven’t learned, have you?” Jiang Huairen said.
“You—” Jiang Yichen’s expression shifted again and again, yet he did not dare say a single harsh word. He had been genuinely scared of that great outlaw ancestor — who had slapped him unconscious while even his own grandfather failed to stop it.
Though Elder Thirteenth Jiang Chuan of the Jiang Clan was also very dominant, even if he truly could subdue this great outlaw ancestor, he wouldn’t dare do anything to him — he’d still have to release him.
“Whatever you are, call me little uncle. Don’t speak to me without proper respect.” Jiang Huairen rebuked.
Jiang Yichen had never in his life felt as suffocated and wronged as he did right now. He had been slapped by both grandfather and grandson yet couldn’t fight back — so furious he wanted to slam his head into the ground.
Jiang Yichen’s first uncle, that gray-haired middle-aged man, had summoned several elders to continue presiding over Emperor Hengyu’s formation pattern, blocking Ye Fan and the others from leaving.
The Great Black Dog grew fierce. “Damn it — back in my day when I roamed freely across the world, who dared to block my path? Today let me show you what I’m capable of.”
The Black Emperor rose onto its hind legs. Its two great paws were even more dexterous than human hands, carving wildly in the void. Beads of sweat poured from its forehead like a spring, as though it was exerting tremendous effort.
Its attainment in Dao patterns was extraordinarily profound — few could match it — yet it still gave this appearance of tremendous exertion, which could only mean the patterns being carved were incomparably terrifying.
“Boom!”
Within a mere moment, murderous energy surged skyward — like great horned dragons one after another, shattering the firmament. A ferocious and baleful aura stabbed into the human heart and soul, killing intent pervading all of heaven and earth, shaking all ten directions.
Everyone was startled. It was a killing formation — though only a corner of one — yet it seemed capable of destroying the world. The blade-like murderous energy scraped at people’s very souls.
“A corner of an ancient Great Emperor’s killing formation!”
From a distance, the two golden threads that Jiang Rui shot from his eyes shone even more blindingly bright. Silken threads of energy projected outward from his entire body — his very essence of spirit had taken on a physical reality.
Many people cried out in astonishment, deeply shaken. What was the origin of this great dog — it commanded two different Great Emperor formation patterns? This was profoundly alarming.
The Wushi Killing Formation!
The Great Black Dog, working in haste, had deployed only a tiny corner of it — following completely from memory, setting out a small portion of the remnant diagram it had treasured so dearly.
Even so, it was thunder rolling and killing energy rising to the heavens — as though a supreme slayer of the ages had descended upon the present!
The Great Black Dog was nearly drained, exhausted, sprawling over the chessboard formation pattern, howling: “Damn it — try blocking us again if you have the ability!”
“Several elder ancestors — come up with something. We cannot let them leave.” The gray-haired middle-aged man frowned.
“You want to play formation patterns against me? You’re still too inexperienced. Come up with something — try breaking through the number one killing formation under heaven!” The Great Black Dog had poured in a large mouthful of spiritual spring water and finally recovered.
“Can we truly cross the void now?” Li Heishui asked.
“At any moment. Two Great Emperor formation patterns deployed simultaneously — who can possibly stop us?” The Great Black Dog was supremely arrogant.
“Those wretches — you’re not going anywhere. Call out the ancestral killing formation — use it to suppress them.” Jiang Yichen offered a suggestion, yet was met with a fierce glare from one of the elders.
“The Divine King has shown me tremendous kindness — I won’t forget it, and I will repay it in the future.” Ye Fan transmitted his voice, then swept his gaze over certain individuals among them. “However, if you intend to harm me, I cannot simply absorb the blow without striking back.”
“Don’t get too smug — you may not actually be able to leave!” Jiang Yichen glared at him with hate.
“Jiang Yichen, you had best stay quietly within the Jiang Clan. Otherwise, the moment you leave and I catch you, I will absolutely find an outhouse cesspit and suppress you in it for a thousand years!” Ye Fan declared.
“Damn it — that idea, I love it!” the Great Black Dog howled eagerly.
Li Heishui and the others also broke out laughing, all mocking him, declaring that the moment Jiang Yichen showed himself outside, they would seize him.
“Just you wait!” Jiang Yichen snarled, staring at them with murder in his eyes.
Ye Fan was utterly serious. “What I say is no empty threat. You had best take care of yourself!”
“You — fine. Fine. Fine!” Jiang Yichen and the gray-haired middle-aged man and the rest wore expressions cold as ice.
At this moment, the great battle between Jiang Yi and Jiang Chuan had reached a fever pitch and was about to determine a victor, when from the distant sky an aged voice rang out: “You are of the same root — why has it come to this?”
Many people changed color. The Jiang Family’s elder ancestor had come — a living fossil on the verge of entering nirvana, whose seniority was so towering it was staggering.
“Stop, all of you.” The aged voice commanded once more.
Jiang Yi and Jiang Chuan both stopped. They seemed to hold this old person in great respect and did not wish to provoke his anger.
“Return the Cauldron of All Creation’s Primal Breath to them. Send them on their way. Tingting, dear girl, come stay at my side from now on.” The living fossil of the Jiang Family issued this command.
In a certain sense, his words carried more weight than those of a Holy Lord — no one dared disobey.
“Elder ancestor, let me take Tingting away for a few days first, then I’ll send her to your side.” Jiang Yi suddenly spoke up, for he had received his grandson’s transmitted message — they intended to leave this place to treat the Supreme Yin Physique with the divine medicine.
“Very well.” The living fossil did not appear — only his voice came through.
“Let’s go!”
The Great Black Dog was edgy and didn’t want to linger. The Jiang Family had produced a Great Emperor, and surely possessed other peerless formation patterns — it was afraid of what this living fossil might deploy.
“Swish!”
The remnant Great Emperor formation patterns faded away. In a flash of light, they vanished from where they stood. Before departing, a childlike voice filled with worry rang out:
“Doggy, you won’t get us lost again, will you?”
“Don’t worry…” By the time the Great Black Dog’s words came through, no one could say how many tens of thousands of miles away they already were.
Light flashed, and they appeared on a boundless great prairie — the setting sun staining it blood-red, wild wolves howling in the distance, a scene of desolation and remoteness.
“We haven’t ended up in the Northern Plains again, have we?” The group’s hearts sank with dread. They had long since learned from experience just how unreliable this dog could be.
The Great Black Dog’s conscience stirred. “Not quite that unlucky, surely.”
In the end, they confirmed their location — they had arrived at the border of the North Domain, just barely short of entering the Northern Plains.
“You wretched dog — you are not allowed to go near the chessboard formation pattern ever again. Carve a different formation diagram to get us back, or so help me I refuse to go anywhere with you ever again.”
When they finally returned to an oasis within the North Domain, they all let out long breaths of relief.
Ye Fan took out several sacred fruits and gave them to Tingting, along with a bottle of spiritual spring water, and finally placed the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Sacred Spirit Sword into her hands as a gift.
“Big brother—”
“Go now. The Supreme Yin Physique — from this day forward it will be the source of power that propels you forward, no longer the shackle binding you.” Ye Fan smiled.
In the end, Jiang Yi took Tingting away. The little girl looked back at them with every step she took, reluctant to part, tears falling as she left.
“Little big sister, take good care of yourself!” Xiao Nannan stood on top of a great blue stone, waving her small hand.
The Yaochi Grand Assembly was about to begin, and the North Domain was stirring with activity once more. No one could say how many people had arrived.
The several great ancient lineage families of the source arts — including the reclusive lineage of the Source King, who had been hidden away for many years — had all been invited out, welcomed by Yaochi’s people into the sacred ground. Clearly, those several ancient king stones were of tremendous importance!
Even though Ye Fan was several million miles away, Yaochi’s people had found their way to him, extending an invitation that he must absolutely pay them a visit and enter Yaochi.
Several days later, another piece of news spread: the Cauldron of All Creation’s Primal Breath had been returned to Ye Fan’s hands. When this spread, it caused a tremendous sensation, and many people’s eyes turned red with envy.
“The opportunity has arrived for you, kid.” The Great Black Dog smiled slyly.
“What opportunity?” Ye Fan asked.
“Naturally — enemies beneath all of heaven, and the slaughter of kings throughout the land.”
“It was definitely Jiang Yichen and his people who spread the news. Let’s go catch him and suppress him in an outhouse cesspit for a thousand years!” Li Heishui said.
“We must catch him!” Liu Kou agreed.
At the same moment, the Slaughter of Saints Alliance surfaced. Various sacred sons emerged from within its ranks, and a massive storm was descending!
“Has the age of enemies beneath all of heaven truly arrived?” Ye Fan felt a powerful wave of pressure — yet very quickly his eyes grew calm once more, and within his heart burned a soaring will to fight!