The Undying Heavenly Emperor—legend had it he had nearly surpassed even the divine. Even the primordial races could not confirm whether he had ever existed, which alone spoke to how supremely fantastical a figure he was.
Had the Undying Mountain truly been formed through his transformation? That seemed unlikely—by the primordial era, he had already long since passed away. It would have been impossible for him to survive into later ages.
Immortals were elusive and ethereal. Even the primordial Emperors could not live forever—they too had their moment of entering nirvana. The Monkey’s own father was a case in point: he had lived through endless ages, his years terrifyingly ancient, fearsome to the extreme—yet he too had failed to achieve eternal life.
“The Undying Daoren…” Ye Fan thought of the Undying Daoren from the Sacred Cliff.
That sheer precipice had been severed from the Undying Mountain itself. The death of the Great Accomplishment Holy Body was very likely connected to it, and had subsequently been suppressed by the Beginningless Emperor using the Divine Sealing Scroll.
From all of this, it was not difficult to see how utterly terrifying the Undying Daoren was. He must have been an invincible existence capable of rivaling the ancient Emperors—otherwise he could not have achieved such deeds.
“The Undying Heavenly Emperor is absolutely not him. If that figure truly existed, he would have been a supreme being who had nearly surpassed even the divine!” the Monkey said.
Having heard everything about the Sacred Cliff, he made this judgment. In his words, he showed the utmost reverence for the Undying Heavenly Emperor.
“He was the god in the hearts of countless primordial races—no one under heaven or above it could defeat him,” the Monkey sighed.
His own father had been a primordial Emperor who had lived through endless ages, overawing the entire primordial era—yet had also died before his very eyes, his lifespan finally exhausted.
Having personally witnessed the fall of a generation’s Dou Zhan Sage Emperor, and though he knew his father had shaken all of antiquity and was unmatched by anyone, he still believed the Undying Heavenly Emperor had been even stronger.
For this was the divine figure in the hearts of the primordial races—utterly mythical, impossible to confirm whether he had ever existed, completely divinized by people, a being who inspired something close to worship.
“Most likely someone of supreme devotion to the Undying Heavenly Emperor named it the Undying Mountain in his honor. The existence dwelling there may have some connection to him—perhaps even having received his inheritance,” the Monkey said.
“What a pity, what a lament—the Dou Zhan Sage Emperor, the Undying Heavenly Emperor, such magnificent existences, and yet they too could not become immortals. They were ground away by the passage of time!”
“Were the ancient Emperors of the human race any different? In the end, did they not fall one after another?”
“How brilliant and terrifying was the Ruthless Great Emperor—casting his gaze over all of humanity, unrivaled across ten thousand ages. In his final years he even produced a Divine Embryo from transformation, living far longer than ordinary great emperors. Yet even he faded into the river of time.”
“Indeed—how many heroes of ages past have turned to dust. The Beginningless Emperor stood supreme over all antiquity, striding through the universe in unmatched pride—and in the end even he could not withstand the years, entering nirvana within the Purple Mountain.”
Everyone was deeply moved. No matter how magnificent the ancient primordial Emperor or great Emperor, not a single one had been able to survive. This in itself was a profound and immeasurable sorrow.
Immortality—something everyone yearned for desperately, yet could not grasp. Among countless races across ten thousand ages, the most extraordinary supreme figures ever born could not break free of fate’s shackles.
Xiao Nannan tugged at Ye Fan’s sleeve, her childlike little face tilted up, and she asked softly: “Brother, what is a deity then?”
“Also a kind of elusive, ethereal existence—similar to immortals, I suppose. Or perhaps the most powerful figures of antiquity were divinized by people after their deaths, giving rise to their legends,” Ye Fan answered.
“Why can’t anyone confirm whether these things exist or not?” The little one blinked her long lashes, her large eyes pure and clear—black and white distinct, incomparably innocent.
“Precisely because they cannot be fully known, veiled in a shroud of mystery—that is why all manner of legends arose, and from them such titles and names evolved.” Ye Fan patted her head and said: “Perhaps immortals and deities alike were constructed by human imagination.”
“The doctrine of no immortals…” The Monkey’s eyes dimmed somewhat as he thought again of his old father.
The Dou Zhan Sage Emperor—one of the mightiest existences across all of antiquity—acclaimed as one who contended with the heavens themselves, whose hand could cover the sun and moon, whose finger could pluck the stars. Yet he too had harbored regret over immortality, and it was with that regret that he had passed.
“One who reaches the pinnacle of power does not revere immortals. Yet in the end, having no belief is itself a kind of sorrow…” These had been his father’s final words, as the Monkey recalled them.
“From now on, if Nannan believes that big brother is a god—would big brother then evolve into a true deity?” Xiao Nannan blinked her large eyes and spoke with wild, fanciful imagination.
The Great Black Dog muttered something that no one could quite make out. Yet Ye Fan felt a stirring in his heart—Xiao Nannan was a Divine Infant. What exactly were her origins?
They asked the Monkey many questions, but alas he had been far too young at the time and his knowledge was truly limited. He was not a thorough living fossil and could not provide more answers.
“In the past, we always lumped the primordial Emperors and the royal clans together as ‘Primordial Kings.’ Only now do we know there is a distinction—there were only a handful of ancient Emperors among them.”
“The Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone…” the Monkey furrowed his brow. After hearing everyone describe its exact location, he seemed to recall something.
There had been no such Life Forbidden Zone in the time before the primordial era—it had evolved and formed later. He pondered for quite a while, then said: “If I am not mistaken, it was in that very place that the mysterious primordial human race first appeared.”
During the primordial era, the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone had possessed an air of profound mystery. It was said to be connected to regions beyond the domain, with a very real possibility of being linked to the Purple Star of the Ancient Emperor—concealing an ancient road within.
Ye Fan’s heart stirred. Beneath the Desolate Ancient Abyss there was indeed a five-colored sacrificial altar—absolutely an ancient road through the starry sky. Could it really have existed since ages so distant?
“The world is about to descend into chaos. Without powerful strength, no one will be able to stand their ground in the days ahead—the great kings of the human race are appearing together, the Academy of Remarkable Individuals is reopening, the primordial races are returning, and the Sacred Spirit Clans are about to emerge. This truly is an age of upheaval,” the Great Black Dog muttered.
With these words, everyone present felt the weight of pressure. The future would absolutely be a world of the strong—ordinary cultivators would likely be utterly insignificant.
If all those races truly appeared, heaven only knew what kind of grand age it would be. By that time, there might even be earth-shattering great battles between Emperors and primordial Emperors!
“From ancient times to the present, never have two great emperors emerged in the same era—but this time, things seem somewhat uncanny…”
“That is speaking far too far into the future. Even now, only a single sage has appeared in the world.”
The group chatted as they walked forward, strolling through the pure land of the Jade Pool—not in any rush to return to the purple bamboo grove where they resided.
The Jade Pool was vast, with all kinds of terrain. After passing through a region of rolling hills, they arrived at the shores of a beautiful cluster of lakes.
Here, numerous lakes lay scattered like mirrors, crystal-bright and gleaming, reflecting soft light. Each small lake was clear and transparent, with all manner of rare fish and auspicious beasts swimming within.
Along the shores, the scenery was like a painting—weeping willows drifted like mist, sacred trees shimmered like crystal, flowers bloomed in radiant abundance, petals fell like rain, and delicate fragrance wafted in waves.
At this place, with its many lakes and scenery as beautiful as poetry, some of the younger generation’s outstanding talents were strolling about, making friends and conversing.
The moment Ye Fan and his companions arrived, they spotted several Holy Maidens—each surrounded by a cluster of young men, the ladies themselves at the center, encircled by admirers.
“Are these people trying to poach the Sacred Sons’ women right in front of them?” Liu Kou muttered, his gaze drifting and scanning about.
“Don’t cause trouble!” Wu Zhongtian warned.
“What are they worth? None of them are as fierce as Little Ye Fan. For the sake of the Innate Holy Body and Dao Embryo coming into the world and raising a second Beginningless Emperor—he just cut down the Sacred Son of the Purple Prefecture. That was fierce to a staggering degree. These people are small-time compared to that.”
“How does everything always get a different flavor when it passes through your mouths?” Ye Fan glared at them.
“We’re telling the truth. How powerful was the Beginningless Emperor—before becoming Emperor, he withstood the Extreme Dao Holy Weapons with his bare hands. Who in all of ancient and modern history could do that?” Jiang Huairen said.
“If there were ever a chance to raise such a descendant, even if you had to fight for it, you’d snatch the child’s mother!” Li Heishui said.
“Villain, and a name like ‘Heishui’… your grandfathers truly had foresight—they foresaw your personalities long ago,” Ye Fan teased.
“Little Ye Fan, we’re doing this for your sake—a second Beginningless Emperor! An opportunity to replicate this has appeared for the very first time!” Liu Kou cried out.
“Damn it all!” The Great Black Dog was quite displeased to hear this, yet in the end still nodded and said: “The opportunity is rare indeed—it is very much worth considering. If such a physique were to appear, this emperor would risk everything and send him into the Purple Mountain. He will sweep through all the kings in the future!”
Up ahead there was a young man, his entire body emanating holy radiance, each strand of hair crystalline and gleaming—it was the Sacred Son Yao Guang. He suppressed all peers in the Eastern Desolation and was at the height of his influence.
Beside him were many female disciples from great sects, along with a handful of male disciples following in his wake, all encircling him at the center like stars around the moon.
“Brother Ye…” the Sacred Son Yao Guang looked over, then parted the crowd and walked toward them.
Those beautiful young women—and several male followers—all showed expressions of surprise. They were all scions of prominent families, and naturally knew of everything Ye Fan had done.
At present, he was the only person to have cut down Sacred Sons in succession—virtually poised to dominate the younger generation of the Eastern Desolation. By now, the number of people who could contend with him would not exceed five.
In the face of Ye Fan, these people all felt a slight unease. This refined-looking youth appeared harmless, yet he was absolutely a god of slaughter!
This was a form of might—Ye Fan’s presence now invisibly suppressed the vast majority of the younger generation in the Eastern Desolation, bearing down upon these people with a powerful sense of pressure.
“I heard you’ve also been targeted by the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty. We’ve become kindred spirits in misfortune,” Ye Fan said with a smile.
“I truly don’t know who has hired them to kill me,” Yao Guang shook his head, his smile undiminished, his entire being radiating a golden brilliance.
“Didn’t they fail? Are they really willing to ruin their own reputation? The Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty is nothing more than this!” Ye Fan said.
“Brother Ye’s cultivation is unfathomably deep—perhaps you truly will make the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty lose face,” Yao Guang smiled, then said: “But don’t let your guard down. In the time since, they have already consecutively cut down twenty-nine senior figures—among them one sect master—without a single failure.”
“Is that so?” A chill passed through Ye Fan’s heart.
“Previously, they misjudged Brother Ye and sent primarily younger assassins to temper the junior generation. But if they keep failing, they will dispatch senior-level kings without mercy to eliminate the target.”
The female disciples from the great sects watched the two men converse from the side—not a single one dared to step forward and interrupt. They all felt a faint reverence.
If these two were to clash, who would live and who would die, who was weaker and who was stronger—no one could say. But whoever emerged victorious would absolutely be able to contend for the title of the number one figure among the younger generation of the Eastern Desolation!
At this moment, in the eyes of all observers, both men wore smiles—with not the slightest trace of hostility—making it very difficult for any spark to ignite a great battle between them.
“Brother Ye…” the Sacred Son of the Great Yan Sect, Xiang Yifei, walked over with a smile, and beside him was the Sacred Son Dao Yi, along with several heirs from top-tier great sects.
Killing intent surged within Ye Fan’s heart—Xiang Yifei had absolutely been present that night, intending to make a move, yet in the end had not entered Beginningless’ killing formation.
He deeply detested this kind of person—a gentleman to one’s face and a viper behind one’s back. But he hung a bright smile on his face, concealing the killing intent within.
“Xiang Yifei, long time no see,” Wu Zhongtian said, the corner of his mouth carrying a slight mocking smirk—that night, all of them had known this person was present.
Xiang Yifei seemed unconcerned, and stepped forward alongside Dao Yi with great composure, exchanging greetings with everyone.
Ye Fan also feigned warmth, dealing with them enthusiastically, exchanging a few pleasantries with the scions of the top-tier great sects as well.
“What a pity about the Sacred Son of the Purple Prefecture and the Sacred Son of the Myriad Origins Sect—these two brothers can never appear again,” Xiang Yifei said, shaking his head.
“Who would have imagined they would provoke Brother Ye,” the Sacred Son Dao Yi also sighed.
Ye Fan and his companions were momentarily stunned—they had not expected them to bring this matter up so directly, and were uncertain of their intent.
On the other side, Yao Guang smiled and said nothing.
The other disciples of various great sects, upon hearing this, began discussing it among themselves—probing Ye Fan with oblique questions, but not a single one dared to ask him point-blank, for the matter was far too sensitive.
“Hmph!”
A cold snort reached them. In the distance by the lake shore, several old men cast cold glances over this way, fixing their gazes on Ye Fan.
“Damn it!” A chill ran through Ye Fan’s heart.
The Sacred Son of the Great Yan Sect and the Sacred Son Dao Yi had touched upon the subject and drawn others into the discussion—and then said nothing more themselves. Meanwhile, from the distance, several Grand Elder overseers from the Purple Prefecture and the Myriad Origins Sect happened to be passing by. It was an almost too-convenient coincidence.
“So you’re that Holy Body?” A cold-faced elder clad in purple stared fixedly at him.
“That is correct—I am,” Ye Fan responded with calm composure.
By now, everyone knew that Ye Fan had killed the Sacred Sons of the Purple Prefecture and the Myriad Origins Sect—though no one had stated it openly, since those two had concealed their identities when they went to kill Ye Fan.
“A hero emerging in youth!” another elder said, his voice ice-cold and bone-chilling, with a palpable killing intent.
“I wouldn’t dare accept that praise,” Ye Fan responded with great composure, wearing an attitude of complete indifference.
At this, the expressions of several old men darkened further still. The Sacred Sons of both factions had been eliminated by the person before them, stoking a boundless rage within them.
For the two great holy lands, this was an utter humiliation!
Yet they could not cut Ye Fan down in public—they simply did not dare. After all, there was an ancient sage standing behind him.
Unable to make a scene openly, if someone were to secretly eliminate Ye Fan in private, that would be another matter entirely.
“Such a forceful air in a young man—that is not a good thing.”
“Exposing one’s edge too brashly leads to an early death.”
The killing intent of several old men surged toward Ye Fan—though outsiders could barely sense it. They could not strike now, but in their hearts they had already reached a certain resolve.
Ye Fan did not care. The other side could only leak killing intent at most—he was confident they would not dare to strike him down in broad public view.
“From ancient times to the present, many peerless geniuses have perished in their youth.”
“Many brilliantly talented figures fall too soon because they are far too reckless—unable to gauge the depths of the world—and find it very difficult to grow.”
The few elders’ expressions grew increasingly icy, and killing intent poured from them.
“Is that so?” Ye Fan was unmoved and lightly swept them with a glance, saying: “I heard that two Sacred Sons have fallen. What a shame—they were both extraordinary talents of peerless genius. What a pity, indeed.”
With these words, the several old men nearly coughed up blood from sheer rage—it was as if they had been stabbed straight through the heart and liver. He had turned their own words around and nearly choked them with their own rhetoric.
“A bunch of old things!” the Monkey suddenly spoke up. He was in human form at the moment and appeared to be no more than a twenty-year-old youth.
No one knew of his origins. Seeing him dare to speak like this, everyone was startled.
“Junior, didn’t your elders teach you about respecting your teachers and honoring your superiors?”
“At such a young age yet daring to speak such wild words in front of elders—not knowing the value of your own life!”
Several of the old men’s expressions turned cold. They naturally had no way of knowing this was the Dou Zhan Sage Ape.
“Bullying the young with the authority of the old—all of you, get lost!” The Monkey was exceedingly domineering. His eyes hardened, and in front of everyone he berated the several elders.