Over six thousand years ago, a certain immortal sect and holy land — at the very height of its power — poured everything it had into the assault, sending tens of thousands of powerful cultivators to storm the desolate abyss. The result was near-total annihilation, establishing this place’s supreme and terrible name.
“Those white bones carry no signs of life. So why are they crawling up from the abyss?” Everyone was horrified and perplexed in equal measure.
The nine sacred mountains rose in majestic and solemn grandeur. Countless white skeletal remains were struggling at the mouth of the abyss — densest at one spot in particular, where fully over a thousand bones had piled up into a small hill of skeletal remains.
The Ancient Bronze Coffin!
Two piercing rays of light shot from Ye Fan’s eyes. He caught sight of a corner of the bronze coffin — not yet fully buried beneath the thousand skeletons — and a feeling he could not quite name surged up within him. All of it had begun because of the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin.
At this moment, Jiang Family elder Jiang Hanzhong also spotted the Ancient Bronze Coffin. His expression immediately sharpened. “The Forbidden Desolate Land has undergone a mysterious change — countless white bones struggle to emerge. Could it all be because of that bronze coffin? What is its origin? Why would it appear here?”
The elder knight of the Yao Guang Holy Land furrowed his brow as well, murmuring to himself, “Legend has it that something was buried in the depths of the endless abyss — and it was for that ethereal, elusive thing that the supremely powerful immortal sect of ancient times launched its assault on this place. Could it truly be this bronze coffin?”
“The Forbidden Desolate Land is one of the Eastern Desolation’s seven great life-forbidden zones. Since ancient times, none has broken its seal — no cultivator has ever truly ventured deep inside. Whatever is buried in the abyss beneath must carry a celestial origin.” Ji Family elder Ji Yunfeng narrowed his eyes, examining the Ancient Bronze Coffin unblinkingly.
The group was next struck by a thorny problem. Not long ago, a single white skeleton had caused over a dozen cultivators to be reduced to ash and smoke. Now, across the nine sacred mountains — a dense expanse of thousands upon thousands of white skeletal remains. How were they to gather the divine medicines?
“Which sacred mountain did you climb?” Jiang Hanzhong asked Zhou Yi and Lin Jia.
Zhou Yi was dressed in a white robe, his black hair loose over his shoulders, his manner settled and refined. He answered calmly, “The mountain peak where the ancient coffin rests.”
Jiang Hanzhong nodded, then addressed everyone, “That sacred mountain has the most white skeletal remains, and its divine medicines have already been gathered. Let us avoid it and climb a different sacred mountain.”
Beside them, a knight sighed and muttered quietly, “With that many white bones on the mountain, how is anyone supposed to get up there? It would mean certain death. There’s not a shred of hope. If anyone tries to go up, they’ll die without fail.”
The elder of the Yao Guang Holy Land, Xu Daoling, spoke up. “There is always a way. Let us first go closer and have a look.”
Before long the group arrived at the foot of the nine sacred mountains. Viewed up close, the sacred mountains were lush with vegetation and beautiful in scenery. Combined with their grandeur and magnificence, one would call them sublime.
“As for the three of our factions — shall we divide our forces, or join together and climb a single sacred mountain?” Ji Family elder Ji Yunfeng asked with a smile that was not quite a smile.
Jiang Family elder Jiang Hanzhong stepped forward directly. “Brother Xu, there is no need to keep anything hidden. That young knight once consumed a divine medicine produced in this place and should be capable of resisting the power of the curse. Let us combine our forces, help him climb the sacred mountain, gather the divine medicines, and satisfy the needs of all three factions.”
Seeing that the matter was exposed, the Yao Guang Holy Land elder Xu Daoling had no choice but to call Ye Fan over. When Ye Fan removed his helmet, revealing his refined and handsome features, not far away Liu Yiyi, Zhang Ziling, and Wang Ziwen all showed expressions of shock.
“Let’s think it through and see what workable plan there might be for gathering the divine medicines.” The elders gathered all the knights together and began to deliberate.
Ye Fan and the others were left to one side, temporarily ignored.
“Ye Fan…” Liu Yiyi was the first to run over. Three years had passed without a meeting, yet she seemed little changed — still as she had been before, appearing fragile and delicate. Her large eyes were filled with extreme astonishment as she whispered, “This place is so dangerous — how did you come to be here too?”
Zhang Ziling came rushing over as well, grabbing Ye Fan by the shoulders and shaking him with excitement. “Where did you go these past two years? I once went to the Lingxu Grotto-Heaven with my sect’s elders, hoping to visit you and Pang Bo — only to learn that you had both gone missing.”
“It’s a long story…” Ye Fan had been through a great deal, yet had no way of telling it all, for doing so would surely bring trouble upon them.
Lin Jia was extraordinarily beautiful. Her phoenix eyes were a gift she had been born with. Even in a situation of uncertain life and death, she could not easily show a smile — yet she remained enchanting all the same, entirely through her innate bearing and quality. Though she had briefly seen Ye Fan a short while ago and had not pointed it out, she now stretched out a slender jade hand, touched the top of Ye Fan’s head, and said, “You’ve finally grown taller.”
Wang Ziwen also stepped quickly forward. “Of all things — to reunite in this place. I truly don’t know whether to celebrate or mourn.”
Zhou Yi frowned as well, speaking softly. “Today our situation is likely very dangerous. We must think of a way to save ourselves. These people will not care about our lives.”
Li Xiaoman stood in a white robe, slender and graceful. Her expression was serene. She gave Ye Fan a nod and said nothing.
Just then, those ahead finished their discussion and looked this way. Jiang Hanzhong pointed directly at Wang Ziwen. “You — come here.”
“May I ask what instructions the Elder has?” Wang Ziwen appeared as cultured and refined as ever.
“Go up the mountain right now. Do everything you can to gather the sacred medicine. If you succeed, I will take you as a disciple and make you a formal member of an ancient family.”
Hearing the Jiang Family elder Jiang Hanzhong say this, Wang Ziwen’s expression changed immediately. This was obviously using him as a test subject — sending him up first to see how it went.
“I… lack the ability. I fear I would be overwhelmed by those white skeletal remains before reaching the mountain top and turn to yellow earth.” Wang Ziwen appeared refined, but was not a weak person. His gaze was bright as he met the Jiang Family elder’s eyes directly. “I beg the Elder to show mercy.”
“You’re told to go up, so go up — why all this nonsense!” A knight nearby was displeased, raising his voice in rebuke.
“Then just kill me. Otherwise I’d rather die than comply!” Wang Ziwen said it cleanly and directly.
“Then I’ll kill you directly!” A knight drew a gleaming blade.
Even with the spring of divine power dried up, a cultivator’s constitution still far exceeded that of ordinary people. Wang Ziwen suddenly leapt into the air, landed on the back of his own savage beast, drew a dagger, and thrust it in sharply. The mount immediately reared up and bolted.
Almost simultaneously, Zhou Yi, Li Xiaoman, and Lin Jia made the same move — each leaping quickly, vaulting onto their mounts, driving them forcefully forward and away.
Beside them, Liu Yiyi and Zhang Ziling simultaneously grabbed one of Ye Fan’s arms each, trying to carry him away with them as they fled. But it was too late — several knights with leveled spears cut off their path.
Liu Yiyi and Zhang Ziling drew their swords and stood off against those knights. Even knowing the odds were poor, they refused to yield without a fight.
“You think you can really escape? Smart enough, but you won’t slip out of my grasp.” Jiang Hanzhong paid Ye Fan and the other three no mind. He gave a sharp whistle — and the four mounts that had been galloping away immediately turned back.
Wang Ziwen, Zhou Yi, Lin Jia, and Li Xiaoman were decisive; they immediately leapt from their mounts and sprinted on foot into the distance. But those four savage beasts gave chase relentlessly, quickly cutting them off.
“Those beasts have long since developed their intelligence. You were only borrowing them temporarily — did you really think you could control them?”
In the end, Zhou Yi, Li Xiaoman, Wang Ziwen, and Lin Jia were all escorted back by the knights.
“You want to send me to my death — to test the situation for you. Not a chance! I’d rather die here, right now.” Wang Ziwen did not beg for mercy.
Lin Jia also said in a cold voice, “Though I know this is a world where the strong devour the weak, I never imagined that those who call themselves holy lands and ancient families standing apart from the mundane world would also be so contemptible.”
Jiang Hanzhong shook his head. “In this world, what is there truly that is black and white? As long as we do right by the vast majority of people in the world, that is sufficient. Sacrificing three or five people of no concern occasionally — it amounts to nothing.”
“Then just kill us!”
A knight beside them shook his head, looked over at Lin Jia and Li Xiaoman, and said, “You two could be called peerless beauties of this age. In ordinary times, no one could bear to lay a hand on you — but today, if you refuse to comply, don’t blame me for destroying flowers with a ruthless hand.”
Ye Fan looked at Jiang Hanzhong. “What you are doing is too cruel. You could easily use savage beasts to test the way — why sacrifice people?”
Jiang Hanzhong’s expression was calm. He shook his head. “In this life-forbidden zone, these savage beasts are of great importance to us. They cannot be casually sacrificed.”
“In your eyes, are we worth less even than your mounts?” Ye Fan asked in a cold voice.
Jiang Feng — the knight who had hunted Ye Fan two years ago — walked forward, a mocking smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “Some things need to be said plainly?” He patted Ye Fan on the shoulder. “Relax — you’re guaranteed to outlive them. Most people here will be assisting you as you climb the sacred mountain, so that you can gather the sacred medicine for us.”
Ye Fan turned to look at the Yao Guang Holy Land elder Xu Daoling, then at Ji Family elder Ji Yunfeng. “Is this also the attitude the two of you hold?”
Neither responded. Their expressions remained indifferent; they said nothing at all.
Jiang Feng laughed loudly, swept a contemptuous eye over Ye Fan, and patted him on the shoulder mockingly. “Know your place. What right do you have to be speaking to us this way? Even if the heads of all six sects of the Yan region came here in person, they wouldn’t have the standing. The three great Elder Lords will not waste words on you.”
“You are far too overbearing and arrogant!” A flash of cold light passed through Ye Fan’s eyes and was gone. He asked, “As arrogant as you are — exactly what realm have you reached?”
“The Divine Bridge realm.” Jiang Feng looked down at him with a disdainful cold smile. “Your level is too low; you’ll never understand. If it weren’t for the fact that you still have some use, daring to speak to me like this — I would have cut you down already.”
Ye Fan was genuinely startled. He had not expected Jiang Feng to have reached the Divine Bridge realm — a full major realm above him. Were the two to meet under normal circumstances, Ye Fan would die without any question or suspense.
Apparently perceiving Ye Fan’s startled expression, Jiang Feng smiled coldly. “A frog in a well knows nothing of the great world. You cultivators of the Yan region are limited only to the Wheel Sea stage. You’re nothing but an ordinary mortal — you know nothing about cultivation. I disdain to speak further with you.”
Ye Fan turned to face Xu Daoling, Ji Yunfeng, and Jiang Hanzhong. “If you want me to help gather the divine medicines, you’ll need to first put my mind at ease.” He pointed directly at Jiang Feng. “This man must die first!”
The Jiang Family elder Jiang Hanzhong shook his head. “You think far too highly of yourself. A mere ordinary mortal has no right to threaten those of our standing. There are many ways to make you comply.” He turned his gaze to Zhang Ziling, his voice cold and emotionless as he ordered a knight forward. “Kill him.”
The Jiang Family elder’s manner was entirely composed — as still as a deep well. Killing a person seemed to him utterly inconsequential. The knight drew his sword and moved forward.
“If one isn’t enough, I can have them killed one by one.” The Jiang Family elder’s voice was ice-cold beyond measure.
“You would actually coerce me like this…” Cold light flashed in Ye Fan’s eyes.
At this point, Jiang Feng stepped forward. He swept Ye Fan with an indifferent look and said lightly, “Know your place. A cripple who can’t even cultivate thinks he can put us in check — thinks he can take my life. You have no idea what you’re getting into!”
“There are plenty of ways to control you. We could simply dominate your mind and spirit!” Jiang Feng extended his hand and lightly brought it toward Ye Fan’s face in a slow pat — the utmost in humiliation. He smiled coldly. “To us, you have only a little use left. Leaving your corpse intact afterward would be a mercy.”
Ye Fan caught his wrist and did not let it fall. “From start to finish, you have all looked down on everyone from on high. The sense of superiority runs strong. Is being a Divine Bridge realm cultivator really so impressive?”
Crack!
Suddenly, Ye Fan swung his palm out with full force, striking Jiang Feng’s face in a thunderous slap that sent him flying several meters. He smiled coldly. “As an ordinary mortal, slapping the face of a Divine Bridge realm cultivator — it feels truly satisfying!”
Li Xiaoman, Zhou Yi, and Lin Jia all revealed expressions of shock. The other knights around them were struck with even greater disbelief.