Deep within the great wilderness, many peaks had been split as though by an axe, cut off at the waist, great ridges collapsed, as if struck by a divine hammer, the scene one of utter devastation, withered branches and fallen leaves scattered everywhere in desolation.

Amid the thousand-fathom cliffs and precipitous rock formations, spots of crimson red flickered here and there — this was a Sage’s blood, having pierced through numerous great peaks, creating no small number of great chasms.

Throughout this shattered mountain range, crimson stains spread everywhere — these were the bloodstains of the Silver Moon Ancestral King, forming one terrifying, ghastly scene after another.

Many came to verify this for themselves, and upon seeing this ruined battlefield, they finally became certain — a true Ancestral King had indeed been slaughtered by Ye Fan and the Sage Emperor’s Son.

Judging from these fallen mountains and rivers, the battle must have been terrifying — the Silver Moon Ancestral King had clearly struggled fiercely, but ultimately could not escape his fate, his primordial spirit utterly annihilated.

What exactly was the human race’s Sacred Body Ye Fan trying to do? This was the question on many people’s minds!

In such a precarious situation, hiding away would barely be enough to ensure safety, yet he chose instead to strike out boldly and openly — did he not know that every Sage under heaven was hunting for him? Was this some kind of warning to intimidate others?

But who would actually back down? The Green Cauldron’s stakes were simply too high — even if it were incomplete, it would still surely drive many Sages to madness!

The entire world was abuzz with discussion; the ancient sacred ones were all shaken, whether in the Eastern Wilderness, the Central Continent, or the Southern Ridges — everywhere was in an uproar!

Ye Fan had become a Half-Sage, sweeping across one whole region, now able to fight Sages alone — this was truly causing an enormous stir, making all sides deeply apprehensive!

One had to remember, this was the legendary human race’s Sacred Body, called the Undying Golden Body on other ancient stars, possessing unmatched combat strength, a figure of great significance in the mythological era, capable of fighting even deities!

“If this kind of constitution manages to become a Sage, that will truly be a calamity!” many among the ancient clans felt uneasy.

Within the ancient Fire Qilin Cave, immortal flames blazed, mist swirling mysteriously, boundlessly enigmatic. Huo Qizi stood within the cave, saying: “He has become a Half-Sage before me — we must return to that ancestral star, to find what our Father Emperor and our ancestors through the generations left behind for us. I must attain the Dao!”

Huo Lin’er, her water-blue hair reaching to her waist, glossy and smooth, also fell into a trance for a moment before nodding, saying: “Although this constitution cannot attain the Dao, once it grows to maturity, it will still be a formidable competitor.”

Huo Qizi’s form was tall and sturdy, his eyes like divine lamps, saying: “The process may be extremely brutal, but he cannot attain the Dao in the end — ultimately he will still be but a supporting character in this world, meeting a tragic end.”

Ye Fan was only one step away from crossing the threshold of life and death, transforming into another kind of lofty existence — once he became a Sage, it would make all ten directions tremble with fear.

After this battle spread, many people could no longer sit still — the Undying Golden Body’s blood energy was so overwhelmingly vigorous that if it truly transformed into a Great Accomplishment Sacred Body, capable of fighting even deities, that ancient legend made people’s scalps crawl.

“Find him as quickly as possible, don’t give him time, and we must seize the Green Cauldron!” This was the shared sentiment of many among the ancient clans.

Within the Yao Pond, flowers and birds filled the air with fragrance and song, jade-green grass and clear pools all around. Beneath that ancient, vigorous peach tree, coiled like a mighty dragon, the Nine-Aperture Stone King absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, while the Yao Pond Sacred Maiden stood alone, listening to news of everything concerning Ye Fan, her pupils gleaming with shimmering light, silently deep in thought.

“The divine embryo, having been nourished by sacred blood, has become even more spiritually attuned than before. When it eventually emerges, what kind of existence will it become? Is everything under control?”

A towering mountain, level with the heavens, a solitary figure standing there, merging with the light of the Dao across heaven and earth, blending entirely into the depths of the void, unfathomably deep.

“I must walk the path that transcends my ancestor of Blood Phoenix Mountain — a path different from my father’s — I must go to my clan’s ancient star and comprehend the causes and effects of the past.”

Huang Xudao turned and disappeared deep into the ancient mountains, living only for the Dao, wanting nothing else, his life’s goal being solely to attain the Dao and become immortal!

Purple mist swirled, ten thousand mountains like coiling dragons, piercing into the clouds — this was the Purple Mansion’s Immortal Ground, a vast and magnificent spectacle, an ancient floating city suspended in the air, like a divine realm.

This was the renowned Purple Mansion Sacred Ground, said to be the resting place of immortals. An old crone was speaking softly to a stone statue, saying: “This generation’s Sacred Body is truly extraordinary — actually breaking through the curse and cultivating all the way to this realm; becoming a Sage is only a matter of time. And our sect has also produced a Dao Embryo, whose innate talent is rare since ancient times — having entered the Immortal Platform realm, it has already begun fusing with the Dao. I don’t know whether I should make that decision — the Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo could be ranked among the most terrifying constitutions in the universe; even among rivals, none could surpass it, only stand parallel to it. I am considering whether to bring this constitution into the mortal world…”

Some radical figures among the ancient clans jumped forward, saying: “Kill him, we must kill him. He has been hostile toward us since the past — if we allow him to grow to maturity, it will surely bring great disaster.”

In the past there had been Gai Jiuyou, and now he had departed. Though Wei Yi had emerged, he alone could not clap with just one hand — after all, the stakes concerning the Green Cauldron were simply too high, and even Sages from beyond the world were tempted, providing a legitimate excuse and opportunity to jointly eliminate the human race’s Sacred Body.

“More than two years ago he already killed Huo Tan, an Ancestral King who had only just recently become a Sage, and now he has struck down Silver Moon as well. If we don’t eliminate him now, our future chances will grow slim.”

This was a rising tide sweeping across the land — some among the ancient clans’ Sages felt uneasy in their hearts, sensing a strong unease. Ye Fan was growing too quickly, and it irritated them even more than the arrival of invaders from the Eternal Main Star.

“He is but a fish in the pond — don’t give him the chance to transform into a dragon! Let him endure the fires of heaven and earth’s furnace, and kill him before the carp can leap over the dragon gate!”

An enormous wave of upheaval surged across the Northern Dipper star domain — this was a great slaughter unfolding, including even some Sages from beyond the world who had their eyes set on the Green Cauldron, wanting to eliminate Ye Fan.

“He belongs to our clan — let no one else contest for him!” The two Golden Crows remained just as arrogant and domineering, treating Ye Fan as meat already in their pot.

Yet people truly dared not offend these two Golden Crows, for according to rumor, the Fire Mulberry Star was extremely terrifying — the entire ancient star was populated by Golden Crows, and in ancient times a Quasi-Emperor had emerged from that golden, fiery divine tree nest!

“What human race Sacred Body, what Undying Golden Body — in the eyes of my Golden Crow clan, these mean nothing at all. If he dares show himself, strike him down on the spot!”

At any rate, a prophet named Chi Yun, an Ancestral King of the Blood Lightning Clan, visited numerous ancient clans, wanting to unite manpower to hunt down and kill Ye Fan.

“The path to immortality is within sight — if we wish to become immortal, we must kill the human race’s Sacred Body, walking over his bones to pursue our own path to immortality. The Green Cauldron is too important.”

Chi Yun canvassed tirelessly, persistently, uniting a group of followers, even inviting some among the ancient clans skilled in divination and prophecy, wanting to be the first to flush out Ye Fan.

The cold wind blew across the Northern Wastes, the land utterly desolate, barren for ten thousand li, not a blade of grass growing.

A figure appeared on the horizon like a javelin — Ye Fan had emerged, standing tens of thousands of li outside the ancient territory of the Blood Lightning Clan.

This clan had a female Sage King, called the Blood Lightning Queen, a rare and formidable expert who in years past had crossed blows with the White-Robed Divine King at the Yao Pond Grand Assembly without suffering any harm, and had also appeared at the ancient burial ground of Yaoguang before entering seclusion.

Ye Fan did not yet wish to provoke the Blood Lightning Queen, but he was determined to kill Chi Yun. He intended to defy the world’s outrage at this critical juncture, killing in the eye of the storm.

Whoever wished to seize the cauldron, whoever sought his death, he would end their lives, using killing to stop killing, intimidating the myriad clans.

Having reached this realm, Ye Fan could now truly remain calm and composed — able to fight Sages, possessing mastery over the star gate, coming and going freely, unafraid of great slaughter, now able to face all the world’s heroes with composure.

Chi Yun rode upon clouds and mist, stirring up gusts of crimson whirlwind, surveying the mountains and rivers below, on his way back to his clan’s territory, when for some reason a wave of ominous foreboding rose in his heart.

Having reached the Sage realm, his instincts were extraordinarily keen; his ability to sense impending death was remarkably accurate. His heart turned to ice, sensing something was wrong, and he turned around immediately.

Yet it was already too late. At the far edge of that crimson-red land, a figure like a god or demon appeared, throwing a punch skyward toward the high heavens.

That was a golden fist!

He immediately knew who had arrived — only that one person possessed such a golden battle aura, now blocking his path.

Chi Yun’s heart sank; he tried to swiftly dodge, but that vast fist-wind, that world-shaking battle intent, surged forth like a hurricane from the far edge of the land, shaking him with pain throughout his entire body.

Chi Yun was truly startled — a mere Half-Sage, even if capable of fighting Sages, how strong could he possibly be?

Yet the truth left him terrified — this was someone of overwhelming strength, capable of killing Sages, a junior. That devastating battle scene in the great wilderness against the Silver Moon Ancestral King had been a deception, misleading the world — that battle had absolutely not been that difficult.

“Boom!”

Chi Yun struck back, unleashing a finger-sword slash, grunting in pain, retreating.

That figure on the land, blood energy soaring to the heavens, pressing down on him with an ugly expression, Ye Fan stood firm, not having moved a single step.

“Run!”

This was the only thought in his mind. He tore open space and turned to flee, wanting to escape this crimson land, to get far away from this god-demon-like man.

Yet a thunderous crash sounded — the void was smashed apart by someone, and a massive black club swept across, cutting through the heavens and earth, sending him flying.

A golden sacred ape, towering between heaven and earth, taller than the mountains themselves, holding a black iron club, stood behind him.

“Sage Emperor…” Chi Yun cried out in terror.

In this instant, he had nearly mistaken the Monkey for the Fighting War Sage Emperor of ancient times, so alike were they, exactly matching that supreme figure.

Chi Yun steadied his mind, but his face still turned pale — the human race’s Sacred Body and the Sage Emperor’s Son had appeared together, front and back, blocking his escape route; the outlook was grim indeed.

A thunderous roar of wind sounded, and Ye Fan, still standing on the horizon, finally made his move, his golden fist carrying an unstoppable, invincible intent, striking out, powerful enough to shake a Sage.

“Wait, I have something to say,” Chi Yun cried out.

“Didn’t you say you wanted my head, wanted to seize my Green Cauldron, to participate together with all the Sages in the opportunity for immortality? All these days you’ve been jumping about so busily — you truly must have worked hard,” Ye Fan’s voice was cold and merciless.

This battle was naturally unavoidable. Heaven and earth roared with wind and thunder, golden lightning bolts flashing one after another, destroying vast swaths of mountains and rivers throughout the Northern Territory.

Yet no one noticed, and no one came to his aid, for Ye Fan and the Sage Emperor’s Son had already deployed the Primordial Great Emperor’s Heaven-Deceiving Array, sealing off the heavens and earth.

“Ah…” Chi Yun screamed, unable to escape a fatal end, his body drenched in blood upon the crimson land, torn apart bit by bit under that golden fist, dissolving into wisps of blood mist.

“Hmm, so it truly was a trap, someone was directing him to do this. He deliberately jumped around so much to provoke us into coming out.”

After Ye Fan and the Sage Ape’s Son searched through Chi Yun’s memories, they discovered he was merely someone else’s pawn, the goal being to lure them into a trap.

However, after they had deployed the Heaven-Deceiving Array, the plans of that mastermind behind the scenes had clearly failed — killing him had been for nothing!

The two departed, leaving behind two long shadows in the crimson evening glow, with only a scattering of broken bones left behind.

“Using killing to stop killing — anyone who dares come seeking me out should be prepared to be beheaded by my hand!”

No one had expected that Ye Fan would be so overbearing — in just two days, he had already killed his second Ancestral King.