Wang Ziwen’s heart was heavy with a melancholy that could not be shaken. Different hearts see different landscapes.
Ye Fan walked the heavenly road and departed—seemingly carefree, yet he too carried a different kind of feeling within. He would witness a glorious and splendid age—and also a field of white bones piled into mountains.
The land was beautiful as a painting, its splendor washed in blood. In the end, whose glorious age would this be, whose splendor? Or would it all become a scene of bleak desolation?
Ye Fan returned to the main path and entered what had once been the sacred human city, beginning a new journey—advancing along this ancient road, watching the stars shift and the sun and moon rise and fall.
The star road was boundless. The strong grew ever stronger. Along the way he had grown accustomed to life and death, witnessed countless sorrows—blood-rain flying through the air, countless heroes falling, becoming scenery in someone else’s story.
In the year that followed, Ye Fan became almost entirely a solitary traveler. For a long stretch of time he saw no other trial-takers—for he had spent much of it advancing through the branching side paths of foreign domains.
Just as the human tribe’s thirtieth checkpoint could lead to the Celestial Soldier Star, the checkpoints ahead also had side paths of this kind. Only these were not easy to find—many were nothing but uninhabited forbidden zones stretching on and on.
Ye Fan feared no hardship or danger. He crossed over again and again, fighting his way through checkpoint after checkpoint, tempering himself.
These ancient sites had been abandoned in some cases for a hundred thousand years, and in others for far longer. Now they were open only to a select few of the strongest, who were chosen to walk this road.
One ancient side path after another—each extraordinarily arduous, fraught with hardship and obstacle, bristling with dangers and barriers. In the eyes of many, these were dead-end roads.
“Young one, the golden side paths are the first choice, for they are the true road home for the mightiest. The most outstanding heroes of the deeper cosmos all seek out ancient trial sites like these.”
Along the way, an elderly figure had once said this to him. Ye Fan unexpectedly learned that somewhere in the deepest reaches of the cosmos, there were golden trial grounds prepared for those competing for the road of emperors—and many of them lay along the side paths.
Ye Fan pressed onward with unwavering resolve, fighting his way through checkpoint after checkpoint, tempering himself further and further.
Time flowed swiftly. In the blink of an eye, nearly two years had passed. Ye Fan had weathered dozens and hundreds of battles, large and small, leading Long Ma, the Golden Lion, and the others forward—until at last they reached the fiftieth checkpoint of the human tribe’s road.
He came to a halt here, for this was a wondrous and peculiar place. The fiftieth checkpoint—the number of great accomplishment, the count of the Great Dao—was a most important and sacred stretch of holy land.
“Awoooo…”
Long Ma, the Black Bear Saint, and the rest all let out long howls. In these past two years they had moved in and out of every great forbidden zone, walking year-round through uninhabited regions—they hadn’t so much as seen a feather on a bird, and were thoroughly weary of this monotony.
“We are finally about to enter a living ancient site again. I cannot wait—I want to arrive this instant.”
The city before them was grandiose beyond anything—greater than any they had seen before. It floated in the cosmos, and approaching it filled one with a sense of breadth and majesty.
Ye Fan and his companions entered the city without difficulty.
Morning. The sun blazed brilliantly. Dew rolled upon fine trees and ancient vines along the roadside, lit by the rosy light of dawn into glittering pearls, translucent and luminous, filled with vitality.
The ancient city was quiet, bathed in the morning glow, a stream of golden radiance flowing across the entire city—solemn and sacred.
Especially upon the ancient structures—the golden light fell across the ridge-beams and great halls, making everything appear more austere and magnificent, inspiring in all who beheld it a desire for reverent prostration, their hearts settling into peaceful serenity.
The fiftieth city of the human tribe was imposing and extraordinary in every respect. The moment Ye Fan stepped inside, he sensed that the Dao markings here were so dense they had almost merged with the Great Dao itself.
“Awoooo…” Long Ma let out a long cry, shattering the tranquility of the early morning.
The fiftieth city of the human tribe had wide streets paved in green stone. The Golden Lion, the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon, the Black Bear Saint, and the others charged in—a mountain flood breaking loose—their thunder rolling along the entire ancient road.
Some people stood on the green stones, others sat cross-legged on Dao platforms, drawing in the essence of heaven and earth. Column after column of white qi was expelled from their mouths and nostrils, thundering like rolling drums.
Many opened their eyes and looked toward them at the same time.
“The Star of Burying the Emperor… the Sacred Body of the Human Tribe has arrived!”
No one knew who said it first—but in an instant, a wave of commotion swept through them, and many turned to look, staring without cease.
The star road had been interrupted for over twenty years, and Ye Fan had been unable to set foot on it. Only today had he at last arrived at the fiftieth checkpoint of the human tribe’s road—naturally stirring no small stir.
Some of the feats he had achieved at the tenth checkpoint of the human tribe had gradually filtered through—little by little, some had arrived here ahead of him. With his identity being so extraordinarily sensitive, certain people had naturally taken notice and kept watch.
Yet with the ancient road severed for over twenty years, whatever had come through about his feats was vague and fragmented, truth and rumor indistinguishable, hearsay predominating, impossible to confirm or verify.
Of course, one thing people could confirm: Ye Fan was extremely formidable. He had slain the Great Commander of the human tribe’s sacred city, and had killed a kinsman of the Enforcer—seizing the Enforcement Sacred Garment and the divine command token.
These events had occurred before the ancient road’s interruption, and were therefore known clearly.
“So this is the Sacred Body from the Star of Burying the Emperor—he’s finally arrived. The ancient road ahead is bound not to be dull now. The only question is whether the people who went ahead will find a way to come back and fight him.”
Many watched with anticipation, curiosity gleaming in their eyes.
The fiftieth city of the human tribe was extraordinarily grand, capable of housing a vast population. On this early morning, many people were drawing in the dawn light in cultivation—both trial-takers and native inhabitants.
This was a special ancient city: within the fiftieth sacred city of the human tribe, even small children understood how to cultivate qi, drawing in the Dao. High-level practitioners were everywhere in the city.
“The fiftieth city—the midpoint number, the count of great abundance. This great city is truly exceptional, holding so many trial-takers as though arrested in place. What are they seeking? Or are they in contemplation of supreme principles?” The Golden Lion mused.
“Everyone is staring at me—there is nothing to be done. Wherever I walk, I become the center of all eyes.” Long Ma boasted shamelessly, its self-regard unbounded.
Morning, golden sunlight bathed everything in a warm glow. A pack of holy beasts and clan members of alien races moved through the light—and they did indeed draw many gazes.
“That horse is indeed not bad.” From among the cultivators sitting in cultivation along the road, someone spoke up.
Long Ma, hearing this, raised its great head with an air of towering superiority—a look of supreme confidence and disdain for all below, as though it alone reigned over the six directions—and strutted forward with a swaggering stride.
“Hey—impressive young fellow, truly something to tame so many holy beasts. Sell me this foolish horse.” From the roadside, a large man with a full bushy beard spoke up, stocky and powerfully built, built like a column of black iron.
Long Ma immediately snapped out of its self-congratulatory reverie. It swiveled its great head around, pricked up its ears, and fixed the man with a glare of its large copper-bell eyes—fierce and threatening.
“What in the—a donkey-meat restaurant?!” Long Ma spotted the golden signboard hanging behind the large man and instantly exploded with rage. It reared up on its hind legs, ready to charge.
“We sell premium donkey meat here. Occasionally a bit of horse meat as well.” The large man rubbed his hands together, wearing the expression of a practiced butcher—appraising Long Ma up and down, assessing its fat-to-muscle ratio.
“Up—let’s tear this place apart together!” Long Ma roared, rallying the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon and the others.
Ye Fan was at a loss for words. The large man was truly outrageous to provoke Long Ma like that—but he was clearly no ordinary person either. One look and you could tell he was a formidable expert.
Long Ma held considerable prestige among the Twelve Saints. With a whoosh, the other eleven charged forward together, their holy might spreading outward, ready to strike.
“Ah—poor child. To meet such a rotten guide as this.”
Not far away, someone murmured. Ye Fan was startled and caught a flicker of surprise—for this, incredibly, turned out to be the city’s Envoy of Reception. How did an Envoy of Reception end up like this?
“What—you’re the Envoy of Reception? You provoked us first. That was legitimate self-defense, and this seat intends to suppress you!” Long Ma was thoroughly domineering as it waved the others forward.
A flash of light—the Envoy’s fan-sized hand spread wide, covering the heavens and the earth, enveloping Long Ma in its shadow. He raised it and prepared to bring it crashing down.
“Why does the Envoy do this?” Ye Fan shifted into place, stepping in front of Long Ma. A great golden hand shot forward to meet the blow, blazing with divine radiance.
The Envoy withdrew his hand and shook his head. “Trading palm strikes with you is too costly a bargain.” Showing not a shred of embarrassment, he backed away calmly.
“Senior is the Envoy of this city—why are you running a restaurant here?” Ye Fan asked.
“Sigh—Envoys are people too. We need to make a living.” The large man replied with an expression of weathered resignation, though somehow it carried an oddly unsettling quality.
“What the—! You really opened a donkey-meat restaurant?!” Long Ma’s eyes went wide as saucers. Its fury surged. Ready to pounce at any moment, it declared: “You have violated my dignity!”
“I saw you coming from a long way off—just saying hello.” The large man with his beard like steel needles gave a cheeky grin.
This was the Envoy of Reception for the fiftieth city of the human tribe. He was powerful, and he wandered in the midst of the mortal world with not even the faintest air of authority about him—utterly unlike any Envoy of Reception Ye Fan had encountered before.
Long Ma looked him up and down. Knowing this was someone who could not be easily provoked, and since the man had put it that way, it decided not to make a scene. “Old fellow—don’t do it again.”
“As penance, I’ll treat you all to some horse meat.” The Envoy extended a warm invitation, calling out to Ye Fan, the Scorpion, and the others.
“I’ll stamp you flat!” Long Ma erupted in fury, raising a hoof to stomp downward. Never in its life had it met such an insufferable Envoy—this man was positively infuriating.
Off to one side, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“The Envoy was once terribly wronged by an old donkey—four thousand years have passed and he still carries a grudge. Who knows how many donkeys he has eaten by now.”
“Indeed—and creatures resembling donkeys have all earned themselves an equally poor reception.”
Long Ma nearly spat blood upon hearing this. It had been born of the spiritual qi of heaven and earth—not of mortal flesh and blood—and in a certain sense it was one kind of sacred spirit. To be considered a close relative of a donkey’s bloodline was absolutely beyond bearing.
Of course, in the end no battle broke out. The Envoy had been badly wronged by an old donkey, but that was not sufficient cause for him to go out of his way to make life difficult for trial-takers. He was an eccentric figure who drifted through the mortal world.
“Ah—if in the road ahead you happen to meet an old donkey, be sure to take care.” Within the donkey-meat restaurant, the Envoy wore a mournful expression, saying it was quite likely they would truly encounter one somewhere deeper in the stellar domain.
The pack of savage beasts offered their hollow consolations—with Long Ma leading them, all of them were delighting in the Envoy’s suffering, their happiness built on someone else’s pain. Every single one of them, at this moment, was black-hearted.
Ye Fan, the Black Bear Saint, the Golden Lion, and the rest ate heartily—sweeping through the meal like a whirlwind. At their level of cultivation such eating was not truly necessary; it was merely the enjoyment of something delicious.
“Child—now that you’ve eaten and drunk your fill, let the tears come if they must.” The Envoy said.
Ye Fan was taken aback, uncertain what new trick the man was about to pull.
“What are you saying—what did you feed us?” Long Ma’s expression changed. It demanded in a sharp voice.
“Horse meat.” The Envoy answered without a flicker of hesitation.
“You old wretch!” Long Ma let out a great cry and bolted into the distance.
“Let’s go take a look around and get familiar with this ancient city.” The Golden Lion, the Black Bear Saint, and the others also made their escape, feeling it was dangerous to remain in the Envoy’s company.
When they had gone, the Envoy’s face turned grave and solemn. “The fiftieth checkpoint holds great significance for you. There are certain places you need to go and see.”
Ye Fan saw how serious he had become, but did not understand—he could not fathom what the man meant.
“Come. Let me take you to see it.” The Envoy let out a long sigh.
They went directly to the central district of the ancient city, where there lay a vast mansion complex occupying an enormous stretch of land, surrounded by sweeping garden and forest grounds that enclosed several mountain peaks within.
On ordinary days no one could enter. It had remained sealed, guarded by a fearsome formation array.
“Creak… clang.”
The Envoy activated the ancient formation array and pushed open the old gate. He led Ye Fan inside. The moment they entered, a scent of blood reached their nostrils.