Eighteen verdant peaks rose in solemn majesty, wisps of pale mist coiling around each summit, thousand-foot waterfalls cascading down every mountainside, sending up billows of fine spray. Green waters wound around the mountains, lush and beautiful.
Springs burbled, flowers bloomed in riotous abundance, lending an additional vitality and ethereal grace to this beautiful place.
In other lands, such scenery might have been unremarkable — but in the Northern Region it was exceedingly rare. Elsewhere it was nothing but gravel, not a blade of grass to be found. Here, these mountains and waters were like a realm of immortals.
Verdant vegetation, misty waters, soaring halls half-hidden in the haze — green mountains and blue streams: this place was truly a beautiful and unspoiled land.
“Who are you?!” the people of the Azure Mist Sect shouted.
Ye Fan flicked his finger directly, and the great stone engraved with the characters “Azure Mist” at the mountain gate let out a pop and crumbled to dust.
“This…” Everyone drew sharp breaths. The visitor was hostile — he had shattered the Azure Mist cornerstone on arrival. This was clearly someone come to do battle in earnest.
“Are you looking for death?” The people of the Azure Mist Sect were furious. Only three people had come, yet they had the audacity to declare they wished to found a sect here — it was a profound underestimation of them.
The gate guards all brought out their weapons — flying swords, divine hammers, and more — like a rain of light shooting forward.
Ye Fan paid it no mind. He swept his wide sleeve, and a series of snapping sounds rang out as every weapon shattered and fell to the ground. Even a hundred more Life Spring realm cultivators could not have stood against him.
He gave his sleeve a fierce fling, and everyone at the mountain gate was sent flying, tumbling into the water pool at the base of the waterfall.
“Quickly, go report to the sect leader!” By now they understood that serious trouble had arrived — the opponent was unfathomable, utterly unlike an ordinary reckless brute.
Ye Fan stood before the mountain gate. Behind him, a flash of light appeared and one hundred and eight great banners materialized — he had spent an entire day the previous evening inscribing them.
Back in the Southern Region, Elder Han of the Spirit Void Cave had failed to refine medicine and lost his life in the attempt. In that elder’s cave dwelling, Ye Fan had obtained two ancient hide scrolls.
One of them was an ancient text on the Dao patterns. Since entering the Secret Realm of the Dao Palace he had been able to begin comprehending it. Though these hide scrolls were not the profound secret texts of an ancient era, they had their own distinctive insights.
The one hundred and eight great banners Ye Fan had inscribed were densely packed with Dao patterns — an array for binding and confinement. He cast four of them out, instantly locking down the mountain gate.
Then he shot into the sky, casting the remaining one hundred and four out in all directions, planting them throughout the mountains and waters, sealing off all ten directions.
The great banners snapped and rustled in the wind, and a vast haze settled in, disappearing beyond the green mountains and blue waters.
“You… what exactly are you?” The mountain gate guards retreated.
Before the mountain gate, a path of green stone led to several hundred stone steps rising like a reclining dragon, green grass fresh on either side, immortal vines twisting around, a small brook murmuring alongside.
“I am your future sect leader.” Ye Fan walked forward, ascending the steps with a light and easy gait, unhurried, his entire bearing effortlessly graceful.
“You…” The Azure Mist Sect’s members retreated one after another. The more transcendent and otherworldly this young man appeared, the more unsettled they felt.
“What a magnificent place!” Ye Fan nodded repeatedly. The oasis where the stone village was situated was too small — barely ten li across — and when a great wind blew, the sand and dust from the distance would sweep in, which always left him somewhat uncomfortable.
He loved mountains and water, loved beautiful scenery. The Azure Mist Sect was truly a fine place for cultivating the heart and nurturing the spirit.
“Who causes this disturbance?!” A long cry rang out, and an elderly man shot through the air like a meteor, landing before the mountain gate.
Ye Fan walked unhurriedly forward. “A wandering cultivator — not worth mentioning my name.”
“You wish to found a sect here?” The elder’s gaze was cold and dark, his face set like still water. Anyone who heard such news would find it difficult to wear a smile.
“Indeed — that is precisely my intention.” Ye Fan nodded.
“Just you — so young, and yet so utterly presumptuous!” The elder’s lips curled in a contemptuous sneer.
It was no wonder he was dismissive. Ye Fan’s features were refined and handsome — he appeared to be only around fifteen years of age. At such an age, even a disciple of a sacred ground would not necessarily be capable of single-handedly challenging the Azure Mist Sect.
Ye Fan neither rushed nor slowed, ascending the several hundred stone steps to stand by the water. He was poised at the edge of the pool, and a fine mist settled over him, making him look like an immortal descended from the heavens.
Only now did the elder begin to perceive something unusual — Ye Fan stood right before his eyes, yet felt as elusive as mist, impossible to grasp.
“Wandering bandits run rampant within five hundred li of here, and the Azure Mist Sect has a great deal to do with that. Were you involved as well?” Ye Fan asked.
“Even that you know?” The elder’s composure cracked, the words leaving his mouth involuntarily.
“Then there’s nothing more to say.” Ye Fan drifted forward in an instant, extending his hand and pressing it forward.
Hum!
Weapons shook, and from within the elder’s body seven weapons burst forth — swords, spears, blades, and halberds of all kinds — transforming into seven beams of long light that pierced toward Ye Fan’s palm.
Yet what shocked him was that the seven weapons, like rotten wood, broke apart inch by inch, not withstanding even a single blow.
That jade-like palm seemed to carry some demonic nature — the weapons had indeed struck the center of the palm, yet they crumbled like dry earth and were utterly destroyed.
His face drained of color. Such a technique was divine beyond all reckoning. It chilled him to the bone, and he retreated rapidly.
“Since you have been indulging bandits, there is nothing more to be said. I send you on your way.” Ye Fan reversed his palm and pressed down, sending the elder flying dozens of meters before his body suddenly split apart in all directions.
The mountain gate guards stood paralyzed with disbelief. Even the sect’s elder had been killed with a single palm strike by this young man — it left every one of them trembling.
This was a being who slew gods when gods blocked his path and destroyed Buddhas when Buddhas stood in his way. He was a young demon king — who could possibly stop him? He had killed the Azure Mist elder with a single slap. Even if the sect leader himself came forward, it was far from certain that he could suppress this person.
Ye Fan paid them no mind and continued forward. The crowd shuddered and shrank to the sides.
When will I be able to stride into the Ji Family like this — walk right into the Yao Guang Sacred Ground? He felt that to do so, he would need an immense amount of source.
Cries of alarm rang out everywhere. Inside the Azure Mist Sect, an ancient bell tolled solemnly, rousing everyone. Many cultivators came flying in quickly.
Ahead, water tinkled musically, and patches of grass and flowers grew along the pool’s edge — a single glance revealed a riot of purples and reds.
One by one, figures descended swiftly, surrounding the three of them.
“Brother Ye…” Wang Shu was somewhat nervous.
“Which of you is a bandit?!” Lei Bo was furious.
“Where do you three come from, spouting such nonsense?” Those around them shouted.
“You have been indulging Chen Dahu in plundering, targeting ordinary mortals. Am I accusing you wrongly?” Ye Fan remained composed and at ease.
“So — was it you who caused Chen Dahu to die under mysterious circumstances?” From behind, a white-haired, white-bearded elder with something of an immortal bearing walked slowly forward.
“A cultivator of the Secret Realm of the Dao Palace?” A faint look of surprise crossed Ye Fan’s face.
“Chen Dahu was my disciple. It was through the source he delivered that I broke through the shackles of the Farther Shore. And you had the audacity to kill him, then come here on top of it?!” The old man radiated a killing intent, staring fixedly at Ye Fan. He issued the order to those around him: “Kill him!”
In all directions, figures flashed, light blazed, weapons of every kind were brought to bear, and dozens of people moved to attack at once.
Ye Fan had not anticipated that so many people here knew of Chen Dahu’s affairs. He let out a cold snort and decided to begin the killing.
“You two, fall back — stand to the side and watch carefully!” He motioned for Wang Shu and Lei Bo to step clear.
Ye Fan’s body surged like a serpentine dragon. He launched himself skyward, bringing out the second of the Nine Secrets. One hand pointed to the heavens, and with a light shout from his lips, in an instant a towering celestial seal materialized and trembled above his head.
It was a vast and majestic mountain peak, soaring into the sky, compressed into an ancient seal — and it came crashing down. One could clearly see upon it birds and beasts, ancient trees reaching to the heavens.
Boom!
There was no resisting it. The Mountain Seal of the Sky, with a force that could prop up the heavens, came thundering down — and every weapon flying through the air was turned entirely to ash.
Aaah…!
Screams rang out. Of the dozens who had surrounded Ye Fan to kill him, not a single one escaped — their bodies cracked apart, and all were reduced to ash at the same moment.
This staggering sight left the cultivators watching from a distance open-mouthed, cold sweat pouring, and then trembling uncontrollably.
In the sky, the towering ancient mountain seal slowly grew faint, then vanished.
This was the Sacred Art of Combat, the second of the Nine Secrets — representing the ultimate pinnacle of offensive techniques, capable of transforming into thousands upon thousands of forms. Every realization brought forth a different supreme killing art.
“You… what manner of secret technique is this?” The white-haired, white-bearded elder had lost all trace of his immortal bearing. Terror appeared on his face, and he retreated step by step.
“The Supreme Killing Art!” Ye Fan said lightly, with a faint smile. There was no need to tell him this was the Nine Secrets.
“I am the Supreme Elder of the Azure Mist Sect — do you truly intend to make an enemy of our Azure Mist?” He projected his voice loudly, resonating like rolling thunder, jolting the sect leader out of secluded cultivation along with the other Supreme Elders.
Ye Fan shook his head. “Useless. No one who comes can save you.”
“I am a cultivator of the Secret Realm of the Dao Palace — if you wish to kill me, you will not come away without paying a price!” He was putting on a fierce front while inwardly afraid, stalling for time.
“Go reunite with your beloved disciple — Chen Dahu.” Ye Fan advanced, each step blossoming with a lotus of the Dao, Dao resonance rising from beneath his feet, drifting forward as though weightless.
“You… I’ll fight you to the death, old as I am!” The Azure Mist Sect’s Supreme Elder let out a fierce roar, face contorted, hair and beard bristling, eyes blazing with cold ferocity. From within his Wheel Sea, more than a dozen weapons burst forth.
And from within his Dao Palace flew a bronze-armored “divine manifestation” — wielding a broad sword, clad in cold-gleaming blue iron, standing several meters tall. With a single stride, it cracked the ground beneath its feet.
The three-meter great sword swung into motion, blue energy surging, emitting a droning sound as ten thousand beams of light shot outward like a rain of blades falling from above.
The divine radiance in this region was overwhelming. More than a dozen weapons, combined with the divine manifestation, sealed off this area, killing intent and blinding light churning in violent surges.
From a distance, the Azure Mist disciples shouted in unison — to their eyes, Ye Fan had been completely swallowed within it, certain to perish.
Yet they quickly fell silent.
Boom!
Ye Fan formed the Great Solar Seal with his hand, and a vigorous, blazing sun slowly rose — enormous beyond measure, filling the entire sky.
Yes — a blazing red sun, vast as an endless ocean, crowding the sky completely, bursting forth with magnificent, overwhelming energy, its crimson radiance burning away all things!
The divine manifestation clad in blue iron was burned alive to ash almost in an instant, and those dozen-odd weapons were incinerated to vapor in the very same moment, ceasing to exist!
With the Great Solar Seal formed in his hand, a truly immense red sun was born above his head — large as a mountain, pressing down over the sky above, its power and majesty so overwhelming that all who witnessed it felt the urge to fall to their knees.
Aaah…! The Azure Mist Sect’s Supreme Elder screamed. Having lost the divine manifestation nurtured within his Dao Palace, he suffered severe damage to his foundations, and fled at top speed, desperate to survive.
Ye Fan gave the Great Solar Seal a light shake, and from within the blazing red sun nine Golden Crows burst forth, radiant with golden light as though cast in pure gold, each bearing three legs, wings spread wide as they cried out long and clear.
Thud!
Not far away, many Azure Mist disciples were driven to their knees by this supreme power, unable to remain standing any longer.
The nine three-legged Golden Crows transformed into nine streaks of golden light and shot forward. Though the Azure Mist Supreme Elder had already fled several hundred meters, he was still consumed silently and without trace, reduced to black ash in an instant.
Aaah…!
Screams rang out in succession. Wherever the nine Golden Crows passed, no one could withstand them — all were extinguished along with the golden flames, becoming dust.
This was a power of incomprehensible terror, pressing down with unparalleled dominance. Only when Ye Fan released the Great Solar Seal did the immense red sun and the nine Golden Crows slowly fade away.
From farther back, many Azure Mist disciples had completely collapsed, sinking to the ground in exhaustion. This supreme, overwhelming power was beyond their ability to withstand — it had reached directly into the depths of their very bones.
This was one of the Nine Secrets — the ultimate pinnacle of offensive techniques, the peerless Sacred Art of Combat. With every realization, a new supreme killing art was born — ten thousand transformations, without limit or end!
In all directions, every Azure Mist disciple trembled with fear. That refined and handsome young man was nothing short of a demon king. The incomparable, terrifying power alone was enough to overwhelm their bodies and souls — no combat was even necessary.
Shouts rang out one after another. The Azure Mist Supreme Elders and sect leader were all roused from closed cultivation and came charging in at full speed.
Figures flashed, and ten figures landed in succession, surrounding Ye Fan in their midst.
“Ten cultivators of the Secret Realm of the Dao Palace — it seems today I can finally unleash my full strength.” Ye Fan was unhurried and unbothered, without even the faintest trace of alarm.