The night moon was cold and clear, the reddish-brown earth stretched endlessly into the distance, vast and remote.
“What are you all doing?” Ye Fan looked at the group, calmly closing his fingers around the one-inch-tall Li Fire Divine Furnace concealed in his palm.
Yao Guang Holy Son’s smile remained unchanged. “Daoren, please don’t misunderstand. I have no ill intentions — I simply wish to discuss something with you.”
“Discuss what?”
“I wish to exchange something with you for the phoenix blood scarlet gold.” Yao Guang Holy Son answered.
“What would you offer in exchange?” Ye Fan stood beneath the moonlight, asking calmly.
“I can act on behalf of the Yao Guang Holy Land and open its treasury, allowing Daoren to select freely.” Yao Guang Holy Son said this, and such terms were nothing short of astounding. The Yao Guang Holy Land had passed down its legacy for over a hundred thousand years — from ancient times to the present, it had always flourished. The depth of its accumulation and the richness of its foundations were utterly beyond imagination.
A hundred thousand years’ worth of collected treasures — rare heavenly and earthly materials of untold quantity — and Ye Fan was free to choose from them. It was genuinely tempting. Yet Ye Fan could never agree. How could any heavenly or earthly material compare to phoenix blood scarlet gold? This was a sacred object exclusively belonging to the Ancient Great Emperors!
“Do you think there is anything that could equal the phoenix blood scarlet gold in value?” Ye Fan asked.
“The value of phoenix blood scarlet gold is indeed impossible to measure. But I have never been one to force others. I wonder — might a volume of an ancient scripture move Daoren’s heart?” The night wind stirred, and Yao Guang Holy Son’s entire body radiated light, as though a rim of gold had been inlaid around him.
“A volume of an ancient scripture?!” Ye Fan’s expression shifted.
Beside them, Old Blade-Hilt and the Yao Pool Saintess were equally startled. Even Yao Xi’s expression betrayed her surprise — she had not expected a fellow Holy Son to make such a bold promise.
“I have observed that Daoren resides in the Dao Palace realm, and I thought to offer you a volume of the ancient scripture from the ‘Four Extremes’ realm. I wonder, Daoren, whether that would be satisfactory?” Yao Guang Holy Son asked with a smile.
“Ah — so it is not a complete ancient scripture, but merely a scroll from one particular realm.” Ye Fan remained noncommittal.
Yao Guang Holy Son shook his head. “Daoren, you are being greedy. While phoenix blood scarlet gold is an unrivaled rarity, in the end it is only a fist-sized piece — truly very little.”
“Does it belong to the Yao Guang Holy Land’s ancient scripture?” Ye Fan pressed.
Yao Xi had been watching attentively from the side. She believed that while Yao Guang Holy Son held an exalted position, it would be impossible even for him to share the holy land’s scriptures with an outsider — the old elders of the sect would never permit it.
Yao Guang Holy Son shook his head. “It is not our Yao Guang heart technique. This is a fragmentary scripture — something I came across by chance during my travels.”
The color drained from everyone’s faces. As expected, Yao Guang Holy Son truly had extraordinary fortune: already cultivating one of the most profound ancient scriptures of the Eastern Desolation, and yet he had also obtained a fragmentary scripture during his travels.
“Can it compare to the immortal classics of Yao Guang?” Ye Fan asked. He was genuinely somewhat moved.
“It is in no way inferior!” Yao Guang Holy Son answered with conviction.
Ye Fan sighed inwardly — this was the gap between them. The other man had mastered one ancient scripture and had a fragmentary scripture for reference besides, while he himself was fretting over where to find cultivation techniques for his future path.
“Actually, I want cultivation methods from both the Dao Palace and the Four Extremes realms. I wonder whether Holy Son could provide them?” Ye Fan asked with a smile.
“Daoren cannot be too greedy. This scripture is a fragment and contains no chapters on the Dao Palace realm.” Yao Guang Holy Son replied.
“Ah, this is truly difficult.” At these words, Ye Fan glanced at Old Blade-Hilt with a smile. “Old man, I can see that you possess extraordinary inner brilliance — one look and I can tell you are a seasoned figure. Do you have anything to exchange with me? Surely you are not thinking of taking it by force — you should know that several talents of the holy lands are present, and they would not stand idly by.”
Since Yao Guang Holy Son had not moved to seize the gold outright, Ye Fan felt considerably more at ease, using words to probe Old Blade-Hilt.
“An old man like myself, weathered and near the end of his years — how could I do such a thing? I wonder, what is it you want?” Old Blade-Hilt responded mildly, coming across as deeply inscrutable.
Ye Fan’s heart tightened. He felt that this old man showed no fear even with several holy land heirs present — the old fellow seemed to be hiding something far deeper than he let on.
“As I said just now, I want a cultivation technique recorded in an ancient scripture.”
“There are only so many ancient scriptures in the Eastern Desolation. I cannot produce one.” Old Blade-Hilt shook his head.
Ye Fan looked toward Yao Xi and the Yao Pool Saintess, smiling. “Do either of the two immortal ladies have an interest in phoenix blood scarlet gold?”
Yao Xi immediately broke into a smile. “Why do I feel as though you’re trying to tempt me?”
Though she was a saintess of Yao Guang — pure and transcendent — when she smiled she carried a certain air of captivating allure. Her neck was snow-white, her jade features beautiful and delicate, emanating a bewitching charm.
“I only asked on a whim. If Immortal Yao has no interest, then let us leave it at that.” He made no further jest. With Yao Guang Holy Son standing nearby, teasing the future Holy Master’s consort would only give him one more reason to act.
The Yao Pool Saintess considered briefly, then said, “Perhaps Yao Pool could also produce a scripture scroll.”
“Is that truly so? Could it be the Scripture of the Western Empress from Yao Pool?” Ye Fan was immediately eager. The primary purpose that had brought him to the Northern Domain was precisely his fixation on the ancient scripture passed down from the Yao Pool Western Empress Mother.
“It is not. The Scripture of the Western Empress cannot be transmitted to outsiders — however, Yao Pool has also collected half of a fragmentary scripture.” The Yao Pool Saintess replied.
In his heart, Ye Fan was genuinely astonished. There were only a handful of ancient scriptures across the Eastern Desolation, yet Yao Pool had actually also collected half of a fragmentary scripture.
And yet — his heart was set on the Dao Palace scroll of the Scripture of the Western Empress. The fragmentary scripture would most likely fall far short of the Scripture of the Western Empress.
“I will consider it.” He did not refuse, for at this moment he did not wish to make these people lose hope — otherwise the group might simply act by force.
Among these five, he trusted the Yao Pool Saintess most. Her holy land had an excellent reputation. Its disciples were detached from fame and gain, and throughout its long history, no evil deeds had ever been attributed to them.
He was most on guard against Yao Guang Holy Son. This man possessed heavenly talent, and gave Ye Fan a strong sense of danger. He did not entirely believe that he would truly produce a volume of ancient scripture for exchange.
At the same time, he was also wary of Old Blade-Hilt. This old fellow was profoundly inscrutable in a way that prevented Ye Fan from feeling at ease.
“Daoren, setting aside the phoenix blood scarlet gold — on the strength of your source arts alone, you are an honored guest of Yao Pool.” The Yao Pool Saintess smiled, making the remark without any trace of deliberateness.
At that moment, by speaking this way, she was undoubtedly giving Ye Fan her support — indirectly declaring where she stood.
“We escaped the Primordial Forbidden Zone together — that makes us companions bound by shared hardship. Naturally there is no reason to create ill feelings. Whether Daoren is willing to exchange or not, we share a bond.” Yao Guang Holy Son smiled, every strand of his hair glowing with golden light.
“This is bad — they’re coming!” Li De Sheng trembled, his voice unsteady.
He had been watching from the side without participating, yet now he suddenly spoke, startling everyone.
At the edge of the Primordial Forbidden Zone, two silhouettes stood side by side, like a pair of tombstones — towering and terrifying, powerfully built.
One creature had gray hair that reached the ground, concealing its body entirely. It emanated an aura that made one’s hair stand on end, projecting a deeply unsettling sense of lethal danger. It had appeared once before, chasing the group all the way to the Scarlet Moon Cavern before stopping.
The other creature was covered head to toe in sickly white fur, even across its face. It stood upright in humanoid form, staring fixedly, with luminous jade-green eyes. A brutal, ferocious aura radiated outward from it, like a primordial savage beast — enough to make one’s blood run cold.
Neither creature advanced. They reached the edge of the Primordial Forbidden Zone and halted, gazing at the group with cold detachment. Though the distance was great, the sensation was enough to make one’s heart hammer with dread.
The group immediately took flight, no longer speaking of the phoenix blood scarlet gold. If those two creatures gave chase, they might all perish here.
After all they had endured to escape the Primordial Forbidden Zone — to die in plain sight would truly leave them unable to rest in peace.
Suddenly, a dozen or so figures appeared ahead, rushing toward them swiftly.
“Elder Brother, Elder Sister — is that you?” From a great distance, those figures transmitted their voices.
Ye Fan cursed inwardly. Yao Guang’s people had appeared and were now blocking the way ahead.
Yao Guang Holy Son and Yao Xi moved forward to greet the others, and in the process cut off Ye Fan’s path of retreat without seeming to do so deliberately.
In the distance, robes trailing like flowing water, a group of figures celestial in bearing came flying over — disciples of Yao Pool had also arrived, having tracked them down here.
“Heaven be thanked that you are all unharmed!”
The young disciples surrounded them, asking what they had encountered.
“This is no place for conversation — let us leave first.” Yao Guang Holy Son said. His prestige was considerable; even many of his senior martial brothers showed deference toward him, for he was after all the future Holy Master.
“Daoren, please come with us.” Yao Guang Holy Son extended the invitation with a smile.
“I think that is not necessary. Since the danger has passed, let us each go our own way.” Ye Fan replied.
“How could that be? Daoren led the way within the Primordial Forbidden Zone and did us a great service. Allow us to escort you a stretch of the road.” Yao Guang Holy Son smiled.
Ye Fan rubbed his chin. Something felt wrong. If he traveled together with Yao Guang’s people, he might end up with nothing left of himself by the end.
“Old man, which way are you heading?” Ye Fan asked Old Blade-Hilt.
“I intend to travel alone. Would you like to come with me?” Old Blade-Hilt replied.
“No thank you. The roads you old folk travel are far too desolate. I would rather walk together with the immortal ladies of Yao Pool.” Ye Fan walked directly over to the Yao Pool disciples.
Yao Xi smiled sweetly and came over. “Daoren, why is this? Do you think Yao Guang is going to eat you?”
The Yao Pool Saintess approached with a light smile. “Since Daoren is willing to travel with us, let us go together. We were just about to invite you to Yao Pool — the Stone Appreciation Grand Assembly will begin before long.”
“I would be most delighted!” Ye Fan nodded immediately.
Yao Xi smiled brilliantly. “Yao Guang and Yao Pool have always moved together as one — there is no need to distinguish between us. Let us all set out together.”
In the end, everyone departed together — Old Blade-Hilt did not travel alone after all.
A thousand-some li away, there was a holy land mining zone with many hands at work.
After arriving at the mining zone, they did not linger long. They mounted a mysterious jade platform carved with Dao inscriptions and began crossing through the void, heading toward Source City.
“A black whirlwind of unknown origin has stirred within the Primordial Forbidden Zone — we are temporarily withdrawing from the area to prevent any accidents.” This was the explanation given by one of Yao Pool’s elders.
Source City stood amid a vast expanse of mining zones, roughly thirty thousand li from the Primordial Ancient Mine. They plunged into the lightless void, and after a brief time, the crossing was complete.
When they entered Source City, the eastern horizon had already brightened with the pale belly of dawn, growing gradually lighter.
In truth, Ye Fan very much wanted to slip away on his own, but at the moment he could not make a move — he noticed that the people from Yao Guang Holy Land were watching him at intervals. Left with no choice, he stayed close to the Yao Pool Holy Land’s disciples, unwilling to walk alongside Yao Guang’s people.
Shortly after, several Yao Pool women arranged for Ye Fan to rest in a small courtyard.
“Phoenix blood scarlet gold — your power of attraction is far too great!”
Ye Fan made up his mind: this time, he would enter Yao Pool and get the Dao Palace scroll of the Scripture of the Western Empress into his hands.
“You all have your eyes on a sacred object exclusively belonging to the Ancient Great Emperors, while I only want a look at your ancient scripture…”