All along the road, Ye Fan poured his mind into comprehending the Scripture of the Western Emperor, and with each passing moment found it more profoundly deep and sublime. The Dao Palace’s five dragons coiled and soared, suffusing everything inside and out, five energies surging toward the sky.
Only now, having obtained the complete scroll of the Scripture of the Western Emperor, did Ye Fan truly understand why this mystery realm was called the Dao Palace. It was like an eternal palace hall, housing within it limitless power of the Dao.
The five great spiritual reservoirs were faintly visible, swathed in mist. Behind them, five ancient temples flickered in and out of sight — majestic and lofty, mysterious and indistinct.
In moments of complete selflessness and stillness of body and mind, one could hear the rising and falling sounds of the Grand Dao — like a chant, yet also like ancient sacrificial music from primordial times — as if crossing through time itself, drifting serenely from that far-distant past.
It was deeply mysterious — one might even call it uncanny. How could such sounds arise within the human body?
Before Ye Fan had entered the Dao Palace Mystery Realm, he had heard others say that cultivating this mystery realm could sometimes produce the most astonishing experiences — all manner of inexplicable things might occur.
Now that he had obtained the complete Scripture of the Western Emperor and was evolving the ancient Western Emperor’s flawless cultivation method, he truly felt that “astonishing.”
The Dao Palace was like heaven — giving rise to five palaces. Though dim and hazy, their existence could be sensed. The chanting and the ancient sacrificial music of primordial times pierced through time and drifted over from afar.
Ye Fan was genuinely puzzled. He could not understand why this was so. He thought of the speculations of those throughout the ages, recorded in ancient texts — what was called the “departed self.” Though one lived in the present, there existed another “I” living in the past. It was that “departed self” who chanted scriptures for the self of this life.
The “departed self” endures forever, giving rise to five energies, wandering through the Dao palaces, reciting scripture for oneself, moving heaven and earth, capturing traces of the Dao, nourishing the life’s master — so that the “I” of this life would not perish.
This was a highly mysterious proposition, and very few people could explain it clearly. This enigma was difficult to elucidate with any thoroughness. Yet outstanding cultivators would not believe in any so-called “past lives.” The “departed self” was not a past-life version of oneself.
Beyond the “departed self,” there was another interpretation: the human body is like heaven and earth, corresponding to the greater world. The reason the Dao Palace was called the Dao Palace was because within it resided a “Dao self” — the Dao-nature aspect of one’s being, corresponding to the Dao of the greater world.
According to this view, the chanting and ancient sacrificial music issuing from within the palace halls was in fact the response of the “Dao self” to the Grand Dao of the world — an interaction between inner and outer.
More precisely: this was the capturing of traces of the Dao, the sensing of the supreme principles of the heavenly Dao. The true nature of the Dao self does not manifest outwardly — it dwells within the five energies, silently engaging the Grand Dao of heaven and earth.
“This is to say that the Dao-nature aspect of myself is comprehending the Grand Dao, contemplating the supreme principles of eternal life — and nourishing the life’s master.”
“That is to say, that is me — not some chanting or ancient sacrificial music, but myself in the act of comprehending the Dao.”
Having obtained the flawless Scripture of the Western Emperor, Ye Fan had at last come to understand the “astonishing” nature of the Dao Palace Mystery Realm. All of this was, in some ways, beyond the reach of ordinary comprehension.
“Cultivators seek to endure, to walk toward the end of the immortal road. Along the way they are certain to encounter many similar things. From ancient times to the present, perhaps only a handful of Great Emperors have ever truly understood it.”
To tread the path of cultivation, to pursue transcendence, to make oneself endure in this world — it was a long and boundless road. To truly attain enlightenment in the Grand Dao, one would encounter many inexplicable mysteries. Only by walking further along this road could one slowly come to understand.
Ye Fan now fully understood why ancient times had powerhouses who cultivated only a single mystery realm throughout their entire lives. There was clearly reason for this.
Setting aside the Sea of Bitterness and speaking only of the Dao Palace — there were already so many unanswered questions. The “departed self” or the “Dao self”? What they truly were — one might cultivate an entire lifetime without fully grasping them.
Ye Fan had a premonition: in the later stages of cultivation, he might need to return and recultivate these mystery realms from the beginning. The Sea of Bitterness and the Dao Palace still held many hidden powers yet to be drawn out.
For now, however, there was no need to dwell on it. He had obtained a flawless and complete cultivation method. With the Scripture of the Western Emperor in hand, it was sufficient for him to cultivate this mystery realm to the level of a grand Dao palace. What lay ahead could be addressed when the time came.
Yaochi’s former land was over ten thousand li from the Primordial Ancient Mine. Traveling at top speed, he did not leave the uninhabited wastelands until more than half a month later, drawing close to areas where green oases existed.
Throughout the journey, Ye Fan had devoted his mind to experiencing the Scripture of the Western Emperor. Though his realm of cultivation had not advanced, his actual combat power had made substantial progress. By circulating the truly complete cultivation method, the divine power he could unleash was far stronger than before.
This was the marvel of an ancient scripture. No ordinary cultivation method could compare. When employed with this technique, it was as if one’s starting point had been raised — combat strength rose imperceptibly.
“The Sacred Sons and Sacred Daughters of the great sacred grounds who surpass their generation in cultivation — this has much to do with this!” Ye Fan reflected.
Especially for talents like the Sacred Son of Yao Guang — with a heaven-gifted constitution and an unparalleled ancient scripture mastered — combat power became even more terrifying. Facing skilled opponents of the same level, there was truly no suspense whatsoever. One could dominate the entire generation.
Over the past half-month, Ye Fan had both been comprehending the Scripture of the Western Emperor and sparring against the Great Black Dog, putting each insight into practice. This was the finest sparring partner one could ask for.
With the complete Scripture of the Western Emperor Dao Palace scroll in hand, his combat power had risen considerably. When he unleashed the Battle Saint Art, the Great Black Dog bared its teeth in pain — it clearly hurt more than before.
“This won’t do — I want payment. Training against you every day for free is draining an enormous amount of my divine power.” The Great Black Dog complained.
“You bite me all day long, and I should be paying you? What are you thinking?” Ye Fan shot back.
“You think I enjoy biting you? The skin is thick and the flesh is tough — it doesn’t even taste good. It just wastes my energy.” In recent days it had been very much on the defensive. Whenever Ye Fan wanted to test a new insight, he would come looking for it — and the moment he was done, he would take to the skies, leaving it to sharpen its teeth over and over.
Exiting the desolate wastelands and entering an oasis, Ye Fan glanced sideways at the Great Black Dog: “You’re as big as a large bull — conspicuous and, frankly, not very attractive. Can’t you make yourself a bit smaller?”
“Young one, is that any way to speak? A body this powerfully built — if not ‘elegant and refined,’ it comes close to it.” The Great Black Dog raised its head with dignity.
Ye Fan looked at that body gleaming like black silk, then delivered his blow: “More like jade that’s been tossed into a coal mine.”
“This is called divine might. This is masculine power at its finest. Do you not understand?” The Great Black Dog’s expression soured.
“This won’t do — you’re too conspicuous. You have to make yourself smaller.” Ye Fan thought it over: “If you truly don’t want to, then you can temporarily serve as my mount. Plenty of people ride exotic beasts.”
“Drop dead!” The Great Black Dog’s face fell to an impressive length, and if Ye Fan had not been floating in midair, it would certainly have lunged at him.
“Don’t think I’d enjoy being a so-called ‘celestial hound knight’ — if anyone saw me riding around on a stub-tailed dog, they’d laugh themselves to the ground.”
They had just entered the oasis and were still in a sparsely inhabited area. Occasionally cultivators passed by, and each of them couldn’t help stealing a second glance at the Great Black Dog. It truly commanded attention.
“What are you all looking at? Never seen a human’s pet before?!” The Great Black Dog said, displeased.
Ye Fan first felt it strange, then in an instant understood perfectly. This big dog’s words were completely lacking in decency — it was calling him the human pet.
“Damn it — dead dog, you’re asking to be skinned?!”
The Great Black Dog strode forward with its head held high: “This Emperor is merely speaking the truth. Those people out there are simply ignorant. They seem to think I’m walking around with a human pet, and they can’t stop staring — truly tiresome.”
“You wretched dog!” Ye Fan’s face darkened. The passers-by were clearly looking at it, yet it had the audacity to say this.
“Young one, I think you’re more or less acceptable-looking. How about becoming this Emperor’s human pet?” The Great Black Dog tilted its head and suggested.
Crash, bang, boom, clang…
The sound of a brawl broke out. They went straight at each other.
“Dead dog — I wouldn’t keep you as a pet even if you begged me. And yet you dare say such outrageous things!”
“This Emperor also has no interest in a human pet of your caliber. In the future, I intend to find a Sacred Son to keep as a pet.”
Ye Fan cursed inwardly. A big dog wanting to keep a human as a pet — it truly deserved to have its tendons pulled and its hide peeled. Deliberately infuriating, through and through.
In the end, Ye Fan threatened it with the Demon Race Great Emperor’s ancient scripture, and only then did the Great Black Dog yield. Reluctantly, it shrank its body — compressing itself to the size of a scraggly mutt, not even a meter in length excluding the stub tail.
“This Emperor’s magnificent bearing has been severely suppressed. This is damaging to my image.”
“Magnificent bearing… You want to draw a pack of large female wolves?”
“Woof—!” The Great Black Dog lunged forward. Fortunately, Ye Fan was prepared.
They passed through some towns without stopping, heading straight for the most flourishing city in this oasis.
“Young one, you really are unreliable. You don’t even know where that mighty being resides — you still need to ask around. How exactly are you going to lead me to find the Demon Emperor’s ancient scripture?” The Great Black Dog was highly dissatisfied.
“Don’t talk to me about being unreliable. Think about what you did — every last thing — while we were in Yaochi’s former land.” Ye Fan shot back.
This oasis was called Qu Province — roughly three thousand li across, not a large province by any measure. In the boundless Northern Region, there were many oases of this size.
Qu Province was tens of thousands of li from the most prosperous sacred city of the Northern Region — an enormously far distance. Far from the heart of the Northern Region, it was not a thriving place.
The central city of this oasis was called Chaoyang. With a population of roughly nine hundred thousand, it was the most prosperous ancient city in the province, with over a thousand years of history.
“Can you actually find that mighty being’s dwelling?” The Great Black Dog asked, as they arrived outside Chaoyang City.
“The Northern Region has Thirteen Great Bandits. He ranks fourth — feared by all the great sacred grounds. His residence would naturally not be known to outsiders. I’ll need to find a descendant of the great bandits to make inquiries.”
Tu Fei and Li Heishui and the others had told Ye Fan about this city. To find them, one could stir up some commotion in the area around Qu Province’s Chaoyang City.
Chaoyang City was weathered with age — its walls had shed many layers of stone, showing the power of years gone by — yet it remained imposing, towering and grand.
Entering the city, Ye Fan spotted his own portrait — or rather, a wanted notice — displayed prominently on the city wall. The youthful face depicted on it was his, and the reward had been raised to one source.
“Young one, you’re worth quite a bit.” The Great Black Dog said with a sly grin.
“Go find yourself a nice cold corner and stay there!”
The streets were bustling with carriages and foot traffic, lively and animated. The Great Black Dog darted and weaved, biting whatever it fancied to eat, which brought a crowd of aggrieved parties swarming around Ye Fan, making his back teeth itch with fury.
Barely inside the city, he overheard a piece of news: the outstanding young talents of Qu Province’s younger generation would soon be gathering for a grand assembly.
Ye Fan chose a place to eat, seated beside a gem-stone stall. Most of the people coming and going were cultivators.
“Qu Province’s younger generation will be gathering all in one place — there’s bound to be something interesting to watch.”
“This was orchestrated by the Ji Family — an ancient clan of primordial lineage. They’ve sent out invitation notices, mainly to mobilize people to help them find someone.”
“Both the Ji Family and Yao Guang Sacred Ground will have strong figures from their younger generations in attendance — without that, how could they have rallied so many people?”
“The person who has two great sacred grounds making such a stir — is that young kid on the city gate notice. Looking at him, he seems pretty ordinary.”
“That ordinary young kid burned a Supreme Elder of the Ji Family to death. Can you?”
Ye Fan listened attentively, his expression calm. The Ji Family had truly gone to considerable lengths to root him out.
When he had been in the Southern Region, he had already become a common enemy of the Ji Family’s younger generation.
This gathering was the result of the Ji Family’s younger generation working together. Similar assemblies were being held in other oases as well.
Ye Fan habitually rubbed his chin and began to contemplate. Among the Ji Family’s younger generation, only three individuals had reached the Four Extremities Mystery Realm. Yao Guang Sacred Ground had a similar count — no more than three or four.
If the divine king Ji Haoyue had not come, and if Yao Guang’s Sacred Son had not appeared — then he had no objection to revealing himself, walking into the grand assembly, and unleashing a great slaughter.
“If I revealed my true identity, stormed the assembly, and cut down everyone in my path — that would be slapping the sacred grounds across the face. But would the commotion be too great?”
Ye Fan muttered to himself. He truly felt a certain impulse. Being hunted by the Ji Family all the way to the Northern Region without a moment’s peace — with Yao Guang Sacred Ground’s younger generation joining in as well — was making it increasingly difficult to hold back.
The reason he was entertaining this idea was that he had obtained the Primordial Heavenly Book and mastered its heaven-and-earth-changing techniques. He could go and cause havoc in his true identity, and once done, brush off his sleeves and vanish — leaving the other side unable to trace him.