A sudden jolt struck Ye Fan’s heart. He hadn’t expected An Miaoyi to bring up the Archaic Sacred Body, so he kept his silence and listened carefully to the others’ discussion.
“I once heard that the Sacred Body’s Bitter Sea is golden — not lifeless and stagnant, but possessed of an incomparably vast divine power.”
“I also came across a few scattered words about it in an ancient text. Their Dao Palace does not give birth to divine spirits. All Dao power is used to nourish the body itself.”
Two people spoke in turn, and Ye Fan was genuinely astonished. These people truly had extraordinary knowledge — they even knew such things. He himself hadn’t understood why his Dao Palace behaved this way and had previously assumed there was something wrong with his cultivation.
Xu Heng wore black robes, his skin white as jade. Like a divine sword concealed within its scabbard, his brilliance was restrained inward as he spoke: “When someone of this constitution reaches full mastery, their blood becomes comparable to divine medicine. Ancient alchemist records attest to this — it is precious beyond measure.”
“Miaoyi would be honored to hear Brother Xu elaborate on this.” An Miaoyi’s long lashes fluttered lightly, her large, spirited eyes gazing over at him.
Xu Heng came from an impressive background — his grandfather, Xu Tianxiong, was even more fearsome than the powerful Azure Flood Dragon King and ranked as the third great bandit lord of the Northern Region, making his family heritage truly formidable.
His bearing carried a certain frosty edge; even his smile seemed carved from frost as he said, “It was something my grandfather happened to see inscribed on a stone wall.”
Xu Tianxiong was a man of extraordinary fortune. Over a thousand years ago, his name had already shaken the Northern Region, and he had once come across the notes of an ancient alchemist inscribed on a sheer cliff face.
In those times, a Sacred Body that had reached full mastery had bestowed half a bowl of sacred blood, which an alchemist had refined together with medicinal herbs into a pill. Not only did it save a dying person from the brink of death, but that person later broke through an entire great mystery realm.
“Such miraculous effects?” Many were visibly moved.
“Before the Archaic Era, the land was in great turmoil. Even a fully-mastered Sacred Body was caught in endless battles…” A man dressed in golden battle armor spoke up — his skin the color of wheat, his face sharp as if chiseled by a blade, every feature clearly defined.
This man was Jin Chixiao, heir to the Northern Plains’ Golden Family, extraordinarily powerful, with a standing comparable to an Imperial Prince of Great Xia. He, too, had seen related records.
In those ancient days, a fully-mastered Archaic Sacred Body had used his own blood to save many gravely wounded and dying companions from the threshold of death — a feat recorded in ancient texts. Ten drops of that blood could resurrect the dead and restore white bones to flesh!
“Was the land truly so chaotic before the Archaic Era?” An Miaoyi’s eyes rippled with curiosity as she looked toward Jin Chixiao.
“Indeed it was. Demons and monsters ran rampant everywhere — though in the end, they were suppressed by the Sacred Body and the ancient Great Emperors.” Jin Chixiao replied.
Nearby, a young man in purple robes let out a cold laugh. He carried himself with a magnificent bearing, exuding an air of inestimable nobility — and his pair of eyes were deeper than the starry sky itself. “Demons and monsters ran rampant? I would say it was the ancient creatures who had not yet been exterminated, roaming freely across the land!”
His name was Yao Yuekong, the young lord of the Celestial Demon Palace, hailing from the western reaches of the Eastern Desolation. That ancient demon palace had endured through countless catastrophes from time immemorial, its heritage unbroken down through the ages, on par with the great holy lands.
“Yao Yuekong, what do you mean by that?” Jin Chixiao asked coldly, his sword-like brows arching sharply into his hairline.
“You were just saying that in the Archaic Era, the land was in upheaval because the demon race ran rampant — I could very well ask you the same question!” Yao Yuekong’s purple robes billowed and snapped. He sat utterly still, yet radiated an overwhelming, oppressive presence.
The ancient Celestial Demon Palace had overawed the world since time immemorial. Who could say how many powerful demon kings it had produced over the ages? It was rumored that even the Azure Flood Dragon King had once walked out of that palace.
Yao Yuekong’s status was beyond words — and his strength was naturally terrifying to an extreme.
“Was what I said untrue?” Jin Chixiao shot back without the slightest flinching, for his own background was equally formidable.
The Golden Family resided in the Northern Plains yet shared a border with the Northern Region of the Eastern Desolation. It was said that in ancient times they had walked out of the Eastern Desolation, and there were even rumors that they were descendants of ancient creatures, carrying primordial golden blood in their veins.
This lineage’s standing in the Northern Plains was akin to that of the immortal dynasty Great Xia in the Central Continent — unshakeable as bedrock. They were naturally in a position to stand on equal footing with those from the Celestial Demon Palace.
Yao Yuekong let out a cold snort and said, “In those ancient times, the ancient creatures stirred up great chaos and were suppressed by the ancient Great Emperors. Certain families had no choice but to travel far to the Northern Plains and leave the Eastern Desolation behind.”
The two had already clashed in battle not long ago and harbored deep resentment toward each other. Now, with sharp words meeting sharper retort, it was very likely they would face each other in another life-or-death duel before long.
Ye Fan was deeply surprised. As he gradually listened, he began to sense the undercurrent — he hadn’t imagined that the Golden Family and the Celestial Demon Palace both had such distant and mysterious origins.
“Yao Yuekong — we are a lineage of the Golden Royal Clan within the human race. Stop trying to smear us with filth!”
“Certain ancient creatures who once stirred up chaos in the past now claim to be the Golden Royal Clan of the human race!”
Though they were bitter enemies, neither party seemed to have any real intention of coming to blows. They quickly settled back into calm — neither wanted to make a spectacle for others to enjoy.
An Miaoyi personally poured wine, then gave her slender hand a graceful turn; two jade cups flew separately to rest before Jin Chixiao and Yao Yuekong.
“Miaoyi offers a toast to you both, esteemed young lords — there is no need to let pride become a quarrel. Please drink.”
Though the atmosphere remained slightly stiff, in such a setting no one would make things worse by throwing decorum aside. Both men drank.
Someone nearby then asked, “Brother Yuekong, the Celestial Demon Palace has existed alongside the ages and has produced countless great demons over the centuries. In the Archaic Era, it came to blows with the Sacred Body — how much do you know of that?”
Yao Yuekong’s dark hair stirred faintly, his expression composed. “Though the demon race and the human race have done battle, that is long past. We now live in harmony. The grievances of those ancient days have been swallowed by history.”
“Brother Yuekong, please don’t misunderstand — I meant nothing by it.” That person hastily rose and cupped his fists in salute, for in his estimation, the Celestial Demon Palace was even more fearsome than the holy lands.
An Miaoyi smiled softly, her pearl-white teeth catching the light with crystalline brilliance, her bright eyes brimming with poetry: “Brother Yuekong, please don’t take offense — Miaoyi also wished to ask this very question. We truly do want to understand more about the Archaic Sacred Body.”
Ye Fan was perplexed. Why was this woman so fixated on this? Was she genuinely that interested in the Sacred Body?
“A fully-mastered Sacred Body is without equal…” — this was the Celestial Demon Palace ancestors’ assessment of the Archaic Sacred Body.
In the Archaic Era, the demon race was at its absolute zenith. The Celestial Demon Palace, if not the ruler of all under heaven, was not far from it. Great demons rose one after another — yet when they clashed with the Sacred Body, they paid in blood. Pillars of the demon race fell one after another, and the race nearly perished as a result.
“The Sacred Body can counter all manner of extraordinary phenomena. Every law of every domain is rendered ineffective against him. In life-or-death battle, he moves as if walking through an unmanned void.”
Most of those present were of holy son caliber. Some had cultivated ancient extraordinary phenomena that allowed them to fight opponents across an entire realm gap. Against a Sacred Body, it went without saying that all of that would be rendered useless — a deeply unsettling revelation.
Ye Fan felt distinctly uncomfortable. With every word these people spoke, they were practically excavating his secret. This was not a welcome development.
Yao Yuekong declined to reveal more and simply said, “Are there not those among the various holy lands who once cultivated an Archaic Sacred Body?” He swept his gaze over Xiang Yifei and the holy son of Wanchu.
Others also chimed in: “There have always been rumors, but the details were never clear.”
All eyes converged on Xiang Yifei and the Wanchu holy son. An Miaoyi personally poured wine for them and said, “Would Brother Xiang be willing to share?”
“That was tens of thousands of years ago. Regrettably, it ended in failure.” Xiang Yifei spoke up.
The Dayan Holy Land had once accidentally discovered a Sacred Body tens of thousands of years ago, and spent a million jin of Source to help him advance to the fifth heaven of the Dao Palace.
“It was a bottomless pit. Though Dayan could produce tens of millions of jin of Source, doing so would have severely damaged their vitality. Many elders speculated that even if they helped him break into the Four Extremes Mystery Realm, there might still be other unimaginable obstacles waiting.”
“What was the fate of that Sacred Body in the end?” someone asked — the question everyone cared about most.
Xiang Yifei did not answer and fell into silence.
“I heard that Sacred Body was quite pitiable,” Xu Heng interjected with an indifferent tone.
“In those days, a holy land could produce tens of millions of jin of Source, yet still could see no hope ahead. Of course they eventually stopped.” Xiang Yifei said.
“Now, the various holy lands have opened up vast Source ore deposits throughout the Northern Region. Producing tens of millions of jin of Source again would not put a significant dent in their vitality.” Someone offered this observation.
“Even so, the losses outweigh the gains. Who’s to say whether after the Sacred Body enters the Four Extremes, there won’t be yet more shackles waiting? No one is willing to make that kind of gamble.” The Wanchu holy son shook his head.
Li Heishui stirred things up: “Right now, isn’t there an Archaic Sacred Body among us? I think the various holy lands should consider cultivating an invincible supreme expert.”
Many did not respond. What a terrible idea — setting aside the enmity between Ye Fan and Yao Guang, the simple fact that he had not been raised from childhood as a disciple of any holy land was grounds enough for immediate dismissal.
“Why is the Immortal Lady An so interested in the Sacred Body?” Ye Fan suddenly spoke up.
“Miaoyi is devoted to the Dao and seeks to understand its source and grasp its essence. In the notes of a senior I once read, it was written that the Sacred Body is intimately close to the Great Dao — naturally I wished to learn more.”
The Great Xia Imperial Prince laughed heartily: “The Sacred Body — once his name shook all under heaven. I grow ever more eager to see him shatter the curse and enter the Four Extremes Mystery Realm.”
An Miaoyi suddenly rose from her seat, her jade figure graceful and willowy. She stepped to a jade table and lifted a small bronze cauldron in her hands. “Everyone, Miaoyi wishes to invite all of you to take a look at this. What can any of you tell of its origins?”
The small cauldron was covered in green patina and engraved with fish, insects, birds, and beasts — ancient and unpretentious. It did not seem to possess any divine power; the Dao markings on it appeared to be damaged.
Everyone’s expression shifted at once. An Miaoyi would not casually display something for them to examine. Inviting them here tonight was most likely for the sake of this very object.
Each person stepped forward in turn to examine it, yet none could discern anything unusual.
When the cauldron reached Ye Fan’s hands, his heart immediately lurched — for he spotted a familiar marking upon it: a ghost face.
An object left behind by that ruthless one!
Jiang Yifei wore white robes, otherworldly and refined, his bearing like radiant jade. From beginning to end, he had said nothing. Yet the moment he received the small cauldron from Ye Fan’s hands, his expression flickered.
“Immortal Lady An, where did you obtain this?”
“Brother Jiang’s family heritage truly runs deep — you must know what it represents.” An Miaoyi’s eyes were limpid as water as she looked toward Jiang Yifei.
“A marking left behind by a Great Emperor.” At this very moment, Yao Yuekong, the young lord of the Celestial Demon Palace, also felt a jolt run through his heart.
“Each of you carries the most ancient heritage of the Eastern Desolation behind you — truly, your breadth of knowledge is vast. Miaoyi is full of admiration.” An Miaoyi smiled.
“Immortal Lady An, are you telling us that this object holds the key to finding the other half of that supreme Dao weapon?” Jiang Yifei asked calmly.
An Miaoyi nodded. “Yes. However, it would require the Divine Body, the Sacred Body, and the Celestial Demon Body to act together before there would be any chance of obtaining that half of the supreme Dao weapon.”
Dong—
Suddenly, a bell rang out, reverberating across heaven and earth. Everyone was startled, their bodies trembling with the impact of the sound.
“What is that sound?!”
In that single instant, the entire Sacred City was shaken. A sound like the thunderous peal of great bells resounded throughout the Divine City.
Abruptly, Jiang Yifei’s expression changed. “Someone has traversed the void and arrived upon the Archaic Dao Platform within the Sacred City. But… only the various great holy lords are capable of such a feat!”
“What has happened?!” Every young person present went pale.
At the same moment, the entire Sacred City erupted into chaos. No one could remain calm.
Ye Fan’s heart lurched hard in that moment. He had heard that bell before — it was a sound he could never forget for as long as he lived. This was the bell from within Purple Mountain!
A holy lord had traversed the void — and must have come from Purple Mountain. The bell waves had traveled here in their wake!
What had happened at Purple Mountain? Had the great holy lords fled to the Sacred City?