The moon illuminated the land, silver light flowing in every direction.

Cultivators from all under heaven had their gaze fixed upon the Sacred City. Would the Dragon Transformation Pool be where a cocoon transformed into a butterfly — or the ill-fated ground where a Holy Body fell in blood? Every person held their breath, watching in tense anticipation.

Thud!

Within the immortal pool, divine radiance surged to the heavens in a blinding and dazzling blaze. The crowd’s eyes stung with pain, and tears flowed down their faces unbidden — that was the light shed by a vast ocean of life essence.

The Dragon Transformation Pool was not large — no more than several zhang across — its water sweet, a milky white color, crystalline and fragrant. It was said that a true dragon had once ascended from this very place.

Now, with its seal lifted, it was as though a million volcanoes had erupted simultaneously. Source-heaven life essence pierced through the high heavens and bored through the vault of the sky — like enormous dragons soaring aloft one after another.

It was a world-shaking spectacle: enormous dragons threading through heaven and earth, blazing and radiant, illuminating the entire ancient city, becoming an eternal light between the heavens and the earth.

Ye Fan sat cross-legged in the Dragon Transformation Pool in white robes of transcendent purity. His dark hair flew about him, his skin luminous and crystalline — he was like a divine spirit, tranquil and serene, tempering his body with spiritual energy.

His blood energy was like true dragons — surge after surge — erupting from his body like a powerful tide, swelling and crashing with tremendous force!

Among them, from the crown of his head, the thickest dragon-shaped column of blood energy reached up and connected with heaven and earth, soaring to the sky — making people nearly believe they were in a dream, unable to accept what lay before their eyes.

Just how powerful was his fleshly body? Was this the supreme divine might of the Holy Body?

This was absolutely the release of his full potential. Were it to be displayed in full, this physical form alone would be sufficient to overwhelm all rivals. The sight could only be called world-shaking, drawing gasp after gasp of astonishment from the crowd.

Hum!

Ye Fan brought forth the Cauldron of All Things’ Mother Qi, which drifted and settled above his head. Tens of thousands of threads of dark-yellow energy, strand by strand, fell downward to suppress the Dragon Transformation Pool.

Yet the divine radiance surging skyward barely diminished, for the spiritual energy was too dense and concentrated. Had he forcibly sealed it, the Dragon Transformation Pool might have shattered.

The cauldron was ancient and natural — as though it were a vessel born to nurture the Great Dao — and it carried a broad and far-reaching aura. That was the resting place of the Dao, the birthplace of the laws of heaven and earth.

The Mother Qi of All Things fell like three thousand manifestations of the Great Dao taking form, enveloping Ye Fan below. This made him appear all the more sacred and transcendent. His white robes spread in the air, his hair flying about him, his skin shimmering with radiance — he possessed the bearing of a deity.

Hiss!

In the distance, the crowd drew sharp breaths. The source-root of the Mother Qi of All Things had seized hold of everyone’s hearts — this was an exclusive sacred object belonging only to the Great Emperors of antiquity. From ancient times to the present, how many had ever obtained one?

Even Great Emperors of former ages had sometimes been unable to find it, and some had been forced to refine their sacred weapons using their own flesh and blood — that alone told one how extraordinarily precious it was!

No one could suppress the longing in their hearts. Although word had long since spread that Ye Fan possessed a sacred object of the Great Emperors, many were seeing it for the first time. Were it not for the protection of the peerless Divine King, a world-shaking battle would surely have already broken out.

The appearance of this cauldron was absolutely enough to throw everything into chaos — most likely rivers of blood, mountains of bodies, and devastation for countless living creatures.

Ding!

Suddenly, a trembling sound rang out through heaven and earth — like the cry of a dragon — carrying from across the distant sky.

Someone sat on a cloud playing a zither, drawing forth mysterious and wondrous sounds. At first they were like a gentle breeze and mild rain; then like a high mountain stream rushing between rocks; and finally like the clash of iron cavalry in battle!

The energy of slaughter, like a flood sweeping down a great river, came roaring and howling forward, destroying everything in its path, obliterating all, and rushing directly toward Ye Fan.

Even with the protection of the peerless Divine King, someone had still made their move — they wanted to snuff Ye Fan out at the beginning, unwilling to let him break the curse and truly grow into his power.

Whoosh!

A fierce wind surged. A mass of golden cloud came drifting over like a vast ocean, covering the stars and the moon. The night sky blazed with radiant brilliance.

It was a golden celestial roc — as though cast from molten gold, resplendent and dazzling. It spread its wings and struck downward in a sweeping slash. Its might and power seized the hearts of all who beheld it, sending a chill of dread through them.

Clap!

Red Dragon Daoren gazed skyward. His ancient and worn Daoist robe snapped in the wind. His eyes were like a deep pool. He let out a single sharp cry — and the world shook, as though this entire realm were about to be overturned.

Boom!

The golden celestial roc diving toward them was torn into four pieces and shattered apart in the void. Everyone was stunned — Red Dragon Old Daoist was truly a peerless demon of the world. So powerful as to make one’s heart tremble — a single light cry, and he possessed such divine might.

Ding!

The zither rang out like a muffled drum. A single string was plucked, and from the sky above came charging another true dragon — red as blood, several hundred zhang in length, like a mountain range spanning the heavens.

This was clearly meant to provoke the old Daoist — its form echoing his name as a challenge. The zither sound had transformed into a blood dragon; it was tantamount to asking him to slay himself.

Red Dragon Old Daoist let out a cold snort. He reached out a single large hand and obliterated the blood-colored dragon in an instant. Then his hand, like a range of mountain peaks, reached up toward the distant sky.

Many cultivators felt their hair stand on end. Red Dragon Daoren’s arts were nearly one with the Dao — he regarded the vast heavens and earth as a brocade box resting in his palm, to be grasped at will, with nothing too distant to reach.

Zheng zheng zheng…

Killing energy soared to the heavens. The zither’s sound shattered the clouds. True dragons, celestial rocs, qilins, divine phoenixes — all manner of legendary immortal spirits — manifested in true and vivid form like divine beings, surging forward to attack.

Boom!

Yet beneath Red Dragon Daoren’s great hand, all of this was reduced to ash and dust, unable to impede him in the slightest.

Spit!

Red Dragon Daoren’s large hand extended into the sky, seized the zither-playing figure in its grip, and then obliterated it into nothingness — leaving only floating ash and cinders.

“A spiritual puppet — not the true body!”

Many of the older generation were shaken. This must have been a probing attack launched by a supreme expert. This night would not be tranquil — whoever was behind this surely had more moves prepared.

Within the Dragon Transformation Pool, Ye Fan sat with eyes closed, unmoving. Whatever unfolded outside could not disturb his mind. He was still as an ancient well without a ripple — as though it had nothing to do with him — sitting cross-legged like a divine statue.

The Bodhi Seed brought from the ancient astral belt of the Fire Planet circulated with the resonance of the Dao, held within his left palm. It stirred the Great Dao of heaven and earth, gathering the vital essence of the Dragon Transformation Pool and washing over his flesh.

Divine radiance surging skyward enveloped him. Every inch of his skin was suffused with flowing spiritual energy — and this was no ordinary essence, but the purest distillation of divine source.

Every pore of his body had opened wide. The radiance transformed from divine source flowed constantly in and out. His organs and bones had all been suffused with a dazzling brilliance.

All Five Great Treasure Sanctuaries had already been cultivated to completion, requiring no extended period of retreat.

Whether the transformation from fish leaping into dragon would succeed was to be revealed this very night. Step across — and sky and sea would open wide. Be blocked here — and an abyss of ten thousand zhang awaited.

Swish!

A green lotus emerged, accompanying Ye Fan at his side — it had grown but three leaves, suffused with the true meaning of the Great Dao: the Dao gives birth to one; one gives birth to two; two gives birth to three; three gives birth to all things.

Its three leaves swayed gently. Mist of primal chaos drifted and swirled, enveloping Ye Fan. At the same time, within his Wheel Sea, the Scripture of the Dao began to operate of its own accord — like ten thousand rivers returning to the ocean, like all things awakening anew.

Everyone was astonished. Even the Holy Masters were moved. A green lotus growing within the body — this was without question part of the future auspicious signs of the Holy Body, and likely heralded a formidable combat power that would defy imagination.

At the same moment, Ye Fan’s Five Great Treasure Sanctuaries rang out in unison, releasing the heavenly sound of the Great Dao that resounded through the heavens above and the earth below — like a great bell and a magnificent chime reverberating throughout.

None could fully comprehend its meaning. One could only feel a vast divine sound reverberating in the air — like evening drums and morning bells, startling the deaf and enlightening the blind, awakening people and bringing them insight.

“He has mastered an ancient scripture!”

Many powerful figures were astonished. No one had ever known what cultivation method Ye Fan practiced. Now it was clear: he must have comprehended a supreme ancient text, otherwise heavenly sounds of the Great Dao could never resound when sitting in seclusion. This was exceedingly rare — yet among all those throughout history who had shown such a phenomenon during cultivation, none had failed, barring unforeseen circumstances, to become supreme and unmatched experts.

Every person’s expression changed — especially among the younger generation. This would be a great enemy they would face in the future!

The various Holy Masters of the Eastern Desolation, the four great immortal dynasties of the Central State, and the hundred schools and myriad sects were all moved as well. They understood clearly: even if Ye Fan were not a Holy Body, if he were able to grow to his full potential, he would absolutely become a figure at the level of a founding master.

Boom!

Killing intent like a vast ocean arrived in an instant. Tens of thousands of sword radiances pierced through heaven and earth, appearing before the Dragon Transformation Pool — another unparalleled expert had launched a killing strike!

This time the murderous energy stretched to the sky. People attacked from every direction. The Sacred City itself trembled. There was no telling how many had come.

The Peacock King let out a great roar and spat out a treasure seal from his mouth. Primal chaos mist billowed out, and he swept across all eight directions as the dark-black great seal struck through heaven and earth.

Crack, crack…

From every direction, weapons shattered into dust one after another, and the murderous energy was driven back.

The chaos treasure seal, obtained from the bedchamber of a Great Emperor of antiquity, was among the most rare and precious objects in the world. Apart from an extreme-path divine weapon, few blades could cleave it open — it could rightly be called a sacred artifact.

The Peacock King made his move with overwhelming force, grinding every puppet into dust and intimidating a great many onlookers.

Yet at this precise moment, a kind of terror beyond all description began to permeate and spread, blanketing the entire expanse of heaven and earth — making everyone’s guts run cold.

“A Great Emperor Killing Formation!”

Red Dragon Daoren cried out in alarm. The four elders of the Wind Clan also changed expression — every last one of them trembling with dread, sensing that something terrible was upon them.

Someone had actually deployed a Great Emperor battle formation at this moment — and one made of terrifying slaughtering divine markings at that. It was unmistakably intended to annihilate utterly!

The markings left behind by Great Emperors of antiquity were exceedingly rare, and almost no one could fully decipher them. At best, one might replicate only a corner of such a formation — but even so, it was absolutely world-shaking, with destructive power beyond imagination.

To snuff out the Holy Body, someone had actually deployed a Great Emperor Killing Formation — it made people’s hearts leap in terror. One could only imagine just how great the resolve of those in the shadows truly was!

Swish!

A human figure flashed through the sky. The peerless Divine King appeared. His white robes billowed and snapped as he brought forth the Departure Fire Sacred Furnace to suppress the four directions and unravel the ancient Great Emperor’s formation markings.

Boom!

A peerless killing energy erupted, clashing against the Departure Fire Sacred Furnace. The power of the killing formation was boundless!

“This is…” Everyone was stunned. The person behind this possessed a terrifyingly thorough understanding of Dao markings — how much of the ancient Great Emperor’s formation had they managed to reproduce?

Absolutely and horrifically powerful — far more than a mere corner. The world-shaking killing energy was capable of contending with the Divine King himself, blocking his path!

Someone was profoundly wary of the fully realized Holy Body and unwilling to let him grow.

To all of this, Ye Fan remained calm and unmoved, undisturbed. Eyes closed, he continued his breakthrough. He took a crimson leaf and pressed it against the center of his brow — and the divine resonance of the Great Dao began to circulate through him.

“Those are leaves from the ancient Enlightenment Tea Tree!” Many cultivators cried out.

Upon the crystalline leaf, a solitary figure sat high in the nine heavens, with cloud and mist swirling around, gazing down upon all living beings below. Numerous Dao markings covered the leaf densely — mysterious and unfathomable.

Swish!

A flash of light — and Ye Fan, seated cross-legged in the void, became nearly identical to the figure on the leaf. Primal chaos mist billowed around him as though he were gazing down upon the multitude of living creatures below.

In this moment, he was magnificently solemn — like an eternal Immortal King, inspiring an instinctive urge in all who beheld him to bow their heads and worship.

He reached for another leaf. Another Enlightenment Tea leaf appeared, which he pressed against the crown of his head.

Upon this leaf — white and lustrous as mutton-fat jade — a yin-yang diagram flashed and shimmered: the tangible form of the Great Dao, manifesting and rising into being, spinning slowly above his head.

Ye Fan became hazy and transcendent all at once, and at the same time even more sacred and inviolable — as though he had always coexisted with this world, imperishable through ten thousand ages.

Swish!

The third leaf appeared. He pressed it against his heart. Purple light flashed — a true dragon took form upon it and plunged into his body — and in an instant, his blood energy surged skyward.

Dragon energy coiled around him. He was encompassed by a vast and majestic divine power. Endless vital essence of divine source was gathered upon his person, and he underwent a consecration that was akin to a holy offering!

Divine light like a tide washed over every inch of his flesh and blood. His entire body blazed with brilliant radiance — crystalline and luminous as seven-colored glass, without the slightest impurity.

At the same time, the divine sound of the Great Dao within him grew more immense still. He was almost on the verge of imprinting himself upon the void, of merging with the entire span of heaven and earth into an imperishable and unified whole.

Hum!

The fourth leaf trembled gently. Golden light blazed in splendor — mountains and rivers emerged upon its surface and floated into view in an instant. A small world enveloped him.

Ye Fan remained tall and still, auspicious divine light wreathing his form. He was like a primordial deity who had opened heaven and earth, entering his own world to receive the worship of all living things.

Everyone was stunned. These auspicious signs were too overwhelming. Even the Enlightenment Tea leaves alone could not produce this — these were his own auspicious signs gradually coming into manifestation!

“Heavens — the auspicious signs? The Holy Body is about to enter the Four Extremes Secret Realm!”

“That’s right — only upon entering the Four Extremes Secret Realm can the Holy Body’s auspicious signs manifest. And he, right now…”

The entire expanse of heaven and earth erupted into a tumult. Everyone was shaken to their core. No one had imagined that Ye Fan would truly be on the verge of success.