The headless knight was towering and powerful, the iron armor on his body flowing with cold radiance, his bearing pressing and overwhelming — like a magnificent great mountain bearing down!

He seemed a deity who had lost his head, his might pressing down upon all of heaven and earth. Even the vault of the sky trembled because of him. The endless black mountains all rumbled and shook, stirred into motion.

He held a black war-spear, his horse treading through the empty sky — as deep and vast as an abyss, as immense as the sea. A powerful battle-will shot straight into the heavens, like an undying ancient war god from those far-off ancient years, killing his way toward them across the ages!

He stirred the terrifying qi of the Undying Mountain Range. Endless black mist surged and churned. The entirety of heaven and earth trembled beneath those horse hooves, and all living things cried out under the spear-point.

Rumble, rumble, rumble…

The death knight’s horse trod through the void. The void split apart. Endless black great rifts spread in all directions. The Undying Mountain Range was a scene of utter terror.

The Great Black Dog was so frightened its soul nearly fled its body. A headless knight like this was too horrifying. If he were allowed to press in close and sweep with his spear, everyone would be annihilated in body and spirit.

Its large tongue lolled far out, burning with anxiety. Its great paws moved continuously, adjusting the finest details of the formation markings, straining to calibrate the direction of transmission.

“Come on, doggy!” Xiao Nannan was also very tense, huddled in Ye Fan’s arms, timidly watching the headless knight who had almost charged to within their sight.

The Great Black Dog strained with all its might to operate the Dao markings. Its pair of great paws finally gave one fierce slap — boundless radiance surged up, a flash of light, and they vanished from where they stood.

At the very last moment, they succeeded in traversing the void. In the instant they disappeared, the headless knight arrived. The spear-point pierced through heaven and earth, collapsing space, stabbing into their afterimages.

An incomparable and terrifying aura of power surged like a great tsunami, causing the entire ancient primeval forest to be reduced to powder in an instant — nothing remained.

However, the formation markings left by the Void Great Emperor were undamaged, still preserved, self-forming a world of their own, filled with the breath of the Great Dao.

An unknowable number of ten-thousands of li away, Ye Fan, Li Heishui, and the others materialized, looking about at their surroundings with bewilderment.

Everywhere were golden grains of sand. The sun blazed down fiercely. Dryness and scorching heat made their bodies feel as if they were about to ignite. All around was perfectly quiet — not a single sound.

This was a vast golden desert, stretching as far as the eye could see. Every grain of sand was intensely hot. Under the blazing sun’s illumination, scorching heat radiated outward — nearly roasting them alive.

Not the slightest wind. The waves of heat were like a furnace, scorching them beyond endurance. The golden great desert had no life — it was as though fire was burning within it.

“Doggy, you didn’t actually send us to the Western Desert, did you?” Xiao Nannan asked, her voice very soft.

Ye Fan and Li Heishui were completely stupefied. The endless great desert, under the blazing sun’s illumination, flowed with golden radiance like a scorching furnace. The two of them cried out in protest.

“Dead dog — I’ll flay your hide!”

“This is completely outrageous — from the Eastern Desolation across the Central Province and straight into the Western Desert. Even with one’s eyes closed it would be more accurate than this. How exactly did you transmit us?!”

The two pounced, pressing down on the Great Black Dog and grappling with it. This dead dog was too infuriating — if they didn’t give it a good thrashing, they couldn’t quell the rage in their hearts.

“Just by accident… just by accident.” The Great Black Dog was somewhat dazed itself.

“You couldn’t be even further off if you tried. From the far eastern end of this world to the far western end in a single leap — if you’re even a bit more careless, will you be sending us onto the sun?!”

“Am I really that absurd?” the Great Black Dog muttered.

“And this isn’t absurd enough? You truly are something else!”

“Even letting Xiao Nannan activate the Dao markings wouldn’t be this unreliable!”

“Actually, the Western Desert isn’t bad at all. The Great Thunder Sound Temple on Mount Sumeru is a divine place. Every year, countless cultivators go there on pilgrimage. We could take a look around.” the Great Black Dog said.

Ye Fan and Li Heishui wanted to finish it off. This dead dog, even now, was still brazening it out with conviction — it thoroughly deserved a beating.

“You sent Pang Bo to the Central Province, sent Tu Fei to the Northern Plains, and landed us in the Western Desert — what the hell… there’s no dog this unreliable in existence!”

“Pang Bo is still all right — he’s gone to a place rich in outstanding talents, and perhaps great opportunities await. But Tu Fei, who loves noise and bustle — what will become of him? In the Northern Plains, he might wander for decades without seeing a single soul, facing nothing but wilderness all day. You haven’t driven him mad with boredom?”

The two together berated the Black Emperor, while Xiao Nannan was very well-behaved — playing with the sand nearby, showing not the slightest dejection or worry.

“All four of those supreme rare spiritual medicines from tens of thousands of years are with Tu Fei — he essentially has four extra lives. He definitely won’t die.” The Great Black Dog still refused to back down, and at the same time was filled with vexation, regretting not having divided up the supreme rare spiritual medicines first.

“This dead dog is an absolute piece of work!”

“What the hell — this is making me furious! Give it a beating!”

“Woof!”

A battle between humans and dog broke out, causing a commotion in the golden great desert.

The sound of barking continued for a long time before slowly quieting down. In the end they flew outward from the great desert, searching for green landmasses and prosperous cities.

“Hmm — something’s not right.” Barely a few hundred li into their flight, they spotted verdant peaks, and soon emerged from the desert. It was completely different from what they had imagined.

“Who are you people, and how did you casually enter and exit our Wind Clan’s training ground?” A voice challenged them from ahead.

Ye Fan and his companions looked at each other in blank confusion, momentarily unable to make sense of the situation.

“What are you talking about — Wind Clan? Which Wind Clan? Is it the family of that young woman Feng Huang?” the Great Black Dog asked.

“Audacious — how dare you disrespect our clan’s princess like this!” The expressions of those several people were not very pleasant.

The Great Black Dog immediately cried out in indignation, then turned and lunged savagely at Ye Fan and Li Heishui, saying: “You two heard that, didn’t you? This is the central region of the Eastern Desolation — it never reached the Western Desert! And you two actually dared to treat me like that just now!”

They quickly got their bearings. They had not left the Eastern Desolation at all. This stretch of desert had been created over the years by the Wind Clan’s powerful members dueling — it was over a thousand li long.

“You are the Holy Body Ye Fan, and that is the evil dog?!” Someone recognized them, and their expressions all changed.

“What the hell — can’t you people speak properly? If you call him Holy Body, you might at least call me Sacred Spirit!” The Great Black Dog bared its snow-white teeth, startling those several people.

The Wind Clan members looked at one another in blank confusion. In the end none of them said much more. The Doomsday Holy Body had dared to execute a holy woman from the Supreme Grand Sect of the Central Province — naturally they had no desire to invite trouble.

This place was only a few hundred li from the Wind Clan — they had essentially already arrived at a major territory of this holy clan. As they flew through, they unexpectedly saw many people converging from all directions.

“What is happening — why is everyone gathering toward the Wind Clan?” Li Heishui was puzzled.

Ye Fan stopped a passerby and inquired. He learned to his surprise that the Wind Clan’s Holy Master was approaching one thousand five hundred and five years of age, and many had come to offer their congratulations.

“Brother Ye, Brother Li — what a small world this is!” Laughter rang out from the distant sky.

The Great Xia imperial prince, Xia Yiming, and the white-robed little novice nun, Xia Yilin, flew over. Beside them were several elders — clearly all supreme experts.

“Brother Xia, what brings you here?” Ye Fan asked with a smile.

“The Wind Clan’s Holy Master’s birthday celebration is approaching. We came to offer congratulations.” Xia Yiming said with a smile.

Their clan uncle had made the journey in person; the two accompanied him, wishing to meet some outstanding young talents of the era, and had thus come to the central region.

“Let us go together.” The Great Xia imperial prince extended a smiling invitation.

Ye Fan thought briefly, then nodded his agreement. The Wind Clan’s Holy Master had shown him favor. Now that he had arrived here and was additionally invited by the Great Xia imperial prince, it would truly not look well if he declined to attend.

The Wind Clan — the most ancient family of the Eastern Desolation, combining great strength and mystery within itself. They studied from heaven and earth to obtain the supreme Great Dao’s profundities. It was an extraordinarily powerful family.

The fact that the Peerless Divine King had chosen them — wanting Ye Fan to form a marriage alliance with them — was itself revealing. In all of the Eastern Desolation, no one was willing to provoke them. Everyone hoped to remain on good terms.

The clan had endured various dark upheavals across all periods, yet remained undiminished in its prosperity. It had become a super colossus overlooking the world, with a depth of foundation that few could match.

From a distance, the Wind Clan’s grandeur was awe-inspiring.

Eight hundred floating islands — scattered like stars in a vast net, each gleaming like a brilliant pearl. Every island was unique — like pure lands of the divine heavens, bringing peace to one’s spirit and soul.

“The Wind Clan is truly astonishing. Legends said there were eight hundred divine islands — now we see it is truly not false!” Li Heishui exclaimed in admiration.

Eight hundred islands stood motionless, suspended in the sky. Immortal mist billowed and churned — like supremely beautiful divine earth. Immortal flowers bloomed in full splendor; waterfalls flowed and springs murmured. Five-colored light swirled — transcending the mundane.

There were also many palaces and halls situated upon them — carved beams and painted rafters, coiling dragons and soaring phoenixes, immortal clouds flowing through them — like a divine kingdom beyond the mortal world. Many spirit cranes and colorful simurghs and other sacred birds danced in flight among the islands.

Deep within, endless great mountains soared into the high heavens — towering and majestic, magnificent and awe-inspiring, commanding reverence and wonder.

Among the great mountains stood a magnificent ancient city, never sinking, invisible to outsiders. Each of the most powerful holy lands had one such city — said to have been left behind by divine beings as ancient divine cities from time immemorial.

Many Wind Clan veterans stood outside the divine islands, greeting each arrival with smiling faces, expressing gratitude with clasped hands in return.

“Untransformed dogs may not enter.” Someone blocked Ye Fan and his group — absolutely refusing to let the Great Black Dog inside no matter what.

“In the past, your clan master invited me himself — and I never came!” The Great Black Dog was furious.

“This is the rule — no beast companions may be brought inside.” The Wind Clan member’s expression was not very pleasant.

“Who is a beast companion? This Emperor’s human companions have all gone inside — how are they allowed in while I am refused?!” It cried out angrily, extending a great paw toward a group of holy land disciples.

Among them were indeed people the Great Black Dog had captured before. At this moment they wished nothing more than to flay its hide. They fled into the eight hundred divine islands, not wanting to provoke more embarrassing incidents.

“Let them pass.” An elder of the Wind Clan walked over. Ye Fan recognized him — he had seen him in the Northern Region divine city — and gave him a respectful bow.

Different arrivals were led to different islands. Ye Fan and his companions went deep into one large island where most present were young disciples from various holy lands.

When the few of them entered, it immediately drew considerable attention. Many sage-children and sage-women came forward, each showing an expression of surprise — astonished that Ye Fan was still alive.

For the half-year period had nearly arrived, yet he had still not died.

“Cough…” Ye Fan coughed up a thread of blood and nonchalantly wiped it away with a white cloth.

Many people felt an indescribable mix of emotions. In the Southern Region, they had already seen him constantly coughing blood — yet he had been able to do great battle with Hua Yunfei, the Ruthless Emperor’s successor, and forcibly execute the holy woman of the Supreme Grand Sect of the Central Province.

Now he was still coughing blood — causing many to silently curse him in their hearts, feeling he was constantly misleading people, yet each time going on to slay a great number of opponents. It truly left people speechless.

“Is Brother Ye’s health holding up?” The Yao Guang sage-child asked. His body was enveloped in a divine halo that made it difficult to feel any animosity toward him. Holy light covered his form — like a son of a god walking among mortals.

“Probably have about half a month left.” Ye Fan answered.

“Brother Ye jests — you will certainly pass through this mortal gate.” The Yao Guang sage-child smiled.

“Since you short-lived wretch have only a few good days left, why not come do battle with me right now?!” The Golden-Winged Xiaopeng King walked over — tall and imposing, with golden eyes that overawed all who saw them. He descended like a demon god — incomparably overwhelming.

“Am I afraid of you? If you want to fight — then let’s fight. I won’t mind destroying you!” Ye Fan whirled around to face this demonic young man of the demon clan, who had provoked him numerous times. This battle was inevitable.

The other sage-children and sage-women were all stirred. These were the two most supreme young experts of the current generation. If they truly came to blows, it would be a clash of dragons and tigers — a world-shaking battle that everyone anticipated enormously.

“Little bird — you have a remarkably stubborn life!” The Black Emperor muttered.

“Hmph!” The Golden-Winged Xiaopeng King gave a cold snort, two beams of cold lightning shooting from his golden eyes.

He and Feng Huang and their companions had not been forced into the Undying Mountain — they had escaped by the narrowest of margins, though far more smoothly than Ye Fan and his group.

“Does Brother Peng wish to fight someone?” Feng Huang floated over gracefully — though wearing a five-colored phoenix mask, she carried a phoenix bearing that was enthralling and an immortal bearing that was absolutely beautiful. She smiled lightly and said: “Today is not suitable for fighting. The battle can be postponed — to let us witness a pinnacle clash.”

Everyone showed unusual expressions. It was very clear what her relationship with Ye Fan was. Seeing her attitude, all felt that there would soon be a good show to watch.