The endless mountain range was utterly destroyed. Devastation filled every corner of the eye — great rifts, severed peaks, a collapsing earth, great cracks dozens of miles long bursting outward in all directions. Every great peak had been leveled nearly flat. Nothing remained.

The Old Madman’s methods were heaven-defying. He had not employed any world-covering holy technique — he had simply struck out with his bare hands, sweeping the mountains and earth flat. The boundless mountain ranges and wilderness had all crumbled and dissolved.

Everyone was trembling, their bodies shaking as though sifting through a sieve. This manner of power stunned every last person — it surpassed all imagination.

Of the seven great powerhouses from the Yin-Yang Sect, not one survived. Three Supreme Elders and two half-step Great Abilities had barely made a sound before dissolving into bloody pulp.

And the two Great Abilities who could gaze down upon all under heaven — though they fought back with everything they had, roaring apart mountain after great mountain in their resistance — they had still been powerless to alter their fate.

They had deployed their most powerful divine techniques, yet they were slapped alive into meat paste by that single great hand. All that remained on the leveled earth were two human-shaped bloodstains.

What manner of power was this? With a single hand, annihilating supreme Great Abilities — crushing to death the most supreme masters of the present age. This was something out of legend and miracle, enough to freeze the soul with terror.

Even when many years had passed, people would find it difficult to forget the scene of this day. A single ancient, simple great hand extending outward for more than seventy miles, blanketing the entire firmament — comparable to a divine being!

When the Old Madman chose to act, he struck with a force that shook the world — obliterating two supreme sovereigns with a single blow, flattening them to pulp. This was something out of a fairy tale — the Eastern Desolation was about to be thrown into tremendous upheaval!

A cool wind blew through. Broken walls and crumbling cliffs, a scene of utter desolation. Several great sovereigns had died without a trace, leaving nothing behind — enough to send a chill through every observer.

The Old Madman had long since withdrawn his great hand. He stood there utterly motionless, his thick black hair obscuring his upright face. Only his hollow eyes could vaguely be discerned.

No one dared to breathe. This was an existence comparable to an ancient holy man — no one was without dread. Everyone was terrified of provoking him.

Only Xiao Nannan was unafraid. Seated upon the Old Madman’s shoulder, she blinked her large, jewel-black eyes and called out: “Uncle, why won’t you say anything?”

A figure two or three heads taller than an ordinary person — impossibly tall and powerfully built, like a holy man of the remote ancient era — and yet a delicate, tender little girl sat upon his shoulder. Many people could not remain composed at the sight.

Who was this little girl? To be treated so by a holy man — every single person looked on with a strange expression. From this day forward, no one would ever dare bully her.

When people looked toward Ye Fan, their gazes also grew peculiar. They had assumed his death was certain — who could have imagined that he would actually bring forth a holy man who had no business existing in the mortal world.

The Sacred Physique was truly unfathomable — he gave everyone cause for wariness. With a divine being of this stature standing at his side, who would dare provoke him?

Even with the Sacred Physique crippled, traveling alongside an existence comparable to an ancient holy man meant that he effectively could look down upon the entire Eastern Desolation.

Ye Fan’s own heart was deeply shaken as well. Though he had long since guessed at the Old Madman’s methods, witnessing them with his own eyes still left his flesh crawling.

Li Heishui rubbed his hands together with excitement. Traveling alongside such a divine being — there was truly nothing to worry about going forward. He would be unstoppable wherever he went.

The Great Black Dog grinned its wide, foolish grin and nearly howled to the sky. It swung its enormous head back and forth, crouching on the ground and searching carefully for something — and then fixed its gaze upon the Old Madman, drool starting to collect at the corners of its mouth.

“What are you doing?” Ye Fan rapped it once to get its attention.

“This Emperor wishes to use a holy man’s lock of hair to refine a certain kind of treasure…” the Great Black Dog blurted out, drool and all, accidentally voicing the thought in its heart. Even it was startled by its own words and hastily fell silent.

“Can you not have a shred of self-respect!” Ye Fan glared at it.

“A holy man is treasure from head to toe. Every inch of his flesh and blood can kill a supreme master of any generation…” The Great Black Dog drooled profusely, reminding Ye Fan: “Have you forgotten the sage’s bone powder on your body? Even reduced to dust and fragments, it is still a priceless treasure of the world.”

But it only dared to transmit this thought in secret. It did not dare say it aloud again — utterly terrified that the Old Madman might give it one slap.

“Thud!”

Suddenly, in the distant void, a crack appeared. Golden bells rang out in resonance, and a black portal was opened.

“A Domain Gate!”

Everyone was astonished. This was a Domain Gate possessed only by super great sects — it manifested when crossing the void.

From within the black portal, bells and drums rang out in unison. Then a line of people filed out one by one. The one at the head wore a purple robe adorned with a sky full of stars, gleaming with radiance.

His black hair fell like a waterfall, spread across his shoulders and back. His eyes were deep as a starry sky. In his every movement and gesture was the authority of one long accustomed to standing above all others.

He looked like an unsurpassed sovereign. Above his head, a single enormous star hung in the air like a treasure wheel, protecting him at its center. Purple radiance flowed around it.

He appeared like a divine being — his body shielded by a great purple star — as though he had descended from an immortal realm, condensing the astral power of all the heavens.

And the people who filed out behind him were also imposing figures without exception. Each one seemed like a stellar constellation descended into mortal form — dignified and awe-inspiring beyond measure.

“This is… the people of the Purple Subtlety Sect!”

“That person with the great purple star suspended above his head… he appears to be… the Purple Subtlety Sect Master!”

Everyone was startled. The master of the supreme great sect from the central region of the Eastern Desolation had arrived — this was a tremendous event.

The Purple Subtlety Sect was highly mysterious, with an ancient lineage. Its cultivation methods differed somewhat from those of other sects in the Eastern Desolation, yet it was extraordinarily powerful.

They were not a sacred ground — their scale was not that vast. But those who emerged from this sect were all powerful fighters. The people had long since reached a consensus: those who walked out of this sect were not inferior to any sacred ground by even a thread.

This was an ancient and mysterious lineage that no one could take lightly. Not even the various sacred grounds dared provoke them casually.

“This is a true sovereign of the age — in the fullest sense of the term!”

Everyone knew why the Purple Subtlety Sect Master had come in person. Their half-step Great Ability had been killed here — he had certainly come to demand an explanation.

Even among Great Abilities, there were considerable differences. The two Great Abilities who had come from the Yin-Yang Sect earlier had both risen from the rank of Supreme Elder to enter this realm. They had only just stepped into it, and their life essence was nearly exhausted. They were in no way comparable to a supreme sect master such as this.

Sage Sovereigns, the Imperial Sovereigns of undying divine dynasties, and supreme sect masters of this kind — these were the true masters of this world. They were incomparably stronger than those two who had barely stepped into the Great Ability realm after burning through their life essence.

“Who crippled our sect’s disciples and killed our sect’s half-step Great Ability?” Several vigorous middle-aged men stepped forward from behind the Purple Subtlety Sect Master, sweeping their gaze across all present.

Their eyes first locked upon Ye Fan. They had naturally already learned of his crippling of Zhao Fa. Their gazes were like sword blades — threatening the very soul, piercing to the bone.

“Those who kill shall die. Those who transgress against my Purple Subtlety Sect shall be destroyed!” Their voices were cold, as though announcing the fate of Ye Fan and the Old Madman.

Their eyes swept over Li Heishui and the others. Finally, they looked toward the Old Madman. Every pair of eyes flickered with divine radiance — yet not one of them moved rashly.

“This is—” The Purple Subtlety Sect Master’s expression suddenly froze. The eyes that were deep as a starry sky revealed a look of shock. He fixed his gaze upon the Old Madman and involuntarily stepped backward.

“Sect Master, what is wrong?” The person beside him asked in surprise.

“Retreat — retreat at once!” Though the Purple Subtlety Sect Master bore a bearing that commanded all under heaven — his bearing noble and lofty, his presence divine like an emperor of heaven — his expression had now completely transformed.

“Sect Master—” Everyone at his side was shaken to the core.

“How can such a person still exist in the world…” The Purple Subtlety Sect Master stepped back again and again, utterly shaken in expression. He reached out and opened the Domain Gate directly.

“Sect Master, are we just going to let them go like this?”

“A half-step Great Ability of our sect, not to mention several great elders, all died here!”

Among those who had come, two young disciples felt no particular restraint and spoke openly.

“Silence!”

The Purple Subtlety Sect Master was shaken to his heart. He called out in a loud voice — and then was the first to step into the Domain Gate. Seeing this, the others immediately hurried in after him.

“Flash!”

A burst of radiance, and the Domain Gate closed. The entire party crossed the void and vanished in the blink of an eye.

The Purple Subtlety Sect had come with great fanfare — their supreme sect master arriving in person — yet in the blink of an eye they had been frightened away. Every single person present was deeply shaken.

“This is the might of a holy man. Standing here is enough to drive away every powerful enemy in the world.”

Everyone present understood — retreating had been the wise choice. To dare make a move before this existence comparable to an ancient holy man would certainly mean annihilation.

“Has everyone had enough of a show? It is time to scatter.” The Great Black Dog howled, thoroughly smug and pleased with itself. Today the Old Madman had acted — and going forward, who would dare come and provoke them?

Many people in the sky were left speechless. What had been witnessed today was enough to shake the heart. The news would certainly shake the entire Eastern Desolation. An existence comparable to an ancient holy man had appeared in the world — it would set off enormous waves.

Ye Fan and his group continued their journey northward. They had not traveled more than a thousand miles when a Domain Gate appeared in the void ahead of them. Seven or eight people stepped out — all supreme major figures.

Purple energy coiled around their bodies like divine beings descended from heaven. Every one of them had surpassed the Dragon Transformation peak. They were several Supreme Elders of the Purple Residence Sacred Ground.

These people swept cold gazes over all present, locking their eyes upon Ye Fan — then looking toward the Old Madman, Li Heishui, and the others. It was plain that those who had come bore ill intent.

“Flash!”

Another burst of radiance, and a middle-aged man wearing a purple-gold crown burst forth. His aura was divine — his bearing majestic and formidable. He swept his gaze across those Supreme Elders and said: “Retreat at once!”

Their disciples had been humiliated. They had come to demand justice and, upon learning that a great battle had taken place here and that even a half-step Great Ability had suffered a loss, had dispatched numerous powerful figures.

At the critical moment, the Purple Residence Sacred Ground received a secret report — that a supremely formidable figure was present here and must under no circumstances be provoked — and thus came this final scene.

Every single person from the Purple Residence Sacred Ground withdrew. Not one remained. No one dared step forward to demand justice.

On this day, news spread throughout the central region of the Eastern Desolation: an ancient holy man had appeared in the world. With a single hand, he annihilated Great Abilities. One after another, both the Purple Subtlety Sect and the Purple Residence Sacred Ground were sent fleeing in shock. The central region trembled!

Every person was utterly shaken. How many years had it been since such a figure had last appeared? Not even the various sacred grounds could do anything but retreat — none dared confront him.

What no one had expected most was that Ye Fan was traveling alongside that holy man. Those who wished to deal with him were left completely helpless.

The peerless divine sovereign was suspected to have fallen — yet now this strange figure had appeared. This was truly something that could not be provoked. Not even the sacred grounds or supreme great sects dared make a move.

“Damn, this is not right with heaven. Even the times have changed, and now a holy man has appeared — it is simply unbelievable.”

“The Sacred Physique has already been self-severed. How has he managed to bring out someone like this? Could it be he dug this person out from some ancient mountain monastery somewhere?”

Ye Fan’s enemies were all indignant and furious. They had originally believed that with him half-crippled, the time to strike and take his life had come. Who could have anticipated the arrival of an even more formidable person to overawe them?

Ye Fan and his group continued northward. From time to time figures followed, watching and observing from behind — all wanting to know the Old Madman’s identity. Unfortunately, no one could see through him.

Without realizing it, they had once again drawn near to the ancient city of Purple Sky and entered the territory of the Wind Clan — which was also the region where the Purple Subtlety Sect was located.

“Let us stop here for a time and pay a visit to the Purple Subtlety Sect — see if we can resolve this enmity.” Ye Fan smiled.

“Little Ye Fan, that is simply too underhanded of you…” Li Heishui was somewhat lost for words.

With the Old Madman traveling alongside them, this was an unsurpassed form of intimidation — and Ye Fan wanted to go to the Purple Subtlety Sect. This would absolutely set off monstrous waves.

“Great idea!” The Great Black Dog, ever eager to watch the world burn, howled: “Why should we always wait for them to come and provoke us? I think it is quite necessary to pay the Purple Subtlety Sect a visit — have a proper ‘warm exchange’ with them — and then take a stroll through the supreme Yin-Yang Sect in the Central Province!”

“I am being serious — sincerely and wholeheartedly, I want to make peace with the Purple Subtlety Sect. Let us go and have a look.” Ye Fan said.

“You are too rotten for words — this is going to frighten people to death. Every other sacred ground will be unsettled as well…” Li Heishui said.