“Dead. A living fossil has fallen — three thousand years of walking through the Eastern Desolation, yet to meet this kind of bleak end.”

“A legendary figure. In his day he walked freely throughout the Eastern Desolation with none daring to stand against him — and in the moment when he was nearly on the verge of final meditation, it comes to this.”

Many sighed with emotion. A peerless great figure, brilliant across an entire lifetime, yet meeting a violent death in his final years — one could not call that anything but a kind of sorrow.

Let a man be the greatest of heroes — in the end he must return to the earth. And yet to depart in this manner was something that made people feel regret, after all.

“Senior martial brother…” Yao Guang’s Holy Master grieved deeply. His heart was shaken with boundless fury. Sacred light blazed from his entire body, a hundred and eight divine rings blotting out the sun.

“Holy Master, please accept our condolences.” Yao Guang’s sacred son stepped forward, bowing deeply in consolation.

Yao Guang’s Holy Master Li Daoqing, upon seeing him, let a flicker of light pass through his dimmed eyes: “In the future, you must slay the Red Dragon Daoist.”

“In this world, right or wrong notwithstanding, the dead always find it easy to earn the sympathy and remembrance of others. You had little vital energy remaining, yet you wished to use that last breath to bring me down. I cannot pity you.”

The Red Dragon Daoist’s expression was calm — even cold. His gaze rested on those shattered, blood-soaked remains, and he coughed out another mouthful of blood.

Even for a living fossil-level terrifying figure, though the battle had not been particularly dramatic in appearance, a single exchange had decided life and death — making it all the more harrowing.

The Red Dragon Old Daoist had sustained grave injuries in the life-and-death contest as well, his body nearly cracking apart. But that was not enough to shake his foundation.

He drank a mouthful of sacred spring water. Red mist wreathed his body, the wounds stopped bleeding, broken bones regrew, and his vital energy recovered swiftly.

He stood in the ancient battlefield, his ancient Daoist robe billowing in the wind. Every enemy faced him with profound wariness — no one moved to challenge him in the short term.

The Red Dragon Daoist was simply too terrifying. His peerless demonic power had silenced all the assembled heroes. Not a single person dared step forward carelessly. To take a single palm strike from this living fossil would guarantee total destruction of body and soul.

“Heh heh…” The supreme Old Sect Master of the Yin-Yang Sect smiled without warmth, looking toward the arena: “Red Dragon, how magnificent you are. But is it truly worth going to this much trouble over a single youngster?”

By now, everyone understood — Ye Fan’s matter was merely the catalyst. Grievances between the factions had been festering for a long time. This was simply the occasion that had caused them to erupt.

“Wang Yangzhan — if you’re not satisfied, come into the arena and fight.” The Red Dragon Daoist wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“Do you truly think yourself without equal under heaven, Red Dragon? Bullying the strong against the weak will only bring about your own downfall.” The Yin-Yang Old Sect Master swept an indifferent glance at Ye Fan, then fixed his gaze back on the Red Dragon Daoist: “This young man schemed against and killed the various heroes — he must be executed here. If you insist on protecting him, do you wish to make an enemy of all people under heaven?”

“Do you represent all people under heaven?” A faint cold smile curved the Red Dragon Old Daoist’s lips: “If you’re not satisfied, come in — and we’ll decide who lives and who dies.”

The supreme Old Sect Master of the Yin-Yang Sect smiled coldly: “Good. Then allow me to test your peerless techniques.”

He paced forward at an unhurried step and entered the arena. Behind him, a diagram of Yin and Yang rotated, making him appear profound and inscrutable.

Everyone was startled. Yet another living fossil had stepped out. This Central State old sect master had an enormous reputation — over three thousand years of age, and likewise nearing his final meditation.

“Wang Yangzhan, you are exactly as you were in the past.” The Crow Daoist spoke up and began walking, step by step, into the ancient battlefield: “Are you trying to take advantage of Red Dragon’s injuries to claim his life?”

“He himself asked me to step forward!” Wang Yangzhan smiled mildly, and turned to face the Crow Daoist.

“Brother Red Dragon, stand down and rest. You just fought Wang Zheng to the death — you need to regulate your breathing. I will fight him.” The Crow Daoist spoke.

“Crow, what is the meaning of this? My fight with Red Dragon was agreed between us as a life-and-death contest. What business do you have inserting yourself?” Wang Yangzhan’s face darkened as he demanded.

“Daoist master here just can’t stand the sight of you — is that reason enough to destroy you?!” The Crow Daoist was supremely arrogant. On his head sat a purple-gold crown; his body was clothed in raven-feathered Daoist robes that flowed with an uncanny, eerie radiance.

Outside the ancient battlefield, everyone was taken aback. This peerless demon lord was truly domineering — his words utterly unconstrained. Well-deserving of the title of a living fossil who could walk sideways through the Eastern Desolation.

“Let me handle it then.” The Red Dragon Old Daoist spoke up.

“No — I genuinely cannot stand the sight of him, and I insist on fighting him.” The Crow Daoist persisted.

The Red Dragon Daoist laughed heartily and said nothing more. He turned and walked out of the arena, vanishing with a few flickers of motion.

The supreme Old Sect Master of the Yin-Yang Sect’s expression wavered. He sent a mental transmission: “Red Dragon, I came to settle the debts between us. Yet you have withdrawn. What is the meaning of this?”

“First settle your debts with the Crow Daoist. Once my injuries are fully healed, we can fight.” The Red Dragon Old Daoist was entirely unconcerned.

Outside the arena, the crowd watched with keen attention. Once again, two living fossils faced each other — the focal battles came one after another, leaving many people deeply expectant.

“Wang Yangzhan — I heard that the sacred son and sacred daughter of your Yin-Yang Sect were both slain. Is that true?” The Crow Daoist chose to poke at exactly the sorest spot.

Wang Yangzhan let out a cold grunt and gave no response, his eyes filled with complete indifference.

“Just a few days ago, the person you had designated as your successor — the vice sect master of the Yin-Yang Sect — died in the Ten Thousand Dragon Lair. I suppose that part is true enough.” The Crow Daoist taunted.

“Crow, you talk too much!” The Yin-Yang Old Sect Master said icily.

“Do I talk too much? I was only asking casually. Your eye for people is really quite poor — your chosen successor is dead. You truly haven’t been doing your job as sect master.” The Crow Daoist laughed.

“Save your empty words. Let me see just how your cultivation has progressed after more than a thousand years apart!” Wang Yangzhan gave a cold shout. Above his head, an ancient mirror appeared.

“The divine object left behind by a saint of antiquity — the Yin-Yang Mirror!” Someone cried out.

“Wrong — that mirror is their sect’s supreme protective treasure and could never be carried on one’s person. That is a replica. But even so, its power is extraordinary.” Another person discerned the truth.

“Clang!”

Above the Crow Daoist’s head, a precious bell appeared — crystalline and translucent, as white and unblemished as fine mutton-fat jade, flowing with treasure light, transmitting a long, lingering tone.

“This is a rare divine metal — only a small amount is needed to forge Saint Master-level weapons. Yet this bell is cast entirely from this divine material!” Everyone was shocked.

“Let’s also settle this with a single strike to decide life and death — neither of us has life force to spare.” The Crow Daoist grinned and surreptitiously drank several large mouthfuls of the sacred spring water.

The old sect master of the Yin-Yang Sect nodded impassively, yet also covertly swallowed three sacred medicines, which contained life vital energy as vast as a sea within them.

The Yin-Yang ancient mirror — its face red as blood, its back black as ink — flowed with the dual energies of Yin and Yang, rising and sinking slowly above his head.

“Boom!”

Both struck simultaneously. The mirror’s face of the Yin-Yang mirror shot out a crimson blaze, turning the entire ancient battlefield red, with threads of chaotic mist curling about.

“Creation itself — this mirror is truly terrifying!”

The crowd cried out. The Yin-Yang mirror evolved a blood-colored small world — wrapped in chaotic mist — to seal the Crow Daoist within it and refine him into putrid blood.

“Clang…”

A long, lingering bell tone resounded throughout the Jade Pool. The precious bell, white as jade, sent out a sound wave like the roar of the ocean — the heavens fell and the earth collapsed, destroying all things.

It was a violent and intense collision — crimson blaze and bell wave shook together, causing an aura of creation to spread outward between them, making every onlooker draw in a sharp, startled breath.

“Crack!” “Crack!”

Both living fossils vomited blood in great torrents. A thread of fissure appeared between their brows — they had nearly been split in half by each other, both sustaining grave injuries.

“Crack!”

The Crow Daoist escaped from that blood-colored small world without being sealed within it. The Yin-Yang sect master also retreated ten thousand zhang away, managing not to be dissolved into powder by the bell wave.

After the single life-and-death strike, both vanished into the void, traveling through nothingness — then struck out without warning.

“Hiss!”

The back of the Yin-Yang ancient mirror — black as ink — opened a dark abyss. The force of death surged and swept toward the Crow Daoist.

“Boom!”

The white precious bell descended like a pagoda, seeking to draw the Yin-Yang sect master inside. The bell’s walls were engraved densely with curse script, flashing with a dazzling blaze of light.

“Boom!”

The two collided — like a flooding tide overwhelming the earth. The ancient mirror was blasted away. The precious bell went dark and dim. Once again, both sides came out even, both vomiting blood in great torrents.

“These two living fossils both spoke of deciding life and death with a single strike, yet their blood energy is so vigorous — even after exhausting their full strength, they still have reserves for further battle.”

“Crash!”

A tremendous quake — the ancient mirror and the Yin-Yang diagram Wang Yangzhan had evolved merged into one, becoming a tangible great Dao, and gave birth to a Yin-Yang world!

“The Yin-Yang Life-and-Death Cycle Realm!” Multiple Holy Master-level figures went pale with fright. This old sect master was terrifyingly powerful — he had deployed the technique of legend.

“Caw!” The Crow Daoist let out a crow’s cry. From his brow, golden radiance blazed forth — and from it burst a three-legged golden crow, which merged with the divine bell as one.

Upon it — countless curse inscriptions, every single ancient character having come alive — manifesting a world within the bell.

It could be clearly perceived: in a remote ancient land, giants walked, savage dragons prowled, three-legged golden crows streaked across the sky in supreme, indomitable glory.

“Boom!”

The divine bell rang. The primordial world contained within it shook — ten golden crows traversed the heavens, ravaging the entire great world.

A fierce, violent clash — the savage and primordial world within the bell clashed violently against the Dao-force evolved by the Yin-Yang mirror!

Eternal radiance submerged the ancient battlefield. The primordial great world and the Yin-Yang life-and-death cycle realm swallowed each other in turn.

Boundless black holes connected into one. Shattered Great Dao marks were arrayed across the void. Between the two living fossils, nothing remained.

The crowd trembled. A contest like this was truly terrifying. Holy Masters entering it would have their bodies and souls annihilated — reduced to pulp.

“This is what a living fossil truly is. Though they are nearing the end of their lives, in these final moments they look down upon the Eastern Desolation with none to match them!”

“Crash!”

The Yin-Yang sect master fell out. His hair hung in wild disarray, blood covering his body. His frame had nearly been smashed to pieces — in many places, the white of bone showed through.

“Crash!”

On the other side, the Crow Daoist fared little better. Raven feathers rained down in every direction. Numerous fissures ran across his body, blood streaking everywhere.

“Honored ones — a draw is an acceptable end to this. Do not fight further.” The Jade Pool’s Queen Mother of the West spoke up.

The Red Dragon Daoist, Azure Flood Dragon King, the Yin-Yang Sect’s followers, and others rushed into the arena one after another, each shielding one of the living fossils and separating the two.

“Good — a draw then!” The Yin-Yang Sect Master nodded in agreement.

The Crow Daoist drank a large mouthful of the sacred spring water and called out with utter shamelessness: “I haven’t had enough fighting yet!”

The fragrant scent drifted outward, and everyone caught the smell of it. Naturally, they understood it to be the life-sustaining precious liquid. Everyone fell silent.

“Hmph!”

The Yin-Yang Sect Master let out a cold snort, furious, and walked out of the battlefield with great strides — withdrawing from the arena.

“Wang Yangzhan, are you afraid? I feel like I could fight three hundred more rounds. Let’s have another bout.” The Crow Daoist called out with complete ease and self-possession.

Things had come to this point — the battle had drawn to a close and could not continue. There was no possibility of going on.

Everyone withdrew from the ancient battlefield. For a moment, silence fell over the crowd. Several living fossils had stepped out one after another — who would dare enter now?

Ye Fan’s heart gave a sudden jump. The Red Dragon Old Daoist and the Crow Daoist were both injured. Yet it seemed as though the various Holy Lands might still have one or two living fossils among their number!

Still, he was not overly worried. If pushed to the very edge, he would summon the ancient saint of antiquity — if it came to it, he would tear open the sky.

At this moment, the Azure Flood Dragon King, one of the Thirteen Great Outlaws, stepped forward. He said nothing at all — he simply held out a jar in his hands and swept his gaze over everyone.

Many people had the urge to curse outright. That was Tu Tian’s Heaven-Devouring Demonic Jar, which he had borrowed. With such a supreme sacred weapon in his hands, who would dare provoke him?

“Let this come to an end here. Every one of you is an outstanding figure of this world. To fall would be an immeasurable loss for the entire Eastern Desolation.” The Queen Mother of the West mediated.

By now, truly few remained who had any desire to fight on. With mutual wariness on all sides — half an Extreme Dao sacred weapon, plus living fossil-level existences — these were all unpredictable factors.

Of course, the thing that made everyone most uneasy was still Yan Ruyu’s presence. If the Azure Emperor’s sacred weapon were summoned forth, that would be a heaven-collapsing catastrophe.

“Then let this young man be executed.” The Yin-Yang Sect Master spoke up.

“Execute your — execute whose?!” Ye Fan had long since had enough of this old scoundrel. The vulgarity slipped out — his first time ever speaking so coarsely. He looked directly back at the old man with a provocative stare.

“You…” The people of the Yin-Yang Sect, all furious, pressed forward.

“Reporting to the Queen Mother…” More than ten of the Jade Pool’s beautiful attendants flew from the sacred grounds, arriving at the arena above the clouds.

“What has happened?” The Queen Mother of the West asked serenely.

“Ancient Primordial beings have come to visit!” One white-robed attendant spoke — delivering news that struck like a bolt from the heavens.

“What?!” Everyone cried out as one — utterly stunned.

“Judging by their appearance, they are without question Ancient Primordial beings. They say they come from the Primordial Forbidden Zone and wish to enter the Jade Pool.” The female disciple replied.

No one could remain calm. An uproar broke out — there was not a single person whose heart was not shaken.