An elder stepped forward — cold and merciless — and pronounced Ye Fan’s fate, declaring it was time to end him immediately.

“Old man, who do you think you are? Don’t you see this Emperor is here? Get over here and pay your respects!” The Black Emperor swaggered with all four enormous paws planted on the ground, lolling his huge red tongue as he rebuked the man.

As a Supreme Elder of a Sacred Ground, the elder was of incomparable prestige — who would dare speak to him like this? To be mocked and scolded by a dog left him furious beyond measure. He desperately wanted to curse, but constrained by his status and dignity, he forced himself to swallow it.

“That mangy mutt — I’m talking to you, you hear me?” The great black dog slanted his eyes at the man and said, “You love sentencing people to death, don’t you? Let me hand you one too — come here and die!”

“I’ll slaughter you!”

Even the most patient of men has his limits — all the more so for a figure of such exalted standing, accustomed to none defying him. His temper ignited immediately.

“Hold on a damn minute!” The great black dog stretched one enormous paw forward, tilted his head, and didn’t so much as glance at the man as he blocked him.

“Are we doing this one-on-one, or are you all going to gang up on me?” The great black dog bared his teeth and asked, foul-mouthed as ever, yet somehow affecting the manner of a sage removed from the world.

“It’s just killing a dog. What’s all this nonsense?”

“Nonsense my ass — are we fighting a duel to the death, just the two of us? Or are you saying a whole pack of old geezers is going to come at this Emperor alone?” The great black dog let fly with more filth, making the man’s chest ache with indignation.

“To hell with it — I’m putting you down right now!” He finally lost all restraint and let the curses fly.

“What kind of person are you? You’ve lived to such a ripe old age, and you still can’t hold your tongue — not an ounce of refinement.” The great black dog remarked.

Everyone felt dizzy. This dog had been spewing profanity the whole time — and now he was lecturing someone else about manners. Truly a creature in a class of its own.

Swoosh!

The Supreme Elder had reached his limit. He felt steam rising from his head. A single finger pointed forward — dark light split the air, aimed straight for the Black Emperor’s skull.

“No integrity whatsoever — you’re ambushing me!” the great black dog cried out. He opened his enormous maw and said, “This Emperor intends to fight you honorably, fairly, and in a proper duel to the death!”

Everyone felt their teeth ache. This dog was insufferably deserving of a good chop. Some were itching to set a pot on the fire, boil it alive, toss in some oil and salt and soy sauce and vinegar, stir it all around, and eat it then and there.

“In the interest of fairness, let us go outside for a battle to the death — one against one. Once this Emperor makes his move, it will be a legendary contest for the ages!”

“This dog loves to run his mouth. Old Qi, go outside and finish it off — quick!” Many of them could no longer stand it.

The great black dog bolted away in a flash, livelier than a rabbit — making a clean escape.

“Damn that dog — stop right there!” Old Qi had a forehead full of dark lines, his rage volcanic.

“Screw off! Did you really think this Emperor was going to lower himself to your level? Let’s call it even here — see you again in five hundred years!” The great black dog ran with all four legs flying, turning to jabber over his shoulder: “Little Ye, hold on — I’ll come avenge you in five hundred years.”

That infuriating dog! Everyone cursed him.

Unfortunately, his joy turned to grief — with a thud, he was struck and sent flying back. A peerless expert lurking in the shadows had sealed off all ten directions; not even a sparrow could have passed through.

“Ouch…”

The great black dog let out a pained howl, injured and sent tumbling sideways, but turned his misfortune to advantage and landed right beside Liu Yiyi.

She had been cast aside and ignored — no one deemed her useful anymore. The Black Emperor had successfully slipped over and hoisted her onto his back.

From the shadows, a peerless expert lurking in concealment stepped into view — a powerhouse at the Great Ability level.

“This Emperor is going all out against all of you!” The Black Emperor flew into a fury.

“Black Emperor, come here!” Ye Fan transmitted a message in secret.

But a powerful expert sealed the space between them; there was no way to join forces. Without a sound, several elders appeared and locked down the four directions — there were even Great Ability-level figures present!

“They really went all out for me…” Ye Fan marveled.

“Damned old dog — ahh…” The one who had charged forward, Old Qi, clutched at his throat and let out a shriek — a headless corpse toppled to the ground, and a rainbow of light flashed past, reducing his head to a mist of blood.

“What is that?!” Everyone was stunned.

Gripped in the great black dog’s paw was a black wooden box. Within it lay a tiny sword barely an inch long, trembling and quivering, exhaling sword radiance — and it was precisely this blade that had flown out and beheaded a Supreme Elder.

“Who knew something from some dusty corner could come in this handy.” Needless to say, this was something the Black Emperor had brought out from the Ancient Emperor Mountain.

Several elders closed in, and remarkably, a standoff formed — none of them daring to advance.

Between the great snowy peaks, the ice pines stood ancient and unyielding, their branches reaching to the sky. A frigid wind howled, sweeping up a thousand piles of snow, ice shards scattering in all directions.

On this side, figures crowded together as Ye Fan was surrounded. He paid no attention to the Black Emperor’s situation — everyone was preparing to strike simultaneously and kill Ye Fan, leaving him no chance to flee.

The Wanchu Holy Maiden stood within the crowd, her face pale as snow, one jade arm severed, cold sweat drenching her body, her waist-length black hair matted with spatters of blood — she had nearly fainted.

“Is there not a single one among you willing to face me alone?” Ye Fan looked toward the thirteen Holy Sons, a trace of mockery on his face.

Every Holy Son present changed color. From childhood to now, who had ever addressed them this way — with even a hint of contempt?

They were the heaven’s chosen of the Eastern Desolation. They had always commanded the admiration of the world, pride and honor their constant companions. When had anyone ever looked down on them like this?

And yet — not one of them stepped forward. None among them had any confidence of overpowering Ye Fan. Each and every one had already tested him a moment ago.

All thirteen Holy Sons had been unable to do anything to Ye Fan. Some had been gravely wounded in the attempt. One had already died here — proof written in blood, a precedent made of flesh.

“Ha ha…” Ye Fan laughed — unrestrained and arrogant, his loose hair flying, his eyes blazing like lightning.

That wind-swept bearing, that supremacy over all, truly enraged them — and yet still not one dared cross blades with him.

The Sacred Body had grown to this point: among the young generation of the Eastern Desolation, scarcely anyone could match him any longer. This was a helpless sorrow they all had to accept.

Setting aside Yao Guang’s Holy Son, the Eastern Desolation’s Divine King, Hua Yunfei, and a small handful of others — who else could possibly contend with him? They truly could not think of anyone.

Severing one’s own cultivation? The hell with that — who would ever believe it?

“In that case, all of you come at me together. I’ll send every last one of you on your way!” Ye Fan looked down upon all those formidable figures and was utterly unconcerned, determined to cut them all down.

Seeing him like this, everyone’s confidence crumbled. Not a single person came forward — they were all afraid of a “killing trap,” hesitating and uncertain.

“Ha ha…” Ye Fan laughed again, sweeping his gaze over the thirteen Holy Sons, then glancing over the Supreme Elders, as well as the half-step Great Abilities.

That laughter was exceptionally grating. Everyone felt it carried a dismissive sneer. All of them were furious — with this many people surrounding him, he still dared act this way!

“I’ll kill him!”

A Dragon Transformation Sixth Change elder, hailing from the Wanchu Sacred Ground, stepped forward with large strides. At this level of power, it had once been said he could hunt Ye Fan down — all in the world knew it.

Boom!

He raised a bronze pagoda in his palms, pressing it downward like a mountain, standing atop the tower himself, his aura vast and majestic. Its pressure caused the snow peaks to collapse, triggering a massive avalanche — terrifying as a tidal wave.

Bang!

Ye Fan soared into the air like a dragon, his vital energy throughout his body boiling, the All Secret activated — his combat power tenfold what it was — and he hurled a single world-shattering fist!

Clang!

A sky-shaking boom — the bronze pagoda was a sacred artifact, and it swallowed Ye Fan inside. Elation swept through the crowd.

But before their smiles had fully bloomed, they froze. The tower was cracking — the ancient pagoda, massive as a mountain, was shattering.

At the very top, Ye Fan burst out and beat the high-powered expert atop the tower into several pieces!

That golden fist plunged into him as though into wet clay — unstoppable, relentless — striking the elder into multiple sections. Bone and flesh flew in all directions.

A Dragon Transformation Sixth Change expert — along with his treasured artifact — dispatched with a single blow. No suspense at all. Every single person drew a sharp breath of cold air, including the Supreme Elders.

“Has he reached Four Extremities Grand Perfection?”

Previously Ye Fan had been at the Four Extremities Second Heavenly Layer and could battle Dragon Transformation Fourth Change experts. Extrapolating from that, everyone understood he must have advanced again.

“No — he’s at the Four Extremities Third Heavenly Layer. He hasn’t reached Grand Perfection yet!” Someone detected the subtlety.

“Then how is it I feel like he’s already at Grand Perfection?” Another held a different view.

It wasn’t his current combat power that frightened them — it was the sheer speed of his cultivation. This was too fast. Less than a year — had he really advanced two entire Heavenly Layers?

“If you’re not convinced, all of you come at me together — I’ll cut down every single one of you!” Ye Fan’s self-assurance and arrogance drove everyone to fury. A half-step Great Ability pressed forward, intending to finish him.

Clang!

Above Ye Fan’s head, an ancient cauldron appeared, emitting a vibrating resonance — like evening bells and morning drums — stirring the very souls of all who heard it, and ten thousand strands of Mother Qi cascaded downward, protecting him completely.

In that instant, every gaze turned blazing with intense desire. All eyes locked onto the Source Root of the Mother Qi of All Things — a sacred object left behind by the Ancient Heavenly Emperor!

“Foolhardy!” The half-step Great Ability sneered with a trace of mockery, reaching out one enormous hand and grabbing forward, intending to seize the cauldron outright.

“Ahh…”

Suddenly, that huge hand was streaming blood — flesh and bone obliterated, crushed as though by a great mountain, every bone in the fingers shattered.

“You — what is inside that cauldron?!” The half-step Great Ability was terrified, stumbling backward. His hair stood on end; he felt as though a wild phoenix lurked within, capable of incinerating all things.

It was naturally the Primordial Sage. Even Ye Fan, sealed within the divine source, felt his body on the verge of collapse whenever he approached — all the more so for anyone else’s physical form. To reach into the cauldron would only be to wound oneself.

Several half-step Great Abilities pressed in together, intending to combine their strength and kill Ye Fan.

Howl!

On the other side, the great black dog let out a pained cry — the black wooden box in his hand was sent flying. He took a mouthful of snow and nearly tumbled into a snow ravine, Liu Yiyi sliding off his back to the ground.

Swish!

The Wanchu Holy Maiden lunged forward. She grabbed Yiyi by the collar, heartless and cruel, a cold smile on her lips.

“Ye Fan — kneel before me this instant and beg for your life like a dog!” She had lost an arm; though it could one day grow back, in this moment she was nearly delirious with rage.

“You will never see me kneel before you in this lifetime,” Ye Fan replied with a cold sneer.

“If you don’t kneel, I’ll let you stand right here and watch her die!” The Wanchu Holy Maiden’s eyes glittered with an icy light.

A thin line of blood appeared on Liu Yiyi’s slender neck as a silver blade was laid across it. A trickle of red seeped out, and her face wore a dazed, desolate look — time itself seemed to freeze.

Ye Fan’s heart nearly stopped. His fury was boundless; his knuckles turned blue from the force of his clenched fists. Even his jet-black hair began to stir without a breath of wind.

“Kneel before me in public and beg…” The Wanchu Holy Maiden’s cold laughter continued.

“Ye Fan, go…” Liu Yiyi spoke.

Ye Fan grew calm. He lifted the cauldron from above his head, compressed it to the size of a fist, and held it in his palm. He looked at everyone and said, “Whoever is the first to strike down that despicable woman and save Yiyi — I will throw this cauldron to them.”

These people did not know one another’s identities — all had come with their appearances concealed. Hearing this, many hearts stirred, and killing intent radiated outward. Who would not be moved by a sacred object left behind by the Ancient Heavenly Emperor?

“You…” The Wanchu Holy Maiden was alarmed. She shoved Liu Yiyi away, and the Black Emperor sprang up at once, catching her again.

“None of this is worth discussing now. There’s no need to debate who the cauldron belongs to — kill him first!” A Great Ability figure spoke, pressing forward. Everyone converged together.

Clang!

Ye Fan let the cauldron fall to the ground. This immediately sent the crowd into a clamor — every person lurking in the shadows came out, all pressing in close, terrified of falling behind.

“Let me see you work a miracle now!” A sinister voice rang out, laden with endless hatred.

“Slaying the Sacred Body is right before our eyes!” Everyone roared in unison, and killing intent flooded the mountain range.

“Everyone — let us ascend to immortality together. I’ll send you all on your way!” Ye Fan laughed loudly.

He naturally had a trump card. He would never have come here to throw his life away — he would never sacrifice himself needlessly.

But it was not merely a matter of using that Primordial Sage. That was a double-edged sword — if unleashed, he himself would die!

Boom!

Ten thousand feet of a sea of thunder descended from the sky, submerging this entire place in an instant. This was an ocean of heavenly tribulation lightning!

“Damn it, kid, you forgot about me — you included me in your calculations, you utterly despicable creature!” The great black dog howled, doing everything in his power to shield Yiyi.

Ye Fan had entered seclusion — not to break through to the next realm, but to reach that critical threshold. He had been suppressing himself all along, and only today, coming here, had he released it: he was undergoing his tribulation right here!