Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 431: Chapter 436: Struck by Thunder

Ye Fan was about to leave. He first ascended the nine sacred mountains and dug out some of the nine Divine Roots, trying to piece together a flawless Undying Divine Medicine to save a life.

In addition, the nine Life Spring Pools, which could bring back the dead and rebuild bones, were priceless treasures in the world that he certainly would not forget.

He had brought nine jade bottles with him, which could supposedly hold an entire mountain, intending to collect a large amount of the Undying Divine Spring. However, in the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land, any treasure could be downgraded to a mundane item.

The nine jade bottles almost all became ordinary vessels, each only able to hold a dozen or so pounds of water, unable to collect even a drop more.

Even so, Ye Fan was very satisfied. He had even collected the Undying Divine Medicine, healing his Dao Injury. The harvest of this journey was astonishing. What more could he ask for?

Since ancient times, many old leaders of Sacred Lands had entered the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land in their later years like moths to a flame. Almost all turned to ashes, rarely returning to the mortal world.

“It’s time to leave…”

Ye Fan stood on the Ancient Desolation Abyss, staring blankly at the five-colored altar in the darkness. At this moment, he had an impulse: to jump down with the small bronze coffin. When would he be able to traverse the starry sky?

After a long time, he turned around and came to a Life Spring Pool, taking out the Qilin Seed to look at it again and again, uncertain whether to plant it here.

Undoubtedly, the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land was very suitable for its growth. In the future, it could certainly mature into an Undying Divine Medicine, becoming an Immortal Treasure of the world!

However, the Ancient Divine Medicine is very spiritual. It was feared that once it took root and sprouted, before it matured, it would fly away on its own, escaping to a Desolate Land where no one could find it.

In the end, Ye Fan put it away again. The seed of the Undying Divine Medicine still had another important use, and he could plant it himself in the future.

Ye Fan descended the mountain, circling the huge bronze coffin for a long time, looking at the nine dragon corpses. He wanted to drag them all away, as they were all divine treasures.

Suddenly, he chuckled silently, realizing how greedy he was—why did he want to take everything he saw?

“Seems I’ve been infected by the nature of the Black Emperor after spending too much time with it.”

Ye Fan laughed at himself. He had picked all the sacred fruit, down to the roots and leaves, and collected a lot of Divine Spring. Now he was eyeing the bronze coffin.

The big black dog always took everything it saw and didn’t let anything slip by. It was extremely greedy, even wanting to rob the treasures of acquaintances, and had made multiple attempts to bite Ye Fan.

“This unruly dog has so many bad habits. Under its influence, I’m almost becoming like it…” Ye Fan shamelessly blamed all faults on the Black Emperor.

He rubbed his chin, really wanting to carry the small bronze coffin away. But in the end, he sighed. This coffin was too bizarre, utterly irretrievable.

If he carried it around every day, the weight would kill him over time. It was too heavy, and someone would eventually discern its secrets. Then the whole world would hunt him down to seize it.

Ye Fan returned the small bronze coffin to its original place, then left without looking back, carrying the Qilin Seed and Seven-Colored Little Stone, drinking large gulps of Divine Spring, moving swiftly like the wind.

「In no time, he reached the edge of the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land, seeing the eight hundred miles of Primitive Ancient Forest, about to walk out of this forbidden area.」

He looked back. This place, a Desolate Land yet teeming with life, held too many secrets, probably impossible to uncover unless one became an existence like the Great Emperors of ancient times.

The Dao Injury is finally healed. I’m back… Ye Fan’s heart was not at peace, recalling how he was on the brink of death when he first arrived in the southern region. Now, he had finally resolved the deadly situation.

Suddenly, he sensed great danger; the hairs all over his body stood on end.

BOOM!

A massive purple lightning bolt descended from the sky, dozens of feet in diameter, piercing through the heavens and the earth. It was too abrupt, striking Ye Fan and sending him flying hundreds of feet away.

“Damn it, what’s going on? In the clear skies without a cloud, how could lightning strike?”

He was covered in pitch-black residue, his clothes turned to ashes sticking to him. Though he wasn’t hurt in the slightest, he looked battered, with his hair standing on end.

BOOM!

Another purple lightning bolt descended from the sky, its light blazing, like a purple mountain ridge crashing down. It was massive and terrifying, its suppressive weight making it hard to breathe.

At first, Ye Fan thought someone was plotting against him but quickly realized that was not right. This was absolutely lightning from the heavens, not man-made.

“Heavenly Tribulation!” He guessed the truth, his complexion changing instantly. How could he have attracted a Heavenly Tribulation for no reason? He felt it was too unjust.

The terrifying lightning transformed into a purple ocean, engulfing the land, its terrifying ripples suffocating. Towering ancient trees, hundred-foot boulders, and more were struck into ashes.

Why am I being struck by lightning for no reason… Ye Fan was speechless.

BOOM!

The Thunder Sea roared violently, almost pressing down to the ground, enveloping him. Lightning struck one after another, making the strange and powerful beasts in the Endless Mountain Range leap with fright.

Could it be caused by breaking through to the second layer of the Four Extremes realm? Ye Fan was immediately overwhelmed. If so, there was a lot more to endure in the future.

He recalled what the Black Emperor said: the Beginningless Emperor was often struck by lightning more than a hundred thousand years ago, and eventually, it became routine. It seemed he was likely to experience the same in the future.

“Dear grandfather, beloved uncle, but why do I have to be struck by Heavenly Thunder? Damn it!” Ye Fan cursed.

The Heavenly Tribulations struck one after another, causing the Endless Mountain Range to tremble. The great mountains in this region collapsed, pulverized by the lightning and turning the area into a barren wasteland.

Just as when he had last broken through, a full five layers of Heavenly Tribulation arrived, each layer containing nine minor tribulations. They were terrifying to the extreme, splitting mountains and shaking the earth, alarming all beasts.

This mountainous area was utterly destroyed, a scene of apocalypse. Apart from Ye Fan, no other living creatures remained. The lightning had gouged out an incomparably vast abyss.

However, Ye Fan was not seriously injured. This time, he had undergone a rebirth in the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land, using his Immortal Saint Body to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, no longer as miserable as last time.

When everything calmed down, he lightly shook his body, and his injuries instantly regenerated. His whole body shimmered with auspicious colors, flawless and unblemished, crystalline like jade, as his powerful Sacred Body had withstood the Heavenly Tribulation.

“If I had snatched the sacred lady or seized the Extreme Dao Holy Weapon, I would admit to being struck by lightning, but I haven’t done anything like that…” Ye Fan grumbled bitterly.

Fortunately, this place was still eight hundred miles from the outside world. Otherwise, such a disturbance would surely attract many people. If anyone learned that he had harvested all the sacred fruit, it would be a disaster of epic proportions.

Ye Fan donned a green robe and strode into the Primitive Forest. When he passed a stone wall, he stopped, recalling some distant memories.

What had become of the classmates who came to this world with him? He sighed softly and disappeared into the mountain forest.

「Far ahead, a misty immortal palace emerged, vast in scale, with temples sprawling like celestial palaces fallen to the mortal world.」

Ye Fan tried to approach, but as before, the immortal palace outside the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land was utterly inaccessible. He did not force it and went away.

「Ye Fan had been gone for three months. He didn’t know what had happened during this time. Most likely, many people thought he was dead, and he wanted to leave quickly.」

As he was about to leave the eight hundred miles of Primitive Forest, he found some cultivators who had sealed the place, clearly members of a super Great Sect.

Ye Fan was surprised and concealed his presence, not wanting to stir up trouble. However, things went against his wishes; someone had laid Array Patterns in the mountain forest, revealing his whereabouts.

“You… come here!” A young man in the mountain forest stood haughtily not far away, calling out to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan glanced at him and ignored him, walking straight out of the forest. He was eager to return; he wondered how the pitiful little girl was. If it weren’t for her sending the Seven-Colored Little Stone, he likely would have died inside this time.

“I meant you! I’m calling you over!” The young man shouted angrily, pointing at Ye Fan.

“Who are you to command me? Setting obstacles here for no reason—what are your intentions?” Ye Fan said coldly, looking at him.

The young man was taken aback at first, then said coldly, “Several supreme Great Sects have sealed this place; it’s well known. Yet, you dare to trespass, courting death!”

Ye Fan’s heart stirred. Are people trying to make a move on the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land again? But they were destined to be empty-handed, and his lips curled into a smile.

“Facing imminent death, and still able to laugh!?” The young man sneered repeatedly.

“Such arrogance. This mountain forest is no man’s land. What’s it to you if I pass through here?” Ye Fan replied calmly.

“Truly fed up with living! Do you really not know? The Yin Yang Sect and the Three Great Sacred Lands of the Eastern Wastelands have joined forces to carve an unparalleled array pattern here, opening a Domain Gate, and transporting people to the nine sacred mountains to pick divine medicine. Trespassers shall be killed without mercy!”

Ye Fan was taken aback. Three months had passed, and the Yin Yang Sect hadn’t given up. The Three Great Sacred Lands of the Eastern Wastelands had also taken action. It seemed that Yan’s capital must be bustling now.

“Die!” The young man raised his hand to lay down dozens of Sources, intending to trigger the Array Patterns and incinerate Ye Fan alive.

SWISH!

Ye Fan performed the Great Void Art, traversing space. He arrived next to the young man in an instant, pressed lightly, and with a PUFF, ended his life.

“What happened?” An elder entered the forest with seven young people.

“Who are you?” someone asked sternly.

The elder was clearly a strong cultivator in the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm. His face darkened, and he strode toward Ye Fan, flipping his hand down to subdue him.

Ye Fan immediately laughed. Someone dared to engage him in close combat? Truly, this old man was courting death.

SPLAT!

He reached out a golden hand to meet the attack. It was like smashing rotten wood. The elder’s arm broke inch by inch, and his flesh was pulverized.

This elder was undeniably strong, but he had not used magical power, overestimating himself, and was thus killed on the spot.

“Who are you?” The others all changed color. An Elder in the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm slapped to death with a single blow! This was terrifying. Every one of them felt their hearts pound, their legs turning to jelly.

“Surging Golden Blood Qi, a physique comparable to a True Dragon—he is… that Sacred Body!”

“What, he hasn’t died? Wasn’t it rumored he had been dead for three months already?”

These people sensed that something was terribly wrong and turned to run. The Sacred Body had not died and had appeared near the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land! This was truly thought-provoking; upon careful consideration, it was no small matter.

BANG!

Unfortunately, they could not escape. Ye Fan’s large hand pressed down in the void, and before they had taken more than a dozen steps, they were all turned into blood mist.

“The stirrings in Yan’s capital, with Sacred Lands and the Central States’ Great Sects… alas, you are destined to be futile.” Ye Fan chuckled lightly.

SWISH!

In a flash, he disappeared into the dense forest, soon entering Yan’s capital.

Just after returning to Yan’s capital, Ye Fan heard many rumors; people were talking.

Besides the Yin Yang Sect and the Three Great Sacred Lands, the Ancient Hua Dynasty also hadn’t left. Other Great Sects were also preparing to act, seeking a way to pick the Undying Divine Medicine.

The young Kings of the Central States and the prodigies of the Eastern Wastelands clashed. Battles were frequent, even alerting many older figures, becoming the focus of the current era.

“His life is short; he will soon die. Given his character, he should come back for a last look…” In Zhang Wenchang’s little tavern, Ji Hui leaned on a dragon-headed cane. She swept a contemptuous gaze at Zhang Wenchang, a cold smile hanging on her lips.

“Persistently haunting old hag!” Ye Fan had just returned when he saw the old woman, brewing endless killing intent.