Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 445: Chapter 450: Rescuing the pitiful little girl

Ye Fan and Pang Bo arrived at Jade Cauldron Paradise, the former sect of Zhang Wenchang, and their arrival caused panic.

Nowadays, who in the entire Yan had not heard of the sacred body? Those who once humiliated Zhang Wenchang were all terrified, feeling as though the end of the world had come.

Many people knew that Ye Fan had come here in the past and was a close friend of Zhang Wenchang, and they all thought he had come to seek revenge for the “half-crippled old man.”

Pang Bo scanned a group of young people, initially wanting to slap them all to death, but ultimately he just snorted coldly. A continuous THUD sound followed as a row of people knelt.

“We wanted to know if Liu Yiyi has ever returned. Do you have any news of her?” Ye Fan asked.

Like Zhang Wenchang, Liu Yiyi had joined this sect. They came to Jade Cauldron Paradise mainly to inquire about her whereabouts.

“She has never returned. A pity for such a promising cultivation seedling,” an elder replied.

The two nodded and said nothing more. They turned, left, and flew away, disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye. Everyone in Jade Cauldron Paradise heaved a sigh of relief.

Afterwards, they went to Hazy Light Paradise, Violet Sun Paradise, and Golden Sun Clouds Paradise, receiving the same answer: Wang Ziwen, Lin Jia, and the others had not returned either.

In the past, people from the Three Great Sacred Lands had coerced Ye Fan and several others into entering the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land to pick divine medicine. Ye Fan created an opportunity for Zhou Yi, Lin Jia, Wang Ziwen, Li Xiaoman, Liu Yiyi, and Zhang Ziwen to escape.

Three years passed. It was only known that Li Xiaoman had escaped and entered the Taixuan Sect, while the others remained missing.

Back then, when Ye Fan was at the Taixuan Sect, he had asked Li Xiaoman, but she did not know the whereabouts of the others because they had escaped separately.

“Zhou Yi, Wang Ziwen, and Lin Jia are all clever. Naturally, they wouldn’t come back. Otherwise, the people from the Sacred Lands would surely find some flaws,” Ye Fan mumbled to himself.

“Zhang Ziwen isn’t stupid either. He must have gone to a safe place. I think Yiyi must be with him,” Pang Bo said.

Moreover, two other classmates had died: one named Ge Ming, and the other Xu Chuan. Ge Ming was killed while training outside, and Xu Chuan was trapped and died while exploring ruins with others.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo added some soil to their graves. In just a few years, three classmates had already died in this world. They didn’t know how many would eventually remain.

Finally, they arrived at Xiyue Cave Heaven, where they learned of the foreigner Kade’s whereabouts.

An old wandering monk had taken him away. The monk, finding Kade’s build and innate traits striking and his full head of yellow hair, considered him to resemble the Vajra protector from Buddhist legends.

“That yellow-haired devil has become a Vajra protector now? Does that mean I can be a Buddha then?” Pang Bo was somewhat stunned.

“What did that old monk say?” Ye Fan inquired in detail.

The people of Xiyue Cave Heaven dared not hide anything. They knew well that this visitor was a terrifying killer star, one whose life was supposedly short, yet he even dared to kill people from the Sacred Lands. They certainly didn’t dare to provoke him.

“The old monk only said he was taking him to the Western Desert, to some place called Sumeru Mountain, and said nothing more.”

Ye Fan and Pang Bo exchanged glances. Sumeru Mountain, whether on the other side of the starry sky or in this world, was the subject of too many legends.

Pang Bo then said, “That foreign devil Kade sure has great luck to have gone to Sumeru Mountain. If we ever go to the Western Desert, we must have him introduce us to a few sacred ladies.”

A disciple of Xiyue Cave Heaven then recited Kade’s departing words verbatim: “‘Oh, for crying out loud! Goddamn it all! I guess I have to believe in Buddhism now. Who the hell dumped me here?!ʼ”

Ye Fan and Pang Bo glanced at each other, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

They did not stay long. After understanding everything, they flew away.

The nine dragons pulling the coffin had taken them away. Initially, they were a whole class of people, but now only ten remained. Along the way, the two of them felt quite emotional, wondering when they would be able to follow the ancient path of the starry sky back home.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo returned to Yan’s capital. Immediately, representatives from several Sacred Lands and supreme great sects came looking for them. They informed Ye Fan that the unparalleled array patterns had been perfectly carved and wanted him to accompany them to harvest medicines.

How could Ye Fan enter again? This time, it was merely to set a trap for Hua Yunfei. He subtly expressed that the place was too dangerous and that he intended to give up, planning instead to try his luck at the Undying Mountain in the Central Eastern Desolate.

The people from several great sects scoffed internally. They thought that although the Undying Mountain had “undying” in its name, it was notorious for being a place of no return; once inside, one could forget about coming out alive.

“Are you sure, little friend? That mountain range is not a benevolent place. In the past, a Great Success Holy Body severed a cliff there and stirred up great trouble, ultimately staining the Holy Cliff with his blood in his later years.”

“Could you elaborate on that, senior?” Ye Fan’s heart stirred.

“This is already the most detailed record; there are no others,” a grand elder from a Sacred Land said.

Ye Fan was silent, insisting he wouldn’t enter the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land again. As long as he could find the pitiful little girl, he would immediately leave the southern region; he had no reason to stay.

Although the people from the supreme great sects wanted to teach him a lesson for standing them up—as no one had ever dared to do so before—they restrained their anger because the Divine King Mark was still on him.

In the following few days, Ye Fan nearly turned all of Yan upside down, using every conceivable force to search, but ultimately, there was no trace of the pitiful little girl.

During this period, the southern region was in great turmoil. Many experts were searching for Hua Yunfei’s whereabouts, but he seemed to have vanished into thin air.

「Two days later.」

Ye Huiling finally appeared, greatly delighting Ye Fan, who welcomed her into the inn.

This was a large inn with a very thoughtful layout, featuring mountain and water courtyards specifically designed for cultivators who enjoyed peace and quiet.

At this time, Pang Bo, Li Heishui, Tu Fei, and even the big black dog were in seclusion, slowly refining the sacred fruit.

In a patch of Purple Bamboo Forest, Ye Fan personally poured tea for Ye Huiling and asked, “Miss Ye, why have you been missing for so long?”

“It’s a long story. I barely survived…”

Last time, Ye Huiling had a fierce battle with Wang Chongxiao. Someone attacked them both simultaneously, seriously injuring them. Afterward, that person pursued Ye Huiling.

Ultimately, although she narrowly escaped, her Yuan Qi was greatly damaged, and she nearly perished. She had only finished recuperating today. Upon learning of recent events, she suspected it was very likely Hua Yunfei’s Dao protector who had attacked, as the methods used were quite similar.

“Congratulations, Brother Ye, on healing your injury on the Great Dao. From now on, your path will be smooth, and no one will be able to stop you,” Ye Huiling smiled lightly.

Ye Fan, fulfilling his promise, took out a golden sun sacred fruit. Despite being sealed in a small jade cauldron, it still emitted a fragrant aroma that refreshed the heart and mind. He pushed it forward.

“Brother Ye, you don’t intend to kill me to silence me, do you?” Ye Huiling smiled gently.

Her black hair danced. Her skin was like mutton-fat jade, her brows like distant dark hills, and her beautiful eyes, full of Spiritual Qi, were set in an oval face. She possessed an ethereal air, as if she could perceive everything.

“How could I? I trust that Miss Ye will help me keep this secret,” Ye Fan said with a smile.

“I trust Brother Ye’s character.” Ye Huiling curled a playful smile at the corner of her mouth and said, “But please also trust me; I will not utter a single word about it.”

Ye Fan smiled and nodded, gently pushing the small jade cauldron, letting it float toward her.

Only then did Ye Huiling truly reach out to receive it, her limpid eyes full of laughter. “Please rest assured, Brother Ye.”

“I want to know, was it Miss Ye who took the pitiful little girl away?”

Ye Huiling shook her head. She hadn’t been about to leave at that time; she was often engaged in confrontations with Wang Chongxiao, so she hadn’t come to take the pitiful little girl. Moreover, she was soon attacked and seriously injured.

“Then who was it?!” Ye Fan was extremely disappointed. Without the little girl, he would have died already. If he could not find her, his conscience would not be at peace.

“I think I have a guess,” Ye Huiling spoke up.

“What? You know who it was?” Ye Fan looked over swiftly.

“I don’t have absolute certainty; it’s just speculation.”

“Please tell me quickly!”

Ye Huiling speculated that the pitiful little girl might have been taken away by people from the Yin Yang Sect because she had discovered that the sect’s sacred lady was personally taking action, searching everywhere for young children with exceptional natural talent.

“Is she still in Yan’s capital?!” Ye Fan stood up abruptly, feeling anxious. If Nannan were sent to the Central States, it would be very difficult for him to retrieve her.

“She is not here. Currently, turbulent events are unfolding in Yan. They are in another, more tranquil location, which I know to be one of their strongholds in the Eastern Wastelands. The talented children shouldn’t have been sent away yet. Crossing to the Central States requires a large amount of Source, so they will likely wait until matters in Yan’s capital are concluded before retreating together.”

“Where is it, and what kind of experts are there?” Ye Fan asked.

Ye Huiling replied, “In a sect named Qixia, 50,000 miles away, which is supported by the Yin Yang Sect.”

Ye Fan waited a day. Pang Bo and the others emerged from their seclusion one after another, having completed their metamorphosis of blood and bone refinement, fully assimilating the sacred fruit’s medicinal power.

Without any delay, they traversed the void swiftly, heading toward the place 50,000 miles away, with Ye Huiling following along.

The Qixia Sect was nestled among mountains. Everywhere were fire-red trees whose blossoms resembled rosy clouds, like endless burning clouds; the sect’s name and its environment were indeed a perfect match.

Being formidable individuals, they infiltrated the medium-sized sect silently. At first, they found nothing, and Ye Fan even began to feel disappointed.

It was not until they turned to the rear mountain that their spirits lifted. They saw over a dozen children; the oldest was no more than five, and the youngest just two, all exquisitely charming.

“Why isn’t Nannan here?” Ye Fan frowned as they split up to continue searching.

He passed through one magnificent residence after another. As he neared the end, a smile of joy finally touched his lips; he sensed the pitiful little girl’s aura and rushed forward.

Here, there were also a few children, all dressed in bright new clothes, looking very precious—except for one girl, about three years old, wearing old and tattered clothes, with even her little shoes having holes worn through by her toes.

Ye Fan felt extremely self-reproachful. He had been too busy before entering the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land and had had no time to take care of the little girl, never even getting her new clothes. Thinking of it now, he was filled with immense remorse.

The pitiful little girl was clearly ostracized here; otherwise, she wouldn’t be treated this way. A surge of anger flared in Ye Fan’s heart.

“Everyone, come quickly! It’s time to eat your spiritual medicines.”

A middle-aged woman approached, holding a tray with six or seven small bowls from which a fragrant aroma wafted,沁人心脾, evidently genuine spiritual medicines.

The Yin Yang Sect was very generous towards these talented children, aiming to lay a solid foundation for them from a young age using concoctions made from precious and rare spiritual medicines.

All the other children ran over, except for the pitiful little girl. Her large eyes were bright, and she looked longingly at those small bowls but did not dare to approach.

“You little scatterbrain, don’t even think about it. We initially believed your innate talent was exceptionally rare, that you were a little prodigy. Who knew you had such a poor memory? You forget everything within a few days!” the middle-aged woman said, her gaze coldly sweeping over the girl.

“But, Nannan is very hungry. I haven’t eaten anything this morning or at noon,” the pitiful little girl said aggrievedly.

“If you make another mistake, you’ll be punished by not getting any dinner tonight either!” The middle-aged woman’s voice was cold. “In a few days, the sacred lady will come again. After she makes her final decision, you’ll be thrown out!”

“Oh, Nannan understands!” The pitiful little girl lowered her head, not daring to meet the middle-aged woman’s gaze, and looked down at her own tattered little shoes.

The middle-aged woman left. The group of young children took their small bowls and drank the spiritual medicine. Some of the more mischievous children, not liking the taste, secretly poured it out.

The pitiful little girl stared at one child’s small bowl, her large eyes bright, and asked in a tender voice, “Is the spiritual medicine mush tasty?”

“Not tasty,” that child replied, having already poured out the spiritual medicine from their bowl.

Seeing another little girl about to pour hers away, the pitiful little girl’s eyes once again shone with hope. She repeated her question, “Is the spiritual medicine mush tasty?” She was very hungry, having been forbidden to eat as punishment, and couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“It’s not tasty. Nannan, you must be hungry, right? Here, you can have it.” The young girl handed over the small bowl.

“Really for me?” the pitiful little girl asked earnestly, her eyes instantly brightening as she started to reach for it.

“Yes, really. Hurry and eat,” the other girl urged, handing it over.

“Thank you, Nannan is really hungry.” The pitiful little girl reached out to take it.

Just then, the middle-aged woman returned, shouting coldly, “What are you all doing?!”

CRASH!

The pitiful little girl was so startled she trembled, and the small bowl in her hands fell to the ground. She looked terrified.

“Not only will you not eat tonight, but you won’t eat tomorrow either! Get back to your room immediately! This is no place for you!”

“Oh, Nannan understands.” The pitiful little girl’s head drooped to her chest, her large eyes brimming with tears as she walked towards the servants’ quarters nearby.

Ye Fan finally understood the pitiful little girl’s situation here. His heart ached, and tears nearly welled up in his eyes. He stepped out from the shadows and shouted coldly at the middle-aged woman, “Are you yelling at her?!”

“Who are you? How did you get in?!” The middle-aged woman was shocked.

“Nannan, come here.” Ye Fan beckoned to the pitiful little girl.

“Big brother, who are you? Why do you seem so familiar?” the pitiful little girl asked, her big eyes blinking.

“I told you to go back to your room! Why haven’t you left yet?!” the middle-aged woman shouted coldly.

The pitiful little girl quickly lowered her head, not daring to look over again.

SLAP!

Ye Fan slapped the middle-aged woman across the face. Although she reacted quickly, she couldn’t avoid it and was sent flying back more than ten zhang.

Ye Fan spared her life as he had many questions for her; otherwise, the power of his sacred body could have crushed her. He strode over, picked up the pitiful little girl, and then advanced menacingly towards the woman again.

“Who exactly are you, and what is your relationship with her?” the middle-aged woman asked, her voice trembling.

Ye Fan was now utterly furious. “Who I am is not important! What’s important is that even your sacred lady isn’t as precious as Nannan! How dare you treat her this way?! Tell me, where is your sacred lady?!”

“You… who exactly are you? How dare you demean our sacred lady like this?” The middle-aged woman was astonished.

At this moment, several powerful figures rushed into the courtyard, loudly demanding to know who Ye Fan was.

“The lives of your sacred lady and Saint Heir combined wouldn’t be enough to compensate for the grievances Nannan has suffered!” CLANG! Ye Fan declared, the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Sacred Spirit Sword now in his hand.

SPLAT! Blood flew as he slashed the few who rushed at him into several pieces. He continued to press, “Speak! Where is your sacred lady?!”

At this time, Pang Bo and the others also heard the commotion and rushed over.

Simultaneously, a chilling voice spoke out, “Who dares to offend my Yin Yang Sect?!” Several elders from the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm flew in, their voices equally cold, “Are you tired of living?”

“It’s you who’ve grown impatient with life!” Ye Fan shouted, swinging his longsword toward the sky.

“Such audacity! Let’s see who dares to belittle my Yin Yang Sect!”