Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 546: Chapter 550 Holy Shock the Eastern Wastelands

In the Battle of Fire Demon Ridge, Ye Fan made a name for himself in the Eastern Wastelands. Such achievements left everyone stunned, even causing the eyelids of Sect Hierarchs to twitch.

In fact, even before this, Ye Fan was already well-known in the Eastern Wastelands. Almost everyone had heard of him because too many significant events had transpired.

However, prior to this, not many people feared him. Many wanted to eliminate him, but now, his actions had shaken everyone to their core.

So many experts had gone, including numerous Holy Land Supreme Elder-level figures and several half-step sovereigns. Yet, in the end, even two full sovereigns died. It truly shocked people.

This person cannot be left alive. If he is allowed to continue growing, no one in the world will be able to contend with him! This was the first thought that came to those who wished to swiftly remove him upon receiving the news.

Thirteen Saint Heirs were slain just like that; half-step sovereigns were cleaved without a moment’s hesitation. Every one of those experts was renowned in their own right, yet they were all wiped out.

“A ruthless person reborn!”

Instantly, someone voiced this sentiment, causing a huge uproar and attracting widespread attention.

Such methods, such decisiveness—triggering a Heavenly Tribulation, breaking a deadly impasse, and advancing over the corpses of various heroes to reach the Great Perfection realm of Four Extremes.

This style of action instilled fear, labeling him as a ruthless person reborn and pushing him into the eye of the storm.

Undoubtedly, many major powers were secretly guiding this narrative to its peak, making him the focus of everyone’s attention and, naturally, everyone’s target as well.

This time, Ye Fan’s rise to fame was indeed unavoidable, as his accomplishments were astonishing. How many could achieve what he did?

In the distant Ancient Times, there were prodigies who, though not yet twenty, could extinguish supreme sovereigns. This was not legend but true history.

However, the current era is different, and rarely do such figures emerge. Yet, Ye Fan had done it. Regardless of the means he employed, one fact remained: he had not sought help from others.

“What a monstrous prodigy! He undergoes a Heavenly Tribulation with every realm advancement. Even in Ancient Times, such individuals were exceedingly rare!”

“Has he truly embarked on the path to becoming a Great Emperor?” Contemplating this question made many restless, especially those who held old grudges against Ye Fan.

“He’s comparable to the prodigies of Ancient Times! At the very least, he can reach the level of an Ancient Saint!” Many were lost in a daze.

The battle at Fire Demon Ridge caused a massive stir in the Eastern Wastelands. The corpses of various Saint Heirs and sovereigns became the foundation of Ye Fan’s fame, propelling him upwards.

In the younger generation of the Eastern Wastelands, who dared to compare themselves to him? People were alarmed; perhaps only the Flickering Light Saint Heir and the Eastern Wastelands Divine King.

Ye Fan was advancing step by step, catching up from behind. He was now a cultivator at the Great Perfection stage of the Four Extremes realm, no longer lagging much behind others in terms of cultivation level.

Moreover, his actual combat power was terrifying. Even at the Second Layer Heaven of the Four Extremes, he could battle the top figures of the Eastern Wastelands’ younger generation, let alone now!

If he were to break into the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, perhaps no one among the Saint Heirs would be his match. This was everyone’s speculation.

Ye Fan was like a primordial beast, chasing the heirs of supreme great sects, getting closer and closer, forcing these individuals to break through to higher realms.

Otherwise, they would lose the qualification to be his opponents. However, the Sacred Body’s rate of progress was too fast, leaving everyone in the younger generation feeling breathless.

From behind, like a terrifying ferocious beast, he was about to surpass them in a single charge. It was an indescribable pressure, almost suffocating them.

「Flickering Light Sacred Land」

Below Immortal Peak, a thousand-zhang waterfall cascaded, a sheer white expanse, its roar deafening, like a thousand troops and ten thousand horses charging.

The Flickering Light Saint Heir sat cross-legged before the waterfall, eyes closed, motionless. His black hair danced, and his skin seemed to glow with a crystalline light. Having learned of Ye Fan’s achievements, his expression remained calm as he silently pursued Enlightenment.

「Ji Family」

Ji Haoyue of the Divine King Body wandered through the secluded woods, sensing the nature of heaven and earth, observing leaves as they fell, listening to the distant murmur of flowing water. Everything was done with a leisurely air.

「Wind Clan Residence」

The bright pearl of the Wind Clan was dazed, murmuring to herself, Such combat power…

She had started her seclusion that day. She did not want to go to the Qi Shi Academy in the Central States without first advancing by a full realm, determined to build the conviction that she alone was the strongest.

The other heirs of supreme great sects, taking advantage of the imminent opening of the Qi Shi Academy, were also seizing the time to enter seclusion. None wanted to be considered a bottom-tier Saint Heir; all wished to ascend to a higher level.

Because, in the not-too-distant future, there would be a collision of the strongest of the younger generation from the Five Great Domains—the Eastern Wastelands, Southern Mountains, Central States, and others. There were likely to be monstrous talents comparable to Ye Fan, if not superior, and no one was without concern.

“The Sacred Body is too powerful! I won’t be at ease unless he’s dead!” These were the heartfelt thoughts of those who resented him.

“Self-severing? That’s a joke!” From start to finish, many had not believed it and had been constantly probing.

Now, with Ye Fan undergoing Heavenly Tribulation, it was completely confirmed: he had been concealing it all along. His Dao Injury had long since healed completely!

No doubt, upon realizing this, many people were greatly alarmed. If the Sacred Body were to reach Great Success, how many in the world could contend with him?

Unless the ancient Great Emperors were to rise again, within the human race, at most, there might be those who could fight him to a standstill, but it would be impossible for any single individual to suppress him!

“Well, the Ancient Kings are about to emerge; finally, there will be someone who can rival him.”

“Indeed, it’s good to have a Sacred Body; otherwise, who knows what might happen in the future.”

Those who had no grievances with Ye Fan discussed matters this way, without personal likes or dislikes.

Ye Fan shook the world. Many great powers voiced their opinions, with several directly identifying him as a major threat!

Not long ago, he had trapped and killed many experts in the Myriad Dragon Nest. Now, he had extinguished his enemies using Heavenly Tribulation, causing many to harbor deep resentment.

Many people stepped forward, concocting various reasons and inciting the powerful figures of the Eastern Wastelands to come forward and kill Ye Fan, thereby eliminating a formidable future enemy.

“A second ruthless person! If he is allowed to continue, he will walk upon the corpses of countless strongmen…”

“This child’s methods are extraordinary, and his killing intent is heavy. He is definitely a hidden threat!”

Some even spread rumors that Ye Fan had obtained the ruthless person’s inheritance; otherwise, how could he be so decisive in eliminating all enemies, with such a similar style?

Additionally, not long before, there had been rumors about him entering the Bronze Immortal Palace and obtaining the Heaven-devouring Demon Technique. Many added fuel to the fire, continually fanning the flames.

The people of the world are not easily fooled and can naturally discern right from wrong. However, these kinds of voices grew louder, with many clamoring to cut down the Sacred Body.

In fact, many powers capable of overlooking the Eastern Wastelands had already acted in secret, with prominent figures taking action to quietly eliminate Ye Fan.

This decision had been destined since the bloodshed in the Dragon Nest incident. It was only delayed because Ye Fan had been hiding in Jade Lake, preventing them from taking action.

Now, with the fall of the thirteen Saint Heirs, sovereigns killed, and many experts dying unnatural deaths to become tribulation ashes, some Sacred Lands were left utterly enraged.

“They deserved it! They were all courting death! We were acting in justified self-defense!” the Big Black Dog’s clamor spread throughout the Northern Region, disturbing the peace of the Eastern Wastelands.

The sects that had lost their heirs and experts were all furious but unable to retort, as it was a fact that everything was self-inflicted.

Ye Fan’s fame spread across the Eastern Wastelands, drawing the serious attention of all Sect Masters. They had now truly witnessed this junior’s methods and could no longer underestimate him.

The Dragon Nest incident had already caused many elders to perish. Now, his use of Heavenly Tribulation to defeat enemies made people even more apprehensive.

Ye Fan’s reputation spread across the Eastern Wastelands, but it also put enormous pressure on Jade Lake. Many powers were demanding they release Ye Fan and no longer shelter him.

「Jade Lake」

“I entered that immortal palace with Ziwen…”

Inside Jade Lake, Ye Fan and Liu Yiyi were strolling and talking when he received some surprising news from her.

Years ago, after they parted, Liu Yiyi, Zhang Ziwen, Wang Ziwen, Lin Jia, Zhou Yi, and Li Xiaoman had rushed out of the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land. Some of them successfully entered the immortal palace.

Outside the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land lay a misty palace complex. Since ancient times, it had been a legend, almost inaccessible. Only those favored by heaven could enter and gain unparalleled fortune.

“Not only did Ziwen and I enter, I think they all went in too.”

Really? I met Li Xiaoman, and she never mentioned it, Ye Fan was startled.

Liu Yiyi and Zhang Ziwen had traveled together and nearly gotten lost in the immortal palace. It was too vast, like a small world of immortals.

Zhang Ziwen obtained an ancient weapon and a few pages of a Silver Book. He accidentally stepped on an array pattern and disappeared, his whereabouts unknown.

Meanwhile, Liu Yiyi discovered a white jade small gourd before a Divine Shrine. It contained an ancient pill, and after consuming it, she slept for six years.

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan examined her pulse, and his heart skipped a beat. She had an immense and truly astonishing divine energy within her!

What kind of ancient pill causes one to sleep for years and create such vast divine energy… Ye Fan was stunned; that immortal palace was truly no ordinary place.

After Liu Yiyi awakened, she walked alone in the desolate palace complex. She accidentally stepped on another array pattern and was teleported out.

Later, she was kidnapped and fell into the hands of others, but she did not know who her enemies were.

“Ye Fan, you must be careful!” Liu Yiyi said with concern.

“Did he search your Sea of Consciousness?” Ye Fan asked, wanting to confirm some things to make a more precise judgment.

“I don’t know.” Liu Yiyi shook her head; she had been sealed for a long time and was unaware of all this.

No worries, he’s someone who won’t amount to much, Ye Fan said with a bright smile, reassuring her.

“Sister, Sister, eat this fruit!” a little girl said, holding up a bright red peach for Liu Yiyi. The little one, Nannan, was pink-cheeked and endearingly naive, thoroughly adorable.

“So cute!” Liu Yiyi squatted down and patted her head.

After examining Liu Yiyi’s body, the Grand Elders of Jade Lake felt as if they had found a supreme treasure. Such immense divine energy could save countless years of arduous cultivation. They immediately accepted her as a disciple of Jade Lake, intending to nurture her carefully.

Ye Fan smiled. This put him completely at ease; it couldn’t be better that Liu Yiyi had found such a sect.

In recent days, many great sects had been pressuring Jade Lake not to shelter Ye Fan. Although they didn’t state it outright, the hints were quite blatant.

Ye Fan prepared to journey afar, not wanting to put Jade Lake in a difficult position.

Where have all the Nine Secret Arts been lost? Are there any left in the Eastern Wastelands? Ye Fan murmured to himself.

Almost all of their lineages have been severed. To find three of the Nine Secret Arts in the Eastern Wastelands is already a great blessing, the Big Black Dog sighed.

Is that so? In that case, it’s time to leave the Eastern Wastelands. Let us venture into another world! Ye Fan made this decision.

「Goodbye, Eastern Wastelands!」

Ye Fan decided to leave this vast land and embark on a new journey.

There were still some matters to handle before his departure.

Not long after, they traversed the void and arrived outside the Taixuan Sect in the southern region. They didn’t enter but sent a letter inside for Elder Li Ruoyu.

Hua Yunfei had fled, an event entirely orchestrated by Ye Fan, so it wasn’t appropriate for him to enter the sect. However, he was worried about Zhang Wenchang, fearing he might be abducted just as Yiyi had been.

Therefore, he came here specifically to deliver a letter and explain the situation.

After completing all this, Ye Fan let out a long sigh of relief, preparing to leave the Eastern Wastelands.

“BOOHOO… Nannan doesn’t want to be separated from Big Brother!” the little girl wailed, clutching a corner of Ye Fan’s clothing. She looked up at him with a pitiful expression, refusing to let go, tears streaming down her face.

“The place I’m going to is very far and filled with countless dangers. Once I’ve settled down, I’ll come back to get you,” Ye Fan squatted down, comforting her softly and wiping the tears from her small face.

“But… Nannan really can’t bear to part with Big Brother…” the little one said tearfully, looking utterly pitiable, unwilling to be separated no matter what.

“Let him go. Soon, I’ll go with you to find him,” the Big Black Dog added from the side.

“How long is ‘soon’? Why can’t we go now?” Nannan asked, tears in her eyes. Though she was asking the Big Black Dog, she gazed eagerly at Ye Fan.

The little one was extremely reluctant. Only after much persuasion did she nod tearfully and say, “Big Brother, you have to come and get Nannan soon, okay?”

“Doggy, BOOHOO… You mustn’t lie! If Big Brother doesn’t come, you have to take me to find him!” she made the Big Black Dog swear, tears streaming continuously.

“These are several vast array platforms. Crossing large domains won’t be a problem with them, and they should be enough for you to use a few times!” The Big Black Dog handed several array platforms to Ye Fan, for him to store in his cauldron.

“Where are you going?” Ye Fan asked.

“I’m going back to Purple Mountain to see if it can be opened. If so, I’ll take her inside for a look,” the Big Black Dog said, shouldering Nannan.

Ye Fan immediately showed a peculiar expression, staring at the Big Black Dog without saying anything.

“Don’t look at me like that!” the Big Black Dog grumbled, then said, “I know you’re wondering about the No Beginning Scripture, but I have no way to open it. Besides, it’s probably not suitable for your cultivation. You should focus on cultivating the Innate Holy Body Daoist Embryo sooner rather than later. In fact, the cultivation methods you’re practicing now are the strongest mystical arts for each respective secret boundary; they’re definitely not inferior to any ancient scripture!”

“Big Brother, take care! Come back for Nannan soon…” the little one waved her small hand vigorously, tears streaming down her face.

“If fate permits, we shall meet again!” Like a black bolt of lightning, the Big Black Dog vanished with Nannan over the horizon of the vast land.

The matters of the Eastern Wastelands are resolved. I should take my leave now, Ye Fan murmured, wandering aimlessly through an ancient city.

“The Sacred Body must be eliminated! This great menace cannot be allowed to live!”

“This child must not be allowed to remain in this world!”

Along the way, he heard many such discussions. The Wanchu Sacred Land was the most vehement, almost to the point of openly issuing a Killing Order.

Thinking carefully, they had every reason to be furious: their Saint Heir had been slain by Ye Fan, their Saint Lord had fallen in the Dragon Nest, and their sacred lady, Zhao Yanran, had been struck dead by Heavenly Tribulation.

With such great hatred, how could they be willing to let the matter rest?

Furthermore, the Purple Mansion Sacred Land, Dao Yi Sacred Land, and others were all enraged and searching for his whereabouts.

Also, Ye Fan learned another piece of news: the Dayan Saint Heir, Xiang Yifei, had recently broken through. He had become a powerful practitioner of the second transformation of the Dragon Transformation realm, his strength advancing by leaps and bounds.

“Our sect’s Saint Heir is truly a prodigy! To achieve the second transformation of the Dragon Transformation realm at such an age—how many can accomplish this?” a Grand Elder of the Dayan Sect remarked to others.

“Truly a prodigy!” everyone marveled.

It was well known that once a Saint Heir reached the second transformation of the Dragon Transformation realm, they became terrifyingly powerful, far stronger than ordinary individuals, capable of killing across several cultivation levels.

The Grand Elder of the Dayan Sacred Land was very proud, implicitly suggesting that the current Xiang Yifei could overpower the Sacred Body and was a leading figure among the younger generation.

Xiang Yifei survived? Ye Fan was surprised. He instantly understood: this person had overcome the Heavenly Tribulation and obtained immense benefits, breaking through a realm.

Previously, on that night of bloodshed, Xiang Yifei had tried to use the No Beginning Killing Array to slay him. This time, he had colluded with many other Saint Heirs to set a deadly trap.

Unexpectedly, he successfully overcame the tribulation. However, he absolutely cannot be allowed to live.

He escaped and even broke through? I’ll send him on his way all the same! Ye Fan sneered. This person had to be eliminated.

The breakthrough of Dayan Saint Heir Xiang Yifei to the second transformation of the Dragon Transformation realm caused a great sensation, with many people expressing their admiration.

Be that as it may, no one knew the true cultivation bases of the Flickering Light Saint Heir or Ji Haoyue. For the moment, Xiang Yifei was the first Saint Heir publicly known to have reached the second transformation of the Dragon Transformation realm.

「Late that night」

As torrential rain poured down, Ye Fan carried a golden scepter, appearing like a Demon God in a small town. After half a month of effort, he had tracked down Xiang Yifei’s whereabouts.

Still daring to train outside… Ye Fan sneered. He possessed divine eyes and had clearly recognized his identity that day.

BOOM!

Lightning flashed and rain poured down in torrents. Ye Fan, wielding the Heavenly Court Scepter, split the inn apart as his immense killing intent locked onto Xiang Yifei.

“Who is it?” the Dayan Saint Heir exclaimed, soaring into the sky.

“The one who has come to kill you!” Ye Fan said as he emerged from the rain, each step he took causing the small town to tremble.

“It’s you, Ye Fan!” The Dayan Saint Heir exclaimed in shock. When lightning illuminated the night sky, he recognized the true form in the rain.

“Indeed!”

“Brother Ye, what is the meaning of this?”

“I’m sending you on your way!”

BOOM!

Boundless killing intent surged. The rain poured as if a waterfall had been overturned, its curtains shrouding heaven and earth in pitch-black darkness. Ye Fan struck out with the Assassin’s Scepter.

CLANG!

Dazzling light erupted as the Dayan Saint Heir counterattacked, engaging Ye Fan in a fierce battle!

Terrifying divine radiance and surging killing aura filled the rainy night. Amidst lightning and thunder, the glint of sword light and shadows flickered, alarming the entire small town.

A fierce battle erupted. Cold gleams of light shot in all directions, illuminating the night sky.

“AH…” the Dayan Saint Heir cried out as his Golden Holy Sword was shattered by the Assassin’s Scepter. Then, with a soft PUFF, his head was sliced off.

Ye Fan departed into the rainy night, disappearing into the downpour, leaving behind the image of a Demon God in the eyes of many.

The next day, when the news spread, the world was shocked. People had still been marveling at how remarkable the Dayan Saint Heir was. Yet, not long after, Xiang Yifei was slain. Many had clearly heard him cry out Ye Fan’s name, so they naturally knew who was responsible.

“The Sacred Body is too domineering! He doesn’t care about anything anymore!”

“Heavens! The Sacred Body is too audacious! Openly slaying a Saint Heir… what is he trying to do?”

The Dayan Saint Heir, Xiang Yifei, was killed in a small town, leaving only a headless corpse. This shocked many.

Is the era of the Sacred Body dawning? He doesn’t bother to conceal his actions anymore!

“If any of you dare to hunt me in secret again, I will eliminate your chosen heirs, one by one!” That very day, Ye Fan issued this statement.

These words caused an uproar throughout the Eastern Wastelands. The Sacred Body was fearless; he no longer feared anything!