Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 559: Chapter 563: Immortal Ancient World

“Does the Immortal Realm truly exist? Even the emperors from the Ancient Era and the Great Emperors of the human race couldn’t say for sure, nor could they enter. Can a mere Immortal Mansion reveal such secrets?”

“This is a trace of immortality. Believe it or not, I am convinced,” Qi Huoshui said calmly.

“You believe…” Ye Fan directly gave her a flick on the forehead, leaving a mark on her smooth, jade-like brow.

“How dare you, Ye, lay a hand on me?!” Qi Huoshui finally exploded, her peppery nature fully displayed. Although her cultivation base was sealed, her actions were not restricted.

At this moment, she had no divine energy but still made a move. Her left arm stretched out gracefully, as white as lotus root, her palm and fingers forming a knife-hand, slicing toward Ye Fan’s neck. Then, her right leg spun—slender and straight, white and smooth, barely covered by her dress—launching a spin-kick towards Ye Fan’s head.

Her slender waist twisted, round and firm, moving like a water snake—agile, supple, and swift.

BANG!

Ye Fan did not dodge her left hand, allowing it to slash at his neck without him moving an inch. Qi Huoshui’s delicate brows knitted slightly; she shook her hand continuously from the pain, her slender fingers somewhat reddened, as if she had struck solid rock.

As for her long right leg, it kicked the air. Ye Fan did not want dirt on his forehead, so he took a small step back, caught her smooth ankle, and lifted it high.

“You… let go of me!” Qi Huoshui screamed, her face flushed. Her dress could hardly cover her long, snow-white legs. Killing intent flared in her eyes, her beautiful hair dancing lightly.

BANG!

Ye Fan flung his hand, sending her flying lightly onto a rattan chair. She cried out, “Let me go, or else…”

CRASH!

Qi Huoshui’s fiery temper erupted. She began smashing everything in sight, finally slamming her hand on a brass lion with a CLANG. She crouched down, shaking her delicate hand in pain.

“If you have the strength, keep smashing. If you run out of things, I’ll bring you a pile of sandbags,” Ye Fan laughed.

“Ye, how can you treat me like this…” Qi Huoshui couldn’t continue, her beautiful eyes shooting a murderous glare. Although enraged, she dared not act too ruthlessly.

Ye Fan showed no courtesy, directly searching her. From her Wheel and Sea, he retrieved a Treasure Bottle. It was filled with all sorts of things, including ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines, Saint Master Level weapons, and a bronze token.

Could there really be an Immortal Mansion? He was very surprised; the bronze token should be the Immortal Mansion Entry Order mentioned by the Commandery Princess.

Disciples of Qi Shi Mansion could all seek Immortal Fate; everyone was issued such a bronze token. It seemed to hold great significance.

“Lord, something’s wrong!” As soon as Ye Fan arrived at the Deserted House, a villager came running in panic to report to him.

“What happened?”

“The Ancient Locust Forest has erupted with the sounds of slaughter, just as the ancestors foretold!” the villager stammered, all of them pale.

Such things have happened before? Ye Fan was surprised, arriving at the edge of the Ancient Locust Forest.

One after another, the old trees were withered. Many main trunks had become hollow, yet they stubbornly clung to life, resembling coiled dragons lying in wait.

Ye Fan approached, listening carefully, but heard nothing specific—only the rustle of leaves and the coolness that permeated the area.

He looked at the villagers with confusion. Seeing his puzzled expression, some villagers, their faces deathly pale, stepped forward and whispered, “If you press your ear against it, you’ll hear it.”

Is that so? Ye Fan was skeptical. They’re clearly just a patch of old trees. Even if they’ve gained sentience, it shouldn’t be like this, surely.

However, the next moment, when he pressed his ear to a trunk to listen, his body trembled violently. An expression of disbelief crossed his face, and he retreated several large steps.

The old trees were cracked, trunk by trunk. They were said to have existed for hundreds of thousands of years, never changing. The villagers called them Sacred Trees and would never harm a single leaf.

At this time, Ye Fan was truly startled. Within the trunks came deafening battle cries, as if an ancient battlefield lay before him, with the shouts of men, the neighing of horses, and the clash of blades and swords.

BOOM!

When he pressed his ear against a trunk, he could even feel vibrations, as if tens of thousands of warhorses were charging, their hooves making the earth rumble.

Ye Fan was very excited. He had come to the Deserted House precisely for this reason. He had been searching for an approach but had found no leads. He hadn’t expected such a change to occur during the few days he hadn’t visited.

“Do these ancient trees have any detailed legends?” he wanted to know more.

“Our ancestors only gave a general account,” the oldest elder in the village said. “They said that when the gate to the Immortal World opens and Divine Sound emanates, one should not approach recklessly, or they might accidentally stumble into it.”

Ye Fan found it very mysterious. That night, he wandered in the ancient forest for half the night but didn’t dare to seek Enlightenment there. During such extraordinary times, he feared he might instantly perish.

For two consecutive days, he pondered in the locust forest, trying to uncover the truth. When he pressed his ear to a trunk, not only did he hear the sounds of an ancient battlefield, but he also heard dragon roars, Phoenix Cries, and qilin howls, which left him wide-eyed with astonishment.

An illusion! It must be flood dragons, Simurghs, or qilins! He couldn’t believe there were actual immortal spirits in this world.

BOOM!

Then, he heard the sound of a torrential flood, the sea roaring, and waves surging to the sky.

This is uncanny! How can these Sacred Trees produce such sounds? Ye Fan couldn’t fathom it.

For several consecutive days, he stayed there, trying to understand. But the more anxious he became, the more elusive the answer seemed.

On the sixth day, as he lay on the largest ancient locust tree in the center of the forest, listening, a soul-shattering roar resonated, almost causing him to collapse!

“Undying Emperor…”

This wasn’t any language but a divine scan. It seemed to have pierced through antiquity, resounding for hundreds of millions of years, as if it had traversed an entire starry sky to reappear in the mortal realm.

Ye Fan’s divine sense was incredibly powerful, yet under the lingering might of this sound and divine scan, his face turned deathly pale. The small golden lake at the center of his brow erupted with a blinding radiance, nearly dispersed by the shock.

Who is that, calling for the Undying Emperor?!

His heart was profoundly shaken; this was not the first time he had heard these four words. Even the Ancient kings would prostrate themselves in worship, regarding this existence as something beyond even gods.

Ye Fan finally understood why the Great Emperors of old chose to live in seclusion here in their later years. This place was far too extraordinary; there had to be some hidden secret.

It’s not that the Great Emperors of the human race wanted to peacefully enjoy their later years here, but rather that they discovered some profound mystery! he conjectured.

On the seventh day, while listening at the edge of the forest, by the smallest and shortest ancient tree, he was stunned to hear a divine scan transmit three words: “Qi Shi Mansion.”

A flash of inspiration struck Ye Fan. His thoughts instantly raced. He turned and left, returning to Lu City. There, he took out a Treasure Bottle, broke the seal, and released Qi Huoshui.

“You… Ye! How dare you seal me for seven days! I’ll fight you to the death!” Qi Huoshui’s peerless, ethereal beauty was marred by unconcealed fury. Baring her teeth and brandishing her claws, she lunged forward, ready to fight to the death, behaving exactly like the little spitfire she was.

“If you dare to make another reckless move, you’ll be automatically promoted from Maid to my bed-sharing attendant,” Ye Fan threatened, his expression impassive, his heart steady.

THUD, THUD, THUD…

Qi Huoshui was genuinely frightened. She retreated a dozen steps, her hand pressed to her ample, heaving chest, clearly agitated. On her flawless, jade-like face, her large, intelligent eyes still held a spark of anger, but she no longer dared to be fiery.

“You should have learned some manners earlier. Go and pour tea,” Ye Fan ordered.

“Dream on!”

“You really are a little pepper. Alright, I won’t make things difficult for you. Just tell me in detail about that Immortal Mansion,” Ye Fan said, feigning indifference.

“You want to go in?” Qi Huoshui’s eyes lit up.

“Don’t concern yourself with that. Just give me the details,” Ye Fan said, sipping his tea as he listened.

He was quite surprised. The Immortal Mansion was located within the ancient mountain range and was rumored to be connected with the Immortal Realm. It was filled with secrets from ancient times, many of them unknown.

According to the speculations of the sovereigns from Qi Shi Mansion, it was highly probable that traces of an ancient Great Emperor could be found there, making it a place of profound and inscrutable mystery.

Is the Ancient Locust Forest related to that Immortal Mansion? Ye Fan mused to himself.

He didn’t delay. That very day, he flew towards that ancient Immortal Vein. This was his first time approaching Qi Shi Mansion since arriving in this region.

Auspicious energies soared to the sky from this mountain range. Upon activating his Divine Eye, he could clearly see tens of thousands of purple Great Dragons coiling there—a truly astonishing sight.

Here, there were Red Cliffs and bizarre rock formations. Qilins rested alone, and Simurghs soared majestically. Purple mist permeated the air. Ten Thousand Years Spirit Medicines grew on sheer precipices, and Immortal Mushrooms flourished beside Ancient Woods.

No matter how one looked at it, it resembled a divine land, making one suspect they had stepped into the Immortal World. The mountain range was unlike any other, exceptionally mystical, featuring Jade-like Ganoderma, Spiritual Springs, Longevity Deer, and Ancient Cliffs—like a scene from a painting.

In this mountain range, there was a new vista every ten steps, a concentration of divine beauty, yet it did not lack for grandeur. Ye Fan did not disturb the Lightning Birds or rare beasts, nor did he recklessly approach the central area of Qi Shi Mansion.

Because this place was truly out of the ordinary; the slightest misstep could lead to his detection, and he had no desire to be captured.

Perhaps Pang Bo is inside, Ye Fan pondered. He had come to this place not only for the Deserted House but also to search for his old friend.

Soon, he understood the situation: Qi Shi Mansion had sealed the mountain, permitting no one to enter or exit. He finally understood why no one from Lu City had come to trouble him these past few days.

The matter of the Immortal Mansion was of great importance. Qi Shi Mansion, after discussions with several major powers, did not want to leak the news prematurely and was preparing to open this cave mansion jointly.

Ye Fan stopped several tens of miles away, gazing at Qi Shi Mansion from afar. Under the clear and bright sky, purple smoke was unexpectedly rising from that place, like dragons soaring.

I can see it even without activating my Divine Eye! This place is unfathomable, filled with Immortal Qi. Ten thousand dragons soar to the heavens, seizing the profound workings of heaven and earth!

Ye Fan watched for several days and finally uncovered the secret: the Immortal Mansion had opened! It was located in the rear mountains of Qi Shi Mansion. The divine Qi Mechanism emanating from there was unstoppable, impossible to seal even with a Great Array.

An Immortal’s Cave Mansion! He was quite eager, but there was no way for him to enter. It was guarded by top-tier sovereigns, and not just four or five of them; they had the entire area completely locked down.

Though called an Immortal Cave, the elites of Qi Shi Mansion streamed inside continuously without any sign of congestion, hinting at its unknown vastness.

Ye Fan remained sixty-seven miles away, observing with his Divine Eye for several days. He saw people constantly coming and going; notably, more than seven hundred disciples of Qi Shi Mansion had been mobilized.

During these days, people occasionally withdrew, injured. Some even had their corpses carried back, which shocked him. During this time, he also saw sovereigns stagger out, severely wounded and on the brink of death.

This Immortal Mansion is truly extraordinary! So many come seeking Immortal Fate, making it their trial ground, yet even Saint Master Level figures have nearly died inside!

Ye Fan was quite tempted, but there was no way for him to get past. For the first time, he somewhat regretted not joining Qi Shi Mansion; he had missed such an opportunity.

He watched from outside for seven or eight days and noticed that almost everyone had withdrawn. However, less than three days later, after a period of rest and recuperation, these individuals began their second attempt to seek Immortal Fate.

Could it really be an Immortal Burial Land? Unfortunately, I can’t get in… Although he had mastered the Movement Technique, he still had no way to break through the defenses manned by several peak sovereigns.

Ye Fan sighed deeply and returned to the Deserted House. In the Ancient Village, he pondered other solutions, wandering around those ancient trees daily. The villagers, growing uneasy, warned him, “Young City Lord, when the Sacred Trees emit Divine Sound, don’t go near them, or you’ll be swallowed!”

His interest was piqued. “How would one be swallowed?”

“During certain special times, those tree hollows connect to the Immortal World…” the village’s oldest elder revealed a little-known secret.

Ye Fan decided to take the risk. Seizing a moment when no one was around, he gritted his teeth, approached an ancient tree, and reached his hand into its hollow trunk.

Space Power! He was startled, his suspicions confirmed. Pressing his ear to the trunk, he heard many sounds, including the shouts of young people.

Qi Shi Mansion’s disciples! This time, he was certain. No longer apprehensive, he decided to risk it.

SWOOSH!

When Ye Fan risked himself and entered an ancient tree hollow, ripples appeared where he had stood, and then he vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind.

Fortunately, the villagers didn’t notice. Otherwise, they would have surely cried out that the young City Lord had perished, swallowed into the Immortal World.

In that fleeting moment, it felt to Ye Fan as if ten thousand years had passed. He was terrified of making a mistake and dissolving into nothingness. Endless darkness enveloped him, and an unknown amount of time passed before he saw light again.

Is this… the Immortal Mansion?! he couldn’t help but exclaim.

The scene before him was vastly different from what he had imagined. This was not a dark, subterranean world, nor was it inside the belly of a mountain.

It was incredibly bright. The azure sky was as clear as washed jade, without a speck of impurity, like a colossal blue sapphire overturned above.

CAW!

A colossal bird soared across the sky, momentarily eclipsing the sun. Its feathers shimmered with a five-colored radiance, casting a vast shadow upon the ground below.

Ye Fan was aghast. How enormous is this bird? It was like a vast cloud, blanketing the sky and casting a shadow over the land.

And there’s more than one! He was truly astounded. In the distant sky, there were other similar cloud-like behemoths, though they were clearly of different species.

BOOM!

Far away, the sky trembled and the earth shook. A mountain range lifted into the air, rushing towards the sky, exuding an endless and malevolent baleful air.

How can a mountain range move? Ye Fan was initially puzzled, but then his expression turned to one of horror. That was no mountain range; it was clearly an enormous green serpent!

Who knows how many years it has slumbered? Its body was so thickly caked with earth that numerous ancient trees had taken root upon it.

It soared high into the sky and began to battle the cloud-like giant bird. Serpent scales flew like confetti, colorful feathers drifted down, and blood rained from above like a torrential downpour. The battle was savage beyond compare.

Heavens, what kind of world is this, where such Ancient Fierce Beasts still exist? Such combat seems so ordinary!

Ye Fan’s heart pounded. Could this truly be the Immortal Mansion? It’s clearly an entire world, completely unrelated to any mere cave mansion!

In the distance, ancient trees towered into the heavens. The mountains and rivers were primordial, ancient vines coiled like dragons, lofty peaks stood majestic, and great rivers flowed with grandeur—a vista from a bygone, ancient era.

AAAAAH…

Human screams echoed from the mountain range. Ye Fan transformed into a phantom blur and shot towards the sound. He arrived to see a young man dying horrifically in the maw of a Flood Dragon, bitten clean in two. The two halves of his body sank into a deep pool.

“Be careful! Don’t wander off!” From a few hundred yards away from the deep pool, someone sent a loud voice transmission. More young people then appeared.

Qi Shi Mansion’s disciples… Ye Fan’s brow twitched. He finally confirmed that this was, without a doubt, the Immortal Mansion—yet it resembled a real world.

“This is an Ancient Desolation World! Although it might contain peerless Immortal Treasures, perhaps even an Ancient Emperor Scripture, it is also fraught with peril! Deeper inside, even supreme sovereigns have perished! We must be exceedingly cautious!”