Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 571: Chapter 575: Another Encounter with the Heavenly Tribulation

A golden long rainbow shot out, its tail blazing for hundreds of meters. Yan Yunluan let out a mighty roar, spitting out a mouthful of Innate Essence Qi that transformed into a sharp blade and shattered it.

He stood in the stone forest, coldly glaring at Ye Fan. He had nearly been shot dead last time, and now, being berated again, his heart smoldered with anger, yet he knew the Myriad Wounds Bow could counter him.

“Aren’t you leaving yet? You have no chance left. Ten breaths have passed. I’ll send you on your way!” Ye Fan bent his bow to shoot again. This arrow contained a boundless amount of enormous Qi, a divine rainbow piercing through the heavens and reverberating with wind and thunder.

Yan Yunluan’s expression changed. He opened his mouth to release a bronze lamp, its wick spewing divine flame that collided with the divine rainbow time and again, dissipating it.

“Ye Zhetian, I will come to kill you!” He turned and left, unwilling to face Ye Fan.

“No time like the present. Let’s end it today.” Ye Fan truly intended to kill him this time. Taking advantage of the lack of disturbance from others, he aimed to use the All Secret to continuously shoot him dead.

Yan Yunluan felt utterly suffocated. It was the first time in his life he had been coerced like this. It wasn’t that his Combat Power was inferior to his opponent’s; he simply flew into the sky without a word, unwilling to be a live target again. His previous injury wasn’t fully healed yet.

“Yan Yunluan, weren’t you very arrogant just now? Why are you running away?” Liu Kou shouted from behind.

“Yan Wudi, weren’t you invincible? Why flee in panic? Fight a great battle!” Li Heishui jeered, finally venting all his frustration.

Ye Fan pursued relentlessly, shooting arrow after arrow. Golden light filled the sky, a spectacular sight, like fireworks blooming—extraordinarily beautiful.

However, wherever this dazzling light passed, lives could be snuffed out at any moment. Even a prodigy like Yan Yunluan was being forced into such a desperate situation.

“Ye Zhetian, you’re good! Relying on secret treasures to hunt me down! In a few days, I’ll surely achieve a breakthrough and come for your head!” Yan Yunluan vowed fiercely. As long as he advanced just one more Realm, he’d be among the strongest of the younger generation. By then, even if Ye Fan had the Myriad Wounds Bow, he would fear nothing.

“Still talking tough when you’re at death’s door!” I won’t let him get away, Ye Fan thought, his resolve firm. He began to trigger the All Secret to unleash a barrage of arrows. He didn’t believe that even after a hundred Divine Arrows, his opponent could survive.

Many people witnessed this scene along the way, all incredibly shocked. It had happened once not long ago, and now it was occurring again.

“Yan Yunluan is being chased again!”

The word “again” made Yan Yunluan tremble. What an unbearable humiliation! He was a renowned figure who seldom met his match among his peers and had even slain elders without hesitation. Yet here he was, pursued by a youth for the second time.

“Is that Ye Zhetian, that young Lord?” Many found it hard to believe.

“Yan Yunluan, don’t run! As a prodigy renowned for being invincible, why flee without a fight?” Liu Kou shouted from behind as they also followed.

“Unbelievable! Yan Yunluan is being pursued by that person again. He’s really met his nemesis.”

Along the way, people constantly exclaimed in shock. The word “again” made Yan Yunluan’s face turn ashen with fury; he was exceptionally sensitive to it.

Before long, they rushed into a range of snowy peaks. The altitude here was tremendous, the mountain peaks piercing the clouds. Below, the valleys were lush and green, vibrant with life, while the summits above were capped with white snow.

Yan Yunluan was truly enraged. He was being hunted like a dog, yet he was powerless to do anything about it. Even my fuming rage is useless since I haven’t broken through yet!

“Brother Yan, what happened? Why are you fleeing in such panic?” Amidst the swirling white mist on the Snow Peak, a white-robed man blended into the snowy scenery, seemingly one with Heaven and Earth. If he hadn’t spoken, no one would have noticed him.

“Brother Chu.” Yan Yunluan stopped, standing beside the white-robed man, no longer fleeing.

Chu Tian had a robust stature, standing a full two heads taller than the medium-built Yan Yunluan. His white robe fluttered in the wind and snow, making him seem part of the Snow Peak itself.

His skin was as white as snow, but his eyes were incredibly intense, shining like two divine lamps. His black hair danced in the wind and snow, making him resemble an ice god.

“It’s him! A powerhouse at the Fifth Transformation of Dragon Transformation!”

From the rear, Li Heishui, Liu Kou, and some others who had been chasing caught up. Upon seeing this man, all their faces turned pale.

Ye Fan learned that on the opening day of Qi Shi Mansion, an individual at the Fifth Transformation of Dragon Transformation had fought their way in, unmatched by anyone. This was that person.

Someone like him, upon reaching the Fifth Transformation of Dragon Transformation, could definitely slay someone at the Ninth Transformation. To have such a cultivation base at only about twenty years of age was truly terrifying.

Yan Yunluan calmed down, standing beside Chu Tian on the Snow Peak, coldly staring at Ye Fan. With two such powerful experts joining forces, no one in the younger generation could be their match.

They had no doubt about this. Even if Ye Fan holds the Myriad Wounds Bow, it won’t matter. In a life-and-death struggle, we will prevail! Such was their confidence.

Many people who had been pursuing them arrived. Everyone was astounded. These two prominent figures standing side-by-side were enough to make anyone back down in apprehension. Yet, Ye Fan was drawing his bowstring.

The All Secret triggered, and his Combat Power surged tenfold! The Myriad Wounds Bow awakened as if it were a dormant dragon stirring to life. Its aura was terrifyingly immense, radiating boundless brilliance and unleashing a shockwave that caused a massive avalanche.

WHOOSH!

A divine rainbow shot out, targeting the spot between Yan Yunluan’s eyebrows. He opened his mouth, releasing a bronze lamp. Its wick spewed divine flame, attacking the Divine Arrow from the side to dissipate its force.

Simultaneously, Chu Tian made his move. With a wave of his hand, he froze the void. Black ice spread, encasing the Divine Arrow and infusing it with limitless divine energy.

BOOM!

The Divine Arrow shattered, transforming into enormous Qi that surged throughout the heavens and the earth. The Divine Light raged, cleaving the Snow Peak and sending it tumbling into a chasm thousands of meters deep.

Li Heishui rushed over. He could see that if these two joined forces, likely no one in the younger generation could stand against them, and he feared Ye Fan would suffer a loss or even be killed.

“Stop!” Li Heishui shouted. “You two are both hailed as prodigies. Teaming up like this is hardly fair, is it?”

In the distance, the crowd of onlookers was naturally captivated by the sight of the two prodigies standing together. Everyone was eagerly anticipating what would happen next.

Yan Yunluan’s face darkened. “Fine,” he said. “Since you put it that way, I won’t make things difficult for him now. Five days from now, I’ll go to his Lord Mansion to duel him and cut him down with my halberd!”

“Why wait five days? Come over now, and I’ll cut you down in front of everyone!” Ye Fan sneered coldly.

“Friend,” Chu Tian said calmly, “relying on secret treasures doesn’t mean much. You should know that there are endless spiritual treasures in this world, and the Myriad Wounds Bow is not unbreakable. Cultivators must ultimately rely on their own strength.” His meaning was clear: Yan Yunluan wasn’t truly defeated; he was merely at a disadvantage due to his weapon, which allowed Ye Fan to counter him.

“Then let’s leave it at that for today,” Liu Kou said, stepping forward. He didn’t want to see two such prodigies fight together; if they both attacked, no one would survive.

“Friend, spare him for now,” Li Heishui said, stepping forward to stop Ye Fan from acting.

With two prodigies present, even though Ye Fan held the Myriad Wounds Bow and possessed other methods, I still haven’t entered the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm yet, so I’m not entirely confident, he thought.

The crowd dispersed, and the immediate crisis was averted. However, people became even more expectant. In five days, there would be a grand battle—the prodigy Yan Yunluan against Ye Zhetian. It was sure to be a clash of dragons and tigers.

“Thank you for your help, brother.” Once they were in a secluded spot, Li Heishui and Liu Kou expressed their gratitude.

Ye Fan immediately laughed, patting their shoulders. “Why be so formal with me?”

The two were dumbfounded for a moment, then both cried out and rushed forward to punch him playfully on the arm twice, immensely excited.

“You finally came! Those prodigies in Qi Shi Mansion are all monsters. We were counting on you to take them all down a notch!”

“It would have been a real shame if you hadn’t come. Fortunately, you didn’t stay cooped up in the Eastern Wastelands.”

“Speaking of which, little kid Ye, you need to raise your Realm quickly; otherwise, you really won’t be able to deal with them. There’s a girl from the Western Desert who many believe will attain enlightenment and become a Bodhisattva in the future.”

“A prodigy from the Central States killed someone with a King Body with just one slap. You must have heard about it.”

“And there’s a young man from the Northern Plains who calls himself the Wolf God. Everyone steers clear of him; his Combat Power is terrifying. He even captured an Ancient creature to be his servant!”

Clearly, these two had been deeply affected by encountering the geniuses from the Five Great Domains and felt utterly discouraged.

Ye Fan said, “Many people are late bloomers. In ancient times, weren’t half of the Saints unremarkable in their youth? It mainly depends on their potential for later development.”

“That’s true, but you don’t have to comfort us like that,” Li Heishui said, nodding with a laugh.

“Have you seen Pang Bo?” Ye Fan inquired. He had come to the Central States primarily to find his old friend.

The two shook their heads. They explained that many people went into seclusion immediately after entering Qi Shi Mansion, so they hadn’t even seen half of the newcomers. Moreover, everyone had entered the Immortal Mansion World in separate batches this time.

Ye Fan returned with them to the stone forest. They came to the shores of a small, serene, blue lake and climbed an ethereal-looking stone mountain. As they did, they suddenly felt their minds calm.

This place is extraordinary! Ye Fan thought.

Although they could sense that the place was unusual, they couldn’t uncover its secrets. All three sat cross-legged on the stone mountain, facing the small lake, and began to meditate quietly.

The small lake was a tranquil blue, and the stone mountain seemed ethereal. For several days, their minds felt clear and empty, allowing them to easily enter a state of connection with the Dao. They almost achieved Enlightenment there.

Ye Fan was shocked. I’ve figured it out! This is where an Ancient Saint underwent Transformation! he deduced.

When Ancient Saints died, their flesh could remain imperishable, never decaying. However, some did not wish to leave their physical forms behind after death and would choose to undergo Transformation, dissolving themselves back into the world.

Such a place is called a “Transformation Land.” It is deeply imbued with divine essence and imprinted with the true meaning of the Dao. If one could find such a place and cultivate within it, it would be very easy to achieve sudden Enlightenment and enter a state of connection with the Dao.

“So, years ago, an Ancient Saint underwent Transformation here, returning to the embrace of heaven and earth,” Liu Kou exclaimed, his heart filled with shock and awe.

In the distance, within the endless mountain range, groups of strange and powerful beasts had been gathering at an alarming rate over the past few days. Many cultivators had already met their demise as a result.

“Let’s go. The Barbaric Ancient Beast King’s rampage is about to begin. We can’t afford to get trapped here.”

Ultimately, they departed the Immortal Mansion World. Ye Fan changed his appearance and discreetly emerged from the entrance controlled by Qi Shi Mansion, unnoticed by anyone.

Ye Fan didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he wandered around the Immortal Mountain, which was shrouded in purple energy. He then chose a secluded spot and cultivated silently for several days, trying to feel the pulse of this Immortal Mountain and discover what made it different.

A few days later, he returned to Lu City. As soon as he arrived, he noticed many people looking at him with peculiar expressions, as if they wanted to say something.

“What’s wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?” Ye Fan asked.

“Lord,” one of them finally spoke up, “a few days ago, a man named Yan Yunluan came here. He said he was going to kill you. Many people from Qi Shi Mansion came to watch the show, but you weren’t here.”

“They guessed you didn’t dare to face him and had already fled in panic. They said a lot of nasty things.”

He really came? Ye Fan thought, not paying much mind to their words. He had stayed in the Immortal Vein for a few extra days and had naturally missed it.

“Someone said that if you dare to show your face, Yan Yunluan will definitely come to take your head, Lord, unless you plan to be a coward and hide forever.”

Ye Fan went to the Deserted House, and the people from the Ancient Village there told him the same thing: Yan Yunluan had come looking for him, seeking a life-and-death battle.

Soon, news of Ye Fan’s return spread. Upon hearing it, people from Qi Shi Mansion, including Yan Yunluan and many others, appeared that very same day.

A large contingent of no fewer than two or three hundred young powerhouses, all students of Qi Shi Mansion, arrived. Among them were beautiful young women and young monks with shaven heads—a diverse and colorful crowd.

Many had already heard that this young Lord had once hunted down Yan Yunluan, and they were curious to see what abilities he possessed.

These elites from the Five Great Domains were all favored sons and daughters of Heaven, each with lofty pride and ambition, yet all were eager to witness this battle.

“Where is Commandery Princess Qi?” someone in the crowd shouted angrily at Ye Fan.

She had been missing for some time, with no trace of her whereabouts, so they couldn’t rescue her even if they wanted to. Now that Ye Fan had appeared, some of them naturally moved to surround him.

“Release the Commandery Princess!” more than ten individuals shouted, eager and ready to strike.

Ye Fan laughed. With a flash of light from his hand, he released Qi Huoshui from the Treasure Bottle. The peerless beauty immediately lunged at him, claws out.

“How dare you seal me for so many days! I’m going to fight you to the death!” Qi Huoshui shrieked.

Unfortunately, the Restrictions on her were still active, so she couldn’t harm Ye Fan in the slightest.

“Someone has come to rescue you, so stop taking it out on me,” Ye Fan said, flicking her on the forehead.

Many onlookers in the distance were stunned, almost petrified. He’s too bold! How dare he provoke this little pepper from the Southern Mountains? Isn’t he afraid of causing big trouble? they thought.

Seeing the crowd around them, Qi Huoshui turned and dashed off, trying to escape. Ye Fan didn’t stop her.

Just then, Yan Yunluan appeared. His expression was cold, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. “I’ll let you use the Myriad Wounds Bow to shoot me,” he said. “Today, I won’t lift a single finger to suppress you!”

“Such arrogance,” Ye Fan sneered.

The others were also astounded, wondering why he was so confident as to make such a boast. How could he possibly slay Ye Fan without lifting a finger?

Yan Yunluan slowly walked closer, stopping not far from Ye Fan. A cold smile touched his lips. “I’ll send you on your way!”

BOOM!

Myriad bolts of lightning descended from the sky, instantly engulfing both him and Ye Fan.

At that moment, everyone was horrified. This was a Heavenly Tribulation! Many favored daughters of Heaven turned pale with fright, and all the Saint Son Level individuals were utterly shaken.

Heavenly Tribulation!

Yan Yunluan was undergoing his tribulation and intended to use this energy of heaven and earth to suppress Ye Fan! Everyone instantly understood his plan.

In this world, few people of this age could trigger a Heavenly Tribulation. Anyone capable of doing so was undoubtedly a top-tier prodigy, rarely encountering a worthy opponent.

While the others were horrified, Ye Fan actually smiled. Trying to kill me with a Heavenly Tribulation? What a miscalculation! Perhaps I should help this prodigy attract an even greater Heavenly Tribulation. Let’s see who ends up dead then!