Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 595: Chapter 599: Ancient Emperor Teng

The Golden Heavenly Stele descended, smashing onto Wang Chong’s back and driving him into a pile of boulders. Rocks tumbled and dust rose, creating chaos.

CRASH!

Nine-year-old Wang Chong struggled vigorously, flattening a Stone Forest. His clothes were torn, his hair disheveled, and his eyes blazed with fire. He had achieved success at a young age and had never suffered such a great setback.

“Ye Fan!” Wang Chong shrieked. His eyes bulged, veins throbbing on his forehead; he looked terrifying. Although only nine years old, he already wore an expression of extreme ferocity and hostility.

ROAR… The sounds of dragon roars echoed. He formed the Dragon Seal with his hands, summoning eighteen Azure Dragons—double the number from before. Each was more massive, like eighteen mountain ranges spanning the sky, their power imposing.

BOOM!

The eighteen Azure Dragons, vast and powerful, charged at Ye Fan. Even before they reached him, the ground had cracked open in hundreds, even thousands, of places. Each great fissure stretched for miles, a terrifying sight. This scorched land seemed about to sink and disappear completely—a sign of the apocalypse.

This little brat still won’t give up! Ye Fan navigated between the Azure Dragons. With every movement, he embodied profound principles, as if enacting a Daoist Book, incomprehensibly mystical.

PUFF! PUFF!…

With a palm strike, he shattered the head of one Azure Dragon into bloody paste. He then stomped, crushing another Azure Dragon, its massive body bleeding profusely as it plummeted from the sky.

Ye Fan used the golden Great Hand Seal, striking relentlessly. He delivered eighteen palm strikes, slaying all eighteen Azure Dragons, and then advanced towards Wang Chong step by step.

BOOM!

Suddenly, Wang Chong spat out a war chariot. It was merely an inch high but emitted an earthshaking roar as it rumbled towards Ye Fan.

Ye Fan’s expression tensed; he sensed something was amiss. He retreated to the side, then raised his hand and unleashed a gleaming Vajra, which shot out like a bolt of lightning.

CLANG!

The gleaming Vajra struck the ancient war chariot, which had already expanded to over a meter high. However, the Vajra was instantly knocked away, emitting a cracking sound.

What is this… Ye Fan’s pupils contracted. The Vajra was a spiritual treasure he had seized from Flickering Light, intertwined with Dao and principles. Yet, this ancient war chariot had shattered it into two halves with a single collision.

RUMBLE!

The ancient war chariot rapidly expanded, now three zhang long and inscribed with True Dragons. Its entire body was black, and it surged forward like a flood, carrying an endless, terrifying Qi mechanism.

BANG!

Ye Fan moved both hands, pushing forth a Sun and a Moon as his entire body emanated golden light. The Sun and Moon, each as large as a Grinding Disc, moved with a thunderous rumble. He resembled a deity patrolling the heavens.

The blazing Sun and silver Moon, their radiant brilliance cascading like waterfalls, surged outward. They illuminated this void until it was translucent, and all their power struck the ancient war chariot, emitting a loud CRASH!

BOOM!

The black ancient war chariot, inscribed with True Dragons, halted. Ye Fan’s arms felt somewhat numb. This was the first time his physical body had been blocked when attacking a spiritual treasure; it was hard to imagine how powerful this war chariot was.

A King Level War Chariot! Ye Fan’s heart tightened. This was a King’s Weapon, refined by an unparalleled King, surpassing even Saint Master Level Weapons. No wonder the Vajra had shattered so easily.

RUMBLE…

The black ancient war chariot charged once more, its terrifying aura even more intense. Like an Ancient Fierce Beast, it emitted waves of black light, reaching him in an instant.

Ye Fan sidestepped three hundred zhang to dodge. Yet the war chariot, like a phantom, surged in instantly, locking onto him completely. It was like a monstrous flood, its black light drowning the heavens and earth.

BOOM!

The aura of the King’s Divine Weapon was like a rainbow, overwhelming all in its path. Rocks and cliffs rapidly turned to dust. An ordinary Dragon Transformation Realm cultivator would have been crushed long ago, as if by the descending hand of a god or demon.

This was Ye Fan’s first time facing such a weapon. Although his physique was exceptionally tough, the ancient war chariot, now fully awakened, pulsed with interwoven Law Light. He could not contend with it head-on.

He retreated over a dozen li. Below, an entire mountain range collapsed under the ancient war chariot, crumbling into boundless dust that billowed into the sky.

Such an ancient war chariot was like a force of nature, crushing everything like dried twigs; almost nothing could stop it. This was a King’s Weapon, left in the world by a peerless existence on par with the Jiang Taixu Divine King.

Though Wang Chong was young, his temperament was exceedingly violent. Standing on the black Dragon Vehicle, he charged forward ferociously, his expression savage and his arrogance monstrous. “Ye Fan, aren’t you the peerless Sacred Body? Today, I’ll crush your vaunted flesh into meat paste under my wheels, right in front of everyone! I’ll leave you as a pile of sludge!”

“A King’s Divine Weapon consumes an enormous amount of power. How long can you sustain it?” Ye Fan smiled faintly, avoiding a direct confrontation and swiftly retreating.

“Long enough to crush you under my wheels!” Wang Chong declared, standing firm on the ancient war chariot. He took out a small jade bottle, uncorked it, and a fragrant aroma drifted out as he tipped a drop of liquid into his mouth.

It contained over a dozen drops of Dragon Marrow. Each drop was as large as a grape and did not merge with the others, appearing like individual golden agates, their luster crystalline and intoxicating.

Many who observed thought this boy’s fortuitous encounters were heaven-defying. He was willing to casually use Dragon Marrow to replenish his divine energy just to kill Ye Fan. Who knew what immense benefits he had gained from falling into the Dragon Cave?

Originally, Ye Fan had intended to wait until Wang Chong depleted his divine energy and could no longer control the ancient war chariot. But seeing him about to squander Dragon Marrow, Ye Fan decided not to delay any longer.

CLANG!

Nine weapons materialized beside him: a Jade Green Blade, a Purple Jade Sword, a Red Jade Spear, an Ink Jade Halberd, a White Jade Shield… Nine Jade Soldiers in total. Each was less than three inches long, smooth and translucent, exuding a soul-stirring Qi mechanism.

SWISH!

Ye Fan grabbed a two-inch-long Purple Jade Sword and charged forward, slicing with all his might. A purple light shot to the heavens, cleaving the Great Heaven and Earth in two.

A RUMBLE shook the ground. A Great Rift Valley, over twenty li long, spread into the distance. It was all-conquering, destroying mountains and Desolate Ridges alike.

CLANG!

The black war chariot was struck and halted abruptly. Wang Chong’s body trembled violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Ye Fan swapped to another Jade Soldier, gripping a three-inch-long Ink Jade Halberd with his right hand as he descended from above.

BOOM!

The halberd’s edge swept aside all resistance, tearing through the black light and penetrating the ancient war chariot. Ye Fan landed leisurely, standing atop the vehicle.

“You… What weapon is that?” Wang Chong exclaimed, utterly startled. The war chariot was a King’s Weapon, previously unchallenged; slaughtering cultivators of the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm had been as easy as tearing paper. He had never imagined that someone could breach it today, and get so close—the Ink Jade Halberd was almost at his eyes.

“Don’t think you’re the only one with King Level weapons,” Ye Fan said, putting away the Nine Divine Weapons. “The war chariot is good, but it’s not something you can control. Leave it for me to use as a ride.” With that, he thrust the golden Great Hand Seal forward.

BANG!

At such close range, Wang Chong had no way to evade. He extended his small hands to resist, but the impact jarred him so hard the skin between his thumbs and forefingers split open.

Ye Fan was surprised. I thought that would be enough to shatter all the bones in his body, but it only split the webbing of his hands, though blood is flowing freely.

His physical body is quite resilient. Let’s try again.

Ye Fan’s Palm Fingers turned crimson-gold, shining even more brilliantly. His entire being radiated like seven-colored glazed glass, and his Golden Blood Qi soared to the sky.

BANG!

This time, Wang Chong screamed, spat out blood, and both his arms snapped. He could no longer fend off the attack.

“I’m genuinely curious,” Ye Fan said, pressing forward. “How could someone so young train their physical body to such a state?”

Behind him, all the Saint Heirs paled. They had heard rumors that Wang Chong had drunk Dragon Blood. Though young, he supposedly possessed a Vajra Unbreakable Body; even a Divine Monk from Buddhism had once praised him.

Yet now, Ye Fan had broken his bones. He simply couldn’t withstand a physical strike from the Sacred Body. This outcome was astonishing.

SLAP!

Ye Fan’s golden Great Hand Seal struck down again, this time with eighty percent of his strength. Young Wang Chong coughed up a large mouthful of blood; seven or eight of his bones had fractured.

He truly has some skill. A half-step sovereign would have long been beaten to a pulp by me, yet he still endures.

Though Ye Fan was, in a way, complimenting him, Wang Chong’s face flushed crimson upon hearing these words. His blood boiled, and he was enraged beyond measure, feeling deeply humiliated.

“My brother will avenge me! When he does, you’ll find no place for your corpse!” Wang Chong’s eyes blazed with fire, his expression defiant and unyielding.

SLAP!

Ye Fan slapped him on the head. “Still talking tough? Can your brother compare to a sovereign? Even they couldn’t kill me.”

“What do they count for?” nine-year-old Wang Chong shouted. “My brother is hailed as the reincarnation of an ancient emperor! He can obliterate you with a single finger! Don’t think you can run fast enough. Even if you flee to the ends of the world, he’ll hunt you down and drag you out!”

SLAP!

Ye Fan slapped his head again. “I’ll wait for him to find me. But for now, let’s deal with you. Hand over all your treasures.”

He began a blatant plunder. First, he snatched away the bottle of green jade. Then, he blasted Wang Chong out of the war chariot. With a flash of light, the ancient war chariot shrank to just over an inch tall and appeared in his palm. He wiped off the imprint and stored it away.

“Give it back! That’s my treasure!” Wang Chong shouted frantically, finally sounding like a child who had lost his most beloved possession.

“Like hell I will!” Ye Fan retorted, grabbing Wang Chong and pulling him over. He searched his Wheel and Sea, Dao Palace, and other such places, extracting a pile of treasures.

There were many precious items: over a dozen stalks of Ancient Medicine, each over ten thousand years old and capable of saving a life. Furthermore, there were three bottles of Dragon Marrow, each containing more than ten golden drops—clearly top-grade.

Additionally, there was a Jade Stele engraved with a True Dragon Seal. It was complex and profound, evidently a divine art not passed down through generations, requiring careful study and comprehension.

“Truly a good child,” Ye Fan smiled. “So many treasures. I don’t even know how to thank you.”

The ancient war chariot was a King’s Weapon, as valuable as the Nine Divine Weapons and of unimaginable worth. If auctioned, even a Peacock King would compete for it. Its destructive power was intimidating, making it difficult to face head-on.

Dragon Marrow contained Law Fragments. If cultivators in the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm used it during Enlightenment, it could greatly enhance their progress, offering boundless utility.

The True Dragon Seal was on the same level as the Mountain Embracing Seal and the Human King Seal. Ye Fan vaguely felt it might also have some deeper connection, considering it an exceptional secret art.

“Ye Fan, even if you kill me, you won’t live long yourself! Just you wait! My brother will surely confine you to the Netherworld forever, a fate worse than death!” Wang Chong screamed as he saw Ye Fan’s hand descending.

“So young and already so savage,” Ye Fan mused. “I should eliminate a little scourge like you sooner rather than later.” He extended a finger, aiming for the point between Wang Chong’s eyebrows.

This is bad! If *that person* finds out we just stood by and watched his brother die, he’ll probably come after us too!

Behind them, everyone’s expression changed. Many of them acted, unleashing various spiritual treasures towards Ye Fan.

DING!

Ye Fan casually picked up a Jade Green Blade, just over two inches long, from the Nine Divine Weapons orbiting him. He swept it towards the sky, emitting a soft, clear chime like jade striking jade.

A streak of jade-green blade light, like a vast blue-green ocean, swept across. The eleven spiritual treasures in the sky all turned to powder, which then rustled as it fell.

Additionally, two people screamed miserably as they were split in half, dying violent deaths. Their corpses plummeted from high above.

“He has a King’s Weapon… We can’t stop him at all! What do we do?” A group of them paled, their faces white with fear.

“We’ve already done our best. His brother can’t say anything; he can’t blame us.” Some of them quickly retreated.

Ye Fan’s Golden Finger pointed towards the spot between Wang Chong’s eyebrows. Even before it made contact, the force from his fingertip had already manifested, glowing with a golden brilliance.

Cracks appeared on Wang Chong’s forehead between his eyebrows, and blood began to seep out. His face was pale, and he was unable to move a muscle.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a powerful Qi mechanism surged forth from between Wang Chong’s eyebrows. It emitted ten thousand rays of Divine Light, opening up like a world gate, from which streamed myriad auspicious radiances.

Ye Fan quickly retreated. He sensed a dangerous fluctuation and shielded himself with the Nine Divine Weapons.

This was a mysterious scene. The space between Wang Chong’s eyebrows opened like a world gate. A golden ancient war chariot flew out, bearing a towering figure with a presence like that of a god or demon.

“It’s him! Ancient Emperor Teng!”

“How can he be inside Wang Chong’s forehead?”

The Saint Son Level figures exclaimed, halting on a distant mountain, all their faces etched with shock.

The golden ancient war chariot rumbled as it flew out. The figure atop it had disheveled black hair, a face as if chiseled from stone, and bronze skin. His stance was mighty and robust, and he was shrouded in golden light that soared to the heavens, akin to the Heavenly Emperor’s descent.

Moreover, around him circled nine True Dragons, nine Divine Phoenixes, nine White Tigers, and nine Mystic Turtles. They flickered with Divine Radiance, forming the Four Symbols that surrounded him.

This was like an image of a Heavenly Emperor descending, defended by the Four Symbols of the Starry Sky. Wang Teng, his mass of hair flying, stood on the central war chariot. His radiance was boundless as he majestically surveyed the world, as if patrolling the heavens.

Ye Fan was amazed. This person’s aura was exceedingly strong, perhaps unrivaled even by figures of the elder generation. It was a sign of inherent, formidable potential.

Dragons and Phoenixes sang in harmony, White Tigers roared to the heavens, and Mystic Turtles parted the seas. Golden light shone in countless layers, dazzling all around. Wang Teng stood on the ancient war chariot, as immovable as a mountain, his gaze profound and penetrating.

“It truly is him!” The expressions of those Saint Son Level figures changed drastically.

Wang Teng, known as the reincarnation of an ancient emperor, was born in the Northern Plains. By the age of fifteen, he was already invincible among the younger generation of the Northern Plains. Now, ten years later, almost no one knew what Realm he had reached.

Everyone claimed he was practically a Great Emperor reborn because his growth trajectory closely mirrored that of the Great Emperors in the history of the human race, perhaps even surpassing them.

Anyone aware of his talent was astonished, even to the point of feeling a sense of dread. No one failed to be awed; to compare oneself to him was to feel a sense of lamentable inadequacy.

Moreover, this man possessed grand karmic fortune. As a teenager, he had once ventured into the world to gain experience. He traveled alone to the Eastern Wastelands and, in a single journey, obtained one of the nine secret arts before returning to the Northern Plains.

This was merely what the outside world knew. What Ancient Techniques he had truly mastered, no one fully comprehended; even his own kinsmen were not entirely clear.

Ye Fan felt a chill in his heart. This person, proclaimed to be the reincarnation of an ancient emperor, was utterly mysterious and powerful. He possessed a heaven-defying Qi mechanism that induced dread.

On the golden war chariot, countless rays of light shone, making him appear like an ancient emperor. Nine True Dragons, nine Divine Phoenixes, nine White Tigers, and nine Mystic Turtles guarded him at the center. These creatures of the Four Symbols even emanated terrifying flashes of lightning—a fearsome Qi mechanism resulting from surviving over a dozen Heavenly Tribulations!