Chapter 1001: Emperor Has Died

On that day, various forces including Kunlun, Immortal Sword Sect, Shangqing Sect, Quanzhen Sect, as well as Vermilion Phoenix and Myriad Demon Valley, all provided clues, deeply stirring Ye Fan.

"This is the divine stone," the Shangqing Sect Master said, having someone place a purple stone on the ground. "It weighs over ten thousand jun. Some ancestors say it's a celestial stone from another domain, while others believe it's a foundation stone of the Heavenly Court."

The stone was entirely purple, about the size of a millstone, resembling a dusty ancient jade—dull and lacking luster. It was extremely heavy; the two Supreme Elders who carried it earlier were visibly sweating. Ye Fan circled it, concluding that it truly seemed like a foundation stone, and couldn't help but ask where it was found.

The Shangqing Sect Master truthfully recounted that during a torrential downpour in ancient times, a mountain torrent carved a gully at the foot of Mount Mao, from which purple mist emanated. The old sect master of that era was awakened in the middle of the night and looked down the mountain, witnessing a collapsing celestial palace. He rushed into the rain, only to find that the celestial palace was an illusion, not real, likely a replay of a primordial scene. He only found the purple stone in the gully.

Everyone was amazed by the story and gathered to examine the peculiar stone. Ye Fan placed his hand on it; it felt incredibly smooth and warm. As he focused his senses, he heard faint sounds of thunder and lightning, and the clanging of Daoist swords.

He activated his Dao principles, conjuring a blurry image: heavy rain, earth-shattering cries, the roars of peerless powerhouses, followed by a collapsing celestial palace plummeting from the sky.

"Unfortunately, it's not clear enough," Ye Fan shook his head. "It's hard to tell if it was a divine battle."

Soon after, the half-ruined ancient palace transported by Sect Master Xuechen also arrived. Standing dozens of zhang high, it resembled a small mountain, grand and magnificent. Built entirely from blue feathers, its imposing aura remained undiminished despite being only half intact.

"This is truly a celestial palace," someone exclaimed. "Such a scale! It has endured for countless years, truly extraordinary."

Ye Fan's heart stirred; its style bore some resemblance to the Divine Ruins in the Big Dipper star field. Although he had never visited that restricted area of life, he had seen descriptions in ancient texts. Before the Divine Ruins, the South Heaven Gate stood majestically, half-collapsed, leaving behind endless legends in the world.

Could it truly be a lost structure of the Heavenly Court? Ye Fan inquired in detail with Sect Master Xuechen about the origin of this palace. The sect master truthfully replied that it had been excavated from the foot of Kunlun Mountain.

Ye Fan gently caressed the ancient palace, then activated his cultivation, seeking to revert its essence to its origin and imprint everything left behind from that era. An enigmatic, intricate magical formation existed within this azure jade palace, which was precisely why it had endured for so long, protecting it from decay.

Ye Fan was startled; such principles were transcendent and profound, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. He truly began to believe this was a structure of the Heavenly Court. He activated his principles, and his body burst forth with phoenix feathers, strands of order chains connecting to the azure celestial palace, sensing events from eons past.

However, the events were too ancient to be reconstructed. Even with his power, he felt it was futile, as he vaguely guessed it would likely trace back a million years.

*Buzz!*

Just as Ye Fan was about to release his grip, ripples suddenly appeared on the azure palace. A flash of light emitted an incredibly majestic sound, shaking the entire small mountain.

"The Emperor is dead, divine generals in all domains are in chaos, the Heavenly Court crumbles, dissolving in a single day..."

This was not actual speech, but an extremely faint divine thought, so powerful it made people tremble. Everyone except Ye Fan knelt down. Each person's soul vibrated. How incredibly powerful was this being? Existing from eons ago, at least a million years, its voice reverberating within the azure palace was still unbearable.

"Ah..."

Some Daoist disciples couldn't withstand it; their bodies cracked, almost disintegrating. The cauldron above Ye Fan's head rumbled, emitting a wisp of Mother Qi, which protected him.

*Puff!*

One sect master, standing too close, was enveloped by the immense pressure. He coughed up mouthfuls of blood, unable to resist, succumbing to the overwhelming force. Ye Fan's expression changed. The Mother Qi of All Things surged, emitting streams of auspicious light that shielded everyone beneath him, preventing anyone from perishing.

What an existence this was! Spanning eons, its lament alone was enough to harm current beings, powerful beyond terrifying, making it impossible to fathom.

"If not an ancient emperor, then at least a quasi-emperor," Ye Fan murmured to himself. He even considered it might be a Saint Emperor. In that mythical era, it wouldn't be surprising if several Great Emperors existed.

He exerted his utmost to restore the imprints left behind from that year. Alas, eons of time were enough to obliterate everything; only this sorrowful cry remained, with nothing else left. After achieving Dao Slaying, he possessed astonishing abilities, yet he couldn't create from nothing or reverse eons of time.

When everything settled down, everyone exchanged glances, filled with reverence for Ye Fan. It was truly defying the heavens to make the voice of the ancient Heavenly Court reappear, allowing them a glimpse into heavenly secrets and ancient mysteries.

"Hmm, the mythical Heavenly Court truly existed and appeared on ancient Earth. I wonder what other traces it left behind," Ye Fan mused, lost in thought for a moment.

"Brother Dao, you must reconsider naming your sect 'Heavenly Court'," someone advised. "There were once astounding ancient prodigies who sought to undertake such a great endeavor, but they all ultimately met with calamity."

"Indeed," another added, "the words 'Heavenly Court' crush ancient and modern time. It is not something we can bear. To establish the Heavenly Court without being an immortal will inevitably lead to its collapse and unforeseen disaster."

Everyone offered their advice out of goodwill. Previously, they hadn't thought much of it, but hearing that sorrowful cry just now filled them with dread, reminding them of various ancient legends. Ye Fan nodded, saying little. On this day, all sects delivered numerous ancient artifacts, all related to divine battles and possessing karmic ties to the ancient Heavenly Court.

Finally, the well-wishers departed, the various sect masters left, and the crowds dispersed, leaving behind a mountain of artifacts and ancient texts on the small hill. For the next half month, Ye Fan immersed himself in this sea of ancient books, forgetting food and sleep, searching for various pathways.

With his parents gone, there was little left on Earth to truly captivate him, save for the pursuit of Dao and becoming an immortal. He wished to investigate the mythical Heavenly Court, but time had passed too long, burying everything in the dust of history. Now, he could only trace clues through legends, anecdotes, oracle bone scripts, and the like.

Time flowed like water, imperceptibly slipping away. Another three years passed in a flash, making it six years since Ye Fan returned to this side of the starry sky. During these years, apart from his cultivation, he spent most of his time investigating divine battles and the secrets of immortals, thereby uncovering many ancient mysteries.

Today, the Heavenly Court's might grew daily, and Ye Fan found no match in the world. When collecting ancient texts and secret scriptures, he naturally received assistance from all sides. Over these past five years, he had exerted all his efforts, visiting various sects, traveling to the Vatican, ascending Mount Olympus, venturing into the sacred lands of Egypt, and delving deeper into Buddhist sites in India. His footprints were left at every famous Daoist temple worldwide.

Although the ancient Heavenly Court had not been excavated, he unexpectedly acquired some ancient scriptures that greatly inspired him and yielded profound insights. Ye Fan mobilized all his resources, not only searching for the ancient Heavenly Court but also tirelessly seeking clues to the Immortal Ascension Map. To his surprise, he actually made a breakthrough discovery.

The eighth corner of the Immortal Ascension Opportunity Map was found beneath the foundation of an ancient temple. When a Buddhist niche was opened, besides some sariras, there was also a bone fragment. This was an ancient monastery, discovered by a novice monk. Even powerful Buddhist factions, upon learning of Ye Fan's visit and his desire to examine the bone fragment, did not dare refuse him and directly gifted it to him. This was a tremendous gain!

Besides searching for the ancient Heavenly Court and relics of divine battles, Ye Fan also diligently pursued the Immortal Ascension Opportunity Map, which would be of great use to him in the future. After obtaining the eighth corner of the Immortal Map, he paused all other matters, including his investigation into the Heavenly Court. Everything would be put on hold because he had made a major decision!

"Rongcheng, as a quasi-emperor, entered the Land of Immortal Ascension and ultimately returned, barely escaping with his life, after obtaining an immortal medicine," Ye Fan mused. "Although my strength is far from his after Dao Slaying, I have obtained eight corners of the Immortal Map, which is nearly complete. Perhaps I can go further."

The temptation of immortality was too great; no one would give up on it. Even Great Emperors strived for it their entire lives. How much more so for Ye Fan, for whom this was his ultimate goal. "I truly want to go in and explore," Ye Fan murmured to himself.

Only one corner of the map remained to complete it. It wasn't that he couldn't wait or was overly anxious, but he knew that particular corner had been shattered in ancient times and could never be obtained. Otherwise, the ancient sages would not have collectively departed.

"Hmm, one missing corner made them retreat. It seems the hope is slim, and success is difficult. Never mind, I'll just consider it scouting the path, go in and take a look first, without expecting certain success."

Ye Fan set off, accompanied only by Little Pine. Together, they traveled west into Kunlun Mountain, bypassing an ancient formation to reach a vast and boundless region. Little Pine's eyes widened instantly; this was a land of myriad Dragon Mountains from eternity, the ancestral mountain range itself, immense and awe-inspiring, like a living true dragon slumbering there.

The real Kunlun Mountains were endless great peaks, stretching boundlessly as far as the eye could see. Each peak resembled a dragon bone, soaring into the clouds, majestic and grand. Ancient pines were lush, and vast waterfalls cascaded, forming a picturesque scroll before them.

Ye Fan spent over half a month exploring the outer reaches of this mountain domain, observing the terrain, not daring to act rashly. He meticulously pieced together the eight corners of the Immortal Map, repeatedly studying them to find a safe path. However, the section of the path leading to the very center of the Land of Immortal Ascension was missing. When the map was assembled, only that central area was absent, which was a pity.

Twenty-odd days later, a flash of purple light appeared in the distance. Little Pine, like a small purple sprite, bounced out. Its tiny body clutched a one-meter-square piece of pure white jade. With its large, black-gem-like eyes blinking, it stumbled deliberately, swaying as it sought Ye Fan's praise.

"Oh, a foundation stone similar to the Heavenly Court's?" Ye Fan asked in surprise.

Little Pine puffed out its tiny chest, then nodded, turning and leaping towards a cliff. It led Ye Fan to a broken mountain, a place that looked like it had been struck by something. Ye Fan searched thoroughly and found a small patch of ruins nearby, where cultivators had once resided, building their cave dwellings with these jade stones, but they had been destroyed.

He caressed the jade stones, a tremor in his heart. They were indeed of the same origin as the Heavenly Court's foundation stones, containing similar magical formations. Unfortunately, there were only a dozen pieces in total.

"Heavenly Court... Kunlun..."

After deep contemplation, Ye Fan's heart jolted. "Could it be that there's a connection between the ancient Heavenly Court and the Ninety-Nine Dragon Mountains?" He couldn't help but feel shocked, as many thoughts immediately sprang to mind, all originating from ancient times so distant that they were difficult to trace.

In that era, who could possibly control ninety-nine immense Dragon Mountains to descend from one ancient star to another? Perhaps only the ancient Heavenly Court. "If such a super-force truly existed, capable of driving Dragon Mountains and even destroying many ancient life-bearing stars to nurture the hope of immortal ascension, then it could only be them!"

Ultimately, the Emperor died, divine generals in all domains fell into chaos, a great catastrophe occurred, and the Heavenly Court disintegrated. The various reasons and ancient secrets behind this were now unknown.

Ye Fan's heart surged with emotion, unable to calm for a long time. Divine battles and the Heavenly Court could possibly be linked to the Ninety-Nine Dragon Mountains. He gazed intently into the depths of Kunlun, saying, "Let's go. Relying on the eight-cornered map, we'll go in and take a look. Even if we gain nothing, we can protect ourselves. Let's see what the so-called Land of Immortal Ascension truly nurtured and what this 'hope of immortal ascension' actually is."

Little Pine's dark, glistening eyes sparkled with intelligence, and it hopped to his side. Ye Fan charted the terrain, then strode into the mountains, heading towards the deepest reaches of Kunlun.