Chapter 1024: Beidou Turmoil Arises Again

Chapter 1025: Troubles Brew Again in the Big Dipper

Majestic black mountains rose, each a king among mountains, an emperor among peaks, exuding a magnificent and grand aura. Their unique black bodies, the heart-pounding aura, and the eternal silence made this place seem transcendent, as if it stood outside the cycle of reincarnation.

Ye Fan was stunned. He was certain he hadn't made a mistake; this was the Undying Mountain. He had returned to the Big Dipper Starfield! He had originally expected to enter the depths of the cosmos and land on the ancient star named Flying Immortal. He had even prepared for the worst, ready to battle various divine races, but unexpectedly, when the path seemed blocked, a new opportunity arose.

"The Undying Mountain!" Ye Fan exhaled heavily.

"We've arrived at an ancient life-bearing star!" the Dragon Horse neighed, unable to suppress a long howl.

They hadn't fallen into the black mountains but were merely outside the range, in a sprawling wilderness where ancient trees towered to the sky and dense forests covered the land. In their eyes, the branches, leaves, and vines were the most beautiful sight. After traveling through the cosmos for more than half a year, all they had seen were barren stars, which was truly exhausting. From this, it was clear how terrifying the cosmos was. Though there were billions of stars, only a handful were true ancient life-bearing stars. All the monsters and demons they had encountered along the way were descendants of ancient saints who had attacked Hangu Pass.

"Master... have we reached the Big Dipper Starfield?" Zhang Qingyang asked tremblingly, partly from excitement and partly because the black mountains opposite him made him almost suffocate.

"What is this place? Why is it so unsettling?" the Divine Knight asked, his eyes gleaming with shock.

"This godforsaken place doesn't even have any beasts that make a sound. I'll just flatten it," the Dragon Horse grumbled, snorting white steam from its nostrils. Feeling oppressed by the aura, it was very displeased.

Ye Fan immediately warned it not to act rashly. This was one of the Big Dipper's seven great restricted zones, always a place of no return. Even ancient Great Emperors had fought here but failed to subdue it.

"That terrifying?" The Dragon Horse instantly quieted down.

Ye Fan was incredibly excited. After fourteen years, he had returned. He wondered how his old friends were, and if they were still well.

He led the way, with his back to the Undying Mountain, moving forward into the ancient forest. After walking for some distance, they finally heard the cries of apes and roars of tigers, and saw many exotic beasts. As the terrifying aura of the Undying Mountain receded and gradually disappeared, they all relaxed. Zhang Qingyang and Long Yuxuan were somewhat dazed; they had truly succeeded in traversing the cosmos, and it felt like a dream. They were from Earth, and although cultivators, they had also received modern education. Traveling from one planet to another starfield was truly fantastical, making them feel unreal.

"We traveled west from Hangu Pass, followed an ancient path into the starry sky, and arrived at the Big Dipper..." The two muttered to themselves, then their mouths twitched, and they giggled foolishly without stop.

"Haha..." The Dragon Horse laughed wildly, boasting that it would become a holy horse in this world in the shortest time possible, trampling all underfoot.

Everyone in the group was in high spirits. Not only the Dragon Horse, but even Ye Fan's emotions fluctuated intensely. He clenched his fists tightly, his gaze fixed on the distance.

"To my old friends with whom I once shared life and death, I'm back! And to my great enemies, perhaps you have forgotten me, but in the near future, you will remember me again."

"I've been dying to get my hooves on you... Stop right there!" The Dragon Horse ran wild, chasing a hybrid Peng bird. Its hooves thundered across the sky, and it forcibly stomped down a giant bird, whose body was like cast gold, from the heavens.

"Tonight we eat roasted Peng meat!" the Dragon Horse declared, full of vigor.

Everyone was amused. This fellow never ate vegetarian food; he wouldn't even deign to look at fodder unless it was ancient medicine thousands of years old. Most of the time, he was "eating meat."

At night, the bonfire crackled, and the aroma of Peng meat permeated the entire mountain forest. The group ate heartily. Zhang Qingyang even took out a few bottles of Maotai. Before leaving for Hangu Pass, he had bought a large quantity of cigarettes and alcohol, fearing he wouldn't adapt to life there.

"Master... I miss my mom," the child Huahua said, his face contorting as he cried. He hadn't uttered a sound despite experiencing so many bizarre things along the way, but upon truly reaching the destination, he became homesick.

Ye Fan had a headache. A child so young being brought to this part of the sky was truly difficult to arrange; how would he care for him? Handing Huahua over to a group of holy monks on Mount Sumeru in the Western Desert? No, he had no such intention. Such a talented and good-natured child, whose mind was filled with Buddhist scriptures, had no need to be sent away. He was a protector of the Buddhist path on the other side of the starry sky. He had fulfilled his promise to the ancient Buddha and would treat this child kindly, having already taken him as a disciple.

"If you miss your parents, you can work hard on your cultivation," Ye Fan said. "When you grow up, you'll be able to cross starfields and return." That was all he could say.

The morning glow radiated, and morning dew glistened with colorful light. Mist enveloped the mountain forest, and the fresh scent of grass and trees wafted towards them, making the awakened few feel a bit dazed, with a sense of unreality. For more than half a year, they had drifted from one barren star to another, battling many divine races and enduring numerous hardships. Finally, they had reached their destination.

"Let's go, it's time!"

Ye Fan changed his appearance. He didn't know what had happened in the past fourteen years or what the outside world was like now; he needed to find out. He earnestly warned the Dragon Horse and the others that this world was very dangerous; even Dao Slayers were not powerful enough. There were Primordial Ancestor Kings to contend with, so they had to be extremely cautious. The Dragon Horse, of course, had to withdraw its dragon aura and transform into a hybrid Dragon Horse. Otherwise, its appearance would certainly cause immense trouble. This was a mount only ancient Great Emperors could possess; this bloodline hadn't been seen for over a hundred thousand years!

The Central Eastern Wasteland had once been glorious and brilliant, leading the world's trends. Various inheritances clashed, sparking brilliant flames, and many ancient ruins dotted the land. Sky Scar City had a long history, having existed for tens of thousands of years. It was one of the ten great ancient cities of the Central Domain, with majestic city walls built of bluestone, lying like a green dragon.

When Ye Fan and his group entered the city, no one paid them any mind, because this massive city was frequented by all sorts of eccentric and extraordinary individuals every day; they weren't particularly conspicuous.

"You said you'd treat us to Enlightenment Tea, and you made it sound very extraordinary," the Dragon Horse grumbled. "I wonder what it's really like. Don't just find some shabby teahouse to fool us."

The Longevity Tea House was a five-story building, antique in style. Those who entered and exited were no ordinary people; all were powerful cultivators. It was famous for selling Enlightenment Tea, available only once or twice a year, and always at an exorbitant price. The Undying Mountain only produced a few dozen tea leaves per year, so the fact that they could acquire some each year was enough to demonstrate their extraordinary status.

Ye Fan didn't know if they could buy it. The main purpose was to gather some information. After leaving the ancient forest, they had come directly to this ancient city. The aroma of tea permeated the air, refreshing the mind. The Divine Knight took a small sip, exclaiming that it was good tea. In the end, they didn't obtain any Enlightenment Tea. With the emergence of ancient races, this rare divine tea had become even more precious. With only a few dozen tea leaves available in total each year, the competition was fierce.

The Dragon Horse transformed into human form. At first, he pretended to sip tea elegantly, but eventually, he directly produced a massive jade bowl and had the slightly dazed waiter fill it, then began guzzling greedily. People at other tables all burst into laughter.

"Alas, we are old," someone sighed. "Truly, every era produces its talents, each leading the way for centuries. The prowess of the younger generation now is truly awe-inspiring."

"Isn't that right?" another person chimed in. "Even Huang Xudao's disciple can now shake the world... and he's still under twenty, isn't he?"

"The Ten Thousand Beginnings Holy Land has also cultivated an unparalleled genius. This comes from their painful reflection; their former Holy Son and Holy Daughter were both slain. Now they are pouring all their efforts into nurturing this prodigy... one can imagine they've been holding back their anger for all these years."

Ye Fan drank his tea, listening quietly. He stopped the Dragon Horse from asking questions, making them listen silently.

The Longevity Tea House had good business; cultivators from all directions frequented it. People liked to discuss various matters of the cultivation world here; it was a good place for small gatherings.

"Now the times have changed. Unrivaled venerables like Huang Xudao and the Heavenly Sovereign's Son haven't made a move for five or six years, have they? Even the disciples they trained can now roam the world unhindered."

"If Yaoguang doesn't appear, who can contend?"

"Do you think the Yaoguang Holy Lord has truly embarked on the ancient starry path? If he's still in this world, why hasn't he appeared for the past few years?"

"Well, in the era when Saints did not emerge," another person added, "Yaoguang, in that battle eight years ago, was almost unrivaled across the world. Such glorious battle achievements are still unforgettable!"

Ye Fan showed a strange expression. The former Yaoguang Holy Son had now become the Holy Land's master and had become so formidable. He heard these people say he had embarked on the starry path; what was going on?

"After all these years, counting all the heroes under heaven," someone said, "one still has to first mention Huang Xudao, the Heavenly Sovereign's Son, the Yaoguang Holy Son, the Holy Emperor's Son, and others. All of them had a period where they swept across the world."

"Tsk, you missed one person," another interjected. "Back then, the Sacred Body dominated the scene. He also made his peers unable to raise their heads, slaying Holy Sons and Divine Sons. He too had a glorious period."

"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten," another person mused. "Counting carefully, he should have left fourteen or fifteen years ago, right? He was indeed a character. I just wonder if his cultivation has made significant progress now."

"Masters, who are you talking about?" a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl asked a group of elders.

An old man dotingly patted the girl's head, his thoughts distant, and said, "It was a person named Ye Fan. When he left back then, you hadn't even been born. Those truly were unforgettable years."

"Was he very powerful?" the girl asked, tilting her head, her bright eyes wide.

Many people in the tea house looked over; clearly, many were drawn to their conversation and recalled the past events. Another elder patted the girl's head and said, "The Sacred Body, during that period, was definitely a universally known powerhouse. And the current Heavenly Sovereign's Son, Yaoguang Holy Son, and others were all his great enemies."

"When Yaoguang emerges, who can contend? When the Heavenly Sovereign's Son appears, all under heaven tremble in fear. He alone was once an enemy to these venerables, and he still managed to survive?" The girl's eyes sparkled.

"Child, you underestimate him," the elder corrected. "When he dominated the scene back then, he never suffered a single defeat among his peers. Even powerhouses like Yaoguang, formidable as the Heavenly Sovereign's Son, and as courageous as Fire Qilin Son, couldn't harm his life, and no one dared to truly fight him to the death."

"That's right," another person agreed. "How magnificent were those Holy Sons, yet they were all suppressed by him alone. Recall Yuan, who possessed the ancient Emperor's bloodline, yet he was slain by him. And Hua Yunfei, like a banished immortal who astounded the world, also ended up fading away."

"So where did he go?" the girl pressed.

"He left this ancient star, his whereabouts unknown," an elder replied. "No one knows if he's still alive; the starry path is dangerous."

Just then, a heavy cold snort was heard. A group of people rose from their seats and went downstairs with unpleasant expressions.

"Tsk, those are people from the Ten Thousand Beginnings Holy Land," someone whispered. "Speaking of the Sacred Body's past like that, they're surely displeased. Back then, Ye Fan indeed slew their Holy Son and also their Holy Daughter."

"Well, they finally cultivated a heaven-defying genius whom they cherish immensely. Today, this genius will have a battle with someone named Ye Tong."

"That's right, there will be a battle between heaven-defying geniuses today, chosen to take place in this city. So many powerhouses have rushed here just to watch this world-renowned battle."

"Do you know?" someone else chimed in. "I heard that this person named Ye Tong is related to the Human Sacred Body from back then, either his disciple or his child, and was raised by that scoundrel, that damn dog who deserves to die ten thousand times over."

"I've heard about it already," another person affirmed. "Otherwise, why would the genius from Ten Thousand Beginnings fight him? They just want to vent their anger for the Holy Land and continue the confrontation with the Sacred Body."

Ye Fan was startled. Who was Ye Tong? Could it be his eldest disciple, Tongtong? He was in a daze; so many years had passed, and the little one should indeed have grown up.

"This time, it's truly a gathering of forces," someone observed. "It's said that many ancient race powerhouses have also come to watch this battle. They all suffered greatly at the hands of the Sacred Body back then, and now they want to see how his disciple fares."

Clearly, Sky Scar City was abuzz, and everything was due to the impending duel between a pair of heaven-defying geniuses from the younger generation!