Chapter 1030: Astonishing the World

Chapter 1031: World-Shaking

A cool breeze swept through... The Fire Spirit Gorge was desolate and cold, having long been razed to the ground and turned into a forbidden land. Yet, the distant mountains were bustling with people and a cacophony of voices. Everyone had a premonition that a greater storm might erupt, perhaps very soon.

Ye Fan, wielding the black divine spear, had severed a wisp of the Emperor's Son's primordial spirit imprint. Everything was now set in motion. How could the Son of the Undying Emperor, who looked down on all, tolerate such an affront? This was akin to heaven and earth collapsing, or the sun colliding with the earth; clearly, a great storm was imminent!

Ye Fan stood, having retrieved his spear. Many watched him intently, wanting to peer into his soul and discern his true nature. Everyone felt his rise was too sudden. Why had this person never appeared before? It was as if he had soared to prominence overnight.

Ye Fan's expression was calm as he swept his gaze across the crowd. Wherever his eyes landed, people lowered their heads. No one dared to meet his gaze; there was a strange power in his eyes. Most of the ancient races chose to remain silent. No one incited action, nor did anyone step forward. The black spear tip earlier had been truly terrifying, and no one dared to make a rash move again. The crowd quieted down. As the mountain wind blew, many felt a chill. The appearance of such an extraordinary master today made many realize their own insignificance; cultivation truly had no end.

In the sky, a clear radiance shone, and a spatial gate opened. A roguish-looking man emerged, laughing heartily.

"Good disciple, well done! You knocked that Wannu fellow down. You should have been a bit tougher, made him cry for his daddy and mommy."

The man had disheveled black hair and sinister eyes; he clearly didn't look like a good person. If a young girl or child walked with him, people would certainly feel uneasy.

"Master Litian," Ye Tong said with a shy smile. Gone was his dazzling battle prowess; he now seemed like a big boy from next door.

"That lecherous rogue founded the Human Desire Dao. It's said that to peek at a certain ancient goddess bathing, he once hid in a hot spring for half a year."

"Exactly, that's the infamous lecherous rogue. Everyone knows there are many who want to tear him limb from limb."

After more than a decade, Litian's charisma remained, and he lived a comfortable life. He fanned himself with a folding fan. Though his demeanor wasn't that of a good person, his extraordinary character was undeniable.

"Alright, we should head back. That dog made a fortune in secret this time; it brought out a stone tablet with some scriptures from Wannu," Litian said.

"What?!" The crowd gasped in astonishment. That dog was indeed audacious; there was no outrageous deed it wouldn't dare to commit in this world.

Many had heard that the ancient scriptures of Wannu came from nine stone tablets, containing the mysteries of heaven and earth and the secrets of primordial creation, making them treasures of the cultivation world. While Ye Tong was fighting here, that dog went to raid the Wannu Holy Land's lair? Many made this connection and were left dumbfounded.

Upon hearing this news, the Wannu Holy Lord's eyes first widened in fury, then he spat out a mouthful of blood. This loss was heavy, and a great humiliation.

"No way, did the Black Emperor's formation research succeed? Did it breach and loot the core of Wannu?" Ye Tong's eyes sparkled with surprise.

Hearing these words, everyone felt an urge to spit blood. That scoundrel dog made their teeth itch with hatred; if it had another major breakthrough, wouldn't it become a super menace?

Litian chuckled mischievously, "No, it's a Holy Land after all, how could it just storm into its depths? It only blasted open a gap and coincidentally dug up a stone tablet from underground."

"Oh, I thought it was one of Wannu's nine stone tablets. So it wasn't," Tong Tong said disappointedly.

"Maybe it's the tenth stone tablet, never discovered before! Let's go," Litian called out. Then he beckoned to Dongfang Ye, Yaoyue Kong, and the others, inviting them to join for a celebratory drink. They spoke freely as if no one else was around, prompting a wave of discussion. Only the people from Wannu Holy Land had ashen faces; regardless of the truth, their reputation was utterly ruined.

"Hey, where's that uncle?" Ye Tong turned around, only to find that Ye Fan had already vanished without a trace. At that moment, the others were also startled. They had only seen a flash, and Ye Fan had disappeared into thin air. No one knew where he had gone; he was incredibly fast.

Ye Fan did not immediately step forward to speak with his old acquaintances. He didn't want to reveal his identity publicly yet, unsure how many eyes were still watching him. This was no longer Earth. He was not arrogant enough to believe himself invincible. This was the Big Dipper Ancient Star Domain, where any random Archaic King could cause immense trouble. He had left this ancient star twice and returned successfully twice. It was probable that a group of Ancestor Kings had long wanted to capture and interrogate him thoroughly.

He didn't want to provoke Saint-level figures immediately upon his return. The so-called "era where Saints do not appear..." was likely not true. If a Saint truly emerged, what could anyone do? So many years had passed; the "decree of the Great Emperor Wu Shi" was probably no longer as effective. It was likely less useful than Gai Jiuyou's prolonged life.

On the horizon, Ye Fan sat astride the Dragon Steed, long since departed from the Fire Spirit Gorge, traveling through a vast wilderness.

The Dragon Steed grumbled, looking disappointed. "If it were me, I'd shout in front of everyone, 'Your grandpa is back! All you grandsons, come and worship me!'"

Ye Fan immediately slapped it. "If you want to be a target for the whole world, you don't need to do that. It would be simpler to just challenge an Ancestor King directly."

"What's an Ancestor King? I can stomp a whole row of them to death with one hoof!" The Dragon Steed retorted stubbornly, looking defiant.

Ye Fan said gravely, "This isn't Earth. I've warned you before, your so-called masters are nothing here on this ancient star."

"How do these old turtles live so long? When will it be my turn to rise, trample the Big Dipper, and make them eat dust?" The Dragon Steed sighed.

In Sky Scar City, Ye Fan had heard an unverified piece of news that made him concerned. It was rumored that both the Central Emperor and the Southern Demon had disappeared, and the Light Shaking Holy Son hadn't appeared for several years. There were whispers that Archaic Ancestor Kings had secretly killed them. Before achieving Dao Severance, no matter how heaven-defying a prodigy you were, you were merely titular. If you couldn't pass the Dao Severance hurdle, you amounted to nothing. But once one achieved Dao Severance, it was entirely different. With the opportunity to become a Saint, it posed a threat to the Archaic Kings. If such peerless individuals completed their Dao... they could undoubtedly sweep across the world. Now, many were privately discussing... The reason for the disappearance of the peerless Central Emperor and the heaven-defying Southern Demon was likely that they had met a foul end, assassinated by the Archaic Kings.

"Master, it seems you're in great danger then. None of the Archaic Kings are easy to deal with," Zhang Qingyang said. He and Long Yuxuan had initially been very excited... Not long ago, Ye Fan had swept across all directions, making the ancient races unable to raise their heads, which thrilled them. However, at this moment, both showed worry, concerned about Ye Fan's situation, fearing that the Archaic Kings, knowing the Human Saint Body had returned, would also strike ruthlessly.

"No matter, I'm not afraid. Since I dared to return, I naturally have a contingency plan. I just don't want to confront them immediately upon my return. After all, I've been away for fourteen years... I'll get a clear understanding first before making a decision," Ye Fan said. Over a decade had passed; time had flown by. Even little Tong Tong had grown up. Many things could have happened, and he wondered what changes this world had undergone in recent years.

"The Ji family siblings have also disappeared..." Ye Fan mused, as he had used a wisp of his avatar to inquire along the way, thus learning this news.

"Master, where are we going?" Long Yuxuan asked. This world astonished him; it was vast beyond measure, with boundless mountains and rivers, and an endless wilderness.

"To the Heavenly Court, to meet old friends," Ye Fan smiled. His heart swelled with emotion. After so many years, being able to return and reunite made even someone of his cultivation level unable to remain calm; his heart was pounding.

"I'd like to explore this world for a while," the Divine Knight said.

Ye Fan paused, glanced at him, and said, "Since I brought you to this world, I naturally consider you a friend... Come with me to the Heavenly Court; there's no need to be formal."

The Divine Knight was silent for a moment, then said, "Alright."

Ye Fan was determined to keep this person. He had achieved Dao Severance even in an environment like Earth, forcing his way to this point. Becoming a Saint in the Big Dipper in the future would certainly not be a problem. Moreover, it might not be far off, as the Divine Knight had been suppressed for an unknown number of years. A "wellspring" phenomenon was highly likely to occur on this ancient star.

That day, news of the battle in the Fire Spirit Gorge spread throughout the world, astonishing all parties and shaking the realm. The Saint Body's disciple had emerged and defeated the Chaos Body, making even the elder generation shudder and feel inferior. The news spread far and wide. Ye Fan had been gone for over a decade, but everything about him was once again remembered. People exclaimed in surprise that Ye Tong had inherited his mantle, virtually becoming a second Ye Fan, destined to fight for his master across the world in the future!

At the same time, news of the mysterious expert, wielding a black spear and challenging and killing Dao Severers from all paths, also spread throughout the five domains, causing even greater shock and astounding the entire world.

"He pierced the Emperor's Son's primordial spirit imprint with a single spear, nailing it in mid-air for all to see!"

"A single battle shook the world—what an extraordinary tale! Someone is challenging an ancient emperor's bloodline!"

It was a consensus that the mysterious expert would soon battle the Emperor's Son. Cultivators across the world anticipated it, predicting a world-shaking showdown. This was a frenzy that swept across the entire realm. Almost everyone speculated about the identity of this powerful individual, sparking a massive uproar. From that day forward, the mysterious expert became the central topic of discussion. Almost everyone talked about him, with new guesses emerging daily, virtually encompassing every possibility.

"He is an Emperor's Son, unable to stand the ancient races' sole dominance, intending to stop conflict through battle and deter all races!"

This speculation caused a great stir throughout the world. Many were half-believing, half-doubting, yet found it quite plausible.

"Did you sense it that day? Although his vital energy wasn't unleashed externally, it lay dormant within him, yet it was still terrifying like a vast sea. I suspect he might be another Saint Body!"

This conjecture caused an even greater uproar worldwide.

"The Path to Immortality is about to open. Perhaps the entire Big Dipper Star Domain will no longer be peaceful. It might be that people from outside this domain are arriving one after another!"

This kind of speculation was even more unsettling because Grand Saint Huntuo had said ten years ago that perhaps one day, powerful cultivators from beyond this domain would descend.

"Master, with just one move, you've stirred up a storm and sparked endless conjectures among the people, yet no one has guessed the truth," Zhang Qingyang said.

"They'll know I'm back, sooner or later," Ye Fan said, looking towards the distant sky.

That day, they opened a spatial gate and traveled through a dark and long path, arriving directly at Celestial Village.

"Ah, I'm going to die, I can't take it anymore!" The moment they entered Celestial Village, Long Yuxuan and Zhang Qingyang exchanged glances. Such piercing screams made their hair stand on end.

Ye Fan smiled. This sound was all too familiar; it was the Silver-Blood Twin Emperors being drilled, their screams of misery.

"Woof, it's not enough! How are you going to help me destroy the Emperor's Son in your current state?" On the horizon, a black dog as massive as a small mountain stood, roaring like an unrivaled demonic king.

Suddenly, the giant black dog turned around, staring intently at Ye Fan and his companions, its pair of bell-like eyes almost bulging out. Beneath Ye Fan, the Dragon Steed pawed the ground vigorously, snorting white smoke from its nostrils, also staring fixedly ahead.