Chapter 1034: Divine Fetus

Under the stone valley, a Qilin beast lay solitary on a green stone. Ancient herbs grew rooted in the cliff walls, accompanied by orchids, and purple mist permeated the air, creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

A gentle breeze stirred, causing the Saintess of Yaochi's beautiful hair to float and her snowy white dress to billow, gracefully outlining her figure. She resembled a goddess descending from the heavens.

Her beauty was undeniable, astonishing the world. Various immortal sacred lands, ancient divine dynasties from the Central Plains, and numerous royal families of ancient clans had all proposed marriage, but all were politely declined.

Ye Fan smiled. Since he had been recognized, there was no need to conceal himself further. The Yaochi had never shown him any ill will, so he had no reason to worry.

"Do you have any hush money?" the Saintess of Yaochi asked with a smile. Her captivating beauty outshone all the surrounding divine flowers.

"What could I possibly have?" Ye Fan teased. "Aside from killing you to silence you, or perhaps offering myself, I truly have nothing else presentable."

The Saintess of Yaochi glanced at him, a strand of dark, lustrous hair clinging to her fair cheek. She looked pure, ethereal, and lively. "Brother Ye's return is truly a miracle," she said. "You should be congratulated."

"Just a fluke," he replied.

"I'd like to ask for your help, Brother Ye," the Saintess of Yaochi said.

"Oh, with the legacy of the Western Emperor behind you, what difficulties could you possibly face?" Ye Fan said noncommittally.

"This matter is insignificant for you, easily accomplished, yet it will have a profound impact on Yaochi. Therefore, I earnestly ask for your assistance," the Saintess of Yaochi explained.

The more she spoke this way, the more surprised Ye Fan became. He instinctively stroked his chin and asked, "What exactly is it?"

"We wish to borrow a few strands of your Saint's Blood, Brother Ye," the Saintess of Yaochi said, her peerless beauty radiating a faint glow from her skin, as she looked at him with a serious expression.

"So that's it!" Ye Fan immediately understood their intention and fell into thought. This was a significant matter, potentially world-shattering if not handled carefully.

"It will not harm you, Brother Ye; a few strands of Saint's Blood will cause you no ill effects. We sincerely hope for your assistance," the Saintess of Yaochi said softly.

"My blood isn't so hard to acquire, but what you intend to use it for worries me," Ye Fan said, gazing forward, trying to discern her true intentions.

Yaochi possessed several mysterious and enigmatic strange stones. Four had been sought out by successive generations of Western Queen Mothers, and three were gifted by Zhang Lin, the fifth-generation Source Heaven Master. The previous Yaochi convention had been centered around these very stones.

The Son of the Heavenly Sovereign was inside one of these strange stones, which Ye Fan had discerned. At the time, he was gestating within a pure white, jade-like egg, with astonishing divine pattern fluctuations. Eventually, the ancient clans arrived and took him away.

Another strange stone, even more unique, had nine orifices and eight holes. Yaochi held it in extreme reverence; from ancient times to the present, successive sages had preached laws and scriptures to it.

Previously, when the Monkey King came seeking the sacred Pan Tao medicine, Yaochi had him exchange it for his Battle God Blood, which was used to nourish that immortal stone for over a month. Ye Fan remembered this clearly.

Now that the Saintess of Yaochi was making this request, it was certainly for that same strange stone. Back then, his Dao was not yet complete, and his Saint's Blood would not have been as potent. But now, it was vastly different.

"Saintess, I urge you to reconsider," Ye Fan said, frowning. "It's hard to say whether it's a blessing or a curse for a divine embryo birthed by heaven and earth to continue existing. This is truly quite risky."

He did not voice his more alarming thoughts: if the divine embryo with nine orifices and eight holes were to emerge, it could be a great disaster. Few could subdue it, save for ancient Great Emperors.

"Brother Ye speaks wisely," the Saintess of Yaochi acknowledged, admitting she too had harbored concerns. However, she later found peace, as a sage had, in their later years, poured their heart and soul into enlightening it. This stone embryo had long since become connected with them.

Sages were incredibly powerful; generations of them preaching and expounding scriptures had long since transformed the divine embryo, making it a part of Yaochi and incapable of evil.

Ye Fan remained silent, saying nothing more. How could Yaochi's decision be swayed by a few words from him? This was the fruit of their profound effort, and even ancient sages believed it was harmless. What else could he do?

He knew that if this divine embryo did not emerge, that was one thing, but once it did, it would undoubtedly be incredibly powerful. After all, for so many years, it had been listening to the sermons of sages and eminent figures, likely having comprehended the entire Western Emperor Scripture.

"Have you agreed, Brother Ye?" the Saintess of Yaochi asked.

"I'd like to consider it," Ye Fan replied.

"It seems Brother Ye still has reservations," the Saintess of Yaochi said.

"I think you still remember what the Black Sovereign said," Ye Fan stated. "Though it's a scoundrel, its words are not false, especially since it followed the Great Emperor Wushi."

During the Yaochi convention, the Black Sovereign had mentioned that over a hundred thousand years ago, a powerful sacred land attempted something similar. A Holy Spirit emerged, utterly destroying that sacred land. If not for the Great Emperor Wushi's perfected Dao, which powerfully suppressed and killed it, it would be hard to imagine what kind of catastrophic disaster would have ensued.

The Saintess of Yaochi nodded. "There's no more time," she said. "The Path to Immortality is about to open. With humanity's current strength, how many can truly break through?"

She didn't say much more, but Ye Fan could sense the urgency felt by all the great sacred lands in the world. Currently, all immortal legacies were striving for this, hoping to ascend to immortality.

Ye Fan returned to his hermitage and spoke with Liu Yiyi about many things from the other side of the starry sky. This left her with mixed emotions, occasionally shedding tears, as she deeply missed her homeland.

"Don't worry, there's a good chance you can go back!" Ye Fan reassured her, though he didn't elaborate on the matter.

The next day, the Saintess of Yaochi returned, asking Ye Fan about his decision. He found it difficult to refuse, as Yaochi had always shown him kindness and had helped him in the past. Even though he felt it was inappropriate, he couldn't decline. He nodded in agreement and said, "If something goes wrong, aren't the ancient clans still around? Let them also 'share the spoils' then."

The Saintess of Yaochi's smile was so enchanting it could topple cities, making the sun itself lose its luster. "If Brother Ye is willing to help, that would be wonderful," she said. "We certainly won't let you lose blood in vain. You can ask for anything you need."

What was Ye Fan most interested in regarding Yaochi? Naturally, it was the Forbidden Chapter of the Western Emperor Scripture, whose final page recorded the Western Emperor's most profound insights, secret techniques, and legacy from her entire life.

Unfortunately, he knew this was impossible. No one would impart such a secret method. The final secret techniques of ancient Great Emperors were rarely used by others, let alone obtained by outsiders.

"I want to understand how the Western Emperor forged the Immortal Tear Green Gold Pagoda," Ye Fan said after careful consideration, proposing this request.

"The forging of Emperor Weapons... what later generations know is incomplete," the Saintess of Yaochi replied, a strange light flashing in her eyes. "However, we can do our best to search for information in our scripture repository for you."

How difficult it was to forge an Emperor Weapon! For a Great Emperor, it was a supremely important task in their life. Even after their demise, an Emperor Weapon served as an extension of their life, capable of protecting their descendants.

In the current era, what was most precious? Undoubtedly, the weapons of ancient Great Emperors!

Deep in the sky, chaotic energy permeated the air. The Western Emperor Pagoda appeared and vanished, floating, seemingly suppressing the very beginning of creation. Wisps of immortal energy descended from it, guarding the entire pure land.

Ye Fan and the Saintess of Yaochi proceeded together towards the most significant area. While there, as he opened his celestial eye and gazed up at the Immortal Tear Green Gold Pagoda, he noticed a small wooden hut not far from the Emperor Pagoda.

A lonely woman stood on the clouds, gazing into the distance, her expression holding an indescribable sadness.

Ye Fan's expression shifted. He recognized her at a glance: this was Yang Yi, the confidante of Zhang Lin, the fifth-generation Source Heaven Master, and the Saintess of Yaochi from ten thousand years ago.

He said nothing more, sighing inwardly. Zhang Lin had pacified the Northern Region in one battle, single-handedly annihilating the Divine Spirit Valley, yet he had buried himself in the morning glow, never to return.

"When will the Path to Immortality truly open?" Ye Fan suddenly asked.

The Saintess of Yaochi paused, looked at him, and replied, "No one can say for sure, but it shouldn't be too long. Even the ancient clans are restless and making preparations."

"There's something else I'm quite curious about, something I've always wanted to ask, but it always felt a bit presumptuous..." Ye Fan began.

"What is it?" the Saintess of Yaochi asked.

"I once heard that Yaochi's original location wasn't here, that it was moved from somewhere else. Is that true, and why did it move?" Ye Fan had once visited that place with the Black Sovereign, and the Palace of Dao chapter of the Western Emperor Scripture was obtained there. However, he absolutely could not mention this, or he would be in great trouble.

Yaochi's former site was utterly devoid of life, utterly desolate and eerily strange. Moreover, whenever he thought of that immortal pool, a chill ran down his spine; countless young and beautiful corpses, all Yaochi disciples, lay at its bottom, buried there for unknown reasons.

According to the Black Sovereign, the materials for the Western Emperor Pagoda were discovered deep within that pool.

Upon hearing this, the Saintess of Yaochi's expression turned solemn. She shook her head and said, "That is an old matter, too ancient. Few within Yaochi know the full story, and I am also unaware."

Ahead, water mist hung thick, imbued with immortal energy, and various iridescent lights pulsed. They arrived at Yaochi's most significant place—the Immortal Pool.

The sect's name originated from the Immortal Pool. There was one at the former site, and one existed here as well, both said to spring from the same root source.

This area was like a dreamlike immortal realm. Ordinary people had to stop, utterly unable to approach.

Here, auspicious beasts appeared and vanished, while propitious birds soared. Rare birds and exotic beasts resembling three-legged Golden Crows, fiery phoenixes, and Qilins roamed nearby.

An ancient tree, its branches reaching high into the sky, was incredibly tall, like a coiled dragon. This was the renowned Pan Tao Sacred Tree. It was rooted by the Immortal Pool, drawing essence from it, and its medicinal fragrance filled the air.

Moreover, this entire area was covered with clusters and clumps of Ganoderma and orchids, growing everywhere like weeds.

Such divine land was rare in the world, an excellent place for nurturing heavenly and earthly spiritual embryos. Even a weed growing here would gain sentience, let alone an exotic plant.

A glint flashed in Ye Fan's eyes. He saw the ancient clan members he had encountered earlier. The leader, a Dao-Severing expert, accompanied by a senior figure from Yaochi, stood before the Pan Tao Sacred Tree, sprinkling mysterious blood onto a strange stone.

"The aura of the Son of the Heavenly Sovereign!" Divine light blazed in Ye Fan's eyes. From the brilliant five-colored blood, he sensed his enemy's presence.

The Saintess of Yaochi nodded. "They are indeed subordinates of the Son of the Heavenly Sovereign," she confirmed.

"Did you also request blood from the Son of the Heavenly Sovereign?" Ye Fan asked.

"No, he offered it voluntarily," the Saintess of Yaochi replied. "He once tried to exchange the ancient scripture of the Undying Heavenly Sovereign for our strange stone with nine orifices and eight holes."

"What?" Ye Fan was astonished. The scripture left by the Undying Heavenly Sovereign was known as the Ancient God Scripture. He had awed the entire Primeval Era, revered by all races, supreme and unmatched.

Such a figure could look down upon all ages, unrivaled in the world. The scripture he authored was naturally profound beyond measure; he was regarded by all races as an existence transcending gods!

"We could never agree," the Saintess of Yaochi stated. "The Path to Immortality is about to open. An immortal scripture, even if presented before us, cannot compare to this divine embryo."

Ye Fan's expression stirred. "Were Yaochi's strange stones kept together in the past?" he asked.

"Though they had contact, they were not sealed in one place," the Saintess of Yaochi replied.

Ye Fan stared at the Stone King beneath the ancient Pan Tao tree, then at the Son of the Heavenly Sovereign's brilliant five-colored blood, pondering silently for a moment.