Chapter 1101: Forbidden Land Wilderness

Chapter 1102: The Desolation of the Forbidden Zone

"I hate it..."

Huo Tan was unwilling, letting out a shrill roar, howling like a wild beast, but it changed nothing. In the end, death was inevitable.

A gentle breeze swept through the forbidden zone, stirring ancient trees. A cloud of ashes rose as Huo Tan, consumed by his own destructive holy light, turned into dust and scattered with the wind.

From a distance, Ye Fan quietly watched everything, his purple robe fluttering, his expression calm. After a long time, he heard sounds from behind; Duan De and the others had arrived.

"Haha... A saint has been slaughtered! This is truly defying the heavens!" The Dragon Horse roared with laughter, stomping its hooves, sparks flying. It nearly stumbled into the forbidden zone by accident.

Ye Fan was not overly excited. He recognized the immense gap between himself and a saint; it was immeasurable. Had they not been within this life forbidden zone, there would have been no hope of victory.

"The disparity is too great. As saints, they are unimaginably powerful. Even by luring him into the life forbidden zone, Ye Fan lost another one of his bodies," the Black Emperor said, its expression solemn.

That body was effectively another Ye Fan, made of flesh and blood, with no difference between the two. Its death in the forbidden zone indicated that if Ye Fan's true self had entered, he would have perished with Huo Tan.

"In the current world, to secure a foothold, one must become a saint. Otherwise, with the arrival of ancient sages from beyond this realm, things will become even more complicated, and chaos will surely engulf the world," Duan De stated.

"Becoming a saint!" An invisible pressure emerged in Ye Fan's heart. This was merely a newly ascended saint. How terrifying would a true ancient saint be?

And what terrifying cultivation would those few Great Saints, standing at the pinnacle of the entire ancient star, possess? Just thinking about this question sent chills down one's spine.

"Huo Tan left something behind," Ye Tong said.

Ye Fan had already noticed it, but it was not suitable to enter at that moment. Performing the One Qi Transforms Three Purities technique required time and could not be used continuously.

As the red sun set in the west, a wisp of pure energy emerged from Ye Fan's head, forming another version of himself. This flesh-and-blood body entered the forbidden zone and went to where Huo Tan had died. Beneath a pile of ashes, there were several cracked saint bones and a palm-sized jade stone.

After they retrieved them, Duan De curled his lips and said, "The bones are rotten; they can't compare to a Saint King's and are useless for crafting artifacts."

The Black Emperor examined the jade stone, identifying it as a secret treasure crafted by a Great Saint. Though not a weapon, it possessed wondrous uses.

Everyone frowned. Just as expected, Huo Tan indeed had a Great Saint backing him, which was a cause for concern.

"No worries, wear these items, and you'll be safe," the Black Emperor said, distributing a string of pendants to them. Carved from the branches of the Enlightenment Divine Tree, they contained heaven-deceiving formation patterns.

"This secret treasure can be placed in the green cauldron. Once the Great Saint's aura is neutralized, I'll examine it," the Black Emperor added.

The group left the forbidden zone. They hadn't gone far when they felt the mountains tremble slightly, and a howl echoed from the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone.

"Boom!"

A tremendous force surged out of the forbidden zone, spreading through the mountains. Many birds and beasts instantly turned into skeletal remains, sending shivers down everyone's spines.

"Hurry! Something alarming seems to be happening in this place!"

They quickly retreated, then ascended high into the sky, revealing expressions of shock as they watched from afar.

The nine sacred mountains spewed mist and multi-colored clouds, shrouded in various ethereal fogs. They appeared indistinct and hazy, vastly different from before.

"Several Desolate Slaves have appeared above the abyss!"

They all opened their Eye of Heaven, allowing them to see for thousands of miles. They spotted several figures, each clad in ancient attire, all with terrifying backgrounds.

One of them was a woman of unparalleled beauty, none other than the Heavenly Vortex Saintess from six thousand years ago, the foremost beauty of the Eastern Wasteland. Yet now, she was a mere walking corpse, her eyes devoid of luster.

"None of them are ordinary; they are all extraordinary beings!" Duan De squinted his eyes, his emotions somewhat stirred.

He then noticed an old man with white hair, wearing an ancient Taoist robe, his face deeply lined with wrinkles, his white hair like snow, and his eyes lead-gray.

"Who knew... This is Ancient Saint Xia Feng. He once had several audiences with the Azure Emperor, and his cultivation had reached the peak of creation, yet here he is, a slave," Duan De stated calmly.

From ancient times until now, peerless experts nearing the end of their lives almost invariably made the same choice in their old age: to brave the seven great life forbidden zones in search of immortal elixirs, hoping to live a second life.

Unfortunately, no one has ever been known to succeed!

Several figures appeared above the abyss, but only two could be identified, each with a more prominent background than the last. The others, wearing even more ancient attire, were unrecognizable, their origins unknown.

"Clang!"

The sound of iron chains reached them clearly, even from such a distance. A surge of black mist erupted, and a figure stood in the void. Only a pair of eyes were visible, flickering with green light, astonishingly profound.

The Eye of Heaven was ineffective; Ye Fan and the others could not see through the black mist or discern the figure's body. That place remained entirely mysterious.

"Rumble!"

The entire Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone trembled, and the black mist surged violently, almost spilling over the outer edge of the forbidden area. The sound of chains clanked incessantly, as if right beside them.

"What's happening? What's about to occur?" The Great Black Dog's fur stood on end, and it bared its teeth, feeling a wave of unease.

"He's not actually coming out, is he?" Ye Tong, despite possessing the Sun Divine Body, felt a chill run through him, sensing a peculiar aura.

It was rumored that the Path to Immortality would open in the Southern Domain, and ancient saints had predicted it might appear within the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone. With ancient sages from beyond this realm choosing this very spot immediately upon their arrival, could these predictions truly be coming to pass?

"Clang!"

The iron chains rattled incessantly, producing an incredibly grating sound of metal grinding, clanking loudly. It was as if many metal chains were taut, ready to snap at any moment.

"Is he... the true Desolate One? Is he about to break free and escape the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone?" Everyone present gasped, knowing that if this came true, it would unleash immense chaos!

"Black Emperor, did this forbidden zone exist during the Primordial Beginning era?" Ye Fan asked.

"It should have existed long before," the Black Emperor replied, staring at the nine sacred mountains where black mist surged, obscuring the sun, moon, and stars.

"Did the Great Emperor Primordial Beginning ever mention what kind of place this is, or if he fought here?"

"Haven't I told you before? I truly don't know such things. When I followed the Great Emperor Primordial Beginning, he was already in his late years and in seclusion. It's impossible for me to know all the great deeds he performed," the Black Emperor said.

"However..." Its eyes flickered with uncertainty, revealing a strange glint. "It seems... this place is very special. When the Great Emperor passed through the Southern Domain in his later years, he once muttered something to himself, but I didn't hear it clearly."

"Think carefully," Duan De urged, his eyes narrowed to thin slits.

"He said something about 'not being an immortal.' It seemed to contain those three characters. When I asked him about it back then, he just shook his head and said no more," the Black Emperor recalled.

"Clang!"

The sound of the chains grew louder, making their ear bones ache. Within the black mist, various cold metallic gleams flashed, incredibly dazzling.

"That's... Divine Gold!"

The Desolate Slaves retreated, standing separately on the nine sacred mountains. Above the central abyss, a solitary figure stood, pulling many divine chains taut.

Crimson light shimmered, and the cry of a phoenix startled the heavens. That was a divine chain forged from Phoenix Blood Vermilion Gold, bearing Daoist divine marks that could infinitely extend, binding the figure.

Dazzling purple light and a swirling purple mist enveloped the area. A divine chain of Divine Mark Purple Gold, extending from the abyss, vibrated and bound the figure, who struggled violently.

Glimmering green light and pervasive immortal mist created an illusion of streaks of tears shimmering. This was a divine chain forged from Immortal Tear Green Gold, sparkling and brilliant, as if the tears of an immortal were flowing.

"This is..." Upon witnessing this sight, even Duan De was stunned. Four or five divine chains were intertwined, binding the individual and trapping him in the abyss.

All of them were supreme divine gold, materials used to forge ultimate emperor artifacts, materials that even ancient Great Emperors might not find. Yet, they were being used to bind a single person. How terrifying was that?!

"What exactly is going on? What level of cultivation has this person reached? Who locked him here, and what is his background?"

The so-called Desolate One might be a prisoner, bound by ultimate divine gold, unable to leave this place. It was incomprehensible who possessed such heaven-reaching power!

"Rumble!"

The nine sacred mountains trembled, shaking violently. The figure struggled, and the Dao marks on the ultimate divine gold chains appeared to be shattering. He might break free at any moment.

Black mist churned, and the radiant glow of various divine golds occasionally pierced through, their metallic luster dazzling and awe-inspiring. Only the figure's body remained inscrutable, impossible to see clearly.

"Why is this happening? Why does he suddenly want to leave the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone?" The group was shocked and perplexed.

"Could it be that your battle with Huo Tan just now angered him?" The Dragon Horse snorted, rolling its eyes.

The Black Emperor and Duan De also looked over, staring at Ye Fan as if he were the culprit, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

Among the seven great life forbidden zones, only the supreme being in this place had appeared. And now, it might be about to emerge. If true, it would be a world-shattering event!

"Let's go, let's leave this place first. No wonder the two sages from beyond this realm retreated; perhaps they sensed something amiss," Ye Fan said.

There was no need to linger here. If the Desolate One were to emerge, wherever it passed, life would wither, turning the land into a desolate wasteland, and they would all face misfortune.

A domain gate opened, and the group decisively departed. Let the iron chains clang through the clouds and the black mist surge for hundreds of miles behind them; it no longer concerned them.

"Huo Tan's soul lamp has extinguished; he is dead!" On this day, Huo Tan's ancient clan revealed this news: a saint had fallen!

Who killed Huo Tan? For the past few days, he had been pursuing Ye Fan. Could it be that an ancient saint of the human race, unable to stand by, intervened and attacked him?

"It must have been an ancient human saint! Otherwise, who could kill Huo Tan? After all, even someone as powerful as Ye Fan is only at the Dao Slaying stage; he couldn't possibly defy the heavens!"

The news caused a huge uproar, with discussions erupting everywhere, as it could very likely trigger widespread chaos, especially since it involved a battle between saints.

However, a secret soon leaked: Ye Fan had killed Huo Tan. Those within the ancient clan skilled in divination had calculated this outcome.

"What?!"

The world was in an uproar, people dumbfounded. How could they believe such a fact? Was the ancient clan trying to find an excuse to attack the Human Sacred Body?

No one believed it. Ye Fan, slaying a saint? This was too absurd. A Dao Slaying cultivator, even if he were an Emperor's Son, even with heaven-defying abilities, couldn't possess such combat power!

"It's true. Huo Tan was indeed killed by the Human Sacred Body. The moment his soul lamp shattered, it reflected the final scene: Ye Fan smashing his saintly body."

Many within the ancient clan initially disbelieved it, but after seeking verification from Huo Tan's clan, they obtained irrefutable evidence and were utterly stunned.

After this news spread, people couldn't help but believe it. The entire world was shaken and in an uproar.

Ye Fan slays a saint!Truly defying the heavens!

"Ye Fan has slain a saint! This is enough to be recorded in cultivation history, comparable to the Ruthless Emperor, rivaling the young Primordial Beginning, and on par with the Azure Emperor. With such combat power, once he becomes a saint, who will dare contend with him?"

The entire world was astonished. Ye Fan had returned, his glorious feat of slaying a saint ringing the bell of the mortal world, its echoes sweeping across all lands.

"Huo Tan finally became a saint, yet he will be recorded in history as a negative example, serving as a foil for the Human Sacred Body's glorious battle."

"A battle that will shake cultivation history: Immortal Stage Three slaying a saint. There have only been a few such instances throughout ancient times. It has truly overturned the cosmic order!"

Everyone in the world was discussing, yet they were completely unaware that the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone in the Southern Domain was cracking, and an even more terrifying event was about to unfold.