Chapter 1132: The Rival

Chapter 1133: The Adversary

Fan Xian gnashed her shining silver teeth. "What does being beautiful to the extreme have to do with the 'Brahma Battle Body'?" she fumed inwardly. "This guy is just foul-mouthed, practically asking to be stomped on. He's utterly infuriating."

"You dared to come back; that's truly unexpected," Ye Fan chuckled.

"If I hadn't come back, would you have killed all my subordinates?" Fan Xian asked.

"Not necessarily," Ye Fan replied. "I'm a magnanimous person. Although you pursued me for a while, teaching you a lesson was enough to vent my anger. At most, I would have just thrown them into a black hole and let them fend for themselves."

The group shivered. In this world, apart from those with the strongest physiques, how many could remain safe near a black hole? They would surely turn to dust and ashes, dying completely.

"By the way, you've lost now. Are you here to fulfill your promise?" Ye Fan asked, his expression full of anticipation, though his true thoughts were unknown.

Fan Xian's pretty face flushed with anger. The sound of her grinding her silver teeth was barely audible as she said, "I'm here to save them. As for our bet, I will repay you with a hefty price."

"That's quite loyal of you. But what price could compare to a peerless beauty? I recall you saying that tonight, you are mine," Ye Fan teased.

"I will give you one of the most precious divine objects in the world, extremely useful for cultivation. It can help you continuously break through and reach an unimaginable realm," Fan Xian said.

"Such a thing exists in this world?" Ye Fan asked.

"Yes, it's the strongest evolutionary fluid. We've already mined many divine minerals and will be able to refine it soon. Perhaps you don't know what this means, but if you ask anyone in the Eternal Kingdom, they'll understand its significance. It can set one on the path to becoming the strongest, to the ultimate realm, where one will transform into a deity!" Fan Xian stated solemnly.

"So, you have nothing right now; it's just an empty promise. Whether you can even refine this precious fluid, or if it will be successful, is still unknown," Ye Fan said, frowning.

"We've acquired the rarest Heavenly Fate Stone Ore. All obstacles have been cleared. We possess ancient methods that allow us to refine the pure precious fluid in the shortest time possible," Fan Xian said.

She tried to persuade him step by step, striving to pull Ye Fan in, wanting him to join Paradise. The reason she bet with him was to gain a powerful retainer.

She had already seen that this person must be from another domain. Now that it was confirmed he might possess one of the strongest bloodlines and astounding talent, he was even more worth recruiting. Otherwise, he would be invited by other kings and nobles.

"It's clear you lost, and you haven't fulfilled your promise yet. How can you instead ask me to join you and serve Paradise? You're playing a very cunning game, aren't you?" Ye Fan sneered.

"I'm not recruiting you as a retainer. Instead, I'm inviting you to become a First-Rank Guest Elder, who responds to invitations but isn't subject to command, maintaining complete freedom," Fan Xian said seriously, then thoroughly explained the advantages and disadvantages to him.

In the Eternal Kingdom, only a few dozen of the most powerful factions are capable of refining the strongest evolutionary fluid. Even if others found divine ore, it would be useless to them.

Moreover, governance in this starfield is extremely strict. If outsiders trespass and are discovered, they will be immediately besieged.

In this civilization where technology and the Grand Dao coexist, it's difficult for outsiders to conceal themselves because strict bloodline tests are conducted upon entering any city or specific area.

Especially, if it were known that his physique is unique and his bloodline ancient and noble, it would certainly attract supreme-level experts who would try to seize his divine blood.

Ye Fan frowned. He realized Fan Xian had good eloquence. Though clearly a prisoner, she was now making him somewhat tempted.

"If the strongest physique evolutionary fluid is refined, your physique will undergo complete tempering. In the future, you might very well be able to contend with and even rival true Grand Supreme Immortal Physiques and Primeval Demonic Physiques!"

Fan Xian couldn't be sure how pure Ye Fan's Golden Body bloodline was. In her opinion, it might be from over a dozen generations ago, but that was enough; with the evolutionary fluid, she could fully revive the dormant divine blood within him.

Before this, Ye Fan had already searched parts of Baldy's and Long Hair's spiritual seas. He believed what Fan Xian said was true and not exaggerated.

His only concern was that the Fan family had an ancient saint. This was the most terrifying aspect, something that could truly threaten his life. As for the few saint-grade battleships, they could only inflict fatal damage in a full-scale battle in space; at close range during peacetime, they weren't a worry.

"You are from outside this domain and focus on unearthing your own hidden treasures. My Ancestor might be able to help you," Fan Xian said.

Ye Fan gave a dry laugh. It would be best not to meet such a terrifying figure. He had no interest in receiving any guidance. From Baldy's spiritual sea, he learned that this ancient saint was hidden in a certain starfield, in perennial seclusion, rarely involving himself in worldly affairs.

He thought about it and decided he could go. This was because he carried a secret treasure given by Saint Tianxuan, which could detect the fluctuations of ancient saints, allowing him to flee in advance.

Furthermore, for now, Fan Xian genuinely wanted him to join. There wouldn't be any conflict of interest in the short term, as he had also searched the divine consciousness of her avatar's Immortal Platform.

The Azure Emperor had appeared in this starfield. The strongest evolutionary fluid was so miraculous; it held great allure for him. Perhaps he could accelerate his cultivation here. The path to immortality in another realm was about to open, and he needed powerful strength to face it, feeling a sense of urgency.

"I've only just completed Dao Severing. If I go there, I won't be regarded as a special bloodline and hunted by your uncles, will I?" Ye Fan said, naturally concealing his true strength.

During his confrontation with Fan Xian, he hadn't desperately used his full cultivation. The other party remained unaware, having always believed he was a cultivator who had only recently completed Dao Severing.

"Don't worry, no matter where you go, the major powers will try their utmost to win you over. My uncles are not short-sighted people," Fan Xian said with a faint smile.

Ye Fan nodded. He was also fearless. Other than that ancient saint, if anyone else truly wanted to turn hostile, he believed he could easily subdue them all.

He released Fan Xian's avatar. Before letting go, he slapped her shapely buttocks. This elicited a startled cry from both her main body and her avatar, almost making them fight him to the death.

Ye Fan patted the bald man's gleaming head. As he searched for a good feel, he unbound him. He burst out laughing, "So bright! Cleaner than a monk's head!"

Afterward, he tugged a handful of chest hair from the shaggy-haired giant. With a flick of his wrist, he released the restraints on all the captives.

"Damn it, that brat needs a beating! He's an absolute scoundrel!"

Baldy panted roughly. Who usually dared to mock his gleaming head? Long Hair also growled in indignation but dared not step forward. If he did, he'd probably be poked to death with a single finger.

"From now on, we're all on the same side. No conflicts. Be more tolerant of each other," Fan Xian said.

They boarded the main battleship and began their journey back, headed for the starfield where Paradise was located. However, just then, a ripple came from afar, and a colossal object appeared.

The screen clearly showed a powerful fleet. It numbered in the dozens of ships. At its center was a golden battleship, emitting saint-level fluctuations.

"They are the marauders from the Primordial Demon Starfield. They are our adversaries!" Fan Xian's delicate face changed color.

In this realm, there were several life-bearing regions. The main star, named Eternal, was at the center, governing all sides, and this ancient star was immensely vast.

There were also several very small life-bearing stars: Immortal Feather, Primordial Demon, and Divine Earth. They were not very far from the main star "Eternal," effectively guarding it at the center.

The marauders of the Immortal Feather Starfield and the Primordial Demon Starfield frequently clashed. They harbored hatred for each other and had engaged in many fierce battles over the years.

Fan Xian ordered them to flee at top speed. She wanted to avoid the people from the Primordial Demon Sea and did not want to encounter them.

"It's too late. They have a saint-grade spacecraft capable of spatial jumps. This time, we're probably doomed," Fan Xian said, her face ashen.

However, the golden saint-grade battleship did not give chase. Instead, several thousand-zhang-long battleships transformed into streaks of lightning and pursued them. They clearly didn't want to let them go.

"Huh, that golden saint-grade ship is damaged! It has terrifying claw marks on it. What kind of terrifying creature could leave such traces?!" Fan Xian was shocked.

Through the screen, they saw the condition of the several-thousand-zhang-long golden saint-grade ship. The claw marks on it were massive; they almost caused it to directly break apart.

"This giant beast must be at least several thousand zhang long. They were attacked by an extremely powerful life form in the depths of space. They barely made it back alive."

"Some of the survey ships in the fleet are heavily damaged, indicating they were mining. Deploying such a large fleet, and with a saint-grade flagship, they must have discovered a divine mine!"

"Even though they encountered a giant beast attack, so many of their ships returned. The losses weren't excessive, which suggests they might have successfully obtained divine minerals. Their ships most likely contain rare primary materials on par with the Heavenly Fate Stone."

Fan Xian quickly made a series of judgments. Her eyes glowed with eagerness. She said, "If we can bring this news back, it will be an extraordinary achievement!"

"But... we need to get through this first!" Baldy and the others all had mournful expressions.

From behind, three thousand-zhang-long battleships were giving chase. They were faster than Fan Xian's ship. Beams of light shot out, capable of piercing through and shooting them down at any moment.

The only thing to be thankful for was that the golden saint-grade ship was damaged and couldn't perform spatial jumps. Otherwise, their annihilation could be accomplished in seconds.

"Ahead is Fan Xian, that fiery, thorny immortal rose! Capture her alive for me, haha..." Arrogant laughter echoed.

Through the screen, Ye Fan and the others saw a purple-haired man. He was quite handsome, but he didn't look like a benevolent person at all. He kept giving Fan Xian wicked smiles.

"It's Mo Feng from the Primordial Demon Starfield!" Fan Xian's expression was not good. She clearly had old grievances with this person. If she were captured now, she would surely rather die than live.

"Haha... my little Immortal, don't run anymore. Our two families are well-matched. We're both marauders, perfectly suited," Mo Feng shouted.

Boom!

A massive beam of light flew over. The energy shield was pierced. The Fan family's three-hundred-zhang-long battleship was riddled with holes and about to be destroyed.

The three battleships sailed at extreme speed. They overtook them. A massive beam of light shot out again. Brilliant light and fire erupted. The three-hundred-zhang battleship exploded on the spot, turning into cosmic dust.

"It's over, what do we do?" The Fan family members who had rushed out beforehand all turned pale. Even Fan Xian frowned. Being blocked by their adversaries from the Primordial Demon Starfield would not end well.

"I'll clear the way!" Fan Xian's whole body glowed. A secret treasure emerged from within her. It enveloped everyone, including Ye Fan. She led them, tearing open space and fleeing forward.

"Miss, let us go. This secret artifact loses a bit of power for each extra person it carries. You escape first and bring reinforcements!"

"I've already sent out a distress call. I expect we'll get support soon. We just need to hold on," Fan Xian said.

"There's a cosmic storm here. It's hard to transmit messages. It probably won't succeed," Baldy worried.

This secret treasure tore open space and flew over six hundred li. But that was too short a distance in space. Soon, several battleships discovered them, locked onto them, and arrived in an instant.

"We can't escape. They've sealed off space!" Fan Xian gritted her teeth.

The group's faces were ashen. They seemed to have already seen their tragic end. Each of them gripped their weapons tightly, preparing to fight to the death.

"Haha... Fan family girl, I've been longing for you day and night. I never expected such a destined encounter, meeting you here in the starry sky," Mo Feng laughed loudly, but his face was filled with coldness.

When Fan Xian fled, she took Ye Fan with her. This made him feel that he could temporarily cooperate. At this moment, he took out a chessboard-like formation platform, preparing to cross the starry sky.

"Kid, don't waste your energy. This place is sealed. There's no way to open a stargate," Long Hair whispered.

Ye Fan ignored him. This was an ancient emperor's formation pattern. Although it was only introductory level, it would be a ghost if it couldn't cross the void.

"Fan girl, come with me. This time, our harvest is abundant. We've obtained a piece of Primordial Fate Stone. Soon, we'll be able to refine the strongest precious fluid," Mo Feng laughed loudly. Then he coldly swept his gaze over the others. "As for them, kill them all!"

"That kid is activating a formation platform with an ascetic's method. He truly doesn't know what he's doing! Trying to escape from a sealed divine domain—too naive, isn't he?!" someone said, their eyes gleaming with cold light.

"First, kill him for me. Leave no one alive except Fan Xian!" Mo Feng pointed at Ye Fan. A beam of light shot out from inside the thousand-zhang battleship, intending to start the slaughter with Ye Fan.

Buzz!

To everyone's surprise, a set of formation patterns tore open space. It opened a domain gate. Inside, it was hazy, leading to an unknown starry sky. Ye Fan was the first to rush in.

"That kid... he's a true god! He can tear open sealed space!" Baldy and the others cried out.

Fan Xian vanished in a flash. They all followed. In the blink of an eye, they had all disappeared. Hundreds of thousands of light beams shot out from the massive battleship. They swept across the domain gate, but they couldn't stop them.

Mo Feng's expression changed instantly. "Damn it! They actually escaped! Quickly change course! Send out a message! Request support from our clansmen in the Primordial Demon Starfield!"

Tens of thousands of miles away, Ye Fan and the others emerged from within the domain gate. They were far from the battlefield. However, relative to the starfield coordinates, they hadn't moved very far.

"Alright, we've dodged the cosmic storm in that region. Quickly send a message to the clan. We might have a huge gain!" Fan Xian was somewhat excited.

Not much time passed. A massive stargate appeared. Two colossal purple battleships rushed out, followed by a huge fleet.

Fan Zhou of the Immortal Feather Starfield had arrived. He personally piloted the saint-grade vessel that had captured Qi Meng not long ago. Additionally, there was another saint-grade ship.

"Girl, is the message you sent true?" Fan Zhou asked.

"That's right. The people from the Primordial Demon Sea have obtained the Primordial Fate Stone. And their saint-grade ship is damaged, unable to perform spatial jumps," Fan Xian replied, leading Ye Fan and the others aboard the gleaming purple colossal battleship.

"Haha... excellent!" Inside the other saint-grade ship, the red-haired youth Fan Tian had a wicked grin on his face. Then his expression turned cold. "Mo Feng dares to covet my sister! This time, I'll make sure your entire clan pays dearly!"

"Later, a great merit will be recorded for you!" Fan Zhou was two heads taller than an average person. With red hair falling over his shoulders and sharp eyes, he resembled a Celestial Wolf King.

The massive fleet opened another stargate. They pursued Mo Feng and his group through the starry sky. They didn't want them to escape, because the Primordial Fate Stone was of immense importance.

This was a mineral rarely seen throughout the ages. Generations had failed to find even a small piece of it. It could replace two main ingredients to refine the strongest evolutionary fluid. It was a rare and wondrous stone.

Accompanied by Fan Xian, Fan Zhou arrived before Ye Fan. In his eyes, mountains and rivers changed, suns and moons fell, and stars rotated. Various terrifying phenomena appeared. This was a powerful figure.

"I heard from the immortal girl that you led them out of trouble and sent the message. If the Primordial Fate Stone is acquired, we can refine it immediately. At that time, we will bestow upon you immortal fluid. It can allow you to advance several minor realms!"

Waves stirred in Ye Fan's heart. If he could truly break through here and advance several minor realms, wouldn't he immediately become a saint? This made him quite restless.