Chapter 120: Green Copper Town Sacred Heart

The crystal coffin shimmered like a dream, its brilliance captivating. Inside, the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart pulsed with a fiery red glow that shot skyward, dimming the fierce sun, unable to compete with its splendor. The entire peach grove, filled with swirling spiritual energy, was bathed in this crimson light.

When Tai Yao opened the coffin, a vigorous life force surged out like an ocean, making everyone feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze. Such a powerful life aura, if consistently present, would undoubtedly aid in cultivation.

It was difficult to imagine the true might of the Demon Emperor in his time. Ten thousand years had passed since his demise, yet his remaining Sacred Heart still exuded such power, making his strength unfathomable. "Even an Emperor with such profound and immeasurable cultivation couldn't attain immortality," an old woman sighed, full of emotion. "It truly makes one wonder if immortals even exist in this world."

Yan Ruyu silently bowed before the crystal coffin. She then stepped forward to receive a jade plate from a demoness. She placed the heart, which glowed brilliantly like a ruby, onto the plate and walked towards the Shennong Altar. "Yan Ruyu..." Ye Fan sent a spiritual message, about to speak, but at that moment, over a dozen old women advanced, each casting a divine spell and pointing towards his forehead.

Ye Fan was aghast. These dozen elders were terrifying; they had detected the anomaly in his divine sense and immediately sealed the golden lake at his glabella. He struggled fiercely, golden light radiating from his brow, but the confinement remained unbroken.

Even so, the dozen old women's expressions shifted. One of them remarked, "This child is truly remarkable. His innate divine consciousness is unfathomable. For someone his age, his spiritual power should not be this formidable."

The jade plate in Yan Ruyu's hand glowed with crimson light and golden flecks, enveloping her entire body. Her skin was like jade, radiating unparalleled purity. She gazed at Ye Fan silently for a long moment, then extended a slender jade hand to gently caress his cheek, her touch as light as a spring breeze. A complex emotion, difficult to name, flickered across her exquisite face, but it quickly settled, leaving her ethereal and serene once more, like an immaculate fairy from the Jade Pond. "Your Highness, please step back. We are about to begin," an old woman announced, stepping forward to take the jade plate. Yan Ruyu nodded, then floated back gracefully, light as the wind.

Ye Fan genuinely did not wish to accept this arrangement. No one could predict the changes that nurturing the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart within his body might bring. Suddenly, he felt an intense pain as the dozen old women forcibly attempted to breach his Sea of Bitterness. "Don't be nervous," they said, "we aren't removing your heart. We are simply placing the Great Emperor's Sacred Heart into your Life Spring, using the divine spring unique to your Desolate Ancient Sacred Body to nourish it..." If Ye Fan could have screamed, he would have, for his golden Sea of Bitterness contained far too many secrets that could not be exposed. "As expected of the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body," one exclaimed, "even with the combined power of a dozen of us, we cannot open it. It's as hard as divine iron, truly unbelievable!"

"This is the strongest battle physique of humanity, once invincible," another added, "but unfortunately, it's now considered a crippled body. Yet, this young man is quite remarkable; he actually cultivated to the Life Spring Realm. I truly don't know how he achieved it. This is good, though. As long as the divine spring within him flows ceaselessly, it will be enough to sustain the Sacred Heart indefinitely..."

"We actually can't break through it..." The dozen old women were utterly astonished and at a loss. One of them turned and said, "Your Highness, please lend us the Great Emperor's Sacred Weapon to open the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body's Sea of Bitterness."

Yan Ruyu nodded calmly. From her palm, a dazzling divine aura erupted, so brilliant that it was impossible to discern the artifact within. The sacred and vast radiance was so magnificent it completely enveloped her jade hand.

An old woman took the radiant light and lightly swiped it across Ye Fan's Sea of Bitterness, instantly causing him to nearly faint. He felt his Sea of Bitterness being breached, and immediately, a fierce golden light surged out, accompanied by roaring tsunamis and towering waves. "Heavens," someone gasped, "it's a golden Sea of Bitterness! How... how is this possible?!"

Everyone was stunned. They had not anticipated such a sight: a golden sea raging, interwoven with lightning, truly resembling the primordial chaos giving birth to vibrant life.

"Is this the fundamental reason why the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body was once unmatched in the world?"

A golden Sea of Bitterness was something unheard of and unseen. Even Yan Ruyu was visibly moved, unable to maintain her usual composure. Her exquisite face was filled with shock, and her beautiful eyes stared unblinkingly.

Ye Fan was unable to move. If he could have cried out, he would have cursed each of them individually. He grimaced in pain but couldn't utter a sound, the agony almost making him lose consciousness.

"Legend has it that in ancient times, the Sea of Rundowness of mighty cultivators exhibited various mysterious phenomena," one of the elders mused. "These included the bright moon rising from the sea, stars supporting the azure sky, or golden lotuses growing in the Sea of Bitterness. Each of these phenomena would bestow unparalleled power."

"This child's golden Sea of Bitterness is itself the most powerful marvel, and in the future, it will likely give rise to those legendary extraordinary phenomena." "It's a pity that in this current era, the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body is almost impossible to cultivate to completion," another remarked. "For him to reach the Divine Bridge Realm is already quite extraordinary; he must have had some unimaginable fortuitous encounter."

The dozen old women dared not delay further, fearing that Ye Fan would suffer severe internal damage. They submerged the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart into his gurgling Life Spring, then quickly retreated and put away the Demon Emperor's Sacred Weapon.

At that moment, the golden Sea of Bitterness appeared even more unique. It churned like a vast ocean, interweaving with lightning, giving birth to boundless vitality before instantly closing, showing no abnormalities, and rapidly healing itself. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. After enduring a period of intense pain, Ye Fan finally calmed down, pondering the words of the old women. Would the Sea of Rundowness of ancient mighty cultivators truly exhibit various phenomena? A bright moon rising from the sea, stars illuminating the azure sky, golden lotuses growing in the Sea of Bitterness... Just hearing these names hinted at their profound depth, and even in his current predicament, they filled him with immense longing.

"Speaking of which, those sacred lands and Desolate Ancient aristocratic families are truly extraordinary," one old woman commented. "It's said the Ji family produced someone with a Divine Physique, and news of his successful cultivation has only recently spread. His Sea of Rundowness is said to exhibit multiple terrifying phenomena." "I wonder how the Divine Physique, now famous in the Eastern Barrens, compares to the Sacred Body of the past," another pondered. "It's a pity the Sacred Body is now crippled, so there's no way to compare them. Otherwise, it would be truly exciting." "With a Divine Physique born in the Ji family, as long as he doesn't die prematurely, they are likely to prosper for thousands of years, and no one will be able to stop them." Ye Fan was astonished; the Desolate Ancient aristocratic Ji family had actually produced a Divine Physique, which greatly unsettled him. It took a full half-hour before Ye Fan felt normal again. He had been lowered and the confinement removed.

Tai Yao stepped forward, smiling. "As you've seen, we won't harm you, so there's no need to worry. The Demon Emperor's Heart, nourished within your body, will only bring you benefits, not harm."

Ye Fan said nothing, sitting quietly cross-legged to the side, sensing the changes within his body. The green bronze block remained silent, like a bedrock, blocking the spring eye, utterly undetected by the old women.

The Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart settled within his Life Spring, nourished by the divine spring. A vigorous life force circulated, and its position was considerably higher than what seemed to be the tip of a golden book. However, it still could not compare to the green bronze block; the block pushed it upwards, preventing it from approaching the spring eye at the bottom of the sea.

"This green bronze is truly extraordinary..." Ye Fan thought, surprised. Even the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart had to yield before it, which was utterly astounding.

Suddenly, Ye Fan felt the heart subtly tremble a few times, then it began frantically absorbing his vital life essence. His Life Spring gurgled and gushed, and the divine spring erupted like a volcano, converging towards the heart.

His expression changed dramatically; this was not a good sign. If the heart continued to absorb his life essence at this rate, he would surely be drained dry. *Thump!*

Just then, the green bronze block in the spring eye vibrated. Instantly, the Sea of Bitterness became calm, the divine spring ceased its endless surging, and everything was stilled. The heart also fell silent, completely motionless. *Hiss!*

Ye Fan gasped. The green bronze block was indeed remarkable; fixed in the spring eye, it could completely suppress all hidden treasures within the Sea of Rundowness. "If not for this green bronze block," he thought, "my situation would have been dire. They hadn't fully sealed this heart at all..."

After calming down, Ye Fan conjured his "cauldron," refined through countless trials, towards the heart that glowed like a brilliant gemstone. He mused to himself, "I wonder if I can extract a few drops of the Demon Emperor's Sacred Blood." *Thump!*

The moment the cauldron touched the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart, the crimson heart gave a faint, subtle flutter. The entire golden ocean instantly began to boil, but then the green bronze block vibrated once more, and in an instant, everything became calm.

Ye Fan's body shook as if struck by lightning. He noticed a thread of blood on the small cauldron, which transformed into an endless crimson glow, surging out of his Sea of Bitterness and spreading throughout his body. At that moment, his flesh trembled as if being tempered, emitting a dazzling radiance, and a crimson hue enveloped his form.

"No way," an old woman exclaimed, surprised. "The Great Emperor's Sacred Heart just entered his Life Spring, and it's already nourishing his physical body? How could it be so fast?" The others were also baffled, their faces etched with doubt.

Ye Fan now believed that these people indeed had no intention of harming him. They thought they had sealed the Sacred Heart, but in truth, it wasn't sealed at all. If not for the green bronze block earlier, the consequences would have been unimaginable. "Good, good, good!" an old woman exclaimed, repeating the word three times. "Once the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart is nurtured, it can remain in the world indefinitely. Your Highness can now fearlessly cultivate the supreme demonic arts!"

Before long, the crimson glow on Ye Fan's body receded. He felt as though his flesh had undergone a profound baptism, becoming noticeably stronger. He secretly marveled at the extraordinary power of the Demon Emperor's Sacred Blood; just a trace of it had yielded such an effect. What would happen if he could absorb one drop, ten drops, or even refine the entire heart?

Yan Ruyu's expression was unsettled as she stared blankly at Ye Fan, murmuring to herself, "Should she cultivate with him? This... Your Highness, you must decide for yourself." Just then, Ye Fan stood up, feeling utterly comfortable and refreshed. "You can stay here for now. I will arrange different accommodation for you in a few days," Yan Ruyu said. Afterward, everyone walked out of the peach garden.

"Fairy Yan, wait a moment," Ye Fan called out, stopping Yan Ruyu alone. He walked up to her, surveying the flawless woman without a hint of embarrassment, and with a slight smile, he asked, "Are you really going to marry me?"

Yan Ruyu, like a celestial fairy descended from Guanghan Palace, possessed a graceful, slender, and lithe figure, her skin shimmering with a crystalline luster. Her long eyelashes framed deep eyes that held a poetic charm, embodying the essence and wisdom of the heavens and earth. She gazed at Ye Fan silently, saying nothing.

Beside them, Qin Yao suddenly chuckled. "Hey," she said, "your hand is in the wrong place. That's Her Highness's palm." Simultaneously, Ye Fan felt as if he was soaring through clouds, flung away by Yan Ruyu, left dangling high on the cliff of Peach Blossom Valley.