Chapter 1247: Overwhelming the Wolves

One punch!

With just one punch, Ye Fan blasted apart the insolent individual. A mist of blood spread as the person was torn into pieces and disintegrated into the mountainous terrain.

The person had rushed in impetuously, and as soon as they provoked Ye Fan, they were shattered into fragments by his golden fist, unable to believe it even in death. Terror accompanied the end of their life; in their final moments, they were filled with regret, but time could not be rewound, and their life essence completely faded and vanished.

Blood stained the weeds, and bone fragments lay scattered among the withered branches and fallen leaves. It was a gruesome and shocking sight. Ye Fan paid no attention, turning instead to gaze at the distant mountains.

As soon as he entered, he sensed a dangerous aura, as if a powerful creature was secretly observing him. In a fleeting glance, he only saw a pair of blue eyes retreating into the distance. This was why he stood motionless on the blue stone, his back to the entrance, staring at a terrifying creature in the distance.

Hooves thundered as the Dragon Horse, wreathed in crimson flames, shot back like a divine bolt of lightning. Its expression was grave as it said, "There truly is a monster. A flash of blue light, and it instantly traversed vast distances. I didn't pursue it."

Ye Fan pondered, then walked deeper into the Vanquished Saint Island. Entering such a mysterious ancient island, it was impossible for things to go smoothly; any strange occurrences would not be surprising.

This was an island brimming with primeval energy, larger than a continent, floating eternally in the cold cosmos.

Even ancient life planets might not possess such vast areas; although divided into fifty zones, each region was still immensely expansive.

Towering ancient peaks and lofty mountain ranges stood before them like demonic walls spanning heaven and earth. Ancient sky-reaching trees were rooted deep in the soil, teeming with vibrant life.

Numerous ancient vines intertwined, each as thick as a water vat, their age unknown. They coiled like serpentine dragons, clinging to the colossal mountains and dangling down from ten-thousand-foot cliffs.

Wild apes roared, clearly ancient exotic species, their bodies blood-red, fur several feet long, and dozens of feet tall. They leaped from one massive peak to another colossal ancient mountain, their roars splitting the heavens.

This was a primeval world, preserving its most primitive appearance. Ancient medicinal herbs were abundant; those thousands of years old were common, and some had survived for tens of thousands of years.

The mountains echoed with the cries of apes and the roars of tigers, a truly prehistoric scene.

As Ye Fan moved away, a commotion erupted behind him. The people who had followed him entered and immediately discovered the blood mist and shattered bones, their faces changing color.

This was a strange ancient path; before entering, one couldn't see the scene on this side. No one had witnessed Ye Fan smashing the person with a single punch.

"He's truly ruthless and decisive, killing without a moment's hesitation.""He killed a fellow cultivator in such a short time; his combat power is not to be underestimated. Everyone, you must be careful!"

The middle-aged Taoist nun entered, her face grim. She warned everyone that they must stick together to avoid being ambushed by Ye Fan.

Hong Liu nodded, saying, "Exactly. This person is insidious and vicious, and will definitely try to stop and kill us. We must be vigilant. But with so many of us together, even if he has peerless abilities, he will surely die!"

In truth, Ye Fan paid no attention to anything behind him and had no intention of ambushing them. He simply walked straight into the depths of the trial grounds, his mind clear, sensing the Great Dao of this place.

Outside Vanquished Saint Island, in the dark cosmos, a group of cultivators were stirred. Over twenty powerful individuals had entered, and no one believed Ye Fan could survive this trial unscathed.

In the distance, Old Twelve of the Thirteen Riders of Desolation was about to urge his mount to follow, but he was stopped by the second-in-command, who sat astride an azure dragon.

"So many people have gone in. Why join the chaos? We can simply wait for the bloody outcome. No matter who emerges victorious, it's fine."

The leader, sitting on a sacred azure wolf, was bare-chested, his wheat-colored physique as strong as cast bronze. He nodded indifferently.

The group, radiating immense killing intent, marched directly into the forty-second zone. No one dared to provoke them; they were too powerful, their battle energy surging like a tsunami crashing upon the shore.

"Lord Junwei, which zone are we heading to?" someone asked at the entrance of Vanquished Saint Island.

Lord Junwei was a powerful seeded expert, but he didn't choose a zone immediately. He waited until everyone else had gone deep, with only four followers remaining by his side.

"Wait a moment," he said. He possessed a pair of purple eyes, wore a Kylin robe, and a purple-gold crown. He was incredibly majestic, embodying the aura of an ancient Great Saint.

In the thirty-sixth zone, a roc soared across the sky, its cries echoing. Its wingspan was hundreds of feet, with the head of a wolf and the body of a roc, striking across the azure heavens. Then, it swiftly dived into a valley, seized a ten-meter-tall mammoth, tore it apart beneath the sky, scattering blood like rain, and devoured it in a few bites.

Dripping with blood, this was a prehistoric scene of the strong preying on the weak.

Ye Fan did not ride the Dragon Horse. Instead, he walked, measuring the land as he traversed Vanquished Saint Island, seeking to grasp the ancient Dao marks that had long existed there.

A patch of phoenix trees, wreathed in fierce flames, stood before them, rooted among volcanic clusters. Blue flames flickered, unlike anything usually seen.

"These are ancient phoenix trees that house descendants of the Phoenix. I can't believe there's such a large patch here. Could there be a sacred bird?" the Dragon Horse mused, looking out.

Volcanoes, one after another, formed a continuous range, spewing flames. Yet, the colossal blue trees grew vigorously, not withered, their leaves brilliant, possessing an unusual vitality.

A terrifying aura washed over them, and a majestic saintly power surged from the ancient phoenix tree forest, sending blue flames swirling skyward. A colossal blue bird stood on an ancient phoenix tree thousands of feet tall, its blue eyes mesmerizing.

"So it's her!" the Dragon Horse exclaimed. When they first entered Vanquished Saint Island, they had sensed being watched. It was this Azure Luan, a descendant of the Phoenix, a powerful ancient saint.

Another phoenix cry, shaking the ancient land and tearing the sky. On an even taller ancient tree nearby, another Azure Luan gazed at them with hostility.

On an ancient branch, there was an old nest with flickering blue flames. Within it, signs of life emanated: four lively little Azure Luans were secretly peeking out, their eyes blinking, appearing nimble and adorable.

The two ancient saint-level Azure Luans had given birth to four young creatures and were guarding them here, very tense, having sensed the ocean-like terrifying vital energy within Ye Fan.

"I mean no harm, nor do I wish to disturb you," Ye Fan said, leading the Dragon Horse past without breaking the tranquility of the place.

Finally, he chose a colossal mountain. Its peak was barren, with only a single blue stone. This was originally a nine-aperture stone figure, but it had been pierced by a sword, preventing it from maturing and emerging.

"This sword... it must have been wielded by at least a Great Saint!" Ye Fan sighed softly. The sword mark was ancient, existing for at least a million years, yet a chilling murderous intent still emanated from it, never dissipating.

Ultimately, Ye Fan sat cross-legged on the mountain peak, contemplating an eternal Dao between heaven and earth, thus beginning his task for this trial.

The Dragon Horse also stood to the side, gazing at the vast land, harnessing the laws of heavenly order for its cultivation.

"You are truly composed. Your life is already in danger, yet you still sit here, hoping to complete the trial? Delusional!" A cold voice rang out.

Dimly visible, twenty-two figures appeared on the colossal mountain opposite. That towering peak pierced the clouds, magnificent, with a vast white waterfall cascading down, presenting an extraordinary sight.

Ye Fan opened his eyes, which swept like two bolts of lightning. He ignored them and closed his eyes again. The ancient herbs fragrant in the cliff crevices allowed his mind and body to become clear and ethereal.

"Do you all see? How arrogant and conceited he is! Does he truly believe himself to be an unrivaled master? Ridiculous!""Hmm, I truly dislike him. Have you all decided how to kill him?"

The twenty-two surrounded the area, flying towards different peaks, each radiating murderous intent, their gazes icy, ready to strike at any moment.

"I have no enmity with you, yet you press me like this. It would be difficult to even consider forgiving you," Ye Fan said, standing up.

The middle-aged Taoist nun's gaze was sinister. "You slaughtered my mount, and you say there's no enmity? There will be no peaceful resolution today. If you first slay your own mount, I might grant you a dignified death."

"Give him a dignified death? Absolutely not!" The woman in red, Hong Liu, whose name literally meant 'Red Willow' and whose slender waist was like a willow, seemingly boneless and delicate, shook her head with a cold laugh. "With so many of us gathered, making such a grand display, killing him outright would be too easy."

"I was just saying that; how could I possibly kill him with one sword strike?" the middle-aged Taoist nun said with a cruel smile.

The group pressed forward, various streams of light flickering into view. Powerful sacred artifacts were awakening. They hailed from different ancient star regions, renowned across their respective starry skies, naturally possessing world-shocking secret weapons.

The Sky Demon Umbrella, covering the heavens; the War God's Whip, miles long; the Heaven-Overturning Seal, like a mountain; the colossal blood-colored greatsword, tearing the firmament... Each was dazzling and brilliant, their murderous aura filling the air.

It must be said, this was a terrifying group of cultivators, capable of obliterating several saints. United, they were irresistible!

"I'll give you one chance: kneel down, admit you're a killer of saints, beg for our forgiveness, and then cripple your own cultivation. We might let you leave alive, never to dream of stepping onto the ancient trial path of the strongest," Lan Feng said calmly, his blue robes fluttering, otherworldly and radiating a hint of immortal aura.

The middle-aged Taoist nun smiled, nodding repeatedly, a truly cruel sight.

"Have you finished giving your last words?" Ye Fan asked calmly.

Everyone's expression froze. Such humiliation, yet the other party remained as calm as still water, sending a chill down their spines. Unable to disrupt his composure, they instead became somewhat uneasy.

"This Old Dragon Ancestor has tolerated you for too long! All of you, come here and offer your heads!" the Dragon Horse roared furiously.

Ye Fan stood on the mountain peak, unreservedly releasing his powerful battle energy, which instantly surged like an ocean, sweeping across the vast land.

His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and his gaze was like cold lightning. Though standing alone, he exuded an aura of vast power, his divine posture supreme, looking down upon all under heaven.

"Kill!"

These people realized the danger and attacked in unison. The Sky Demon Umbrella blotted out the sun, the Heaven-Overturning Seal smashed the earth, and various sacred artifacts flew, creating immense terror!

And most terrifyingly, several forbidden artifacts detonated, capable of absolutely destroying several ancient saints. These were malicious great weapons of mass destruction.

In almost an instant, an area spanning a thousand miles was leveled, the earth sinking thousands of feet. This region became barren, all mountains vanishing.

These were saint-grade forbidden artifacts, forged specifically to kill ancient saints. They had been brought onto the ancient starry path by these individuals, meant to deal with peerless experts, and were unleashed immediately, showing their determination to kill Ye Fan.

If it were anyone else, even an ancient saint who had achieved enlightenment over many years, they would undoubtedly be dead now, for there was no escaping it. Who could outrun the explosive radiance of shattering sacred artifacts?

Ye Fan was an anomaly; he was faster than the fragments of the sacred artifacts, even the saintly light couldn't strike him. He had cultivated the "Line" character technique to a state of supreme mastery. For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze.

He brought the Dragon Horse with him, flashing a thousand miles away in a single blink, standing silently on a mountain peak, observing everything with indifference.

These people were extremely ruthless. A total of five saint-grade forbidden artifacts had detonated. They could easily kill any ancient imperial prince; even a supreme talent vying for dominance on the Imperial Road would surely perish if struck.

If not for the peerless grand array laid out on Vanquished Saint Island, the impact would have spread much wider, completely piercing and shattering the island.

"He... he's not dead! He's over there!" Everyone turned their heads, saw Ye Fan, and their hearts sank, a feeling of dread rising within them.

The Dragon Horse roared furiously, "You bastards, you'll all die! Do you really think I'm a vegetarian? Ten years of bloody battles, ten years of conquest! If I didn't want to gain enough benefits on the trial path of the strongest, I would have become a saint long ago!" It transformed into a streak of red light and charged forward.

"Who among those capable of treading this path is an ordinary person? You're not the only anomaly!" the middle-aged Taoist nun said coldly.

"Everyone, unite and kill them!" the man in blue robes shouted coldly.

Ye Fan, though starting later, arrived first, even faster than the Dragon Horse. He transformed into a golden deity, bringing forth surging vital energy as he attacked.

His attack was simple and direct: a golden fist, its divine might sweeping three thousand miles, stirring up hurricanes that lifted mountains a thousand miles away.

"Puff!"

The foremost person's body split open, then shattered, exploding into a mist of blood along with their magical artifact, pierced by the golden fist.

Boom!

As Ye Fan raised his hand and moved his foot, sounds of collapsing mountains and surging tsunamis echoed. His golden vital energy surged boundlessly. Like an unrivaled War God, he unleashed six consecutive punches, embodying the true meaning of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. In an instant, another six people exploded!

Blood mist permeated the air, and two terrifying sacred artifacts shattered along with them. Saintly light boiled, the terror boundless!

"This... is he even human? He... destroyed sacred artifacts with his bare hands!" Some people were terrified, their souls trembling.

"Leave a few for me!" the Dragon Horse roared.

"Go and kill all their mounts. Don't let a single one escape!" Ye Fan instructed.

Hong Liu's Heaven-Overturning Seal descended. This was a renowned magical artifact; although not the treasured seal of a former Quasi-Emperor, it could still shatter suns and moons.

However, Ye Fan's battle energy surged heavenward, his entire body radiating brilliant golden light, eclipsing the sun, moon, and stars. Like a god descended to the mortal realm, he slapped the high heavens, sending the Heaven-Overturning Seal flying, cracks appearing on its surface!

"Who... who exactly did we provoke!?" Hong Liu's heart and liver turned cold. For the first time, she regretted her decision. This person was simply too terrifying.

"Puff!"

Ye Fan's palm swept past, and the lower half of Hong Liu's body instantly became a mist of blood, completely pulverized. She screamed mournfully as her upper torso flew backward, disheveled and her face filled with terror.

But the golden battle energy surged, its aftermath completely disintegrating everything below her neck into bloodied pulp; only her head flew diagonally away.

"Save me!" she shrieked, scared out of her wits.

The middle-aged Taoist nun's hair stood on end. She caught the head in her hand, her face pale. This person was simply a God of Slaughter; they had provoked a devil king they should never have messed with.

Ye Fan slaughtered in all directions, his golden battle energy surging. He exuded an aura of immense power. With a clear cry, the sound of the "Om" character resonated, and several strong cultivators in front of him successively disintegrated, blood mist scattering, and even mountains a thousand miles away turned to dust!