Chapter 1323: Buried in a Foreign Land

Chapter 1325: Buried in a Foreign Land

This was a massive mansion, integrating gardens, palaces, and cultivation grounds. It could be described as grand and magnificent, yet upon entering, it was overgrown with weeds and desolate. A faint smell of blood wafted from within the residence.

Protective formations surrounded the perimeter, but there were no killing formations on the roads within the mansion, allowing free passage. Ancient trees blocked out the sun, and the courtyards were long overgrown with various vines and weeds.

Ye Fan's heart stirred as he sensed a familiar aura.

With a rustle, several pheasants sprang up, flapping their wings and fleeing from their nests in the grass. Not far away, a wild rabbit also leaped up and bolted away.

Having fallen into disrepair over the years, this nominal Lord's Residence had been uninhabited for an unknown number of years. Had its foundations and beams not been constructed according to ancient formation diagrams, it would have long since decayed.

Ahead, the scent of blood grew stronger and stronger. At the same time, the blood within Ye Fan's body began to burn, gradually boiling.

"This is..." He recognized the place, feeling a profound sorrow for the ancient worthy.

Deep within the mansion, ancient trees formed a dense forest, with many vines and colossal trees engulfing and even crushing the structures. However, in a very wide area nearby, not a single blade of grass grew.

This area was a glaring red, forming puddles in multiple spots, scattered here and there. Each puddle was small, only a few meters, but when connected, they stretched for hundreds of meters.

Blood!

These were pools of blood, scattered across this vast expanse. Apart from them, there was no vegetation; the ground was barren. The overwhelming smell of blood was noticeable from the moment one entered the mansion.

The Sacred Blood within Ye Fan surged, reacting to these blood pools. It was a shared lineage, from the same origin—a resonance and call across time and space.

Ye Fan watched silently, his expression unreadable.

Sacred Body blood!

Like his own, it possessed an indestructible and potent quality. It was astonishing that even after the Desolate Era had passed, it had not dried up.

The depressions in the ground were vibrant red. In a few of the smaller puddles, faint golden glows flickered, representing divine power that had not yet dissipated.

It had to be said that the Sacred Body bloodline was formidable; even after hundreds of thousands of years, the blood had not clotted, and its immortal power had not fully dispersed.

"This was not an ordinary Sacred Body. Back then, he was unmatched in power, but tragically, he was intercepted and killed here," the Emissary said.

On this Ancient Starry Road, some battles were forever remembered, some physiques attracted widespread attention, and some ancient stars shone with boundless brilliance.

According to the Emissary, the trials on the Ancient Road were meaningless to this Human Sacred Body, whose cultivation had reached profound levels. He merely wished to go to the final pass and see it for himself.

However, in that era, there was also another type of physique, supremely dominant. Upon hearing of the Sacred Body's arrival, that individual specifically returned from the depths of the Ancient Starry Road to engage in an unparalleled battle, ultimately slaying the Human Sacred Body.

The battle shattered heaven and earth, breaking the star road. Countless stars in the universe were pulverized, and myriad-zhang dharma bodies were annihilated. This blood had fallen from outside the domain.

One could imagine the horror of that world-shaking battle; it was considered one of the rarest in ancient times and was recorded in the Divine War History.

Back then, the entire Ancient Road went mad because of it. Countless people rushed to this place to witness the battle, and many cultivators who got too close were caught in the aftermath and died in the cosmos.

When that battle concluded, its impact was profound, reverberating for many years and never fading. It was known as one of the most terrifying divine battles on the Ancient Road.

Even after so many years, the mansion remained sealed off, with outsiders forbidden from approaching, all to preserve the blood here. This alone spoke volumes.

Being categorized as a "divine battle" and recorded in ancient texts was the highest possible evaluation. It should be noted that many Great Sages and even would-be Emperors throughout history, whose most glorious battles were fought in their lifetime, never qualified for such an honor.

A gentle breeze swept through, rustling fallen leaves. The garden was serene, yet it evoked a sense of solemnity and sorrow.

Ye Fan stood still, deeply affected. He recalled the old master of the Qishi Mansion mentioning that four or five Human Sacred Bodies, in different eras, had embarked on the Ancient Road. Some had shed their blood in foreign domains, burying their bones far from home.

These individuals, back on Big Dipper, had all reached profound levels of cultivation, their might suppressing sun, moon, and rivers, achieving world-shaking feats. It was inconceivable that they met such an end.

"'Suppressing turmoil, pacifying heaven and earth, achieving supreme glory. Yet, in the end, they died in battle in foreign domains, their bones buried far from home…' Ye Fan found it difficult to accept."

These bloodstains, this desolate scene, made it hard for him to come to terms with the fact that the once supremely powerful Human Sacred Body had been slain in such a manner, a truly sorrowful sight.

It would be one thing if they were heinous villains, but they clearly had achieved great merits. To embark on the Ancient Starry Road only to meet such a fate was tragic.

The blood pools remained, recounting a lifetime of desolation.

On the Ancient Road, there was no right or wrong. The Path of the Emperor was a contest where the strong prevailed, merciless and cruel.

"'That opponent was truly formidable, standing at the pinnacle of the Human Dao, also an invincible physique, and has been the Sacred Body's sworn enemy since ancient times,' the Emissary explained. 'Generations of them have successively met, engaging in earth-shattering battles that made the universe tremble.'"

Ye Fan remained silent. Embarking on this path meant abandoning one's previous life; everyone should be mentally prepared for such a destiny: the strong advance, the defeated perish.

He silently paid his respects, walking around the blood pools, feeling a sense of regret and desolation from the Desolate Era. Who would willingly accept such an end?

There were very few golden threads in the blood. The Emissary explained that some had been extracted by later generations for refining medicines, otherwise the divine essence would have eventually returned to the heavens and earth.

Sacred Body blood was very peculiar. Initially, it slowly transformed from crimson to gold, but when it finally reached the Grand Perfection Realm, the golden hue would gradually fade, returning to its vibrant crimson.

"'Rest in peace, senior!' Ye Fan said calmly."

He gazed into the depths of the universe, as if trying to see through the Ancient Road, for ahead on that path lay a sworn enemy!

In this generation, that physique had reappeared, and he would also encounter it. Like the Sacred Body of hundreds of thousands of years ago, he would face the unparalleled arch-enemy of his life!

This seemed like a cycle, a clash of destinies. After so many years, when the Sacred Body rose, the other physique arrived as expected, reaching the deepest parts of the Ancient Starry Road.

"How many times have the two physiques contended, and what were the results?" Ye Fan asked.

Over the years, he had learned much in the starry sky, naturally paying attention to the legends of the sworn enemy. He had heard some accounts from various emissaries, but none would know as much as the Emissary of the Fiftieth City, where the event occurred.

"'There are definite records of four encounters in total, all enshrined in the Divine War History and designated as the 'Strongest Contention',' the Emissary replied. 'The Human Sacred Body won one of them.'"

Three defeats and one victory—this record shook Ye Fan. Was his sworn enemy truly so terrifying? Such boundless power was simply unbelievable.

The Emissary added, "There's also another saying: the Sacred Body had one more victory, though it was never witnessed firsthand. Only remnants were found in a ruined star field, so it couldn't be formally recorded in the Divine War History."

"His remains... are they gone?" Ye Fan asked, his heart heavy. The powerful and glorious Human Sacred Body had met such a desolate end.

"'That battle tore apart heaven and earth; many stars fell, let alone a flesh and blood body…' the Emissary sighed."

Many spectators were swept into it, ultimately becoming cosmic dust, leaving behind only some blood mist. The Sacred Body was defeated, severely wounded, and his supposedly indestructible physique was shattered into pieces.

After the battle, the Sacred Blood became a target of fierce competition among various factions; not a single drop was left. For cultivators, it was a supreme elixir.

Afterward, some partial remains were returned, but the divine essence had been extracted. The fragmented body was interred on an ancient star.

"Later, that star underwent some strange and perplexing changes," the Emissary continued. "That small portion of the remains unexpectedly assimilated into the Dao, and now there is only an empty tomb there."

This ancient star belonged to the Fiftieth Human Pass.

Every ten passes, there would be a life star, like a dam holding back a river, where many trial-takers would stop. The Fiftieth Human Sacred City was quite special, possessing two life stars, like twins.

The ancient star where the Sacred Body was interred was very close to the Fiftieth Human Sacred City, being the dimmer of the two twin stars.

"The assimilation of that small portion of the body into the Dao actually caused changes in the heaven and earth there," the Emissary explained. "The entire ancient star's spiritual energy sharply declined, and the Grand Dao became distant, making it increasingly unsuitable for cultivation."

Upon learning the location of the Sacred Body's burial, Ye Fan naturally wished to visit. He set off alone, without Longma, the Golden Lion, or others.

The dimmer of the twin stars could be seen from afar, orbiting a solar star. It was not relatively far; it lay just ahead.

The Fiftieth Human Sacred City was very prosperous and suitable for cultivation. Many trial-takers remained there, comprehending the Heavenly Dao and diligently cultivating daily.

Ye Fan wasted no time, leaving the area and stepping through a domain gate. He soon arrived on a not-very-large planet.

The sky and earth were hazy gray, with leaden clouds drifting by, obscuring the sun, creating a somewhat oppressive atmosphere.

Vegetation on the ground was sparse; lush primal forests were nowhere to be seen. Vast stretches of land were barren, lacking green flora.

Threads of Dao patterns appeared beneath Ye Fan's feet. As he activated the 'Movement' secret art, stars shifted and mountains and rivers seemed to recede. He proceeded towards an ancient land, following the topographical map provided by the Emissary.

In this region, mountains were majestic but utterly barren. There were many riverbeds that had been dry for hundreds of thousands of years.

Deep within this area was an ancient tomb. The essence of heaven and earth seemed to have dissipated because of it, leaving the place desolate; not even weeds could grow there.

The dark red earth appeared as if stained with blood. After countless ages, only a sorrowful stillness remained, severely lacking in vitality.

Was this the Sacred Body's tomb? Ye Fan walked forward step by step, a complex mix of emotions in his heart. The invincible Sacred Body had actually been defeated, died, shattered into pieces, and buried in a foreign land.

Since his debut, Ye Fan had never been defeated in battles against opponents of the same cultivation level. Along the way, although he had encountered perilous obstacles and narrow escapes from death, none were inflicted by peers.

The previous generation's Sacred Body, invincible on Big Dipper, had shed blood here, leaving Ye Fan lost in thought, somewhat unable to accept it.

"What will happen in my future battle with him?"

The ancient tomb was large, over three meters tall. A Sacred Body rested here, buried by the dark red soil.

"Someone is paying respects, tending to the grave."

Ye Fan's heart stirred. After such a long time, the ancient tomb had not vanished, indicating it must have been guarded. Furthermore, withered flowers on the ground suggested they had been placed there recently.

"Why is someone else coming to pay respects?"

"If they want to pay respects, they should go to the other ancient star among the twin stars to honor the victor. Why do some people always come to mourn the loser?"

In the distance, someone murmured, and two pairs of cold eyes gazed over, filled with hostility.