Chapter 1364: Stop

The galaxy was brilliant, sparkling with divine light. Ye Fan stretched his body, embracing the divine moon and pushing aside countless stars with his arms. Each movement caused the constellations to tremble, radiating an immense power.

In this star field, the venerable experts were silent; no one spoke. No one had anticipated such an outcome. The once invincible Overlord had met a somber end, a sight that evoked pity.

How powerful he was, revered in the depths of the ancient path, launching a fierce assault. Yet, he was almost crippled, and even the ancient techniques he had mastered were taken from him. After the battle, his archenemy had comprehended the ancient techniques and grown even more confident. Meanwhile, he was consumed by a mix of sorrow, anger, resentment, grief, and despair.

This was a ruthless blow. It was the first time the young supreme of the Heavenly Overlord's lineage tasted such bitterness. This defeat had, at one point, made him utterly disheartened, even contemplating ending his own life.

But upon witnessing Ye Fan's confident demeanor, a flame ignited within him. He yearned to become stronger, to be the foremost being in the universe, and to erase his humiliation.

Divine Forbidden, that true realm of divine taboo, was a place many legendary prodigies throughout history had never managed to enter.

Having lost his aura of invincibility, the Overlord became a mere backdrop. At this moment, the gazes of all the powerful cultivators shifted from him to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan, as if no one else was present, continued to cultivate ancient immortal techniques. His heart was filled with peace and tranquility, devoid of malice or a desire to compete, possessing only a profound insight and understanding of the Dao.

He did not want to miss such a rare opportunity. Being currently within the Divine Forbidden realm, his physical body, primordial spirit, and all other aspects were amplified tenfold. His overall qualities were comprehensively enhanced, his form and spirit robust and full.

Within the Divine realm, even insights into the Dao could reach deeper levels. In a sense, it was a tenfold effect, a veritable miracle. He could experience that profound and mysterious sense of fulfillment more intensely than usual.

Unless one was an ancient Great Emperor, it was difficult to remain long in the Divine Forbidden. How could Ye Fan possibly waste such an opportunity? He stood alone in the starry sky, allowing the powerful to observe, but he did not cease. He repeatedly deduced and refined, witnessing his own path and Dao.

The starlight was pure and bright; the entire world was so peaceful and serene. Ye Fan condensed the nine ancient characters from the Grand Lunar Immortal Scripture and inscribed them in the void. Each character was vigorous and ancient, radiating wisps of energy capable of suppressing the eternal firmament.

This was the Human Emperor's Dao, which he comprehended and understood. He then internalized it, assimilating it into the Scripture of the Sea of Wheels that he had pioneered.

In the end, the tranquil starry sky violently quaked. Stars seemed to tremble and fall, shimmering with mysterious radiance, connecting with Ye Fan.

Ye Fan borrowed the power of the great universe to write the ancient Lunar script. Each character was crystalline, as if an immortal had descended, emitting the profound sounds of the Great Dao. This nourished his being, placing him in a wondrous state.

Within the Divine Forbidden realm, standing at the pinnacle of the starry sky, he wielded divine principles, merging with the Dao, releasing his primordial essence, energy, and spirit. His conviction of invincibility was resolute and unshakable.

At one moment, it was the Nine Lunar Characters; at another, the 'All' character secret. And then, the Overlord's Fist, capable of devouring mountains and rivers, asserting supreme dominance. He immersed his will within these techniques.

Instantly, winds howled, thunder roared, and golden astral energy surged. These were the various phenomena that accompanied him as he stretched his body and attained the Dao Fruit.

"Ugh..." the Overlord cried out. He transformed into a streak of purple light and rushed into the distance. Every additional second he spent in that place felt like a thousand blades slicing his body.

The Fiftieth Human City became a place of shame for him. He had originally intended to extend his glory, echoing the achievements of his predecessors, but in the end, it turned into a tragedy.

Qi Tian, without moving his body, extended a giant hand that instantly swept across infinite distances, as if it could cover the entire universe. He snatched the Overlord back from the depths of the star field.

On the other side, Saint Cang Lan, the guardian of the ancient human path, spoke: "What if you've suffered a defeat? Without valleys, there are no high peaks. Cast aside the Divine Forbidden; you are not inferior to any young supreme. Your path, your Dao, you must break through on your own."

Hearing this, people sighed. The formerly brilliant Overlord had fallen to such a state. He now needed guidance to regain his morale and reshape his Dao heart, a truly pitiable situation compared to his past self.

Ye Fan was oblivious to the outside world, not paying attention or caring whether the Overlord had left. He was immersed in a deep, anomalous state of Dao comprehension, so engrossed that he neglected to greet Daoist Qing Huang.

In the starry sky, discussions arose from all directions. This battle was considered to have concluded. Now, only one person remained there comprehending the law, becoming the focal point of everyone's attention.

This battle established Ye Fan's status on the ancient path. He formally rose to prominence in the Fiftieth Human City, signifying the arrival of another young supreme on the Emperor's Road!

Undoubtedly, this would have an extremely widespread impact. On the path ahead, anyone aspiring to the Emperor's Road would begin to notice him and exercise extreme caution.

*Rumble!*

In the distance, hooves thundered loudly. Another pair of adversaries returned, fighting. The Dragon Horse galloped wildly, while the Purple Qilin roared, hot on its heels.

A group of people were stunned. The fighting style of this duo was utterly different from the battle that had just concluded. There were continuous shouts and a chaotic, disorderly mess.

"Kill!" the Dragon Horse bellowed, yet it was fleeing, refusing to stop even for a moment. This left everyone a bit confused and bewildered.

The Purple Qilin, with a sullen expression, pursued relentlessly, saying, "Why are you yelling so much? Do you dare to fight?!"

The Dragon Horse replied with an arrogant look: "Why wouldn't I dare? I am destined to be revered throughout the world and achieve the Dao; why would I fear a mere savage beast like you?"

"Then fight!" the Purple Qilin said chillingly.

"Fine," the Dragon Horse replied, and just like before, it shouted "kill!" Yet, its fleeing speed became even faster, turning into a streak of fiery divine light.

The Purple Qilin was furious and asked angrily: "If you want to fight, why are you running?"

The Dragon Horse replied earnestly: "I am currently fighting you."

"Nonsense!" the Purple Qilin fumed.

"This is a battle of speed, and I am clearly overpowering you. It's obvious you are no match; I have already defeated you," the Dragon Horse stated righteously.

The Purple Qilin: "..."

Not only was the Purple-blooded Qilin enraged to the point of wanting to stomp it to death, even the other powerful figures were speechless. This Dragon Horse's shamelessness was truly boundless. Despite clearly being inferior in cultivation and unwilling to fight, it still earnestly claimed victory and asserted that it had overpowered its opponent.

What was even more unbearable was its arrogant demeanor.

This was simply incomprehensible. It was filled with a strong sense of superiority; one truly wondered where such confidence came from. If one had to force a reason, then it must be that its confidence came from its ability to flee.

"Do you have any dignity as a strong one? Fleeing without fighting, how shameless!" the Purple Qilin roared. Encountering such an outrageous opponent truly infuriated it.

"Dignity of a strong one? What even is that?" The Dragon Horse, running upright on its two hind legs, fled. It mocked the Purple Qilin, saying that even with four legs, it couldn't outrun it.

Without a word, the Purple Qilin shattered the sky with its hooves, desperately giving chase. It utterly detested this shameless Dragon Horse and wanted to kick it to death with a single hoof.

The Dragon Horse remained very calm internally. It was a Saint Beast, but its opponent was a Saint Beast King; there was an unbridgeable gap. It would never choose to directly confront it, inviting its own demise.

What "dignity of a strong one"? As it had said itself, what even was that?

"Hurry and surrender, you've already lost. If you keep clinging on shamelessly, don't blame me for being merciless," the Dragon Horse sternly declared. This made all the observing Saints wipe sweat from their brows.

In the Purple Qilin's eyes, this was the most shameless Saint Beast it had ever encountered. Despite its noble bloodline, it had absolutely no moral bottom line.

"If you don't know when to retreat, I'll kill you. I can take on ten of you without issue," the Dragon Horse threatened.

"You come and try!" The Purple Qilin's liver fire flared. Encountering such an outrageous character was truly a pain in the neck.

"Too bad you don't have ten; how about ten of me fighting one of you instead?" the Dragon Horse said shamelessly. Then it shouted into the distance, "Fellow Daoists, let's all go together and blow it up!"

Hearing this, the Twelve Saints, including the Nine-tailed Crocodile Dragon, the Golden Lion, and the Scorpio, with a whoosh, instantly surrounded it, avoiding close combat and instead unleashing various forbidden artifacts. Divine light erupted, and magical artifacts exploded as they launched long-range bombardments.

"Stop!"

Daoist Qing Huang let out a soft cry. He simply couldn't stand it any longer. His Daoist voice roared like thunder, forcing the chaotic group to retreat and separating the two sides.

Even Qi Tian and Cang Lan's lips twitched slightly. If Daoist Qing Huang hadn't intervened, even they would have made a move.

The old Daoist Qing Huang stepped forward, sternly warning them and ordering them to cease hostilities.

Even a Great Saint couldn't tolerate it, so one could imagine how terrible this battle was. The other Saints were all speechless. Just recently, Ye Fan's battle with the Overlord was incredibly fierce and tragic; no one had ever imagined a duel between two Beast Venerables could be so "unbearable to witness."

*Boom!*

A loud bang echoed through the universe. Ye Fan emerged from his deep state of Dao comprehension, his fists seemingly rending heaven and earth, his body surging with battle qi, which sent shivers down the spines of many.

Thus, the battle between the Sacred Body and the Overlord Body completely concluded in the Fiftieth Human City. The powerful experts spread the news along the ancient path and to distant lands.

On this day, the star path quaked violently, and the name of the Sacred Body was heard in all directions. Having defeated the young supreme of the Heavenly Overlord's lineage, Ye Fan's name resounded throughout the ancient path!

This was a storm, viewed by people as the arrival of a divine tiger. It stirred up endless commotion, full of variables, and would strongly threaten the foremost prodigies.

In a sense, the power dynamic on the ancient human path would change from this point on. Another young supreme had risen, dominating all directions, and adding another contender for the highest imperial throne.

In the Fiftieth Human City, Ye Fan met with the Southern Demon siblings; they had so much to talk about that their conversation lasted for several hours.

The Southern Demon's demeanor was unchanged; his skin was bronze, and his eyes were profound. He was like a slumbering true dragon, having transformed into human form and wandering among mortals, his depths unfathomable.

Qi Huoshui was graceful and captivating, with her dark hair cascading down, her skin fair and delicate, and her eyes clear. She seemed less willful and more spirited, with red lips and teeth that gleamed like pearls. She was a peerless beauty, capable of enchanting a city with a single smile.

Her beauty was beyond doubt. In the past, she had some grievances with Ye Fan. After decades apart, they met again, and all past enmutes dissolved in a single smile.

"I have seen the Central Emperor, the Holy Son of Yaoguang, Jue Youqing, and also the Ji family siblings who chased an ancient divine coffin across the star domain," the Southern Demon informed him, recounting the acquaintances from the Funeral Emperor Star he had encountered.

"Hey, young supreme who just fought the Overlord, what are you thinking? Why are you spacing out?" Qi Huoshui teased. Her slender hand, fair as jade, waved before Ye Fan's eyes.

"I was momentarily lost in thought," Ye Fan said with some emotion. "Can so many old acquaintances still be seen on the ancient path after so many years apart?"

"Some people, you might never see again," the Southern Demon shook his head. Even Qi Huoshui put away her playful demeanor upon hearing this.

"What happened?"

"Jue Youqing might have died in battle," the Southern Demon sighed. This was a powerful figure from the Western Desert who was once as famous as him, revered as the Western Bodhisattva.

Ye Fan was startled, remembering the time this woman, along with him and the old blind man, had ventured into the Central Province Immortal Abode world. She was dressed in white, purer than snow, and ethereal.

"Killed by whom?"

"A young monk named Golden Cicada, whose Dharma power is incredibly potent; he can be counted among the young supremes, extremely terrifying," the Southern Demon said solemnly.

Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat. How could it be such a name? This should be a fictional existence; it shouldn't appear in reality.

The Southern Demon's next words made his heart pound again.

"It is said that his master is Sakyamuni. Golden Cicada is not very old, but his cultivation has reached the pinnacle. Jue Youqing was defeated by him, though there is another saying that Jue Youqing did not die but willingly chose to follow him."