Chapter 1392: On the Road

The Demon Emperor's life was truly extraordinary. Nearly a million years later, people finally learned about the tender side of this man, who transcended gods. He, too, had experienced sorrow and harbored regrets.

Pang Bo said, "Ye Zi, once the golden blood in your body fades and transforms into crimson, you will be able to live for at least ten thousand years. If you can advance further and live even longer, then by that time, everything in the world will have withered away."

Normally, by the time Ye Fan grows old, all his old acquaintances will no longer exist in the world. They would have long since passed away, their bodies turning to dust with the passage of time.

Even powerful individuals have their limits; they cannot remain in the world indefinitely. A Saintly Body can live for ten thousand years. But when he enters his twilight years, it will be difficult to find a single contemporary in the entire world.

That kind of scene, just thinking about it, sends shivers down one's spine. It's too lonely, to be all alone, even when your enemies have grown old and died, with no old friend to accompany you.

"So, don't leave any regrets, lest you end up like the Demon Emperor," Pang Bo said, "who, in the end, stood alone at the peak, invincible throughout the world, yet forever plagued by eternal loneliness and desolation."

Ye Fan felt a pang of sorrow. There was once a woman who had looked on, striving to catch up with him, though he hadn't known it at the time. In the end, only sorrow remained, and a solitary grave covered with fallen petals; that woman's name was Qin Yao.

Many years had passed. If he ever returned to Beidou, he should go and visit that solitary grave in the Azure Dragon King's small world. Decades might have passed, and it might be overgrown with grass by now.

"The departed are gone; seize the present," Ye Fan said. Golden light streamed from his entire body, dazzling and radiant. His vigorous energy surged, causing the heavens and earth to rumble like thunder.

Suddenly, the crimson bloodstain emitted a blinding light. All the Great Saints trembled and knelt, unable to resist such an Emperor's aura!

Within the blood-red light, a white-robed figure seemed to emerge, coldly scanning everyone. That was the Demon Emperor's undying obsession, and it was precisely his presence that imbued this place with such a myriad of phenomena.

A wisp of persistent obsession was contained within the blood, guarding the withered flowers. At this moment, it seemed to revive, coiling around the dried bouquet, transforming into the most dazzling immortal light, and soaring into the depths of the universe.

With a thunderous roar, the heavens collapsed, the earth crumbled, and the universe tore apart. The Emperor's blood, imbued with obsession, wrapped around the withered bouquet and vanished forever into the dark depths of the cosmos.

The place fell into a brief silence, after which true chaos erupted.

The mausoleum was disintegrating, and the various powerhouses began to contend. Dozens of ancient Medicine Kings fell into the abyss; each was priceless, enough to make a Great Saint bow in reverence.

Pang Bo pulled Ye Fan. They both plunged into the abyss to join the struggle. Such heaven-defying items could revive the dead and regrow flesh on bones, extending lifespans by hundreds of years.

"Boom!"

The Stone Man unleashed its might, clashing head-on with the Ox Demon King. Its palm force was overwhelming. It instantly shattered the surrounding space, sending all the Saints flying, unable to approach.

"What are you hopping around for, you mere stone man? Can you even consume a Medicine King?" The Ox Demon King raged, conjured his gleaming Vajra Ring, which shattered the heavens and earth, and battled the Stone Man.

Spirit beings naturally could absorb the immortal essence of the Medicine Kings. The Ox Demon Tribe's leader was simply mocking him; the two were like fire and water, engaging in a fierce battle.

At this moment, the other Great Saints also made their moves. Their various armies, which they had brought, also mobilized, forming battle formations to seize the falling ancient Medicine Kings.

Ye Fan took a deep breath and transformed into a streak of lightning. His "Word of Passage" technique broke through all obstacles. Now, when it came to speed, there were few in the world who could compare to him.

"Whoosh!"

A fragrant medicinal scent filled the air, and dazzling light shimmered. Ye Fan activated his "Word of Soldiers" technique to snatch two ancient medicines, then decisively retreated and broke out.

There was only one chance; after all, there were eleven or twelve Great Saints here, and Yin Gods were secretly lurking, watching like tigers. They couldn't afford to be intercepted, or there would be big trouble.

Just as Ye Fan retreated, he felt a cold wind appear where he had been. Qi Tian, the Human Race's Dao Protector, flashed past. It was unclear if he was lunging at Ye Fan or at the ancient medicine ahead, as their paths converged.

"Watch out for that old geezer! We'll deal with him when we're close to becoming Great Saints ourselves!" Pang Bo said. He had also seized an ancient medicine using the Nine Slashes of the Demon Emperor. Together, they decisively withdrew from the great tomb.

They stood in space, looking down at everything below. The Saints were engaging in fierce battle, and the Demon Emperor's tomb cracked, completely disintegrated, and turned into ruins.

At the same time, within this ancient domain known as the Star Ruins, over a dozen continents disintegrated one after another, turning into cosmic dust. Those were all false tombs, now collapsing alongside the true burial site.

Faintly, one could discern over a dozen dragon-shaped streams of vital energy soaring skyward, entering the true ancient mausoleum. They seemed like nine dragons undergoing Nirvana, merging into a single pearl that emitted endless auspicious light.

This was an incomparably powerful surge of vitality, as if an ancient Great Emperor had been resurrected. It then transformed into a stream of light, following the path of the Demon Emperor's obsession into the depths of the universe, disappearing in the same direction.

"An ancient Great Emperor..." Ye Fan murmured to himself.

The entire star domain was in great turmoil, with the armies led by the Great Saints engaging in a chaotic struggle, vying for the Medicine Kings. Dozens of these Medicine Kings were like something out of a myth, unimaginable; they could save many Great Saints who were on the verge of passing away.

Unfortunately, when the dragon's lair collapsed, many Medicine Kings were destroyed, turning into essence and dissipating into the void. In the end, only a dozen or so Medicine Kings were preserved and taken by the Saints.

"It's time to leave," Ye Fan told Pang Bo. This place was not suitable for a long stay, as several Yin Gods were lurking in the shadows, ready to retaliate at any moment.

Ye Fan had long known that Daoist Azure Phoenix did not have much lifespan left, but he had no solution. As early as the Fiftieth City of the Human Race, he had offered elixirs and such. However, he had been informed that the reason the old man could live for over eight thousand years was precisely because he had previously absorbed similar immortal divine essence, and now, nothing more would work.

"Awooo..." With a long howl, the heavens collapsed and the earth tore apart, followed by lightning flashes and thunder. The Dragon Horse galloped out while undergoing its tribulation.

This time, the Dragon Horse gained the most, absorbing the essence of its ancient Dragon Horse ancestor, strengthening itself, and achieving unimaginable Dao fruits. Its current tribulation was secondary; most importantly, its origin had greatly expanded.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo stopped, secretly protecting the Dragon Horse. At the same time, they sent a telepathic message, telling it to charge into the depths of the universe, far from the chaotic battlefield.

Finally, everything concluded. The two men and one horse traversed the celestial domain, leaving the area. They entered the center of this star domain—Ruins City.

Without delay, Ye Fan gathered the twelve Saints and immediately set off. They departed from this troubled region and embarked on the ancient starry road.

Their group, traveling together, was not just magnificent but also incredibly powerful. Ye Fan and Pang Bo were young supremes on the Human Race's ancient road. And none of the others—the Dragon Horse, Golden Lion, Heavenly Scorpion, Nine-Tailed Alligator Dragon, and so on—were easy to deal with.

From then on, they no longer traveled the Ancient Road of Powerhouses but began to advance onto the Ancient Golden Road. This meant entering the dangerously abandoned ancient sections of the road for further tempering.

Time flew by; six years passed in the blink of an eye. They disappeared from the Human Race's ancient road, only occasionally having their traces discovered by local reception envoys.

This was an ancient life-bearing star, a secret realm along the Golden Ancient Road. The entire ancient star had thin spiritual energy, and Ye Fan's group felt somewhat uncomfortable upon landing.

They had visited many ancient life-bearing lands, but true life-bearing stars were rare. This particular one had harsh conditions; though its vegetation was relatively lush, it was almost unsuitable for cultivation.

The Grand Dao here was heavily suppressed, far more so than in Beidou. The spiritual energy was pitifully thin, unable to support cultivators in comprehending the Dao here. It was a fallen ancient land.

Indeed, as Ye Fan walked through this ancient land of life, he saw many native inhabitants but not a single cultivator.

However, before some stone cliffs and ancient walls, he saw some engravings that explained cultivation methods. These were all cliff carvings from tens of thousands of years ago. Without them, one would truly doubt if cultivators had ever appeared on this ancient star.

Of course, no one could truly ascertain this. Ancient Great Emperors were too mysterious, each unfathomable. Who could know where their true hometowns lay?

Ye Fan walked along the edges of the fields, observing the simple and rustic lives of the native inhabitants. They worked from sunrise to sunset, living very peacefully and tranquilly.

He stopped at one spot, appreciating this tranquility. In the grassy fields, a shepherd boy herded cattle and played a flute; by the river, several women were washing clothes; in the fields, old farmers wielded their hoes.

At the head of the village, an old man was splitting firewood. He wasn't using much force, and his woodcutting axe wasn't very sharp. Yet, he was able to split thick tree trunks into neat pieces of firewood.

At first, Ye Fan didn't pay attention, but he soon sensed a rhythm. The old man swung his axe neither fast nor slow, maintaining a consistent rhythm from beginning to end.

Ye Fan paid closer attention, and the more he watched, the more astonished he became. This clearly contained a resonance of the Dao; one could say that each swing of the axe traced the trajectory of the Dao!

Behind the old man lay a small mountain of chopped firewood, all split by him. How was this possible, given his frail, aged body and depleted vital energy?

Ye Fan observed carefully; the old man's vital energy was indeed not abundant. Yet, when he swung the axe, it was neither fast nor slow, possessing a terrifying rhythm that, with prolonged observation, made one's heart resonate and beat in unison.

He was startled. This was an ancient star where cultivation was impossible, and ancient inheritances and methods had long since declined. How could this old man be capable of such a feat?

"Elder, what 'Dao' is this you're performing?" Ye Fan stepped forward and earnestly asked for guidance.

"What Dao? Young man, are you asking me for directions? There used to be no path here; it only became a great road because many people walked it. You just need to keep walking forward," the old man said unhurriedly, swinging his axe. Pieces of firewood fell, perfectly neat, and the rhythm remained constant.

Ye Fan's eyes showed a peculiar glint. He quietly watched the old man swing his axe, no longer disturbing him. But just then, a commotion arose in the distance.

"Ye Zi, quickly!" It was Pang Bo's shout.

"We caught a big one! It's heaven-defying! Hurry over!" the Dragon Horse loudly exclaimed, seemingly very excited and thrilled.

Ye Fan's heart tightened. He activated the "Word of Passage" technique and quickly rushed over. Beside a nearby field, Pang Bo, the Dragon Horse, the Golden Lion, and others appeared.

"We've captured a deity on the verge of passing away!" the Dragon Horse shouted, as if afraid others wouldn't hear.

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Ye Fan reprimanded.

"It's true! He's indeed a rare deity from ancient times!" Pang Bo was also very excited, a remarkable gleam in his eyes.

The Golden Lion, Heavenly Scorpion, and others jointly carried over a stone coffin. Inside lay a glowing old man with white hair, exuding an aura of ultimate divinity and holiness. Even though he was on the verge of passing away, an immortal divine halo still shone dazzlingly behind his head.

"Is this really... a god?!" Ye Fan asked, looking at them with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

"Absolutely!" the Dragon Horse, Black Bear Saint, Heavenly Scorpion, and others all affirmed without a doubt.

Ye Fan was somewhat dumbfounded. After a long moment, he finally asked, "A god... How... how did you catch him?"

"We dug him out of an ancient cave dwelling! We never expected to catch a living god!" The Dragon Horse's face was flushed with excitement. It then urged Ye Fan to activate the "Word of Revitalization" technique to restore the deity's primordial energy and prevent him from suddenly dying.