Chapter 1414: Six-Eared Macaque

Welcome.

The divine ape sat motionless on a futon, its eyes closed, its mouth like a thunder god's, and its golden fur dazzling, as if cast from pure gold.

Ye Fan was stunned to see a Six-Eared Macaque. It looked so much like the Holy Prince, almost identical; if it weren't for its six ears, he would surely have mistaken it.

"How strange!"

How did it get in? Ye Fan's heart pounded, unable to calm down. This was truly astonishing; it was an ancient Heavenly Venerate's Life Spring, and this monkey had defied all odds to live here!

This was beyond what any ordinary divine being could achieve; it defied common sense. Who could contend with the Lingbao Formation Map combined with four killing swords? Not even an Emperor's weapon could break through!

"Could it be that, like me, it also obtained ancient artifacts and scriptures left behind by Heavenly Venerate Lingbao?" Ye Fan mused.

The stone mirror platform rotated; it wasn't stationary but floated and sank within the Life Spring, ancient and natural. As it flashed past, the monkey's figure also vanished.

Ye Fan moved, but no matter how he adjusted his angle, he couldn't get a clear view. A section of chaotic runes flickered, almost sealing off the mirror platform.

"Is it alive, or has it passed away?" Ye Fan couldn't be sure. The creature, like a clay or wooden sculpture, didn't move an inch, and from such a distance, he couldn't determine its state.

The Six-Eared Macaque, a heaven-defying race, had been thought to have vanished for hundreds of thousands of years. To see one today struck Ye Fan as somewhat incredible.

Encountering such a being in this place gave him an ominous feeling. This was an incredibly powerful race, capable of overturning the heavens. If it were truly alive and were to emerge, it would undoubtedly trigger a great slaughter.

Ye Fan observed carefully. Although the mirror platform was blurry, he could still make out some details. The cave dwelling it revealed was grand and magnificent, possessing an immortal aura, with wisps of immortal energy overflowing from it.

This didn't seem like a structure that originally existed within the Life Spring but rather one moved in by later generations. Only the four immortal swords were truly qualified to be nurtured here; other treasures would find it difficult to reside within the ancient Heavenly Venerate's Life Spring.

Ye Fan looked closer and indeed found something unusual: the cave dwelling appeared to have been cut from an immortal mountain and transported here, showing clear severed marks.

"Remarkable! It seems that Six-Eared Macaque truly moved its cave dwelling here, treating this place as an immortal treasure land for cultivation."

At this moment, the chaotic runes dimmed, finally allowing a clearer view of the cave dwelling. Ye Fan quickly opened his Source Heaven Eye to observe it closely.

"Oh, Daoist talismans, divine patterns, and scriptures..."

On the inner walls of the cave dwelling, in some places, he could glimpse densely packed ancient texts and other markings, mottled with age and filled with the aura of time.

Ye Fan's eyes widened. He saw some characters belonging to the Scripture of Salvation, imbued with a strange and immensely powerful mystic force. There were also other scriptures, but unfortunately, he could only see fragments.

"This doesn't seem like an outsider's dwelling; it looks more like it belongs to Heavenly Venerate Lingbao himself." Ye Fan's gaze was peculiar.

After a moment's thought, he deduced the general idea: the Six-Eared Macaque had a great fortuitous encounter, obtaining a cave dwelling belonging to Heavenly Venerate Lingbao, which it then transported here in its entirety.

Undoubtedly, this Daoist site was extraordinary; otherwise, how could it safely rest within the ancient Heavenly Venerate's Life Spring, causing the four killing swords to sense a familiar aura?

"It must have passed away," Ye Fan concluded after observation. The Sea of Bitterness had been very turbulent in recent years, yet the Six-Eared Macaque hadn't appeared. He believed it was most likely a corpse.

He approached the stone mirror platform, intending to use it to locate the cave dwelling. If he could enter, there might be a great fortuitous encounter.

However, as soon as he drew near, he heard a faint trembling sound. Chaotic runes flickered on the stone mirror platform, mysterious and unfathomable, making the cave dwelling even blurrier.

Moreover, the four ancient swords below exuded a menacing killing aura. Although they weren't vibrating, they were soul-stirringly terrifying, clearly unleashing killing intent towards him.

If not for the human-bodied, ghost-faced lamp, he would likely have been torn to shreds. These killing swords were indeed mysterious and terrifying, capable of causing rivers of blood and millions of corpses at any moment.

"Even with Heavenly Venerate Lingbao's bronze lamp, I can't get close. It seems that cave dwelling is truly extraordinary, recognized by those four swords even more than the ancient lamp."

At this moment, Ye Fan finally saw the four killing swords clearly. Their dark red blades depicted scenes of immortal slaughter: a man disdainfully surveying the world, looking down upon all gods.

Could this be Heavenly Venerate Lingbao himself? Ye Fan's mind was shaken. The patterns on the four killing swords were all different: one depicted the execution of immortals, another a sea of blood destroying the cosmos, and yet another, myriad beings lying dead.

A tragic and fierce aura permeated everything. Each killing sword seemed to have consumed the blood of billions of beings. Though motionless and submerged, they emanated an energy that felt like the heavens collapsing and the earth rending, threatening to shatter the entire universe.

The four swords represented destruction!

Moreover, Ye Fan realized that they were a single entity, housing only one divine spirit, which was manifested across the four sword bodies. Strictly speaking, this was just one Emperor artifact; only when united could it be invincible under heaven. Once separated, its power would likely diminish sharply.

However, no one in this world could separate them. Once the formation map appeared, it was akin to an ancient Great Emperor personally wielding these killing swords, resurrected to do so.

"Possessing the four swords and the formation map might truly make one invincible throughout heaven and earth, but it's incredibly difficult to obtain them," Ye Fan mused, frowning.

He recited the Scripture of Salvation, holding the human-bodied, ghost-faced lamp, and sat cross-legged in the Life Spring, allowing his mind to become clear and tranquil. He attempted to communicate with the four killing swords, hoping to gain their recognition.

Alas, the four swords were as deep and unfathomable as an abyss. The blood-soaked scenes of immortal slaughter depicted on them seemed to truly reappear, transforming into a pressure of Dao marks that forced Ye Fan to retreat.

"No, these four immortal swords' killing aura is too overwhelming. No one in this current era can control them; the formation map is needed to retrieve them." Ye Fan sighed inwardly and did not risk further.

He avoided the four swords and dived downwards. At the very bottom should have been the ancient Heavenly Venerate's life wheel, glowing faintly, covered densely with countless cracks. It was unapproachable, emanating an immense pressure.

Ye Fan was truly startled. For every year one lived, a crack would appear on the life wheel, like the annual rings of a tree. After such an immense span of time, how was it still glowing and not collapsed?

He had a chilling premonition. Heavenly Venerate Lingbao had left behind the Scripture of Salvation perhaps because he foresaw something, possibly to suppress a calamity caused by corpses. He must have been a master of this art. Yet now, his own 'Wheel Sea' hadn't completely disintegrated, which felt unsettling!

"Please don't tell me the greatest corpse calamity is himself..." Ye Fan's expression was unsettled.

He had scoured ancient texts, and according to various great sages, Heavenly Venerate Lingbao was supposed to ascend to immortality once he forged the Emperor artifact and combined it with the formation map. But the outcome was clearly not so.

Ye Fan was certain that Heavenly Venerate Lingbao had lived for more than one lifetime. The marks on his Wheel Sea far exceeded ten or twenty thousand years, meaning he was not a "short-lived" ancient Heavenly Venerate.

Unable to get closer, he had no choice but to retreat and search throughout the Life Spring, finding nothing else.

The most bizarre thing was that cave dwelling, once inhabited by a Six-Eared Macaque, which he now couldn't enter, leaving him frustrated.

Ye Fan collected a cauldron of the divine Life Spring liquid, then burst out of the water with a splash. He scanned his surroundings, seeing no one, and then instantly traveled thousands of miles to another part of the Sea of Bitterness.

"Where are Pang Bo and Dragon Horse?" Ye Fan wondered. They had only separated a short while ago, yet the entire group was gone.

There were some lingering fluctuations. He sensed them carefully, then his eyes flashed with cold light as he angrily declared, "It's those Golden Toad, Grey Flood Dragon, and Heavenly Dog again! They're going too far!"

It had to be said that these three ancient beasts had very keen spiritual senses. They had detected secret treasures on Ye Fan's group and, like the Golden Snake Four Young Masters, had fixated on them, refusing to let go.

Especially once, when Pang Bo was studying the Demon Emperor Ruler, they sensed a wisp of its aura, which aroused their suspicion. From then on, they relentlessly pursued the group, vowing to seize the treasure.

The immortal ruler had shattered into five pieces, and the divine spirit within it had perished, leaving only an instinct. Although Pang Bo now possessed two pieces, he couldn't fully activate them, or it would harm both him and others.

Half an hour later, Ye Fan found them. Everyone was covered in blood; Pang Bo's entire side was exposed with bone fragments, and he had nearly perished.

The Nine-Tailed Crocodile Dragon only had two tails left, its body almost exploded, dripping with blood. Dragon Horse, Golden Lion, and the others were no better off; all had suffered severe injuries.

"After encountering the Grey Flood Dragon and Golden Toad beast venerables, we immediately crossed through the void," Pang Bo explained. "But we were ambushed by the Devouring-Heaven Beast, Gold-Eating Beast, and the four young masters of the Golden Snake clan."

While others found it difficult to open domain gates in the sea region, they were an exception due to the Void Great Emperor's chessboard formation patterns. Ye Fan had thoroughly studied them, mostly comprehending them through the Black Emperor's notes, and had prepared many such gates.

As soon as Pang Bo and the others entered, they were secretly sabotaged by the Devouring-Heaven Beast and its companions. The domain gate exploded, nearly causing them to get lost in the dark void, and their ancient ship was instantly shattered.

"Our cultivation and magical power are declining, and without the ancient ship, we can't maintain our footing in the Sea of Bitterness!" Dragon Horse said, looking worried.

"Boom!"

Immense fluctuations emanated as a gray flood dragon about a zhang long and a mountain-sized golden toad appeared first, resuming their pursuit.

"You gray loach, you ugly toad, just you wait! Sooner or later, I'll stew you both!" Dragon Horse fumed.

Ye Fan and the others stepped into the domain gate and vanished from the spot, just as a Great Saint's palm strike descended, shattering the void.

In another vast ocean, Ye Fan took out the cauldron, which was filled with a crystal-clear liquid. After examining it carefully, he frowned and said, "Thankfully, I didn't drink it then. It truly contains killing intent inside. Fortunately, it can be refined out."

Wisps of black mist rose, accompanied by the clanging of swords. The Life Spring liquid was purified. Ye Fan handed it to Pang Bo and Dragon Horse, and the effects were instantaneous, truly bringing the dead back to life and regenerating flesh on bones.

None of them even needed to regulate their breathing; the ancient Heavenly Venerate's Life Spring directly restored their injured bodies.

"This is truly a great medicine, priceless!" Both Pang Bo and the Twelve Sages exclaimed in awe. After drinking the crystal-clear liquid, their cultivation and magical power were restored, and they were no longer suppressed by the Sea of Bitterness.

Only a Great Emperor's Life Spring could counteract the malevolence and Great Dao suppression within the Sea of Bitterness.

The group was naturally excited and asked Ye Fan about the results of his trip.

"What, a Six-Eared Macaque?!" The Black Bear Sage was startled upon hearing this.

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, one of his distant ancestors, a Great Sage, had encountered a Six-Eared Macaque and was actually slapped into a pulp by that monkey. Its demonic might was terrifyingly overwhelming.

Ye Fan listened intently as he recounted the tale, and was astonished to discover something.

That Six-Eared Macaque seemed to be moving house, with a small monkey perched on its shoulder and a mountain-sized cave dwelling hovering above its head, its destination unknown.

"My ancestor merely blocked its path in the starry sky, and that monkey, with its world-shaking divine power, slapped him into a pulp..."

Ye Fan's expression turned strange as he described the cave dwelling he had seen. The Black Bear Sage, greatly agitated, then declared angrily, "It's exactly the same as the one described in my clan's ancient texts!"

Everyone was stunned. What an incredible coincidence that the Six-Eared Macaque, with its world-shaking divine power, had actually moved its dwelling to this very place.

"Hundreds of thousands of years have passed," Ye Fan said. "Even if its cultivation reached the peak, as an Emperor, it should have passed away by now. All of you, come with me; let's enter the Life Spring together for secluded cultivation. It's an excellent place for practice."

He possessed the ghost lamp and the Scripture of Salvation, which could protect them all as they entered. Cultivating within an ancient Heavenly Venerate's Life Spring was almost equivalent to cultivating in an immortal realm—a Dao land that all cultivators dreamed of but found unattainable.

They no longer needed the ancient ship and directly entered the depths of the Life Spring. Surrounding them was a crystal-clear liquid, with immortal mist rising and myriad divine rays shimmering. From time to time, the harmonious sounds of the Great Dao resonated, causing even their Immortal Platforms to chime in resonance with the Dao.

They couldn't drink the divine liquid directly, but they could slowly refine it and integrate it into their bodies.

"This place is indeed suitable for comprehending the Dao; I just wonder how long we can stay," Pang Bo said, awestruck. Here, his forehead bone glowed, and the Azure Emperor Ancient Scripture circulated on its own. It was truly special, a place for achieving enlightenment.

The ghost lamp unfurled a curtain of light, blocking the killing intent from reaching their bodies and protecting everyone. The Scripture of Salvation resonated continuously, while the four dark-red killing swords below remained motionless.

"What a truly wonderful place! I never imagined... that I could refine the divine liquid to my heart's content here!" Dragon Horse exclaimed, overcome with excitement, wishing he could let out a long howl to the sky.

This was the Life Spring liquid left by an ancient Great Emperor, crystal-clear and dazzling. Every drop was a precious medicine, capable of bringing the dead back to life and regenerating flesh on bones, unparalleled in the world.

So much... it was simply unimaginable!

The only trouble was that the sword energy contained within the divine liquid was too terrifying; it required extensive tempering, or it could be life-threatening.

With the Divine Bridge not appearing, preventing access to the other shore, Ye Fan decided to cultivate in seclusion here for a long time. When he took out two items, the eyes of all Twelve Sages lit up with intense fervor.

These were two seeds. One, no larger than a walnut, was sealed within a divine source. It was a lifelike, small purple Qilin, less than two inches long, emanating a powerful life aura.

It was alive and actually trembling, trying to break through the divine source and escape, even attempting to flee.

This was, of course, the Qilin divine medicine seed. For years, Ye Fan hadn't had the opportunity to plant it because the conditions were too stringent. Now, the ancient Heavenly Venerate's Life Spring was simply the optimal soil for its growth.

Ye Fan set up a formation, truly fearing it might escape otherwise. Every immortal medicine was unique in heaven and earth; they possessed sentience, could connect with the heavens, and could fly away on their own.

The Qilin seed, which had slumbered for endless ages, truly revived in this place. People heard the sound of the divine source cracking and shattering. Then, endless divine radiance flew towards it as it autonomously absorbed the essence from the crystal-clear divine liquid, blocking the killing intent, and began to grow.

In just half a month, the Qilin seed grew to about the size of a fist, its roots becoming thick and long, drawing in even more of the Life Spring divine liquid. Its growth was excellent.

Everyone's eyes burned even brighter!

At this time, the other seed in Ye Fan's hand also began to change. Buddhist chants reverberated in their ears, and behind Ye Fan, a magnificent and towering Great Thunderclap Temple, emitting divine radiance, began to materialize.