Chapter 1418: Out of the Pass

Chapter 1421: Emerging from Seclusion

The colossal Bodhi tree bore witness to the past and present. Its vibrant green leaves shimmered brightly, turning with the flow of time, each fleeting moment seeming like centuries slipping through one's grasp.

Cultivating the Dao for a lifetime, comprehending laws for an era, all for unparalleled invincibility, leaving corpses strewn across the land.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, such was the persistence—the final brilliance of a dying candle.

Comprehending unparalleled techniques, yet unable to withstand the relentless flow of time. A lifetime of ultimate splendor could not conceal the stained tears and blood of yesteryear. Looking back, the world was silent, with no one from that era to be found.

At this moment, Ye Fan experienced a hallucination, as if he had arrived ten thousand years into the future, standing alone at the peak, with only a few earthen graves around him. The world stretched vast and desolate, and in his twilight years, he no longer knew his purpose. Looking back on his life, all that remained was a sigh carried by the wind.

Great enemies turned to ash, beloved companions lay in their graves, and old friends had returned to the yellow earth. He could no longer find anyone; all his acquaintances were gone.

This feeling was profoundly unsettling, stirring his heart. He felt an ancient desolation and longed to roar to the heavens, shattering the murky mist to usher in a glorious future.

It was both real and illusory. Was it merely a mirage, or had he, standing at the pinnacle of his Dao, glimpsed a corner of the future on the other shore?

A mournful melody wailed, disturbing his spirit, bringing sorrow to the autumn air, until only boundless desolation remained.

What was happening? Beneath the Bodhi tree, Ye Fan awoke with a start. Why had he witnessed this scene? His body was like bedrock, his mind like still water; how could he have foreseen such a sight?

Ye Fan's entire body glowed, inscribed with golden runes one after another. Numerous great stars had turned to ash, countless galaxies had collapsed, leaving only his true form, which had naturally refined all Dao fruits. His golden flesh pulsed, and his bones chimed rhythmically, like a battle hymn, clanging loudly. Endless meridians and acupoints throughout his body blossomed with dazzling golden immortal light. However, at this moment, a vertical eye opened on his forehead, and in a trance, he saw reincarnation—scenes from the past.

“Are these external demonic thoughts? I've never encountered them before, but now they've finally arrived,” Ye Fan murmured, not believing what he saw. He said no more. Starting from the Sea of Bitterness secret realm, he evolved all the way to the Four Extremities secret realm, cultivating his own Dao, his own techniques, and his own convictions, unmoved by external influences.

“My Dao, my techniques, I am invincible! I do not believe in a future life, nor do I dwell on the past. How can there be reincarnation? How could I see a desolate scene ten thousand years from now?!” he roared.

Ye Fan stretched his limbs, seemingly splitting heaven and earth. He purged the demonic thoughts within him, severed all chaotic intentions, and restored his inner clarity.

“Oh no, that might really have been a blurred vision of the future, but Ye Fan doesn’t believe it. He’s convinced he’s invincible in this life,” the Dragon Horse murmured.

“Could we have been affected too, seeing illusory demonic visions? Only he realizes they are false, so he wants to break them?” Pang Bo mused, sensing trouble.

“This is too strange; we can’t judge it. And we can’t warn him, or we might mislead him. Now, it’s us who are confused,” said the Golden Lion. Upon hearing this, everyone was alarmed. They all sat cross-legged in the void, questioning their hearts and seeking the Dao to break through the illusions.

“You don't need to force yourselves. These are my visions, and I don't believe them; I only consider the present life. You don’t need to get deeply involved; regard them as fleeting snow or a passing breeze,” Ye Fan declared.

The others were all shaken and retreated, standing at a sufficient distance. The Spring of Life bubbled, shimmering with radiant colors. Four dark-red killing swords lay quietly submerged in the spring, forging a killing tribulation.

“We don’t need to delve into it. Those are Ye Fan’s Dao and visions; whether true or false, we should forget them once seen,” Pang Bo murmured.

Finally, beneath the colossal Bodhi tree, only an undying golden body remained. Everything else vanished as Ye Fan shattered the myriad scenes, his mind clear, free from all worries. The golden light receded, and peace returned to the area. Ye Fan stood alone, the Bodhi tree swayed, and its countless green leaves rustled, sounding like a river flowing into the distance.

“He did it! Little Ye has successfully completed his enlightenment,” Pang Bo chuckled. The Dragon Horse, Golden Lion, and others gathered around. Seeing Ye Fan returned to his original state, with his radiant light now contained within his body, they knew his three years of comprehending the Dao had ended successfully, and he had truly achieved something great.

To everyone’s surprise, the seemingly calm Ye Fan walked forward. After just nine steps, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of golden blood, a dazzling and shocking sight.

“Ye Fan, what’s wrong?!” Everyone was alarmed and rushed to his side. A cauldron floated, releasing the mother qi of all things, and myriad spirits appeared, shielding Ye Fan and stabilizing his injured body.

“Did his enlightenment fail?” Pang Bo was startled, sensing something was wrong. The twelve Saints also felt their hearts sink. For cultivators, the most dreadful injury was a failed enlightenment, as it destroyed one’s foundation. Nothing could be more severe. The Dao Ye Fan had just displayed was too terrifying. It shattered the myriad realms within the human body, leaving only his true form, inspiring awe. However, it was also exceedingly dangerous; even a slight mishap could lead to the complete destruction of body and spirit.

“Could he really have encountered a tribulation?” the Dragon Horse mumbled.

“It’s nothing serious, you don’t need to worry,” Ye Fan said, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was clearly injured, which made everyone very concerned.

“What exactly happened?” Pang Bo asked.

“My Dao isn’t complete; there are still flaws in the Four Extremities scripture. This Dao is too overbearing, and it injured me,” Ye Fan explained.

Everyone suddenly understood. What Ye Fan had just done was indeed overbearing, directly destroying the human body’s inner universe. This was something no ordinary person could achieve. It was truly heaven-defying; it would have been strange if he had emerged completely unharmed! Furthermore, he had only been in the Saint King realm for a few years. It was impossible for him to achieve perfection overnight; his scripture still needed much refinement and could not be perfected in a single day. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. However, seeing the golden bloodstains still at the corner of Ye Fan’s mouth, they remained somewhat worried. For him to be injured, this was definitely not a simple matter.

“Are you really alright?”

“Just a minor Dao injury, nothing to worry about,” Ye Fan said.

“Dao injury…” The Black Bear Saint, Heavenly Scorpion, and others were all aghast. This was not good news at all; Dao injuries were the most difficult to heal, and many ancient Great Saints had passed away due to them, often proving to be incurable.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a scratch; it’s nothing serious. In the past, the Great Dao itself rejected me, and that was far more severe than today,” Ye Fan stated.

Beside him, faint wisps of lightning flickered, entering the ancient Heavenly Venerate’s Spring of Life. This was… a premonition of an impending Heavenly Tribulation!

“Are you going to undergo a tribulation?”

“My enlightenment today caused some injuries. I’ll go to the Sea of Thunder Tribulation for a baptism; perhaps it can mend that crack,” Ye Fan said.

Both the Golden Lion and the Nine-Tailed Alligator Dragon, along with the twelve Saints, were speechless. Others feared heavenly tribulations, but he intended to use one to heal his injuries while advancing his cultivation.

Before leaving, Ye Fan and the others carefully examined the four killing swords, confirming they could not be taken. They then approached the cave dwelling where the Six-Eared Macaque had passed away, but also failed to gain anything, only sighing softly. Everyone took out their Dharma artifacts to collect the divine liquid from the ancient Heavenly Venerate’s Spring of Life. This was a peerless medicine that could resurrect the dead and regrow flesh and bone, extremely useful for cultivators.

The group emerged from the Spring of Life, ascending to the sea surface. While others needed ancient ships to navigate the sea, they had no such worries. They had collected a large amount of the ancient Heavenly Venerate’s divine liquid, which was enough to counter the Black Sea of Bitterness. For the past three years, they had not emerged. Outside, the situation had changed dramatically, and many had died. Corpses were frequently seen falling and floating in the Sea of Bitterness.

“I’m going to undergo the tribulation; you all be careful,” Ye Fan said.

The twelve Saints nodded and set up the Heaven-Deceiving Formation patterns left by the Great Emperor Wushi to conceal their tracks. They watched Ye Fan’s tribulation from a distance, unafraid of being discovered. This sea area was very quiet; ordinarily, no one passed by. People mainly gathered near the other Springs of Life, hoping to seize the ancient Heavenly Venerate’s imperial artifacts and secret scriptures from their origins.

“Boom!”

Ye Fan underwent his tribulation. As expected, it was incredibly vast, shaking the surroundings and inevitably attracting the attention of the powerful figures nearby. Coincidentally, someone else was also undergoing a tribulation in another direction. Though far away, its might felt no less intense. Vaguely, a golden flood dragon could be seen soaring across the sky, thicker than a mountain range and terrifying beyond compare.

The Dragon Horse cursed and snuck closer, wanting to see who was undergoing a tribulation with such immense power. It had to be a peak expert. “A golden flood dragon, showing signs of a true dragon. This is a royal bloodline among flood dragons; I wonder which ancient domain it came from.” They didn't dare get too close, because several other powerful beings were guarding the golden flood dragon Saint King, watching closely.

“Boom!”

Suddenly, thunder roared from yet another direction, deafeningly loud, indicating an immeasurably vast heavenly tribulation. They discovered a third group of people undergoing a tribulation, also with powerful guardians.

“Something’s not right. Why is it such a coincidence? How did all these tribulations happen at the same time?” Pang Bo found it strange. One of the twelve Saints transformed into a flash of lightning and flew into the distance to investigate. Before long, he returned with a surprising piece of news. It turned out that various races had agreed to let those about to break through undergo their tribulations within the Sea of Bitterness. Their goal was to break through the black ocean, activate the ancient Heavenly Venerate’s wheel of life, cause the Springs of Life to erupt fully, and thereby construct a divine bridge to reach the other shore.

“That’s a bold and somewhat innovative idea!” Pang Bo exclaimed.

Over the past half-month, more than ten individuals had undergone tribulations. All had tried to stir up great waves and cause the Springs of Life beneath the Sea of Bitterness to erupt, but none had succeeded in constructing a divine bridge.

“Boom!”

Ye Fan’s Heavenly Tribulation was unparalleled in the world; at his cultivation level, absolutely no one could surpass it. It was too vast, and its progression attracted attention from all directions. Being too far away, people didn’t understand the situation and couldn’t accurately assess the tribulation. Many began to rush towards this location.

“Is that him?!” The powerful figures were startled; some recognized Ye Fan. He had disappeared for three years, and now he had returned, having actually broken through and was undergoing a tribulation here. By the time these people arrived, Ye Fan had already completed his tribulation. His Cauldron of Mother Qi had absorbed the immense tribulation light, with chaotic lightning inscribed upon it, making it look ancient and magnificent. This wasn't a heavenly tribulation for advancing to a major secret realm, so no ancient Great Emperors appeared. Relatively speaking, Ye Fan passed through it easily. Over twenty years had passed since he reached the first layer of the Saint King realm. During that time, Ye Fan had undergone two tribulations; this was his third, advancing him two levels to the fifth layer of the Saint King realm.

As the hundreds of thousands of feet of lightning vanished, Ye Fan descended. Faint traces of golden blood lingered at the corner of his mouth, causing Pang Bo, the Dragon Horse, and the others’ hearts to sink.

“Little Ye, are you alright?” Pang Bo asked with alarm.

“This is your first time being injured during a tribulation. Wait, is it that Dao injury? You haven’t mended that crack?” The Dragon Horse was surprised.

“It’s fine, this injury won’t stop me,” Ye Fan said, wiping away the golden blood. His eyes were clear, and there was no hint of weariness.

“Is this the Human Saint Body? He actually sustained injuries during his tribulation! Is he even worthy of being called a young supreme? How laughable. Golden Snake Second Young Master, didn’t you say he was a formidable opponent? He’s nothing special; truly disappointing.” In the distance, six figures rapidly approached, like several immortal rainbows streaking across the sky, leaving dazzling trails of light. They descended upon this sea area, glaring at Ye Fan and the others. Golden Snake Fourth Young Master was among them, along with two other young, powerful individuals whom they hadn’t seen before. They had evidently arrived from other ancient star domains in the past three years, each a supreme of their respective regions, the strongest among the trial-takers on their ancient paths. One was a Peacock, though in human form, immensely powerful. Five-colored divine light emanated from his back, releasing terrifying fluctuations. The other held a pagoda, his true form a divine fox. His gaze was cunning, appearing very formidable.

“Golden Snake Second Young Master, are you sure this is the Human Saint Body you spoke of? You’re not deceiving us? So pathetic, sustaining a Dao injury just from undergoing a tribulation. Is he even fit to be our enemy?!” The Peacock and the Divine Fox stood proudly, faces filled with disdain. They felt they had been misled by the Golden Snake clan’s Second Young Master. The four young masters of the Golden Snake clan also harbored doubts. They had never heard of a young supreme sustaining a Dao injury during a tribulation. How could such a person be a formidable opponent? Could they have been mistaken before? This was clearly a mismatch for his reputation. A true supreme expert would not suffer a Dao injury during a heavenly punishment at such a minor realm. Had they truly overestimated Ye Fan before?

Golden Snake Second Young Master’s eyes shifted, radiating golden light. He was somewhat unconvinced, as his physical body had suffered considerably in their previous battle, enduring unbearable pain.

“Second Young Master, I admit I am not your equal, but you exaggerated this opponent. Allow me to make a move and slay this so-called rare bloodline you mentioned,” the Five-Colored Peacock said, brimming with conceit.

Golden Snake Second Young Master remained silent. The four golden snakes were all cold and ruthless, staring at Ye Fan, trying to discern his true strength. The Peacock spread his wings, his plumage dazzling, and five-colored divine light swept forth. It was a direct killing strike, weighing hundreds of millions of jun, intending to suppress Ye Fan immediately without any probing. “Even though we are both at the fifth minor stage of the Saint King realm, you dare to fight me?” Ye Fan spoke indifferently. With a thunderous roar, he took a step forward. Wind and thunder raged between heaven and earth, with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling. Even with golden bloodstains on his clothes, he was incredibly majestic, appearing like a divine demon!

“Someone who was injured even during a tribulation dares to show off against me? What a joke!” The Five-Colored Peacock sneered, the divine light behind him intensified, and he slashed down.

“Bang!” Ye Fan struck, decisive and domineering, stretching his limbs. The four extremities of his body glowed, instantly causing heaven and earth to collapse, the Sea of Bitterness to surge, almost bringing down great stars. “You…” The Five-Colored Peacock’s expression changed. This sight filled him with dread.

“Boom!” The Divine Fox suddenly intervened, conjuring an ancient pagoda that transformed into thirty-three layers, suppressing it towards Ye Fan to save the Peacock. He had realized that such divine might truly carried an air of unparalleled invincibility and supreme dominance. Alas, it was a step too late. Ye Fan swept past, his body moving like a dragon’s curve, slicing through the five-colored divine light. His true form pressed close, he seized the Five-Colored Peacock with his bare hands, and with a ripping sound, tore him in half. Blood rained down as the Peacock was instantly split.

“Ah…” the Five-Colored Peacock shrieked miserably.

“What is a supreme? There is only one in this world!” Ye Fan said coldly. Then, with a sweep of his arm, the ancient pagoda that was suppressing him reversed direction, shaking violently. Then, with a boom, it exploded, no longer under the Divine Fox’s control.

“You…” The Divine Fox’s face turned pale with horror.