Chapter 143: Void Shard

At this moment, the sky was dark, dotted with stars. In the valley, a towering altar, built entirely of black jade, stretched out wide.

The old madman, with fingers pressed together like a knife, meticulously carved patterns onto it, completely engrossed. Stone chips flew as intricate, dense Dao patterns were deeply etched, appearing incredibly profound and utterly incomprehensible.

The bright moon hung high, casting down its pure moonlight. Around the Domain Gate, only soft rustling sounds could be heard. The translucent black jade was etched with mysterious patterns, appearing in groups.

Ye Fan watched from the side, trying to decipher the patterns, but he felt waves of dizziness. They were imprints of infinite space, easy to get lost in. "Senior, where are you going?" Ye Fan asked aloud, feeling it might be dangerous to follow rashly. A thud sounded.

The altar shuddered, and the black jade radiated light. The Dao patterns were now completely carved and formed. The old madman rose to his full height, standing at the center of the altar. Seeing he received no response, Ye Fan hesitated, wondering whether he should follow.

"Senior, I wish to accompany you?" he said again. Such an unparalleled master was like a living ancient scripture; if he could be guided by such a figure, his cultivation would undoubtedly advance by leaps and bounds.

However, just then, the old man became insane again, crying one moment and laughing the next, completely ignoring Ye Fan. "I'll risk it!" Ye Fan decided to follow. He had already intended to leave the Great Xuan Sect, as it was no longer safe, and being taken back to the Ji family would have unimaginable consequences. Ye Fan leaped up, flew onto the altar, and stood in the center, side by side with the old madman.

At this instant, the altar began to draw energy. The "Source" buried beneath the ground glowed, flowing towards the altar like rippling water.

The translucent black jade shimmered continuously. The Dao patterns carved by the old madman seemed to come alive, trembling incessantly, becoming sentient and brightening.

The void twisted and collapsed repeatedly. Then, a gaping black portal opened. The Domain Gate had successfully activated, leading to an unknown destination.

The deranged old madman stepped inside, followed closely by Ye Fan. They found themselves in a silent void, where nothing could be perceived—eternal darkness, boundless stillness. The Domain Gate slowly closed, and then the entire altar began to draw infinite Source power.

Suddenly, the old madman let out a cry and clutched his head. The character "Immortal" on his forehead glowed brilliantly, emitting a mysterious energy that enveloped him.

This was a terrifying power; the void itself became unstable, beginning to crack. Strange lights flickered in the eternal darkness.

The old madman tilted his head back and fell, sinking into a deep slumber. He floated motionlessly, his body covered by a layer of silken material, all emanating from the "Immortal" character on his forehead, like a cocoon.

Ye Fan was greatly alarmed. What kind of change had come over the old madman to tear space apart? They were supposed to cross the void, but this place was extremely unstable—this was a disaster of immense proportions. "It's over! How could this happen?!" Ye Fan's face immediately turned pale. An anomaly during void traversal could easily lead to utter destruction. *Crack, crack!* The void traversal failed, and large cracks appeared, signaling an imminent collapse.

Ye Fan frantically circulated the profound techniques recorded in the *Dao Sutra*, desperately trying to mobilize the Mother Qi of All Things. If the void shattered without immense divine power to resist, he would certainly be reduced to dust.

This was a long and agonizing process, a torment for Ye Fan. The void did not immediately shatter.

Finally, a wisp of the Mother Qi of All Things began to flow. It circulated hazily within his body, emanating a profound, heavy aura.

"I can't fully draw out the Mother Qi of All Things..." Ye Fan gripped the cocooned old madman. Perhaps only this body could withstand the vibrations unleashed when the void shattered.

*Crack, crack!*

Finally, the eternal darkness reached its limit of endurance. With a *boom*, it shattered.

When the void shattered to its extreme, it became silent annihilation.

A great image has no form; a great sound is barely heard!

Destructive power pulverized everything. At this moment, the old madman's immense physical prowess became evident. The cocoon on his body glowed with strange light, erecting a luminous barrier that stabilized a section of space. *Thud! Thud!*

The old madman and Ye Fan were flung out, reappearing in the real world. They had not left the Great Xuan Sect, only traveled several dozen *li*, landing on an uninhabited mountain range.

Just then, a deafening sound came from behind them, and brilliant light shot into the sky. The black jade altar had shattered.

*Boom!*

This was a powerful energy fluctuation, with dazzling light piercing the heavens, making the myriad stars in the sky grow dim. It was as if ten suns had simultaneously appeared, illuminating all directions.

Ye Fan felt a wave of lingering fear; traversing the void was too dangerous. Such terrifying energy could have pulverized his body many times over. Fortunately, they had been flung out of that place.

Within the Great Xuan Sect, cultivators from all 108 main peaks were alarmed. At the site of the Domain Gate, the light was incredibly intense, as if dozens of volcanoes were erupting simultaneously, causing everyone's expressions to change drastically. "This is... the Domain Gate has been activated, space has been pierced, and void traversal has failed!" "Could it be that a significant figure from our Great Xuan Sect encountered an accident while traversing the void?" Many elders soared into the sky, gazing towards the Domain Gate's location.

At the same time, the Great Xuan Sect Master and many esteemed elders were even more shocked. Such oceanic energy fluctuations made them all feel a sense of unease.

"Who is activating the Domain Gate?" an Grand Elder inquired.

"The void has collapsed; if anyone was inside, they are likely doomed," another Grand Elder said, a look of uncertainty on his face. Dozens of *li* away, Ye Fan felt a pang in his heart, secretly grateful for having escaped disaster. "If not for the Mother Qi of All Things, and if not for the old madman's cocoon, I would surely have died," he thought, slowly calming down.

At this moment, they had fallen among a mountain range. The old madman's body was wrapped in the cocoon, deeply asleep and unmoving. "Such an unparalleled figure is truly unfathomable; even the shattering of the void couldn't harm him!" Ye Fan was awestruck. In fact, the void's collapse was entirely due to the old madman.

Ye Fan dared not linger. He lifted the old madman and rushed towards Zhuo Peak as fast as he could. He didn't fly but moved through the mountains and forests.

At this moment, the Great Xuan Sect was in utter chaos. From all 108 main peaks, many powerful cultivators rushed towards the Domain Gate's location; no one paid any attention to the direction of Zhuo Peak. Ye Fan brought the old madman to Zhuo Peak and settled him in the dilapidated palace where he resided.

Li Ruoyu appeared silently, his voice deep as he asked, "Was everything that just happened related to you two?" His spiritual perception was exceptionally sharp, having detected the anomaly.

"It has nothing to do with me..." Ye Fan pointed directly at the old madman.

Li Ruoyu probed with his spiritual sense. His Dao heart immediately felt unstable; his body even felt like it was about to tear apart, and the flow of the natural Great Dao was obstructed. The cocoon before him was like a demonic embryo, causing him repeated tremors of fear. "This is..." He gasped, stepping back several paces.

Ye Fan didn't conceal anything. He directly revealed the old madman's identity and briefly recounted what had just happened. "If not an immortal, then a mad demon... an unparalleled master from six thousand years ago..." Li Ruoyu was moved, finding it difficult to remain calm.

Anyone who learned this would be shocked. The old madman had lived through countless eras, truly a living ancient scripture.

"For such a figure to appear on my Zhuo Peak, I wonder if it bodes well or ill for the Great Xuan Sect..." Li Ruoyu frowned.

At this moment, the Great Xuan Sect Master and several esteemed elders stared at the shattered black jade altar, speechless for a long time, their hearts filled with shock.

"These Dao patterns are too profound, extremely difficult to comprehend. Even the Domain Gates in the Holy Lands are probably no more intricate than this."

"Who exactly carved these?"

At this point, the few elders guarding the area regained their senses and quickly recounted what had happened.

"What?! It must be him!" The Great Xuan Sect Master and the esteemed elders all looked astonished.

Soon after, the Great Xuan Sect Master and the sect's esteemed elders all appeared on Zhuo Peak. Li Ruoyu invited them there. With the old madman present, the matter was too significant for him to conceal.

However, Li Ruoyu did not mention Ye Fan, stating instead that the old madman had fallen out of the void and unexpectedly appeared on Zhuo Peak. In the following days, everything remained calm. The Great Xuan Sect sealed off the news, preventing it from spreading.

The venerable elders of the Great Xuan Sect treated the old madman like a sacred relic, assigning dedicated guards to protect him, fearing he might be disturbed.

The old madman was in a peculiar state, covered by the cocoon, with strange energy circulating around him. An esteemed elder from the Great Xuan Sect tried to investigate, but was shaken so violently that he spat blood.

"Haven't you noticed something strange about Zhuo Peak? There must be a secret..." Ji Ziyue whispered to Ye Fan. Ye Fan was speechless. Li Ruoyu had warned him not to reveal anything, or he might become implicated. "I hope the old madman wakes up soon and nothing unexpected happens..." Ye Fan could only pray silently. In the following days, everything remained calm and uneventful. Now, Zhuo Peak had risen in prominence, its status elevated. It had accepted many exceptional disciples, and the main peak was no longer desolate.

Every day, disciples from other main peaks came to visit. Ye Fan made acquaintance with many young disciples, while Ji Ziyue was constantly surrounded, as if she were the moon among stars.

On this day, someone from Star Peak arrived, surprisingly inviting Ji Ziyue and Ye Fan. Upon hearing this news, Ye Fan immediately frowned, but Ji Ziyue merely smiled sweetly, completely unafraid of any trouble the other party might cause.

On the same day, Ji Ziyue mysteriously told Ye Fan, "My great-grandfather is here."

Ye Fan was startled and blurted out instinctively, "That old undying one is here again?"

"What kind of talk is that!" Ji Ziyue glared at him with wide eyes.

"My mistake. Are they here to take you back?" Ye Fan asked awkwardly.

"No, the mad old man appeared on Zhuo Peak. The Great Xuan Sect thought they could keep it a secret, but my family and the Shaking Light Holy Land already know. Several important figures have arrived here now, and extraordinary things are definitely going to happen next."

Ye Fan felt ashamed. There were many things he couldn't tell Ji Ziyue, yet she had revealed everything she knew without reservation.

In the distant sky, an ancient golden war chariot rumbled as it crushed the firmament, approaching. The chariot was covered in sword marks and arrow holes, exuding an aura of immense age and timelessness.