Chapter 1444: On Talent

Splendid!

“Little fellow is truly astonishing,” Ye Fan said. “It’s only been about a century, yet it has grown to this extent—a rare feat in ancient times.” He still remembered the scene from years ago: a golden eggshell cracking open, revealing a fluffy little creature no bigger than a fist, like a small ball of fluff, utterly adorable. Yet now, it was a Saint King level expert.

The campfire flickered. Everyone's gaze turned to the Lightning Phoenix, which made the little fellow very embarrassed. It lowered its head, its divine feathers shining brilliantly, burying its head beside Ji Ziyue.

“With the help of the Demon God Flower, it certainly made rapid progress,” Ji Ziyue said. “It truly startled both my brother and me.”

This little creature had cultivated for a shorter period than anyone else, yet it was now as powerful as anyone present, which naturally astonished God-King Ji Haoyue and left him in shock for quite some time.

“If this continues, it will surpass all the young supremes on the ancient path,” Pang Bo remarked.

Ji Ziyue shook her head. “Over the years, it has realized something,” she said. “After listening to the ancient Void Sutra and the Great Emperor’s notes, it now focuses on tempering its Dao soul and is no longer rushing for breakthroughs in its cultivation realm.”

“That’s true,” Ye Fan nodded. “The foundation must be solid.”

“I think its foundation is very solid, and its future achievements will surely be extraordinary,” Pang Bo said. “Breaking through to several layers of Saint King in less than a century—is that considered unprecedented in ancient times?”

Everyone shook their heads. It was indeed very fast, but it couldn't be the fastest record.

“According to records, someone once cultivated to the peak of Great Saint in less than a hundred years of age, leaving their name in history,” the Golden Lion stated. “That is the fastest record.”

“That fast?!” Even Ye Fan was shocked. Such speed was simply astounding.

His own cultivation had been quite fast, too; in just over a century, he had broken through to the profound depths of the Saint King realm, not much slower than the little fellow.

“Yes, this is the fastest record with written accounts,” the Black Bear Saint said, shaking his head. “As for terrifying speeds not recorded in history, those are hard to say.”

“What was this person’s name? Which Great Emperor was he?” Pang Bo inquired.

“His name was Dumu,” the Golden Lion replied. “He was not only the most astonishing genius of that era but also one of the strongest individuals with gifted bloodlines throughout history, hailing from the Divine Race.”

“I haven’t heard of such a Great Emperor,” Pang Bo said, skeptically.

“That’s right,” the Black Bear Saint interjected. “Because he was stuck at the peak of the Great Saint realm his entire life.”

“Dumu, so it was him,” Ye Fan said, nodding. He had read many ancient texts and had come across that name before, but he had never imagined that Dumu was such a prominent King of the Divine Race.

“How could that be?” the Dragon Horse asked, confused. “Didn’t he cultivate to the peak of Great Saint in a hundred years, and then make no further progress, not even half a step, until he died?!”

“A fast cultivation speed doesn’t necessarily mean one can achieve the supreme Dao fruit,” Ji Ziyue sighed softly, then offered a few more examples.

In ancient times, someone became a Saint in their twenties, shaking the world and astonishing all factions, hailed as a prodigy; however, their ultimate achievement was merely that of a Saint King.

There were also those who were late bloomers, starting off poorly but later making rapid advancements, much like a setting sun suddenly bursting into brilliance again. There are many such examples among Great Saints and Quasi-Emperors.

And it is said that in the Primordial Era, someone barely became a Saint at five thousand years old after enduring arduous cultivation, eventually achieving the Dao and becoming an Emperor at over six thousand, truly surpassing all others of their time.

Generally speaking, those who become Great Emperors break through when their vitality is at its peak. Becoming an Emperor at over six thousand years old can also be considered unprecedented in ancient times.

Many examples prove that while rapid progress in early cultivation offers a significant advantage, it doesn't guarantee the attainment of the supreme Dao fruit. Conversely, those with mediocre talent and slow progress initially don't necessarily face a difficult path throughout; they might catch up later, becoming late bloomers.

“Therefore, Little Fellow, you must be humble and cultivate diligently,” Ji Ziyue warned the Lightning Phoenix. “Early success means nothing; only by breaking through the Great Saint barrier can you truly succeed. Nine out of ten prodigies throughout history have had sad endings.”

The Lightning Phoenix’s divine feathers were brilliant, and its eyes shone like black gems. Yet, at that moment, it was nodding earnestly, like a chick pecking at rice, obeying Ji Ziyue's every word.

“Ahem, in that case, this venerable one is destined to become an Emperor only at six thousand years old,” the Dragon Horse declared shamelessly. “How truly disheartening.”

“Your shamelessness is truly something else,” the little fellow grumbled.

“Absolutely!” the Dragon Horse retorted, feeling no shame but instead pride. It believed that one must be thick-skinned to live in this world, otherwise, they would suffer losses, and countless facts could prove it.

That night, they talked at length. The twelve Saints were greatly encouraged; being behind now was insignificant, and there was no need to rush their rise in these few years.

Moreover, their cultivation speed was genuinely not slow; it was just a bit slower compared to monstrous anomalies like Ye Fan. Their advancement was only a matter of time.

If they were all like Ye Fan, soaring from the back of the pack and rapidly catching up to one young supreme after another, those people would surely commit suicide in despair.

One or two such individuals wouldn't be surprising, but if there were a group of them, how could the supreme experts of the world endure it?

In the early morning, the crimson sun leaped over the mountaintop, illuminating the mist in a kaleidoscope of colors. It was a long while before the colorful clouds slowly dispersed.

Ji Ziyue led the way towards her brother’s secluded cultivation spot. Naturally, everyone was enveloped by Heaven-Deceiving Formation patterns, making it difficult for outsiders to detect them.

Through their conversation last night, they learned about the siblings’ experiences.

Over the years, Ji Ziyue and her brother had had almost no interaction with others. Ever since discovering traces of the Nine-Layered Coffin, they had been chasing the Void Emperor Coffin.

The ancient coffin chanted scriptures that others could not hear; only Ji Ziyue and Ji Haoyue could. Upon their first encounter, they realized it was the coffin of their ancestor.

The siblings naturally possessed complete Emperor scriptures and had mastered the profound truths of the Void. However, by tracking the coffin, they also gained miscellaneous insights and observations, akin to personal notes, which were effectively cultivation experiences.

Such scriptural insights were priceless, no weaker than Emperor scriptures, and immensely significant!

Over all these years, the ancient coffin had soared through the universe, delving into many ancient lands and witnessing numerous places of spiritual essence. Some ancient domains even bore traces left by the Void Great Emperor in his youth, as if he had retraced his steps.

Finally, they climbed onto the ancient coffin and traveled with it, arriving here. The divine demon liquid proved to be the most heaven-defying fortune for them, leading to constant transformation and a complete metamorphosis over decades.

This liquid could not only alter one's physique but also bestow ancient inheritances. It contained numerous fragments of the Great Dao from primordial gods and demons, making it a collection of countless scriptures.

Of course, every inheritance was incomplete, never whole. Only the imprints of blood, essence, soul, and bone remained in the world, manifesting themselves.

Ji Ziyue had made arrangements concerning her brother, allowing her to sense his safety from afar. Pointing to a mountain peak, she said proudly, “I suppressed him deep within the earth’s veins, with various magic arrays intertwined. Unless he advances, he won’t be able to escape.”

Everyone exchanged glances. Poor Ji Haoyue, always poker-faced and too strict with his sister, had finally been properly subdued by this girl. They wondered what expression he would have when he emerged.

Naturally, no one would disturb him. Being baptized by the divine demon liquid and undergoing a complete metamorphosis could take a long time, depending on the circumstances and varying from person to person.

They waited here patiently. During this time, Ji Ziyue took out a small purple jar, intending to share its contents with Ye Fan and Pang Bo. It surprisingly contained the divine demon liquid.

The moment the lid was lifted, a refreshing fragrance wafted out. Crystal-clear droplets shimmered, and then illusory figures, like roaring gods and demons, surged forth, assailing their faces.

“You should keep this properly for now,” Ye Fan said. “It might be of great use in the future!” Pang Bo also nodded.

They had both previously received immortal medicine and divine liquid left by the Azure Emperor, making rapid progress in recent years. They no longer needed to constantly rely on such external resources for breakthroughs. Now, the most important thing was to forge their own Dao and comprehend their own methods.

For half a month straight, Ji Haoyue did not emerge from seclusion, still striving for a breakthrough. Ye Fan, using his Origin Technique, observed a large cocoon floating in the earth’s veins, emitting a powerful aura.

Of course, only such an Origin Technique could glimpse it; the area below was submerged by endlessly complex formation patterns, making it difficult for outsiders to detect.

Feeling it wasn’t safe enough, Ye Fan set up more Heaven-Deceiving Formation patterns, completely sealing off the area.

During this time, Golden Serpent Young Master, Sang Gu, the Divine Race Heavenly Maiden, Earth Corpse, Heaven-Devouring Beast, Di Tian, and others had appeared. Even Great Saints swept through the area, clearly having been drawn here by someone.

“Who is so malicious,” Pang Bo said, “to actually lure Great Saints here? If this continues for long, something unexpected will likely happen.”

Some Great Saints were directly shattering heaven and earth, indiscriminately attacking many mountain ranges and ancient ridges. If they were to hit this spot by chance, Ji Haoyue would certainly be blasted out.

Another day passed. Qi Tian, the Human Race Guardian, appeared, sweeping across this area like a faint phantom without stopping.

This was already the sixth Great Saint to appear. It was obvious someone was orchestrating this; otherwise, it couldn't be such a coincidence that they all appeared in this area.

Boom!In the distance, sand and stones flew, and smoke surged. Mountains were annihilated like flying ash as a divine diagram swept across the sky—it was the Killing Formation Diagram of Heavenly Venerate Lingbao. Nothing could stop it; its mere fluctuations turned many mountains and rivers into ashes.

The only fortunate thing was that Elder Shen was controlling it and had gone far away, not sweeping through this area. Otherwise, Ye Fan would have already considered forcibly digging Ji Haoyue out and carrying him away.

“He’s about to come out! I feel my brother has awakened; that cocoon is about to crack!” More than twenty days had passed, and Ji Ziyue had a premonition.

At this moment, the little fellow looked at Ye Fan with a worried expression, asking if he had ever offended Ji Haoyue. This made Ye Fan pause, very confused, and he asked why.

“Brother Haoyue said he’s going to kill you,” the little fellow said, gravely worried. “He’s about to awaken now, so you’d better leave quickly.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Ji Ziyue said, lightly striking the little fellow.

“It’s true!” the little fellow insisted seriously. “For years, the most frequent thing Brother Haoyue has muttered is, ‘I’m going to kill that brat. Sooner or later, I’ll go to the other side of the starry sky to find him.’ I once asked him who that person was, and he looked displeased, calling him a scoundrel. Later, when he was talking to himself, he said it was Ye Fan.”

Ji Ziyue uncharacteristically blushed, looking up at the sky and pointedly ignoring the gazes of Pang Bo, the Dragon Horse, and the others. It was clear that Ji Haoyue was angry on his sister’s behalf and wanted to deal with Ye Fan.

The Dragon Horse rarely got such an opportunity; how could it let it pass? Clicking its tongue, it said, “The elder brother-in-law wants to kill his sister’s husband to prove his Dao? Is there any justice left? Kid Ye, I suggest you punch him first when you meet him, to make him understand that brute force is the ultimate truth.”

Ye Fan listened to its absurd words and raised his hand to suppress it. The Dragon Horse quickly leaped aside, looking like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, and declared, “Beating the brother-in-law is the ultimate truth!”

“Little fellow, open your mouth, it’s time to drink the divine demon liquid,” Ji Ziyue said, taking out the purple jade jar and calling the Lightning Phoenix.

Seeing this, the Dragon Horse immediately put on a fawning expression and trotted over eagerly. “If you ask me,” it said, “when you encounter a brother-in-law like this, you have to beat him up. Soon, I will definitely help Brother Haoyue, whom I’ve never met. I feel quite fated with him; he must be one of us.”

The group looked at him with contempt. This scoundrel’s shamelessness was truly boundless. Even the Dragon Horse’s followers, the twelve Saints, pretended not to know him and kept their distance.

Boom!Just then, heaven and earth split apart, the earth’s veins exploded, and scattered rocks shot into the sky. A gigantic divine cocoon, infused with immortal qi and covered in cracks, burst from deep within the earth into the sky.