Chapter 1479: Shock

Chapter 1483: Shock

"What? Saint Kings?""Are these all venerable figures at the Saint King realm?"The Ji family members were all deeply shaken, their eyes wide with disbelief. This was truly impactful, almost terrifying. The news left some of them with ringing ears.

Even a powerful family like Ji felt as though they faced a vast ocean or stood on the edge of an abyss. How immense was this power? If they didn't deploy their family's full heritage, or if they lacked their world-shaking imperial artifacts, they would be utterly vulnerable against this group of divine birds and beast kings, swept away like fallen leaves by an autumn wind. This was a whole group of Saint Kings!

Counting carefully, there were twelve in total, including the ancient Golden Peng and the Lightning Phoenix. It was astonishing; twelve Saint Kings appearing together—even the most powerful sacred lands in Big Dipper, including the ancient clans, didn't possess such numbers. And these twelve Saint King realm experts were all followers of the young man in front of them. This was truly unsettling; nothing could be more shocking.

Back then, Ye Fan was powerful, causing turmoil in the Eastern Wasteland. When he finally left, he had turned all five regions upside down. Everyone acknowledged his exceptional talent in cultivation. However, this outcome still left them stunned, all somewhat dazed. Twelve Saint Kings combined—what an enormous force that represented. Without activating their deep heritage, how many contemporary inheritances could truly rival them?

"They... they're all in the Saint King realm?!" Some among the Ji family crowd found it hard to believe. Ye Fan had only been gone for over a century, yet he had already achieved such veneration, with numerous saints following him?

"Yes, they're all Saint Kings," Ji Ziyue nodded, her eyes like black gems, her pretty face fair, and a faint smile gracing the corner of her lips. Back then, Ye Fan was pursued, essentially forced to leave his home and travel to distant lands. His return now, with such a group of followers, was truly astounding.

"Ye Fan... what realm is he in?" one of Ji Ziyue's cousins whispered, asking.

"Grand Completion Saint King, only half a step away from being a Great Saint. Like the ancient clan's Heavenly King Lin and Heavenly King Nine Phoenix, he can be called a Heavenly King," Ji Ziyue replied.

Half-step Great Saint... to have reached such a height severely impacted everyone's minds. All present were petrified, speechless, wanting to say something but unable to form the words. They acknowledged Ye Fan's extraordinary talent, but the contrast between his past and present was immense. In the past, he was pursued by many sages; now, everything had been overturned. It was a revolutionary change.

The eighth elder among the Ji family's patriarchs had his Adam's apple bob, swallowing with difficulty, his face somewhat pale. He couldn't help but retreat another dozen steps. He felt a chill run down his spine. He had heard Ye Fan's name when the latter was just a minor cultivator, and now he had grown to this extent. He could absolutely look down upon the world now. Although he had severed his Dao after the great changes in the world and might be able to challenge the Saint realm, compared to the other's cultivation speed, the difference was truly vast. Perhaps the other person looked at him like he was an ant; killing him would be far too easy!

"Once one embarks on that path, it's hard to turn back. To return, one must at least enter the Great Saint realm. Does Fellow Daoist Ye already possess such combat power?" said a very aged Ji family elder, who knew far more than the others. Hearing this, everyone's expressions changed once more. This was tantamount to a Great Saint returning; such combat power could dominate anywhere in the world.

Ji Ziyue's mother wiped tears from her face and pulled her daughter close, as if having endless words to share, her face full of loving kindness. She cared about nothing else, only missing her two children. Ji Ziyue's father smiled. Back then, neither he nor his wife opposed their daughter's association with the Sacred Body, but there was too much internal family resistance. Today's outcome wasn't bad at all.

At this moment, everyone, whether they had favored Ye Fan in the past or held prejudices against him, wore complex expressions. This was a truly invincible Heavenly King. Things were different now. If he were to found a sect, these twelve saints alone would be enough to make its name resound across the world, dominating all directions. This combat power was extremely formidable.

It took a long time for people to recover.

"Ziyue, what... what realm are you in?" one of Ji Ziyue's grand-uncles asked kindly.

"Eighth Heaven of the Saint King realm," Ji Ziyue answered truthfully. Everyone was pleasantly surprised, unable to help but sigh. That ancient path was indeed an excellent place for tempering people. Facing the supreme experts from various regions, undergoing all sorts of trials, those who didn't perish would undoubtedly shine brilliantly.

"Has Haoyue become a Great Saint?" the eighth elder among the Ji family patriarchs asked hopefully, wishing to hear even more astonishing news. If Ji Haoyue could surpass Ye Fan, he would feel at ease. The ancient path was long, separating space and time, and the section connected to Big Dipper was almost in ruins. Back then, it took Ye Fan over a decade just to reach the first pass, making communication difficult. Even if sages from outside the domain descended upon Big Dipper, they were unaware of the outcomes of battles on their own clan's ancient paths, let alone fully knowing the situation on humanity's ancient path. Across all heavens and myriad domains, Ye Fan was the fifty-fifth person to reach the end and step onto the sole Heavenly Path, and he was also the first cultivator to return to Big Dipper from humanity's ancient path. No news had come before him. Ji Ziyue shook her head and explained the situation.

"Others contend for centuries, so why did you return so early?" one of Ji Ziyue's aunts asked, pulling her hand, doting on her.

"Because I missed home, and Ye Fan had no more opponents on humanity's ancient path," Ji Ziyue whispered.

"What?!" Compared to Ye Fan's realm, this news was even more astonishing, moving everyone in the Ji family. This was a monumental event! For a genius, cultivation realms could be ascended through effort. At least before the Great Saint realm, for remarkable individuals like Ji Haoyue, it shouldn't be an issue. But there could only be one person who swept through the ancient path without an opponent! Humanity's ancient path was a road where cultivators from many ancient stars and small worlds gathered and competed; it wasn't as simple as a single star, encompassing all of humanity.

The Ji family members' emotions shifted again, from shock to complexity, then to utter astonishment. Their hearts pounded fiercely; they saw Ye Fan as practically the embryonic form of a future supreme being! In a trance, they seemed to witness the radiance of a Great Emperor blossoming. Across all heavens and myriad domains, though there were many ancient paths, being unrivaled on the path of humanity, the largest race, held an absolutely extraordinary significance. According to ancient records, during the ultimate Imperial Path battle, humanity had never fallen out of the top fifteen, meaning that even in its worst period, it could rank fifteenth in the cosmos. Ye Fan's strength was beyond doubt. Barring any accidents, he would certainly be among the strongest individuals in the future, potentially ranking anywhere from first to fifteenth. Everyone's blood roared, almost boiling. This person had a deep connection with their Ji family. If they could further solidify this relationship, it would be akin to having him as one of their own. In any case, such a future supreme being deserved to be treated with the utmost sincerity.

The eighth elder among the Ji family patriarchs felt a bitter taste in his mouth. His last shred of hope vanished; he wished he could slap himself. He wanted to immediately go into seclusion and never emerge.

"This generation is different from previous ones," Ye Fan said, as if knowing what some people were thinking. Everyone calmed down, understanding his meaning. The sealed prodigies from various races had all converged in this era. From ordinary physiques to ancient imperial princes, to divine venerables, and even chaotic physiques—it was unimaginable! One could no longer measure by past standards. But even so, Ye Fan's strength was beyond question; he could absolutely walk proudly through the world.

The Ji family opened its most magnificent main gate. This was the highest form of etiquette, welcoming Ji Ziyue home and inviting Ye Fan inside. At this moment, anyone who dared to obstruct or speak carelessly would be considered a Ji family traitor and executed. With so many Saint Kings arriving at once, if the Ji family didn't possess imperial artifacts and its hidden "heritage," they would truly feel utterly inadequate.

Ye Fan directly inquired, "Where is Ji Zi?" Having been separated for over a century, he deeply missed the past when he fought alongside Ji Zi.

"He left a century ago and entered the cosmos; we don't know where he went," the Ji family members replied. When Ji Zi was mentioned, the Ji family naturally felt proud. He was the son of the Void Emperor, who had once battled ancient imperial princes and participated in killing the Heavenly Sovereign's son. He was of the same caliber as Ye Fan and was destined to become a future supreme being. Ye Fan sighed softly. Who knew how many years it would be before he could meet this old friend again? Ji Zi hadn't taken humanity's ancient path. Where had he wandered to now? Ye Fan imagined he was currently fighting through bloodshed, striving towards supreme strength.

The Void Imperial Hall was immensely magnificent, ancient yet imbued with a profound, weathered grandeur. The higher one's cultivation, the easier it was to feel a sense of reverence sitting there. At the very least, the twelve saints were all astonished, behaving themselves and not daring to cause trouble in this place.

A group of important Ji family figures accompanied them, ordering the best tea to be served. They even invited forth a Saint King, an ancestor from the Ji family who had survived from the Ancient Desolation era, sealed within a divine source. This individual had participated when Ye Fan and his allies launched their full assault on the two great Killer Divine Dynasties, so he wasn't unfamiliar. He was surprised by Ye Fan's return and, after learning more, sighed repeatedly.

Through conversation, Ye Fan learned that all the pinnacle human figures of Big Dipper, such as Gai Jiuyou, Great Saint Wei Yi, and the White-Clothed Divine King, had left long ago and entered the cosmos.

"I want to know, how is Heavenly Village? Do you know where my friends and disciples are?" Ye Fan quickly asked his most pressing question. Many Ji family members' expressions subtly changed. Some opened their mouths, seemingly wanting to say something. Ye Fan's heart sank; he sensed that something bad might have happened. Heavenly Village had already moved beyond the domain, far from the center of conflict. Could it still have been affected?

"The situation might not be as serious as you imagine," Ji Ziyue's father said. He was a very powerful and martial middle-aged man, with deep eyes, thick black hair, and vigorous vitality. Encountering such a flourishing era, right as the world's rules were undergoing drastic changes, his cultivation had deepened day by day, and he possessed a kingly majesty.

"What happened?" Ye Fan asked calmly.

"Your disciple and a few others might have run into trouble, but it's not yet confirmed," the Ji family's Sacred Lord said. He first mentioned Ye Tong. Over the years, the Solar Body had shaken Big Dipper, shining with dazzling brilliance. He not only defeated all peers in Big Dipper but also triumphed over numerous prodigies who descended from beyond the domain.

"A son should be like Ye Tong!" This was a widely circulated saying in Big Dipper, with everyone calling him "the second Ye Fan," praising him for having taken a good disciple who brought his Dao lineage to prominence and ensured its continuation. For many years, Ye Tong fought on behalf of his master, defeating many of Ye Fan's former opponents, such as ancient clan experts, and the unrivaled Twin Kings and Pluto Physique from Central Province. Over these years, Ye Fan's prestige still resounded throughout Big Dipper, known to all, solely due to Ye Tong's rise. Having reached the Saint realm, he continued Ye Fan's glory, fighting across the world, truly unrivaled among his peers. Hearing all this, Ye Fan couldn't help but nod. This disciple had indeed shone brightly, destined to look down upon all others.

"Thirty years ago, Ye Tong killed the young prince of the Golden Crow clan from the Fusang Ancient Star, incurring immense trouble. He was relentlessly pursued and is now in an unknown state of life or death."

"The Golden Crow clan..." Ye Fan's eyes immediately blazed. He had killed many from this clan himself; he hadn't expected his disciple to also incur their enmity and draw such deadly peril.

"Ye Tong is a heaven-defying genius, truly rare throughout history. He has been on the run, pursued by several old Golden Crow ancestors whose realms were much higher than his. Only in the last decade has he quieted down, his life or death unknown."

"Several ancestors of the Golden Crow clan emerged to kill one of my disciples. The Golden Crow clan truly has immense capability!" Ye Fan's words were cold, his gaze intimidating, and killing intent permeated the air. Those present immediately felt their bodies about to crack, but fortunately, he quickly reined in his aura. He then asked, "Where is the Black Sovereign? Its array formations are boundless; did it not step in to protect him?"

"It is rumored that... that dog, that... Black Sovereign, has disappeared." For a long time, the Black Sovereign had run rampant, its perfected array formations making all heroes wary. During this period, it was extremely strict with Ye Tong, Little Sparrow, Huahua, and others. It brought them from beyond the domain into Big Dipper, almost raising them in a 'free-range' manner, letting them experience bloody baptisms and battles. Without a doubt, the geniuses from Heavenly Village were terrifying, truly unparalleled, each walking proudly through the world. The Black Sovereign secretly set many trials and obstacles for them, cultivating them entirely as if tempering young supreme beings, sometimes even assailing them with killer formations. Such hellish training naturally made them advance rapidly. However, when the Black Sovereign disappeared, the situation became unfavorable. These geniuses, 'free-ranged' in the tumultuous land of Big Dipper, encountered terrible trouble. Someone began to target them. It is said that Saint Qiluo stepped forward but was severely wounded by sages from outside the domain, nearly dying.

"What exactly happened to the Black Sovereign?"

"Some say it excavated a ruin, obtained the peerless Character Formation Secret Art, and went into seclusion for it. However, it encountered problems during its enlightenment and has been unconscious for decades. Others say it delved into the five-colored altars built by Great Emperors, comprehended most of them, and then, in an experiment, accidentally teleported itself away, possibly crossing to another side of the cosmos." Ye Fan frowned. Regarding the first reason, he had nothing to say. If it was the second reason, then that dead dog was truly as unreliable as ever, repeatedly teleporting people astray. This time, it was finally its own turn.

"Your other disciple, Huahua, is equally astonishing. In a few more years, he was destined to be another young unrivaled figure, but unfortunately, he also suffered a calamity," a Ji family elder said.

"What happened?" Ye Fan's heart sank.

"He was suppressed and converted, forced to permanently leave the Heavenly Court. Most likely, he won't be able to return," the Ji family's Sacred Lord sighed.

Ye Fan abruptly stood up, more furious than when he heard Ye Tong was being hunted. Someone had actually converted his disciple; this was more severe than killing him. "Have I truly been away from Big Dipper for too long? You pursue my disciple, leaving his life or death unknown. You convert my disciple, leading him into another doctrine. Each and every one of you has immense capability! I will pay a visit to each of you. Perhaps this world has been peaceful for too long; I, Ye, have returned!"