Chapter 1512: Dark Storm

The Dark City's walls were a deep crimson, stained this color by the blood of countless ancient wars.

It was renowned as the First City, yet upon closer inspection, it didn't appear particularly grand. Its twelve-zhang-high walls were not significantly more imposing than those of an average city.

Time had etched mottled marks onto the walls, and hidden beneath the sword slashes and arrow holes, ancient formation patterns glowed faintly, providing the city's defense.

Its title as the First City of the Central Region was not due to its size, but rather its immense importance. Throughout history, during every period of Dark Turmoil, this place had served as the primary battlefield, witnessing countless significant events.

Discussions about the Central Region or the Immortal Mountain Turmoil inevitably involved mentioning this city, hence its designation as the First City.

"Candied hawthorns! From the venerable Yichen family, large, round, and sweet!" called out one vendor. Another proclaimed, "Fortune telling! Fate predicting! The Watcher of the Heavenly Realm, a divine physiognomist in linen robes, has descended to reveal destinies spanning three lives and to question the heavens!"

After many years of recovery, far from the ravages of war, the Dark City was now exceedingly prosperous. The chaos and defeat of over a hundred thousand years ago had long vanished. People bustled to and fro, shoulder to shoulder, the clamor of the mortal world rising to the heavens.

Upon entering the city, Ye Fan witnessed a scene of thriving prosperity, with booming industries and people living in peace. He also noticed many cultivators hidden among the common folk.

In fact, nearly half the city's population consisted of cultivators; after all, having endured the most terrifying turmoil in human history, it was never short of practitioners of the Dao.

He ascended to a wine house situated on the Dark City's main thoroughfare. From the window, he looked out at the bustling street below, with constant traffic and an incessant chorus of vendors' cries. Even in the sky, divine lights occasionally streaked past, indicating the immense flow of people entering and leaving.

There was no need to exert effort in gathering information; one simply had to find a crowded spot and sit down to hear the latest news. Many cultivators had arrived recently and were all discussing the current situation.

People believed that the Path to Immortality was about to open, as too many individuals from all realms and domains had arrived. Sages, like a surging tide, had crossed vast distances and descended upon Beidou.

Furthermore, the major Life Forbidden Zones were no longer quiet. Someone had seen a beautiful woman playing a flute in the Grand Beginning Forbidden Zone, soaring through the air with an otherworldly aura, shaking the entire Northern Region.

Others had heard the sound of chains rattling in the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land in the Southern Region. The nine sacred mountains there trembled daily, and endless mists surged up from the abyss below.

Still others had seen ancient steles in the Immortal Tomb glowing, as if they were about to tear through the sky, emitting chilling auras.

These recent strange occurrences made people uneasy yet also expectant. If the Path to Immortality truly appeared, it would be the greatest upheaval of all time, and who knew what might transpire.

"Everyone says that in this era, the Immortal Realm might connect with the Mortal World. Is this true or false? Why are such secrets circulating among the Sages from outside our domain?" someone murmured."There must be some truth to it," another replied, "otherwise, why would they risk life and limb to cross the galaxy from the other end of the universe?""That's true," a third chimed in. "Otherwise, only Great Emperors could force their way into the Immortal Realm. What hope would anyone else have? It's truly something to look forward to—if everyone could become immortal, we too would benefit. What a magnificent scene that would be!"

Ye Fan poured himself a drink, having concealed his true appearance to avoid being recognized and causing a commotion. He sat quietly, listening to the discussions.

By now, there were truly few in the world who could harm him. Unless a Quasi-Emperor appeared, he could already reign supreme, and all races would show him respect and reverence, at least superficially.

"Oh, who is that? Is that Ancient Sovereigness Huolin'er? She... she actually returned from outside the domain!" someone exclaimed.

A graceful figure flew past, level with the wine house windows, soaring above the street. Beneath her were the bustling crowds, and she appeared like a celestial maiden gliding over waves.

Her long, water-blue hair cascaded down, shimmering like sapphires. Her robes fluttered, her skin was snow-white, and her eyes held both spiritual essence and a sense of majesty.

She thus flew into the city, disappearing before a magnificent ancient palace.

"I heard she returned to her clan's ancestral land. Who would have thought she'd reappear after more than a hundred years? This woman's current combat prowess will likely make even Great Sages wary."

From her, the conversation shifted to Fire Kirin Cave, and naturally, Fire Kirin Child was also mentioned.

"Don't think that just because Fire Kirin Cave suffered a huge loss in the Eternal realm, they can be trifled with. On the contrary, they might be even more formidable now," someone asserted."Why do you say that?" another asked."Do you remember that when Fire Kirin Child first appeared, he often lingered outside the Primordial Ancient Mine? Many people saw him. What does that imply? This hidden connection alone can ensure their clan's perpetual prosperity!"

As more and more cultivators gathered, all sorts of secret rumors were revealed, and the Dark City became a hub of chatter.

"Oh, who is that woman? She wears a Buddha's enlightenment crown and possesses an aura of ruling the world—how astounding!" a voice exclaimed."Haven't you heard?" another replied. "That's Great Peacock Bright King, from the Amitabha Ancient Star Domain. The battle at Mount Sumeru just ended recently, and she might be the foremost Buddhist master of this age.""That's not necessarily true," a third interjected. "The Victorious Fighting Buddha should be stronger than her; he's just left."

Great Peacock Bright King wore a golden crown, had eight pairs of armlets, and her necklaces swayed as she rode a golden peacock into the city. Her majestic entrance instantly sent ripples through the crowd, drawing the attention of everyone.

Soon after, from the direction of Central Province, dragon qi surged, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle. A dragon sword directly tore through the void, and an elder stepped from Central Province into the city in a single stride!

The Grand Emperor Sword, like an ancestral dragon, shook its head and tail, releasing a terrifying aura that shocked the mortal world. It possessed an unmatched killing intent, towering over the nine heavens.

"This is... a Great Saint," someone gasped. "Why is he so high-profile, arriving with an Emperor's artifact, as if he can't wait to cleave this place apart!""The people from the Great Xia Imperial Family have arrived. Do not provoke them!" another warned. "It's rumored that news leaked from the Immortal Mansion World a few days ago, saying their progenitor, the Grand Emperor, died inside.""What?! An Imperial Sovereign has fallen..." someone else exclaimed in disbelief."Precisely. He fell on the Path to Immortality, suspected to be related to the Undying Emperor. This Great Saint's arrival is most likely to cause trouble for the ancient races."

The Dark City was in turmoil, with one powerful figure after another arriving, stirring up immense anticipation among the populace. It was highly likely that a major upheaval was imminent.

Silently, another person appeared on the street, emitting an aura of decay, yet it caused the Sages to tremble. This was because the Supreme Saint of the Great Xia Imperial Family walked over and nodded to him.

"Who is this?" Everyone felt a chill. The Saint from Great Xia was undoubtedly a figure from over a hundred thousand years ago, surviving until this era. The fact that he recognized this person unequivocally meant they were contemporaries.

For he too carried an aura of decay, as if he could turn to dust at any moment.

"It's the Great Saint from the Ji family; he appeared during the battle at Mount Sumeru."

Everyone was astonished. The great immortal inheritances were finally no longer keeping a low profile, unveiling their power, as Great Saints emerged!

Upon reflection, it was only natural. While all were sacred lands, those that had produced Great Emperors were in a different league. Only ancient supreme beings could refine Divine Source Liquid and seal Saints, thus possessing such profound reserves.

Their past obscurity was merely because the time was not right. If true conflict were to arise, which family that had produced a Great Emperor could be compared? They could absolutely shake the heavens.

A gust of wind blew, and the two Great Saints vanished.

The Dark City was abuzz with commotion. The appearance of figures from over a hundred thousand years ago undeniably heralded the imminent opening of the Path to Immortality.

At the same time, the news of the Grand Emperor's death spread like wildfire, reaching all directions and causing a massive stir, sending shivers down everyone's spines.

Did the Undying Emperor kill the Grand Emperor, or did the Grand Emperor, weakened by old age and depleted life essence, ultimately fall in battle, collapsing in a pool of blood on the Immortal Path? This became the focus of people's debates.

"Who is that woman? She's truly beautiful, as if she stepped out of a painting. What's her identity?" someone whispered."Heavens!" another gasped. "And who is that person walking beside her? Is he a Saint Spirit?"

A chorus of gasps erupted in the Dark City as a perfect pair approached. The woman was peerlessly beautiful, her grace unparalleled, and the man was handsome and dashing, with an extraordinary aura.

Simply by standing there, these two drew immediate attention. Their outstanding demeanor made them stand out like cranes among chickens, easily recognizable even in a vast crowd.

"This is Princess Yueling of the Nine Li Divine Dynasty, dubbed the 'Number One Beauty of Central Province' by curious observers."

Finally, someone recognized the peerless beauty. She wore a phoenix crown and robes of radiant clouds, shimmering with vibrant colors, like streaks of morning glow dancing in the air.

Her skin was like congealed cream, her dark hair cascaded down, and her arched brows framed lively eyes. With a delicate, upturned nose, she was a rare beauty, almost impossible to find fault with.

Ye Fan's expression stirred; he recognized the woman. He had seen her years ago in the Qinling Mountains, west of Central Province.

At that time, Ye Fan, Gai Jiuyou, and Princess Yueling had all joined the Qin Sect, as had Hua Yunfei and Li Xiaoman, all seeking the Soldier-word Secret.

Ultimately, both Ye Fan and the ailing elder gained something. So many years had passed that looking back felt like a dream. Ye Fan surmised that Princess Yueling might also have obtained the Soldier-word Secret.

Time had left no trace on Princess Yueling's luminous white face. Her eyes, like black jewels, were as beautiful as ever, her captivating appearance truly deserving of the title 'Number One Beauty of Central Province'.

Beside her stood a man of imposing heroic bearing. His sword-like eyebrows extended diagonally into his temples, fully showcasing his valiant demeanor. His eyes were sharp as cold lightning, and their gaze made others dare not meet it, feeling as if a sword light was cleaving towards them.

Most remarkably, he possessed a pair of stone arms, identical to those of a Saint Spirit, yet the rest of his body was flesh and blood. Faint yet powerful energy fluctuations emanated from him, shaking people's hearts.

Everyone was astonished. Princess Yueling's peerless beauty was self-evident, but the man sent shivers down their spines. Could this be a nearly flawless Saint Spirit?

He wore shining silver armor, appearing magnificent and displaying his heroic stature. His steps were strong, he was tall and imposing, and his black hair fluttered. He was clearly an outstanding individual.

"Without a doubt, this is a Saint Spirit. I can feel that unique aura!" a Sage from outside the domain said gravely.

Legend had it that truly perfected Saint Spirits would transform their bodies into flesh and blood. Yet this person had only stone arms, with the rest of his body already flesh. This was astonishing.

Only at the Quasi-Emperor realm could a stone body transform into flesh and blood. How powerful was this man then? This question sent tremors through everyone's hearts.

"He's not a Quasi-Emperor. If I'm not mistaken, it's simply because the formidable imperial blood of the Saint Spirit lineage flows within him!" an elder from Tongtian Star remarked.

As this perfect pair approached, the man's divine bearing astounding and the woman's beauty world-shaking, they naturally drew everyone's gaze. The street remained relatively quiet until they had passed, then a flurry of chatter and heated discussion erupted.

This grand gathering of myriad races had drawn out all sorts of prominent figures. The presence of so many extraordinary individuals was bound to lead to formidable confrontations, even bloody clashes, during the discussion of protocols. Deploying such powerful lineups was clearly a show of deterrence, aimed at securing benefits for their respective clans.

While the Dark City buzzed with activity, another fearsome place also stirred today.

Immortal Mountain was shrouded in a terrifying mist.

One after another, massive black peaks enclosed the central region, forming a transcendent and terrifying terrain. Since ancient times, even supreme beings from outside who entered Immortal Mountain would halt their steps upon reaching this place!

Amidst the hazy mist, the black peaks appeared even more imposing.

However, at this very moment, an ancient war chariot slowly rolled out. A voice from within the chariot said, "So many years have passed, and the Dark City still stands. The grand gathering of myriad races is about to begin. Very well, I shall go and observe."

To the left and right of the war chariot, several servants followed, wordlessly advancing.

To be honest, I've been staying up late recently and feel mentally exhausted, so there will only be one chapter tonight. I have no energy at all, feeling like a withered leaf, and need to adjust. Also, I've seen all your discussions about Ji Ziyue and An Miaoyi; keep the discussions enthusiastic, just no personal attacks.