Chapter 1523: Stone King

The Ji Family Stone Workshop spans a vast area, almost a city within a city, with ancient trees reaching skyward and giant vines intertwining. Source stones, piled high like small mountains, lay scattered everywhere.

Ye Fan traversed more than a dozen courtyards, surveying them briefly before heading directly into the Heaven-Ranked Divine Garden, reaching its very heart. This area was filled with extraordinary trees, their branches adorned with crystal-clear blossoms. A gentle breeze stirred the air, causing petals to flutter down, filling the surroundings with a fragrant aroma. At this moment, a shower of transparent petals danced in the air, creating an ethereal beauty. Over a hundred years had passed, and the former guardians of the stone workshop had long been replaced; no one recognized him.

"The Origin Master is here! Everyone, quickly move aside! Let the Patriarch guide us and bestow his blessings!" someone shouted.

This innermost divine garden was usually tranquil; visitors would quietly select stones. Yet today, it was teeming with people. News of his arrival had spread throughout half the city, drawing crowds who flocked to the site. Outside, the area was already impassable; the main gate of the Ji Family Stone Workshop was almost collapsing under the pressure. Even with dedicated guards, it was difficult to stem the flood of people.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, what brings you here...?" an elder from the Ji family inquired, a look of suspicion on his face. Given Ye Fan's close relationship with the Ji family, he shouldn't be here to cause trouble. Yet, he was, and it certainly looked like he intended to cut stones. This was no longer the past. Even divine source stones held little value for Ye Fan unless they were in liquid form. So, what had brought him here now?

Ordinary people didn't understand, and even cultivators were greatly perplexed. Ye Fan's fame now spanned the world; unless a legendary immortal source had appeared, what in a mere stone workshop could possibly attract his attention?

"I'm just passing by to take a look, and perhaps cut a stone while I'm here," Ye Fan replied. His words immediately caused an uproar. Given his current stature, anything that caught his eye would undoubtedly be extraordinary.

"Could an immortal medicine have emerged here?" Many hearts skipped a beat, and then their excitement surged. A few cultivators, thinking themselves clever, immediately picked up several seemingly unusual stone pieces. What if they guessed correctly? They were convinced that wherever Ye Fan appeared, there were bound to be good treasures.

That day, the Ji Family Stone Workshop saw booming business. Once someone initiated it, others naturally followed suit, frantically snatching up stones and even bidding on entire piles. Ye Fan shook his head, a mix of amusement and exasperation. He hadn't expected to have such an effect, yet he wasn't at all worried that the Stone King might be taken by someone else first. The Ji Family Stone Workshop was a chaotic scene, with people scrambling to select stones. The volume of transactions in just a short time quickly matched the total for an entire past year.

Unfortunately, those who harbored such hopes ultimately came away empty-handed. Almost no one cut out anything worthwhile; they all grimaced, feeling cheated.

Ye Fan circled the Heaven-Ranked Stone Workshop, his brow slightly furrowed. To his surprise, he sensed nothing and found no remarkable strange stones; there was no Stone King here. He then stepped out, moving toward one lesser garden after another. He circled nearly half of the stone workshop, but still detected nothing out of the ordinary.

"In recent years, have there been any spiritual incidents in the Divine City, or have any extraordinary items been cut out?" Ye Fan asked the Ji family members.

"No," the elder replied, shaking his head.

"About a hundred years ago, someone did cut out dozens of pairs of divine insects," another elder added. "They were said to be potent medicinal ingredients, with one pair capable of extending life by a year or two. That caused quite a sensation."

That certainly wasn't the Stone King; it amounted to nothing significant. Ye Fan stroked his chin, opened his Heavenly Eye, and meticulously scanned the surroundings. Witnessing this, the crowd's murmurs intensified. They were convinced that something extraordinary resided within the Ji Family Stone Workshop; Ye Fan's actions alone confirmed it. Many more people tried their luck. Wherever Ye Fan looked, they would buy stones from that spot, only to end up with nothing, even after emptying their pockets.

"Are they perhaps putting on an act, deliberately trying to deceive us?" someone muttered. Yet, they quickly dismissed the thought, reasoning that given Ye Fan's stature, he wouldn't condescend to such a scheme.

The Ji family members all knew that their Divine Body and their esteemed "Bright Pearl" were very close to Ye Fan. He would never harm them; if he needed anything, they should offer their full assistance. Therefore, they had no reservations, accompanying him and answering every question.

"In recent years, have the stones from this place been used extensively?" Ye Fan asked.

"Yes, a garden was built behind, and some waste materials were transported there and used as foundation stones," an elder replied.

"Take me to see it," Ye Fan said.

This was a newly constructed garden—though "new" was relative, as it was already over a decade old compared to the older gardens. Numerous stone materials lay scattered here. The crowd, again, could not contain themselves. Although they feared offending Ye Fan and dared not act openly upon entering, they quietly purchased some stone materials.

"Some of the old waste stones were used as foundations and laid beneath the ground," an elder explained.

Ye Fan was momentarily speechless. If the Stone King had indeed been incorporated into the foundation, that would be a significant matter. He circled the magnificent structure, brilliant beams emanating from his Heavenly Eye.

"I've truly sensed it!" Ye Fan murmured to himself, astonished. He used his Origin Technique to detect an inexplicable energy signature, but the entity immediately retreated. Ye Fan had a strong feeling it was the Stone King. Things were progressing much more smoothly than he had anticipated; the Stone King was still here after all these years, which was excellent news.

Many people's eyes widened as they stared at the building. Had they possessed the power, they surely would have ransacked the area, believing the divine object might be hidden underground. However, facing the current Human Race Saint Body, they wouldn't dare, even if they were given immense courage.

To everyone's surprise, Ye Fan stood silently in this spot for a long time, not moving toward the building. Ripples spread from beneath his feet, radiating in all directions. One could clearly see numerous patterns appearing on the ground, brilliant and dazzling like streaks of lightning, intertwining into large formations, yet they were harmless. This was an extension of Ye Fan's divine senses, reaching every corner to pinpoint the Stone King's traces and draw it out.

"Oh, these stones are glowing! My heavens, treasures!" The crowd gasped, and instant chaos erupted. Hundreds, if not thousands, of stones in this garden began to glow and fly erratically skyward, as if trying to escape. Powerful cultivators hastily intervened, snatching these stones, bidding for them at any cost, turning the place into utter chaos and uproar. This was a spectacular sight: various glowing stones swirling in the air. Many people were thrilled beyond measure, believing it to be a psychic treasure awakened by Ye Fan.

"It's not just one divine material, but an entire pile!" Everyone's eyes glinted with greed.

To their disappointment, when eager individuals cut open the stones, they found them completely empty. These were all illusions. Even though the flying stones glowed, once caught, they were merely ordinary rocks, with nothing special about them.

Ye Fan stomped his foot, and origin patterns spread throughout the void. The light on all the stones instantly receded, and they clattered to the ground. He was greatly surprised. This Stone King was extraordinary; it must be a living entity, for how else could it possess such abilities? And it seemed very powerful, forcing him to exercise caution.

The group stood there, dumbfounded, their earlier excitement dissolving into bitter smiles. Trying to be clever in front of an Origin Master had truly backfired.

Ye Fan observed silently for a moment, then pinpointed the location and walked forward, directly approaching a lake in the courtyard. The vegetation here was lush, and the lake water was crystal clear, like a gem embedded in the landscape. Ye Fan raised his hand and reached into the lake. His golden palm and fingers, vast enough to cover the sky, enveloped the entire lake surface.

Boom!

Waves surged skyward. No one had expected the previously tranquil small lake to suddenly boil at this moment, sending many waste stones flying and crashing violently. There was even the oppressive aura of a Saint!

"Heavens, what is that? Is there a Saint hidden here?"

"Could it be an un-emerged ancient race? So, the Saint Body came for *it*! I truly thought there was an immortal medicine."

People were startled. No one had expected a mysterious entity to be lying dormant within the stone workshop. What exactly was it?

*Splash!*

A splashing sound echoed as a large stone emerged from the water, which Ye Fan then placed on the ground. He couldn't help but sigh softly, realizing that in the past, he truly wouldn't have been able to contend with the Stone King, as it was comparable to a Saint. These stones all radiated auspicious light and brilliant divine splendor, trembling as if eager to soar skyward.

Ye Fan chuckled softly, saying, "Still using illusionary tricks? They are of no use to me now." He unleashed a spatial shifting divine ability, moving all other stones aside, leaving only a one-meter-tall dilapidated stone, having identified it as his target. This stone was an inconspicuous earthy gray, riddled with many cracks and appearing on the verge of crumbling. It even had translucent holes running straight through it. Anyone would dismiss it as waste, impossible to contain any immortal treasures. Otherwise, the Ji family wouldn't have left it in the lake, treating it as a mere river stone.

"Everyone, step back a bit," Ye Fan instructed.

Hearing this, everyone retreated. This Stone King was undoubtedly formidable and difficult to handle. After all, when the Saint Prince was unearthed, he was merely a powerful cultivator. As for the Heaven Sovereign Prince, he was just an egg taken away by the ancient race. What they were witnessing now, however, was at least a Saint.

A chaotic mist shrouded the stone; it remained still but began to emit a primordial energy. Wisps of chaos permeated the air, making the place appear mysterious and unfathomable. Everyone was astonished. From time immemorial, no one had ever heard of encountering chaotic energy when cutting a stone. Could this be something from before the creation of heaven and earth? Everyone's expressions changed. This one-meter-square gray stone had suddenly become extraordinary, making people feel as if they had stepped into the primordial era of creation.

Ye Fan's heart stirred too. An inexplicable sensation came over him, making him feel that something was unusual. His Heavenly Eye was already open, yet he couldn't see through it. This was unprecedented. He was an Origin Master, and his Heavenly Eye was now fully perfected, making him an absolute authority in the lineage of Origin Techniques. Such a Heavenly Eye should be able to see through any stone. However, at this moment, it defied logic. Within the stone, there seemed to be a mass of immortal energy, enveloping something. No matter how brilliant his gaze, he couldn't penetrate it to see clearly.

"There's no other way," Ye Fan said, stepping forward to prepare to cut the stone. "I can only use my knife and cut it open to see what's inside."