Chapter 1527: Yaochi Old Site

Chapter 1531: The Ancient Site of Jade Lake

"Something ominous happened..." The Jade Lake Saintess's face was gloomy. She didn't say much, unwilling to reveal details, indicating a secret of immense significance.

Finally, Ye Fan bid farewell, gave a Dao Origin Stone to Liu Yiyi, and departed with the Divine Child.

"Little fatty, if you glare at me again, I'll stew you," Ye Fan threatened him.

The child puffed out his cheeks, a defiant look on his face, but also somewhat fearful. Unable to escape or win a fight, he huffed in frustration.

"Why are you so quiet now? Use your subconscious; maybe you can recall your true origins," Ye Fan said.

The child glanced at him with wide eyes, then ignored him, clearly sulking.

Ye Fan smiled, finding the little fellow quite amusing.

"I hate you!" The adorable child couldn't hold back, seeing Ye Fan constantly teasing him. He flailed his arms and legs, trying to break free.

"Don't move around too much," Ye Fan said. "If you break the Immortal Source, you'll have nothing but tears left, as it can never be sealed inside again."

The desolate Northern Region stretched for hundreds of thousands, even millions of li, devoid of human habitation. Journeying through it, one might never encounter another living being in a lifetime.

Vast stretches of barren red earth, where not a blade of grass grew—such was the current state of the Northern Region. Ye Fan headed in one direction, feeling increasingly oppressed the closer he got, as if a grand cosmic law was resonating.

This was the direction of the Grand Beginning Restricted Zone. Even over 800 li away, he could sense an invisible force of order, causing his heart to pound.

Ye Fan flew into the sky and gazed at the area. The ancient mine was deep and profound, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, emitting an aura that struck terror into even the most ancient venerables, enduring through the ages.

At this point, all the major restricted zones showed signs of resurgence. Not long ago, he'd heard that a woman playing a flute had flown past the Grand Beginning Ancient Mine. No one dared to approach anymore.

Ye Fan also stopped there, not wanting to get too close. He merely wished to observe the outer region from afar after many years, to see if anything significant had changed.

"Magnificent palaces stand tall on the earth once more!"

Within the Grand Beginning Restricted Zone. Among the unique terrains, magnificent, boundless palaces had emerged, evidently unearthed sacrificial temples that had been buried underground.

The Grand Beginning Ancient Mine was restless, its true emergence not far off.

Ye Fan didn't linger long. Anything could happen in this place now. He swiftly departed, arriving at a Gobi desert two or three thousand li away.

Moonlight bathed the entire land in a hazy glow. The reddish earth and stones looked utterly desolate, devoid of any vitality.

Suddenly, at the edge of the vast land, wisps of white light emerged, soaring into the sky and heading towards the horizon. In the blink of an eye, they were about to vanish into the azure sky.

Ye Fan instantly shot into the sky. He now possessed the greatest speed in the world; a single thought could traverse the eight directions. He quickly reached the celestial expanse. However, he was still a step too late, only seeing a few white figures disperse. They were incredibly fast, ethereal, flickering in and out of sight, as otherworldly as immortals, and then vanished into the darkness.

"Jade Lake Flying Immortals!"

This was how he and the Black Emperor had found this place back then.

Regarding the Jade Lake Flying Immortals, there had been no definitive explanation since ancient times.

Occasionally, under the night moon, this place would exhibit the miraculous sight of flying immortals, but no one could explain what they were. From afar, they appeared hazy; up close, they vanished in an instant.

Legend had it that these were ancient relics, reflections from endless eons ago, or replays of ancient events.

The ancient site was remarkably quiet in the dead of night. Not a sound could be heard. The bright moonlight illuminated the reddish pebbles and fragments, making them appear translucent.

Ye Fan walked in one direction, extending his powerful divine sense to find a dry well beneath the red sand sea, which exuded an aura of ancient times.

The wellhead was built of jade, with a large stone pressing down on it. When the stone was lifted, the starlight and moonlight from the sky instantly poured down like water, spilling into the well.

It was absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, replenishing the divine energy within the Jade Lake ancient site.

Ye Fan vanished in a flash, leaping into the wellhead. He didn't know how many zhang he descended. After reaching the bottom, he walked diagonally forward, finally emerging from the bottom of a dried-up great lake.

He knew he had truly entered the Jade Lake ancient site!

This was a secluded pure land, its spiritual energy so dense it was almost tangible. However, all the vegetation and ancient trees here were dead, their leaves fallen, completely devoid of life.

Many withered giant trees, frighteningly thick, towered into the sky, as massive as mountains. Yet, they bore no leaves, no trace of life.

Silence pervaded the surroundings, dead and oppressive. Once a world of fragrant flowers and birdsong, it had now become a barren land, exuding an eerie aura.

This place was not lacking in water; he saw one or two spiritual springs along the way. However, there was no life; fish, plants, and nearly everything else were dead, showing utter desolation.

Palaces and pavilions appeared. Many had collapsed to the ground. The once magnificent structures were now ruins, left for future generations to mourn.

Finally, ahead, immortal mist hung thick, and mountains loomed indistinctly. Large sections of intact, magnificent palaces appeared, standing amidst the clouds and nestled on cliff faces.

This place was practically a fairyland, captivating the heart. However, it still had flaws: there was no vegetation, and the silver waterfalls had dried up, turning it into a land of death.

"Back here again," Ye Fan murmured softly. When he and the Black Emperor first stumbled upon this place years ago, they had been astonished for a long time.

Now, he strongly suspected that the dry well was actually a dog hole, dug by the Black Emperor in the past. In this world, it was probably the only one with the deepest understanding of the Jade Lake, after all, the Wushi Great Emperor originated from here.

Ye Fan stepped forward, arriving at the deepest part of the Jade Lake's important ground. Life abruptly appeared; throughout the entire ancient site, only this area was brimming with auspicious energy, the most resplendent of all.

From a distance, radiant glow emanated in all directions, and auspicious colors burst forth, like a place where life first began.

Here was an immortal pool, from which the Jade Lake derived its name. In this place, lush grass swayed, the cliffs were green, and silver waterfalls cascaded down with a roaring sound, immensely grand.

Coupled with the various palaces and pavilions, it appeared lively yet peaceful, otherworldly yet natural, and exceptionally magnificent.

"Finally, there are sounds; it's no longer deathly silent."

However, upon reaching this place, Ye Fan's expression grew even more solemn. He became seriously vigilant. He would not forget the true scene he had witnessed in the past.

At the very center of the Jade Lake was an immortal lake. Auspicious light shimmered, mist hung hazy, and colorful radiance flowed, making it seem like a place where one could ascend to immortality.

Along the lakeshore were various exotic flowers and rare plants. Their clear fragrance assailed the nostrils, refreshing the mind and intoxicating the senses, as if one had stepped into a paradise or entered the immortal realm.

Ye Fan would never forget everything he and the Black Emperor had experienced when they jumped into the lake back then. The lake bottom was filled with female corpses, all with beautiful faces, all disciples of the Jade Lake.

To this day, he possessed strength comparable to a Great Saint, and had even brought an Emperor's artifact. Therefore, he wanted to investigate thoroughly and understand what exactly had happened here.

Several dark figures drifted by, drawing lines in the water. Ye Fan opened his Heavenly Eye and saw clearly that they were several corpses, all dressed in pristine white gowns. Even after so many years, they had not decayed.

Ye Fan pulled the Divine Child out again, asking him to sense if there was any special aura in this place. He believed the child's bloodline power was special and might lead to unusual discoveries.

"Little fatty, sense it carefully."

"You're the fatty!" The Divine Child was very displeased with this appellation. In fact, he wasn't truly fat; children his age were usually plump and chubby.

The child, whose origins were mysterious and who was born a Saint, huffed indignantly, glaring at Ye Fan in defiance.

However, when Ye Fan threw him into the lake and he saw the female corpses, he immediately screamed in fright and instantly became well-behaved.

Ye Fan entered the water with him. Even though it wasn't his first time seeing this, his scalp still tingled. At the bottom of the lake, countless corpses lay, one after another, densely packed—it was a burial pit.

A rough glance revealed hundreds of bodies. The center of the lake was filled, piled high, a terrifying sight. Those slender, pale arms and long legs still shimmered with a faint luster, but their bodies were rigid, devoid of any signs of life.

All the women had disheveled hair, pale faces, and wore white linen robes bearing the Jade Lake imprint. Their hair, like snakes, writhed erratically, making one's skin crawl in the dim lake depths.

Now, Ye Fan, comparable to a Great Saint and here to uncover secrets, could not stop. He personally moved corpse after corpse, thoroughly clearing the center of the lake.

There were no aquatic plants or fish, only ancient corpses. During this time, several women suddenly opened their eyes, emitting terrifying light.

The Divine Child was so scared he almost fainted. Ye Fan, however, observed carefully. Unfortunately, they had only transformed into Yin people, lacking their past memories—what ordinary people called ghouls.

Such beings, of course, meant nothing to him. All of them were dealt with.

At the bottom of the lake, Ye Fan discovered a spring, from which the waters of the immortal pool flowed. His heart stirred instantly. Legend had it that the Immortal Tear Divine Gold was found in this very lake, and eventually forged into the Western Sovereign Pagoda.

And before the Jade Lake was relocated, that Emperor's artifact was also suppressed within this pool, making this place even more enigmatic.

Ye Fan exerted force, prying open several bluestone slabs at the lake bottom, causing the spring to suddenly widen, forming a deep, dark hole large enough for a person to enter.

"Can we not go in?" The Divine Child was scared.

"Little fatty, you're a born Saint! How can your courage be so small? Were you scared into growing up?" Ye Fan teased him.

"I'll fight you!" The fair and clean little fatty, controlling the Immortal Source, vigorously charged at him.

"You'd better behave." Ye Fan took him and plunged directly into the spring's mouth, descending deep underground.

Upon entering deeper, the water quality became even clearer and sweeter. Essence flowed, brimming with divine radiance.

This was an underground lake, not very large. What was startling was that there were also many corpses, all with extraordinary cultivation in life and beautiful faces.

The Divine Child immediately quieted down, not uttering a sound. His little face showed a hint of fear.

Ye Fan's expression was solemn. He drew his Emperor Sword, held it in his hand, and searched carefully. Still, he found no significant discoveries. He then plunged into the source spring that led further underground.

Thus, Ye Fan delved a full seven thousand zhang deep underground. He encountered seven layers of lakes, all filled with numerous corpses. Especially on the seventh layer, some Saint corpses appeared!

"Is this part of the Jade Lake's past foundation?" Ye Fan was shocked. "For some unknown reason, their Divine Sources shattered, and they all died here!"

In the past, the Western Sovereign Pagoda suppressed the immortal pool, naturally protecting this place and ensuring the safety of its foundation. Unexpectedly, even with that, part of the Jade Lake's foundation still suffered a calamity.

"What happened?" Ye Fan was filled with doubt and alarm.

He arrived back at the spring's mouth. Below, it was even deeper and darker. Only because he possessed the Origin Heavenly Eye could he see; anyone else would have been blind here.

"The answer must be on the ninth layer!" Ye Fan took out the Green Copper Cauldron and suspended it above his head. With his left hand, he held the reluctant little fatty, and in his right, he wielded the Emperor Sword. He then sank into the spring's mouth.