Chapter 1529: Old Place Finale

Ye Fan was lost in thought, pondering, "What happened in the past?" The scenes he had just witnessed were incredibly strange and deeply shocking.

For a long time, the images replayed in his mind, leaving him bewildered by their inexplicable nature. Finally, he sighed softly, reflecting on the Saint Body's last words, a few of which particularly startled him: "Re-establish the Heavenly Court!"

More than one person had desired to do this. What was its special significance? The Heavenly Emperor's ambitions were self-evident. The Undying Heavenly Sovereign, worshipped by myriad races and ruling all realms, likely pursued the same path, though it was never explicitly stated. Other powerful Supremes also harbored this ambition during their lives, such as the Azure Emperor, who wished to establish a Heavenly Court but ultimately failed.

Now, this Great Accomplishment Saint Body also spoke of it, believing that Emperor Wu Shi would re-establish the Heavenly Court. This, beyond being a father's love and hope for his child, suggested something deeper.

"It seems re-establishing the Heavenly Court is of great importance. The Heavenly Emperor's choice to do so back then must have held profound meaning!" Ye Fan murmured to himself. He thought of the Feathered God Dynasty, which sought to ascend as an entire sect. By that measure, wouldn't the ancient Heavenly Court be even more terrifying and grander in ambition?

The Mythological Era was too distant and shrouded in mystery. While the Heavenly Emperor was widely believed to be the founder of the ancient Heavenly Court, recent developments had cast doubts, the matter becoming increasingly obscure.

One hundred thousand years had passed, and Wu Shi had not re-established the Heavenly Court. Had he chosen the former path, truly ascending to immortality?! Once he calmed down, Ye Fan reconsidered this question. Wu Shi's father had been incredibly confident, not merely doting on and acknowledging his child's potential, but likely having glimpsed parts of the future.

Eighty thousand years ago, a massive fluctuation erupted from the Purple Mountain. Did Wu Shi become an immortal, or was he reduced to ashes? It remained unclear to this day. This Great Emperor, whose name echoed through history and was revered by all, possessed combat power that overshadowed all ages, past, present, and future, and reigned supreme over all heavens. His fate was of the utmost concern. Alas, no one had witnessed it, and no one could explain it. Only one saying remained in the world: "Who stands at the peak of the immortal path? Once Wu Shi is seen, the Dao becomes void!"

"If one cannot become an immortal, then re-establish the Heavenly Court..." Ye Fan mused, an ambition so grand it evoked deep admiration.

As the ripples settled, he once again sensed the fresh red blood, and another scene appeared: an unrivaled beauty, her white robes fluttering, her face filled with sorrow, cradling a corpse as she traversed billions of galaxies, then striking out with a palm.

Then, everything was annihilated! Ye Fan finally witnessed an Emperor's strike—so direct, annihilating everything. All vanished from sight, replaced by scenes of cosmic creation and utter collapse. Finally, at the edge of the universe, he saw a massive copper plaque, split in two.

Nothing could be heard, nothing could be seen. The Western Empress had shattered everything, as if to destroy the very rules of heaven and earth, hoping to re-establish the hope for longevity. The divine chains of universal order snapped, followed by eternal darkness…

Ye Fan was filled with doubt and uncertainty, not fully understanding the final outcome. His mind raced with countless thoughts, his emotions complex, as he stood silently.

He didn't know how long it took for the world to regain its tranquility. The Western Empress, holding a young child's hand, left behind a slender silhouette and, bearing an air of desolation and sorrow, departed into the distance. The child was very quiet, neither crying nor fussing, simply following along. In an unguarded moment, the child glanced back, a fleeting look that revealed the true face of the young Wu Shi.

He appeared to be two or three years old, with black hair falling over his shoulders and bright, clear eyes. He looked like a finely carved jade figurine—tender, yet possessing a wisdom unsuited to his age.

"So this is Emperor Wu Shi in his childhood..." Ye Fan showed a surprised expression. It was his first time seeing the Emperor's true face, and even as a child, it left him deeply astonished. Undoubtedly, the Western Empress sealed Wu Shi thereafter. Many tens of thousands of years later, when the world needed him, he reappeared, thus beginning a supreme legend.

"I want to punch him," said the little fatty from within the Immortal Source.

Ye Fan was surprised that he had also witnessed these scenes. "Are you jealous?" he asked. "Did you find him more dashing than you, not as chubby, right?"

"I'm not fat at all!" the little fatty exclaimed, fuming. Ye Fan always brought up his weight, which frustrated him immensely.

"Then why do you want to punch him? Are you feeling a bit insecure? Do you think he's stronger than you?" Ye Fan chuckled.

"Nonsense! I just have a feeling, a strong urge to punch him," the Divine Child mumbled.

Was this the innate animosity between a Divine Child and an Immortal Seed? Ye Fan laughed in spite of himself. They had never met, yet such a feeling arose from just seeing a mere image.

Shortly after, with the copper cauldron hovering above his head and the Emperor Sword in hand, Ye Fan carefully moved closer, intent on examining everything thoroughly. No further unusual occurrences happened with the Great Accomplishment Saint Body and the Western Empress. Only the Emperor-level aura threatened to shatter his body, making true proximity impossible as its fluctuations spread in all directions. Divine patterns were etched there, seemingly inscribed by Wu Shi himself, along with Jade Lake tablet inscriptions confirming the Western Empress's identity.

"The Jade Lake moved recently, within the last twenty to thirty thousand years. Something must have happened over these past tens of thousands of years..." Ye Fan could not get any closer. He stared at the chaotic mist and other phenomena there, trying to discern more, but found nothing unusual.

"Desires to revive his parents?" He looked at Emperor Wu Shi's inscriptions, his heart shaken. This was truly defying the heavens; even the Western Empress, an Emperor herself, had been helpless. Wu Shi sought to accomplish such a feat?! "This must just be his hope," Ye Fan shook his head, not believing it possible. Otherwise, after so many tens of thousands of years, they wouldn't still be two corpses. Furthermore, by this era, if Wu Shi had not achieved immortality, he would have long since passed away himself.

Finally, Ye Fan's attention was drawn to a piece of copper material, a fragment of some artifact. It hadn't entered the light barrier and remained some distance from the two corpses. "What is that?" Ye Fan was surprised, sensing a strange fluctuation. The area was eerily quiet, and the copper fragment's vicinity was exceptionally dark, as if dark shadows streaked past, making it deeply sinister, as though connected to the underworld.

Ye Fan exerted immense effort to pierce through with his Heavenly Eye, dispelling tendrils of black mist, and finally fixing his gaze on the fragment of the weapon. In a daze, he seemed to hear the wailing of thousands of vengeful spirits, and in an instant, it was as if he had been transported to another space-time, where blood rained down and yellow whirlwinds raged across the land.

"Ghosts!" the Divine Child cried out.

"Little fatty, behave yourself! Don't keep startling me like that, you'll scare me to death!" Ye Fan tapped the Immortal Source, warning him.

Ye Fan used the "Soldier" character secret technique to retrieve the fragment, finding it incredibly difficult. His entire body felt as if it would rupture, as the Emperor's corpses in front of them exerted immense pressure, making it truly unbearable. The green copper cauldron glowed, protecting his body from collapsing. The immortal sword trembled, its dark red blade appearing bloody, but this rare time, it was not for offense, but for self-preservation.

What was this thing? Ye Fan brought it close but didn't touch it, feeling a bone-chilling cold. This blackish, somewhat verdigris-covered fragment was incredibly sinister. "It's like it's connected to a ten-thousand-year-old ice cellar, piercingly cold!" The little fatty shivered uncontrollably even from within the Immortal Source, his hairs standing on end. Ye Fan also felt it was connected to the Nine Hells, terrifyingly eerie, with a murderous aura that seeped into one's bones.

"This is a fragment of an Emperor's Weapon!" he couldn't help but exclaim in shock after careful confirmation. He examined it closely, then recalled the scene where the Western Empress's final palm strike shattered everything, creating a new world and leaving only a broken plaque. The material appeared similar!

"Did someone refuse to give up, come here, open the Emperor's coffin, and then destroy themselves, further shattering the already broken Emperor's Weapon?" Ye Fan was surprised, but uncertain if this was the truth. Of course, it could also be a fragment from the Great Saint's injured body that was forced out. Since he hadn't seen it directly, he couldn't say for sure.

"Was the Great Accomplishment Saint Body cursed? At that final moment, even the Western Empress was helpless and couldn't cure him. That's truly terrifying." As a Saint Body himself, Ye Fan naturally found this concerning.

Ultimately, he left, having gained nothing further. This Emperor's Weapon fragment was extremely strange; its internal Dao patterns had been obliterated, devoid of divine power, leaving only a chilling coldness. Ye Fan tried to activate it, but found that apart from its sturdiness, it possessed no special power. In the end, he left it behind. He felt that carrying this copper fragment might bring great trouble, possibly attracting something unusual. It was best to be cautious before reaching Great Accomplishment. As a cautionary tale, Wu Shi's father had already died with regret.

Upon leaving the old Jade Lake grounds and emerging above ground, the scorching sun overhead instantly dispelled the eerie, ghostly, and sinister feelings, making the little fatty exhale a long sigh of relief. "Did the curse come from the underworld, or was it somehow connected to the fundamental rules and order of heaven and earth?" Ye Fan cast one last glance at the old Jade Lake grounds before striding away.

Under the clear sky, the divine sun shone brightly. Vast stretches of barren land, millions of *li* wide, rapidly receded beneath Ye Fan's feet as he returned to the Divine City, not stopping, and then continued to the Central Domain.

At the agreed-upon location, Ye Fan met Yan Yixi and Li Tian. The two marveled at the little fatty, jokingly threatening to cut him open to see what race he truly was. The fair-skinned little fatty, bare and being scrutinized and teased, immediately gnashed his teeth, looking as if he was ready to fight for his life.

"We have news! Our efforts this time have truly paid off," Li Tian said.

"Really?" Ye Fan asked, surprised and delighted.

"Indeed. Someone from the Ziwei Star Domain has arrived, and we've managed to find out who," Yan Yixi smiled.

"What evil deed are you planning?" the little fatty inside the Immortal Source asked cautiously, as if fearing he would be sold off.

"We're going there to sell children and kidnap children," Li Tian chuckled mischievously.

Ye Fan had always wanted to visit the Ziwei Star Domain to search for Xiao Niannian. From the information Yin Tiande left behind, it seemed the little girl might have been lost there. He hadn't met Yin Tiande on the ancient road, which was why he wanted to thoroughly investigate the Ziwei Star Domain. For so many years, Xiao Niannian's disappearance had remained a deep concern for him. He had exhausted all methods, searching throughout the Beidou, but to no avail. With this new lead, he naturally had to investigate thoroughly. In the past, he had traveled from the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land aboard the Nine Dragon Coffin, enduring various upheavals to reach that star domain. Now, that journey could not be replicated. Entering a forbidden life zone again would likely be a death sentence.

"It's confirmed; it's an old Saint. If we approach him with sincerity, we should be able to get what we need." Ye Fan and the others set out, and without any unexpected incidents, they found the old Saint. The outcome was smooth: they obtained the coordinates for the Ziwei Star Domain.

"I hope Xiao Niannian is there, and that we can find her," Ye Fan said. Once he dealt with a few other matters, he could set off.

"Who is she?" the Divine Child asked.

"Someone who specializes in dealing with you," Li Tian chuckled.