Chapter 1544: 仙路前奏

The mountain peak was high. Ye Fan gazed into the distance, seeing the Primeval Forbidden Zone enveloped in mist. Above the abyss, there seemed to be a figure, or perhaps a pair of eyes, staring at them.

Ye Fan's heart trembled. Was it Huang?

"That big sister is so beautiful," Little Nannan said, blinking her big eyes and looking curiously at the Primeval Forbidden Zone.

Ye Fan's heart was shaken. He couldn't see through the mist, yet the little one could, which was truly astonishing. He quickly dismissed his surprise, remembering that it was the same at Undying Mountain back then: Little Nannan could see through the Imperial Markings and show everyone a way out.

"Why is that big sister tying herself up with iron chains?" The little girl tilted her head, looking puzzled, her bright black eyes sparkling.

Ye Fan felt a headache coming on. Those had to be immortal gold chains, forged from Dragon-Pattern Black Gold, Phoenix-Blood Red Gold, Immortal-Tear Green Gold, and other such materials, which was both incomprehensible and shocking.

"Let's go, stop looking." Ye Fan took the little girl's hand, turned around, and quickly soared into the sky. Since they could see Huang, it was likely that Huang could see right through him, making him uneasy and unwilling to linger.

The Divine Light Platform flashed, tearing through the void. Moments later, they reappeared outside the domain, in a place where stars shone brilliantly.

There was a small world here called Heaven's Village.

Outside the village, golden wheat undulated in waves, signaling a year of bountiful harvest. The sounds of chickens and dogs filled the air, presenting a scene of otherworldly tranquility.

Without a closer look, one might truly believe they had arrived in a remote mountain village, as it was secluded from the world, offering only peace and contentment.

"The Divine Child is back!" Little Que'er joyfully exclaimed, breaking the village's quiet.

The serene Heaven's Village instantly became lively. A crowd of people, old and young, appeared and surrounded them. Ye Fan hadn't been gone for long, yet his return still drew everyone's attention.

"Who is this child? She looks like a porcelain doll," the villagers, most of whom didn't recognize Little Nannan, discussed amongst themselves.

"Master, this must be my sister Nannan, whom I've never met, right?" Huahua walked over with a mischievous grin. Although they hadn't been separated for long, his emotions weren't overly stirred upon seeing Ye Fan.

Ye Fan tapped him. "If we're talking about seniority, she should call you 'Big Nephew'."

Little Nannan, with her big eyes, peeked at the shiny bald head in front of her and timidly said, "Big Nephew..."

Everyone burst into laughter, and Huahua let out a strange cry.

"This is Nannan?" Killer Saint Qiluo's one eye gleamed brightly, while the other, like a black hole, showed astonishment as he stared intently.

Everyone had naturally guessed, but they couldn't help but be surprised. Ye Fan had left to find the little girl, and they hadn't expected him to actually succeed.

Many, however, were astonished that after so many years, Little Nannan had not grown up; she remained exactly as previously described, which was incredible.

"I'm Nannan," the little one said softly.

"Where's Nannan? Where is Nannan?" someone shouted from afar. Li Heishui ran over; he hadn't returned since his last visit to Heaven's Village.

The Silver-Blood Twin Emperors followed behind, arriving together.

"You are... Brother Heishui." Little Nannan's big eyes showed a hint of confusion, but she instinctively uttered Li Heishui's name, a memory from her subconscious.

"Wonderful! Our little princess has finally returned safely!" Li Heishui shouted, extremely excited.

The entire village was stirred. Whether in secluded cultivation or enjoying tea and chess, everyone appeared at the village entrance, surrounding the area so densely that not even a drop of water could pass.

"My God, where did this little angel come from? I wish I had a daughter like this!" Kade exclaimed, crying out that he had seen an angel.

"There are angels on the Ancient Road; I've seen some races," Ye Fan said with a smile.

"Ye, have you ever seen God? I always forgot to ask you. If you meet him on the Ancient Road, ask him what I ever did to offend him. I hate him!" Kade said indignantly.

"That's a tough one. You'll have to ask him yourself someday."

Heaven's Village was filled with festivity and a joyful atmosphere. Little Nannan's arrival also made the children here very curious, and they gathered around, chirping like a flock of happy little sparrows.

Ye Fan let out a sigh of relief. The little one would no longer be lonely here; with so many children to play with, she should be very happy from now on.

Soon after, a lavish dinner began. Everyone gathered around the bonfire, clinking cups and sharing drinks under the open sky, each person robust and carefree.

Naturally, people brought up the matter of the Path to Immortality. Qiluo stated that he had given orders that no one was to participate, or it would simply be suicide.

That was indeed the truth. Even several Great Sages had perished; what hope did their group have to compete? They would only die in vain.

Two days later, Ye Fan invited Ji Ziyue, Dongfang Ye, and other old friends. After they arrived at Heaven's Village, it naturally became lively once more.

"Little one, do you still recognize me?" Ji Ziyue picked up Little Nannan and asked with a chuckle.

This, of course, put the little one in a difficult spot. Unwilling to lie but also a bit shy, she eventually shook her head obediently, saying she was sick and had forgotten many people and things.

The Ji family had not yet made any major moves. Upon seeing the Immortal Realm fissure, they were on high alert, as if facing a formidable enemy, and were internally debating how to respond.

"Unless something unexpected happens, my family might have to withdraw from Beidou," Ji Ziyue said. Some people would remain to guard the place, but the family's foundation and future would be entrusted to another domain.

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this, surprised that the Ji family had made such a decision.

"An old ancestor emerged from the divine source and personally issued this command." She didn't reveal the ancestor's identity, but it was clear that their status was terrifyingly high; otherwise, the entire clan would not have obeyed.

Afterward, Ye Fan, Ji Ziyue, Dongfang Ye, Li Heishui, and others explored the mysterious fissure dozens of times, but always without success.

Later, some speculated that this was an initial fissure, and the barrier between the Immortal Realm and this world was too strong, still making it impossible to pass through. Terrible laws there could tear apart anything.

More precisely, it had not yet fully penetrated into the Immortal Realm; it was merely a scar in the void, a manifestation of the cracking state before the grand gate to the Path to Immortality fully opened.

Yet, many people still refused to give up, pressing forward one after another, using various forbidden artifacts to attack, hoping for a miracle.

Unfortunately, the ancestral artifacts of several clans disappeared after being sent in, leading to despair.

"Most likely, this isn't the Path to Immortality; it's just a temporal-spatial rift leading to another domain." Later, many even wavered, raising such doubts.

In the blink of an eye, several months passed. This large fissure had swallowed too many lives, causing turmoil throughout the entire Beidou region.

Then, on this very day, a mighty surge appeared from beyond the domain, suppressing the vast cosmos. It was immeasurably profound, like a Great Emperor emerging and sweeping down.

Many Great Sages felt their hearts leap, sensing something, and looked toward the heavens.

"A Quasi-Emperor has descended! Such a figure has appeared!"

This was the judgment people made, and immense waves of shock surged in their hearts.

Everyone's scalps tingled. The legendary Quasi-Emperors had finally begun to descend, arriving for the Path to Immortality. A battle that would astound the ages was about to begin.

People believed that in this era, there would be more than one Quasi-Emperor. Multiple "Emperors" would emerge to battle in the same generation. Although they all carried the prefix "Quasi," they still bore the title "Emperor," and their conflict would shake the universe.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort resonated throughout the mortal realm, shaking the Eastern Wasteland. It originated from the Immortal Mausoleum, one of the seven great forbidden zones, causing the sun, moon, and stars to almost instantly lose their luster.

In that instant, the majestic pressure from beyond the cosmos immediately vanished, returning to calm, as if nothing had happened.

Everyone felt even more terrified; the stronger the cultivator, the colder they felt. The entire world fell silent, losing its voice for a long time.

On the same day, auspicious light danced and colorful rays shone beneath the Ancient Peach Tree of Jade Lake. The Nine-Aperture Divine Stone trembled lightly, and fine cracks appeared on its surface, causing it to absorb the essence of heaven and earth even faster.

In this world, anomalies occurred daily. More and more powerful figures descended from beyond the domain, becoming increasingly unfathomable. By now, it was unknown which beings had arrived.

Ye Fan sighed softly, "The Quasi-Emperors have arrived. This Path to Immortality is not false; there will certainly be a cataclysmic final battle."

In the past, there was always anticipation, but now that the deadline was upon them, their hearts grew heavy. Who could claim to be truly ready?

In the following days, changes occurred almost daily. The large fissure, originally dozens of zhang long, had spread to over a hundred zhang, becoming a blood-stained land.

Sacred bones were piled everywhere, and countless people had died. The powerful competed for the immortal light that flew out, as an immortal fate would descend every so often.

Of course, many more were fearless in the face of death, for their lifespans had reached their end, and they sought a final gamble.

Never before had a place been as tragic as this mountain range outside the Primeval Forbidden Zone. Every day, many old cultivators perished like moths drawn to a flame!

This was the allure of becoming an immortal, irresistible to those who sought only that one word: "Immortal!"

Too many people came from the myriad domains of the heavens. In every domain, there were individuals whose lives were nearing their end. To succeed meant becoming an immortal; to fail meant becoming a pile of bones on the path.

No one had expected this period to last for eight full years, with the splatter of blood and bones still ongoing. Given such a long duration, many began to doubt whether the fissure was real.

The immortal light was real, however, allowing many to break through bottlenecks and undergo astonishing transformations.

Over these eight years, the Immortal Realm fissure had expanded to two hundred zhang in length. Although its growth had slowed, this trend remained constant, serving as the final prelude to the opening of the Immortal Gate.

For eight years, Ye Fan had continuously sought enlightenment and cultivated, traveling among mountains, rivers, and vast marshes. He comprehended myriad laws, developed his secret techniques, and tentatively created scriptures for another secret realm of the human body.

"My family's little ancestor has returned," Ji Ziyue announced, making Ye Fan pause. He wondered why the title sounded so strange.

"It's Ji Zi, the little ancestor," Ji Ziyue clarified with a smile.

"What?" Ye Fan was overjoyed.

Ji Zi had returned. Upon their reunion, he was also a Great Sage, having cultivated at a terrifying speed. He had also become even more silent and reserved.

Almost on the same day, news arrived that the Saint Prince had returned, appearing in the Eastern Wasteland.

"Brother Ji, let's go welcome the Saint Prince together," Ye Fan said with a smile.

"Good!" Ji Zi responded with a single word, but his eyes sparkled with an astonishing light.

Back then, the three of them had joined forces to battle the Eight Divine Generals and kill the Emperor's Son. The winds surged, and their might swept across ten thousand miles, as if it were just yesterday.

Now, perhaps the three of them would need to join forces once more!