Chapter 1593: The Necessary Effort

The past glory... it has all come to an end!

Now, Beidou is desolate and lifeless. Bloodstains and corpses are everywhere, piled high like mountains and spread out like seas, creating the most gruesome scene of an apocalypse.

The ancient lands of life have been torn asunder, many... many... places no longer exist. They are gone forever, never to return, completely obliterated without a trace.

Along the way, Ye Fan witnessed countless bones and rivers of blood. Standing outside Saint Cliff, he clenched his fists, filled with sorrow and indignation. In this dark turmoil, human lives were truly cheaper than grass.

Behind him stood the Black Emperor, who had come to decipher the ancient formations, making their entry into Saint Cliff considerably safer. Also present was Little Nannan, whose peculiar abilities always manifested at crucial moments.

"Brother..." the little girl whimpered, her large eyes brimming with tears. The sights along their journey had filled her gaze with a shimmering sadness; such human tragedy was an unbearable burden for a child.

"Someone!" Ye Fan exclaimed, his hair standing on end. He instantly summoned the Green Bronze Cauldron, which emanated a soft, glowing light, enveloping the entire area.

His grim expression indicated the presence of extremely dangerous fluctuations, signaling a powerful and hostile entity approaching. Otherwise, he wouldn't have immediately deployed the Immortal Cauldron.

"Heh! Your intuition is quite sharp," a voice drawled. By the edge of Saint Cliff, a hazy light shimmered, and a tall figure materialized, instantly bringing with it an overwhelming, ocean-like pressure.

A terrifying aura, powerful energy fluctuations, and chilling killing intent heralded the arrival of a supreme expert. He was like an ancient Celestial Dragon looking down upon mere ants.

His arrogance and supreme, invincible stance were blinding. He made no attempt to conceal his formidable presence; an imperial aura permeated the air, utterly terrifying.

This was a Quasi-Emperor. Ye Fan had not anticipated encountering such a formidable figure here, especially after the great calamity, and one who harbored clear hostility and killing intent towards him.

"You are Ye Fan, the Sacred Body?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I am. And who are you?" Ye Fan's eyes flashed as he replied in a deep voice.

"Divine Court Vice Cult Master — Yu Huatian," he stated, his expression chillingly detached. Mist swirled around his body, and chaotic energy surged forth, an overwhelming aura that intimidated all.

An ordinary Great Sage would have instantly shattered, reduced to a mist of blood and shattered bones. This immense pressure from a Quasi-Emperor was absolutely capable of crushing any "ant."

The Green Bronze Cauldron glowed and clanged, emitting powerful fluctuations and showering down immortal radiance, protecting Ye Fan and keeping him perfectly still. Yet, internally, Ye Fan was far from calm; he had never expected to encounter this individual here, at this very moment.

The Divine Court Emperor had once summoned Ye Fan for an audience, but Ye Fan refused and even severed the arrogant messenger's cultivation base, causing him to fall from the Great Sage realm. Naturally, this had created a deep enmity.

Later, this very Vice Cult Master had drafted an edict, fiercely demanding Ye Fan appear before the Divine Court to accept punishment, threatening to pursue and slaughter him across countless miles until his death if he refused.

This was truly unexpected. During this dark turmoil, powerful figures from all corners were fleeing for their lives like startled birds. Yet, here, at the very origin of the chaos—Beidou—Ye Fan found the Divine Court Vice Cult Master, Yu Huatian.

More precisely, Yu Huatian was preparing to leave this place.

Evidently, Divine Court Vice Cult Master Yu Huatian was incredibly audacious. While powerful lords across the lands were consumed by terror, he remained shrewd. He had quietly made his way to this blood-soaked land of turmoil, lingering near the strongholds of various supreme beings.

This indeed demonstrated considerable daring, one had to admit. Currently, Beidou was relatively safe; with many supreme beings still absent, this seemingly most perilous location was, in fact, the most tranquil sanctuary.

Now, however, he was preparing to depart, having calculated that the supreme beings would soon return. He knew he couldn't linger and needed to avoid impending danger.

"That old bastard is slipperier than an eel," the Black Emperor grumbled to himself, cursing under his breath. Encountering a Quasi-Emperor here, especially one so filled with hostility, was certainly not a good omen.

If they had already reached Saint Cliff and secured what they sought, they would have had nothing to fear from him. But their current situation was far from ideal.

"Why are you here?" Yu Huatian demanded grimly, his killing intent completely unconcealed. He was clearly ready to make a move.

Ye Fan's expression remained calm as he replied, "The dark turmoil has arrived. I intend to do my part."

"You? Hahahahaha!"

Yu Huatian threw his head back and laughed, chaotic energy spreading from his body. His laughter abruptly ceased as he sneered, "An ant like you dares to speak so brazenly? What could you possibly do?!"

"Even the smallest ant can contribute," Ye Fan retorted coolly. "I may not be strong enough, but I will make my voice heard. Even if I die in battle, it will prove that I resisted!"

"What's the use of that? You're just an ant, destined for a pointless death, only to be laughed at, ha ha..." Yu Huatian guffawed, his face contorted with mockery.

"At least I've made my voice heard, fighting with my roar and my actions," Ye Fan stated coldly. "If everyone in the world were like you, or like the Hegemon Body, then there would truly be no hope left."

Yu Huatian's smile widened, but his voice turned sinister. "Even if you had ten thousand lives and charged in, you wouldn't make a ripple. It's utterly laughable!"

"I may not be powerful, but you are strong enough. And the Divine Court Master behind you is even stronger; he is on the verge of achieving the Dao and possesses the ability to contend with ancient supreme beings. If you could persuade him to intervene, he could at least make a supreme being bleed!"

"Why should we? Why would we fight?" Yu Huatian's expression grew chilling.

"I believe there are other immensely powerful individuals, not just the two of you. If you all stood unyielding and lent your aid to the Void Emperor, perhaps the tide of battle could be turned. The roar of billions of 'ants' could make heaven and earth tremble. But if everyone remains silent, it will be the tragedy of all living beings!" By this point, Ye Fan's face was devoid of emotion. Although he already knew the outcome, he still voiced these words.

"Hahahaha..." Yu Huatian couldn't help but burst into laughter, then his expression turned chilling. "If you wish to die, go ahead. No, on second thought, I'll send you on your way myself, sparing you the agony of losing all your essence and blood. To defy the Divine Court is a capital crime, punishable by death without mercy. Today, I shall eliminate you to uphold justice!"

The Black Emperor's expression darkened. It had encountered many who made its 'black heart' leap with fury, but none had ever ignited such a furious blaze within it. While it might be understandable for some not to exert themselves fully during such dark, chaotic times, as people's perspectives differ, this level of contempt was truly vile. To merely mock someone for wanting to contribute was one thing, but to actively try and kill them was utterly unforgivable.

"Scram!" the large black dog roared, immediately deploying several killing formations. Though these formations were primarily meant for Ye Fan to take with him and their effect might be limited, they were a gesture of good will.

"Boom!"

A true Quasi-Emperor belonged to an entirely different realm. Yu Huatian was immeasurably more powerful than even the old Teng Snake; he was not someone who could be simply killed. With a single stride, he shattered the heavens and earth, instantly blocking the formation. He did not fall, nor was he trapped within it.

"In peacetime, you command the world and lord over all beings. But when you're truly needed, you're not even worth dog shit!" Ye Fan cursed, utterly enraged.

The Black Emperor merely ground its teeth, remaining silent.

The Divine Court Vice Cult Master's expression remained icy. "Whatever you say is useless. All I know is that you are about to die; I will take your head right now. This is the consequence of defying a divine edict—a blood sacrifice to the Divine Court!"

"And people like you aspire to rule the universe and rebuild the Ancient Heavenly Court? What a fool's delusion," Ye Fan scoffed. "You are shameless and despicable, utterly beneath my contempt!"

Yu Huatian advanced, intending to kill Ye Fan outright. His gaze, however, was fixed on the Green Bronze Cauldron, the fiery glint of avarice in his eyes burning as intensely as the midday sun, scorching and compelling.

"Brother..." Little Nannan whimpered, clutching Ye Fan's sleeve and peeking out from behind him, looking forward with immense worry. Then she darted in front of him, extending her small arms protectively and angrily cried out, "Don't hurt my big brother!"

"Nannan, don't worry," Ye Fan reassured her, picking her up. "The despicable have no honor, but we have our feet. He can't stop us." With that, he and the Black Emperor moved to enter Saint Cliff.

Yu Huatian was just about to strike, but then he suddenly shivered. His gaze fixed on Little Nannan, and the longer he looked, the more his heart seized with terror. Goosebumps erupted all over his body, and when he extended his divine sense, it felt as if he had plunged into an endless abyss. He couldn't help but cry out, recoiling in shock.

Ye Fan and the Black Emperor instantly vanished. Seizing the opportunity, they entered the Saint Cliff region, advancing step by step according to the formation map held by the Black Emperor, heading toward the blood-stained ancient ground.

"This way..." In fact, the Black Emperor's formation map proved unnecessary. The moment they delved deeper, Little Nannan's eyes sparkled brightly, and she extended her fair little finger to point the way. Just as she had done when venturing into the Undying Mountain previously, she seemed to have "awakened" once more, now capable of discerning all Dao patterns.

Outside the restricted area, Yu Huatian watched their retreating figures, his eyes a mix of coldness and confusion. A cold glint flashed in his gaze, but he did not leave, choosing to wait outside.

He was convinced that Ye Fan wouldn't have come here without a reason. Yu Huatian had long heard rumors of the "Nine Secrets" and immortal treasures potentially hidden within. A grim expression settled on his face as he patiently waited outside.

The little girl had unnerved him; he had glimpsed some genuine "scenes" from her. Nevertheless, he was confident that a sudden attack would easily kill Ye Fan.

"I'm only guessing; I can't be certain it's here," the Black Emperor admitted. "I just heard the Great Emperor mention something once, but I didn't fully understand it at the time."

The Great Emperor it referred to was, of course, Wu Shi.

"Doggy, you must remember carefully," Little Nannan said earnestly, her eyes glistening. "Big brother knows he might die, but he still wants to fight. I don't want anything to happen to him, so you have to find a way."

Finally, they ascended the main peak. Along the way, they encountered several ancient figures standing on the mountainside, their forms shrouded in mist.

"These were all incredibly powerful individuals who made it here through near-death experiences. Though they comprehended the Dao, time spares no one, and they all eventually passed away..."

In fact, these were the fortunate ones; many more perished on the journey. Only a minority managed to reach this place by sheer luck.

Throughout their ascent, they proceeded with utmost caution, finally reaching the peak of the cliff and returning to this particular spot.

Ye Fan opened the colossal coffin. Two corpses lay within, a gruesome sight, covered in blood and exuding malevolence. One of them was the Lord of the Heavenly Court, an incomparably mighty figure. Yet, his death was horrific: he had been choked to death by the Great Accomplished Sacred Body, whose entire form was covered in green hair!

Ye Fan had come both for the corpse of the Great Accomplished Sacred Body and for the inscriptions left by Emperor Wu Shi. He intended to search thoroughly, as the Black Emperor had mentioned that Emperor Wu Shi should have left something behind.

This corpse was truly sinister and terrifying. In a fleeting moment, its eyes seemed to open, revealing a chilling glint.

However, this was not a true phenomenon, merely an manifestation of its malevolent aura.

By now, countless years had passed, and the place had become eerily quiet; nothing else remained.

Ye Fan used the Green Bronze Cauldron to suppress and stabilize it. Even in its incomplete state, the cauldron was comparable to an Emperor's artifact, being the Heavenly Venerate's immortal-attaining tool. Suppressing evil and malevolence was, naturally, no challenge for it.

"Although you are now a Great Sage, a vastly different power, you must not remain within this body for too long," the Black Emperor warned with extreme solemnity. "Otherwise, even without a supreme being's intervention, you yourself will be in grave danger, beyond the salvation of any deity."

The Black Emperor could not approach; only Ye Fan could draw near the supremely powerful Great Accomplished Sacred Body. This was because they belonged to the same lineage, and Ye Fan had activated the method of cultivating the Sacred Body secret realm, allowing him to touch it.

Any other individual would be utterly helpless, completely unable to even touch the corpse, let alone attempt to possess it.

"It's a pity his blood flowed too much, staining Saint Cliff red; he's not in his peak form. Otherwise, even you wouldn't be able to approach," the Black Emperor remarked, its emotions complex.

Ye Fan nodded. Regrettably, they found nothing left behind by Wu Shi in this location. Absolutely nothing.

"I know!" the Black Emperor exclaimed, a faint glow in its eyes. "It might be there! Although doing so would be disrespectful to Emperor Wu Shi, there's no other option."

"Then let's not waste any time; go immediately!" Ye Fan urged.

"Kid, you must understand," the Black Emperor stressed, "even with your heaven-defying cultivation, proceeding this way is certain death. Even if you wield what Emperor Wu Shi left behind to face the challenge, it will be difficult to change your fate and outcome. You will lose your life."

"I have already decided," Ye Fan stated, resolute and unwavering. "I will contribute my utmost. I have fought, and I have no regrets!"

With the dark turmoil upon them, and no pure land left in the world, he was determined to use his own blood and soul to embody the indomitable spirit of this era—to show that he had existed, and he had fought!