Chapter 1611: God of Gods

For several days, roars echoed intermittently from the battlefield. Even though many had their cultivation suppressed and were severely weakened, the sounds still possessed terrifying penetrative power.

Faintly, Ye Fan heard names like Taichu, Yaoguang, Zhang Bainian, Jinchanzi, and Yin Tiande, as if someone was shouting and calling out.

Not long after, he heard more sounds.

“When my master appears, who can contend?” Someone, still retaining some magic power, caused a tremor that rumbled through the mountains.

Near that glowing gate, over a dozen figures stood guard. That place had become their sacred ground, impenetrable to outsiders!

“It’s not just one person fighting; there are factions, and followers have appeared?” Ye Fan murmured.

By now, he was certain his guess was correct: this was the One True Path, a peerless battlefield for the Imperial Road contention!

He had, surprisingly, entered early, without the need for the crystal stele’s summons from the grand pass. He was already waiting on the path ahead. Considering this star was named the First Tribulation Star, this might be the First Imperial Pass, a hotly contested zone for everyone.

“A Great Saint has emerged!” someone exclaimed.

It was an old Daoist, native to this star, who had ventured in to seize immortal fortune. He had indeed opened an ancient cave mansion, but ultimately, he was nearly killed, escaping by the skin of his teeth, covered in blood.

“Daoist Cangyu, whose true form is said to be a savage bird with phoenix blood, became even stronger after tempering his flesh and transforming into human form. Who would have thought he would suffer such severe injuries!”

Everyone was astonished.

A group of powerful cultivators stepped forward to protect him from potential attacks, as cultivation would not recover for several months, or even years, after emerging from the battlefield.

The old demon Daoist departed under the crowd's protection, his face ashen. Before leaving, he revealed much shocking news that left people stunned.

This generation was unlike any before; far too many people had arrived, surpassing previous records. Daoist Cangyu estimated at least ten times the number of previous generations, a figure that left many speechless with shock.

Moreover, the individuals of this generation were exceptionally powerful, each defying conventional limits. He witnessed beings of unknown races, who, relying solely on their physical bodies, could effortlessly tear Great Saints apart.

The depths of the battlefield were exceptionally brutal, with blood raining everywhere, a truly horrific scene resembling hell on earth.

“The talismans on some ancient mountains hold immense power, potentially the greatest immortal fortunes!”

Each mountain peak imprinted with ancient seal script might signify an immortal fortune, or seal ancient steles containing ancient inheritances, or even imperial Dao lineages.

Primarily, too many individuals, including Imperial Princes and Imperial Dao successors, had come in the past. After their deaths, some fragments of their Great Dao transformed into talismans, leaving behind partial imprints.

Furthermore, strange immortal artifacts grew in this place. Underground, there were blood crystals and divine marrow, rumored to have formed after the death of supreme beings, nourished by the earth's ley lines. They contained fragments of the Great Dao, capable of extending lifespan and enhancing understanding and comprehension of natural laws.

Divine metals were also present. How could those who came here be ordinary? Countless powerful beings had perished throughout the ages, their weapons broken or shattered, and all their relics were sealed within this place.

“Under no circumstances touch those glowing gates; they will bring great disaster!” This was Daoist Cangyu’s final warning before departing.

The glowing gates carried a unique power. Once opened, they recognized only the opener’s imprint. Anyone wishing to pass needed their permission, otherwise they would be obliterated.

Unless one could shatter them with overwhelming power!

Meanwhile, changes to the glowing gates continued. The mountains there soared dramatically, with the gates situated atop their peaks, and pavilions and towers began to emerge.

Then, mists of light appeared, protecting the area. Faintly, it could be seen that the majestic Celestial Pass behind the glowing gates was providing energy, shielding those regions.

Immovable fortresses!

Within days, dozens of sects emerged in the Feixian Battlefield. Each immortal gate represented a distinct Dao lineage, all under the glowing gates' protection, making them impregnable to outsiders.

Ye Fan recognized the Celestial Pass behind the immortal gates as the grand pass of the One True Path he had previously seen. Back then, he had only glimpsed a magnificent gate tower, but now its full structure had manifested.

Evidently, all those who had inscribed their names on the crystal wall had entered the grand pass, descending from it to engage in battle here.

Only the most powerful heroes could possess immortal gates; each gate belonged exclusively to one individual, and passage required their permission. Now, the Imperial Pass, channeling power through these glowing gates, had transformed those areas into a series of impregnable fortresses.

“Is this to allow people from different factions to wage prolonged war here, and to survive and establish themselves? These are practically distinct sects, and those areas are their respective pure lands.” As Ye Fan gained more understanding, he increasingly felt that the Feixian Battlefield would be exceptionally brutal.

Not long after, Cang Long, a local powerhouse who had entered earlier, also emerged. Although covered in blood, he had reaped immense rewards, successfully killing two individuals. After a brief rest, he intended to re-enter.

“Inside, there are even insights from Ancient Emperors and Great Emperors, their life experiences. If one obtains them, becoming a Quasi-Emperor is absolutely no problem, let alone achieving enlightenment by following their path!”

This was undoubtedly sensational, leading people to understand why some insisted on constructing glowing gates. Those powerful individuals seemed intent on long-term residency here, as supreme treasures were buried within.

Here, in the contention for the Imperial Road, some powerful figures might eventually gather a dozen, or even dozens, of followers, all of whom were competitors subdued along the way.

This was simply because certain individuals were so overwhelmingly powerful that others saw no hope of contending, leading them to willingly follow.

Yet now, after only a few days, peerless heroes had already amassed a dozen or more followers.

“The more we learn, the more awe-inspiring it becomes. Although this place holds peerless immortal fortunes, they are not meant for us,” the bearded man sighed.

For days, their group had remained steadfast, showing up daily to observe the proceedings.

Bai Ye also remained with them, his blood boiling daily with an intense desire for such power, his gaze fixed forward.

“Look, there’s a talisman on that low mountain ahead, so close, yet we dare not enter,” the bearded man admitted frankly.

Ye Fan had observed for many days, his expression calm and unmoving. But at that moment, he stepped forward, intending to enter the Feixian Battlefield.

“Hey, where are you going? You’re not fully recovered yet,” Bai Ye called out, rushing to block his path.

“It’s fine, I’m just going for a casual stroll,” Ye Fan replied.

“But… your body. You may have been powerful before, but now you can’t even fly,” he said, believing Ye Fan’s injuries were severe.

Ye Fan shook his head, said nothing more, and strode into the Feixian Battlefield without a moment’s hesitation.

Behind him, the bearded man and the others stared wide-eyed, barely able to believe it. For days, they had assumed Ye Fan was an ordinary person, never imagining this ailing young man would be so daring as to enter the battlefield directly.

Once divine beings had descended, outsiders no longer dared to venture in; only Great Saints were qualified, as anyone else would simply be hunted down.

“Oh my god, he’s heading straight for the talisman on that low mountain!” a young woman beside the bearded man exclaimed in surprise.

After Ye Fan ascended the mountain, he touched the symbol with his hand. Unfortunately, he received no sensation, and nothing special manifested.

Without hesitation, he simply and directly brought his palm down, shattering the talisman. The ancient symbol erupted with astonishing light, shaking the entire earth!

Stones flew through the air as he leveled the peak of the low mountain. Huge rocks tumbled down, leaving the area in ruins.

Behind him, the group stood dumbfounded, their eyes wide with shock, each person stunned as if they had witnessed the most incredible event.

That was an ancient seal script from the Feixian Battlefield! He had simply obliterated it directly. This… was truly too brutal!

Perhaps even Great Saints couldn’t achieve this with pure physical strength? They clearly remembered others carefully perceiving and diligently studying such things.

Yet this person was so direct, simple, and brutal, crushing everything with sheer force.

“Too brutal!” a young man exclaimed.

“Yes… too brutal!” the bearded man echoed, the entire group dumbfounded, instinctively muttering to themselves.

After Ye Fan leveled the mountain peak with his palm and obliterated the ancient seal script, a weapon was revealed—a crude knife belonging to a peak Great Saint, still stained with fresh blood.

He picked up the ancient, unrefined knife and found that the divine spirit within it was dead. However, it contained an obscure, profound meaning—a very high-level scripture.

He silently contemplated it for a while, then turned and walked out of the battlefield. Shaking the blood from the ancient knife, he tossed it to the bearded man and his group.

“This is… for us?” They were stunned once more.

What kind of person was this? This was an immortal fortune, yet he simply gave it to them, seemingly unconcerned.

The bearded man and the others picked it up, incredibly excited. They looked left and right, finding no one else around, as others had already rushed into the distance where a major battle was unfolding at the battlefield's edge.

“Boom,” “Boom”...

Suddenly, from another direction, colossal footsteps reverberated, shaking the ground. A massive silver creature charged forth, its race unknown. It resembled a fierce tiger, covered in silver scales, and bore a dazzling single horn on its head.

When Ye Fan shattered the ancient seal script, the light had soared into the sky, alerting a powerful being who immediately charged over. Without a word, a confrontation ensued.

In the Imperial Road contention, one must defeat everyone in the area and ultimately stand alone at the absolute peak, treading upon the bones of all defeated heroes.

The Silver-Scaled Tiger, a Great Saint, was stained with blood, evidently having killed more than one individual. Its immensely powerful physique gave it a significant innate advantage here.

However, the outcome of this battle was unexpected. When Ye Fan saw it charging with its silver-white horn, capable of tearing a Great Saint’s body, he remained utterly still. At the last moment, he delivered a single punch.

“Crack!”

The Great Saint’s horn snapped. This was a divine horn even more formidable than a Great Saint artifact, rarely seen in the world, yet it was so easily broken, leaving onlookers dumbfounded.

“Roar…”

The divine tiger roared, spewing forth a stream of immortal light. Its cultivation had not been entirely suppressed, and it launched a decisive, life-ending attack to slay Ye Fan.

Alas, the battle’s outcome left the tiger in despair, and horrified the dozen or so observers outside the battlefield. Ye Fan’s methods were simple, direct, and unrefined, yet utterly lethal.

The immortal light was dispersed by a single punch.

“Thud.”

The Silver-Scaled Tiger suffered continuous heavy blows, was sent flying, and then directly exploded, scattering a rain of blood.

Behind them, Bai Ye, the bearded man, and the dozen or so others were all stunned, their mouths wide open, easily able to fit half a fist.

Ye Fan extracted a divine pearl from the silver tiger’s body and handed it to Bai Ye. Since the young man struggled to guide the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his body and thus could not embark on the cultivation path, cultivating directly with this tiger divine pearl would ensure an abundant supply of spiritual energy.

Of course, he would have to discard it after a few months, as the Great Saint aura of this divine pearl had been temporarily severed and might recover. Should it restore itself, it would be a disaster for the young man.

“Who was that man? A true heavenly deity!” The bearded man and the others only recovered their senses and cried out after Ye Fan had departed, his figure nearly vanishing into the battlefield.

If not for the terrifying, shattered corpse of the divine tiger still lying before them, they would have doubted if they weren't dreaming.

Before Ye Fan left, he made only one request: for them to help look after Bai Ye. This thrilled and excited the group; such a request from a young man even more formidable than a “divine being” was both an honor and an opportunity for them.

“Divine being, no, God among Gods! We will certainly do as you ask, and we’ll watch your battles here, looking forward to you sweeping through the Feixian Battlefield!” the bearded man and the others shouted.

Although Ye Fan had lost his magical power and the fragments of the Great Dao were sealed within his flesh, he still possessed extreme speed. His physical body was so powerful that it seemed this world could barely contain him. He transformed into a flash of lightning, moving swiftly along the ground.

Soon, he saw a colossal mountain where a divine gate glowed. On the nearby peaks, a series of grand and solemn temples had appeared.

This was a Buddhist temple complex!

A young monk sat cross-legged within the glowing gate, enveloped in divine light, appearing like an immortal Buddha, transcending the mortal world. His white monastic robe fluttered, exuding a sense of detachment amidst the radiant glow, untainted by the mundane.

Jinchanzi, an exceptionally powerful figure.

Ye Fan did not ascend the mountain but paused briefly before departing.

On the mountaintop, in front of the sacred temple, a woman saw his retreating figure. Her expression dramatically shifted as she murmured, “I seem to have seen someone who shouldn’t exist in this world.”

She was Jue Youqing, the strongest young master of the Western Desert Buddhist Sect at the time, once on par with Northern Emperor Wang Teng. Back then, her fame and strength far surpassed Ye Fan’s. She had met Jinchanzi on the Ancient Starry Road and had since become one of his followers.

Inside the glowing gate, Jinchanzi opened his eyes. He was stabilizing the gate, using the power of the Imperial Pass behind it to manifest numerous temples and mountain gates.

Jue Youqing shook her head. “I must have been mistaken,” she said. “It certainly wasn’t him. He died three hundred years ago at the hands of an ancient supreme being; even an immortal couldn’t revive him.”

Ye Fan strode through the Feixian Battlefield, passing many areas. During this time, two more battles occurred, neither capable of halting his advance.

On yet another divine mountain, a glowing gate sat atop, from which vast stretches of Daoist temples had manifested. A Daoist sat cross-legged there, appearing to look down on all beings, surrounded by more than a dozen followers.

Daoist Nine Tribulations, an exceptionally powerful figure, was currently observing a young man below who claimed to be from the Yaoguang sect. His eyes were deep and unperturbed.

Finally, the powerful cultivator from the Yaoguang lineage descended the mountain. For a short time, neither side would engage in fierce battle; there were simply too many powerful individuals, and the supreme powerhouses did not wish to meet and engage in decisive battles prematurely.

This was because, not only here but also within the Imperial Pass, there were too many opportunities to contend for. At this stage, guarding the glowing gates and stabilizing the two-world passage was paramount.

In the future, whether for life-and-death combat here or for competing for scriptures, inheritances, and other resources within the Imperial Pass, this passage connecting the two worlds would be essential.

“How are you exactly like that person from back then? You… who are you?!” When the Yaoguang disciple left Daoist Nine Tribulations’ mountain gate and encountered Ye Fan on his way, he was utterly stunned.

Ye Fan paid no attention, continuing along his original route. The powerful individual let out a sharp cry: “Stop!”

He chased after him, blocking his path, unable to believe Ye Fan was still alive. The Human Sacred Body had fought to the death against the Imperial Dao Supreme and perished in the dark turmoil of that year; how could he have survived?

“Is it amusing to impersonate a dead man? Who exactly are you?” he shouted.

“I am the ‘dead man’ you speak of. Even Yaoguang wouldn’t dare be so presumptuous with me,” Ye Fan said calmly, stepping forward and striking with a palm. The hostile individual was sent flying, blood splattering into the void.