Chapter 166: Storm (Part 2)

The cauldron, enlarged to one foot high, pressed down. The Ji family elder had no escape, as if he were crashing into it himself. *Bang!* Forged from the Mother Qi of All Things, the true weight of the cauldron was immeasurable. Even a formidable figure like the Ji family elder, who had cultivated to the third Secret Realm, could not withstand its weight; his right shoulder collapsed instantly. *Pfft!*

He spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying like a scarecrow struck by a massive hammer, crashing into a ten-meter-high stalagmite. "Uncle!" The Ji family elder's face was filled with horror as he looked at the corpse nearby. He couldn't believe it, stammering, "It's you..." Ye Fan had no time to respond. The second attack was unleashed; though the cauldron was unadorned, it was grand and imposing. As it pressed down, the ground beneath began to tremble. This time, the Ji family elder was prepared. He transformed into a streak of light and shot out, avoiding the attack. "Little brat, you're still alive?!" The Ji family elder's face showed both anger and shock. He had never imagined he would see Ye Fan in the sixth layer of the Fire Domain.

Half a year had passed, and no one believed he could have survived. Everyone thought he had long since turned to ash, with no hope of survival. "I'm full of vitality; how could I die? Even if your Ji family were annihilated, I'd still be alive." As Ye Fan spoke, he controlled the cauldron and fled directly towards the seventh layer of the Fire Domain.

Two attacks failed to kill the opponent, so he decisively retreated. After all, the opponent had cultivated to the third Secret Realm, and their profound and formidable cultivation was far beyond what Ye Fan could match.

"If you didn't die before, today you'll find your way!" The Ji family elder soared into the air, chasing after Ye Fan. At this moment, his right shoulder was completely deformed, collapsed into bloody pulp. Even with his strong vitality, it was impossible for the severed shoulder to regenerate instantly.

"You should worry about yourself; don't die in the Fire Domain." Ye Fan's speed was incredible. After reaching the Other Shore Realm, he employed a mysterious footwork, moving as swiftly as a meteor. "Ye brat, you acquired my Ji family's Great Void Art, and you still dream of living in this world? What foolishness!" The Ji family elder's face was grim, his killing intent soaring, as he pursued relentlessly.

"Go to hell! You repay kindness with enmity and still act as if you've suffered some great injustice..." Ye Fan gritted his teeth and said, "Once I have the strength, I'll definitely overturn your Ji family and let you truly experience injustice."

"Figures a hundred times stronger than you wouldn't dare utter such words, and you... even if you cultivate for another thousand years, it will amount to nothing." The Ji family elder's face showed grief and anger as he demanded, "How did my grand-uncle die?!" A prominent figure of the family had actually died here; this was an enormous matter. "He couldn't handle it and slit his own throat!" Ye Fan sneered, having no desire to explain anything in such a hostile situation.

"How exactly did he die?!" After calming down, the Ji family elder felt it was impossible for Ye Fan to be responsible. How extraordinary was a prominent figure of the Ji family? Unless the Peacock King himself arrived, how could he have been silently slain?

"Go ask him yourself in a moment."

"Boy, once I catch you, I'll tear out your tendons, flay your skin, and search your very soul." The Ji family elder's body trembled. A prominent figure had died here, and inexplicably so, filling him with immense rage. Ahead, multi-colored cloud flames pulsed, emanating scorching temperatures. Ye Fan vanished in a flash, rushing into them.

The Ji family elder was dumbfounded and stopped dead in his tracks. He dared not follow. Although he possessed flame-resistant colorful robes, they could not withstand the flames of the seventh layer. "You... how did you do that?" Thinking of how Ye Fan was unafraid of the purple qi of the sixth layer and the multi-colored cloud flames of the seventh, his face was filled with astonishment, and he was speechless for a long time.

"Old geezer, why aren't you coming in? Don't you have flame-resistant treasure robes?" Ye Fan said with a carefree smile, truly speaking without a care in the world, "I challenge you! Let's fight three hundred rounds right here. Do you dare accept?" *Humph!* The Ji family elder remained expressionless, suddenly conjuring a chopstick-length silver spear. He intended to pierce forward and kill Ye Fan. *Crack!*

However, as soon as the silver spear flew out, it began to tremble, developing cracks before shattering inch by inch, consumed by the purple flames.

"Your flame-resistant treasure robes are nothing special; I thought they were amazing." Ye Fan's smile deepened as he slowly walked back. "This place is called 'Purple Qi from the East'; this Fire Domain truly lives up to its reputation..." The Ji family elder showed surprise. *Zing!* He raised his left hand, and his palm glowed faintly before a bolt of lightning shot out, striking towards Ye Fan. *Crackle!* Though the lightning was fierce, it was still dissolved by the purple flames, slowly vanishing ahead.

Seeing this sight, Ye Fan completely relaxed. He took out the Jade Nectar Bottle, took a sip, quickly restored his divine power, and then strode out from the seventh layer of the Fire Domain.

"I thought your flame-resistant treasure robes were amazing, but they're nothing special." He now had no reservations. Even if the opponent's divine power was strong, it was useless as it couldn't be unleashed. With his physical body comparable to a precious blade, his powerful divine sense, and the cauldron that feared no flames, all combined, he had nothing to fear from his opponent. Seeing Ye Fan dare to emerge, the Ji family elder's heart stirred. Given Ye Fan's demeanor, he must have a strong backing. He dared not be careless and slowly retreated.

"Too late, old man! It seems you can't send me on my way. Instead, I can send you down to reunite with that old geezer!" Ye Fan stood at a distance without charging forward. He summoned a golden book, and a brilliant light like a scorching sun instantly pierced the purple void.

The paper inscribed with the Dao Sutra was not a weapon, yet it surpassed one. Even the flames here could not incinerate it. Once transformed into golden light, it was indestructible and extremely sharp. "What a powerful spiritual item! Are you gifting it to me?" The Ji family elder was surprised, then his face lit up with joy. He didn't even possess a weapon of this caliber, yet his opponent, merely a youth, carried such an extraordinary treasure. "If you can take it, it's yours!" Ye Fan laughed aloud.

*Whoosh!* The golden book zipped past him, narrowly missing a strike. The Ji family elder remained silent, his palms and fingers vibrating as he continuously struck the golden book, trying to knock it down and seize it.

Ye Fan secretly assessed the situation. The opponent's physical body was indeed formidable; after cultivating three Secret Realms, he had undergone a complete transformation. However, compared to Ye Fan, he was still somewhat inferior. Seeing this, Ye Fan's heart settled.

At this very moment, the Ji family elder sneered. He activated the Great Void Art, transforming into a wisp of black smoke, and instantly lunged forward, saying coldly, "Little brat, you're too complacent! In close combat, let's see how you escape!" He was confident that within such a distance, Ye Fan would have no escape and would surely die.

Ye Fan had summoned the golden book merely to test the opponent. He had already anticipated that the opponent would attack in close quarters and was waiting for this very moment of hand-to-hand combat.

He did not retreat. His golden fist directly met the opponent's only usable left palm, striking with immense force and weight, like a mighty hammer crashing down.

*Bang!* The Ji family elder was struck as if by lightning, his face filled with disbelief, followed by intense agony.

*Crack!* He clearly heard the bones of his left hand breaking, completely deforming. At this moment, his entire arm was numb, and his body was sent flying backward like a thrown stone.

"You..." He was incredibly decisive. Without any hesitation, he immediately activated the Great Void Art, preparing to flee far away.

At this moment, he deeply understood the meaning of the word "abnormal." A mere youth, whose cultivation was clearly far inferior to his own, was so bizarrely powerful that he had suffered repeated heavy losses.

Unfortunately, Ye Fan was already prepared and gave him no chance. The cauldron had already been summoned, enlarging to one meter high, pressing down. The very sky trembled slightly, and the purple qi seemed to be evaporated, leaving a vacuum. The Great Void Art failed!

The Ji family elder was suppressed by the cauldron above him. His body creaked and groaned, and his joints vibrated under the immense, unbearable pressure. *Crack!*

His raised left arm was the first to shatter, instantly turning into a mist of blood. Then, cracks appeared on his skull, his face contorted in agony, and he stammered, "What kind of cauldron is this?" "A cauldron forged from the Root of the Mother Qi of All Things," Ye Fan answered from not far away. "What?!" His expression changed to one of extreme shock as he said, "A single wisp of Profound Yellow Qi can crush a mountain range, but this much..."

A single wisp of the Mother Qi of All Things could indeed crush a mountain range. However, after being forged into the cauldron, Ye Fan could not yet fully unleash its power. If he had sufficient divine power, this cauldron, even without profound Dao patterns inscribed on it, would be enough for him to dominate the world. Piercing the sky, sinking the earth, and evaporating great rivers would be trivial. Unfortunately, after the Mother Qi of All Things formed the cauldron, it returned to its original state, becoming completely restrained, only manifesting immense weight without displaying its true terror.

*Crack!* The Ji family elder could not bear it. More of his bones cracked, and his face turned ashen. The cauldron forged from the Root of the Mother Qi of All Things was truly terrifying.

Ye Fan was not having an easy time either. The cauldron was like a bottomless pit, continuously drawing divine power, which was hard to satisfy, especially when suppressing such a powerful expert. The required divine power was vast. In just a few moments, he had already consumed five mouthfuls of divine spring water; otherwise, he likely wouldn't have been able to sustain it. "Old man, hurry up and meet your end!"

Ye Fan gritted his teeth, simultaneously urging his divine power and stepping through the void. His heavy footsteps made the very space seem to collapse. *Bang!*

He finally closed the distance. He swung his right leg horizontally and kicked powerfully. The Ji family elder instantly spat out a large mouthful of blood, his sternum collapsed, and he was sent flying.

The one-meter-high cauldron slowly pressed down. The Ji family elder had no strength left to resist. His entire body disintegrated, instantly turning to dust.

In the end, nothing remained. The slightest trace of blood mist was instantly evaporated by the purple flames. The flame-resistant treasure robe also turned to ash, with not a single trace left.

Ye Fan grew increasingly fond of this cauldron. Simple and unadorned, its power was immense. Even an expert who had cultivated to the third Secret Realm would suffer greatly if suppressed by it.

Its only drawback was the immense drain on divine power, which was truly unbearable. Furthermore, it was difficult to reveal. If people knew that the cauldron was forged from the Root of the Mother Qi of All Things, it would cause a huge uproar.

Ye Fan longed to guard the sixth layer of the Fire Domain, waiting for Ji Hui to enter and kill him. However, he did not act impulsively. What he needed to do now was to temporarily avoid the storm.

A prominent Ji family figure had been slain by Daoist Crow, which would undoubtedly stir up a furious storm. The Fire Domain would certainly not be peaceful, and he had to evacuate first.

The Peacock King had killed a Grand Elder of the Ji family, provoking the Ji Family Sacred Lord and the Yaoguang Sacred Lord to jointly attack deep into the Qixia Mountain Range. Now, with another prominent figure dead, this storm would likely be even greater.

Having consecutively lost two prominent figures, the Ji family had to assert its authority, or what remained of its prestige?! Ye Fan quietly departed from another direction, leaving the Fire Domain to quietly await a great storm. Sure enough, on that very day, the Ji Family Sacred Lord personally led numerous powerful experts.

Ferocious beasts roared, thundering across the sky, their roars shaking the heavens. Outside the Fire Domain, there was a dense throng of people and iron-clad cavalry everywhere, completely swarming the entire area.