Chapter 1702: Now and Then

Chapter 1705: Past and Present

Stars shimmered. To Ye Fan, this was not an unfamiliar giant planet. It was full of life, with steel skyscrapers towering and various spacecraft streaking across the sky like aurora.

He had returned to the Eternal Star Domain, once again arriving at this unique place. He didn't know the whereabouts of the Divine Organization, so he had to start here, as it was where he first encountered them years ago.

The Eternal Star Domain was home to legends of immortal armor, secret recipes for the Nine-Revolutions Immortal Pill, and a flourishing technological civilization. They had forged a path distinct from others.

Years ago, Ye Fan had obtained the secret recipe for the evolution fluid from here, which had caused the overall strength of the Heavenly Court's members to advance by leaps and bounds, elevating them several levels together.

Skyscrapers soared into the clouds, and sci-tech weaponry was ubiquitous. Should any external enemy invade, myriad runes would activate simultaneously, raining down destruction.

Within the steel city, buildings resembled a jungle, though it was not without real vegetation—exotic species that flourished with dense foliage, making the place vibrant and full of life.

Verdant trees, tens of thousands of feet tall, unfurled like giant umbrellas against the sky. Numerous divine herbs rooted themselves in the void, emitting essence to purify the world, while divine vines soared into the heavens, swirling like dancing dragons—a truly dreamlike sight.

“What… that person is back?”

When Ye Fan summoned the ten strongest tribes, the planet was instantly thrown into an uproar, causing a massive wave of shock. How could they not be alarmed that the person from the past had returned?

It was well known that Ye Fan had fought his way into this domain and then fought his way out; he had never been a welcome guest and certainly hadn't spent any pleasant times here.

It was precisely because of Ye Fan and Nan Yao that the Eternal Star Domain’s expedition against Beidou had suffered heavy casualties, with their expeditionary force almost entirely annihilated.

On this planet, the major powers were extremely wary of Ye Fan’s name. They had long heard of his accomplishments over the years and had been constantly worried; now, he had truly returned!

“First, there was Gu Xinao, who could contend with the Azure Emperor, and whom our Eternal Domain offended. Now, another Sacred Body has emerged. This… is truly a disaster!”

The Eternal Star Domain was in turmoil, and all ten royal families were terrified. Was Ye Fan here for revenge? If it came to a confrontation, there would be no suspense whatsoever. He was a Quasi-Emperor; who could possibly contend against him?

The Hall of Fleeting Life, a palace floating in the sky, was very famous in the Eternal Domain, rumored to be an artifact left behind by an ancient emperor.

Although its Dao patterns had been damaged by the passage of time, it had not turned to dust. It remained a floating sacred place in the Eternal Star Domain, where renowned figures from various sects often gathered to drink and converse.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the magnificent hall was somewhat oppressive, simply because a man had arrived, standing with his hands behind his back in the center of the hall, silencing all voices.

“Please continue, everyone. I am merely here to discuss a few matters with the ten royal families.”

Even if a Quasi-Emperor was amiable and smiled brightly, it still sent shivers down everyone’s spines. An invisible pressure seemed to emanate from him, making them feel suffocated.

Ye Fan was hosting the ten royal families here. These individuals found themselves in an awkward position; they hadn’t known they would encounter such an event. They desperately wanted to leave but were afraid of offending the Sacred Body.

Before long, members of the ten royal families arrived, each one incredibly tense. Among them were even two Great Sages who had emerged from their secluded cultivation, awakening from their slumber to have an audience with a Quasi-Emperor.

The Eternal Star Domain had not experienced such an oppressive atmosphere for many years. The various major powers trembled with fear, knowing that if this was a reckoning, no one could resist, nor could they escape.

“Greetings, Senior Ye.”

Someone performed a grand bow in worship. Despite being much older than Ye Fan, with hair and beard already white, he could only bow with reverence, not daring to interact as an equal.

Ye Fan scanned the crowd and unexpectedly saw Fan Xian. She was still as enchanting and captivating as ever, but at this moment, her delicate face appeared very unnatural.

Beside her was an elderly man, the old ancestor of the Fan family, a powerful sage. His face was ashen white, and despair filled his heart.

They were not among the current top ten royal families, yet they had been forcibly summoned by other powerful clans. This was clearly an attempt to make them scapegoats; if Ye Fan truly intended to settle scores, they would undoubtedly be the first to suffer.

“Please, everyone, be at ease. I am not here to settle accounts with you,” Ye Fan said with a faint smile, his teeth gleaming and hair flowing, looking quite radiant.

Everyone felt a chill down their spines. This was a Quasi-Emperor, and his amiable demeanor only made them more uneasy and filled them with greater fear.

Fan Xian, however, was stunned. Looking at his extraordinary demeanor and proud stance, her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Back then, her clan had schemed against Ye Fan in every possible way, only to find their efforts amount to nothing.

In the end, she had even inadvertently gotten herself involved, gaining nothing but instead provoking such a supremely gifted and formidable adversary.

Recalling all that had happened in the past, her heart felt empty and forlorn, a sense of loss washing over her. It had all been so utterly worthless.

If they had adopted a different attitude towards the Sacred Body back then, the situation would certainly not be what it was now. Perhaps even a beautiful legend could have been born. After all, he was a peerless Quasi-Emperor.

Fan Xian's heart was filled with bitterness, and her face was etched with disappointment.

As for the Fan family’s old ancestor, his regret was so profound he wanted to roar. One wrong step had led to a cascade of errors. If only his utilitarian motives hadn't been so strong, if he hadn’t simply wanted to exploit the Sacred Body, how could things have turned out this way?

Back then, if they had shown enough sincerity, the Sacred Body might have even become the Fan clan’s son-in-law. Now, looking back, that individual was already a Quasi-Emperor, invincible across the starry skies.

The Fan clan was undoubtedly disheartened and the most anxious. They had offended Ye Fan the most severely back then, and now the entire Eternal Star Domain lay prostrate at his feet.

While some were crestfallen, others felt joy. Another group of people arrived outside the hall, led by a clear and ethereal fairy maiden, incredibly nimble and peerless, like the reincarnation of the Luo River Goddess, stepping forth on colorful clouds.

It was Qi Meng. Her clan was also not among the current ten most powerful royal families, yet they had been invited by other clans, who hoped to improve their relationship with Ye Fan through them.

Back then, the Qi family had an unusual relationship with Ye Fan, and everyone hoped they would step forward to mediate.

“Greetings, Brother Ye.” The Qi family members approached with joyful faces to meet him, and Ye Fan naturally responded with warmth. Years ago, the Qi family’s old sage had protected him from the Fan clan’s attacks.

“Please, everyone, have a seat. I did not return today to settle accounts; I merely wish to inquire about something from you all,” Ye Fan stated.

Those who were not relevant had already discreetly withdrawn. With the ten royal families positioned at the forefront, leaving now would not be seen as offending the Sacred Body, and staying there for even one more second was a torment.

Ye Fan inquired about the Divine Organization. Although he had heard roughly which star domain they were located in, it was virtually impossible to find their central headquarters in a short amount of time.

The ten royal families exchanged glances, not having expected him to come for the “Divine Organization.” They collectively let out a long breath of relief, many of their backs already drenched in sweat.

Indeed, important figures from the Divine Organization frequented this area, their traces occasionally seen, and no clan dared to provoke them. It was rumored that these individuals were searching for a secret recipe left by the Heavenly Emperor. That formula was invaluable and might have been lost in the Eternal Star Domain.

Ye Fan was quite interested upon hearing this and pressed for details on what kind of formula it was.

“The Heavenly Emperor, back then, extended the peak imperial lifespan of the Longevity Heavenly Venerate by two thousand years. This was not only due to his heaven-defying methods but also because he possessed an ancient longevity formula.”

Ye Fan was speechless. There was such a hidden detail. It seemed everything the Heavenly Emperor had left behind was of interest to the Divine Organization.

When they departed, many among the ten royal families were almost on the verge of collapse. The pressure of facing a supreme Quasi-Emperor was simply too overwhelming.

As they parted ways, a dozen crystal-clear blood beads dripped from Ye Fan’s fingertips. They fell into a jade jar, which he then presented to the Qi clan members, much to their delightful surprise and boundless gratitude.

“Brother Ye, will you return?” Qi Meng asked, her bright, sparkling eyes fluttering.

“If fate wills it, we shall meet again,” Ye Fan said with a casual wave and a free-spirited air. With a single step, the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers seemed to revolve around him, and he vanished from the spot.

The Fan clan members, as the tension vanished, were also filled with regret and an inability to let go. Through such a series of unfortunate coincidences, they had failed to align themselves with the Sacred Body.

Fan Xian gazed blankly at the sky, her heart a tumult of mixed emotions, a feeling difficult to articulate. She knew this was likely the last time they would see Ye Fan. He would not return; he was already a being from a different world, so far above them that he didn’t even bother to settle their past grievances.

“Rest assured, his name will resound throughout the universe in the future; many will speak of him. Perhaps one day, he will return to take a look,” the old sage of the Qi family uncharitably remarked to the Fan clan’s sage.

For a moment, silence fell upon the place.

“I need to speak with your chief god—a Quasi-Emperor who holds authority!” Ye Fan was direct. After tracing the whereabouts of a Divine Organization member, he spoke frankly and without preamble.

“You are… the Sacred Body, Ye Fan?!” That person recognized him. Back in the Eternal Star Domain, they had even attempted to recruit Ye Fan as one of their own members.

“It is I!” Ye Fan stated straightforwardly.

“Please wait a moment!” The other party wasted no time, immediately activating a divine platform and traversing the starry sky to summon an important figure.

Now, anyone had to take Ye Fan extremely seriously. Even colossal entities like the Divine Organization, the Dao Palace, and the Phoenix Nest had to consider how terrifying the matured Sacred Body had become.

The white-haired Quasi-Emperor arrived—the god of yesteryear, whose single sword gleamed through the universe, whose cauldron shattered the path to immortality, and who had wounded the Longevity Heavenly Venerate.

This was a terrifying Quasi-Emperor, who had entered this realm many years ago and was one of the foremost figures of the current era! The Divine Organization held Ye Fan in high regard.

The void split. The white-haired Sword God and Ye Fan traversed the universe together, arriving at a very small planet where mountains and rivers were magnificent and the scenery was delightful.

One of the immortal mountains hung suspended in mid-air, enveloped in white mist. With its palaces, pavilions, and small bridges spanning flowing streams, it exuded an otherworldly tranquility.

Ye Fan had the confidence to come. At the Sixth Heaven of the Quasi-Emperor realm, he could trigger the Divine Forbidden Art, and moreover, he carried the Devouring Heaven Demonic Jar. Besides the life restricted zones, where in the world could he not go?

This place was not a critical stronghold of the Divine Organization, but merely a confidential meeting spot. The whereabouts of the Divine Organization's headquarters remained unknown to anyone to this day, impossible to ascertain.

“Young man, even if you hadn’t come to find us, we would have paid a visit to the Heavenly Court,” an old man said from atop the mountain, where he sat cross-legged beneath an ancient pine tree, inviting Ye Fan to sit on a futon.

This elderly man had the hair of a crane and the face of a child, immensely ancient, with eyes so sagacious they seemed to penetrate all worldly matters. He was unfathomable, causing Ye Fan to sigh in admiration; this organization was indeed extraordinary, and this man could truly almost be called a god incarnate.

He must have cultivated to an incredible degree, a figure capable of contending with the Woodcutter and the Undying Empress. He was on the verge of achieving the Dao, with hope of taking that final half-step.

“The Divine Organization truly lives up to its name. May I ask, Senior, why you intend to visit my Heavenly Court?”

“To find someone,” the old man replied.

“Oh, and who exactly is it that the Divine Organization wishes to meet?” Ye Fan asked, surprised.

“For many years now, we have traversed the entire universe, explored countless starry skies, and even visited the Heavenly Emperor’s homeland—Earth, your birthplace. We have been searching for someone and have finally discovered a clue: they are, in fact, within the Heavenly Court established in this very era. Is this fate? To still be alive within the Heavenly Court, even if the two Heavenly Courts are separated by eons, this certainly foreshadows certain circumstances,” the old man sighed.

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan was immediately startled!