Chapter 215: Divine Treasure Ascension

Without God King Jiang’s Battling Saint Method, who could possibly compete? The Saint Son of Yaoguang is even believed to have surpassed the Yaoguang Holy Lord in his younger years.

In the current Eastern Wasteland, the Ji family and the Jiang family each possess a Divine Physique, considered to be the most powerful individuals for the next three to four thousand years.

For other cultivators, living in the same era as a Divine Physique is a misfortune. No matter how exceptionally talented one might be, they would be overshadowed by a fully matured God King.

Yet, at this moment, outside Kunyun City, many felt a strange sensation. The Saint Son of Yaoguang was likely an exception; it was doubtful that anyone of his generation could outshine him, not even a God King.

With five elder figures lying dead at his feet, he had effortlessly slain five grand masters. Such a display was truly astonishing.

He stood beneath the sky, his entire being like a celestial furnace, capable of refining all creation. His life essence surged like an overwhelming tide, covering half the sky and inflicting damage to the souls, spirits, and vital energy of many, who simply could not withstand it.

Every casual movement he made sent boundless holy light soaring skyward, and a mere lift of his hand would unleash blazing radiance in all directions. He resembled an immortal king gazing down upon the mortal realm, his naturally emanating holy light covering the sky and obscuring the sun.

"Little Brother Ye, you're certainly enjoying great success now," Li Heishui and the others transmitted secretly to Ye Fan, having spotted him but choosing not to approach.

"What is there for me, a humble Daoist, to be proud of?" Ye Fan asked, confused.

"You fake Daoist, don't try to pull a fast one on us," Li Heishui grumbled. "I'm starting to seriously wonder if you're that scoundrel Daoist; you seem even less decent than he does."

"I'm filled with passion and righteousness, how can you slander me so?"

"I tell you, Little Ye, you're utterly shameless!" Tu Fei exclaimed. "So young, yet your heart is even darker than Li Heishui's. If Yao Xi finds out it was you, I can barely imagine her expression afterward, but I'm actually looking forward to it!"

Li Heishui, displeased, retorted, "How is my heart dark? My heart is pure; don't use this boy to defile me." Then, rubbing his hands, he added, "I'm really looking forward to it, Little Ye. You must keep up the excellent work and continue your flirtation and exchanging glances with the Saintess of Yaoguang. I can't wait to see her expression when she discovers everything, hehe..."

"You two... you're truly something else. Is this humble Daoist really that bad? I merely happened to be there; it was all unintentional."

"Oh, come on," Jiang Huairen transmitted, "you did it on purpose. Stop talking; the more you explain, the more hypocritical you sound. Still, my brothers and I think highly of you. You even dared to hold the hand of a young nun in front of the Great Xia Prince! You have a future, you have guts. There's nothing bad you won't dare to do in the future. Truly a genius in our line of work, aren't you?"

"Now that you and the Saintess of Yaoguang have rekindled your old flame, we must do our utmost to bring you together," Liu Kou said with a strange chuckle.

"What 'rekindled old flame'?"

"It naturally means you've been flirting with her. But don't be captivated by her beauty. You need to lay low and strike them at the appropriate moment. We will fully cooperate. May your flirtation lead to a successful conspiracy."

Ye Fan didn't shy away but stood openly with the others. Of course, they didn't discuss these matters overtly, only communicating through secret transmissions.

They appeared to know each other, but not as close confidants. At the same time, Ye Fan enthusiastically greeted those around him, displaying a remarkably outgoing demeanor.

"Rest assured, they won't trace anything back to us," Wu Zhongtian transmitted secretly. "Everything has been arranged. At most, outsiders will simply see us as acquaintances."

"Alright, we're off!" Tu Fei, Li Heishui, and the others bid farewell and swiftly departed.

At this moment, the Saint Son of Yaoguang approached, each step casting a halo, with interconnected halos beneath his feet. Behind his head, a brilliant disc illuminated all directions, making him appear divine.

Wu Zhongtian didn't leave immediately. He stood at a distance, facing the Saint Son of Yaoguang, saying nothing. Finally, after a long, deep look, he soared into the sky.

The Saint Son of Yaoguang smiled brilliantly and nodded, then transformed into a streak of morning light, leaving a golden trail in the sky as he sped towards Kunyun City.

"The Sacred Method of Attack and Kill, one of the Nine Secrets," Ye Fan murmured to himself. Without lingering, he flew into the sky before the crowd dispersed.

The Nine Secrets are supreme methods, each representing the pinnacle of its respective domain. Ye Fan, who possessed two of them, had already grasped their infinite profound mysteries.

He was confident that these two secret methods would be his powerful reliance when he roamed the world in the near future.

Ye Fan was very pleased with his trip to Kunyun; he had secured an opportunity to enter the Jade Lake. He now raced towards the Qingxia Sect.

He chose not to enter the Jade Lake immediately to ensure absolute certainty. While altering his appearance might fool disciples of the Holy Land, it might not escape the Celestial Eye of the Jade Lake Holy Mother. Should any flaw be exposed, the consequences would be dire.

Of course, he had no time to waste; this issue needed to be resolved immediately, as it was a matter of utmost urgency.

Qingxia remained as it was: green mountains, clear waters, eighteen peaks veiled in ethereal mist, and high-cascading springs, all forming a delightful landscape.

Ye Fan reverted to his true form and returned to the Qingxia Sect. Seeing the young Devil King back, the people there felt a complex mix of emotions.

"Did the Lihuo Sect, Luoxia Gate, Qixing Pavilion, and Xuanyue Cave not attack?"

"Though they haven't directly invaded, mysterious individuals frequently appear, coveting our Qingxia," a Qingxia elder replied.

Ye Fan sneered, "You all should temporarily withdraw from Qingxia. Return in ten days; by then, I will have resolved all issues."

"...Leave Qingxia?!" The three elders looked troubled.

"Leave. I fear they've already seen through our defenses and can no longer hold back. If you remain, the sect might truly be annihilated," Ye Fan said, turning around. "I'm not asking you to abandon Qingxia, but merely to temporarily withdraw and endure."

He could have summoned Wu Zhongtian, Tu Fei, and the others to directly eliminate those four sects, but he preferred not to, unwilling to attract outside attention.

These few "little bandits" were prominent figures in the Northern Region, and who knew how many eyes were on them? If they were traced back to him, it would cause trouble.

After dismissing everyone, Ye Fan also left Qingxia and immediately entered secluded cultivation.

Half a *fang* of Source, totaling sixteen to seventeen hundred *jin*, was enough for Ye Fan to break through to the first realm of the Dao Palace.

He found a secluded spot hundreds of miles from Qingxia, excavating a cave dwelling within a stone mountain.

For a full half-month, Ye Fan remained in seclusion. Within his body, the "Heavenly Sun"—the Divine Treasury of the Heart—grew increasingly fiery red, resembling an unopened lotus. It generated streams of vital energy but never fully transformed into a deity.

This deeply puzzled him; how could there be no change after refining a thousand *jin* of Source?

Yet, throughout this process, he sensed his own growing power. The Heavenly Sun within his body steadily rose and fell in a cyclical rhythm, and his innate essence burned fiercely.

Acquired essence continuously surged and merged into this Divine Treasury, nourishing it and making it increasingly crimson and crystalline, as if it had fully transformed into a true Heavenly Sun.

Ye Fan's body rumbled. He witnessed boundless oceans, the rising and setting sun, felt a surge of vitality, and observed flourishing energy. Infinite life force was being nurtured, and endless Dao power circulated within him. *Boom!*

Like the sun at its zenith!

The Divine Treasury of the Heart ascended and settled in the void of his inner world, like a blazing sun at its peak, emanating an endless aura.

Ye Fan clearly knew he had broken through to the first realm of the Dao Palace, successfully crossing that threshold. However, his transformation was entirely unlike others; no deity had materialized, and the Heavenly Sun remained suspended.

The Divine Treasury of the Heart had reached its pinnacle, achieving perfection!

Although no deity emerged, Ye Fan felt no disappointment. In fact, he preferred not to have another version of himself appear within his body; this outcome perfectly suited him.

He didn't understand why a deity hadn't materialized, but he felt an immense power within himself, capable of shattering mountains and rivers with a mere stomp.

"I need this feeling; I don't need any so-called deity. The Divine Treasury of the Heart should naturally be like this, transforming into a Heavenly Sun for my own use!"

Streams of fierce flames erupted from within him—his innate essence, enveloped by acquired vital fire, burning intensely. Ye Fan seemed reborn from fire; all his clothes were incinerated, his skin shimmered translucently, imbued with mysterious power.

It was a long time before the vital fire vanished, receding back into his body.

Within his inner world, shrouded in mist, he stepped into the next Divine Treasury, as if ascending a heavenly path. Successfully crossing that threshold felt akin to bridging the gap between a mortal and an immortal.

The power of the Dao Palace's second realm was immeasurably greater than the first; truly, an insurmountable chasm existed between them.

The Heavenly Sun shone brightly, perpetually suspended above his head, illuminating the path before him.

Soon, Ye Fan sensed an incredibly sharp aura, discovering the Divine Treasury of the Lungs, which, in the Five Elements, corresponds to Metal!

The Divine Treasury of the Lungs, connected to the spiritual energy pathways, encompasses the internal organs and holds the highest position, known as the "Canopy" and considered the chief of the five vital organs. It purifies the essence of heaven and earth, inhaling and exhaling the divine source, making it paramount—truly the most crucial among the five Divine Treasuries.

He felt a surge of vibrant life!

This Divine Treasury circulates vital essence, spirit, and qi throughout the entire body, reaching even the skin and hair, warming and nourishing the five *zang* organs, six *fu* organs, four limbs, bones, muscles, and skin. Its vast function exceeded imagination!

Ye Fan still had several hundred *jin* of Source material before him. He sat in meditation, continuously refining it, allowing the ceaseless Source energy to flow into his body and converge into the Canopy Divine Treasury.

All forms of *qi* belong to the lungs!

Every breath connects with the heavens!

This was a fundamental principle recorded in various ancient scriptures. Upon successfully entering this realm, Ye Fan felt all his pores open, as if connected to heaven and earth, and his speed in mobilizing celestial energy increased manifold.

"This... indeed, one realm, one world!"

Ye Fan was astonished; with this change, his cultivation speed would significantly increase, allowing him to mobilize vast amounts of heaven and earth essence, leading to a qualitative leap in his strength.

On the eighteenth day, Ye Fan's entire body surged with vital energy. Streaks of dragon qi materialized around him, erupting from his form, much like the Imperial Dragon Qi of the Great Xia Prince.

*Bang!*

Ye Fan's body shimmered with light. He burst through the stone wall, surged out of the cave dwelling, and ascended high into the sky in a single stride, two piercing beams of light shooting from his eyes.

His strength had drastically improved; his ability to "change the world"—though unable to alter mountains and rivers—had perfected his own physical form.

"I can enter the Jade Lake Holy Land now," Ye Fan thought. He put on a Daoist robe, strode through the void, his wide sleeves billowing, employing the Old Madman's footwork, and returned to Qingxia almost instantly.

The green mountains remained, but sadly, many halls and pavilions had collapsed, various herbs had been uprooted, and even some stone walls had been excavated because cultivation techniques were carved upon them.

Additionally, Ye Fan discovered several corpses, all Qingxia disciples, who had not escaped and had died violent deaths.

Even Qingxia's main peak had been cleaved off and carried away.

Ye Fan knew that the Qingxia main peak bore the insights of successive sect masters, making it a precious treasure for the four sects.

"This is truly... total," Ye Fan muttered. He buried the bodies of the Qingxia disciples, then turned indifferently, standing before the waterfall and letting the mist envelop him.

"Who are you, Daoist, daring to come here to investigate?" Li Youran, the successor of Xuanyue Cave, emerged, fanning himself.

From another direction, Du Chengkun, the Lihuo Sect Master's chief disciple, also appeared. Additionally, individuals from Qixing Pavilion and Luoxia Gate emerged in succession.

Ye Fan had already sensed their presence but had not acknowledged it. The successors of all four sects had, at one point, been slapped by him.

"Lihuo Sect, Luoxia Gate, Qixing Pavilion, Xuanyue Cave... it's not easy to say I'll spare you," he said, shaking his head.

"How audacious!" Li Youran sneered.

Du Chengkun, equally arrogant, declared, "You're a Daoist too; you must be cut from the same cloth as that fat Daoist. You won't be leaving today!"

They were brimming with confidence, having already assessed the situation. Moreover, the Grand Sect Master of Xuanyue Cave was seated cross-legged on the highest peak behind them.

Furthermore, beneath another green mountain, a powerful expert from the Lihuo Sect, who had been in seclusion for many years, stood beneath a large waterfall. The rushing water parted before him, not a single drop touching his body.

"Are you waiting here to kill me?" Ye Fan asked, a cold sneer playing on his lips as he surveyed those present. "It seems I truly have a fated connection with Emperor Wushi. If not for you, I might never have found his dwelling..."

"What are you talking about? Who is Emperor Wushi?" The old man beneath the waterfall suddenly opened his eyes.

"You are natives of the Northern Region; have you never heard the legend of Emperor Wushi?" Ye Fan asked. He genuinely wanted to gather information from them, though he didn't hold much hope.

"Are you stalling for time?" Du Chengkun scoffed. "How could such a person exist in the Northern Region, daring to call himself an Emperor? What nerve! Stop fabricating stories!"

"I'm speaking to your elder; do not interrupt," Ye Fan said, glancing at him.

"You, a mere young Daoist, still wet behind the ears, dare to speak to me like that?" Du Chengkun, as the proud eldest disciple of the Lihuo Sect Master, was enraged at being disrespected by a teenage Daoist.

"On the verge of death, and still playing dumb," Li Youran said, walking forward and fanning himself.

Ye Fan snorted coldly, waved his sleeve, and with a *bang*, sent both of them flying. Without even glancing at them, he looked directly at the old man beneath the waterfall and the Grand Sect Master of Xuanyue Cave, who was seated cross-legged on the mountain.

"In this Northern Region, the Jiang family once produced an Emperor, and the Jade Lake produced an Empress Mother. But those are ancient tales from before the Desolate Era, at least one hundred or even two hundred thousand years ago," the old man from the Lihuo Sect said, frowning.

"Emperor Wu... Is there such a person?" The Grand Sect Master of Xuanyue Cave, still with his eyes tightly closed, was seated cross-legged on a green stone at the mountain peak.

Ye Fan smiled faintly and said, "Since none of you know, then never mind. I will go and witness it myself!"