Chapter 239: West Emperor's Relic

Stone mountains rose like a dense forest, devoid of even a single blade of grass. Their sheer cliffs, carved as if by knives, ascended vertically, merging into towering heights that resembled a stairway to heaven.

This area was utterly barren, lacking any soil or a single blade of grass. Endless stone mountains stretched across the landscape, dotted with numerous stone forests. The massive stones within them took on peculiar shapes, some resembling reclining oxen, others verdant bamboo shoots, forming a truly spectacular scene.

Upon entering the mountains, Ye Fan surveyed his surroundings. This rocky expanse gave him a unique sensation, as if an otherworldly realm lay across this place.

Each mountain seemed like a distinct realm, each stone a unique vista. It was as though someone with a masterful touch had carved the inherently natural paths of the Great Dao. Every mountain and stone in this place captivated his gaze.

Venturing deeper into the mountains, Ye Fan noticed that many of the carvings had become indistinct due to the erosion of wind, frost, rain, and snow, barely recognizable.

Unfortunately, most of these carvings were not cultivation techniques. Many recorded ancient events, while others were landscape depictions, such as those of various birds and rare beasts, all remarkably lifelike and vivid.

"Why would the fairies of Jade Lake carve these?" Ye Fan wondered, observing them carefully with a hint of suspicion.

"These carvings depict major events that once occurred in Jade Lake. Unfortunately, their original meaning is now difficult to decipher."

After walking several dozen steps forward, Ye Fan reached a mountain wall and was startled. The carving on it was unusual, featuring two figures, one of which was clearly not human.

It was a male figure, over two meters tall, with four pairs of divine wings, appearing heroic and formidable. Beneath his shoulders, eight powerful, dragon-like arms protruded, and a vertical eye was set in his forehead.

Facing him was an elegant and regal woman, exuding the aura of a majestic queen, truly extraordinary and inspiring awe.

"It truly records a significant event from Jade Lake's past: an unknown creature confronting an unparalleled expert of Jade Lake," Ye Fan exclaimed in surprise.

"To be precise, it was confronting a Queen Mother," the large black dog interjected.

Unfortunately, this was the only image of the scene, with no follow-up, leaving the outcome of the confrontation unknown.

They continued forward, carefully examining the carvings along their path. They saw depictions of welcoming demon kings and new Queen Mothers ascending to power. All were simple, single images, revealing little detail.

Upon reaching a stone forest, Ye Fan finally spotted a martial technique. On a large bluestone shaped like a crouching tiger, there was a half-carving of a figure performing a hand seal.

Although incomplete, showing only half a body, the carving was remarkably profound. Ye Fan found the hand seal very familiar, and after careful contemplation, realized it was the Mountain-Embracing Seal.

The Li Fire Sect's paramount technique was this extremely powerful hand seal, which Ye Fan had incorporated as a stance into his Saint Fighting Method. He was surprised to encounter it again here.

"Half of it has been deliberately erased..." A bad feeling welled up in Ye Fan's heart.

After so many years, could the Western Emperor Scripture still be intact, or had it perhaps been erased as well? He didn't fully trust the large black dog's claims.

"Take me to find the Western Emperor Scripture, now!" Ye Fan urged.

"Aren't we already looking for it? It might be hidden in these wall carvings," the large black dog replied.

"Don't tell me you don't know the exact location."

"You got it right, that's exactly the case. I'm also looking for it," the large black dog replied, slowly raising its head.

This dog was truly unreliable. Ye Fan wanted to kick it, but for now, he had no other option and ultimately had to depend on it.

"Do you truly have confidence in finding it?"

"Most likely, yes," the large black dog replied with an uncertain tone.

Ye Fan took out the Bodhi seed, holding it in his palm to sense his surroundings. He couldn't entirely rely on the dog now; he had to search for himself.

The large black dog approached with an innocent expression, then suddenly lunged and bit at his hand.

"Damn it, you dead dog, you're trying to bite again!" Ye Fan, who was always on guard against it, quickly shot into the sky.

"How stingy! It's just a nut, isn't it? It smells so fragrant, I just wanted to taste the kernel," the large black dog mumbled defiantly after its failed ambush, though its eyes kept darting towards the Bodhi seed.

"If you dare to bite again, you can forget about that Black Tortoise for the rest of your life. Now, quickly find the Western Emperor Scripture for me. If you can't, then give up entirely and don't make any more demands," Ye Fan said with a dark expression.

The large black dog tilted its head, looked at Ye Fan, and asked, "Kid, what kind of nut do you have in your hand? Is it edible?"

"Don't play dumb with me!"

"Does that 'nut' of yours have some special origin? I just saw a bald figure on it, it looked quite authentic. Did you carve it there?"

Ye Fan knew that this sly, mischievous dog was up to its old tricks again, eyeing the Bodhi seed. There was no way he would let it get its paws on that seed.

"Who is that bald man? He looks a bit unusual to me," the large black dog asked, growing impatient when Ye Fan ignored it.

"His name is Shakyamuni. Have you heard of him?" Ye Fan asked, a thought sparking in his mind.

"What a strange name, four characters long. Is this bald guy famous?" the large black dog asked.

Ye Fan was speechless, a revered figure like the Tathagata being spoken of so disrespectfully by a dog. He glared and snapped, "Stop wasting time, quickly find the Western Emperor Scripture for me!"

"Kid, what kind of attitude is that?" the large black dog snarled, baring its teeth. "If you disrespect this Emperor again, you can forget about the human race's supreme ancient scripture. Oh, and if I can find the Western Emperor Scripture, you'll also have to give me that nut with the fat bald man carved on it."

Ye Fan ignored the dog and walked away, examining one stone carving after another. Occasionally, he would find incomplete martial techniques, and each time he would meticulously study them.

Half an hour later, Ye Fan reached a sheer cliff. Here was a vast collection of carvings, stretching over a hundred images, far longer than any he had previously encountered.

Initially, he paid little attention, as the carvings, though extensive, were not particularly profound, depicting only the most common techniques. However, after examining more than thirty images, his expression changed. These ordinary techniques slowly began to transform, giving the impression of turning the mundane into the miraculous.

He calmed his mind and focused, observing the carvings below. For a full hour, Ye Fan remained silent. Only after viewing the very last one did he let out a long sigh: "Jade Lake truly lives up to its reputation as a sacred land. These must be intended for young disciples to study, each imbued with deep meaning."

These were not unique secret methods, but rather common, widely circulated techniques. Yet, they transcended their simplicity, and when combined, transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary, unleashing incredible power.

"Over a hundred ordinary techniques, when combined, can evolve into vastly different and great power. How marvelous!"

Ye Fan pondered for a long time before continuing his descent, where he discovered another hundred-plus carvings that he meticulously examined.

He was truly astonished in the end. This was a series, comprising over five hundred consecutive stone carvings.

"This is..."

Ye Fan was deeply shocked. This was the gradual evolution of a supreme secret method, moving from simplicity to profound complexity. He instantly discerned the underlying mystery.

This was the deduction of the Saint Fighting Method, one of the Nine Secrets!

The unparalleled expert of Jade Lake was astonishing; starting from ordinary techniques, they gradually evolved towards the Saint Fighting Method, attempting to recreate the Nine Secrets.

To transform the ordinary into the miraculous and deduce such a profound offensive technique from the Nine Secrets, this person must have possessed truly extraordinary talent.

Unfortunately, she ultimately failed and was unable to fully deduce the Saint Fighting Method.

Such individuals are rare throughout history. The techniques she studied were all linked to the legends of the Saint Fighting Method. For her to have developed them to this stage based on those legends is truly astonishing; she must have been an unparalleled genius.

"To connect the scattered pieces of knowledge in the world and deduce to this extent is truly astounding!" Ye Fan sighed.

This person approached it by moving from simplicity to complexity. However, the Saint Fighting Method possesses myriad variations; it can never be mastered to its absolute extreme, making it nearly impossible to reach the "end of complexity."

The true offensive Saint Art of the Nine Secrets begins by comprehending the singular, then expanding into myriad forms, reaching the peak of complexity, and finally returning to simplicity. No one else could possibly derive it.

Ultimately, this art embodies the Great Dao's profound simplicity!

Ye Fan stood in silence for a long time, contemplating. Although this deduction had taken a divergent path, it provided him with immense inspiration, leading to a deeper understanding of the Saint Fighting Method.

No matter how extraordinary one's talent, without first acquiring the imprint of the Nine Secrets, one cannot derive this supreme Saint Method.

Ye Fan pondered for a long time, believing he could further enhance the power of this offensive saint art. This was truly an unexpected gain, as the genius of Jade Lake had provided him with significant inspiration.

The sky had long grown dark, and Ye Fan continued to examine the carvings through the night. By midnight, he had seen most of the carvings scattered among the mountains, yet the Western Emperor Scripture remained elusive.

"There are no profound techniques here at all; even if there are, they're just ordinary arts. You're not trying to fool me, are you?" Ye Fan asked with a grim expression, staring at the large black dog.

"Didn't I tell you that even if you see the Western Emperor Scripture, you might not recognize it right away? You need to ponder it slowly," the large black dog replied.

Under the bright moon and sparse stars, Ye Fan paced forward, having explored almost every cliff, yet he still could not find the Western Emperor Scripture.

"Found it! It's here!" the large black dog shouted. Its voice carried exceptionally far in the deep night, creating lingering echoes.

Ye Fan arrived in just a few bounds. The stone mountain was majestic, but it contained no visible scriptures; its surface was bare.

"Where is it?"

"This mountain *is* part of the scripture. Whether you can comprehend it depends on your own destiny," the large black dog replied, head held high.

"You're just being perfunctory, simply pointing to a random stone mountain and claiming it's the Western Emperor Scripture. How am I supposed to believe you can actually find the scripture?" Ye Fan challenged.

"That depends on your comprehension," the large black dog mumbled.

"Stop trying to fool me!" Ye Fan glared.

The large black dog also grew agitated and declared, "There absolutely is part of the scripture here; I heard someone say it with my own ears!"

"What did you hear back then?" Ye Fan pressed.

"The stone mountain with a carved sun has part of the scripture, and the stone mountain with an ancient tree carved on it has part of the scripture..."

According to the large black dog, the Western Emperor Scripture was initially conceived and inscribed by the Western Queen Mother while she comprehended the Dao, with parts scattered throughout these stone mountains.

On this sheer cliff, there was indeed a blurry sun, no larger than a palm. Even with close inspection, it was difficult to believe it was man-made; it looked remarkably like a natural formation.

"This mere circular mark is the so-called Western Emperor Scripture? You've got to be kidding me, right?"

The large black dog raised its head, tilted its neck, and said, "That's no longer my concern; you need to comprehend it yourself."

This dead dog! Ye Fan longed to deal with it, but knowing he couldn't, he finally flew up the stone cliff to examine the celestial sun.

Ye Fan rubbed the imprint of the celestial sun with one hand while holding the Bodhi seed in the other. He meditated for half the day, yet he could sense nothing unusual.

"Black Emperor, you're lying! Where is the scripture here?!"

"It's absolutely here, but it requires astonishing comprehension. Whether you can obtain the Western Emperor Scripture depends on your own ability," the large black dog said, a hint of guilt in its voice.

On the cliff, Ye Fan held the Bodhi seed, his mind empty and clear, quietly contemplating. But in the utter silence, he found nothing.

"How many Great Emperors have there been throughout history? The scriptures left by such figures are not easily obtained..." the large black dog shouted from below. "I've found the Western Emperor Scripture for you; whether you can comprehend it is your own affair. You must, however, give me that Black Tortoise."

The Source Heaven Book contained a portion of the Western Emperor Scripture, specifically the Dao Palace Scroll. At this moment, Ye Fan silently began to circulate that scripture, pressing the Bodhi seed onto the celestial sun.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, dazzling light erupted across the sky. A celestial sun, intensely hot, rose from the stone cliff, completely engulfing Ye Fan.

The entire stone mountain became translucent, with flames billowing. A great fire illuminated half the sky, and a radiant sun hung in mid-air, vast and vigorous. Ye Fan stood within the celestial sun, appearing solemn and majestic.

"Damn it, how could he actually learn it? Doesn't it require the 'scripture guide' of Jade Lake in addition to astonishing comprehension? This is a huge loss; that kid actually obtained the Western Emperor Scripture..." The large black dog looked utterly distraught, as if it had swallowed something foul.