Chapter 299: People Who Betray the Holy Land

"You think you can make the two of us leave?" Tu Fei squinted at Xia Jiuyou, his expression quite unfriendly.

"Or should I flick you away with just one finger?" Xia Jiuyou said coldly.

Tu Fei was so enraged he almost spat blood. Being looked down upon by a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy made him feel like killing.

"That so-called master from Yao Guang was nothing special. Can you do better than him?" The white-robed youth sneered, as arrogant as ever.

Everyone was utterly speechless. Xia Jiuyou was truly overbearing, fearless of offending anyone; he even disparaged Li Rui, a general from Yao Guang.

Tu Fei let out a breath, and after a long pause, said, "You haven't even grown all your hair yet. What are you being so arrogant about?"

A burst of laughter.

Everyone around them burst into laughter, not expecting Tu Fei to say something like that in public. Xia Jiuyou's face stiffened, then immediately turned cold.

Tu Fei was indeed very frustrated, feeling that he might genuinely be no match for this boy. The opponent was only thirteen or fourteen but incredibly formidable, which choked him up.

"Then let me see how strong you are," the white-robed youth said coldly.

"Why would I bother with a child? I won't bully you," Tu Fei said shamelessly. He was genuinely afraid of getting a beating.

"Then I'll bully you," Xia Jiuyou stood up.

Tu Fei waved his hand and said, "Forget it. If you insist on a contest, let's have a battle of wits. Otherwise, seeing your delicate skin, more beautiful than a little girl's, it would be a shame if you got hurt."

"How will you have a battle of wits?" people nearby egged them on, eager for more excitement.

"A battle of divine consciousness, naturally," Tu Fei replied casually.

"A battle of divine consciousness is the most perilous. It seems like this will truly be a fight to the death," everyone around felt a chill, thinking Tu Fei had lost his temper.

"Very well. If you wish for your spirit to be annihilated, I shall grant your wish," Xia Jiuyou calmly sat down.

"If I fight, it'd be a bit like bullying you. Let my brother step in," Tu Fei said, patting Ye Fan's shoulder and pushing him forward.

"How shameless! Sending his own brother to die," someone whispered.

"Why don't both of you come at me together?" Xia Jiuyou taunted.

"Don't talk tough, kid; you're no match for one of us, let alone two," Tu Fei boasted shamelessly.

Xia Jiuyou's killing intent was fully exposed, and two dazzling divine lights shot from his eyes, so blinding that no one dared to look directly.

Whoosh!

A beam of light burst from his glabella, more brilliant than a flash of lightning, piercing towards Tu Fei. The divine consciousness at this level was terrifying.

Clang!

From Ye Fan's forehead, a purple glow shot out, like a divine sword unsheathed, clanging, comparable to a purple heavenly sword.

He was deliberately concealing his golden divine consciousness. The world-altering techniques recorded in the Source Heaven Book allowed him to change his aura and demeanor.

Whoosh!

The two clashed with their divine consciousness. The surrounding tables and chairs silently disintegrated, turning into powder and then dust. This was a powerful collision; any misstep could lead to a loss of life, potentially annihilating their divine consciousness and sending them to an irreversible doom.

Purple clashed with colorful light, filling the air with brilliance. Their divine consciousness was like blades, more dangerous than actual combat. Both their foreheads glowed, shimmering.

However, those around them were terrified. If such powerful divine consciousness swept over them, many would die instantly.

Clang, clang, clang!

Ye Fan's divine consciousness materialized into a three-inch-tall purple figure, wielding a battle spear, like a purple god of war, pressing forward step by step to kill.

Xia Jiuyou's divine consciousness materialized into a seven-colored figure, holding a divine bell. It was extremely agile, shaking the colorful bell, sending out streams of colorful light, like ripples.

Their divine consciousness took human form, battling fiercely in the void. Many couldn't help but tremble; this was the most fundamental form of combat.

Clang!

The purple figure grew braver with each strike, like a deity. After stabbing the air with its battle spear, it swept it horizontally.

The seven-colored figure was extremely nimble, elegant with its divine bell. Unable to dodge in time, it blocked the battle spear with the colorful bell on its back.

Dong!

A sound of divine consciousness echoed, causing many to feel a stinging pain in their own minds, affected by the clash.

Whoosh!

The two figures separated, purple and colorful light scattering as they clashed again.

"Stop fighting." At that moment, a grey-robed old man behind Xia Jiuyou suddenly spoke. A hazy beam of light shot from his glabella, sweeping towards Ye Fan's divine consciousness.

As this aura emerged, many on the upper floor changed color, feeling as if the end of the world had arrived. This divine consciousness was too powerful, vast as the ocean.

Whoosh! The light flashed, and the purple figure rushed back into Ye Fan's glabella, which glowed like jade. "What is the meaning of this?" Ye Fan asked in a low voice. Just now, he felt as if he had been pinned down by a fierce beast. This old man was extremely dangerous, and his divine consciousness was terrifying, likely not weaker than his own.

"My young master is currently cultivating a divine art and cannot use his divine consciousness recklessly, so I stopped this fight," the grey-robed old man replied.

"My divine art is not yet complete, which is indeed a hindrance," Xia Jiuyou said, his large, black-gem-like eyes blinking as he stared at Ye Fan. "You're somewhat beyond my expectation; your divine consciousness is surprisingly powerful. How many layers of strength did you use? If it was more than sixty percent, you're not my match."

Ye Fan smiled, offering no explanation, but his heart skipped a beat. This young man truly was a prodigy; at such a young age, if he fully unleashed his divine consciousness, it would likely be comparable to Yao Xi's.

It was hard to imagine who had trained him. Could he really be a direct disciple of the previous generation's old Saint Lord?

After this battle, the white-robed youth, Xia Jiuyou, looked somewhat mollified and no longer threatened to drive everyone away.

Many looked at Ye Fan. He had fought Xia Jiuyou to a draw, which made the arrogant white-robed youth change his mind, surprising everyone on the upper floor.

The young female Daoist from Dao Yi Holy Land, Xiang Yifei from Da Yan Holy Land, and Ji Biyue from the Ji family all showed surprised expressions, involuntarily sizing up Ye Fan.

"Boundless Venerable Heavenly Lord!"

An old Daoist appeared, walking upstairs. He looked to be only fifty or sixty, his body gaunt but full of vigor, with a wisp of a goatee and two eyes as bright as golden beads.

This person was clearly extraordinary. Although his physique was withered, his vitality and spirit were abundant, indicating he was a very powerful cultivator whose true depth was unfathomable.

"Daoist Priest, you've finally appeared. Do you have any definite news?" Ji Biyue asked with a smile.

"A monk does not tell lies. This humble Daoist will soon ascertain his location," the old Daoist said seriously.

Ye Fan and Tu Fei's hearts immediately jumped. They exchanged glances. This was the person planning to swindle people. "This old Daoist is truly something! He also wants to scam the Holy Lands. He's even more like the real deal than the real deal, completely ahead of our plans," Tu Fei gritted his teeth.

This old Daoist was very dull-witted and spoke little, answering only when asked, appearing very simple and far from cunning or treacherous.

Ye Fan also nodded, secretly transmitting a message: "If he manages to trick the Holy Lands first, we won't have a chance. This is our only opportunity."

Tu Fei was indignant and said, "Look at this old Daoist, with his honest face. Damn it, I really want to slap him twice."

"Boundless Venerable Heavenly Lord. This humble Daoist truly doesn't know where he is now. The time has not yet come, and even if you offer me 'source' now, I wouldn't accept it," the old Daoist said with a face full of sincerity.

"I really want to slap him! He's a great deceiver. Look how sincere he appears. Someone even wanted to offer him 'source' for information, and he flatly refused," Tu Fei said, seething.

"He's preparing for a major scam; he wouldn't even look at such a small amount of 'source'," Ye Fan had to admit. This old Daoist was truly talented. He was clearly there to swindle people, yet he appeared so honest and even refused 'source', showing great integrity.

Half an hour later, the crowd on the upper floor dispersed, but only Ye Fan remained. Tu Fei said, "Quick, let's follow him and see what tricks that old Daoist is up to."

"Following him is useless. Since he dared to come, he definitely has a backup plan," Ye Fan shook his head. He turned, walked to the chair the old Daoist had sat on, swept his sleeve, and collected it.

"Why are you taking a chair? Can it help us track that old Daoist?" Tu Fei asked, puzzled.

"We can't, but that dog definitely can," Ye Fan smiled.

Tu Fei clapped his hands and chuckled, saying, "A dog's nose is the most sensitive. That damned dog can certainly handle it."

They spent a long time moving around the city, gathering much information. Three Grand Elders from the Ji family had arrived, an unparalleled master from Yao Guang had also come, and a renowned figure from Wan Chu Holy Land had appeared as well.

This was just what they heard; they had no idea how many people had arrived from other major powers and among the rogue cultivators.

The young female Daoist from Dao Yi Holy Land was present, Xiang Yifei from Da Yan Holy Land was also there, and the successor from Zi Fu Holy Land had also appeared, though it was unknown if the Grand Elders from these Holy Lands had arrived too.

"The Mother Qi of All Things is truly alluring. A bunch of old geezers have shown up. This is going to be troublesome," Tu Fei said.

Ye Fan also frowned. He had intended to act while the various Holy Lords were preoccupied with the ancient scroll, but he didn't expect so many people to be drawn here.

The old Daoist's actions, aiming to swindle the Holy Lands, were precisely what Ye Fan himself had planned, which also gave him a massive headache.

"Should we act before that old Daoist does?" Tu Fei asked.

Ye Fan pondered for a moment and said, "We can't act now. I suspect some individual Holy Lords might even come. The risk is too great."

"Are we just going to stand by and watch that cunning old Daoist carry out his deception?" Tu Fei was very indignant.

Ye Fan stroked his chin and smiled, saying, "Precisely because he's here, it's wonderful. Let him do all the work. When the time comes, we'll figure out a way to get the 'source'. We just need to keep an eye on him."

Tu Fei suddenly understood, then burst into laughter, nodding repeatedly. "Let him perform diligently, and we'll take the 'source'. But we must keep track of his every move so we can strike precisely."

Ye Fan nodded, "Now we can only rely on that dog's nose."

"This time, we also need to figure out a suitable way to rob Xia Jiuyou," Tu Fei muttered, unable to forget.

An hour later, Ye Fan and Tu Fei returned to the towering mountains. The autumn wind rustled, yellow leaves danced, and the mountains were desolate.

This was a mountain valley, where vegetation had withered, and fallen leaves covered the ground. The big black dog lay panting on the ground, exhausted, having finished engraving the Dao patterns, which were now sufficient for traversing the void.

"You just carved a few patterns, is that really necessary?" Tu Fei mocked.

"You don't know a thing!" The big black dog didn't even spare him a glance.

These two had always been at odds. Ever since their first man-dog battle, they would squabble every time they met.

"What kind of Dao patterns did you engrave?" Ye Fan asked, somewhat surprised.

The big black dog proudly declared, "This Emperor has engraved a set of linked Dao patterns. Not only can it prevent us from being pinned in the void, but it also ensures we won't fear fierce individuals chasing us into the void."

"How many li can it traverse?" Ye Fan asked.

"I just tested it, traversed sixty thousand li," the big black dog replied.

"This damned dog is definitely spouting nonsense. In such a short time, there's no way it came back from sixty thousand li away!" Tu Fei's mouth hung open in disbelief.

Ye Fan's forehead immediately clouded over. "Did you squander all the 'source' I left for you?"

"Do you even understand what linked Dao patterns are? They involve more than a dozen transfer points. Of course, I had to continuously traverse the void to set them up," the big black dog retorted righteously.

Ye Fan and Tu Fei both wanted to hit it. This damned dog had squandered all the 'source', probably half of it going into its own belly.

"This damned dog truly is impossible!" Tu Fei cursed.

"Woof!" The big black dog pounced to bite.

"Stop," Ye Fan stopped it, saying, "Did you set up any restrictions along the way? We might encounter some extremely powerful figures this time."

"Don't worry. Even if I'm pursued by a ruthless individual, this Emperor will make him suffer a great loss," the big black dog gnashed its teeth. "Being with you, this Emperor has had incredibly bad luck many times. This time, I invested heavily in engraving these Dao patterns. Even if the Heavenly King Laozi himself comes, he won't be able to trap me."

"Since this damned dog talks such a big game, can we lure Xia Jiuyou here, surround him, and flay him alive?"

"Almost certainly," Ye Fan nodded, then said to the big black dog, "Now, help me find someone." He swept his sleeve, and a wooden chair appeared in the valley.

"What do you mean?" the big black dog asked, confused.

"We need to use your dog nose to find someone," Tu Fei said.

"Woof!" The big black dog pounced, and a man-dog battle erupted.

"I... you damned dog, I'm telling the truth!" Tu Fei screamed. "Stop! We're not scamming the Holy Lands ourselves anymore; we need to find someone," Ye Fan hastily called out.

"What did you say?" The big black dog grew even more agitated. "You made this Emperor painstakingly engrave so many Dao patterns, only for it to turn out to be nothing?"

"These Dao patterns are naturally useful; they are our path of retreat when we withdraw," Ye Fan quickly explained, otherwise, the damned dog would revolt.

The big black dog's expression gradually softened. "Another old Daoist. These scoundrels truly are no good. Of course, you're quite despicable yourself, benefiting from others' work, but this Emperor likes it, hehe..."

"Don't laugh so basely..."

The big black dog let out a dry chuckle, its bald tail stood up. It sniffed the chair and frowned, saying, "An incredibly pure aura of divine power."

The Black Emperor transformed into a cat, accompanying Ye Fan and Tu Fei back to Shanyan City, then began tracking from that inn.

The journey was smooth. They arrived deep in the mountains, and it wasn't until a sheer cliff that the big black dog stopped, puzzled. "Disappeared," it said.

"Is he hiding here?" Tu Fei asked.

"No, this person seems to have fragmented here," the big black dog said, full of doubt.

"What nonsense are you talking about..." Suddenly, the big black dog's expression changed. "I know! That wasn't a real person."

"Could it be some kind of demon spirit?" Ye Fan asked.

"He's a deity born from a powerful cultivator's Dao Palace, practicing an ancient method from tens of thousands of years ago. He must have feared being tracked, so he disintegrated here, dispersed into the world, and then reassembled his body dozens of li away," the big black dog concluded.

"That powerful?" Ye Fan and Tu Fei were both astonished.

"Indeed, it's that secret technique. I sensed that aura. This is no simple individual," the big black dog said.

"We must find out who he is," Ye Fan said gravely.

They thus traveled dozens of li, searching high and low, until they finally found a clue again.

It must be said that the Black Emperor's nose was unparalleled. Detecting even a faint scent, it could pinpoint the direction and track all the way.

This was the pure divine power aura left by a deity within a Dao Palace. They believed they would soon meet the real person.

After tracking for over three thousand li, they gradually approached their target, arriving in a range of deep mountains.

"Damn it, this Emperor smells a familiar aura," the Black Emperor spoke.

"Familiar aura?"

"Besides the pure divine power aura, there's also the aura of that person's true body. It's an acquaintance," the Black Emperor replied.

"What? An acquaintance?" Ye Fan and Tu Fei were both surprised.

"Don't get close. This person is far from simple; we can only observe from afar," the big black dog said gravely.

Half an hour later, Ye Fan, Tu Fei, and the Black Emperor chose a hidden spot and looked towards a distant mountain peak.

"He looks exactly like you!" Tu Fei said, somewhat startled.

Ye Fan frowned. On that mountain peak, another "him" was engrossed in engraving something.

"This is that old Daoist I bit last time in the Great Emperor's sleeping quarters. It's definitely his aura," the Black Emperor revealed the answer.

"That damned fatty!" Ye Fan never imagined it would be Duan De. "What? It's Daoist Duan De! Didn't that bastard get chased by Grandfather Wu Dao towards the Central Province? When did he come back? He really has nine lives," Tu Fei was also surprised.

"That cursed fatty..." Ye Fan gritted his teeth. This guy truly lived up to his nickname, 'Immortal Duan De', daring to swindle anyone. This time, he even set his sights on the Holy Lands.

Tu Fei also cursed, "This scoundrel finally ran into us! We must make him suffer a terrible defeat. This rascal is truly audacious!"

Ye Fan also felt like spitting blood. This immoral Daoist was truly a troublemaker, capable of conceiving such dirty tricks. He gritted his teeth and said, "Impersonating me to scam people? I can't believe he thought of that!"

Tu Fei said, "This scoundrel blocked our path and is even using your appearance for his schemes. I've never seen such an immoral Daoist."

"What is he engraving? Is he setting up Dao patterns too?" Ye Fan wondered.

The big black dog confirmed, "That's right, it looks like he's engraving Dao patterns, and they're very unusual ones. However, he's not proficient enough, so he's engraving them slowly."

Ye Fan stroked his chin and said, "I want to stomp this fatty to death. When he leaves, Black Emperor, go over there and modify his work so he'll be utterly helpless when he tries to traverse the void."

"Doing that could kill people," the Black Emperor said, though it also let out an ungenerous dry chuckle.

"When the Holy Land people surround him here, let's see how he escapes," Tu Fei chuckled.

At that moment, five Daoist figures rushed out from Duan De's body to help him engrave the Dao patterns. One of them was precisely that gaunt, dull-witted Daoist with an honest face.

"Now I finally understand why I wanted to beat that dull-witted Daoist. So he was this damned fatty's divine manifestation..."