Chapter 303: Pre-Qin Bronze Inscriptions Unexpectedly Appear

The moment Ye Fan plunged into the void, he heard Ji Haoyue's shout. His heart tightened; the Divine King's Physique was indeed sensitive, detecting a subtle anomaly. Even from such a distance, he hadn't intentionally suppressed his Sacred Body, and as a result, the other party had a subtle premonition. However, none of that mattered anymore; he had already crossed the void and entered eternal darkness.

"Stabilize!"

From the distant mountains, an ancient voice suddenly boomed. The space trembled with a hum, and the Profound Jade Platform that Ye Fan and the others had left behind failed to self-destruct; everything was held in place.

Xia Jiuyou, clad in spotless white, with nine streams of dragon qi beneath his feet, was the first to rush onto the Profound Jade Platform, instantly vanishing. Two gray-robed elders followed closely behind. Ji Haoyue, the Divine King's Physique, exuded an imposing aura. A divine moon floated above his head, as pure and bright as a deity, and he too vanished in a flash, successfully crossing the void. Duan De, still in Ye Fan's guise with his purple robes fluttering, seemed to clutch at a lifeline. He transformed into a wisp of black smoke and surged onto the platform, also disappearing without a trace.

"Chase them!"

"Don't let him get away!"

The crowd behind them shouted and surged forward, beginning to cross the void. The pitiful, stoic Taoist, before he could even get up, took seven or eight kicks, grimacing in pain. He also rushed forward, joining the pursuit.

Two thousand li away, the void grew dim and twisted, then a rift appeared, from which Ye Fan and Tu Fei emerged.

"No, someone's chasing us!" Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat. The void rift was violently fluctuating, clearly indicating that many people were crossing over.

"Hurry, there's a ruthless expert in the shadows who has stabilized the Profound Jade Platform," the Black Sovereign said.

However, they weren't afraid, as they were well-prepared. They had specifically carved an even more complex series of Dao patterns onto a nearby mountain peak. Ye Fan and Tu Fei quickly flew to the mountain ahead, ascending the vast divine platform, preparing to cross the void once more.

"Boom!"

Not far away, the void tore open, and a group of people rushed out: Xia Jiuyou, Ji Haoyue, Xiang Yifei (the successor of the Great Evolution Holy Land), the young Taoist priestess from Dao Yi Holy Land, the successor of Zifu Holy Land, and more. And of course, there was Daoist Duan De, who had been beaten out. Even in the dark void, he was locked in a life-and-death battle, with a group of people hot on his heels. What was most alarming was that a group of elders had also successfully crossed over, targeting both Duan De and Ye Fan's group.

"Imprison!" the ancient voice resonated across heaven and earth.

"Go!" Ye Fan activated the linked Dao patterns, crossing the void once again. Someone tried to prevent Ye Fan and the others from crossing the void, but to their surprise, the Dao patterns carved by the Black Sovereign were unique and unaffected.

In the darkness, Ye Fan exclaimed in surprise, "A formidable individual has locked onto us! Are your Dao patterns effective, Black Sovereign?"

"Don't worry if a ruthless expert chases us. Escaping is absolutely no problem. If he's not strong enough, this Sovereign will cripple him," the large black dog transmitted confidently from within his robe sleeve.

"Hum!"

The void trembled, and they appeared five thousand li away, landing on a jade platform. This was a Dao pattern platform capable of two-way void crossings. The large black dog chuckled slyly, like a cunning wolf, saying, "Destroy this jade platform here to cut them off in the void."

"This wretched dog is too vicious..." Tu Fei was startled, then also began to laugh.

Without a word, Ye Fan shattered the jade platform with a slap, then stepped forward onto another formation, preparing to cross the void again.

"Boom!"

Behind them, the moment the jade platform was destroyed, the void was also torn open, and a group of people tumbled out, many of whom instantly disintegrated into a bloody mist. However, most of them merely looked dishevelled, as over a dozen elders used terrifying weapons to support the void, preventing significant casualties.

"Stop fighting! This humble Taoist admits defeat. I'm not that scoundrel Ye Fan!" Duan De's miserable wails came from the crowd. Even if he was powerful, he couldn't withstand a group of people surrounding him, and with a pack of old men eyeing him ferociously, he didn't dare to fight seriously.

"Whoosh!"

With a flash of light, Ye Fan and the others quickly vanished, crossing the void once more.

"Black Sovereign, your linked Dao patterns aren't holding up; they're still chasing us. Only a few dozen people died just now," Ye Fan thought, feeling uneasy.

"Don't rush. The linked Dao patterns require over a dozen transfers; they'll have a delightful time later," the large black dog replied, still unperturbed.

"Hum!"

The void trembled slightly, and Ye Fan and the others emerged into a world of towering black mist, where visibility was zero and murderous intent was palpable.

Tu Fei exclaimed in alarm, "Where have we come to?"

"This is the Yin-Underworld Killing Field from the Dao pattern sequence. If they blunder in here, they'll be in for a treat," the Black Sovereign sneered.

Ye Fan finally understood why the large black dog had been half-dead with exhaustion after carving these Dao patterns. It had truly put its heart into it; anyone who accidentally stumbled in would certainly perish. Guided by the large black dog, they quickly exited and appeared on a nearby jade platform, with a chilling aura of death behind them.

The void tore open, and the moment the pursuers charged out, a surge of murderous qi erupted. Streams of Yin-Underworld sword energy shot forth horizontally, each as thick as a water vat and utterly destructive.

"Pffft!", "Pffft!"...

Blood splattered, and screams echoed. Many were pierced through and instantly died, turning it into a complete massacre. Tu Fei looked at the large black dog with a strange expression, sensing that this wretched dog was indeed extraordinary and quite terrifying.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the Yin-Underworld Killing Field shattered, pulverized by the shockwave from a large bell.

"Damn it, that's a tough one. Could a Holy Lord have arrived?" Ye Fan's heart pounded as they crossed the void again.

Black winds like blades swept through heaven and earth, mist drifted, and any rocks thrown in would instantly turn to powder upon contact. A gentle, yet insidious, force flowed throughout the area.

"In this region, this Sovereign has carved the Grand Yin patterns. When the Grand Yin Gale blows, flesh and blood bodies will instantly turn into pulp," the large black dog instructed, leading the way. "Both of you be careful; don't take a single wrong step, or you'll be reduced to bloody pus."

"This wretched dog really has a trick up its sleeve, carving such malicious Dao patterns..." Tu Fei's heart pounded with trepidation.

No sooner had they stepped out than the void behind them cracked open. That group of people could always stabilize the Profound Jade Platform and were still in pursuit, proving difficult to shake off.

"Ah..."

The screams were exceptionally shrill and echoed one after another. This area was dim and dreary. When the Grand Yin Gale swept through, many people's flesh and bones turned to pulp, utterly unable to resist. Even powerful weapons were instantly pulverized.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a colossal golden hand appeared across the sky and slammed down ferociously, causing the heavens and earth to crack apart. It dispersed the Grand Yin Gale and utterly destroyed the Black Sovereign's Dao patterns with absolute power.

"Damn it, that's too ruthless! He just shattered the Grand Yin patterns. This person is terrifying!" The Black Sovereign was greatly startled.

Ye Fan and the others immediately fled, but it was still incredibly difficult to shake off their pursuers. The Profound Jade Platform was always stabilized by the enemy, preventing its self-destruction. After crossing the void seven or eight times consecutively, they still couldn't escape that colossal golden hand; it clung to them like a terrifying nightmare.

Their ninth void crossing brought them to an ancient battlefield, where scarlet flames burned, Yin energy surged to the sky, and numerous skeletal remains hung eerily in the air.

"Damn it, I don't believe the Dao patterns carved by this Sovereign can't stop them!" The large black dog grew anxious. Its meticulously crafted killing fields were being destroyed one by one, making it realize the gravity of the situation.

"What kind of formation patterns are these?" Ye Fan asked.

"This is an ancient killing field—the Sea of Delusion. Powerful individuals will sink into it, unable to extricate themselves, and terrifying killing intent will emerge to destroy them."

Ye Fan and the others walked out of the ancient killing field—the Sea of Delusion—only for the pursuers to appear again, having crossed the void.

Duan De wailed, "Stop chasing me! You should have realized by now that I'm not the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body, and I have nothing to do with that scoundrel Ye Fan!"

Ji Haoyue, Xia Jiuyou, the young Taoist priestess from Dao Yi Holy Land, and many older generation figures had already seen that he was definitely not Ye Fan. But others continued to attack him relentlessly. Even some Holy Sons sneered, forcing him to reveal his identity, asking, "Who exactly are you?"

Inside the ancient killing field—the Sea of Delusion—countless killing intents suddenly erupted. Many were ensnared: Xia Jiuyou and Ji Haoyue began to fight intensely, while Duan De was forced to desperately battle a decrepit old man. Ye Fan and the others stood on the jade platform, preparing to cross the void. The Black Sovereign sneered, "How could the Dao patterns carved by this Sovereign be useless..."

"Thud!"

Unfortunately, it hadn't finished speaking when the colossal golden hand reappeared, shattering the ancient battlefield and disintegrating the Sea of Delusion.

Tu Fei's expression changed instantly. "I know! This is Old Roc King's avatar! We need to leave quickly; Old Roc King's true form might arrive at any moment."

Ye Fan's face also paled on the spot. He had taken the Golden-Winged Little Roc King, and the Old Roc King was currently searching the world for him, so an avatar appearing was not surprising.

"Let's go, quickly!" The Old Roc King was a demon king feared even by the various Holy Lords, possessing terrifying strength and the greatest speed in the world, making him extremely difficult to deal with.

"Don't worry," the large black dog said. "After three more Dao pattern killing fields, we'll reach the ultimate Dao pattern location that I carved."

Behind them, the number of pursuers had dwindled. Many had been eliminated by the Black Sovereign's Dao patterns along the way, a truly bloodless slaughter. After passing through three more killing fields, they finally arrived at the ultimate formation pattern location mentioned by the large black dog. They quickly rushed onto the jade platform.

The large black dog declared, "Alright, we're absolutely safe now!"

With a flash of light, they vanished from their spot.

In the darkness, Ye Fan asked, "Are you sure we're safe? This should be the last set of Dao patterns. If we still can't shake them off, the consequences will be dire."

"Rest assured. Once we leave, the Dao patterns will close and re-evolve. Only we will be able to cross the void; that place will become a forbidden zone."

Indeed, after they departed, the spot shimmered with light, the Dao patterns changed, transforming completely. Between heaven and earth, a chilling wind howled, and sword qi blazed like rainbows, turning the area into an absolute death trap. Unfortunately, they could no longer witness it firsthand.

The ultimate Dao patterns allowed them to cross fifty thousand li of void in a single leap, completely carrying them away from Luanyun State and into a vast desert.

"What is this place?"

For tens of thousands of li, the golden desert was devoid of human habitation. Ye Fan, Tu Fei, and the large black dog flew for half a day but couldn't find their way out. In the end, the large black dog carved Dao patterns and crossed the void again, but they still couldn't escape this boundless desert.

"Damn it! We got rid of that group of people, but where in hell have we ended up?"

Although the large black dog had crossed the void while carving Dao patterns, it had never personally visited this place before. Their previous dozen or so transfers had covered a total of sixty thousand li, and the last one spanned fifty thousand li. After traveling over a hundred thousand li, they had no idea where they were.

"Let me think..." Tu Fei mused for a moment, then his expression suddenly changed. "A region a hundred thousand li from Luanyun State should be the renowned Divine Desert!"

"What kind of place is that?" Ye Fan had a bad feeling.

"It's a cursed place. Many cultivators who enter get lost and can never find their way out in their lifetime," Tu Fei explained.

"No way..." Ye Fan frowned. This was not good news at all.

Tu Fei's expression was grave. "According to ancient records, some people might manage to leave in half a month, while others walk until their lifespan is depleted and still can't escape. This Divine Desert is excessively sinister."

The Black Sovereign's mouth twitched as if it had eaten bitter herbs, and it cursed, "Damn it, so it's *this* place! It trapped this Sovereign for over a hundred years back then, you...!"

"You were trapped here for over a hundred years?" Ye Fan asked in surprise.

The large black dog's face was foul and dark. "Years ago, while searching for that ruthless expert's Daoist temple, I stumbled into the Divine Desert and was almost suffocated for over a hundred years!"

One could cross the void to enter from the outside, but crossing the void was of little use if one wanted to leave. Such was the sinister nature of the Divine Desert. Ye Fan realized the gravity of the situation. This Divine Desert was extraordinary, having trapped the large black dog, even in its prime, for over a century.

"Perhaps we'll be lucky and walk out in just over ten days," Tu Fei offered an optimistic hypothesis.

"Let's hope so," Ye Fan nodded.

And so, they journeyed through the Divine Desert, getting lost for several consecutive days, unable to find a way out. Six days later, Ye Fan and the others began to feel uneasy. There were still no signs of an exit. The vast desert stretched endlessly. At noon, it was scorching like a furnace, while late at night, it was bone-chillingly cold, with an extreme temperature difference.

On the seventh day, precisely at noon, under the scorching sun, Ye Fan gazed into the distance. His heart suddenly stirred as he said, "There's a building!"

In the golden desert, under the fiery sun, a not-so-tall building shimmered faintly on the distant horizon. In this desolate desert, capable of trapping cultivators, seeing a building naturally startled them. They quickly flew towards it.

It turned out to be a Taoist temple, not grand but very small, even less spacious than a poor family's stone house. Although ancient, it was relatively intact, mostly buried by sand, with less than a person's height visible above the ground. Ye Fan waved his long sleeves, sweeping away the golden sand and fully revealing the ancient small Taoist temple. It was constructed from the most common rock found in the Northern Region, polished and laid. Even after many years, the stone temple had not collapsed and still stood firm.

"How can there be a stone Taoist temple like this here?" Tu Fei asked in surprise.

Ye Fan stepped forward, walking directly into the ancient temple, which had no door. He looked around, and his expression instantly froze. On the wall, he saw a familiar script—it was writing from the other side of the starry sky! These were ancient Chinese bronzeware inscriptions from the pre-Qin period.

The ancient pre-Qin characters were different from the script of this world. Ye Fan recognized them at a glance, and a surging tide of shock rose in his heart, his pulse pounding furiously.

"Bronzeware inscriptions from the pre-Qin period..." He was utterly astounded.

Since arriving in this world, Ye Fan had learned a great deal and had wanted to connect this world with the other side of the starry sky, but he had found no clues in ancient texts. He never expected to see ancient pre-Qin characters here today, and the shock in his heart was immense.

"During the pre-Qin period, people had already come to this world from the other side of the starry sky," Ye Fan concluded. His heart pounded with excitement. The two worlds were not isolated; ancient people had already visited. Perhaps he could use this to find his way back.

"What are you mumbling about? What kind of strange characters are these? I don't recognize a single one!" The large black dog looked perplexed.

"Let me see what it says..." Ye Fan, filled with immense excitement, carefully examined the ancient bronzeware inscriptions.

It's the end of the month, continue calling out.