Chapter 410: Three-Transformed Qilin

The stars and moon cast a gentle glow, their silver light spreading everywhere, bathing the world in pristine brilliance.

The Divine City appeared incredibly hazy, looking serene and tranquil, as if veiled by a wispy mist. However, the truth was far from it. An invisible murderous aura permeated the air, coming from all directions, like towering waves crashing against the shore or boulders crumbling from a cliff!

Ye Fan, after a grueling struggle, finally succeeded in entering the Four Extremities Secret Realm. With no more obstacles, he became the first Sacred Body in over one hundred thousand years to break the curse. Everyone was deeply stirred. This was undoubtedly a monumental event that made all major powers wary, and they felt a profound pressure. No one wished to see him rise to power.

Suddenly, the night sky was torn open. Someone crossed the void, appearing beside Ye Fan and the Divine King, like an ancient fierce beast emerging from its lair. Murderous intent surged like a tide! This individual was a peerless master. He manifested two Dharma bodies, holding powerful artifacts imbued with the essence of Dao and principles, and lunged forward to kill.

A resonant hum filled the air as the void trembled. It ripped apart like tattered cloth. His combat power was monstrous, his vital energy surging like a dragon, striking terror into people's very bones, as if they had fallen into the abyss of hell. Everyone was aghast. The assailant was incredibly audacious, attempting to kill both Ye Fan and the Divine King simultaneously. Their actions were decisive and ruthless.

Although the White-clothed Divine King was a peerless expert, his divine blood had completely drained away, and he had expended his life force to perform the Divine Prelude. He was now at the end of his life. The assailant was undeniably ruthless, choosing this moment to strike a fatal blow. Who would dare to directly challenge the Divine King on any other day? This was clearly taking advantage of the Divine King's weakened and fading state.

"How dare you!" the Jiang family members cried out, rushing forward furiously.

The peerless Divine King's eyes were dim, but his heroic bearing remained undiminished. His snow-white sleeves fluttered. He was one with the Dao of nature, perfectly integrated with heaven and earth, like a deity walking among mortals. He formed a hand seal and caused the void to tremble.

"Boom!" The sky instantly collapsed. This entire world seemed to decay and crumble. Nothing could block or resist it. It was like a divine blow, sweeping away everything in its path.

"Crash!" A torrent of power, vast as an ocean, surged forth, stifling everyone. Everyone was horrified. In the distance, an unknown number of people were knocked unconscious, collapsing backwards onto the ground. Everyone trembled with fear. The White-clothed Divine King in the sky resembled a true deity; with a single hand seal, he made the stars and moon lose their luster and the heavens and earth collapse.

"Pffft!" That peerless master was instantly reduced to dust. His Dharma bodies were utterly annihilated, and the weapons imbued with Dao and principles turned to dust. Nothing remained.

"This is..." Everyone felt a chill run from head to toe. The White-clothed Divine King was nearly at his last breath, yet he still possessed such divine might. This sent shivers down everyone's spines. Many major powers were utterly shocked.

"The Divine King's ancient tree of life has withered. His life is nearing its end. How can he still possess such combat power?"

"He has drained all his divine blood and played the Divine Prelude. His life force should be completely depleted."

"Truly worthy of being a peerless Divine King. He defied the heavens with his own strength to sever the Sacred Body's karma. Even on the verge of passing away, he retains such formidable might. Indeed, he cannot be blasphemed."

Many cultivators were shaken. The Jiang family members, however, were filled with sorrow, rushing towards him.

"Boom!" Just then, the sky grew dim. A colossal black hand stretched across the night sky, blocking all moonlight and starlight. It was like a massive dark cloud, vast and overwhelming. Its sheer size was oppressive and suffocating. The terrifying fluctuations caused many to faint.

Another peerless master attacked, more terrifying than the last, aiming to eliminate both the White-clothed Divine King and Ye Fan. Boundless killing intent surged forth, and the ground continuously cracked. The White-clothed Divine King's eyes were dull, but his body remained ramrod straight. His right hand moved, stirring the Great Dao, tracing profound and unfathomable trajectories. It was a manifestation of the Dao itself, striking towards the sky.

"Hum!" The sky collapsed. The colossal black hand shattered into pieces, and then instantly turned to ash. The clear starry sky reappeared, with moonlight like water pouring down. Everything returned to normal, as if nothing had transpired.

People were profoundly shocked. Even on the verge of death, the peerless Divine King would not be offended. Two formidable experts had successively met their demise. This stunned everyone present. At this moment, silence reigned, so profound that a pin drop could be heard. No one dared to make a move. The Divine King stood with immense divine might. His white robes fluttered, exuding a divine aura. No one dared to challenge him again; everyone's hearts pounded with fear.

"Divine King..." the Jiang family members rushed forward, surrounding the White-clothed Divine King. All were filled with profound sorrow. The Divine King's life was drawing to a close, and their hearts felt heavy with grief.

"Boom!" Just then, a startling peal of thunder shattered the tranquility of the heavens and earth. The small golden creature had endured three heavenly tribulations. After a brief silence, the fourth heavenly tribulation descended. It was already charred black all over. Its golden body was severely injured, continually wiping away tears and wailing loudly. It looked helplessly at everyone; only its large eyes remained somewhat bright, filled with tears and looking utterly pitiful.

"This unfortunate Divine Silkworm, after dragging Ye Fan into this, has actually passed three heavenly tribulations," Tu Fei sighed.

"In the ancient past, the Divine Silkworm underwent nine transformations and was unrivaled in the world. It should face at least five heavenly tribulations. I wonder if it can endure this one."

"Boom!" The heavenly tribulation descended, manifesting as five-colored lightning. Divine Five-Element Thunderbolts struck one after another, battering the small golden creature until it was tattered all over. It cried heartbrokenly.

"Use all your innate divine abilities to resist. In the Primordial Era, your kin must have left behind legacies within your life imprint," Ye Fan transmitted this message. This small golden creature had been extracted by him from the Divine Source. He couldn't bear to see it perish. Moreover, it had been "lent" to the Great Xia Dynasty, with an agreement that once the Divine Silkworm transformed again, it would be returned to him.

At this moment, lightning illuminated the sky, five-colored light piercing the heavens. People's attention was drawn to it. Upon hearing Ye Fan's message, the small golden creature frantically scurried through the lightning, simultaneously unleashing a barrage of different techniques. With a swipe of its tiny paw, five-colored divine light shot skyward, grabbing all the lightning in the sky. It was blasted until its skin was torn and flesh ripped, bones fractured, and it let out pitiful cries.

"This unfortunate Divine Silkworm is so scared it's lost its mind, randomly using divine arts," Li Heishui shook his head.

The Divine Silkworm was indeed frantic, wildly misusing its divine arts. It even managed to capture the lightning tribulation, leaving everyone dumbfounded, wanting to laugh but unable to, for it was truly pitiful. The Divine Silkworm was covered in cracks. It looked like it wouldn't last much longer. The little nun in white wiped away tears, continually whispering for it to hold on.

"You need to resist, not misuse your divine arts to invite disaster!" Ye Fan transmitted his voice again.

The Divine Silkworm cried out in grievance, continually drawing in the void. After the five-colored divine lightning struck, more than half of the lightning suddenly vanished, inexplicably reappearing in the distance.

"Boom!" The lightning illuminated the sky. A chorus of miserable screams immediately erupted from that distant location. Many were struck black and spat blood, and some even died instantly.

"This unfortunate Divine Silkworm, shifting disaster to others, what kind of bizarre divine arts does it possess?" Tu Fei was dumbfounded.

Even more people cursed furiously. The Divine Silkworm's ability to 'shift stars and displace constellations' had brought misfortune to many, leaving them so furious they could vomit blood.

Yet despite all this, the small golden creature couldn't hold on any longer. It plummeted from the sky, its body mangled and bleeding. It resembled a small piece of charcoal. It twitched twice, then lay still.

"It's dead?"

"It just redirected the disaster to others, and then it was struck dead?"

Everyone was surprised. Only the little nun in white wept openly, continually calling out for "Little Darling" to return. Many elder figures extended their divine sense. All shook their heads, because they couldn't detect a trace of life force from the Divine Silkworm. There was truly no life fluctuation. The lightning in the sky hovered, flickering erratically. It neither dissipated nor struck again.

After an unknown period of time, people were astonished to see the small golden creature furtively open one eye, slyly glancing towards the sky.

"Good heavens, the Divine Silkworm is feigning death!"

"This is the legendary heaven-deceiving divine art. It can cut off the Great Dao and 'steal heaven and replace sun.' Yet it used it to feign death... What a pity this little fellow couldn't hold out longer."

"Boom!" Before everyone finished speaking, the last lightning bolt of the fourth heavenly tribulation struck. The terrified Divine Silkworm bolted, but ultimately, it couldn't outrun the lightning. It was struck almost to smithereens, blood splattered, all its bones were shattered, nearly turning into a pulpy mess. It wailed in pain a few times, then fell into the dust.

"It's not actually dead this time, is it?" People wondered doubtfully.

The fifth heavenly tribulation descended, arriving incredibly swiftly. Many elder figures were horrified. There were only four bolts of lightning, but they constituted one of the most terrifying lightning tribulations. Earth, fire, wind, and water manifested, as if creating and evolving a new world. They swiftly descended. Many knew that, barring a miracle, the Divine Silkworm was doomed.

"Swish!" Suddenly, a divine radiance shot skyward, illuminating the night. A layer of shimmering, crystal-clear cocoon formed around the Divine Silkworm's body. It illuminated the starry sky, incredibly magnificent and beautiful. This astonished everyone. The Divine Silkworm's third transformation had begun. Although it was still young and its mind simple, the legacy within its life imprint had automatically activated, protecting it.

The Divine Silkworm's cocoon, resembling a seven-colored gem, continually shimmered, radiating brilliant light. It withstood the four terrifying thunderbolts of earth, fire, wind, and water. Thunder deafened the ears. The four world-shaking heavenly thunderbolts struck down one after another. The seven-colored cocoon shattered, transforming into an endless divine radiance that enveloped the Divine Silkworm.

"Boom!" A deafening tremor rocked the earth. The final wave of lightning tribulation vanished. The small golden creature's bones crackled as its flesh and blood regenerated. However, it did not take the form of a true dragon; instead, a small golden Qilin appeared in its place, awakening. It swallowed the seven-colored light swirling around its body in one gulp. Its entire body radiated brilliance. But its expression was one of extreme bewilderment. It stared blankly at everyone around it, utterly bewildered and at a loss.

The Divine Silkworm's nine transformations mean each change is a new beginning. It completely forgets the past, its memory wiped clean. Now that it had completed its third transformation, it meant bidding farewell to its former self.

"Little Darling..." the little nun in white gently called out. Her face was filled with joy.

But the Divine Silkworm showed no reaction. It was now a tiny golden Qilin, no bigger than a palm, plump and round. It wobbled as it walked, appearing adorably clumsy. It gazed innocently at everyone, its large eyes remarkably clear.

"This is truly defying the heavens! The Divine Silkworm's third transformation has made it resemble a golden Qilin!"

"There are no true dragons, divine phoenixes, or Qilins in this world. Could it be that all these immortal spiritual forms evolved from the Divine Silkworm?"

Everyone's eyes burned with eagerness as they fixated on the Divine Silkworm. This was completely different from how they looked at Ye Fan. Both had undergone heavenly tribulations and were equally heaven-defying, but their treatment was vastly different. Many immortal legacies wished to suppress Ye Fan, yet sought to subdue the Divine Silkworm.

The small golden Qilin, charmingly naive, seemed slightly unaccustomed to its new body. It approached the little nun in white. Its large eyes clear, it stared blankly for a moment. Then, it exhaled a wisp of seven-colored mist that vanished into her body. After that, it swiftly bolted.

"Little Darling, where are you going? Come back quickly!" the little nun cried out anxiously.

The Divine Silkworm ran to Ye Fan's side, looking very confused. It seemed to be trying to recall something, but remembered nothing, timidly taking a few steps closer. Then it tugged at his pant leg, looking up at him with innocent, questioning eyes, as if seeking answers.

"I brought you into this world, so don't be afraid. Just stay by my side from now on." Ye Fan bent down, and a handful of Divine Source Beans appeared in his hand, which he offered down to it.

"Whoosh!" With a flash of light, the Divine Silkworm gathered all the beans, then swallowed them in a single gulp, revealing a look of pure satisfaction. It patted its round little belly.

"It was just... taken away like that?!"

"That's a Divine Silkworm! What will happen if it pairs with the Sacred Body?"

"Both the Sacred Body and the Divine Silkworm become invincible in their later stages of growth. If they grow together..."

Everyone was alarmed and inwardly cursed. Ye Fan had actually managed to coax the Divine Silkworm into his possession so easily. It seemed the small golden Qilin felt a strong affinity for him; though it had forgotten its past, its instincts remained. Ye Fan reached out, intending to pick up the chubby little creature and place it on his shoulder. But at that very moment, the Divine Silkworm proved incredibly alert. With a "swish," it darted backward, indignantly waving its tiny golden fist at him, then vanished in a flash.

Its speed was astonishing. No one present could stop it, watching it disappear into the horizon.

That night, everything drew to a close. Although the Divine King did not have long to live, his formidable aura remained. No one dared to approach him. The Sacred Body had broken the curse; it was a settled matter, irreversible. If they wished to eliminate him, there would be opportunities in the future.

"Divine King, you once stated that if Ye Fan entered the Four Extremities Secret Realm, the younger generation could engage him in life-and-death battles, and you would not intervene. Is that still true?"

People had not expected someone to make a move against the Sacred Body at such a critical juncture!

The White-clothed Divine King nodded, his voice calm. "If you wish to fight, then fight." His words were few, but they caused a great stir. Everyone looked over, especially the younger generation.

"I want to fight him!" Dozens of young figures immediately stepped forward, shouting in unison. Clearly, they were backed by major powers. Some were not acting on their own initiative but merely seeking to test the waters. Of course, many others genuinely sought a grand battle, filled with murderous intent, stepping forward. Perhaps this was the best chance to kill the Sacred Body, as he had only just succeeded in his breakthrough.

Ye Fan's expression remained calm. He strode through the void, showing no fear as he faced the crowd. He scanned everyone and declared, "If you wish to fight me, step forward!" Although he had only just broken into the Four Extremities Secret Realm, he was filled with powerful confidence. He feared no challenge. He also wished to test the combat prowess of the younger generation's top figures.

"Boom!" The entire area immediately erupted. Numerous young cultivators focused their attention on him. This included the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, as well as several young cultivators from the Central Province. Almost instantly, many more people stepped forward, slowly advancing, pressing closer.

Among them, the Golden-winged Little Peng King was the most striking. His bearing was imposing and upright, his golden hair wild. His eyes were sharp as blades. Wielding a black Great Desolate Halberd, he resembled a demon god.

"I said long ago that I would use you for alchemy. Now that you've broken the curse, it's even better!" Xia Jiuyou remained incredibly arrogant. Even with Ye Fan's entry into the Four Extremities Secret Realm, he remained unchanged, pressing forward as well.

The Four Extremities Battle was about to begin. The call to battle.