Chapter 431: Recovery and Breakthrough

The Vermilion Bird Fruits, Cauldron Fruits, and Bagua Fruits were pristine and flawless, shining like dazzling, colorful glaze. Once refined, they transformed into incomplete yet profoundly mysterious Dao diagrams, which were continuously imprinted into his body.

Outside Ye Fan's body, a small, blood-red Vermilion Bird fluttered, an ancient and unadorned cauldron rose and fell, and profound Bagua diagrams rotated—a truly extraordinary sight.

The medicinal power was incredibly potent. Had he not carved the nine ancient characters onto his body, he likely would have transformed into a child, and becoming as tiny as Little Nannan would have been quite problematic.

Inside the bronze coffin, a pile of impurities appeared, including bone fragments and dry, cracked skin. This terrifying sight was real; it was the residue he had shed from his own body.

For the past two weeks, Ye Fan had undergone a true rebirth, albeit through an inhuman torment. His entire body was covered in cracks, his internal organs resonated like celestial music, and his bones shattered and reassembled inch by inch.

He took two of each of these last three divine fruits. After nearly twenty days in seclusion, he had completely absorbed the medicinal effects of all six holy fruits.

At this point, his body was pristine and translucent, almost ethereal. Within his vibrant red blood, a faint golden shimmer pulsed, accompanied by flowing streams of golden light.

Ye Fan stood up and, with a single press into the void, caused space to collapse instantly. His physical body was pristine and radiant, flowing with divine splendor, resembling an immortal deity atop a sacred altar.

At this moment, he felt his physical body was comparable to that of a Saint Lord. If his opponents were to fight him with only their physical bodies, without resorting to overwhelming magic, he was confident he could suppress them.

It was remarkable, considering the vast differences in their cultivation realms; yet, his physical body was incomparably stronger—a truly astonishing feat.

The extraordinary power of the divine fruits had caused another rebirth. Now, he needed no weapons; he could shatter divine armaments and precious blades with his bare hands, having become a formidable human weapon himself.

However, Ye Fan let out a soft sigh, tinged with a hint of regret.

Several years prior, when he first consumed a holy fruit, it not only brought about a transformation but also unsealed his Sea of Bitterness, enabling his Sacred Body to begin cultivation.

During his second consumption of a holy fruit, following the transformation of his physical body, his divine sense also grew incredibly formidable. A small golden lake formed between his eyebrows, serving as a potent spiritual weapon.

This time, however, all those extraordinary powers channeled directly into the Dao scar, not manifesting externally, but instead working to resolve his mortal predicament.

"Damn this Dao crack!"

Yet, he quickly found solace. The Sacred Body had been unable to cultivate for over a hundred thousand years; how could such a curse be truly broken without an immense sacrifice?

One could say he was using an immortal divine medicine to contend with the invisible Grand Dao of heaven and earth; achieving this outcome was already a great fortune amidst his misfortunes.

The Peerless Divine King had exerted his utmost, almost sacrificing his life, yet even he could only assist Ye Fan in defying fate to a limited degree. Thus, the necessity of so many holy fruits to alter a destined fatal outcome was not unexpected; it had been predetermined.

Ye Fan inwardly examined his injuries, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. After dozens of days of nourishment, the Dao scar had healed, and his life essence was pristine.

"This is..." Suddenly, his smile froze. Although the major crack on his life essence had healed, a tiny, almost imperceptible fissure remained.

Had he not meticulously examined it internally, he would not have detected it at all. It was incredibly subtle, merely a faint line, an underlying injury. If he were to leave the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone in this state, the old injury would likely rupture after an extended period.

"Why is this happening?!" Ye Fan's heart was troubled. He had consumed all types of holy fruits; though he still possessed some, the rule fragments they contained were duplicates and would be of little further use for the Dao scar.

In the primordial world, if consuming divine fruits for nourishment couldn't completely heal it, what other methods could possibly succeed?

Ye Fan's brows furrowed deeply. This was a dire discovery. Was he truly destined to be suppressed by the heavens and earth, unable to leave perfectly unscathed?

Suddenly, he looked up, as if a thought had struck him, and murmured, "That's it, it must be!"

The nine sacred mountains jointly nurtured nine distinct divine roots. While these roots bore numerous holy fruits with astounding medicinal power, they were not, ultimately, true immortal medicines.

"There is actually only one immortal divine medicine here," Ye Fan realized, "and what I've obtained is incomplete."

Only when all nine divine roots combine to form a single plant do they represent the original immortal divine medicine. It is only then that the inherent rules of heaven and earth are complete, capable of repairing the Dao scar within him.

Over the past tens of days, he had successively refined seven types of holy fruits. He was only missing two, which he himself had consumed years ago. Was this fate?

"Only by combining all nine types of divine fruits can the Dao scar be fully healed," he mused, "or by finding a truly mature immortal divine medicine, not these separately grown, mutated fruits..."

Ye Fan gazed at the Qilin seed in his hand. It was not a mature specimen, and even if planted on the sacred mountain, he had no idea how many years it would take to harvest.

He pondered carefully, a light gleaming in his eyes. Once more, he hoisted the small bronze coffin onto his back and began to ascend the mountain, determined to fully resolve his precarious situation.

By now, his physical body was even more formidable than a Saint Lord's. Carrying the bronze coffin no longer felt strenuous, and he quickly arrived at one of the sacred mountains, the very place where he had first harvested holy fruits years ago.

He placed the bronze coffin on the ground, entered the Spring of Life, and carefully unearthed the root of a small tree, severing a small segment of its rhizome.

Given that these were nine divine roots branching from the main root of an immortal medicine, their rhizomes must contain the most concentrated essence. He intended to use them to compensate for the missing elements.

Ye Fan had no desire to cause extinction. There were ten small orchid trees in total, and from each, he carefully took only a small section of a lateral root and a few branches and leaves before descending the mountain.

Seven days later, Ye Fan opened his eyes within the colossal bronze coffin, a look of satisfaction on his face. Everything had unfolded as he anticipated: the divine roots contained fragments of the Grand Dao, and Dao diagrams emerged, imprinting themselves into his body. The faint crack in his life essence had almost entirely vanished.

Naturally, he sought absolute perfection, leaving no room for lingering issues. Once again, he carried the small bronze coffin up the mountain, arriving at the location of the second type of divine medicine he had harvested years prior, and began digging for its divine roots.

Over ten days later, Ye Fan sat cross-legged within the colossal coffin, meticulously examining himself. His life essence was now crystal clear, pristine, and utterly flawless. The Dao scar had vanished completely, leaving no trace of imperfection.

At this point, within this realm that preserved primordial laws, Ye Fan's injuries were completely healed, and all hidden concerns were gone. He exhaled slowly, having finally broken the curse and defied fate to mend the broken path of his Sacred Body.

However, the price paid was immense. If the outside world remained unchanged, it would be almost impossible for another Sacred Body like his to emerge, as no one could endure such a cost.

This journey was a resounding success; he had resolved the mortal predicament!

"Immortal divine medicines are truly defying of heaven; no wonder every Great Emperor cultivated one," Ye Fan marveled. "They can not only revive the dead and regenerate flesh and bone, but also embody the rules of the Grand Dao!"

Even in the primordial era, immortal divine medicines were exceedingly rare. They were the most precious sacred objects in heaven and earth, considered immortal treasures, almost impossible to find anywhere.

Needless to say, now, immortal divine medicines have all vanished into the seven Great Life Forbidden Zones, becoming mere legends.

Although the holy fruits from the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone were not true immortal medicines, each contained immeasurable power, capable of completely transforming Ye Fan. This alone hinted at how incredible true primordial divine medicines must be.

Ye Fan did not depart but continued to cultivate here. Perhaps this primordial realm could accelerate his cultivation, and by remaining hidden within the ancient coffin, he would be safe from the corrosive power of the desolation.

Upon entering the Four Extremes Secret Realm, cultivation would rely entirely on enlightenment, not external resources like divine sources for progression. Ye Fan had long understood this, and his recent absorption of the holy fruits served as a clear illustration.

His physical body had transformed to be powerful enough to contend with Saint Lords, even to overpower them; yet, his magical power and cultivation realm had not yet advanced to a new stage.

"The Four Extremes Secret Realm requires one to reside within the void, imprinting the merciless Grand Dao and comprehending the rules of heaven and earth to advance," he mused. "It cultivates not just the physical body, but also the true 'Dao'!"

Ye Fan entered seclusion, sitting motionless within the ancient coffin. His heart was serene and exceptionally ethereal. As he quietly meditated, his entire being blurred, becoming imprinted within the void.

One day, two days, three days... ten days passed.

Ye Fan's mind was clear and empty, at times shimmering with vibrant light, at others utterly devoid of power. He resembled an eternal deity, oblivious to the passage of time, allowing the mundane world to ebb and flow while he himself transcended into immortality.

One of his arms seemed to vanish instantly, merging into the void as it reached towards the furthest extremes of heaven and earth.

The human body possesses four extremes, which can connect with the four extremes of heaven and earth and stir the Grand Dao of all realms. His left arm imprinted itself within the void, transforming into a Dao diagram and becoming eternal!

Ye Fan circulated the profound techniques recorded in the Hengyu Scripture, comprehending the Grand Dao of heaven and earth, allowing his "first extreme" to embody the Dao. Simultaneously, various celestial sounds resonated throughout the heavens and earth.

Even within this cursed forbidden zone, nothing could obstruct him. Various heaven-and-earth patterns, like crystalline petals, drifted down profusely, settling into the ancient coffin.

Dao diagrams emerged, encircling Ye Fan. He resembled an immortal deity, shrouded in chaotic energy, as if meditating at the dawn of creation, enveloped by various Dao patterns.

The celestial sounds of the Dao echoed through the heavens. He was devoid of worry or joy, his expression serene, like a deity smiling upon a flower, exuding a sense of calm and confidence, completely merged with heaven and earth.

In recent times, he had experienced countless events, constantly hovering between life and death, and had long since developed a profound "sense of Dao." This period of seclusion within the ancient coffin of the forbidden zone was a natural progression, culminating in an immediate breakthrough.

Ye Fan's left arm merged into heaven and earth, becoming eternal, an embodiment of the Dao. His right arm also flickered in and out of sight, enveloped by Dao diagrams, as he advanced into the second realm of the Four Extremes.

He remained motionless, sitting cross-legged, the divine sounds of the Grand Dao resonating ceaselessly within him, stirring the Grand Dao of all realms, as though ancient deities were chanting scriptures!

Three months after entering the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone, Ye Fan finally opened his eyes. A profound peace resided in his gaze, and his heart was exceptionally tranquil. He was now but a single step away from the third realm of the Four Extremes.

He stood up, gazed towards the edge of the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone, and murmured to himself, "It's time to leave."

Ye Fan had something on his mind and could no longer sit idle. To achieve further breakthroughs, he realized he needed a special opportunity, which couldn't be found through mere static meditation.

He thought of Little Tingting and Divine King Jiang. He could no longer delay; their life forces could extinguish at any moment. He needed to find them with the holy fruits as soon as possible.

This was also the primary reason his Dao Heart was unstable, preventing further breakthroughs.

"I've been gone from the world for three months; perhaps many people think I'm dead by now..." Ye Fan stood up, gazing beyond the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone.