Chapter 438: Puzzling and Intricate

Yandu has a long history. Dynasties have risen and fallen on this land repeatedly, with most choosing to establish their capitals here, making it the center of this region since ancient times.

The changing of a dynasty is a momentous event in the eyes of mortals, but it is of little concern to cultivators. Some powerful individuals might even witness the rise and fall of nine dynasties in their lifetime.

The ancient city walls bear the marks of time's vicissitudes, with sword cuts and blade scars witnessing the rise and fall of countless dynasties.

Ye Fan, coughing blood, entered Yandu, creating various illusions. This was, of course, a ruse. He aimed to lure out a cunning and formidable enemy and eliminate them once they arrived in Yandu.

The fact that the opponent sent a supreme expert to attack him was alarming enough, especially since a Half-Step Grandmaster was protecting them!

Perhaps the withered old man who died was not their true self but merely a humanoid weapon. This was Li Ruoyu's conjecture, based on how ancient the corpse appeared.

With such a powerful individual protecting them, Ye Fan did not want to risk a direct confrontation. The only suitable approach was to set a trap, lure the opponent out, and eliminate them externally.

He surmised that the opponent had obtained the legacy of the Ruthless Emperor of the Northern Region and was determined to acquire the Saint Body's essence. Upon learning that he was about to enter the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land, they would surely rush over, as it might be their last chance.

Although a supreme expert was protecting them, the Half-Step Grandmaster's demonic cultivation was sinister and could not be exposed. If such a person appeared in Yandu, it would inevitably provoke a joint extermination effort from several great Sacred Lands and the Supreme Grand Sects of Central Province.

Ye Fan was leveraging the situation: several supreme sects were gathering in Yandu to harvest the undying divine medicine, which was enough to deter the Half-Step Grandmaster and prevent them from showing themselves.

If the Ruthless Emperor's legacy were to appear, it would undoubtedly cause immense upheaval. As it could devour the essence of other physiques, the entire world would condemn it. The Ruthless Emperor of old was an enemy to the entire world; her path was even more arduous than that of Emperor Wu Shi, as she alone stood against all under heaven.

Whether in Central Province or Eastern Wasteland, any cultivator would crusade against it. This legacy greatly violates natural order, as it requires destroying other cultivators to strengthen oneself, making it intolerable to the world's sects.

Ye Fan thought, "I will vanish from this world; let's see how long you can remain composed. If you dare to take advantage of my dying state, I will fight until your blood runs dry!"

Ye Fan was also wary of this legacy. It was truly too defiant of natural order, allowing one to constantly strengthen themselves. He wondered how incredibly powerful one would become if they could gather the essences of all the world's kings into a single body.

Every time he thought about this, chills would run down his spine. He also wondered just how powerful that Ruthless Emperor of old had become after reaching the level of a Great Emperor.

The Ruthless Great Emperor's legacy and weapon made the immortal old demon, the Black Sovereign, drool all day long. He had been coveting them for more than just a day or two.

"I wonder what kind of sparks would fly if Emperor Wu Shi and the Ruthless Emperor had lived in the same era," Ye Fan mused. "Both were defiant evildoers who often attracted heavenly lightning..."

Ye Fan muttered to himself. He longed for such a grand era, believing it would certainly be an honor if he could personally witness these two ancient Great Emperors.

Unfortunately, since ancient times, Central Province, Southern Ridge, Northern Plains, Western Desert, and Eastern Wasteland have never seen two Great Emperors born in the same era.

Perhaps becoming a Great Emperor was simply too difficult, as only a handful of individuals throughout history had achieved it. Yet, Ye Fan still had doubts, always feeling it wasn't that simple.

From ancient times to the present, throughout countless ages, billions upon billions of living beings had been born. Had there truly never been two individuals with the potential of a Great Emperor appearing in the same era?

"Is it perhaps related to this world?" Ye Fan muttered to himself. He thought of many things but could not fully understand.

After Ye Fan had arranged everything, he walked along the main street, arriving at an inn next to Zhang Wenchang's small tavern.

"Little Nannan..." Ye Fan really wanted to see the little girl. If not for her seven-colored pebble, he would most likely have died in the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Land this time and would not have survived.

However, he knew he wouldn't be able to see her anytime soon. He had already heard from Zhang Wenchang that Little Nannan had been taken away by a woman.

Zhang Wenchang had not seen the woman, but Ye Fan guessed it was Ye Huiling. He came here simply to verify, entering the inn, finding the owner, and immediately exploring their sea of consciousness.

Ye Fan's heart tightened. During the preceding period, Little Nannan had frequently been ill, continuously muttering about the "little stone." This had frightened the people at the inn, who were afraid she would die there, and had considered forcing her to leave several times.

"This is..." By exploring the inn owner's memories, Ye Fan discovered an astonishing fact: the times Little Nannan fell seriously ill coincided with the moments he used the seven-colored pebble.

Especially when he first held the pebble while ascending the Sacred Mountain and it became dim, Little Nannan became gravely ill and almost died. This filled him with immense self-reproach.

"This pebble cannot be lost; Little Nannan cannot be without it!" Ye Fan's heart was startled. Although the seven-colored pebble was now brilliant, he still placed it into a jade bottle containing divine spring water to nourish it.

Until he left, Ye Fan remained doubtful. Had Ye Huiling really taken Little Nannan away? He searched through the memories of everyone in the inn but found no clues; it was just a blur. Someone had deliberately erased the imprint.

"From a timing perspective, it should have been Ye Huiling," he mused. "But soon after, she and Wang Chongxiao were ambushed and killed, and have not reappeared since their disappearance. Where did they go?"

Yandu was bustling with activity. Older generation powerhouses were appearing, and young prodigies were showing themselves, sparking many discussions with numerous pieces of news emerging daily.

On this day, the Holy Son of Yaoguang arrived, drawing exceptional attention. He was an almost invincible figure among the younger generation, favored by everyone, and many believed he could be compared to a Great Emperor in their youth.

Fairy Yao Xi also appeared. The two were like a perfect match, with unparalleled grace, attracting everyone's gaze.

"The Holy Son of Yaoguang is broad-minded and truly magnanimous," people commented. "He holds no past grudges and has come specifically to visit the dying Saint Body."

"Perhaps he feels regret," others mused. "He desires to follow the path of the ancient Great Emperors, and the Saint Body would have been the best whetstone, a formidable enemy he had to defeat. It's a pity this opponent is about to pass away." People's evaluations of the Holy Son of Yaoguang were extremely high, and many older generation figures believed that he would undoubtedly reach the pinnacle in the future and look down upon Eastern Wasteland.

On the same day, Ji Haoyue, the Divine King Body, arrived. Hailed as the King of Eastern Wasteland, with no room for doubt, he was naturally the focus of everyone's attention.

The peerless Divine King, Jiang Taixu, had been trapped in Purple Mountain for four thousand years, almost at the end of his life force. Yet, upon his emergence, he swept across the world, with no one able to contend with him. This sufficiently demonstrated the terrifying power of the Divine Body.

If Ji Haoyue were to fully mature and not encounter a great calamity like Divine King Jiang, his future would undoubtedly be incomparably glorious and brilliant. By his side, Ji Ziyue, the Ji family's "Little Moon," accompanied him. With bright eyes and white teeth, and small dimples appearing on her face, she gave off a lively and clever impression, and she, too, attracted discussion.

"I once heard that Ji Ziyue also possesses a special physique, and that even the senior Grandmaster Nangong Zheng wanted to take her as his disciple," someone said. "Nangong Zheng's lifespan is nearing its end. Some say he followed dozens of Eastern Wasteland's living fossils into the Bronze Immortal Palace, but I wonder if that's true or false."

Ji Haoyue, the Divine King Body, only watched Ye Fan from a distance, without truly approaching. His expression was calm, showing no particular emotion.

Ji Ziyue's eyes were brimming with tears, and she wanted to come over, but Ji Haoyue firmly gripped her arm, preventing her from moving forward.

"I just want to go see him, say nothing. He's about to die..." The Ji family's "Little Moon" couldn't help but shed tears upon seeing Ye Fan coughing blood.

"You can only look, not go over," Ji Haoyue said. "After all, he killed our kinsman, even though I didn't like that ancestor-aunt." Ji Haoyue refused to let go, his face expressionless, warning her, "Being too kind makes you vulnerable to harm!" Ye Fan walked aimlessly along the main street, naturally sensing the siblings behind him. His expression was calm; he did not turn his head or look back, merely sighing.

Although Ji Haoyue did not step forward, the Holy Son of Yaoguang approached. His face was calm, his teeth very white, giving off a brilliant impression, and his entire being exuded a faint golden glow.

"Brother Ye, may we sit down and reminisce?" the Holy Son of Yaoguang asked. Golden light flowed even through his hair, making him appear like a divine son of the sun.

Ye Fan was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected the Holy Son to be the first to approach him. He instinctively rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment, then gestured for him to proceed.

Yao Xi stood by, slender and graceful, elegant and upright, her steps delicate and gentle, her beauty captivating, causing many to gaze at her.

"The Holy Son of Yaoguang and the Doomed Saint Body are meeting," a cultivator remarked, seeing the scene unfold amidst the constant flow of pedestrians on the main street. "I imagine this scene will be spoken of many years from now. I wonder whose regret it will be."

In a quiet teahouse, Ye Fan, the Holy Son of Yaoguang, and Yao Xi sat opposite each other. Though originally bitter enemies, they were now sitting together, and both sides felt a strange sensation.

"Brother Ye, do not be pessimistic," the Holy Son of Yaoguang said. "Perhaps you can overcome this calamity, and from then on, you will be free to soar like a fish in the vast ocean or a bird in the high sky."

Ye Fan replied, "In the Northern Region, that divine physician once said that if I were to cut off my own cultivation, I should be able to survive. Perhaps in the end, I will make that choice."

The Holy Son of Yaoguang immediately smiled, saying, "Based on my understanding of Brother Ye, you wouldn't make such a choice, even if it meant death."

Upon hearing this, a shiver ran down Ye Fan's spine. Not until the Holy Son of Yaoguang and Yao Xi had departed did he mutter to himself, "Why was he the first to approach me?"

Ye Fan meditated quietly in an inn in Yandu for three days. In the dead of that night, an earth-shattering killing intent suddenly surged skyward. Three figures appeared, like three eternal, unquenchable divine furnaces, their life aura incomparably powerful, and burst into his room.

The inn immediately turned to dust. Under such terrifying fluctuations, all structures ceased to exist.

The leader of the group was over ten feet tall, with a broad back and muscular build, possessing boundless strength. His black hair wildly flowed as he wielded a halberd that seemed to rip apart the very fabric of this world.

He possessed an incomparably vigorous blood energy, which transformed into a true dragon, soaring into the night sky. His body enveloped in blood-red light, he was like a demon god descended to the mortal realm, bringing down his halberd with a cleave.

This part of the world was instantly torn apart, as if an ancient fierce beast had emerged from its abyss, or a peerless sacred spirit had walked out of the Seven Great Life Forbidden Zones. The sight was utterly terrifying.

"Clang!"

Ye Fan swung his golden fist to meet it, crashing against the halberd and producing an earth-shattering clang that reverberated throughout Yandu.

Ye Fan's heart tightened. The weapon wielded by this person intertwined with the rules of heaven and earth, and they themselves were incredibly powerful. This was a formidable enemy.

"Boom!" Nearby, another person attacked. Their might was equally terrifying, if not more so. This was a man who looked almost like a demon god, with purple hair wildly flowing, like a deity descending to the mortal realm.

He summoned an ancient pagoda, which pressed down. His deep-set eyes flickered with an eerie purple glow, and his presence was terrifying.

The ancient pagoda had several layers, with Dao patterns flashing on its surface. It was definitely a weapon interwoven with Dao and principles. Even before it landed, it caused the earth to crack open!

"Clang!"

Ye Fan, empty-handed, confronted this mighty artifact. His golden hand transformed into a golden heavenly stele, with Dao patterns flowing, striking the ancient pagoda and reverberating throughout Yandu.

"Could I have been wrong..." Doubt rose in Ye Fan's heart.

"Boom!"

A third terrifying aura assailed him, like the Milky Way cascading from the nine heavens. This was a woman with a beautiful face; her slender jade hands swept out, and brilliant light surged forth.

Ye Fan sneered. "Are they trying to engage in close-quarters combat?" His right hand transformed into a golden Dao stele, with runes flashing, seemingly representing the will of heaven and earth, and it struck down.

"Buzz!"

Suddenly, from behind the brilliant light, the woman held a black jar, which transformed into a black hole, intending to devour him.

Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat. Another powerful individual had appeared, truly a formidable enemy, absolutely no weaker than the previous two. This jar looked incredibly familiar.

"A replica of the ancient Sky-Devouring Demonic Jar, interwoven with Dao and principles..." Ye Fan was startled. It was even more powerful than Tu Fei's half-jar.

"Could I have really been wrong?!" He was filled with doubt. His entire being exuded golden blood energy that soared into the sky as he fought bare-handed against the three powerful individuals.

This battle alarmed many experts in Yandu. Numerous cultivators rushed towards the scene, astonished, wondering when such three supreme young experts had appeared.