Chapter 489: Sun True Fire Gestates Divine Crow

Series of black mountains stood side by side, emanating an ancient, primeval aura. They were majestic and towering, giving a sense of overwhelming power that made one feel very tense.

One of these black peaks was conspicuously broken, as if a colossal creature had burst out, tearing the mountain apart and creating this scene.

"Are you sure the Great Emperor Wushi once sealed a creature within the mountain?" Li Heishui asked with a skeptical expression. If true, how enormous must that creature be?

"Does it make sense for me to lie to you?"

"Someone as powerful as the Great Emperor Wushi, who dominated all ages, still has enemies he can't kill, needing to seal them here..." Ye Fan's heart pounded with unease.

"Looking across all of history, past, present, and future, there's no foe the Great Emperor Wushi couldn't vanquish. Whether you're an ancient creature or a peerless Holy Spirit, even a god wouldn't stand a chance – they'd all just be stepping stones on his path forward. Ah, those were the days!" The large black dog spat as it spoke.

"Gods, you say... Why not talk about immortals descending? What are you nostalgic about?" Li Heishui glanced at it sideways.

The large black dog coughed, saying, "What I mean is, if one were to follow the Great Emperor Wushi, how enjoyable it would be! Roam the world freely, who would dare challenge? If you're a dragon, you'd have to coil; if you're a phoenix, you'd have to lie low..."

"Doggy, don't brag, okay?" Little Nannan's single sentence instantly silenced the large black dog.

"Do you know what kind of creature was suppressed?" Ye Fan asked.

"I don't know, but the battle was extremely fierce. It took place outside of heaven and lasted a full hour."

According to the large black dog, whenever the Great Emperor Wushi fought someone, he would suppress them with a mere flick of his hand. Even the most powerful enemies were defeated in just a few moves. Throughout his life, he rarely had battles that lasted for several hours.

"That was the Great Emperor Wushi, one of the most powerful individuals throughout history, and he fought for an hour outside of heaven..." Ye Fan was deeply shaken.

Even the Old Madman beside them, whose eyes were hollow, had a faint light flickering within, clearly indicating he was moved and intrigued.

"The Great Emperor Wushi originally intended to kill it, but then he thought it might be useful in the future, so he sealed it here. Outsiders cannot know its exact nature."

"Good heavens! That must be either an ancient king or a peerless Holy Spirit, definitely an existence on the level of an ancient Great Emperor, no doubt about it!" Li Heishui exclaimed with a sigh. "People truly can't compare to one another. A true man should be like Wushi, unconstrained by anything in heaven and earth. Anyone who dares block his path simply needs to be swept aside!"

The group continued forward. This section of the path had no formation patterns, so it was relatively smooth. They arrived before the black broken mountain and felt a strange aura.

It was as if a massive life form had only recently departed, its body heat and aura still lingering, making them shiver involuntarily.

"Damn it, this... Could it be that it's still alive after hundreds of thousands of years? Still here within this black Sacred Cliff..." Even the large black dog became unsettled.

"It has long dwelled here, leaving behind indelible traces," the Old Madman said. With just one step, he was on the broken mountain, looking down.

"He... is unaffected. He can still fly and burrow. This terrifying forbidden zone doesn't affect him, yet we can't even leave the ground." Li Heishui was incredibly envious.

Ye Fan and the others dutifully climbed up. Each black rock was marked with the stains of time, and occasionally, one or two spiritual herbs grew in the crevices, all very ancient.

"I feel the aura of that supreme being, and it doesn't feel right," the large black dog grew even more uneasy.

Standing on the broken mountain, they gazed into its hollow core, which was like a bottomless abyss—a gaping black hole, stretching beyond sight.

"There's treasure..." Li Heishui said, pointing downwards. A glimmer of divine light flickered in the darkest depths below.

The Old Madman reached out his large hand, and across the vast emptiness, he pulled the shining object from the abyss. It landed on the ground with a clang.

"It's that aura!" The large black dog yelped, its body going limp as it quickly retreated.

Ye Fan and the others also felt as if a peerless sword qi was pressed against their throats. Its bone-piercing sharpness made them tremble and instinctively step back.

This was a silver scale, about the size of a palm, crystalline and brilliant, with silver sacred flames flickering on it. The pulsations it emitted were heart-stopping.

"A supreme existence, one that could contend with a Great Emperor—this is its scale!"

Despite trembling all over, the large black dog still drooled. It pounced forward, immediately pressing the scale under its large paw, exclaiming, "This Emperor claims it!"

Undoubtedly, this was a sacred artifact for refining, incredibly rare in the world. A single scale was worth over a million catties of Origin Stone. Like the golden divine horn sealed within the divine source Ye Fan gave to the Wind Clan Holy Lord, its value was immeasurable.

The Old Madman frowned and surprisingly spoke up, muttering to himself, "What a powerful creature!"

Ye Fan suddenly focused on a stone, tapped it, and then with a "poof," it split open, emitting a soft, moonlight-like glow.

This was a piece of Origin Stone, like a miniature star, about the size of a fist. It was exceptionally clear and hovered in mid-air, not falling.

"Divine Source!" Li Heishui exclaimed.

This piece of Origin Stone was like the Divine Source that sealed the ancient maiden, cut from within the Blood Altar. It seemed to be formed from condensed starlight, vastly different from ordinary Divine Source.

"There's even Origin Stone within the black mountain body. Doesn't that mean there's no shortage of Divine Source in Undying Mountain?" Even Ye Fan himself was surprised.

"Of course, and there's quite a lot of it!" the large black dog said excitedly, putting away the scale.

"If one becomes powerful enough, they could go to Undying Mountain to dig for Divine Source and collect undying divine medicine. Treasures are everywhere there."

"Hehehe..." The sinister, malicious chuckle echoed again. The humanoid creature in the mountain range ahead flickered and vanished once more.

The Old Madman unleashed a divine light, but it didn't strike the creature; instead, it merged into the void, becoming part of the eternal laws.

"What exactly was that thing?"

"It's a flesh-and-blood creature, covered in long black fur. Its sinister chuckle makes it sound like a demon from hell, sending shivers down one's spine."

They left the broken mountain, and the large black dog began to suffer again. Tens of thousands of feet of lightning continuously struck down. Every hundred zhang or so they walked, the large black dog would let out a long howl like a wolf.

This situation was unsustainable. Even if Ye Fan had brought out many divine springs from the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone, they couldn't heal a large dog constantly being struck by lightning.

"If this continues, I'll die!" The large black dog refused to move forward, its bones broken in countless places. Fortunately, the Old Madman helped reconnect them.

"No wonder Daoist Scarlet Dragon was trapped deep within the Sacred Cliff for 1,500 years and almost perished, body and soul..." Ye Fan murmured to himself. This was still just the periphery; they hadn't even delved into the true depths.

Who was Daoist Scarlet Dragon? He was half a generation older than the various Holy Lords, already over three thousand years old. If he stood forth, even the great Holy Lords would retreat.

"Don't you know the formation patterns here? Why are you still getting struck so badly?" Li Heishui asked, speaking from a position of ease.

"Damn it, you try it! These are formation patterns laid down by an ancient Great Emperor. Even if you know how they evolve, you can't fully comprehend them. Anyone who walks ahead will get struck by lightning."

With each black mountain peak they crossed, the power of the formation patterns intensified tenfold. Given the large black dog's strength, it could barely withstand it now, but if they entered the next area, a single strike would turn it to dust.

"Show the senior the formation patterns you know," Ye Fan reminded.

The large black dog had already considered this and readily agreed. It unrolled a fragmented ancient scroll on the ground for the Old Madman to observe.

"It's just a corner, not even a tenth of it," Li Heishui rolled his eyes.

"Do you think it's mere cabbage? This is a killing formation laid down by an ancient Great Emperor, something that shouldn't exist in the mortal world. To have even a tenth of it imprinted is already remarkable. As long as one comprehends it, they can roam freely through heaven and earth," the large black dog declared proudly.

"The formation pattern is incomplete, just a fragment. How can we enter? It doesn't seem to have much reference value," Ye Fan said.

"You're wrong about that. This fragment happens to be for the direction we need to enter. As long as it's comprehended, there will absolutely be no calamity upon entering," the large black dog stated with utmost certainty.

The Old Madman's hollow eyes filled with radiance, as if he had been reanimated. He sat cross-legged on the ground, staring unmoving at the ancient scroll.

Ye Fan and the others did not disturb him, quietly waiting nearby. The large black dog mumbled, "Don't underestimate this small fragment. Even if the various Holy Lords tried to comprehend it for ten lifetimes, they wouldn't understand. Only a Saint can truly grasp its profound mysteries."

One day, two days... The Old Madman remained seated for a full nine days without moving a muscle. His eyes gleamed with divine light, almost piercing through the void.

During this time, roars occasionally echoed from the black mountain range, and black, strange winds whistled past them several times.

"Just a fragment of a formation pattern left by an ancient Great Emperor, and even a Saint needs so long to comprehend it..." Li Heishui clicked his tongue in amazement.

"The key is 'comprehension.' Many people wouldn't gain anything even if they meditated for countless lifetimes, but those with great fortune might achieve understanding in just a few months," the large black dog said.

"Are you saying we might have to wait for several months, or even years?"

"Although he is a Saint of this era, this is, after all, a killing formation left by a Great Emperor. We'll have to wait for a while, at the very least," the large black dog nodded.

The Great Emperor Wushi's power was profound and defied creation. The formation patterns he left behind were arcane and unfathomable. Few in the world could decipher them, requiring meticulous study to gradually understand.

At this moment, the Old Madman suddenly sighed, then rose to his feet, gazing blankly at the sky.

"Uncle, have you comprehended it?" Little Nannan asked, looking up with her tender small face.

"Though I cannot fully fathom it, I can now enter and exit," the Old Madman replied, pondering as he stepped forward.

"Thankfully, we have a Saint with us; otherwise, we wouldn't be able to move an inch in this place..." Li Heishui felt relieved.

"Rumble..."

Ahead, a sound like a tsunami echoed. Black gales uprooted many ancient thousand-year-old trees, sweeping them high into the sky.

"It's that black, strange wind again. Why does it always appear so close to us?"

"Here it comes again!"

The black, strange wind was bone-chilling, lifting immense boulders weighing ten thousand jun and swirling them nearby, as if causing landslides.

Ye Fan opened his divine eye and observed carefully, instantly shivering. Within the eye of the black wind, a pair of cold and malicious eyes stared fixedly at them.

"Whoosh!"

The Old Madman had clearly detected it long ago. Two beams of divine light shot from his eyes, slicing forward. A vast spatial rift extended, instantly tearing open that void region.

The black, strange wind vanished, and the pair of eyes quickly extinguished, receding into the void without a trace.

In the sky, a tuft of long black fur fluttered down, but nothing else.

"This..."

The group gasped. No wonder the Black Emperor said that one might die on the Sacred Cliff without even knowing how, due to bizarre calamities.

Even the divine light unleashed by a Saint couldn't destroy the entity they had just encountered, merely severing a wisp of its black fur. They hadn't even seen its true form.

And this was not even the deepest part. Heaven knew what terrifying creatures they might yet encounter. Everything was so bizarre, incomprehensible.

"Boom!"

When Ye Fan and the others stepped into a valley, they immediately felt an incredibly terrifying heat, as if they had jumped into a furnace, almost turning to ashes.

Ye Fan hastily took out the Bodhi Seed, clutching it in his hand, to help everyone except the Old Madman withstand the terrifying heat.

Ahead, a tall black peak blocked their path. It was as high as the other mountains but much wider, like an endless black wall reaching the sky, horizontally spanning the way.

On this black mountain, there were many ancient caves spewing flames. The intense heat emanated from these openings, becoming unbearable even from a distance.

"The True Sun Fire here truly doesn't extinguish, just as the Great Emperor Wushi said. It only grows stronger. So it is," the large black dog murmured to itself.

"What... True Sun Fire? That's one of the most terrifying flames in the world, and it's actually bred here?" Li Heishui exclaimed in shock.

"The flames within those ancient caves contain a considerable amount of True Sun Fire. Its purity might already be very high now," the large black dog stared intently.

"Squawk..."

Suddenly, a piercing shriek echoed. From the ancient caves on the black mountain wall, streaks of fire shot out, as black divine crows flew forth, carrying raging True Sun Fire.

"Oh no, this is bad! Hundreds of thousands of years have passed, and the True Sun Fire has bred Fire Divine Crows. There seem to be many of them. We need to leave quickly," the large black dog's expression changed.

"Caw, caw, caw..."

Before the mountain wall, from cave after ancient cave, black divine crows surged out, flashing dark light and flying towards them with overwhelming flames.

"So many divine crows, good heavens..." The large black dog's fur bristled.

Li Heishui could only stare helplessly. The overwhelming swarm of Fire Divine Crows obscured the sky like a dark cloud, bringing with them boundless flames that swept down.

On the entire mountain, the ancient caves completely erupted. Endless Fire Divine Crows flew out, all diving towards them. The heat was terrifying, melting even stones into ash.

"Damn it, there are at least a million of them!"

A million black Fire Divine Crows covered the sky. This was a force capable of destroying heaven and earth, almost impossible for humans to resist; their numbers were simply too great.

These divine crows had already gained sentience; they were not ordinary birds at all. Bred by True Sun Fire, they were terrifyingly powerful and highly destructive.

"Boom!"

The Old Madman remained unmoving, his body erupting with a terrifying aura. His thick black hair fluttered, making him appear like an immortal divine demon.

Within a ten-zhang radius, no laws could invade. Neither the True Sun Fire nor the Fire Divine Crows could enter; any attempt to force through would result in their instant pulverization into dust.

Ye Fan's heart was shaken. Even the Bodhi Seed likely couldn't withstand a million Fire Divine Crows. The True Sun Fire was too concentrated, powerful enough to turn them all into ash. Without a Saint accompanying them, death was certain.

"Caw, caw, caw..." A million Fire Divine Crows cried out in unison, their calls reverberating through the sky, chilling them to the bone.

On the black mountain, in the central ancient cave, flames surged. A pair of golden eyes flickered, fixing their gaze on everyone.

This was an extremely terrifying aura, like a malevolent dragon gazing down at sheep—supremely powerful and dreadful. The large black dog couldn't help but tremble.

The golden eyes revealed infinite murderous intent. This was an incredibly terrifying entity, poised to swoop down on the Old Madman and the others.

"Good heavens, what kind of creature has been born here, daring to pounce even on a Saint?" The group's hearts pounded.

However, in the end, that entity restrained its impulse, closed its golden eyes, and allowed them to pass.

"Could it be that the mythical Three-legged Golden Crow has been born? That's an existence defying the heavens!" The large black dog muttered, considering this possibility. "The Great Emperor once mentioned this possibility..."

"There is a golden divine bird, with three legs. Nannan saw it," Little Nannan innocently interjected.

"Swish!"

The entity in the ancient cave heard these words and instantly reopened its golden eyes. Infinite murderous intent permeated the air as it coldly fixed its gaze on the group!

"Boom!"

A million Fire Divine Crows went wild, covering the sky and overwhelming the area. The terrifying entity, like a deity, looked down at Little Nannan from within the ancient cave!

Today's two chapters total nearly nine thousand words.