Chapter 502: Absolute Divine King's Life and Death

The starlight streamed down like water as Ye Fan strolled through the Divine City. He didn't linger long at Miaoyu Convent, aware that many eyes were watching him. His every move now stirred the nerves of certain individuals, so he returned directly to his residence.

"Why hasn't anyone come to attack us?" The big black dog, wearing large floral shorts, paced back and forth restlessly on its hind legs, its large paws clasped behind its back.

"Are you actually hoping someone tries to kill us?" Ye Fan glared at it.

"This Emperor has even laid down a corner of an ancient great emperor's array pattern. It would be a shame if no one came seeking death," the black dog said uncharitably.

Meanwhile, little Nannan slept soundly, faint ripples of seven-colored light emanating from her brow, enveloping her small bed.

"Ow-woo..." In the early morning, as the sun rose, the big black dog habitually let out a long howl after waking, drawing curses from many people on the ancient street.

"Doggy, why do you wake people up like this every day?" Little Nannan rubbed her big eyes, groggily sat up, then obediently washed herself.

That day, Ye Fan and his companions aimlessly wandered through the Divine City, waiting for Li Heishui to return so they could head to the Jiang family. Wherever this group went, they attracted onlookers, not only because Ye Fan was very famous in the Divine City, but also because the black dog was so detestable.

Little Nannan sat on the black dog's back, a string of sugar-coated hawthorns in her left hand, and a wild mushroom roll in her right. Constantly munching on snacks, the little one was very content.

"Big Brother, is the stone gambling den fun?" the little girl innocently asked.

Ye Fan was simply taking little Nannan to broaden her horizons, touring the entire food street, entering the Treasure Pavilion, and then making a round through the various stone gambling dens, which resulted in a sensation. Everyone thought he was there to gamble on stones, but Ye Fan calmly waved his hand, indicating he had no interest in it, which relieved many stone gambling dens.

"Is this the dog?" In the evening, an old man's dignified voice came, his expression very displeased, glaring fiercely at the black dog, almost looking murderous.

"Elder, please don't be angry, Tu Fei will be fine," Li Heishui interjected, trying to appease him.

Tu Tian, the Seventh Bandit King of the Northern Region, had arrived, seeking an explanation. As soon as he appeared, everyone on the street scattered. The Thirteen Bandit Kings were famous throughout the Northern Region, known by all. This particular one possessed the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Pot, and if provoked, he dared to even capture a Saint Lord.

"Who are you, old man? You're fiercer than a street tiger; you've scared everyone away," the black dog bared its fangs and rolled its eyes, then suddenly remembered something and added, "Could it be that old guy who snatched the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Pot before me?"

"Where did you send my grandson?" Tu Tian asked, his face dark.

"Li Heishui, you dared to sell me out?" the black dog fumed.

"How could I hide what you did?" Li Heishui replied.

Next to them were three young men whom Ye Fan knew well: Jiang Huai-ren, Liu Kou, and Wu Zhongtian. They were close friends of Li Heishui and Wu Zhongtian, and also descendants of Bandit Kings.

"It has nothing to do with me," the black dog said, looking very serious. "Tu Fei himself wanted to wander around the Northern Plains. I remember his coordinates; how about I send you there?"

"Grandpa Tu, please don't listen to its nonsense! If it says it'll send you to the Northern Plains, you might suddenly end up in the Southern Ridge," Li Heishui hastily warned.

"Tell me the coordinates!" Tu Tian's expression remained grim. His own grandson had been misplaced by a dog, leaving him almost speechless with anger. The black dog became very honest, no longer daring to be stubborn. It recited a coordinate so far away it made one dizzy, leaving even Tu Tian speechless for a long time.

"It will take him at least twenty years to get back on his own; he's almost at the Arctic Divine Sea!" Tu Tian flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.

"I hear this dog is quite mischievous?" Jiang Huai-ren, Liu Kou, and Wu Zhongtian approached with ill intentions, wanting to teach the black dog a lesson.

"You're not allowed to bully the doggy," little Nannan fiercely protected the Black Emperor.

"Woof!" The big black dog preemptively struck, biting them dozens of times. With its copper bones and iron sinews, the three screamed, unable to retaliate without resorting to deadly force. It took a long time for the street to regain its tranquility. The three men were covered in dog bite marks, finally realizing how truly wicked the "vicious dog" Li Heishui had spoken of was.

Finally, they found a restaurant and drank heartily, not returning to Ye Fan's residence until late at night. These few decided to travel with them. Jiang Yi, the Thirteenth Bandit King, had already gone to the Jiang family ahead of them. This time, they needed Jiang Huai-ren to lead the way to enter the Desolate Ancient Jiang family.

The next day, the group traversed the void, heading towards the most ancient sacred land of heritage in the Northern Region. Emperor Hengyu had left a profound mark in human history, standing as one of the most powerful figures of all time.

The area where the Jiang family resided was like a sacred pure land. While the outside world was barren for hundreds of thousands of miles, this place was lush and green. Clouds and mist rose, colorful mists flowed, and grand mountains floated suspended in the sky, never sinking. Each mountain possessed a daunting aura, as if it had existed since the creation of heaven and earth, exuding an ancient and weathered essence. Some mountains had silver waterfalls plunging thousands of feet, like the Milky Way cascading from the heavens, while others were shrouded in demonic clouds, majestic and imposing, their aura oppressive. These were merely the tip of the iceberg; the deepest parts of the landscape were entirely hidden. It was said that countless ancient buildings and relics from before the Desolate Ancient era lay there.

"Who goes there?" Even from a distance, several powerful figures rushed out, shouting questions. Jiang Huai-ren said nothing, merely taking out a divine wood token and shaking it. The expressions of those individuals immediately softened, and soon an elder flew out.

"Ah, it's Nephew Huai-ren! Now that you're here, don't leave. Come back to your roots, don't wander outside any longer. The ancestors of the family are also trying to persuade your grandfather," the old man said warmly. Jiang Huai-ren smiled in response, neither confirming nor denying, as they flew in with the elder.

"Today, we're really benefiting from Jiang Huai-ren's presence; it's our first time entering a Desolate Ancient family!" Liu Kou muttered.

As their group flew in, they naturally drew many curious glances, especially from the younger generation, who looked at Ye Fan with strange expressions. The Jiang family's residence was vast, with endless mountains and countless floating divine islands. Ye Fan and his companions advanced dozens of miles before arriving at a suspended island. This island was an important area, where disturbances were not allowed, and no one could approach, as a Jiang clan ancestor-level figure was in secluded cultivation here. Recently, Jiang Yi had also been staying here, undergoing persuasion.

"Where is little Tingting? I want to see her," Ye Fan said.

The Jiang family elder's expression immediately changed. He had already guessed Ye Fan's identity but hadn't revealed it, now showing a look of difficulty.

"What? Can I not see her?" The relationship between Ye Fan and the Peerless Divine King was well-known; the Jiang family had no reason to obstruct him.

"The little princess has just returned. This matter concerns the Divine King's life and death, so outsiders cannot see her casually. Please wait a few days patiently," the elder said.

Ye Fan and his group were settled on a quiet small island. They waited for seven full days without seeing little Tingting. However, they finally saw Elder Jiang. Although the old man was quite unaccustomed to living there, his spirits had greatly improved. With a powerful uncle like Jiang Yi, no one dared to belittle him anymore. On a daily basis, his diet was supplemented with spiritual medicines. Although he was a mortal, he had grown increasingly younger over the past year, his white hair showing signs of turning black.

"Tingting is back! I only saw her twice before she was taken away for secluded cultivation," the old man said, very happy to see Ye Fan, as if he had seen his closest kin.

"Elder, you've rejuvenated!" Ye Fan teased.

"I'm just a pile of old bones; what rejuvenation?"

Ye Fan stayed with the old man for several days but still couldn't see little Tingting. Even Jiang Huai-ren and the others grew impatient. Finally, they sought out Jiang Yi, who was in seclusion.

"They won't let you see her? Why? I'll take you!" Jiang Yi exclaimed, immediately furious upon learning the situation. Elder Jiang was his nephew, and little Tingting was even more highly valued by him. His return to the Jiang family was specifically for these two. With the famous Bandit King of the Northern Region wanting to see little Tingting, the Jiang family members dared not obstruct him further, as she was the little princess's closest kin, and there was no reason to deny the meeting.

Tingting's cultivation grounds were beautiful and tranquil. Here, flower trees grew in clusters, brooks babbled, and water cascaded from the edges of the divine island, enveloped in colorful mist.

"Grandpa..." Tingting, her feet barely touching the ground, lightly ran out. Dressed in a pristine white gown, her hair flowing, she looked like a little sprite. Now over nine years old, she resembled a large porcelain doll, exquisitely delicate with jade-like skin, eyes like water, and an ethereal aura.

"Big Brother..." Upon seeing Ye Fan, Tingting was overjoyed and quickly ran towards him.

"Are you serious? This little girl is already a cultivator of the Dao Palace Secret Realm! How many years has she been cultivating?" Li Heishui was utterly speechless.

"She could rival Xia Jiuyou," Liu Kou also gasped in surprise.

"This is my niece!" Jiang Huai-ren declared proudly.

"Little Uncle," Tingting sweetly called him, and Jiang Huai-ren was quite pleased.

"You all chat, I'll be going now." Jiang Yi affectionately stroked Tingting's head, then turned and disappeared.

"Big Brother, you finally came to see Tingting!" Tingting was very happy.

Ye Fan recalled the past: in a small restaurant in the Southern Region, he had first met the grandmother and granddaughter. Little Tingting, dressed in patched-up old clothes, had been remarkably sensible. "Tingting has grown up," he said, smiling as he patted her head.

Tingting, with her sweet voice, greeted Wu Zhongtian and the others one by one, calling them "Big Brother."

"This is my niece," Jiang Huai-ren interjected.

"Damn it, I knew you kept muttering that! Taking advantage of us, let's beat him up!" Li Heishui and the others, having figured out his intent, collectively moved to attack Jiang Huai-ren.

Elder Jiang watched from the side, chuckling, seeming to enjoy the atmosphere. Elders in their later years often enjoy being with the younger generation, and he clearly shared this sentiment.

"Big Sister, hug me, hug me," little Nannan extended her small hands, opening her arms to Tingting. She was just over two years old, rosy and adorable, reaching only Tingting's waist, and utterly endearing.

"What a cute little one," Tingting said as she picked her up. The little girl immediately giggled, and unusual light flowed from her brow.

"The Grand Yin Physique," the black dog muttered, circling Tingting, its brass-bell eyes rolling around, pondering something unknown.

After much lively interaction, Ye Fan and Tingting walked aside and sat in a pavilion, where he inquired about the Divine King's recent condition. Tingting immediately looked worried. She had followed the Peerless Divine King for over half a year, learning endless divine arts and cultivating almost every day.

"Your body..." Ye Fan was surprised. Tingting's physical condition was noticeably much better than before, which made him even more uneasy, as it was surely the Divine King's doing.

"The Divine King baptizes me every day with the Divine King's Rebirth Art," Tingting said, tears welling in her eyes. "I tried to stop him, but I couldn't."

"This..." Ye Fan was stunned. The Divine King was already at the end of his rope, yet he was still using his Divine King's essence to baptize her. How dire must his own condition be?

"Where is the Divine King? I have an immortal divine medicine; I can save him!" Ye Fan's voice was urgent.

"The ancestor sent me back and then left on a distant journey. All the powerful figures in the family went out, but none could track him. I don't know where he went," Tingting shook her head, tears rolling from her eyes, feeling very guilty.

"Don't cry, this has nothing to do with Tingting," Ye Fan quickly comforted her.

"Tingting is very sad." Over the past half-year, the Peerless Divine King had taken Tingting all over the Great Wilderness, appearing in many ancient places, as if he was reminiscing about something.

"It seems the Divine King is heartbroken..." Ye Fan sighed. The Peerless Divine King couldn't forget the death of Fairy Caiyun.

"They say the ancestor might have even severed his Divine King's essence," little Nannan whispered, starting to shed tears again.

"Don't cry, Big Sister, don't cry," little Nannan climbed onto the stone stool and wiped Tingting's tears.

The black dog, with its keen ears, heard all this from the side. Its expression shifted, and it said, "Severed his own Divine King's essence? What great courage!"

"You damned dog, what nonsense are you spouting!" Ye Fan chastised.

"I'm saying this person is extraordinary, to possess such daring. He now has only two possible outcomes: either his body and spirit will perish within three years, or he will be reborn into the world within three years, living a second life, his cultivation soaring to the clouds."

"Are you telling the truth?" Ye Fan's heart jolted.

"Of course it's true. Now, even immortal divine medicine is useless to save him. Everything depends on himself. This is a true self-severing; perhaps he can sever his way into a second life."

The Peerless Divine King had shed all his divine blood to help Ye Fan sever his Dao Fruit, exhausted his divine power, reached the end of his life's energy, and then selflessly helped Tingting by baptizing her daily with divine light, even severing his own Divine King's essence. As Ye Fan thought of all this, a pang of sorrow and guilt struck him. He truly hoped to save the Divine King, praying that he could live a second life and overcome this deadly trial.

"Is there really hope?" Tingting asked, tears still on her face.

"That depends entirely on him," the black dog said. "Since he's reached this point, if he can let go of the past, he will certainly live a second life."

Ye Fan felt some apprehension. The Divine King had reached this state precisely because he couldn't let go of Fairy Caiyun. Could he truly let go of the past?

"Big Sister, don't cry, be good," little Nannan stood on the stone stool, carefully wiping Tingting's tears.

After a long time, they finally calmed down. Tingting seemed to remember something and said, "Big Brother, your Myriad Things Cauldron..."

"What about it?" Ye Fan asked.

"Not long after I returned, Brother Jiang Yichen borrowed it, and he hasn't returned it," Tingting said, a little aggrieved.

Ye Fan snorted coldly. Was the Jiang family trying to keep his Myriad Things Cauldron?

Jiang Huai-ren immediately bristled, exclaiming, "Damn it, he dares to seize even my niece's treasure by cunning and force? That Jiang Yichen is used to being arrogant and overbearing, but this time, he's tired of living!"