Chapter 559: Immortal Ancient World

"Does the Immortal Realm exist? Even the ancient emperors and great human emperors couldn't clarify if it truly exists, nor could they enter it. How, then, could a mere immortal mansion reveal its profound secrets?"

"This is an immortal vestige. Believe it or not, I certainly do," Qi Huoshui said calmly.

"You believe..." Ye Fan promptly flicked her forehead, leaving a red mark on her smooth, jade-like skin.

"Ye, how dare you lay a hand on me?!" Qi Huoshui finally erupted, her fiery temper on full display. Although her cultivation was sealed, her physical movements remained unhindered.

Though devoid of divine power at that moment, she continued her assault. Her left arm, fair as a lotus root, extended lightly, her palm and fingers sharp as a blade, aiming for Ye Fan's neck. Immediately after, her right leg spun, long, straight, and smooth, barely concealed by her flowing clothes, as she kicked towards Ye Fan's head.

Her slender waist twisted, full, firm, and agile, moving like a water snake—light, graceful, and remarkably swift.

*Thud!*

Ye Fan didn't evade her left hand, letting it strike his neck without him flinching. Qi Huoshui, however, winced, shaking her hand repeatedly from the pain. Her delicate fingers turned slightly red, as if she had struck solid rock.

Her long right leg, meanwhile, kicked empty air. Ye Fan, not wishing to get dirt on his forehead, subtly stepped back, then seized her smooth, supple ankle and lifted it high.

"You... let go!" Qi Huoshui shrieked, her face flushing crimson. Her dress struggled to conceal her snow-white, slender legs, and her eyes flashed with a murderous glint as her beautiful hair danced around her.

*Thud!*

Ye Fan flicked his hand, and she gracefully flew backward, landing in a wicker chair. "Let me go," she threatened, "or else..."

*Crash! Smash!*

Qi, the 'chili pepper,' unleashed her defiant streak, throwing everything she could get her hands on. Finally, with a loud *clang*, she struck a bronze lion, the impact forcing her to squat down in pain, shaking her delicate hands repeatedly.

"Smash away to your heart's content," Ye Fan chuckled. "If that's not enough, I can bring you a pile of sandbags."

"Ye, you treat me like this..." Qi Huoshui's words trailed off, her beautiful eyes blazing with a murderous light. Despite her fury, she held back from acting excessively aggressive.

Ye Fan showed no courtesy. He searched her directly, extracting a treasure bottle from her Wheel Sea. Inside, he found everything imaginable: spiritual medicines tens of thousands of years old, Sacred Lord-level weapons, and a bronze token.

"Is there really an immortal mansion?" he wondered, astonished. The bronze token must be the "Immortal Mansion Entry Token" that Princess Qi had mentioned.

All disciples of the Qishi Mansion were permitted to seek immortal fortune, and each had been issued such a bronze token, implying great significance.

"Lord Administrator, something's wrong!" A villager frantically rushed to Ye Fan as soon as he arrived at the desolate manor, panting out his report.

"What is it?"

"The ancient locust forest is echoing with battle cries, just as our ancestors foretold," the villagers reported, trembling and pale with fear.

"Such a thing? Has this happened before?" Ye Fan asked, surprised, as he approached the edge of the ancient locust forest.

The old trees were gnarled and withered, many with hollowed-out trunks, yet they stubbornly clung to life, resembling coiled dragons across the landscape.

Ye Fan approached and listened intently, but heard nothing beyond the rustling of leaves and the pervasive cool shade.

He looked at the villagers, bewildered. Immediately, one of them, pale-faced, stepped forward and whispered, "You can hear it if you press your ear against the trunk."

"Such a thing?" Ye Fan murmured skeptically. "They're just old trees. Even if they had become spirits, it couldn't be like this."

Yet, the very next moment, as he leaned his ear against a trunk, his body suddenly jolted, an expression of disbelief on his face, and he stumbled back several paces.

The ancient, gnarled trees, said to have stood for over a hundred thousand years without change, were revered by the villagers as sacred trees; they never harmed a single leaf.

At that moment, Ye Fan was genuinely stunned. From within the tree trunks emanated earth-shattering battle cries, as if an ancient battlefield lay before him—the shouts of men, the neighing of horses, and the glint of clashing blades.

*Boom!* *Rumble!*

When he pressed his ear against a trunk, he could even feel the vibrations, as if tens of thousands of warhorses were charging, making the ground rumble beneath their hooves.

Ye Fan felt a surge of excitement. He had come to this desolate manor precisely for this reason, yet had found no path to his goal. He hadn't anticipated such a remarkable development over the past few days.

"Are there any detailed legends concerning these ancient trees?" he asked, eager to learn more.

"Our ancestors only spoke vaguely," said the eldest villager, "saying that a gate to the Immortal Realm opens here, emitting divine sounds. They warned us not to approach lightly, lest we accidentally wander inside."

Ye Fan found it profoundly mysterious. He spent half the night wandering among the ancient trees but dared not attempt any spiritual cultivation there. In such an extraordinary place, he feared immediate spiritual ascension, or perhaps demise.

For two consecutive days, he remained in the locust forest, determined to uncover its secrets. When he pressed his ear to a trunk, he was startled to hear not only the sounds of an ancient battlefield, but also the roars of dragons, the cries of phoenixes, and the calls of Qilin.

"It must be an illusion—flood dragons, luan birds, Qilin beasts!" he mused, refusing to believe in the existence of true immortal spirits in the current era.

*Boom!*

Next, he heard the sound of towering floods, the roar of a vast ocean, and surging waves crashing skyward.

"This is uncanny. How can these sacred trees produce such sounds?" Ye Fan was utterly perplexed.

He spent several consecutive days there, eager to understand, but the more anxious he became, the less clarity he found.

On the sixth day, as he lay listening against the largest ancient locust tree in the center of the forest, a soul-shaking roar nearly caused him to collapse!

"The Undying Emperor..."

This was not a language, but a pure divine thought, echoing through eternity, as if it had traversed billions of years and pierced through an entire star field to manifest in the present world.

Potent as Ye Fan's divine consciousness was, the lingering reverberations of this divine thought rendered his face ashen. The dazzling golden lake at his glabella nearly scattered from the sheer impact.

"Who is this, calling out 'The Undying Emperor'?!"

He was utterly shaken. This wasn't the first time he had heard those four words; even the ancient kings would prostrate themselves before this being, regarding him as something beyond deities.

Ye Fan finally understood why ancient great emperors chose to reside in simple huts here in their twilight years. This place was truly extraordinary; there had to be some profound secret.

"It wasn't that the human emperors sought to live out their golden years here in peace, but rather that they had uncovered some profound mystery!" he conjectured.

On the seventh day, he listened before the smallest, most peripheral ancient tree, utterly stunned to hear a divine thought transmit the three characters: "Qishi Mansion."

A flash of insight sparked in Ye Fan's mind, and his thoughts immediately branched out. He turned and swiftly returned to Lu City, where he retrieved a treasure bottle, broke its seal, and released Qi Huoshui.

"You, Ye... how dare you seal me for seven days! I'll fight you to the death!" Qi Huoshui's unparalleled, ethereal face was contorted with rage. She lunged at him, teeth bared and claws outstretched, fighting with the fierce abandon of a wild chili pepper.

"If you dare cause any more trouble, you'll automatically be promoted from maid to chamber servant," Ye Fan threatened, his expression unruffled.

*Step, step, step...*

Qi Huoshui was genuinely startled. She stumbled back more than ten steps, her hand clutching her heaving chest, visibly unsettled. On her pure, jade-like face, her bright, intelligent eyes still held a spark of anger, but she no longer dared to show her fiery temper.

"You should have learned your manners sooner. Go fetch and pour the tea," Ye Fan instructed.

"In your dreams!"

"You truly are a chili pepper. Fine, I won't make this difficult for you. Just tell me everything you know about that immortal mansion," Ye Fan said, sounding rather nonchalant.

"You want to go in?" Qi Huoshui's eyes immediately brightened.

"Just tell me the details; don't concern yourself with anything else," Ye Fan replied, sipping his tea and listening intently.

He was quite surprised to learn that the immortal mansion was nestled within an ancient mountain range, rumored to be connected to the Immortal Realm and brimming with primordial secrets and untold mysteries.

According to the conjectures of the Qishi Mansion's grand masters, the place likely bore the footprints of ancient great emperors, rendering it an unfathomably mysterious location.

"Is the ancient locust forest connected to that immortal mansion?" Ye Fan mused inwardly.

He wasted no time. That very day, he flew towards the ancient immortal mountain range, marking his first approach to the Qishi Mansion since arriving in the area.

Auspicious energy soared through this mountain range. Upon activating his divine eyes, he could clearly discern tens of thousands of colossal purple dragons coiled throughout the landscape—a truly astonishing sight.

The landscape here was dotted with vermilion cliffs and strange rock formations. Qilin beasts rested solitary, while luan birds soared and danced. Purple qi permeated the air, and spiritual herbs tens of thousands of years old grew on sheer cliffs, with immortal ganoderma accompanying ancient trees.

From every angle, it appeared to be a divine land, making one almost believe they had stepped into the Immortal Realm. The mountain range was uniquely wondrous, a picturesque scene complete with jade ganoderma, spiritual springs, longevity deer, and ancient cliffs.

Every ten steps in this mountain range revealed a new vista, rich in spiritual essence and magnificent beauty. Ye Fan made sure not to disturb the spiritual birds or rare beasts, nor did he easily approach the central Qishi Mansion.

This place was truly extraordinary. A slight misstep could lead to his discovery, and he certainly did not wish to be apprehended.

"Pang Bo might be inside," Ye Fan mused. Besides his interest in the desolate manor, his other reason for coming here was to find his old friend.

Soon, he grasped the situation: the Qishi Mansion had sealed the mountains, prohibiting all entry and exit. He finally understood why no one had bothered him in Lu City for the past few days.

The immortal mansion held immense importance. After discussions with several major powers, the Qishi Mansion decided against an early leak of information, preparing instead to jointly open the ancient dwelling.

Ye Fan stopped dozens of miles away, observing the Qishi Mansion from afar. Under the clear sky, purple smoke ascended from it, spiraling like dragons.

"I can see it even without my divine eyes! This place is unfathomable, permeated with immortal energy, with ten thousand dragons soaring skyward, harnessing the very essence of creation!"

Ye Fan observed for several days and finally uncovered the mystery: the immortal mansion had opened in the Qishi Mansion's back mountains. Its spiritual aura was so potent that even grand formations couldn't seal it.

"An immortal's dwelling!"

He yearned to enter, but access was impossible. Supreme grand masters guarded the area, and there were far more than just four or five; they had completely sealed off the entire location.

Though described as an immortal cave, the elites from the Qishi Mansion continuously streamed inside without any sign of congestion, hinting at its immense scale.

From sixty-seven miles away, Ye Fan observed with his divine eyes for several days. People continuously entered and exited, particularly the more than seven hundred disciples of the Qishi Mansion, all of whom were active.

Throughout these days, he witnessed individuals frequently withdrawing, injured, and even corpses being carried back. He was quite astonished to see even powerful grand masters stumble out, gravely wounded and near death.

"This immortal mansion is truly extraordinary," he thought. "So many people are seeking immortal fortune here, making it their trial ground, yet even Sacred Lord-level figures have nearly perished inside."

Ye Fan was greatly tempted, but there was no way for him to enter. For the first time, he regretted not joining the Qishi Mansion, having missed such a significant opportunity.

He observed from outside for seven or eight days, noting that nearly everyone eventually withdrew. However, within three days, after a period of rest, they embarked on their second quest for immortal fortune.

"Could it truly be a burial ground for immortals? It's a pity I can't get in..." he lamented. Despite mastering the "Line" Secret, he found himself unable to breach the defenses of the several supreme grand masters.

Ye Fan sighed and returned to the desolate manor, seeking other options within the ancient village. He spent his days wandering around the ancient trees, causing the villagers to tremble with fear. One of them warned, "Young City Lord, do not approach the sacred trees when they emit divine sounds, or you will be swallowed."

A thought struck him, and he asked, "How does one get swallowed?"

"During specific periods, those tree hollows connect directly to the Immortal Realm..." the eldest villager revealed, sharing a little-known secret.

Ye Fan decided to take the risk. When no one was around, he gritted his teeth, approached an ancient tree, and reached his hand into its hollow trunk.

"Spatial power!"

Startled, he confirmed his conjecture. Pressing his ear against the trunk, he heard numerous sounds, including the shouts of young people.

"Qishi Mansion disciples!"

This time, he was convinced. Without further hesitation, he decided to take the plunge.

*Whoosh!*

As Ye Fan risked entering an ancient tree hollow, a ripple appeared where he stood, and then he vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

Fortunately, the villagers didn't notice, or they would surely have cried out that the young City Lord had attained enlightenment and been absorbed into the Immortal Realm.

In that brief instant, Ye Fan felt as if he had experienced ten thousand years. He genuinely feared a misstep, that he would simply dissolve into nothingness, enveloped by an endless darkness. He had no idea how long it was before light returned.

"Is this... that immortal mansion?!" he gasped, unable to contain his surprise.

The scene before him was vastly different from anything he had imagined. This was not a dark underground world, nor was it the interior of a mountain.

The sky was incredibly bright and clear, devoid of a single impurity, like a colossal sapphire inverted above.

*A guttural cry!*

A colossal bird soared across the sky, momentarily eclipsing the sun. Its feathers shimmered with five-colored light, casting an immense shadow upon the ground.

Ye Fan was awestruck. How enormous was this bird? It was like a vast cloud, overwhelming the sky.

"Not just one!" he exclaimed, truly astonished. In the distant sky, similar cloud-like forms were visible, yet clearly of different species.

*Boom!*

In the distance, the sky and earth convulsed. A mountain ridge lifted off, soaring towards the heavens, exuding an aura of boundless ferocity.

"How can a mountain ridge move?" Ye Fan initially wondered, but then his expression shifted to horror. It wasn't a mountain ridge at all; it was clearly a colossal green serpent.

It was unknown how many years it had been dormant. Its body was covered in earth, and numerous ancient trees had taken root upon it.

It surged into the sky, engaging in a fierce battle with the cloud-like giant bird. Snake scales scattered, colorful feathers drifted down, and blood poured from the sky as the brutal struggle raged.

"My god, what kind of world is this?" he marveled. "Such ancient, fearsome beasts still exist, and such brutal battles seem to be a common occurrence."

Ye Fan's heart churned. Could this truly be the immortal mansion? It was clearly an entire world, bearing no resemblance to a mere cave dwelling.

In the distance, ancient trees soared skyward. The mountains and rivers were pristine, old vines twisted like dragons, towering peaks stood majestically, and great rivers flowed expansively—a scene of pure primeval grandeur.

"Ah..."

Human screams echoed through the mountain range. Ye Fan transformed into a phantom and rushed over, witnessing a young man brutally killed by a flood dragon, bitten into two pieces, and sinking into a deep pool.

"Be careful, don't wander off!" someone shouted from hundreds of yards away from the deep pool, as more young people appeared.

"Qishi Mansion disciples..." Ye Fan's eyebrow twitched. He finally confirmed that this was indeed the immortal mansion, astonishingly resembling a real world.

"This is an ancient, wild world. While it contains unparalleled immortal treasures and even ancient emperor scriptures, it is also fraught with peril. In its depths, even supreme grand masters have fallen. You must proceed with extreme caution!"