Chapter 601: Gods and Demons

Jin Chixiao, the man in purple, and others came to ambush Ye Fan, intending to seize the rare divine item, Dragon Marrow. They acted with utter confidence, knowing they had an advantage.

"Purple Dragon Marrow is extremely rare in this world. This bottle of divine liquid is worth over four million jin of essence. You truly are a godsend, knowing exactly what we need," one of them said, a smirk playing on his lips.

"There are twelve drops of divine liquid in total, which might be a bit difficult for the seven of us to divide," another remarked casually, completely at ease, as if Ye Fan was already their prey.

Jin Chixiao, calm and unhurried, strolled slowly with his hands behind his back, as if everything was under his control. He said, "He might have other valuable treasures on him. We can check when the time comes."

The man in purple next to him appeared composed and tranquil, his face calm and collected. He cast a faint glance at Ye Fan and stated, "Capture him first, then we'll decide what to do."

"Do you truly think I'm a soft persimmon you can squeeze as you please?" Ye Fan scoffed, stepping forward, approaching them one by one.

At this moment, he had no fear of Jin Chixiao and the others. His only apprehension was regarding the four old men, all of whom had surpassed the Dragon Transformation realm and were Supreme Elders of sacred lands.

"With four seniors present, you still intend to resist? You truly don't know your place!" one of them sneered, shaking his head with a cold laugh.

Jin Chixiao, the man in purple, and the others retreated, having no intention of engaging Ye Fan personally. They wanted the four Supreme Elders to suppress him to death, exercising extreme caution.

"This morning, when we met at that small restaurant, we didn't realize you were a cultivator. Now, to reiterate, if you're willing to serve us, we might consider sparing your life."

"Someone like him isn't trustworthy. If he crippled his own cultivation, that would be acceptable. If you want to live, prostrate yourself and beg for mercy. I enjoy seeing others humble themselves."

The seven stood at a distance, calm and collected, uttering insults while looking down from a rock, a cold smirk on each of their faces.

"You're all just talk, lacking the courage to fight me yourselves, yet you call upon four old geezers to act." Ye Fan sneered, "I suppose from now on, wherever you go, you'll need to bring along a godfather or a grand-daddy."

One of them, his face frigid, said, "Soon enough, you'll regret this. We'll make you kneel and beg for death."

Another spoke in a sinister tone, "You're merely a cultivator at the third stage of Dragon Transformation. Who here is weaker than you? We're just too lazy to bother fighting you."

Ye Fan ignored them and instead looked at the four old men, asking, "Esteemed seniors, are these seven your grandsons?"

One of the old men instinctively shook his head, but then instantly realized the implication and his face darkened. "Just showing off with words," he muttered.

Jin Chixiao and the others in the back all frowned. One of them said in a low voice, "Taking advantage of us, are you? Soon, you'll die on your knees."

"So they're not related to you four at all? Whose pampered brats are they? Why aren't their own grandfathers here?" Ye Fan chuckled.

The seven were all from prominent backgrounds and had never been ridiculed like this before. One of them stepped forward, his gaze sinister, and declared, "I'll fight him myself. I want to personally take him as my slave."

"Why bother engaging with him? Just let the four seniors suppress him to death. There's no need to stain our hands with his blood," Jin Chixiao said, shaking his head. This was a subtle attempt to stop him, fearing an unexpected turn of events.

"If I don't personally make him kneel, I'll feel like something's missing, completely uneasy!" he declared, walking forward as a radiant golden trident appeared in his palm.

*Whoosh!*

The mere inch-long golden trident in his hand rapidly expanded to ten feet, exuding a chilling aura. Golden divine light flowed from it, radiating brilliance and auspicious multicolored energy.

This was an ancient weapon imbued with the laws of heaven and earth. As he wielded it, waves of lethal light surged forth, like a tempestuous ocean.

"Seniors, please step back. Allow me to personally claim a slave!" He strode forward, passing the four elders, and entered the fray.

Ye Fan stood there calmly, saying nothing, but he was ready to strike.

"It's not too late to kneel now; I'll spare your life." This was a young master from an extremely powerful and ancient aristocratic family in the Northern Plains, whose cultivation was at the fourth stage of Dragon Transformation.

"Since you're seeking death, I'll send you on your way!" Ye Fan finally moved. His figure flickered like an immortal descending from the heavens, graceful yet incredibly swift, reaching extreme speeds.

*Shing!*

The young master, holding the golden trident, swung it down with force. Around him, it was as if a golden ocean had erupted, brilliant and fierce, sending out countless streaks of lethal light.

Ye Fan's left hand transformed into a golden celestial stele, and his right hand into a golden millstone. Runes flickered on them, as if two divine scriptures were engraved.

*Clang! Clang!*

Two piercing sounds of metal clashing rang out. The golden divine stele and millstone struck the descending golden treasure weapon. Sparks flew, capable of piercing metal and splitting stone.

The trident's light dimmed. Two of its prongs were snapped off, leaving only the central divine peak. It had transformed from a great halberd into a golden battle spear.

Behind him, everyone's expressions changed. Ye Fan had just shattered a weapon imbued with the laws of the world, shocking everyone. They wanted to intervene, but it was too late.

*Whoosh!*

Ye Fan's speed was astonishing. The golden great millstone formed by his right hand slammed down, various talismans flickering on its surface, profound and unfathomable, as if expounding an ancient scripture.

The young master was utterly dismayed. He had never imagined a person's physical body could be so powerful, capable of breaking the blade of his golden treasure weapon and closing in on him so quickly.

*Bang!*

He had to counterattack swiftly, abandoning the battle spear that was useless in close quarters. He retreated while using both hands to fend off his opponent, buying himself time.

*Thud!*

Unfortunately, as soon as he raised his hands, Ye Fan smashed them, breaking both his arms inch by inch, turning them into a large mist of blood.

*Thump!*

Ye Fan's left hand pressed down. It was a golden celestial stele, covered densely with shimmering innate patterns, descending with immense force.

The young master cried out. He couldn't block it at all, and his body instantly crumpled as if Mount Tai was pressing down on him. Unable to withstand the immense pressure, his body bent.

*Thump!*

He couldn't resist it. Pinioned and unable to move, his legs nearly broke. As soon as they gave way, he involuntarily knelt on the ground—a posture of utter humiliation.

Just moments ago, he had boasted about making Ye Fan kneel. Yet, in a single exchange, he was beaten to his knees, a fate worse than death.

"You, of all people, want to make me your slave?!" Ye Fan's palm slammed down. The golden celestial stele instantly turned the young master's head into a mangled watermelon.

Afterward, he picked up the weapon, now a golden battle spear, and retreated. The young master's corpse remained kneeling, but his head was utterly destroyed.

Those behind him had no time to intervene. The four old men rushed forward like tigers and wolves, unleashing a sea of magical power to suppress him. However, they only caught a fleeting afterimage as Ye Fan dashed out in an instant.

"Give me back my brother's life!" A young man in the distance, his face ashen, conjured a purple copper gourd. The moment its stopper was pulled, it began to swallow everything around it with the force of a whale inhaling water.

Ye Fan, holding the golden battle spear, charged forward. He seemed to shrink, hurtling towards the gourd's mouth, about to be absorbed.

But at that very moment, his body suddenly trembled violently, like a green dragon flicking its tail. He leaped up, rapidly expanded, and thrust the golden battle spear forward.

*Crack!*

The golden battle spear pierced through the gourd's mouth and emerged from its bottom. The divine peak was unstoppable, and the purple copper gourd shattered into several pieces.

*Thud!*

After piercing the purple copper gourd, the spear's tip accelerated, glinting golden. It instantly plunged into the man's chest, causing blood to gush out.

"Ah...!" The man screamed. His chest was pierced through, his internal organs ruptured, and his soul was gravely wounded.

Ye Fan stood in the arena like a divine demon, lifting the man with the golden battle spear in one hand. With a powerful shake, *splatter!* blood sprayed as the body tore into four pieces, scattering in all directions.

Chunks of flesh and bone, covered in copious blood, fell to the ground. The man's soul had been extinguished. The golden battle spear dripped with blood. With his black hair disheveled, Ye Fan strode forward with the spear in hand, not pausing for an instant.

"This is..." Everyone was stunned. Such clean, decisive, and terrifying methods.

Ye Fan pressed forward. With every step he took, the earth trembled, as if a giant were walking. The golden battle spear in his hand pointed skyward, dripping with blood. His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and he resembled an ancient god of war.

*Swish! Swish!*

Sounds of tearing air filled the space as the four old men charged forth. Once again, they unleashed a vast ocean of magical power, its radiance engulfing the surroundings and inundating the world, intending to refine and suppress Ye Fan.

However, they were left with only an afterimage. Ye Fan's speed was incredible; he seemed to walk through ancient times, separate from the present, utterly unaffected.

Wielding the golden battle spear, he covered a hundred zhang with each stride, charging towards Jin Chixiao and the others. His black hair danced wildly, and murderous intent surged in all directions, as if he were a god of death, unleashed from hell itself.

The remaining five young experts all paled. The opponent surged forward like a dragon, radiating immense power, forcing each of them to fight with all their might.

"Ah...!"

One of them cried out. He was the one who had previously ridiculed Ye Fan, claiming he was there to deliver the Purple Dragon Essence to them. Now, he held a Sky Net Umbrella, raising it to the sky to shield himself.

*Buzz!*

The void trembled violently, rattling like tattered cloth in a gale, continuously turbulent.

Ye Fan gripped the golden battle spear with both hands, treating it like a divine blade. He brought it down vertically, unleashing a torrent of golden divine light that engulfed the earth.

*Snap!*

Ye Fan swung the golden battle spear down, a destructive force. He sliced the law-imbued Sky Net Umbrella into two halves, leaving a clean, smooth cut.

"Ah...!"

The young expert screamed. A crack appeared on his forehead, from which blood spurted, and his eyes were filled with terror.

*Heh.* The golden battle spear in Ye Fan's hand was indistinguishable from a divine blade. It sliced down vertically. As it split the Sky Net Umbrella, the spear's tip simultaneously cut into the man's skull.

Blood gushed forth. He swung the golden spear down with force. Like a bolt of lightning, the golden spearhead split the man's body into two perfectly symmetrical halves.

Large amounts of blood poured out as the two halves of the body fell in opposite directions. His face was etched with terror, and his eyes held boundless panic.

*Thump!*

The two halves of the body landed separately. Ye Fan stood in the center, his hair as black as ink. The golden battle spear in his hand shone even more brightly under the sunlight, dripping with blood. He stood there like a divine demon.