Chapter 654: Yin-Yang Death Curse

It was late and very quiet. The mountain peaks were exceptionally clear, a divine moon hung in the sky, casting a blanket of white light on the ground. Clear springs gurgled, and occasionally, night birds chirped.

Standing on a rock, Ye Fan's heart was shaken. How did the other party know these secrets? Had an old friend fallen into their hands?

"How did you know?"

Qi Lin, the Southern Demon, stood tall and imposing, with an air of grandeur. His thick black hair framed captivating eyes. He said, "I witnessed all of this in the ancient Demon Emperor's Palace. I saw you descend from the sky and appear in the Primordial Restricted Zone."

"How is that possible?" Ye Fan exclaimed, greatly astonished. "How could you have seen events in the Eastern Wasteland from the Southern Ridge?!"

The distance between the Southern Ridge and the Eastern Wasteland was astronomically vast. Cultivators would need to fly for over a decade to reach it. How could one person see through such an immense distance?

"The ancient Demon Emperor's Palace, left from antiquity," he explained, "contains a blood sacrificial altar. Upon it lies an Eye of Heaven and Earth. It is one of the most precious immortal treasures in existence!"

If one's magical power was strong enough, this Eye could be used to observe the Three Realms and Six Paths, the cosmic star fields, and peer through the past, present, and future. However, only ancient Great Emperors could activate this Eye; the magical power required was too immense for any normal person to bear.

Therefore, although such an Eye of Heaven and Earth existed, the numerous great demons in the Demon Emperor's Palace could not fully survey all the affairs of the world. It only flashed autonomously during the cycles of ten thousand years, allowing for brief use.

From ancient times to the present, the greatest problem that has plagued cultivators is life and death. No one can achieve eternal life, not even the ancient Great Emperors.

To this end, during this cycle of ten thousand years, several peerless old demons used it to observe the seven great life restricted zones in the Eastern Wasteland, seeking to uncover the secrets of immortal elixirs.

And it was precisely because of this that they happened to discover the Nine Dragon Coffin descending from the sky. It fell onto the Primordial Restricted Zone, and over a dozen extraterrestrial visitors emerged. The shock in their hearts was immense.

"There have always been legends of extraterrestrial visitors since ancient times," Qi Lin said, "but I never expected to witness it myself." His eyes glowed brightly, and sun and moon seemed to rise within them, dragons and phoenixes flying out, a captivating radiance shimmering mysteriously.

"Indeed, we are from outside, and we inexplicably arrived at this end of the starry sky." By now, Ye Fan saw no need to hide anything.

Qi Lin stepped out of the Demon Emperor's Palace. He descended from the sky, walking with unhurried steps as if treading on a heavenly ladder. His black hair fluttered, and he exuded the unique aura of a world-shaking demon king.

He showed no intention of attacking. He sat cross-legged on the ground and began to ask Ye Fan about everything from the other end of the starry sky, which was extremely important to him.

Different star fields and different foundations meant a clash of ideas. Ye Fan's past and various insights were a millennia-old treasure trove of knowledge for the people of this world.

Ye Fan responded calmly, speaking of some conditions on the other side of the starry sky. This left the Southern Demon in quiet admiration, and he asked, "Just how vast is the world beyond?"

Ye Fan also asked him about many secrets of this world. The two sat facing each other for most of the night. Finally, the Southern Demon stood up and said, "Not being able to personally visit that world is, in the end, just an illusory dream."

"There's an ancient starry road here that leads beyond this realm. Can you find it?"

"There isn't a single clue; I have no idea," the Southern Demon said, shaking his head. "I suspect it's not within the Qishi Mansion." He then turned and left.

After that, for the next few days, the Southern Demon would always come late at night. Their relationship was unique; they exchanged insights and confirmed what they sought in their hearts.

On the last night, before leaving, the Southern Demon said, "In the future, should we contend on the path to becoming a Great Emperor, if you are defeated, I will allow you to leave, repaying your kindness from today."

After that, he never appeared again. The powerful Southern Demon was unfathomable; even a wisp of his divine consciousness was enough to stand proudly above the younger generation, making him very mysterious.

Now, at this stage, Ye Fan, as the Sacred Body, was destined to contend with others on the path to becoming a Great Emperor. Even those without direct conflicts would be unable to avoid a battle.

This was a helpless choice. Because in one world and one era, only one Great Emperor could ever emerge; it was impossible for two to be born. Many kings rising together might seem prosperous, but ultimately, it brought endless sorrow.

The Emperor's Path was a road of no return. One could only advance. Falling behind even a single step meant spilling blood on the yellow earth; only by stepping over the corpses of other kings and singing victoriously to the end could one proceed.

Even one defeat, one mistake, could lead to eternal damnation. There would be no escape; from that point on, one's body would perish and one's path would vanish!

The Southern Demon and Ye Fan harbored no deep enmity. However, a life-and-death battle was inevitable in their future. There was no escaping it, no right or wrong; it was simply the cruel choice of walking the Emperor's Path.

Ye Fan's arrival at the Qishi Mansion caused a sensation. In the following days, many people came, drawn by his reputation, observing from a distance. There were admirers, but also those who were unconvinced or harbored hatred.

"Little Ye Zi, you're a truly unqualified follower," complained Ji Ziyue, the Little Moon of the Ji family. "Everywhere we go, you attract crowds and cause trouble."

"When did I become your follower?"

"I've been leading you around, searching everywhere for that ancient starry road," Ji Ziyue said discontentedly, blinking her large eyes. "If you're following me, what else could you be but a follower?"

"Alright, if you say so..." Ye Fan was speechless.

In recent days, he had asked Ji Ziyue for help in finding the ancient starry road. This made the Divine King Body of the Ji family glare at him with wide, vigilant eyes, like guarding against a thief, fearing he would abduct the Little Moon of the Ji family.

After the battle in Qinling, the Ji family significantly increased their protection of Ji Ziyue; they would not tolerate any mishap for her.

And it was precisely because of this battle that countless great powers and immortal inheritances all came to visit. They had only one purpose: to propose marriage, all wishing to form an alliance through matrimony.

What kind of physique Ji Ziyue possessed was unknown to those great powers. Only a few extremely knowledgeable individuals, such as the Peacock King, understood, but this did not prevent people from attaching great importance to her.

She could borrow the power of heaven and earth, raising Ye Fan to a level where he could contend with a Saint Lord. This stunned everyone present; such a physique was absolutely extraordinary and peerless.

"Sacred Body, halt! I want to fight you!" Finally, someone could no longer hold back and stepped forward, blocking Ye Fan's path and challenging him.

Within the Qishi Mansion, private fights were forbidden. A battle could only take place through a formal challenge, with the consent of the other party; this was all to protect the weaker individuals.

"Who are you? Do I know you?" Ye Fan asked, glancing at the other person.

"Whether you know me or not is irrelevant," the newcomer said arrogantly. "What matters is that I find you displeasing, and I want to suppress you to death!" He was just short of pointing at Ye Fan's nose and cursing loudly.

"Are you tired of living?" Beside him, Pang Bo impulsively wanted to go up and slap him to death.

"Sacred Body, do you dare to fight me?" the young man asked with extreme conceit, his loud voice startling many nearby cultivators. "Without using your Origin Arts, let's determine who's superior based on true cultivation!"

"Alright, I'll fight you!" Ye Fan nodded in agreement.

"Something's off, Little Ye Zi," Pang Bo said, a suspicion in his heart. "Besides the Northern Emperor and a few other heaven-defying prodigies, how many people would dare to attack you? This person, though powerful, is still far from the Northern Emperor's level."

Ye Fan ascended the Juexian Platform, the Qishi Mansion's designated dueling ground. Facing the clamoring man, he immediately summoned his black war chariot, which rumbled as it rolled over him.

"Are you kidding me? A legendary King's divine weapon! How are we supposed to fight this? It's invincible among those of the same rank; even a dozen people wouldn't be enough to kill him."

"You're cheating!" the man opposite him cried, so frightened that he shot up into the sky, not daring to take the attack head-on.

"Nobody said I couldn't use it. Isn't it great to end the battle quickly?" Ye Fan said. He was indeed too lazy to fight by hand, preferring to use the magic treasure to overpower his opponent, not wanting to waste time.

The black ancient war chariot flew up, striking the man opposite, causing him to cough up blood and his body to crack all over. He screamed as he fell onto the Juexian Platform. If it weren't for the rule that opponents could not be killed, this person would surely have died. "Someone like you dares to challenge?" Pang Bo shook his head.

However, the matter did not end there. Over the next half-month, people occasionally jumped out to challenge Ye Fan, and many individuals became involved.

Subsequently, the situation truly heated up, and some wanted a life-and-death battle on the Dragon Scrutiny Platform in front of the mountain gate. Ye Fan was very resolute, refusing no one, and consecutively defeated three people within two days.

"Let's have a life-and-death decisive battle in the Immortal Meridian, and fight without restraint!" Finally, someone went a step further, proposing a battle with no regard for consequences, declaring an endless struggle against Ye Fan.

"Are they tired of living?" Pang Bo said, growing even more hesitant. "The true heaven-defying prodigies haven't made a move. Have these people eaten immortal courage?"

"This is an attempt to gradually lure me out of the Qishi Mansion, away from the perception range of the great powerful figures within," Ye Fan sneered dismissively. "Someone wants to kill me."

"What do you want to do?"

"This immortal meridian contains the aura of a great dragon," Ye Fan said coldly. "I'll carve some array patterns. If they dare to come, I will make sure no one leaves alive."

Dongfang Ye said, "Brother Ye, the sacred bone you gave me has been refined by my grand-uncle into the Wolf Tooth Club. It can unleash a single strike equivalent to a legendary saintly weapon."

He handed the Wolf Tooth Club over, intending to lend it to Ye Fan. This was truly a priceless saintly weapon; although it could only unleash one strike, it could absolutely destroy heaven and earth.

Even invincible kings would be annihilated if struck by an ancient saint's weapon; Saint Lords would certainly not be spared. Holding this heavy Wolf Tooth Club, Ye Fan and Pang Bo's hearts pounded.

"Alright, with a saintly weapon like this," Pang Bo said, "no matter how many people come, they will all die!"

"Hiss!" Ye Fan gasped. "Are those people really going to wage a massive war? They wouldn't have brought saintly weapons, would they?"

Bringing an Emperor's Ultimate Weapon was impossible. Because they had just been used recently, the major immortal inheritances couldn't immediately bring them out, as they were used to suppress their foundations. Each time they were invoked, extensive preparation was required beforehand.

"Someone wants to kill me, Ziyue," Ye Fan said. "Go and talk to your brother, see if you can borrow a perfect, legendary saintly weapon?"

"You fellow, what do you take a saint's weapon for?" Ji Ziyue retorted. "Even immortal inheritances find them difficult to deploy. The Yin-Yang Sect established itself in Zhongzhou as a supreme grand sect solely relying on one Yin-Yang Mirror, and it even became invincible throughout the world because of it."

"Go to hell, what are you thinking?" Ji Ziyue said, rolling her eyes at him. "Ancient saint's weapons contain spirits; they are almost impossible to subdue and are invincible existences."

"There are Dragon Seeker Diviners in Zhongzhou," Ye Fan muttered to himself. "This place is suitable for drawing out dragon qi. To counter my Origin Arts, perhaps an unparalleled eccentric has been invited this time."

Five days later, Ye Fan left the Qishi Mansion and arrived in an immortal meridian. As soon as he arrived, without a word, he shook his hand and threw out thousands of jade pieces, all engraved with Origin Heaven Divine Runes, taking the initiative.

One colossal roar after another erupted as the great dragon qi imbued within the underground ancestral roots all surged upward. From a distance, a terrifying fluctuation was felt; a peerless killing array had been activated.

"They indeed invited an eccentric," Ye Fan thought, his heart tightening, "They've drawn upon the power of the underground ancestral roots." But he felt no fear; he had already made the first move.

"Damn it!" Cursing sounds could be heard from a distance. The Dragon Seeker Diviner's array patterns had been activated, continuously destroying everything.

"Roar!" A colossal dragon roar echoed. Eighty-one Heavenly Dragons burst forth from underground, all soaring against the sky, each reaching several thousand zhang in length. The massive dragon array was activated.

"Damn it, they really did bring in an eccentric," Ye Fan sneered.

The power of these ancestral roots, and such a terrifying great dragon divine array, could absolutely grind several Saint Lords to death.

Boom!

From a distance, a terrifying fluctuation approached. A brilliant radiance shone down, and an ancient mirror hung in the air, emitting fluctuations that would make even peerless kings tremble.

"An ancient saint's weapon, the Yin-Yang Mirror!" Ye Fan's heart pounded. Just as he predicted, a saintly weapon had been brought.

Boom!

Behind Ye Fan, a divine radiance soared. A crimson-blooded divine phoenix rose into the sky, and a crimson-gold divine lamp blocked the terrifying beam of light, resisting the ancient Yin-Yang Mirror.

"Such powerful energy! Any number of Saint Lords would die here!" Pang Bo exclaimed, his heart thumping in alarm.

"This is merely a replica of an ancient saintly weapon," a voice said. "Although it originated from a saint, it is not a true legendary saintly weapon; it has flaws." Behind them, Ji Haoyue appeared.

"Wang Yangzhan! So your lifespan is almost at its end!" Ye Fan shouted.

The Yin-Yang Sect Master appeared, a red and black ancient mirror hanging above his head. A terrifying aura covered the sky and earth. His face was expressionless, devoid of vitality, and had a deathly pallor.

"Time waits for no one; my lifespan is exhausted," the Yin-Yang Sect Master said, his voice filled with helplessness. "Today, for the sake of my descendants, I shall eliminate you!" He had lived for over three thousand years, and ultimately could not resist the erosion of time; his lifespan had dwindled to nothing, and he could no longer survive.

Originally, he should have died years ago, having prolonged his life with Dragon Keys. However, he ultimately failed to obtain the Dream Divine Key, and ordinary Dragon Keys were no longer effective.

"Do you think this is enough to kill me?" Ye Fan sneered.

The Yin-Yang Sect Master was almost completely devoid of life, nearly a dead man. His smile at this moment, like that of a vengeful ghost, was terrifying. He said, "Although the Yin-Yang Mirror I brought is not the true legendary saintly weapon, it also originated from a saint. I didn't expect a powerful figure from the Ji family to also arrive, wielding a similar weapon."

Ye Fan's expression was indifferent. He quietly watched him, without saying anything more.

"However, none of this matters," the Yin-Yang Sect Master said. "Inviting eccentrics, or bringing incomplete saintly weapons, these are not the means to kill you." At this point, he shouted, "What matters is that I have seen you! With just one glance, you are dead!"

"Retreat!" someone in the shadows shouted, giving an alarmed warning.

But it was already a little too late. A terrifying aura spread out, instantly locking onto Ye Fan.

Boom!

The Yin-Yang Sect Master's body shattered. He achieved nirvana in the world, evaporating into a blazing light, then transforming into a fist-sized silver figure.

Its left eye was as black as ink, and its right eye was as red as blood. It was extremely strange; although it was less than palm-high, it sent chills down one's spine.

"It's over! The Yin-Yang Sect's death curse! There's no solution in this world!"

"Killing an enemy means falling into purgatory oneself," someone exclaimed. "One must endure all the most terrible torments in the world before perishing. The Yin-Yang Sect Master values the Sacred Body so highly that he unleashed the Yin-Yang Death Curse in his dying moments!"

Powerful figures in the shadows cried out in alarm. Even they dared not approach, as touching it meant certain death.

"I am dead, but I have completely resolved a great calamity for my descendants..." the Yin-Yang Sect Master roared.

One can imagine the pressure Ye Fan was exerting on them now. His rise was already unstoppable, and this living fossil had resorted to such a method, wanting to drag Ye Fan along with him even in death.

The silver figure, neither crying nor smiling, with one eye black as ink and the other red as blood, crossed through space and time. It could not be dodged or shaken off and lunged towards Ye Fan.

Boom!

A blinding light flared, ten thousand zhang wide. The power of Yin-Yang life and death instantly buried Ye Fan within it. The death curse activated, and an boundless hell appeared, with the Yama Hall and purgatory floating and sinking, grinding away everything.