Chapter 753: Enemies in the Beidou Star Domain

Ye Fan’s mind reeled. What had happened in the past twelve years? All his old friends were defeated and gone. These words made his blood surge like thunder and his spirit tremble violently.

At this moment, his eyes were terrifying, like comets streaking across the sky. He was desperate to uncover the hidden truth. His black hair cascaded around his face, flying wildly as he sat like an ancient demon god.

“Brother Ye, compose yourself,” Yan Yixi urged telepathically. Li Tian also patted his shoulder.

Ye Fan remained silent, rooted like a boulder. His gaze seemed to pierce through twelve years of time, transporting him back to the past, where his old friends stood together, reliving those unforgettable moments.

He recalled the bloody battles in the Southern Domain, the constant flight and desperate struggles, the turmoil in the Divine City and the duels of origin techniques. He remembered narrowly escaping death, breaking curses, venturing into the Primordial Restricted Zone, entering the Immortal Mountain, breaking into the Myriad Dragon Nest, traversing the Central Plains, and fighting in the Qinling Immortal Pool and Dragon Cave. Throughout these trials, there were selfless rescues, desperate battles, heart-wrenching laments, touching moments of warmth, and scenes of mutual support, as they faced everything together.

All those people and events were incredibly vivid, as if still unfolding before his eyes.

Ji Ziyue smiling through her tears, Li Heishui howling at the silver moon, Pang Bo ferociously devouring coffin lids, Tu Fei’s big mouth still rambling, little Nannan’s innocent and pitiful gaze, and the big black dog’s insatiable greed. Scene after scene, whether warm, heroic, tearful, or joyful—a truly unforgettable period.

*Kill them all!*

These four words thundered in Ye Fan’s mind. If his friends were truly gone, if they had indeed suffered a terrible fate, he would slaughter every enemy across the land.

Yet, even if he did so, it would be impossible to reclaim what was lost. His eyes turned cold. He remained seated on the stone platform, listening to the discussions around him.

“It’s been over a decade, and those people were incredibly resilient to have lasted this long.”

“They finally fell silent not long ago, so they must all be dead. Surviving for so long under the relentless pursuit of such powerful masters was nothing short of a miracle.”

Those present sighed with emotion as they discussed these events. Though a formidable group, even powerful cultivators eventually couldn’t endure.

Li Xiaoman?!

Ye Fan’s eyes narrowed instantly. He had heard her name among the discussions—she had actually pursued Li Heishui, Wu Zhongtian, and Jiang Hairen, and by all accounts, she was terrifyingly powerful.

His blood surged with fury. This woman was truly heartless; she hadn't even spared Pang Bo, who shared their homeland. She had joined forces with Hua Yunfei and other masters, causing those friends to bleed across the Eastern Wasteland.

Ye Fan remained silent, his knuckles white with tension, his expression growing even colder. He gazed at the distant lands, an urge to immediately rush over and sever the heads of those responsible.

Hua Yunfei had truly become a formidable power. Twelve years ago, he was a common enemy, hunted for eight full years and surviving hundreds of death trials. Yet, he ultimately mastered the Ruthless One’s supreme celestial technique. In today’s world, no one dared to try and eliminate him; many were simply trying to protect themselves.

This man, with his exiled-immortal demeanor and remarkably transcendent aura, had always possessed immense patience. Ye Fan had long been wary of him, knowing he would inevitably rise to power, so his current strength was no surprise. A final confrontation between them was inevitable.

“That woman, Li Xiaoman, also cultivates the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art, and possesses a secret technique to summon a divine entity. Her power is boundless, likely no less than Hua Yunfei’s. Back then, Pang Bo was incredibly dazzling; he surpassed all other Holy Sons and dominated his peers, but he was nearly possessed by that summoned demonic spirit. His vitality withered, he suffered grievous injuries, and almost died. It was precisely because of that battle that he began his decline; otherwise, his potential was truly limitless.”

“Li Xiaoman…” Ye Fan uttered the name, his clenched knuckles turning from white to an ominous blue. His expression was utterly cold.

He was beyond furious. He had known Hua Yunfei would become ruthless and attack him upon achieving his full power, but he never expected Li Xiaoman to be even more vicious, attacking Pang Bo and even attempting to kill old acquaintances from their shared homeland.

This was a stone platform where many people sat, discussing cultivation techniques and powerful figures of the world. The conversation was about to move on, as such detailed discussions rarely lasted long.

However, Yan Yixi and Li Tian knew that Ye Fan desperately wanted to learn more about his old friends. So, they both cleverly interjected, guiding the conversation back to the subject.

Ye Fan remained silent, sitting quietly behind the stone platform, listening intently to the various accounts.

The Northern Emperor, Wang Teng, was not dead!

This news was a significant shock to Ye Fan. A flicker of surprise crossed his cold features; it was truly unexpected.

“Is this person very strong?” Li Tian whispered, noticing Ye Fan’s change in expression.

“Twelve years ago, he was capable of overwhelming the leaders of various sects and making the masters of all the great Sacred Lands wary. He was known as the Northern Emperor, and at that time, he was definitely among the top five of the younger generation.”

“He was that powerful twelve years ago?!” Li Tian exclaimed, startled.

Ye Fan nodded. Back then, he had only managed to burn Wang Teng to death by purely relying on the black gourd, not by his own strength.

In that battle, the Northern Emperor was utterly humiliated. He possessed power that could dominate the world, yet he couldn't unleash it. He was a proud figure of his era, but ultimately, he was crushed to death by the bronze coffin and the black gourd.

In a true duel, even back then, including the older generation, very few could have suppressed him. That defeat became a source of profound resentment for him.

“In today’s world, if there’s anyone who most desires the return of the Sacred Body, it’s undoubtedly Wang Teng. After that battle, he was resurrected through the ancient emperor’s war chariot and has held a deep grudge for twelve years.”

“In that battle, the Northern Emperor was indeed utterly humiliated; otherwise, with his true power, who in the world could have suppressed him?”

“Shh, quiet down. Anyone who dares to call him the ‘Well Emperor’ now would invite a deadly calamity.”

Ye Fan fell silent for a moment, listening to their accounts. The Northern Emperor’s luck had not waned but had become even more prosperous. It was said that he had even acquired another inheritance in an ancient hall personally constructed by the Void Emperor of the Ji Family.

The inheritance of Desolate Ancient, and even a suspected inheritance from the Void—one individual cultivating the scriptures of two ancient Great Emperors—was truly an unprecedented feat.

Ye Fan clearly understood that his killing of Wang Teng that day was not a true testament to his own strength. In the distant northern grasslands, a terrifying and world-dominating adversary was awaiting his return, and an earth-shattering battle was sure to ensue.

Li Tian hissed through his teeth after hearing this. Yan Yixi, wanting Ye Fan to gain a detailed understanding of his friends’ circumstances, continued to skillfully steer the conversation.

The Wang Family of the Northern Plains maintained a deep connection with the Primordial Race. During their pursuit of Li Heishui and the others, they colluded with the Primordial Race. Someone even witnessed Zi Tiandu of the Spirit Valley personally kill Wu Zhongtian, who plummeted down Eagle Cliff, his blood staining the stone wall.

“The Wang Family…” Ye Fan murmured to himself, “I will make a trip to the Northern Plains.”

Upon mentioning the Primordial Royal Family, someone began to recount the legends among them: Huang Xudao, the Heavenly Emperor’s Son, Yuangu, Fire Kirin Son, and the Divine Silkworm Daoist, among others.

Yuangu had once pursued Pang Bo, seeking to acquire the Nine Slashes of the Demon Emperor. Had it not been for the Monkey’s timely intervention, the consequences would have been unthinkable. The Monkey, in turn, was drawn into the conflict, leading to repeated clashes and great misfortunes with the Undying Heavenly Emperor’s Son and Yuangu. His current whereabouts and fate remained unknown.

Ye Fan also unexpectedly learned that the truth about Pang Bo taking control of his body and suppressing the possessor had been exposed. Consequently, most of the demon race held a complex attitude towards him. While prominent figures refrained from acting due to past affiliations and did not reclaim the ancient scriptures, they no longer offered him protection.

The Red Dragon Daoist and the Peacock King, remembering old ties, had saved his life multiple times, but ultimately, they couldn’t change his circumstances.

“Who else was involved?” Li Tian asked on Ye Fan’s behalf. He hissed through his teeth, realizing the enemies Ye Fan would face were incredibly formidable and numerous.

The Yin-Yang Sect, a major power in the Central Plains with a long history, had once produced an invincible human Great Saint who slayed foreign gods. They, too, had taken action.

Furthermore, a mysterious woman, dressed in snow-white robes, of unparalleled grace and beauty, with an unseen face and boundless power, had also pursued Ye Fan’s old friends.

“Who is this woman?” Ye Fan was taken aback. He pondered for a long time but couldn’t recall ever offending or even meeting such a person.

He also unexpectedly learned that this woman was incredibly mysterious and enigmatic. She had even sought to kill Li Xiaoman, and they had clashed, though the outcome remained unknown.

“Did you perhaps lead someone on and then abandon them?” Li Tian offered, with a seemingly helpful but undeniably irritating tone.

“Go get lost,” Ye Fan retorted. Then, he thought of Li Heishui, Wu Zhongtian, and Liu Kou. Their grandfathers were among the Thirteen Great Bandits of the Northern Domain—had they not intervened to protect them?

“With the emergence of two great ancient assassin dynasties, even the Thirteen Great Bandits of the Northern Domain were powerless…”

In the Eastern Wasteland, the two ancient assassin dynasties, Hell and the Human World, had finally shed their secrecy and emerged in this chaotic era. Their divine sons and daughters, throughout generations, boasted the ability to slay all kings. Their ancient palaces were said to be constructed from the skulls of various kings, with the very skins of ancient saints serving as their carpets.

In this generation, a divine son and a divine daughter from the Human World and Hell struck terror into countless sects. Upholding their ancestors’ will, they sought to achieve enlightenment through slaughter.

If one were to rank the foremost figures of the younger generation, these two would undoubtedly be included. Yet, few cultivators present dared to even mention their names, a testament to the immense fear they inspired.

Li Heishui’s grandfather, Li Heng, the Eighth Great Bandit, died in battle on a desolate mountain in the Northern Domain, impaled to a cliff by an elder assassin from the Hell Assassin Dynasty.

Liu Kou’s grandfather, Liu Feng, the Sixth Great Bandit, bled profusely in the Divine City. He was pierced through the skull by an elder assassin from the Human World, dying standing, unable to find peace even in death.

Hearing this, Ye Fan gritted his teeth, his fists clenching tightly. Even some of the Thirteen Great Bandits had fallen; it was no wonder their descendants struggled to survive.

“Most importantly, the first among the Thirteen Great Bandits, that most mysterious and ancient immortal, is rumored to have passed away. Others claim he has entered deathly seclusion, attempting to break through to a realm unimaginable to ordinary people, effectively burying himself alive. He likely won’t re-emerge for another century, which means a powerful deterrent is now absent.”

“Did anyone else make a move?” Yan Yixi asked, determined to help Ye Fan understand everything thoroughly.

With so many adversaries already named, it seemed unlikely there could be more. Yet, to their surprise, there were indeed others, and incredibly powerful ones at that.

This was a mysterious group of individuals, whose identities were unknown. They had once gone to the Taixuan Sect in the Southern Domain and killed an unremarkable person named Zhang Wenchang. Only later did people realize he was someone closely connected to the Sacred Body.

The Taixuan Sect initially believed a formidable enemy had descended. Many masters died before Li Ruoyu of Zhuo Peak intervened, startling away the powerful adversaries.

“Who would have thought that Li Ruoyu of Zhuo Peak was terrifying to such an extent? He’s comparable to the great sages of antiquity, despite being merely a mortal. Truly astonishing.”

Hearing this, Ye Fan let out a long breath, relieved that Zhang Wenchang was unharmed. But he quickly grew alert again.

That same mysterious group had also ambushed Liu Yiyi as she left the Jade Pool. Although their attempt failed, it strongly suggested a deeper issue.

“Who are they? Who is this group? Could they be former classmates? That shouldn’t be right. There’s no reason for them to turn against us, no reason to try and kill these two,” Ye Fan thought, a growing suspicion in his heart.

As if surrounded by enemies, Ye Fan could already feel countless cold gazes upon him. He knew that an unending war awaited, and he would embark on a blood-soaked path, strewn with endless blood and bone.

“Did you know that a certain barbarian tribe in the Southern Ridge is about to face a great catastrophe?” someone remarked. “The masters of the Northern Plains Wang Family are going to wipe them out.”

Dongfang Ye, that barbarian, was close friends with Pang Bo and others. Over the past decade, they had endured numerous near-death experiences together, unfortunately implicating his small tribe.

“I’ve heard whispers of this, but is it actually true?”

“It can’t be false. I heard the Wang Family had already departed. They’ve likely already made their move. Haven’t you noticed fewer people at today’s Spiritual Medicine Conference compared to previous days? Everyone who caught wind of the news has gone to witness the spectacle.”

“Let’s go. Time to kill!”

Ye Fan shot to his feet, his expression utterly cold. This news made his blood boil. He had heard that Dongfang Ye might have died in battle, and now his tribesmen were being harassed right at their doorstep. How could he not be enraged?

“Are you going to unleash a massacre in the Southern Ridge?” Li Tian asked.

“Wherever I am, that is the battlefield,” Ye Fan declared, his killing intent piercing through the very heavens.