Chapter 786: Archaeologist

A cold wind swept across the land, howling among the tall mountains and deep ravines, making the desolation feel even more profound.

The Northern Region was vast and boundless. Emptiness and monotony were its eternal themes; rarely were vibrant flowers seen, or the sweet scent of blossoms and songs of birds heard. Oases were scattered like sesame seeds, mere specks that hardly counted for anything.

Ye Fan traveled through one crimson land after another. Finally, following his memory, he found his destination: a colossal purple mountain stood imposingly before him, like an enraged sword piercing the sky.

On the horizon, nine mountain ridges stretched out, lying prostrate like nine true dragons, radiating an aura of ancient desolation and solitude.

Without a doubt, he had arrived at Purple Mountain, also known as Ancient Emperor Mountain by the Primordial beings, the place where Emperor Wu Shi had attained nirvana.

Throughout history, no one could rival the might of Emperor Wu Shi. He could intimidate the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, forcing even numerous restricted life zones to behave themselves.

Actually, Emperor Ruthless was also a good option. She was absolutely formidable and powerful; if she were revived, even the Primordial Ancestor Kings would likely tremble. However, Emperor Ruthless had lived for three or four lifetimes, and it was unknown which incarnation to seek out.

"Purple Mountain... I'm here again," Ye Fan sighed. He had tried to enter several times but failed. Now, pushed to this point, he had no choice but to risk his life.

In previous years, various Holy Lands had repeatedly attacked Purple Mountain, hoping to obtain Emperor Wu Shi's legacy. However, once the bell chimed, even those wielding multiple ultimate imperial weapons had to retreat.

The last time, the Holy Lands and the Divine Dynasty of Central Plains joined forces and finally broke through. Some even claimed to have seen Emperor Wu Shi sitting cross-legged on a platform.

"So many years have passed, why does the Wu Shi Bell chime on its own without anyone ringing it?" he wondered. "What power controls it, suppressing other imperial weapons so they cannot resist?"

"Is Emperor Wu Shi truly dead?" he mused. "Such a formidable existence might have left behind some contingency."

"Even if Emperor Wu Shi is dead, his physical body must be immortal," he considered. "He was a Congenital Sacred Body and Dao Embryo. As a Sacred Body myself, I can probably resonate with him. If I could inhabit his body..."

Ye Fan muttered to himself, determined to enter Purple Mountain and get a clear answer about Emperor Wu Shi, whether he was alive or dead.

He landed on the ground and approached step by step. The majestic purple mountain inspired deep reverence.

This place held too many secrets. The Undying Heavenly Sovereign, the deity in the hearts of the Primordial myriad races, was also once buried here, and it was originally named Ancient Emperor Mountain.

Even the Heavenly Sovereign Prince originated from here. Ten thousand years ago, he was taken away by the Origin Master as an astonishing wondrous stone, and later, Ye Fan cut open a divine egg from it in the Jade Pool.

"Ancient Emperor Mountain is a pilgrimage site for the Primordial myriad races, where the Undying Heavenly Sovereign is buried, and ultimately, Emperor Wu Shi also chose this place," Ye Fan murmured.

The Origin Master once said that this place contained the ultimate mysteries of heaven and earth's transformations, and advised future generations to revere this mountain, for it would bring good fortune later.

Upon his return, Ye Fan naturally wouldn't forget to use his Origin Technique for a thorough investigation, hoping to unravel the mystery of what made this place so special today.

"For the deity in the hearts of the Primordial myriad races and a Human Emperor to both choose this place, what profound secrets does it hold that are so appealing?" he wondered.

Ye Fan circled Purple Mountain, measuring every inch of land and gazing at the nine distant dragon veins, hoping to unravel the secrets of heaven.

Suddenly, as he circled to the other side, he came face to face with someone. Their eyes immediately met in a staring contest.

"That son of a bitch, Duan De!"

"You damn Sacred Body, why aren't you dead yet!" The two of them cursed and blamed each other almost simultaneously, both wearing expressions of utter displeasure.

Ahead, a corpulent man, who looked anything but a good person, was dressed in a Taoist robe and wore a purple-gold crown. His attire was clearly made of treasures. It was none other than the unscrupulous Taoist.

"You damn fatty, how many immoral things have you done, how many graves have you dug up?" Ye Fan said with disdain. "Looking at the treasure crown on your head and the Heavenly Silkworm Taoist robe on your body, they've definitely just been unearthed."

"Alright, your eyesight's improving," Duan De retorted, clearly displeased. "Oh, by the way, when are you going to return my weapons? You just vanished after robbing me back then, acting as if nothing happened?"

"You damn fatty, what are you doing here?" Ye Fan asked with a surprised expression. "Don't tell me you've set your sights on Emperor Wu Shi too, trying to dig up his grave?""You can't say that," Duan De replied, looking guilty. "Whether Emperor Wu Shi is dead or not is still up for debate. I'm here to admire the historical site.""You have the nerve to say that?" Ye Fan sneered. "Someone who spends all day digging up ancestral graves, coming to admire a great tomb—what do you mean by that?"

"Damn it, can you please not speak nonsense in this place?!" Duan De snapped, his eyes wide.

"So you do get scared sometimes? Do you also believe Emperor Wu Shi isn't dead?" Ye Fan asked curiously.

"Even if Wu Shi is dead, he's not someone others can profane," the fat man Duan said, growing even more uneasy. "Speaking carelessly will bring great misfortune."

"You, who spend all day stealing from and digging up graves, actually get scared sometimes?" Ye Fan found it amusing.

"Damn it, don't compare me to those petty thieves!" Duan De declared shamelessly. "I am an authenticating scholar with lofty ideals; everything is merely to restore historical truth."

With a look of disdain, Ye Fan said, "You, a grave robber, pretending to be an archaeologist—I'm embarrassed for you! What 'restore historical truth'? Why don't you just say you're researching the evolution and cultivation process of humanity?""I've noticed that you, this generally unlikable kid, sometimes use surprisingly accurate words. You're right, from now on I'm an archaeologist. Don't call me a grave robber; anyone who does will have me to contend with. I am a great archaeologist with a lofty ideal, committed to clarifying the course of human progress and reproducing true history through subterranean mausoleums!" Duan De declared with an air of righteous indignation.

"I've never seen such a shameless person..." Ye Fan truly couldn't stand him.

"Therefore, I am here to study ancient times, to witness the miracles of the great Emperor, and to inspire future generations. This holds monumental historical significance as a landmark event!"

"Just keep showing off," Ye Fan muttered, almost speechless.

"By the way, kid, how are you still alive?" Duan De asked, his face full of astonishment. "You provoked the Divine Spirit Valley, cursed the Primordial Royal Family, and now you're bouncing around in the Northern Region again. Are you overfed or tired of living?"

"Can't you say something nice? What if I want to come here for archaeology?" Ye Fan asked, casting him a sidelong glance.

"I knew we were both great witnesses of history! Your Origin Technique combined with my Feng Shui can make us invincible under heaven!" Duan De rambled on, then suddenly asked, "Did you really leave this world for twelve years? Where did you go, what did you see, and were there many tombs there?"

"Go bother someone else!" Ye Fan chose to ignore him and continued to measure Purple Mountain, determined to understand everything clearly.

The more he observed, the stranger it seemed; the more he pondered, the more astonished he became. What exactly were the mysteries here? They actually involved life and death!

For an ancient Great Emperor to choose this place, it was self-evident. They understood yin and yang, and comprehended life and death. This was somewhat terrifying. Was Wu Shi truly still alive?

"So you also noticed something unusual?" Duan De asked. "For me, the most authoritative person in archaeology, this place is truly damn strange."

"What did you figure out?" Ye Fan asked him.

"This is a massive tomb, incredibly huge," Duan De said. "It's drawn by nine dragon veins, as if it's meant to break through the heavens and ascend."

"What?!" Ye Fan shivered upon hearing this. Hearing Duan De's description, it really sounded like the Nine Dragons pulling a Coffin.

"As the authority in the archaeological world, I can confidently say this grand tomb isn't built for the dead; it's prepared for the living," Duan De declared.

Their views were similar, and they then discussed it seriously, arriving at a shocking conclusion: the grand natural power here could connect yin and yang, reverse life and death—it was a land of creation and immortality.

"Impossible!" Ye Fan exclaimed. "Ancient Great Emperors should all be dead. If Wu Shi were still alive, Emperor Qing would simply not have been able to appear in the world!"

"Last time when this mountain was attacked, someone claimed to have personally seen Emperor Wu Shi sitting on the platform, lifelike, as if he truly had life."

The more they discussed, the stranger it became. This place was starting to unnerve them.

Afterward, they thought of the Undying Heavenly Sovereign—an ancient existence, the sole deity in the hearts of the Primordial myriad races. Purple Mountain was originally his burial ground. Strictly speaking, Emperor Wu Shi was a cuckoo in the nest, taking over later.

Then, in an instant, they also thought of the Immortal Manor world in Central Plains, where there was a coffin made from an ancient Tea Enlightenment Tree, containing a piece of the Undying Heavenly Sovereign's skin.

"Did the Undying Heavenly Sovereign escape alive on his own, or was he thrown out by Emperor Wu Shi?"

The more they pondered, the more unsettling it became. This place was more complex and terrifying than they had imagined.

"Kid, do you still want to go in?" Duan De asked him, eyes narrowed.

"I have to go in," Ye Fan sighed. "To deter the Primordial myriad races, there's no other choice, or else the Divine Spirit Valley will unleash a massacre!" He then asked Duan De if he intended to enter as well.

"I am a person of great integrity," Duan De declared righteously. "To restore historical truth, and to unravel the mystery of the Wu Shi Bell chiming on its own, I've decided to go deep inside!" Ultimately, he still wanted to dig up a tomb and had his eyes on the Wu Shi Bell.

Ye Fan was pleased he would follow. This guy had half an imperial weapon and understood Feng Shui tombology; he would definitely be a great help.

"We can't just go in like this," Duan De mumbled. "Back then, several Holy Lands and the Immortal Divine Dynasty, even with multiple ultimate imperial weapons, were blasted out. Who knows how many old geezers died? I only have half an imperial weapon; if I go in, I'll definitely be blasted to smithereens." He decided to go find the Old Blind Man and borrow the other half of the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Pot.

"Can you find him?" Ye Fan doubted. In recent years, the Thirteen Great Bandits of the Northern Region had suffered heavy losses, with some dying and others disappearing.

"Back then, he went out with half an imperial weapon to rescue those little bandits," Duan De explained, "but he was almost ambushed and killed by a clone of a Primordial Ancestor King. I arrived in time, united the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Pot, and crushed that Ancestor King clone."

Ye Fan was astonished, not expecting such an event. It seemed the Thirteen Great Bandits had truly suffered over the years. No wonder even the Old Blind Man had gone to break through; was he close to attaining sainthood?

"Perhaps, in this era, only the unified Heaven-Devouring Demonic Pot can fully protect us," Duan De said. "It's different from other imperial weapons."

When the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Pot was separated, its power was not apparent, and it was even difficult to activate. But once united, it became incredibly eerie; one could occasionally hear sighs, as if an ancient Heavenly Emperor was about to revive.

It was Emperor Ruthless's weapon, forged from her own body, making it completely different from other imperial weapons.

Duan De departed to find the Old Blind Man. Ye Fan also left Purple Mountain and began making preparations.

In an unknown mountain range, Ye Fan delved a thousand miles underground, burying his true body. His primordial spirit then flew out and entered the sacred shell.

"That son of a bitch Duan De is in this area," Ye Fan mumbled. "That bastard better not steal my true body." He was unsure how many Origin Heaven Divine Runes he had inscribed.

He exhausted all methods, spending several days, before he finally retrieved two pieces of green copper and placed them inside the sacred body shell.

Afterward, Ye Fan took several pieces of imperial jade and other necessary items, and returned to Purple Mountain.

"Damn it, a Saint!" Duan De, who had already returned, exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. He immediately summoned the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Pot.