Chapter 788: Dog Luck

Time had stripped away the splendor. Layers of jade buildings and grand palaces, stained with the dust of history, were dimly lit. On a magnificent dais, a blurred figure emanated a suffocating pressure.

Was it the Great Emperor Wushi? The moment they entered, the three saw a figure seated cross-legged, shrouded in mist, and were instantly bewildered.

*Swish!*

Within the misty haze, two streaks of lightning shot forth, illuminating the dim interior of the mountain. The figure on the dais opened its eyes.

"He's still alive!" A shiver ran down Duan De's spine. For someone intent on excavating the tombs of ancient emperors, there was no worse situation.

Naturally, their predominant feeling was shock, almost to the point of suffocation. A living Great Emperor was too ethereal, like something out of a myth!

"Wait!" Though Old Blind Man's nickname suggested otherwise, his eyesight was sharper than anyone's. He pierced through the mist and clearly saw the figure's true form.

Duan De also instantly opened his Yin-Yang Celestial Eye, perceiving the figure's true origin. He immediately jumped back, his skin breaking out in goosebumps. "Damn it, it's an ancient Ancestral King!" he cursed. "We're in huge trouble this time."

Ye Fan also felt a prickling sensation. The entity before them was a genuine ancient being; its true form became horrifyingly clear once its divine eyes opened.

Mist swirled around the dais, yet it couldn't conceal the palpable aura and terrifying killing intent emanating from the figure. Though humanoid in shape, it possessed twenty-four pairs of wings. Its skin was heavily wrinkled and gnarled, giving it the appearance of someone on the verge of meditating to death.

It was colossal, seated ramrod straight on the dais. Its eyes were terrifying, even chilling, staring fixedly at them.

This ancient being was withered beyond recognition, completely bald, yet it exuded a sinister aura, like an ancient demonic deity, brimming with intense killing intent.

"Don't be afraid, he's dying," Duan De said, trying to reassure himself. "It looks like he's about to 'dissolve into the Dao,' so he won't be able to handle us."

Suddenly, a low demonic howl erupted. The aged ancient being on the dais lunged forward, its attack merciless and utterly destructive. An overwhelming aura, characteristic of a Saint, surged towards them like an entire starfield transforming into a roaring ocean.

The sheer pressure was unimaginable!

Who in this era could withstand the power of an ancient Ancestral King? Despite its advanced age and frailty, its strength still vastly exceeded theirs.

Duan De and Old Blind Man cried out, their souls nearly leaving their bodies. A single drop of a Saint's essence blood could annihilate a Great Power; who could possibly withstand such a direct assault?

They decisively unleashed the Great Emperor Heng Ren's artifacts. The demonic lid and the jar combined, emitting an ultimate imperial pressure that shielded them. Without it, they would have been instantly reduced to ash.

*Boom!*

Ye Fan was enveloped in golden light. The physical body he now inhabited belonged to a Saint who specialized in a single secret realm, and, like Ye Fan, was a Sacred Body!

This physique was unparalleled in the current era; no living being could compare. Even his slightest movement was like a golden ocean surging forth.

Ye Fan's body transformed into a blazing streak of light. He charged forward, directly confronting the ancient Ancestral King. Without resorting to spells, he immediately grabbed and twisted one of its arms.

It was close quarters combat, a brutal physical struggle!

This was Ye Fan's only option; otherwise, death was certain. He possessed a Saint's physique but lacked the corresponding magical power or the support of the Great Dao's rules. He could only fight relying on this indestructible body.

The collision was incredibly violent, a battle where life and death hung in the balance with every instant.

For figures at the Saint level, such close-quarters combat was chilling; any casual movement could be devastating.

*Rip!*

Ye Fan tore off one of the old Ancestral King's arms. The unparalleled nature of the Saint's physique was no empty boast; any Saint of equal rank, if caught in such a grip, would meet a bitter end.

A long stream of blood erupted, instantly obliterating a section of space, turning it into a void where all life was extinguished.

"It's true, a single drop of a Saint's blood can indeed kill a Great Power!" Duan De's scalp tingled. "This much blood is enough to wipe out an entire group!"

"This is bad!" Old Blind Man exclaimed. He and Duan De jointly urged the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Jar forward, as the Ancestral King had perceived Ye Fan's vulnerability. The King's magical power surged, aiming to suppress and kill Ye Fan with a Great Dao imprint.

A Saint wielding such magical power could undoubtedly shatter thousands of miles of pure land. It was fortunate that they were inside Purple Mountain, where everything was indestructible; otherwise, the area would have long since turned into ruins.

If Duan De and Old Blind Man hadn't been protected by the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Jar, no matter how immense their divine abilities, they would have been pulverized into dust, leaving not a trace.

*Bang!*

Ye Fan didn't wait for them to bring the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Jar. Instead, he directly confronted the overwhelming magical power, clutching a piece of green copper in his hand.

With that single strike, countless Dao patterns across the sky turned to ash, vanishing into nothingness.

*Rip!*

Simultaneously, with a powerful struggle, Ye Fan tore off the old Ancestral King's other arm. Blood gushed forth, creating a truly gruesome scene.

With a low roar of fury, the ancient Ancestral King, already on the brink of death, ignited its entire body, attempting to incinerate Ye Fan, who was relentlessly clinging to it, with its magical power.

*Boom!*

Suddenly, the ancient being disintegrated. There was no gushing blood or scattering bone fragments; instead, it transformed into a swath of Dao light and vanished into thin air.

It had dissolved into the Dao!

Ye Fan was stunned, and Old Blind Man and Duan De were equally dumbfounded. The old Ancestral King had vanished in such a manner.

"I understand now. He was already in the process of dissolving into the Dao when we arrived; he was nearly at his end."

They secretly congratulated themselves. Otherwise, if a peak ancient Saint had been there, even with supreme imperial artifacts, they might not have been able to safely eliminate it.

Ye Fan's ability to injure the opponent was purely a stroke of luck. The aged Ancestral King hadn't realized the unparalleled strength of his physical body and was caught in close-quarters combat. Otherwise, the outcome would most likely have been the complete opposite: Ye Fan himself would have been mangled and bloody!

"It was pure luck. If he hadn't been in the final stages of dissolving into the Dao, disappearing into the very fabric of the world at that critical moment, the trouble would have been immense."

"Kid, that piece of green copper you have..." Duan De's eyes burned with avarice.

"None of your business," Ye Fan quickly retorted, pushing him aside. He tucked the green copper into his pocket, choosing not to absorb it into his body, as it made it difficult to summon quickly.

"That green copper is truly powerful," Old Blind Man murmured. "It blocked an attack from an ancient Saint..."

"This thing only provides passive defense; it has no offensive power whatsoever. Otherwise, I would have simply shaken that ancient Ancestral King to death."

Duan De, with his incorrigible thieving heart, remained fixated on the green copper, but finding no way to acquire it, he finally turned his gaze to Ye Fan's physical body, marveling at it.

A Saint's physical body was a treasure that, in any era, would incite fierce struggles and bloodshed among those vying to possess it!

"Where did you dig up this physical body? It can tear apart a Saint; it's definitely a divine physique. In the distant past, it's said there were only nine Great Accomplishment Sacred Bodies in total. I've been searching for years without success. If I could unearth one, I'd be absolutely invincible..." Fat Duan babbled on, his attention shifting from the green copper to the Sacred Body.

As he spoke, a peculiar expression crossed his face. "Oh, by the way," he asked, "where is your true body? Where did you put it?"

Hearing this, Ye Fan's heart immediately pounded. That scoundrel had indeed thought of that. He remained outwardly calm, saying nothing further.

"I know," Duan De chuckled. "You must have buried it outside and left a wisp of your primordial spirit, fearing your body would be destroyed within Ancient Emperor Mountain."

Ye Fan shifted uncomfortably and snapped, "You rotten fatty, stop getting crooked ideas! It's bad enough you've robbed every cemetery in the world; are you now trying to rob a living person like me?!"

"How could I?" Duan De chuckled dryly. "What kind of person do you take me for? I, Duan De, prioritize righteousness and never do anything immoral. I'm merely a great archaeologist."

The place was eerily silent. Aside from the dust-covered jade buildings and grand palaces, there was nothing else. Clearly, this was not the deepest part of Purple Mountain, nor was it where the Great Emperor Wushi had achieved nirvana.

The tortoise shell in Old Blind Man's hand crackled as he continuously divined; Duan De walked and paused, even consulting feng shui; and Ye Fan was also busy, seeking the direction of energy veins and observing the terrain.

These three, working together, were truly remarkable. With a clear division of labor, it wasn't long before they pinpointed a path forward. They followed an ancient cave deeper inside, emerging into another expansive area.

"This is completely different from the path I took last time..." Ye Fan couldn't help but sigh. The interior of Purple Mountain was vast, a self-contained small world. The area he had explored previously was merely a corner.

"I hear water ahead."

Surprised, the three followed an ancient path paved with green jade, ascending a series of steps. They arrived at an ancient site featuring the ruins of pavilions, alongside withered old vines and ancient trees.

Water shimmered ahead where a pond, surprisingly carved entirely from green jade, formed a pool from which white mist rose.

"This must be some kind of immortal pond, could it be Great Emperor Wushi's personal bath?" Old Blind Man, with a distinct lack of propriety, promptly kicked Duan De into the pond to test the water.

"Damn you, old geezer, I'll remember this!" the unscrupulous Taoist priest fumed. Then, his expression grew peculiar as he muttered to himself, "This water is truly special. It accelerates blood circulation throughout the body and can boost cultivation speed."

*Gulp, gulp.*

He drank several large mouthfuls, praising the sweet taste and suggesting the water's source might be a divine spring. He then immediately jumped up and ran upstream.

At the source of the flowing water, the area was enveloped in swirling clouds and mist, vibrant with an iridescent glow. There, they found an even more magnificent spring pool, carved from five-colored jade.

"This is definitely Great Emperor Wushi's cleansing pool! I, your Taoist priest, shall enjoy it too!" Fat Duan immediately plunged in, then gulped down several more mouthfuls of the spring water.

Ye Fan's expression grew odd. He squatted down and, from the edge of the spring pool, picked up a few oily, glossy black animal hairs. He froze.

"Kid, what are you holding?" Duan De asked, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

"Bird feathers," Old Blind Man said with an air of nonchalance.

Fat Duan's face instantly went pale. He began to dry-heave violently, almost retching up bile. What he saw looked exactly like a small clump of dog fur.

"Damn it!" Duan De cursed, still retching. "Is there a dog here, wasting this divine pool by bathing in it?! What a desecration of a heavenly treasure!"

Ye Fan was secretly thrilled. These were unmistakably Black Emperor's hairs; that aura was too familiar. This dog, even more unscrupulous than Duan De, had indeed not died and had made its way into Purple Mountain.

Duan De grumbled curses as he clambered out of the spring pool, proclaiming he had the worst luck for eight lifetimes. How could there possibly be a dog here?

"So, was it a divine spring? How did it taste?" Old Blind Man asked, rather uncharitably, patting the unscrupulous Taoist priest's shoulder with a mischievous grin.

"Can you just drop it?!" Duan De felt like retching again.

Suddenly, a wave of sweet fragrance drifted by, so potent it almost made their souls leave their bodies. They felt entirely relaxed, nearly floating.

"What is that scent?"

A streak of fiery light cut through the air as a dazzling bird flew over their heads. Its plumage shimmered with five colors, beautiful to the point of unreality.

"Is that a bird?"

"Damn it, that's a phoenix! A legendary divine bird!"

"I know what that is! It's the Immortal Divine Phoenix Medicine! Quick, chase it!"

The three, jolted awake, became incredibly excited and gave chase.

However, after chasing for some distance, they lost sight of the Immortal Phoenix; it had vanished. But Duan De was incredibly excited. "We've truly stumbled into good fortune!" he declared. "I have a premonition we'll definitely find an immortal medicine!"

Suddenly, his expression froze. He glanced down at his feet and immediately erupted in furious curses: "Damn it, whose dog isn't leashed?! I, this Taoist priest, actually stepped in dog poop!"

Indeed, there was a fresh pile beneath his foot. Duan De's nose nearly twisted in anger as he jumped and pranced around, almost driven to madness.

...Chapter 790: Dogshit Luck