Chapter 89: Ziyang Heavenly Cave

## Chapter 89: Purple Sun Holy Land

"Purple Sun Holy Land..." It was only then that he finally understood that his encounter with Li Xiaoman and the others was not accidental; their sect was located nearby.

Ye Fan turned to leave immediately. He didn't want to get involved with Li Xiaoman's sect. Their encounter today had left Li Xiaoman unperturbed, her calm almost indifferent. Although she had given him money, it felt condescending, like an act of charity.

"Let me live a normal life; don't stray from the path. Am I really so useless?" He chuckled self-deprecatingly. He felt no sadness or hatred; everything would pass like a light breeze, leaving no trace. Ye Fan thought that if they were to meet again, a simple smile would suffice, with nothing to dwell on. Sometimes, a gentle passing encounter was the better option.

Ye Fan had walked several tens of meters when he suddenly stopped. He had been pondering how to escape the pursuit of the Jiang family knights, and at that moment, he suddenly wondered if he could use the Purple Sun Holy Land to resolve his dangerous situation.

Currently, he wasn't strong enough to confront anyone directly. For now, he could only think hard. He muttered to himself, "There must be a reason why I can't shake them off. Even the most powerful person couldn't have such keen spiritual perception to constantly track down clues..."

Ye Fan believed that the Purple Sun Holy Land, as one of the six blessed lands in the Yan Kingdom, must have "Dao patterns" inscribed on the surrounding mountains and lands, condensing mysterious power that made it a world unto itself. If he went deep inside, he might be able to sever his connection with the outside world.

"Yes, I can use this place!" After careful consideration, Ye Fan headed deeper into the mountain range.

"What rich spiritual energy! It truly lives up to its name as a blessed land."

Dusk was settling, but purple mists still swirled among the mountains. True to its name, the Purple Sun Holy Land was bathed in surging purple fog, with occasional streaks of bright sunlight piercing through the air.

Even in the outer regions, one could sense its extraordinary nature: verdant peaks and valleys, gurgling clear springs, and lush vegetation. Many plants seemed to be sentient, with sparkling points of light on their leaves.

Ye Fan approached the Purple Sun Holy Land and observed carefully, wondering if he could sneak in directly. However, he found it difficult; the main gate was not only patrolled by people but also guarded by savage beasts.

Two strange beasts, covered in bumps, resembled giant alligators but possessed a pair of fleshy wings. They lay there like two small hills, their basin-sized jade-green eyes occasionally flashing with hidden light as they opened and closed.

"Huh, there are several young men kneeling there. What's going on?" Ye Fan was surprised to notice several teenagers, sixteen or seventeen years old, kneeling persistently in front of the gate.

A patrolling cultivator passed by and said, "You should just leave. Your aptitude is too ordinary; no matter how hard you try, it won't be enough."

"Immortal Master, please give us another chance."

The cultivator sighed and said, "You've been kneeling for days, and I'm not heartless, but your aptitude is truly too mediocre. You really can't pass the assessment. You should quickly leave the mountain."

"Immortal Master, we ask for nothing else, only one last chance," the teenagers pleaded desperately, refusing to get up.

"Alright, I'll give you another chance. Disciples will be re-evaluated in half a month. Whether you can seize the opportunity to stay will be up to you."

"Thank you, Immortal Master!" The young men all bowed in unison.

Hearing this, Ye Fan stepped forward.

"Who's there?" The cultivator turned his head.

"Immortal Master, I've come to seek apprenticeship," Ye Fan called out loudly.

"It doesn't start for half a month. You've come too early."

"My home is too far away. I walked the entire way, for a full half-year, fearing any delay. Please have mercy, Immortal Master," Ye Fan said. He had observed the cultivator for a while and felt that he wasn't too strict, likely amenable to persuasion.

"That's against the rules."

With a look of sincerity, Ye Fan recounted how he had gathered money, even by begging, enduring arduous journeys across thousands of miles and walking for over half a year to finally reach this place.

This so-called Immortal Master was not very old, appearing to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. He was indeed soft-hearted. Seeing Ye Fan's ragged clothes and dirty face, he finally sighed and nodded, saying, "You can go in with them."

Ye Fan quickly thanked him and entered the Purple Sun Holy Land with the other young men. All the immortal mountains were shrouded in purple mist, appearing hazy and ethereal. Temples perched atop the peaks, looking very distant and imbued with the aura of a celestial realm.

"The spiritual energy here in Purple Sun Holy Land is even denser than in the Spiritual Ruins Holy Land..." Ye Fan murmured to himself, nodding subtly. This place was indeed extraordinary.

Deeper within the immortal mountains, where vegetation thrived and spiritual herbs abounded, a clear aura wafted towards them. It was a remarkably beautiful and tranquil blessed land.

Ye Fan and the young men were settled near a bamboo grove, where several wooden cabins were designated for servants. Cultivating disciples rarely visited this area.

Once he arrived, Ye Fan gradually calmed down. If he could still be found even here, he would have no choice but to fight to the death.

"It's likely that something on me allows them to sense and track me."

Ye Fan first ruled out the green copper block. This mysterious treasure had been unidentifiable by many cultivators even when held directly, let alone now, as it lay dormant within his golden Sea of Misery.

Was it the Dao Scripture? That was also unlikely. As long as he didn't circulate the profound methods, his golden Sea of Misery remained utterly silent, still as divine iron, making it very difficult for outsiders to detect.

"Could it be this 'source' stone that's revealing my whereabouts? That shouldn't be the case either." Ye Fan was completely perplexed. He muttered to himself, "Never mind that for now. I'll refine this 'source' stone first."

Over the next few days, the bamboo grove remained very peaceful, undisturbed by outsiders. It was an excellent place for cultivation, and the powerful knights of the Jiang family did not come looking for him.

Ye Fan began refining the "source" stone, firmly holding it in his palm each time and carefully melting only a tiny amount daily. He feared that if he proceeded too rapidly, the massive vital essence within the "source" would surge out, causing a ripple of source energy that would attract attention.

On the sixth day, with the bright moon overhead, Ye Fan refined another small quantity of the "source." Just then, his golden Sea of Misery suddenly roared with terrifying waves, like a tsunami. He quickly stopped and hid the "source" stone.

"This is truly troublesome..." His unique physique made him feel helpless. He had thought he could control it, but during the breakthrough, terrifying sounds still erupted. The phenomenon of his Sea of Misery was too astonishing; if noticed, it would undoubtedly cause a huge stir.

"It seems I can't fully refine this 'source' stone here. I'll have to continue when I leave."

However, his gains were considerable. His golden Sea of Misery had expanded by another circle, with eight additional "divine patterns" swirling above it. Ye Fan melted them into the "divine iron lump" he had earlier, continuously forging them onto the green copper block and repeatedly engraving "Dao patterns."

The next day, the tranquility was broken when several young cultivators arrived and discovered Ye Fan.

"It's you... the little beggar!" The cultivators were astonished. They were the same Purple Sun Holy Land disciples he had encountered a few days prior, though Li Xiaoman was not among them.

The previous day, Ye Fan had caused a significant commotion. Some cultivators had come to investigate but found nothing during the night. These individuals, driven by curiosity, came to check in the morning.

"How did you get into our Purple Sun Holy Land? Did you come looking for Junior Sister Li?" They were all very surprised to see Ye Fan there.

"The sect master of your Purple Sun Holy Land happened upon me and declared my talent extraordinary, insisting on taking me as a disciple..." Ye Fan blurted out a fabricated story.

Naturally, they didn't believe him and all looked displeased. One of the women stated grimly, "Little beggar, you sure have thick skin!"

Just then, a middle-aged man appeared in the bamboo grove. He circled a few times before stopping and saying, "I sense the aura of a 'source' stone."

"Greetings, Martial Uncle-Grandmaster!" The young disciples quickly bowed.

Ye Fan was immediately alarmed. This person's spiritual perception was too keen; the source stone had been sealed, yet it was still sensed.

"No need for formalities," the middle-aged man replied. His complexion was rosy, and his hair was black, but his eyes were ancient and weathered, somewhat incongruous with his youthful appearance.

"This person's true age is probably seventy or eighty years old or more..." Ye Fan secretly speculated, realizing he was facing a formidable expert.

"On your person..." He fixed his gaze on Ye Fan.

"Greetings, Senior," Ye Fan saluted.

"Are you not a disciple of my Purple Sun Holy Land?"

"No."

Without any visible movement, the middle-aged man instantly appeared before Ye Fan, as if he had traversed a segment of space, and grasped Ye Fan's wrist.

"Senior, what are you..." Ye Fan was startled, thinking he was about to make a move.

"Your physique..." The middle-aged man showed a surprised expression, then shook his head and sighed. Clearly, he was well-informed and had made an immediate judgment.

In that instant, Ye Fan's heart was filled with extreme tension. Fortunately, his Sea of Misery was utterly still, the golden expanse frozen by darkness, like a dead realm. When the middle-aged man probed it, he found no abnormalities.

This astonished Ye Fan. Even when a master of this caliber personally probed him, he had managed to conceal his true nature.

"Do you have a 'source' stone on you?" the middle-aged man asked.

Seeing that he couldn't hide it, Ye Fan pulled out the small wooden box and said, "I don't know if this is a 'source' stone. It's something passed down in my family."

The middle-aged man opened the wooden box, glanced inside, and said, "Indeed, it is a source stone. Although not pure, it is still very rare. Are you willing to part with it?"

"This..."

"You cannot cultivate, so this 'source' stone is useless to you. Rest assured, I will not let you suffer a loss. If you are willing to trade, you will possess enough wealth to last ten lifetimes."

"But I don't want to trade it away..." Ye Fan showed a conflicted expression. Although entering the Spiritual Ruins Holy Land had temporarily rid him of the Jiang family knights, he hadn't expected to expose the "source" stone, which left him feeling helpless and without options.

"Are you truly unwilling to trade?" the middle-aged man asked, his expression calm, without any hint of coercion.

"I..."

"Never mind. Since that's the case, I won't force you. It's just a source stone; it makes little difference to me." With that, he turned and left, vanishing completely from their sight after only a few steps.

Ye Fan's heart tightened. This was definitely a master.

"Little beggar, I never thought you'd have a 'source' stone on you. Even a small, impure one is more valuable than spiritual medicine."

The young men and women all looked surprised, utterly astonished that Ye Fan possessed such a spiritual item. Some naturally couldn't help but feel covetous.

"Little beggar, you truly don't know how to seize opportunities. Do you know who that person was just now? He's the second strongest expert in the Purple Sun Holy Land, having cultivated for merely over a hundred years, yet he's even more powerful than several of our grandmasters. If you had given him the 'source' stone just now, you would have formed a beneficial connection with such a figure, and the advantages would be endless..."

The young men and women all started offering terms to acquire the "source" stone, but Ye Fan could not agree.

Only after they had left did Ye Fan mutter to himself, "Although I've temporarily evaded the Jiang family knights, I've exposed the 'source' stone. I wonder if this will cause trouble."

Half an hour later, Li Xiaoman appeared in the bamboo grove, accompanied by the same young men and women who had left earlier.

Li Xiaoman didn't ask why Ye Fan was there. She spoke calmly, "Ye Fan, you cannot cultivate, so holding this 'source' stone is useless to you. Why not exchange it for ten lifetimes of fortune..."

Ye Fan directly shook his head and refused, saying, "I won't trade it!"