Chapter 965: Searching for the Horse According to the Picture

The Central Lands are home to countless famous mountains and great rivers. The winding Yellow River, the towering Kunlun Mountains, and the majestic Taihang Mountains all possess boundless grandeur, making one marvel at the astonishing and seemingly supernatural power of nature.

However, Ye Fan and the others now felt a chill down their spines. All of this might have been artificially arranged in ancient times—what an immense and unfathomable feat!

They had uncovered a taboo, something non-human involved, a terrifying secret spanning eons. Each ancient Dragon Mountain seemed like a piece on a chessboard.

Ye Fan was astonished. While such Dragon Mountains could be found in the Big Dipper Starfield, they were rare, and it was impossible to see more than a dozen together, let alone ninety-nine intertwined. This was truly exceptional.

"Having traveled through many ancient stars, it's hard to find a sight like this. Ninety-nine intertwined Dragon Mountains are like something out of a fairy tale!"

This was a myth, a shattered one, intentionally concealed to prevent any search, though the reason remained unknown.

Elder He and the Third Valley Master carefully considered the words of the Yellow River Flood Dragon and the Black Tortoise, feeling an increasing chill to their bones. The matters involved were truly beyond their ability to investigate.

If true, even their ancestors might be crushed with a fingertip, as it was too terrifying.

"Do not speak of it, do not investigate it, or disaster will surely strike. Even ancient sages dared not touch it." These words, passed down by the ancestors of the Yellow River Flood Dragon and the Black Tortoise, contained a profound warning that sent shivers down their spines.

"From ancient times until now, it's unclear if it remains a taboo after so many years. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth has dried up; perhaps the beings involved have died or left during such a long period," the Third Valley Master consoled himself.

Ye Fan took out the bone fragment from Chisongzi's cremation site and carved out the stone maps from the Lushan underground palace and the Original Dragon Cave, studying them carefully.

"No, the fragmented map of the Immortal Opportunity doesn't show ninety-nine ancient Dragon Mountains; there's no definite connection." He was stunned. What was going on? Had their entire approach been wrong, inadvertently stumbling into a forbidden domain?

He repeatedly examined the nine ancient jade pieces, combined together, confirming they were correct. Yet, they seemed to have no significant connection to the Immortal Opportunity map.

What was happening? Ye Fan was perplexed. Was Chisongzi's investigation in Shu unrelated to this? Was it another secret entirely?

"Did you notice what the old Flood Dragon and Black Tortoise said? The ninety-nine Dragon Mountains had already been separated long before ancient times, making them impossible to verify for later generations," said Elder He.

The nine ancient jade pieces, originating from the ancient era, must have been carved after the Dragon Mountains were separated, indicating that everything had already happened and was irreversible. So, what was the point of carving these bird-script jade pieces?

"Perhaps our general direction is wrong, and we've inadvertently ventured into a forbidden domain. Do these nine jade pieces refer to something else?" the Third Valley Master suggested.

"Which sect is the oldest in this era? Let's see if we can find any clues about the ninety-nine Dragon Mountains and ancient taboos," Ye Fan said. Having found some leads, he couldn't just give up.

Now, in the Age of Dharma Decline, all great powerhouses had left Earth. This might be the best opportunity, as no one in this era could stop him.

"The oldest ancient sects likely date back a million years," said the First Valley Master.

Ye Fan stared blankly. At that time, people were still ape-men, yet someone had already founded a sect? This seemed too preposterous.

"Sites of primitive ancient sects have indeed been unearthed. The era of eating raw meat and blood was very different from now; there were mysterious inheritances, but they are long gone," said Elder He.

"Actually, if you want to investigate, you could go directly to the Shu Mountain Sword Cultivation sect. After all, it's Chisongzi's legacy; there might be some great secret unknown to the world," the Third Valley Master suggested.

"Exactly, we should visit the Immortal Sword Sect and get to the bottom of this," Ye Fan nodded.

"Shu Mountain" was a general term for the mountain ranges around Emei. They returned to Sichuan and Chongqing, circumvented an array, and entered a pristine area unknown to the mortal world.

The Shu Mountain Immortal Sword Sect possessed formidable strength, surpassing many ancient sects. Its legacy rivaled that of the Myriad Demon Valley, a sacred land of the demon race, and no one dared provoke it.

Years ago, Elder He had accidentally entered Shu Mountain and found a great opportunity within a mountain cavern, inheriting part of the sword cultivation lineage, which led to a rapid increase in his strength.

"Chisongzi's lineage is now incomplete; the Immortal Sword Sect is far less powerful than in ancient times," the First Valley Master explained. In fact, most sects were similar, having lost many classic texts.

This time, Elder He truly understood how terrifying Ye Fan was. Ye Fan instructed the two of them to wait there, then transformed into a wisp of smoke and disappeared among the sword peaks.

"To force entry into the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, how profound must his cultivation be? He must be at least a great powerhouse of the Sendai realm, considering the countless sword arrays laid out here!" the First Valley Master exclaimed.

The Third Valley Master was less surprised, having personally witnessed Ye Fan enter the Immortal Sword Heavenly Pool and single-handedly contend with tens of thousands of terrifying sword lights, which had given him some immunity.

Ye Fan entered the Ancestral Hall and saw a stone statue with an ethereal, immortal presence. He bowed reverently. Having observed Chisongzi's path, he had comprehended a profound truth, gaining immense insights and feeling deep respect.

He searched for secret texts and ancient Daoist scriptures, paying particular attention to various personal notes, studying them meticulously, hoping to find any clues.

It must be said, the Immortal Sword Sect was indeed powerful. The methods recorded there were truly Chisongzi's authentic teachings. Although a portion was missing, it was enough to allow them to transcend the mortal world.

Ye Fan searched for half a day with his formidable divine sense. It was only after subduing an Grand Protector of the sect and peering into his sea of consciousness that he found a few scattered clues.

He used powerful means to erase his traces, then discreetly opened a secret door and entered a dust-covered stone chamber. There were no ancient Daoist methods or spiritual elixirs, only miscellaneous items.

This was a secret chamber where Chisongzi once cultivated in seclusion. It had been regarded as a forbidden area, sealed and guarded by generations, accessible only to successive sect masters.

This place had clearly become the Immortal Sword Sect's most confidential site, containing many personal notes, many of which were written by past great powerhouses and discussed numerous secrets.

The notes spanned a vast period, from ancient times to the present, left by sect masters of different eras. He studied them carefully and finally discovered what he sought.

The Immortal Opportunity that Chisongzi sought was connected to the ninety-nine Dragon Mountains that predated ancient times!

However, his purpose in coming to Shu was not to directly seek the ninety-nine Dragon Mountains, as they had already been separated long before his time. He was looking for an Earth Immortal who deeply understood the secrets of the ninety-nine Dragon Mountains, hoping to find a breakthrough through them.

Ye Fan examined them closely, his heart trembling at times, and finally learned some truths.

The ninety-nine ancient Dragon Mountains had nurtured the hope of becoming immortal. Chisongzi sought it, ancient Sacred Emperors sought it, and the ancestral Demon God of Myriad Demon Valley also sought it, while ordinary ancient sages revered it and avoided it like a plague.

One individual, suspected to be an Earth Immortal, had made extraordinary gains and was rumored to be hidden in the Shu region. That was why Chisongzi came here, seeking the secret of immortality.

The hope of immortality nurtured by the ninety-nine ancient Dragon Mountains had been extracted. The Earth Immortal had briefly encountered it, then retreated to Shu, his whereabouts unknown.

Ye Fan read every scroll of notes. Many were compiled from rumors about Chisongzi's words and deeds, and through fragments of his life, some astonishing truths could be reconstructed.

The Earth Immortal had arranged ninety-nine small dragon formations for himself, modeled after the ninety-nine great Dragon Mountain ranges. All the secrets he knew were buried within them.

"So that's it! The Dragon Mountains carved on the nine ancient jade pieces weren't the original ninety-nine true Dragon Mountains, but rather his own burial site."

Ye Fan left the Immortal Sword Sect and informed Elder He and the Third Valley Master of what he had learned. After all, Myriad Demon Valley had been investigating for so many years and must have some intuition.

"We must find it!" said the First Valley Master. Generations of Myriad Demon Valley's ancestors had poured their heart and soul into this, expending so much effort to reach this point. How could they stop now?

Although delving deeper might eventually involve forbidden domains, they felt it was necessary to first locate the Earth Immortal before making any final decisions.

"The Earth Immortal is dead. He must not have obtained anything that grants immortality, otherwise he wouldn't have died. The title 'Earth Immortal' was likely an exaggeration," Ye Fan mused to himself.

Born not touching the ground, dead not entering the earth, an immortal embryo, never stained by dust throughout its life. This was the description of the Earth Immortal once all nine ancient jade pieces were assembled. A little thought revealed that his burial method, which could be glimpsed, must have involved being placed in a hanging coffin, neither on the ground nor buried in the soil.

"No wonder Chisongzi opened hanging coffins and sought ancient burials. He already knew that the Earth Immortal had retreated to Sichuan and Chongqing, and he knew his burial method," said Elder He.

They circled back and realized that the ninety-nine ancient Dragon Mountains were utterly untouchable and had long been separated. All they could do was find the Earth Immortal's coffin.

Now, their only advantage was that there were no longer any Sages on Earth. They were among the strongest individuals, so they didn't have to worry about being obstructed.

In the period that followed, they spent a great deal of time observing various mountains and rivers in the Shu region, diligently searching for areas where small dragon formations converged, hoping to find the Earth Immortal's burial site. However, they found nothing.

"What if it's not even in Sichuan and Chongqing? Otherwise, with Chisongzi's supreme, heaven-penetrating abilities, why wouldn't he have found it?" Ye Fan wondered.

"Any mountain with a grand presence, once it matures, will give birth to divine wonders. After thousands of years, it can influence the geomorphological pattern of nearby mountains. Perhaps we can start there," said Elder He.

Since the Earth Immortal had arranged small dragon formations imitating the ninety-nine ancient Dragon Mountains, even if it was hidden within an ancient array, it must have influenced nearby mountains over the many years from ancient times until now.

Myriad Demon Valley employed all available means, dispatched a large number of personnel, and exhausted the entire valley's resources to investigate. Finally, they made a breakthrough discovery.

On that very day, they set off without stopping, heading directly to their destination, and then observed from a distance.

The mountains resembled coiling dragons leaping towards the sky, or crouching tigers, grand and majestic, as if dragons and tigers were locked in an uncompromising struggle. Water flowed around the peaks, forming nine main peaks and twenty-four smaller rocky outcrops. Although not distinctly dragon-like, they exuded that particular aura, with the softness of water complementing the strength of the dragon.

"An ancient grand array locks this secret place, and it has influenced the pattern of the surrounding landscape. The Earth Immortal's burial ground must be here!"

"This is a sacred ancestral land of Daoism; we can't act recklessly. If they discover us, at least half of the Daoists in the world will confront us in a life-or-death struggle."

It had to be here. Ye Fan, relying on his Divine Source Arts, sensed a unique qi. The uninhabited area sealed by the ancient array was surely the place they sought.