Chapter 968: Rongcheng Clan

The last sentence on the ancient stele struck Ye Fan as incredibly bizarre, almost shocking him. He could hardly believe it.

The mention of the Ginseng Fruit Tree immediately brought to his mind Immortal Zhenyuan, the master of Wuzhuang Temple in *Journey to the West*. However, he knew that was merely a fictional character.

"Did someone named Zhenyuanzi truly exist in ancient times?" Ye Fan asked the Old Crane and the Third Valley Master.

"No," the Great Valley Master shook his head, stating that such a person definitively did not exist.

The monkey almost chuckled. In his younger days, he had mingled among mortals and thoroughly read *Journey to the West*, becoming quite engrossed—which was why he had given himself such an unconventional name. Yet, he too shook his head.

"How strange," Ye Fan murmured to himself. "The stele clearly states that the Ginseng Fruit Tree is buried here. Who could this be?" He then asked the two if they knew of this divine tree.

Both shook their heads, stating they had never even heard of it. They emphasized that not only had they never encountered it, but even the Demon God Ancestors of ancient times had never seen an immortal medicine.

Such an item was truly heaven-defying. They had heard ancient secrets suggesting that a life-bearing ancient star could at most give birth to one such plant. Any additional discovery would undoubtedly have been brought from another star domain.

"Don't overthink it," the Third Valley Master said excitedly. "Even if an ancient holy emperor is buried here, they're dead. There's nothing to fear. An immortal divine tree left behind would be a perfect boon for us."

Earlier, having passed eight Dragon Mountains, they had discovered eight ancient jade coffins and eight sections of divine tree branches. Unfortunately, these were all tainted by corpse qi and unusable for alchemy. Now, upon learning that the living mother plant was present, their hearts stirred with excitement; acquiring it would be an immense fortune.

Upon reaching this location, Ye Fan and the other two could sense a profound spiritual presence. Ninety Dragon Mountains had collapsed, leaving only the first nine standing majestically.

This particular mountain was the most magnificent. A majestic waterfall cascaded from within what resembled a dragon's mouth, a vast expanse of white spanning a thousand feet, naturally sealing the burial ground.

Purple qi emanated from the mountain, enveloping it in an extraordinary aura, clearly marking it as sacred and treasured land.

*Whoosh!*

The moment Ye Fan and his companions approached, a beam of light sliced forth from the purple-misted mountain. Its sharpness tore through the air, cleaving the sky in two.

It was a sudden, swift, and terrifying attack that sent chills down their spines. Ye Fan swiftly pulled the other two back, retreating several miles like a phantom or a bolt of lightning.

The blazing purple light cleaved through space, disappearing into the endless void. However, the lingering vibrations were so formidable that they halted, unable to proceed.

"This is truly miraculous!" Ye Fan exclaimed. "This Earth Immortal's methods defy heaven! This place has been nourished by the immortal divine tree for some time, imbuing this dragon mountain with a spirit—it's alive!"

Ye Fan's eyes sparkled. Judging by his Source Arts, this was the pinnacle of a dragon mountain that could be nurtured by artificial means; further advancement was impossible.

The Old Crane and the Third Valley Master were equally horrified. This dragon mountain, which already possessed a draconic form, now appeared even more unsettling if one were to examine it with a discerning eye.

The mountain body featured numerous rock formations, all resembling delicate scales. They connected one after another, occasionally opening and closing, just like true dragon scales, rendering the entire dragon mountain incredibly lifelike.

"The mountain has grown dragon scales?!" The Great Valley Master and the others had never heard of such a phenomenon and were naturally filled with shock.

It was also Ye Fan's first time witnessing such a mountain formation. He had only encountered descriptions of it in ancient texts and never imagined someone could cultivate a living mountain.

"Such a terrain could, of course, give birth to a true dragon, though it would require millions of years. For now, this is a dormant dragon, exhaling dragon qi that can harm anyone who approaches."

Ye Fan cautioned them to be careful. Using his Source Arts to analyze the path, he led the two forward, approaching the waterfall step by step with extreme caution.

This was a verdant mountain, with scarce vegetation, primarily covered in rocks that had transformed into azure scales. These scales adhered to the mountain body piece by piece, giving it the appearance of a coiled azure dragon.

"No, something's off," Ye Fan said, stopping in surprise. "The dragon's body is azure, so why is purple qi seeping out from the vertical gaps between these dragon scales?"

He ascended into the air to observe the front from afar. From the ninety collapsed Dragon Mountains, wisps of qi emanated, varying in color from black to crimson.

Ye Fan sensed a chilling aura. Although these dragons had been nurtured by humans, they had developed spirits. The collapse of the ninety mountains had generated residual resentment, which seeped into this location, tainting the azure dragon and causing the emanating qi to mutate.

"We must be very careful. This place was originally unremarkable, but now it likely holds hidden dangers."

Ye Fan suspended his cauldron above his head and held a piece of green copper in his hand. Leading the two, he reached the base of the mountain, continuously altering the terrain beneath his feet using his Supreme Source Arts.

It must be said that his methods were heaven-defying, unmatched in this era. His Source Arts were almost divine, allowing him to freely alter the mountain's terrain, even on the body of this dormant azure dragon.

Originally, this dragon was a formidable weapon; the purple qi emanating from each scale could transform into lethal light. However, it was now frozen, preventing any outbursts.

Ye Fan carved a path, reaching the base of the vast white waterfall. Water cascaded from the dragon's mouth, as if it were alive, imbued with a divine aura.

"If this Earth Immortal's coffin is inside the dragon's mouth, isn't there a risk of it being submerged by water?" the Great Valley Master asked, filled with doubt.

Ye Fan observed closely, saying nothing. He then employed his Source Arts to clear away any obstacles, proceeding toward the dragon's mouth. Suddenly, the great waterfall ceased, its flow stopping entirely, and the thunderous sound vanished.

"The scales of this dragon are moving!" the Old Crane exclaimed in surprise.

The entire azure dragon mountain, all its cliff faces, began to tremble. Like opening dragon scales, dozens of suspended coffins appeared, which had previously been hidden behind the rock formations.

*Bang!*

The boat-shaped ancient coffins burst open, and scalp-tingling screams filled the air as dozens of Daoists swooped down like flying yakshas.

"What are these things? Why do they look like this?" the Third Valley Master exclaimed in astonishment.

These figures were covered in scales, as if transforming into dragons. Their eyes were azure, devoid of any human emotion, and they exhaled dragon qi, radiating a powerful aura.

*Bang!*

The Old Crane conjured a flying sword, pure white as jade, and struck it out. However, upon hitting one of the Daoists, it emitted a brilliant flash of light before shattering instantly.

He was a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Dragon Transformation, attacking with his sword lineage, yet he was utterly helpless against his opponent; his weapon was destroyed on the spot.

Ye Fan was astonished. These Daoists were formidable, having merged with the mountain's formation. They were like the dragon mountain itself: animated corpses that had found a new form of "life."

Of course, this was merely the revival of their corpses. The individuals themselves could not have genuinely returned to life; their spirits had long since dissipated.

"The two of you, retreat along the path I just took."

The Old Crane and the Third Valley Master heard this and dared not delay. They knew Ye Fan was a mighty practitioner and that remaining would only hinder him.

With a piercing shriek, a Daoist swooped down. It was covered in dense dragon scales, its azure pupils were hollow, and its hair was disheveled. It possessed the strength of the First Heaven of the Immortal Platform.

*Thump!*

Ye Fan remained still. His golden fist ascended with heaven-defying power, and with a single punch, everything shattered. The Daoist was instantly pulverized into a shower of azure dust, the same color as the dragon mountain.

He was surprised. Judging by their attire, these individuals seemed to have been mere servants, perhaps woodcutters or water-boilers within a Daoist sect. Yet, they were astonishingly powerful, especially their bodies, which had become as hard as diamond after developing dragon scales.

Ye Fan continuously threw punches, his golden blood energy so potent it seemed to obscure the sun, delivering fatal blows. He successively pulverized over a dozen of the swooping human-dragon corpses, leaving the Old Crane and the Third Valley Master in the distance utterly aghast.

"Heavenly Source Seal Demon!"

Ye Fan activated his Source Arts, borrowing dozens of light beams from the azure dragon mountain. These beams forcefully sealed all the Daoists still descending from the suspended coffins back inside. The dragon scales then closed, blocking access to the dozens of coffins.

The world fell silent. The sound of the waterfall ceased, and the piercing screams vanished, but Ye Fan remained motionless, standing still.

"I have a feeling those Daoists' clothes look familiar," the monkey remarked. "They strongly resemble ancient robes from the Shu region."

"Yes, I also recognized them as people from Shu," the Old Crane whispered, nodding.

*Gasp!*

Suddenly, even more piercing screams erupted. Two very small crystal suspended coffins emerged from the opened dragon-scaled cliff face, and from them, two Daoist youths swooped down.

Their hair was already snow-white, indicating great age, suggesting they were likely very ancient. Yet, their faces were like those of dolls, incredibly youthful. In life, both had "severed the Dao," and their physical bodies were immensely powerful.

Ye Fan frowned, marveling inwardly. That even the two Daoist youths serving the Earth Immortal were "Dao-severing kings" was truly astonishing. No wonder several Saints had emerged among his disciples.

*Roar!*

Simultaneously, four more loud roars echoed. Four more ancient jade coffins appeared on the azure dragon mountain, seemingly belonging to the Earth Immortal's registered disciples.

"Three Great Perfection Kings, and one Half-Saint!"

Ye Fan was shocked. If these individuals charged, he would be in grave danger. Even without their divine consciousness, being mere physical bodies, they would still be incredibly troublesome.

"Accumulated Yang forms the spirit; within the spirit, form resides. Form is born from the sun; the sun is born from the moon. Accumulated Yin forms shape; within the shape, spirit resides..." He recited the complete and flawless "Scripture of Salvation," then produced the ghost-faced bronze lamp, which cast a ghastly green glow.

It must be said that this had a miraculous effect. Both the "Scripture of Salvation" and the ancient lamp, acquired from Mars, were sacred artifacts for suppressing malevolent spirits. Their effect was immediate: all six corpses flew backward, plunging into their suspended coffins and sealing themselves within the cracks of the dragon-scaled rock wall.

Ye Fan ascended the cliff and entered the crack resembling a dragon's mouth. Inside, he sensed a peaceful aura, devoid of any killing intent, and beckoned the two distant figures to approach.

The waterfall had ceased, and no dampness was felt within the dragon's mouth; instead, it was surprisingly dry and clean. In the very center lay an ancient coffin, plain and unremarkable.

It was, astonishingly, a yellow mud coffin!

It was dull and even somewhat rough, lying quietly there without any discernible fluctuations. Could this truly be the Earth Immortal's coffin? Even his disciples had ancient jade coffins, yet his own was so strikingly simple.

"Yes, it must be," the Old Crane said, his voice trembling. "An Earth Immortal resonates with the vast qi of the earth; their coffin would naturally be best crafted from yellow mud."

Was this the Earth Immortal that Master Chisong had sought? Ye Fan stared blankly, lost in thought. They had actually found him, a feat that only ancient Great Sages dared to pursue in the past.

To think of Master Chisong's immense divine powers—he attained the Dao during the Shennong era, his cultivation reaching heaven and earth. A speck of dust could transform into a sword capable of filling the sea, and a blade of grass could become a sword to cleave down the sun, moon, and stars. He commanded awe in ancient times and was revered by all, yet he failed to find this immortal.

The Old Crane and the Third Valley Master were equally excited, their bodies trembling. This discovery touched upon a forbidden domain that even the Demon God Ancestors of Ten Thousand Monster Valley had failed to find, yet now it had been discovered by them.

All of this was possible only because it was the end of an era, with the ancient sages having long departed, leaving behind a chaotic legacy, thus providing them with this rare opportunity.

Otherwise, it would have been utterly impossible!

"So, who exactly do you say he is?" Ye Fan asked, calming himself.

In front of this azure dragon mountain, an ancient stele bore a few inscriptions, seemingly erected by his disciples. They stated that this individual had once entered Shu and was revered as the "Head Immortal."

"Considering the clothes of those Daoists and youths we just saw, they must have been from Shu," the Old Crane stated.

They dared not rashly disturb the Earth Immortal's yellow mud coffin. Instead, they first sought to deduce his identity, fearing potential danger, hoping to make accurate inferences based on his character during his lifetime.

"Could it be Rongcheng Gong?" the Great Valley Master asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

Tan Xiu's *Shu Ji* from the Eastern Jin Dynasty records: "Among the Eight Immortals of Shu, the first is Rongcheng Gong, also known as Gui Rongqu, who secluded himself in the Primordial Chaos, now identified as Mount Qingcheng."

That era was too distant for them to fully comprehend, so they could only infer from ancient records.

"It's unknown in what year he was born, but it's said he achieved nirvana in the Shu region."

Regarding Rongcheng Gong, even the Old Crane and the Third Valley Master, both born in Shu, did not know the extent of his power. This was because he maintained a very low profile, leaving behind no shocking or widely known achievements.

"Master Chisong sought him out; is he truly that powerful?" the Third Valley Master wondered, harboring doubts.

"It should be him, because he was also known as Rongcheng Zi," Ye Fan said.

In ancient times, anyone whose name included the character "Zi" (子) was an extraordinary, heaven-defying figure. Such "Masters" all possessed abilities that could reach through heaven and earth, signifying them as at least ancient sages.

"I thought the Daoists were merely mythologizing him," the Old Crane sighed softly, clearly indicating his prior knowledge. "Now it seems those records are true."

*The Biographies of Immortals* records that Rongcheng Zi appeared during the Western Zhou Dynasty, met King Mu of Zhou, and taught him the path to longevity.

King Mu of Zhou was one of the most legendary emperors in ancient Chinese history, known as "Son of Heaven Mu." He was an almost god-like figure, as recorded in *The Tale of King Mu, Son of Heaven*.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, Rongcheng Zi resided on Mount Taimu in Fujian Province, practicing alchemy and cultivation while maintaining a low profile, before later entering Shu.

"That makes sense," Ye Fan said. "Master Chisong attained nirvana during the Warring States period, and his prior entry into Shu was most likely to find Rongcheng Zi's whereabouts."

"That doesn't quite add up," the Old Crane expressed his doubt. "Even if Rongcheng Zi possessed vast divine powers, he might not be comparable to Master Chisong. The latter, after all, was renowned throughout the land during the Shennong era, arguably the most prestigious cultivator."

Ye Fan shook his head, explaining that Rongcheng Zi was also far from simple. He had manifested as early as the Yellow Emperor's era, teaching the Yellow Emperor the art of guiding the bow and expounding the Grand Dao of longevity. Even Ge Hong, a prominent Daoist leader, had recorded this.

Rongcheng Zi manifested in different periods, and his fame and deeds are recorded in numerous ancient texts, including *Huangdi Neijing Suwen*, *Shenxian Zhuan*, *Liexian Zhuan*, and *Xuanyuan Benji*.

"Before Shennong attained the Dao, he learned from Master Chisong. Before the Yellow Emperor attained the Dao, he received enlightenment from Rongcheng Zi," the Old Crane noted. "In some sense, they should be on par, and Master Chisong should predate Rongcheng Zi's era."

Ye Fan said, "One of these two manifested during Shennong's time, and the other during the Yellow Emperor's time, but who can truly know their precise era? However, one thing is certain: Rongcheng Zi is far more ancient than you imagine. Clues can be found in ancient texts. For example, Zhuangzi once mentioned some ancient emperors..."

Zhuangzi's *Qu Que Pian* records: "In the past, there were Rongcheng Shi, Dading Shi, Bohuang Shi, Zhongyang Shi, Piaolu Shi, Lixu Shi, Xuanyuan Shi..." At that time, people used knotted ropes.

This record mentions a total of twelve ancient emperors. Rongcheng Shi predated the Shennong and Yellow Emperor periods, serving as a powerful tribal leader in ancient times and a legendary immortal.

"If I'm not mistaken," Ye Fan stated, "the so-called Rongcheng Zi is actually the ancient Rongcheng Shi—an extremely ancient immortal, even predating Master Chisong."

The Third Valley Master was somewhat dumbfounded. The way these two had pieced together clues from various ancient texts, evolving Rongcheng Gong first into "Zi" and then deducing him to be Rongcheng Shi, was truly astonishing.

As they looked at the yellow mud coffin, their shock was immense. This was an entity revered as an immortal during the time of ancient ancestors, whose true identity might be Rongcheng Shi, a revelation that left them feeling immense pressure.