Chapter 980: Getting a Body

Zhongnan Mountain is characterized by its precipitous terrain and rugged paths. It contains five major valleys and hundreds of smaller ones, stretching for hundreds of miles with a majestic and imposing presence.

The morning glow was radiant, with mist flowing through the mountains and forests, first bathed in a reddish hue by the dawn light, then displaying a myriad of colors, creating an atmosphere of peace and auspiciousness.

Ye Fan and his group began their descent, preparing to leave this ancestral Taoist site. After a late-night battle where he eliminated all invaders, he found the Taoist priests of the Quanzhen School and asked them to relay a message: if anyone sought him, they should travel west, as he was already on his way.

"This truly is a sacred land of Taoism; no wonder so many people come here for pilgrimage every year," Long Yuxuan exclaimed, speaking more than usual.

The ancestral Taoist mountain was veiled in mist and clouds, enveloped by an indescribable divine glow. Walking there, one felt a profound peace of mind and body, as if a strange energy flowed through them.

More than twenty years ago, before Ye Fan left Earth, he had read reports stating that even in modern times, there were many hermits in the depths of Zhongnan Mountain, numbering no less than five thousand.

At the time, after researching online, Ye Fan had specifically verified this with a friend living in Shaanxi Province, who confirmed it was true.

These individuals lived a life akin to thousands of years ago, secluded and reclusive. Seeking inner peace beyond worldly concerns, they chose to live in seclusion in the mountains, all of course, being mortals.

As he walked along the mountain path at this moment, Ye Fan couldn't help but extend his divine sense to scan the mountain range. He indeed saw some of these hermits, which filled him with emotion.

After walking some distance on the mountain path, they began to traverse the mountains independently, leaving the road behind, and arrived at the northern ridge of Zhongnan Mountain. In a trance, Ye Fan heard chanting.

"Master, why have you stopped?" asked the young Celestial Master, Zhang Qingyang.

"Do you hear that?" Ye Fan murmured, standing still and silently listening. He heard ancient Taoist sounds, a lecture on scriptures.

The others exchanged glances, remaining silent as they sensed nothing. Yet, they dared not speak much, realizing Ye Fan had entered a state of profound meditation, merging with the Tao, achieving the unity of heaven and man.

In his eyes, the entire Zhongnan Mountain became magnificent, a primal aura assailing him. It soared tens of thousands of *ren* high, filling him with a sense of oppression.

He looked into the distance, where a giant stone stood, inscribed with three ancient characters: "Louguan Platform."

"The Way that can be spoken of is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the constant name…"

He heard the ancient scripture lecture, which transcended time and space. An old man sat cross-legged on the stone platform, expounding the scriptures.

Ye Fan instantly entered a state of enlightenment, his gaze fixed intently on the blurred and indistinct figure. It was an ancient Taoist manifestation, engaged in writing a book.

Legend has it that Laozi, while traveling west, once entered Shaanxi and lectured on the Tao in Zhongnan Mountain, leaving behind two parts of the *Tao Te Ching*. That place was Louguan Platform.

The ancestral land of Taoism, nestled by mountains and water, was rich with lush forests and bamboo groves, their green canopies shading the sky. Louguan Platform, also known as the Scripture-Lecturing Platform, was where the indistinct Taoist figure, free from joy or sorrow, detached from worldly concerns, recited the scriptures, speaking as if everything he uttered was unrelated to himself.

As Ye Fan entered meditation, he recalled hearing that the *Tao Te Ching* had two parts: one circulated among mortals, and another, not manifest in the world, containing heaven-defying Taoist techniques.

He listened intently, hoping to acquire the other part. Although he knew the chances were slim, he still held some hope. However, by the end, he was ultimately disappointed.

On that Taoist platform, the indistinct figure finished the lecture, then handed over another scripture, not reciting it aloud, and gave it to someone before vanishing.

Ye Fan sighed deeply, awakening. The day was still the same, the land still the same. The indistinct manifestation of Laozi had vanished. He had ultimately failed to obtain the lower part of the *Tao Te Ching*.

He gazed blankly at the sky. Laozi had left his legacy in the Ziwei Ancient Star Domain, and Yin Tiande had obtained its inheritance, which filled him with regret.

"Master, what's wrong?" It was only then that his disciples dared to ask, having feared interrupting his thoughts.

"I need to be quiet here for a while," Ye Fan murmured to himself.

He sat cross-legged on a green stone, beginning to profoundly contemplate and reflect. The Taoist manifestation he had just witnessed was surrounded by traces of the Great Dao. Although he hadn't heard the lower part of the scripture, he had seen those traces of the Tao, which profoundly moved him.

Ye Fan remained motionless for an entire day and night. After another two days and two nights passed, he finally opened his eyes. His disciples were all stunned, for they saw several identical Ye Fans stand up.

Laozi's One Breath Manifesting Three Pure Ones!

This was a secret technique Ye Fan deeply coveted, as it could create three additional selves, far more profound than mere avatars, possessing mysterious and complex miraculous uses.

"Master, what secret technique is this?"

Ye Fan sighed softly as the other figures dispersed, leaving only his true body and an enduring Taoist manifestation. For now, he could only achieve this much.

"Difficult, difficult, difficult!"

He had listened to the Taoist sounds and seen the ancient Laozi sitting on the Scripture-Lecturing Platform. Through this, he gained enlightenment, yet he was only able to manifest one true Taoist body.

"Will there be a day when I confront Yin Tiande?"

After gathering his thoughts, his mind settled into a serene state. Lingering there for a few days, he had manifested a Taoist body, which was, in fact, an immense gain!

In a short time, the appearance of the Taoist body could double his cultivation level, with no significant difference from his true body. This was far more formidable than merely doubling the combat power of a single physical form.

In the past, he had attempted to manifest this through the Fighting Saint technique, but he hadn't grasped its true essence, so it yielded no significant effect. Now, he had finally succeeded in creating a Taoist body.

Upon learning this, his disciples were greatly astonished and eagerly requested him to teach them the technique. Ye Fan nodded, as he would soon be traveling west and needed to impart some protective Taoist methods to them.

"This is truly miraculous! Gaining an extra self is even more important than instantly multiplying one's own strength several times over!"

All the disciples were awestruck and urged Ye Fan to continue his enlightenment, striving to fully master the true One Breath Manifesting Three Pure Ones technique. As for themselves, it was beyond consideration; their cultivation level was insufficient to comprehend such a Taoist fruit.

"Everyone has their own unique path. Manifesting one Taoist body is already an immense Taoist fruit. If I could spontaneously manifest a second Taoist body, I would truly be Laozi himself."

Ye Fan shook his head. To manifest another Taoist body would be harder than ascending to the Ninth Heaven; it would only be possible by truly comprehending the complete scriptures.

"Master, you said you killed the younger brother of Yin Tiande, Laozi's inheritor. Do you think you can defeat him in the future?" Zhan Yifan asked.

"It's hard to say whether we'll meet in this lifetime," Ye Fan sighed softly, gazing at the misty sky, as if his sight could pierce through starfields to glimpse his formidable enemies: the Heavenly Sovereign's Son, the Yao Guang Saint Son, Yin Tiande, and others.

This time, Ye Fan and his group truly began their westward journey, moving away from Zhongnan Mountain. They first entered Ningxia, then Qinghai, and finally arrived in the Tibetan region.

Ye Fan led the group at a moderate pace, not using the ancient divine ability of "shrinking the ground into an inch." They traveled slowly westward, cultivating enlightenment as they journeyed.

They entered the Tibetan region to visit Xiao Song's home. The little fellow was quite nostalgic; ever since they embarked on the westward path, he had seemed a bit listless, missing his small nest.

While in the Tibetan region, someone caught up with them: an old Taoist priest from Zhongnan Mountain, who delivered a Taoist talisman letter to them.

Ye Fan took the letter and, after reading it, frowned. The so-called Crusades, with the pretense of judging him, had another true purpose: to seize the ancestral artifacts of the Central Lands.

Years ago, when Mount Tai split and altars emerged, various major powers appeared. People from the Western orthodoxy arrived forcefully and, amidst the chaos, plundered the foundation of the largest altar, which was inscribed with half of a Heavenly Tome, recording ancient secrets.

For all these years, they had been diligently studying it and now wished to complete the ancient Heavenly Tome, as it seemed to contain an earth-shattering secret.

"It's fine. They'll have to get past me first. If they can't, I'll send them all on their way, then I'll travel west to retrieve the ancestral artifact."

Ye Fan reassured the old Taoist priest and asked him to convey a message through the various sect masters to the Western orthodoxy: he had already slain a group of Templar Knights in Zhongnan Mountain, and was now in Xizang.

On that very day, Jerusalem and the Vatican were greatly shaken. After days without news, it was discovered that dozens of powerful cultivators had died, not a single one surviving.

"The heretic is too arrogant! He slaughtered everyone and even had some Central Lands sect masters convey his message, completely disregarding us!"

A grand archbishop of the Western orthodoxy issued a call to arms: the Crusades were imminent, aiming to crush the demon, judge him, and carry out a final judgment.

Of course, the expeditionary force was already in preparation, as they intended to seize the remaining parts of the ancient altar. This time, they would simply use the opportunity to eliminate the heretic.

However, they also carefully considered that the demon from the Central Lands must have surpassed the Great Perfection of the Dragon Transformation realm, meaning their earlier intelligence was inaccurate.

"A cultivator at the Celestial Platform First Heaven realm is rare in this era. He must be such a great divine power!"

"Could he truly be an ancient sect master?"

The Crusades this time involved a grand army, composed entirely of cultivation masters. A cardinal of the Holy See issued a decree, enlisting numerous powerful cultivators into service for a holy war.

On this day, five hundred knights set off eastward. Although the Pope did not appear publicly, he secretly bestowed a holy crucifix, ensuring their achievements and honor would be remembered.

"Master, I just received a message from my sect! The Crusaders have already begun their eastward march, and they are like clouds of strong fighters, like rain of masters!" exclaimed the young Celestial Master, Zhang Yang.

"It's nothing," Ye Fan said, rubbing two black arrow feathers. He then manifested another Taoist body. This would be a crucial reliance for his westward journey and transformation into an ancient power, making him fearless even against a true god!

Days later, in the Tibetan region, Ye Fan encountered a group of people. The Crusaders had dispersed and arrived in smaller groups, but upon discovering his whereabouts, they quickly regrouped.

"Are you that heretic?"

Five hundred knights roared as they approached, each clad in medieval armor, gleaming with cold light. They wielded greatswords or war spears, their bodies emanating a potent vitality.

All these individuals were powerful cultivators. The three knight commanders leading them were all at the Great Perfection of the Celestial Platform First Heaven realm. They led top knights from various ancient families.

The five hundred knights shouted, their voices echoing through the sky. Their vital energy was so immense it seemed to obscure the heavens and cover the earth, like a raging flood. It shook this uninhabited region, causing many mountains to rumble.

"Since a secret technique like 'God Descends to the Mortal World' exists, there must be an extremely terrifying and powerful being. If he doesn't come, no matter how many of you there are, it will be useless," Ye Fan calmly stated.

"Boom!"

He unleashed his might without reservation. A golden pillar of vital energy shot up from his crown, piercing the sky, reaching the clouds above and the earth below, connecting heaven and earth.

Ye Fan's golden vital energy surged like a vast ocean, completely suppressing the vital energy of the five hundred Crusader knights. He stood alone against all the powerful foes, like a god or a demon.

"You... who exactly are you?" The three knight commanders trembled. They knew they were in grave trouble; for such a person to appear in this era was absolutely a great calamity!

Perhaps only a few beings within the sacred lands of the Western orthodoxy could slay this man.

"Ye Fan, Lord of the Heavenly Court," a calm voice replied. Then, his entire body surging with golden vital energy, he charged forward like a demon god, beginning a massacre.

"Bang!"

Blood light burst forth!

With just one punch, the head of one of the three knight commanders exploded. He fell backward to the ground, meeting a violent end.

A knight commander at the Great Perfection of the Celestial Platform First Heaven realm was utterly no match!

The remaining individuals fell into disarray but did not retreat. They gathered together, forming an ancient formation, and began to charge forward.

"Puff!"

Blood light flashed as Ye Fan displayed Master Chisongzi's profound sword dao, and the divine art of "turning a speck of dust into a sword to fill the sea" reappeared in the world!

A swath of crimson light emerged, countless blood mists billowed upwards, and shattered bones and blood covered the ground. The place became a true battlefield, a Shura field.

"Over a hundred years ago, you plundered my Central Lands' ancestral artifacts when my nation was in turmoil. Now you dare to return? There will be no return from this slaughter!"

That day, all five hundred knights were annihilated. The entire Crusader army perished in the Tibetan region. This news, upon reaching the West, caused an immense uproar!

This was shocking news. Both the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Holy See in the Vatican experienced metaphorical magnitude twelve earthquakes; all the great figures were alarmed.

"The first Crusader army has been annihilated. My God, I didn't mishear, did I?!"

"A great demon has emerged from the Central Lands. This is a nightmare!"

"His name is Ye Fan, and he calls himself the Lord of the Heavenly Court. Is he trying to equate himself with God?!"

The West was deeply shaken. The Pope began recruiting Holy Knights who had lived since ancient times and even planned to summon Divine Knights for another eastward crusade.