Chapter 982: West Land in Turmoil

The heavenly tribulation finally ceased, but the streaks of lightning had not yet completely faded, dispersing as residual energy. Without the Heaven-Deceiving Ancient Array set up by Ye Fan, this mountain range would surely have been destroyed.

Finally, the last wisp of lightning faded, and peace returned to the world. On the ground lay a pile of ashes and a small piece of charcoal.

"Little Pine!"

Yan Xiaoyu and the others could not bear to watch. This sight was too cruel; the little purple creature had been struck down and turned to ash.

They felt Ye Fan was somewhat heartless. How could he disregard his disciple's life or death? Had the little purple creature really died like this?

There was no life, no flesh and blood, only a pile of ashes and a piece of charcoal. Its physical body was scorched and lifeless, a truly tragic sight.

Thinking of the little creature's adorable appearance, and then seeing this scene, they felt like crying. Their hearts ached, wondering why this had happened.

"It's fine, it didn't die," Ye Fan said. It wasn't that he was heartless; rather, if he intervened and protected the little creature, its current tribulation would be considered a failure. This would lead to immeasurable consequences, making its future path of cultivation extremely difficult and fraught with obstacles.

Even its Dao foundation would be destroyed, and any aspirations of achieving the Supreme Dao Fruit, becoming a Supreme Demon Emperor, or looking down upon the world would become impossible dreams.

The little creature whimpered and struggled in the ashes. A scent of roasted flesh emanated from its body, but finally, there was a glimmer of life, allowing people to sense that it was still alive.

Yan Xiaoyu and the others quickly rushed over. They watched nervously but dared not touch it, fearing they might worsen its injuries. The little creature was almost unrecognizable; it miserably opened its eyes, its body nearly charred.

It kept mumbling and crying out in pain. Ye Fan immediately acted, drawing golden blood from his own body to cleanse its bones and heal its physical form.

Once the Human Sacred Body reaches completion, its blood can be considered a precious spiritual medicine. It naturally possesses extraordinary miraculous effects, capable of strengthening muscles and bones, cleansing marrow, and refining fur. A special fragrance emanated from it.

"The first tribulation is always like this," Ye Fan said. "Your master was even worse off than you back then, not recognized by the Great Dao, barely escaping with my life. I only managed to reclaim my life by entering the Primordial Forbidden Zone."

Soon after, Little Pine's hazy eyes slowly refocused. It whimpered a few times, looking pitifully at Ye Fan, its entire body in severe pain.

"Now is the time to consolidate your Dao Fruit; you must brace yourself," Ye Fan urged strictly. "After undergoing the baptism of the lightning tribulation, you must transform into a stronger physical body."

On normal days, he could dote on it, but when it came to cultivation, he would never spoil it. He strictly ordered it to quickly pull itself together and temper its physical body.

Although Little Pine was naive, it knew Ye Fan was doing this for its own good. Upon hearing this, it forced itself to gather its spirit, repair its injured body, perform blood regeneration, and begin tempering its almost ruined shell.

*Crackle, crackle.* The essence of the heavenly tribulation still lingered within its body. As its blood flowed, it continuously hummed, hammering its broken bones, refining its internal organs, and purifying its flesh and blood.

It took several hours for Little Pine to undergo a complete transformation. A small pile of charred skin and bones fell off onto the ground. Its body changed significantly; its fur became smoother and shimmered with purple light.

At this point, its body had shrunk to the size of a palm, and including its tail, it was only a foot long. Its large eyes resembled two black gemstones embedded in amethyst.

The other disciples sighed, remarking that true heavenly tribulations were rare in this era. Only a few ancient sects possessed secret methods to draw a small amount of lightning during thunderstorms to temper their physical bodies, but what Little Pine had experienced was truly unique.

"Little Pine, how many years have you been cultivating the Dao?" asked Zhan Yifan.

The others were also curious, teasing it playfully, asking how old it was to have achieved such a level of cultivation.

It meticulously counted on its fingers, looking a bit confused, even using its toes. Its silly demeanor immediately amused everyone.

Ye Fan also smiled and said, "It's an anomaly. It hasn't actually been cultivating for many years; otherwise, it wouldn't have this disposition."

Little Pine had just counted to five on its toes when it immediately became embarrassed upon hearing this. But soon, it reverted to its carefree, silly grin, looking utterly charming.

The Kunlun Mountains, beginning in the Pamir Plateau in the west, extend across Xinjiang and Tibet, and reach into Qinghai province. They are considered the most significant ancestral mountains in ancient Chinese mythology.

According to some ancient records, the ancient ancestors of the Central Plains may have originated from Kunlun, a result of eastward migration. This theory is supported by linguistics, mythology, and modern genetic analysis, and is recognized by some scholars.

People believe that it is precisely for this reason that the ancient ancestors left behind numerous legends, and why Kunlun holds such a pivotal position in Chinese mythology.

Gazing into the distance at Kunlun, it appears majestic and grand, with an ever-changing vista. It resembles a weighty history book, yet also a source of life, carrying too much significance.

Afterwards, they entered the Kunlun Mountains, visited Sect Master Xuechen, and received a grand welcome. What Ye Fan had done recently was truly astonishing.

The scenic spots in Kunlun are countless. It has been called an immortal mountain since ancient times, a place where immortals ascend. Unfortunately, its main parts are located within ancient magical arrays, hidden from ordinary people.

"There is hope of becoming an immortal within these mountains, and immortal medicines also grow here," Ye Fan murmured to himself. "And the ruthless one's brother might have fallen here too."

If they continued westward, they would soon leave the country, officially beginning their western campaign. Ye Fan did not set off immediately; instead, he took his disciples and explored Kunlun.

There were too many legends here, and they also hoped to encounter some opportunities. But after lingering for several days, they found nothing. Ye Fan estimated the location of the hidden immortal land, which contained the opportunity to become an immortal. However, without a complete map, he dared not venture in.

At night, a bonfire flickered deep within the Kunlun Mountains. Zhang Qingyang had hunted a unicorn, and the group skinned and cleaned it, then roasted it over the fire.

"You are devils, boo-hoo..."

In the distance, a blonde girl cried indignantly. She had come to the Central Plains to vanquish demons, but after finding traces, she had lost her beloved mount.

The people in front had skinned the unicorn right in front of her, roasting it to a fragrant golden brown. The aroma wafted through the night, particularly stimulating one's appetite.

"Boo-hoo, my sister won't let you off, you devils, you ate my unicorn!" she cried, but it changed nothing.

"Little girl, have you been reading too many stories about warriors slaying dragons?" Zhan Yifan said, shaking his head and smiling mockingly. "You're so naive, yet you dare to come to the Central Plains to vanquish demons—a child ignorant of the truth."

"Hey, I must say, this unicorn meat is really delicious, quite tasty!" Zhang Qingyang commented. "Too bad it's not a purebred, otherwise it would definitely be a great tonic."

In the Kunlun Mountains, the evening mist was thick. The group sat around the bonfire, and the roasted unicorn meat had a unique flavor. Yan Xiaoyu, with his ingenuity, specifically acquired some seasonings from the Xinjiang people and grilled meat skewers, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

"Waah... I'll fight you all!" The fourteen or fifteen-year-old blonde girl pounced, claws out, but Zhan Yifan picked up a piece of fragrant meat and popped it into her mouth. "Little girl, don't be so fierce," he said. "Try it yourself; that unicorn was well-fed, and its meat is quite good."

Ye Fan knew without even thinking that the Western Holy See must be mobilizing all its forces. Otherwise, how would a little girl like this come to the East?

Clearly, some scions of ancient families had been misled, all wanting to become epic heroes who slayed devils. Many likely ran off to the East without their families' knowledge.

Indeed, over the next few days, more than a dozen similar incidents occurred, with people fantasizing about becoming heroes who slayed dragons and devils. Some were still children, ignorant of the ways of the world.

Whenever Zhan Yifan, Zhang Qingyang, and the others caught such naive "heroes" and "beauties," they would thoroughly plunder them, then give them a good spanking, and finally drive them away.

"Go back and tell your elders that I'll be staying in Kunlun for three more days," Ye Fan declared. "If you want to come, come quickly. If not, I'll go to the West to visit the Pope and have afternoon tea with him."

When a group of young people, who had come with grand dreams but suffered severe setbacks, returned and recounted their experiences, it caused a huge uproar in the Western cultivation world.

"This is too much!" came the cries. "The Mohan family's unicorn was eaten, the Haigu family's wyvern was also roasted, and the Qiu'en family's fire phoenix... These people are indeed devils, utterly evil! They must be put to the stake!"

Ye Fan and his group had not even entered the West yet, but they were already infamous. Even his six disciples were being called horned demons, let alone Ye Fan himself.

The tranquility of Kunlun Mountain was shattered. After the news spread back, over these three days, countless cultivators from Western traditions descended—all rogue cultivators who had come upon hearing the news, seeking to vent their anger.

However, the outcome was brutal. Once Ye Fan drew his sword, he swept through thousands, and blood flowed like rivers. Not a single person was his match.

Not a single person managed to escape; blood stained the rocks of Kunlun red. In the end, it was Ye Fan who informed the Daoist sect, asking them to relay the message to the Pope, and only then did the West learn that a group of rogue cultivators who had crossed over to vanquish demons had perished.

A high-ranking figure in the Vatican smashed the wine glass filled with red wine. His fury surged, and holy light erupted from his entire body, reaching towards the sky.

"Charlande," the figure said, "you are one of the most powerful Holy Knights to have survived the Dark Ages. The merciful Lord has bestowed divine light upon you and granted you immense glory. Can you find a few more individuals from the ancient era?"

"Can't I kill him by myself?"

"Your divine bravery is known throughout the world," the figure replied. "Holy Knights who have lived since the Dark Ages are all favored by God. I am concerned you might get injured. Go find a few companions, and together, you shall go to the East and slay that devil."

"Very well," Charlande responded, "I might be able to find a few ancient Holy Knights to go and kill him."

After the great upheaval in the Western cultivation world, they naturally began to implement a rapid response strategy. The complete annihilation of the Crusader army in the Central Plains was a significantly negative event, and many more had died since, so it had to be resolved quickly.

In these few days, even ordinary mortals heard the hymns of angels and occasionally witnessed unusual phenomena, indicating the immense extent of their activity.

Many ancient families were sought out. They had been protected by ancient magical arrays, isolated from the world, and living for years in medieval castles, but now they were invited out.

"Devils emerging from the Central Plains!" These four words became a key phrase in recent days, spreading throughout the Western cultivation world. Some felt pressure, while others believed it meant the Central Plains Daoist sects were initiating war.

"My Lord's will descends upon the world, cleansing earthly defilements with holy fire..." On this day, a divine angel descended, appearing inside a magnificent cathedral. She had a female face of unparalleled beauty, golden hair flowing like radiant sunlight, a slender figure dressed in light gauze, and radiated holy brilliance.

On this very same day, the Vatican Pope also officially issued a call to arms, summoning lineages from all corners to form a true Crusader army for an eastward expedition.

The Pope's influence was immense. Throughout history, all true Crusades had been initiated by the Pope. Therefore, as soon as this call to arms was issued, the Western cultivation world completely erupted.

In ancient castles isolated from the mortal world, some exceedingly talented and powerful young people, and some elders who already had one foot in the grave, all stirred into action upon hearing the news.

"Let's go, three days have passed, it's time to set off again..." Ye Fan and his group moved away from the Kunlun Mountains, having officially crossed the national border, and began their advance westward.