Chapter 983: Sacred Spirit Embryo

The Pamir Plateau, known in ancient times as Congling or the Onion Mountains, was a vital passage on the Silk Road. Currently, only its eastern slopes remain under Chinese jurisdiction; the rest lie within other countries' borders.

Recent events have caused a huge stir, with even the Daoist sects preparing for a major conflict, fearing the spread of the Western Crusades' flames into the Central Plains. Ye Fan is determined to fight his way west to retrieve ancestral artifacts. There is no longer any pretense; he has been labeled a demon from the Central Plains.

In the Western cultivation world, the most talked-about topic is this "demon," and everyone is speculating about who will emerge to eliminate this great demon and bring divine light to the Central Plains.

The Pamir Mountains, with their high altitude, are considered a place where dragons coil and gods recline. Numerous dragon veins converge here, bordering western China, creating an area abundant with "dragon energy." This region is the "Roof of the World," characterized by numerous high mountains. Even the lowest points are over 4,000 meters, while the highest reach over 7,700 meters.

Ye Fan flew high into the sky, his gaze sweeping for thousands of miles. He observed lush, rugged mountains with many crevices and dense wilderness. He noticed traces of an ancient war and a complex terrain. This is the confluence of five major dragon veins: Tian Shan, the Himalayas, Kunlun Mountains, and Hindu Kush, forming a unique configuration where the various dragon veins intertwine and connect, serving as a convergence point.

"What a strange landform," Ye Fan mused. "With all these dragon veins converging and intertwining, is something buried here?"

Ye Fan focused on the convergence point of the major dragon veins and descended with his disciples. He saw a lush valley, resembling a swirling vortex formed by the coiling dragons.

"Dig it up," he commanded. "Did some ancient powerful being bury something here? Let's bring it to light today."

Ever since the disciples learned their master was a Source Master, they had started to see him as an ancestor of tomb raiders. Despite his repeated explanations, their gazes remained strange.

"Master, we're already outside the country," one disciple joked. "Won't digging randomly here cause problems or international disputes?"

The disciples joked around. Having grown familiar with Ye Fan's character, they no longer feared him much. This high plateau, historically called Congling, was rich in vegetation. Some areas were vibrant and lush, similar to the Southern Mountains.

"Dig!"

Zhan Yifan was the first to act, using the Immortal Sword Art taught by Ye Fan to strike downwards. Dust billowed into the sky as the swirling dragon valley quickly cracked and sank. Below, dragon bones, petrified into rock, became visible.

"This is indeed no ordinary place," Ye Fan declared. "It depends on your fortune; you might even dig up dragon marrow. Dragon marrow can extend life and contains fragments of the Grand Dao. It's especially beneficial for those in the Dragon Transformation Realm. I myself received help from such a substance in Central Province when I was in that realm."

Encouraged by Ye Fan, the disciples' enthusiasm grew. They all set to work, even the delicate Yan Xiaoyu, who seemed like a professional digger, working with high efficiency. This was indeed a sacred place. According to the Source Heaven Book, if a dragon vein hasn't withered, something extraordinary must be gestating and incubating within it. If this were in the Big Dipper Star Domain, Ye Fan would certainly not dig here unless he brought two Saints. Fortunately, Earth's spiritual energy has dried up, so even if something exists, it would likely be dormant or weakened.

They dug thousands of feet deep until they encountered an unyielding rock. It was inscribed with an ancient formation, guarding the earth, making it impossible to break or move.

"A Saint-level ancient formation?" Ye Fan was startled. It seemed they had uncovered something extraordinary, guarded by such an ancient array.

The disciples' efforts were futile; they couldn't break through the restriction. They nearly got injured and quickly retreated.

"It is indeed an extraordinary place!"

Ye Fan gazed at the Pamir Mountains, focusing on this convergence point where dragons coiled. Even he found it difficult to loosen the ancient formation, as it was a Saint-level array.

"Step back, all of you."

After moving a considerable distance away, he took out two ancient, unadorned black arrows. He notched one onto his bowstring, channeled all his strength, and shot it forth. This arrow was earth-shattering and ghost-wailing. If it had such power in the hands of the Changbai Mountain Guardian, imagine its might in Ye Fan's hands. Its material was unique, and the internal formation even more so. With just a slight trigger, it could transform into a God-Slaying Arrow! The black arrow's classification was hard to define. It possessed immense power but didn't consume vast amounts of spiritual power like Saintly Weapons. It was a secret treasure, listed as a "Divine Great Killing Weapon" in ancient times.

"Boom!"

A tremendous sound echoed. Surrounding mountains, five to six thousand meters high, collapsed. A violent earthquake erupted, dust surged skyward, and the ground split open.

"Master, the commotion is too great," a disciple exclaimed. "This will give seismologists headaches, and such a large earthquake will make international news."

The disciples gasped, urging him to take it easy.

Ye Fan's first arrow didn't completely destroy the ancient formation. He retrieved the black arrow and continued firing it repeatedly, an unknown number of times, until he finally blasted open the underground formation. He stroked the two black arrows, liking them more and more. Their power was extreme, yet the arrow bodies showed no damage. So many arrows fired would have been enough to kill even a Great Accomplishment King several times over. Now, the fact that it could blast open a Saint-level formation made it seem even more remarkable and precious. It truly lived up to its reputation as a divine artifact capable of slaying Demon Saints.

"Roar..."

Suddenly, a mighty roar surged from underground. Distant rivers and mountains collapsed, the earth rapidly cracked, and rocks and soil transformed into waves, soaring three thousand meters into the sky!

Divine might!

This sight was astonishing. Fortunately, Ye Fan was well-prepared, collecting all his disciples into the Cauldron of Myriad Mother Qi. Otherwise, the mere roar would have been enough to shatter the young prodigies into bloody pulp, wiping them out of existence. This was a Saint-level roar, shaking heaven and earth. Even from thousands of feet away, Ye Fan's body swayed and was sent flying by the immense sound waves.

Ye Fan quickly acted, retracting the cauldron into his glabella and rapidly retreating. Otherwise, even if the disciples were inside the cauldron, they would be refined, as their cultivation was too weak to withstand it. He faced it with his physical body, and without the protection of the Cauldron of Myriad Mother Qi, he immediately felt immense pressure. At its weakest, a Saint-level roar could collapse mountains and rivers. The most terrifying record spoke of a Great Saint who once roared down the moon in ancient times.

The roars from underground were incessant. A trace of blood spilled from Ye Fan's mouth, filling him with dread. There was still a living Saint on Earth!

A fiery red surge of vital energy shot up, thousands of meters high. A stone embryo appeared, its aura reaching the heavens, its powerful presence causing thousands of mountains to tremble.

"We actually dug up a big one!" Ye Fan muttered, feeling a headache. It was a Saint Spirit embryo.

"Tsk, wait, something's off." Suddenly, a thought struck him. This stone embryo was peculiar; it was formed from a wisp of vital energy, not a true body. More accurately, it seemed like a surge of resentment. As the sun's brilliance shone down from the sky, its form rapidly faded, emitting a wisp of green smoke, then dissipated like an illusion.

Ye Fan had heard that individuals with immense resentment could remain uncorrupted underground for tens of thousands of years. However, once exposed to daylight, they might dissipate into dust in an instant, achieving liberation.

"So, an ancient stone embryo, filled with deep hatred and immense resentment, was buried underground?"

According to ancient records, since the resentment had dissipated, the area should now be safe. He released his disciples, and together they ventured into the underground world.

Deep within the earth's core, there was a vast, open space where the great dragon veins intersected. Clusters of divine source stones glittered, and Xiao Song's eyes sparkled as he transformed into a streak of purple light, darting to collect them. In the deepest part of the dragon's lair, there was a peculiar spot. A large crimson coffin rested atop a strange stone. Inside the coffin sat an old man with red hair and a red beard, appearing mighty and fierce.

"A Saint's remains!" Ye Fan exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't expected to encounter a Saint first.

Beneath the crimson coffin, the strange stone was particularly translucent, revealing a human-shaped shadow within, indicating a life form being gestated.

"A stone embryo Saint Spirit!"

Ye Fan had long perceived the extraordinary layout of this place, and indeed, a Saint Spirit was being nurtured here. But why was an ancient Saint's coffin pressing down upon it?

"Master, there are inscriptions here."

Ye Fan read carefully and was momentarily stunned. When this old Saint chose his burial place, he unexpectedly discovered an immature stone embryo. He attempted to seize its body but failed.

"No wonder there was such immense resentment," Ye Fan mused. "A stone embryo that could have become an invincible existence was thwarted. Although it backfired on the Saint, its own primordial spirit also perished."

"Pffft."

The Saint's remains suddenly dissolved into a pool of putrid blood. They quickly dodged, realizing how tragic it was for a revered Saint to die such an undignified death.

"Is the stone embryo truly dead?" one young prodigy asked, feeling uneasy. Saint Spirits were synonymous with invincibility; as long as they had a breath left, they could destroy a world.

"Don't worry," Ye Fan reassured them. "When the dragon vein withered, it was still immature. After battling the old Saint, its primordial spirit was destroyed."

Ye Fan saw clearly that this Saint Spirit had failed at the final step, becoming a stillbirth, withered within the stone. He personally stripped it out, revealing a Nine-Aperture Saint Embryo. A flash of light emanated from his glabella, and a small golden figure stepped out, merging into the Nine-Aperture Saint Spirit's body. The stone figure instantly stood up. A powerful aura immediately radiated, causing the disciples to involuntarily kneel, unable to withstand its might, trembling in awe.

"What a pity," Ye Fan sighed softly. "It was almost transforming into a flesh-and-blood body but was destroyed midway, its vital energy dried up. It truly is a supreme stone embryo." Not only did the old Saint die miserably, but this Saint Spirit embryo had also almost turned into ordinary stone. Apart from being incredibly sturdy and imperishable, no sea of divine power remained within this embryo; its stone-blood had dried up.

"It would make a good avatar, though."

"Congratulations, Master," the disciples exclaimed happily. "You've comprehended an avatar technique and acquired such a Saint Spirit stone embryo. You'll be like a tiger with wings, and this journey to the West will be without worries."

"Yes, Master," another added, "we should go to the Western holy lands of Jerusalem and the Vatican. And while we're at it, perhaps we can dig up something good at Mount Olympus and other places."

Seeing such great gains here, the disciples, without even confronting the Western orthodoxies yet, had already set their sights on some of the sacred mountains there. There was nothing they could do. Having such a master, they felt that no divine treasures nurtured by the world's mountains and lands could escape them; they had been "infected" by his habits.

Afterwards, they continued their journey, observing the landscapes and terrain along the way. After several attempts, they indeed made significant gains, even unearthing dragon marrow in some countries. This was incredibly rare in such a desolate era, making it even more precious. It provided great benefits for the Dragon Transformation Realm, helping to improve cultivation, and was equally divided among the disciples.

Along the way, Western cultivators tried to obstruct them several times, even attacking them directly. However, all were undoubtedly annihilated by Ye Fan.

Thus, they traveled, stopping and starting, and arrived in Jerusalem about half a month later. During this time, they had caused a huge stir in the West, becoming the daily topic of discussion.

"Master," a disciple reported, "the Central Plains Daoist sects sent us a message. They say ancient Holy Knights are still alive in the West, waiting for our arrival in Jerusalem."

"Furthermore, as soon as the Pope's call was issued, powerful individuals from various ancient families responded, forming an invincible Crusader army, also awaiting the 'demon' from the East."

"I also heard," Long Yuxuan whispered, "that true divine beings have descended, not merely humans who achieved cultivation."

"Hmm, are there still ancient races alive?" Ye Fan murmured.

They arrived at Jerusalem but didn't enter the city. Instead, they circled it once and then vanished into thin air. This was because the Jerusalem of cultivators was shrouded in an ancient grand formation, invisible to mortals. It was truly a city of Saints.

"This is incredible! Such a magnificent ancient city exists!" the disciples exclaimed, awe-struck.

On the horizon, a colossal city, seemingly cast from black gold, gleamed with a cold, ethereal metallic light. Its entire form emitted faint holy radiance, appearing solemn and sacred. They felt as if they had returned to the ancient, wild world. Outside the city, ancient trees towered over the land, while apes hooted and tigers roared. The contrast with the mortal realm was immense.

This was a world of cultivators, known as a Holy City since ancient times. For such an ancient, massive city to still exist in the current era was truly a miracle.

"This could be troublesome," Ye Fan murmured. "This city has existed since ancient times. There might truly be some ancient elders still alive."