Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 233: Chapter 238 Black Wolf

Ye Fan stood in the darkness, quietly observing everything in the courtyard. The tall figure with gray hair reaching the ground was as strong as an iron mountain, yet moved silently like a ghost, swift in action.

Heading straight to my house, its purpose is very clear...

The front yard was filled with shouts and cries. Numerous figures rushed into the sky only to be mercilessly struck down, blood splattering everywhere.

Ye Fan was startled. The intruder was too powerful. He held his breath and hid in the shadows, quietly observing.

The sound of footsteps approached, and a female disciple from Jade Lake rushed into the courtyard. The nearby door creaked open, and Li Desheng, his face pale, rushed out as if he had found a lifeline. He lived in the same courtyard.

BANG!

Ye Fan’s room was directly smashed apart. The window lattices shattered, beams snapped, and debris flew everywhere. A gray figure stood amidst the dust and debris, like a demonic wall.

"Who are you?" a female disciple of Jade Lake demanded in a low voice.

"Miss Fairy, it’s not human! It’s a monster from the Taichu Forbidden Area! Hurry and escape!" Li Desheng cried out, scrambling and crawling away.

The tall creature’s gray hair draped to the ground, obscuring its face. Strands of moonlight filtered through its hair, sinking into those black hole-like eyes, appearing particularly terrifying in the night.

The disciples of Jade Lake retreated. This creature was too dangerous, giving them a feeling of utter helplessness. They wanted to escape but felt locked in place, fearing any significant movement would trigger a thunderous strike.

A muffled growl echoed, chilling one to the bone, as if they had instantly been plunged into an ice cellar. The gray-haired creature surged forward in a single step.

CLANK! CLANK!

Immortal Light flashed as six weapons were shattered by its bare hands, leaving the ground covered in fragments of copper and iron.

PUFF!

Simultaneously, it emitted a dense gray mist. As it rushed through, the six Jade Lake disciples couldn’t even utter a scream before they were reduced to bloody fragments, their tattered, Blood Clothes fluttering in the air.

Ye Fan’s heart pounded in his chest. The gray-haired creature was terrifyingly fierce, ending six lives in a single exchange.

A sharp cry sounded as a man and a woman descended. One was an Elder from Flickering Light, the other an Elder from Jade Lake. They attacked the gray-haired creature together.

ROAR...

The deep roar, heavy as thunder, churned their blood. A huge Blood Sword, two meters long and a foot wide, had unknowingly appeared in its hand. It was so vividly red it seemed as if Immortal Blood flowed within it.

SQUELCH!

Its power was unmatched, its ferocity overwhelming. It charged forward with the Blood Sword, its gray hair fluttering, filling the sky like countless cascading waterfalls.

It was impossible to resist. The Blood Sword shattered the Flickering Light Elder’s weapon and cleaved open his body. The creature rushed through as blood spattered.

This kind of power was utterly insurmountable. The two-meter-long Blood Sword swept across, and the Jade Lake Elder also couldn’t escape, being hacked to pieces alive.

Simple and direct, brutal and effective, cruel and merciless!

Ye Fan lowered his life functions to the bare minimum, his bodily processes nearly ceasing. This gray-haired creature was invincible, a living great evil person. He had no choice but to hide well.

A streak of bloody light, hundreds of meters long, shot across the sky. The creature disappeared into the darkness, flying towards the main street.

Is it truly a creature from the Taichu Forbidden Area?

Ye Fan quickly rushed out, dragging Li Desheng from behind a rockery in another courtyard tens of meters away.

"Don’t kill me! My skin is tough and my flesh is coarse, I won’t taste good!" Li Desheng babbled, holding his head and trembling all over.

"It’s me." Ye Fan slapped him, jolting him to his senses, and asked, "You have those natural Netherworld Eyes; was that really a creature from the Taichu Forbidden Area?"

"It definitely was! Didn’t you see what it looked like?" Li Desheng, seeing Ye Fan, calmed down a little, but his eyes still held a terrified glint.

"Did you see it with your Netherworld Eyes?" Ye Fan shook his shoulders.

"I didn’t have time! I was too busy trying to escape! How could it be fake?" Li Desheng glanced around in panic, saying, "Daoist, let’s get out of here quickly."

"It was only about ten meters from you and didn’t attack, so you don’t need to worry." With that, Ye Fan said solemnly, "Hide in the shadows and observe carefully. See if the invading creatures are truly from the Taichu Forbidden Area, or if someone is impersonating them."

After saying this, he disappeared into the night. The gray-haired creature had headed straight for his room earlier. This place was no longer safe. Without the Grand Elders of Flickering Light and Jade Lake present, it couldn’t be stopped.

Ye Fan didn’t quite believe it was a creature from the Taichu Forbidden Area. There were too many suspicious points. He couldn’t shake the feeling that his pursuer might be after his Phoenix Blood Red Gold.

He couldn’t stay in this place any longer. The people of Jade Lake couldn’t protect him. Ye Fan wanted to take advantage of the chaos to escape. With no one to stop him, perhaps he could slip away.

He found a spot, and with a series of loud cracks from his bones, he threw his gray Daoist robe into the Fire God Furnace, burning it to ashes. He then transformed into a young man and put on a set of purple clothes.

His Heaven and Earth Changing Technique had reached initial mastery. Not only could it alter his appearance, but even his spiritual aura and bearing could become completely different.

Wait... He paused again.

If it wasn’t an unknown creature from the Taichu Forbidden Area, but someone after his Phoenix Blood Red Gold, they must have considered various possibilities and might be waiting outside for him.

If he recklessly went out now, he would likely attract the attention of those hidden eyes. This wasn’t the right time to escape. So, he concealed himself.

In the front yard, battle cries shook the heavens. A creature covered in white fur soared into the air, wielding a massive black Iron Sword. With almost every swing of its sword, a shower of blood would erupt.

It was unstoppably fierce. Even Elders of the Four Extremes secret realm couldn’t block it. This terrifying creature killed without blinking, rampaging wantonly, sweeping all before it.

Could I be overthinking things? Are these really creatures from the Taichu Forbidden Area? But then why did that gray-haired creature head straight for my dwelling? Ye Fan pondered deeply, taking out a Mystic Turtle from his person. Its entire body glowed green. He couldn’t think of anything else he possessed that might attract such unknown creatures.

KILL!

"The Grand Elders are back!"

Someone shouted, and the crowd’s fear began to subside.

At the same time, other major powers in Yuan City also came to their aid. Shouts and the sounds of killing echoed from all directions as many figures rushed towards this location.

Ye Fan transformed back into a Daoist, quickly rushed over, dragged Li Desheng out, and yelled, "Look carefully! That escaping white-furred creature—is it really from the Taichu Forbidden Area?"

Li Desheng shivered, his eyes darting towards the sky where the white-furred figure was about to disappear. Its speed was so astonishing that even Ye Fan was shocked; the Grand Elders of Flickering Light hadn’t been able to catch up.

"Is it a creature from the Taichu Forbidden Area?"

"That... It’s shrouded in a mysterious mist. I can’t confirm," Li Desheng stammered, his voice trembling.

Ye Fan pushed him aside without delay, dashed into the darkness, and once again transformed into an unfamiliar young man. Then, under the cover of the major powers from Yuan City arriving to provide aid, he fled the courtyard complex.

Even if that gray creature was still spying from the shadows, he didn’t need to worry anymore. The situation was chaotic, with many people entering and exiting. He wasn’t the only one.

The holy divine relics for weapon forging, coveted by Ancient Emperors, truly bring no peace.

Ye Fan suspected it wasn’t a creature from the Taichu Forbidden Area. Perhaps someone had impersonated one and gone on a killing spree for his Phoenix Blood Red Gold.

He couldn’t stay here any longer. The people of Jade Lake couldn’t protect him.

Old Knife Handle, the Flickering Light Saint Heir, or...?

Ye Fan recalled the gray-haired creature wielding a Blood Sword over two meters long and a foot wide, felling the Flickering Light and Jade Lake Elders with single strikes. Such power was chilling.

Old Knife Handle concealed his true capabilities deeply; his true strength was unfathomable.

The Flickering Light Saint Heir was in the third secret realm and possessed heavenly talent. His combat power rivaled divine kings of the same cultivation level. He was nearly unmatched within the Four Extremes secret realm.

As for splitting one’s being, it wasn’t a problem. Apart from Ye Fan, other cultivators who reached the peak of the Dao Palace secret realm could all differentiate into five gods.

「That night,」 the entire Yuan City was in turmoil. Flickering Light lost twenty-seven people, including four Elders from the third secret realm. Jade Lake lost eighteen, among them two Elders from the Four Extremes secret realm.

A total of forty-five cultivators were slain, all killed with a single sword strike. No one could withstand the Blood Sword’s power, nor resist the Iron Sword’s might. As the two creatures charged through, the two Sacred Lands suffered grievous losses.

「As daylight broke,」 this news shook the region, spreading to all the mining areas. Several Grand Elders from both Flickering Light and Jade Lake rushed over.

Daring to attack Sacred Lands, wielding a blood-red blade of slaughter—this was astounding news, sending shockwaves through the numerous powers in the northern region.

So many from Flickering Light died... It must have been Old Knife Handle’s doing... Ye Fan felt a chill.

「When daylight fully illuminated the land,」 he reached the southern district of the city. Five low, blue-tiled houses stood there, dilapidated and deserted, an air of silence hanging over them.

Was it really that old fiend who did this? Ye Fan habitually stroked his chin.

He settled in Yuan City, quietly observing the unfolding storm as large numbers of powerful figures from the two Sacred Lands arrived.

This region was turbulent, with undercurrents surging, far from calm.

「Three days later,」 Ye Fan departed from Yuan City. He was unwilling to linger. Remaining far from this place of trouble was the best strategy.

He had other methods to enter Jade Lake. He could no longer use his Daoist identity. Possessing Phoenix Blood Red Gold, an exclusive holy divine relic of Ancient Emperors that was enough to shake the world, meant he would surely be killed if exposed!

「After half a month,」 Ye Fan traversed vast stretches of crimson earth, moving away from the expansive mining area. He headed toward an oasis, returning to the stone village beside the Purple Mountain.

Just as he neared the stone village, a huge black shadow lunged at him. Ye Fan’s speed was incredible, unmatched in the Dao Palace secret realm, but he still couldn’t evade it.

He was knocked to the ground. A massive black claw, incredibly thick and strong, pressed down on him.

Ye Fan slapped the black claw away, flipped over, and in one swift motion, sat up, straddling the shadowy figure.

It was a huge dog, much larger than a common country dog. It was as big as a young bull, with a coat as black as ink, a square head, and large ears. It was even bigger than a tiger.

BANG!

The large black dog possessed immense strength and was also very agile. With a powerful shake, it threw Ye Fan off, much to his surprise.

The dog was drooling over him profusely, its tongue lolling out in an exaggerated way, leaving him somewhat speechless. He angrily slapped at it.

WHOOSH!

He hadn’t expected this large dog to be so fast. It dodged to the side like a black bolt of lightning, then opened its cavernous, blood-red mouth and snapped at him.

BANG!

Ye Fan smacked it across the snout. The dog stumbled but was otherwise unharmed. Instead, it tore off a large piece of his clothing.

He was extremely shocked. Has this dog become a spirit? But even if it were a dog spirit, it shouldn’t be able to withstand my blow!

"Where did this mutt come from? I refuse to believe I can’t smash you to bits!" Ye Fan pressed forward, his palm and fingers turning golden as he subtly channeled a trace of the Fighting Saint Technique.

"You’re the mutt..." the large black dog suddenly spoke in human language.

This time, it was Ye Fan who stumbled, utterly startled. The dog had actually spoken; it truly had become a spirit!

A dog spirit...

"A human mouth spits no ivory, does it? Don’t you know how to speak properly?" the large black dog snarled, pouncing again. Its sharp canine teeth, white as blades, aimed a killing bite at Ye Fan.

"Brother Ye, you’re back!" Wang Shu called out, emerging from the stone village. His face lit up with joy upon seeing Ye Fan.

"There’s a wild dog spirit here! Stay back, it’s a bit strange! Let me take care of it. We’ll have black dog meat tonight!"

"Who’s eating whom is not yet certain!" the large black dog roared, pouncing forward once more.

"Brother Ye, don’t attack! That’s Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s dog! We can’t eat it!" Wang Shu shouted, then yelled at the large black dog, "Black Emperor, don’t bite! He’s a benefactor of our stone village!"

The people of the stone village were alerted by the commotion, and many ran out.

"Brother Ye is back!"

"Black Emperor, don’t bite indiscriminately!"

"It’s the one Fifth Grandpa Zhang brought back. It’s called Black Emperor, and it has already achieved Spirit Communication."

...

A large crowd gathered around Ye Fan enthusiastically. Hearing that the big black dog was brought back by Fifth Grandpa Zhang surprised him greatly, so he naturally couldn’t bring himself to kill it.

However, the large black dog was relentless, snarling and baring its teeth, continuing to snap at him and tearing off most of his remaining upper garment.

Damn it, you’re even fiercer than a bobtail dog!

Ye Fan slapped it a few times, but it felt like striking a wall of bronze and iron. CLANG! CLANG! Without using the Fighting Saint Technique, he couldn’t make a dent in it.

The large black dog bared its teeth and let out a guttural growl, but it didn’t actually bite his flesh, only shredding his clothes.

Good heavens, it really IS a bobtail dog! No wonder it’s so savage. Ye Fan was somewhat speechless.

This large black dog’s thick tail was indeed half-bald, with most of its fur gone.

"Brother Ye, you’re back! You weren’t bitten by that bobtail dog, were you?" Lei Bo, the uneducated youth, rushed over from a distance, his feet barely touching the ground. His cultivation base had clearly improved.

But when he got closer and saw the large black dog in the crowd, his face instantly paled. "My mistake," he stammered, "it’s Black Emperor."

Wait a minute... What’s the deal with this bobtail dog? Ye Fan called Wang Shu and Lei Bo over.

Before the two could speak, the large black dog snarled first, "If you dare call me a bobtail dog again, this Emperor will destroy you!"

This black dog spirit is quite the braggart, Ye Fan thought, then looked at Wang Shu and Lei Bo and said, "The stone village hasn’t been taken over by this dog spirit, has it? Don’t worry, you don’t need to be afraid. I can incinerate it with a burst of fire and let you all have dog meat."

"Nothing like that! Black Emperor is really good! With it here, the stone village’s safety will be ensured from now on."

"Brother Ye, don’t misunderstand. Black Emperor is truly a good dog."

...

Everyone chimed in, trying to explain.

Ye Fan soon understood. This dog was the same black shadow that had snatched the roast whole lamb at the bonfire feast. It had appeared a few more times after that and had eventually taken up residence at Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s house.

As it turned out, the large black dog hadn’t been freeloading; it had even brought back a few pieces of Source.

A sudden chill went down Ye Fan’s spine. Could this big black dog be the creature that had followed him out of the Purple Mountain?

"Black Emperor, now, don’t hurt him. Brother Ye is a good person..." At this moment, Fifth Grandpa Zhang, having heard the news, walked out from the stone village, leaning on a cane.

The large black dog, bigger than a tiger and stronger than a bull, wagged its tail and approached Fifth Grandpa Zhang.

Is this truly the creature that came out of the Purple Mountain?! Ye Fan’s mind was in turmoil.

He stepped forward and asked Fifth Grandpa Zhang, "Fifth Grandpa, this bobtail dog..."

"Brat, are you tired of living? Who are you calling a bobtail dog?" the large black dog snarled, its canine teeth glinting menacingly as it glared with its large, bell-like eyes.

"You said you are... Black Emperor?" Ye Fan asked.

"Correct! You may address this Emperor as such!" the large black dog declared proudly.

"Black Emperor, my ass! Do you really think you’re an Ancient Saint Emperor?" Ye Fan shot it a glance and said, "Out of respect for the elders of the stone village, I won’t call you a bobtail dog. I’ll call you Black Wolf instead."

The large black dog flew into a rage. "Why can’t this Emperor be compared to the Ancient Saint Emperors of old? I’m finding it very hard to resist the urge to destroy you right now!"