Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 236: Chapter 241: Ancient Jade Lake

In the northern region, the temperature difference between day and night was significant. The moonlight was chilly, and the cold bit into the bones.

On the horizon, a few mystical white figures were ethereal and flickering, like Daoist saints, flying away into the sky.

Ye Fan disappeared with each step, leaving over a dozen phantom images on the vast land. He pursued them for a great distance but caught nothing. He stood in the night, gazing at the boundless Starry Sky.

What were those things? he wondered. The white figures had disappeared into the vast night sky, never to be seen again.

"Yaochi Immortal," the Black Emperor replied.

"Immortal?" Ye Fan didn’t understand.

Immortals, to cultivators, were elusive and unreal. Although there were legends of their existence, there was no evidence. Even accounts recorded in Ancient Books could not withstand scrutiny.

"It’s hard to explain." The Black Emperor shook its head.

Jade Lake was an ancient site. Under the moonlit night, Yaochi Immortals occasionally appeared, but no one could explain how. From afar, they were hazy; up close, they were elusive.

It was said to be remnants from Ancient Desolation, reflections from endless time ago, replaying old stories of ancient times.

Impossible to be Immortals... Ye Fan didn’t believe it.

"I never said they were Immortals," the Black Emperor’s eyes glowed green. In the night, it was indistinguishable from a wolf.

The vast land was empty except for sand and stones. The latter half of the night was very quiet. Ye Fan and the Black Emperor searched most of the night without finding anything.

Years ago, Jade Lake established its sect here due to the landscape being rich with Spiritual Qi, a rare immortal land. But now it was desolate; nothing but red sand could be seen.

The spectacle of the Yaochi Immortal had appeared. This was undoubtedly the Yaochi Ancient Land, but no matter how hard they searched, not a single clue was to be found.

The morning light burst forth, dazzling red and golden, making the red-brown earth shine. Ye Fan and the Black Emperor had worked throughout the night; not a trace of ruins, not even a shard of pottery, was found.

"You’re utterly unreliable! You told me there’s a copy of the ’West Emperor Scripture’ here, yet we can’t even find the entrance."

"Do you know that good things come to those who wait? That’s the ’West Emperor Scripture,’ created by the legendary West Emperor Mother. How could it be so easily obtained?" The Black Emperor found an excuse.

"Before coming, you spoke so casually, claiming it was etched on a cliff wall and could be easily found once we arrived. And what’s the result?"

The Black Emperor pulled a long face and walked to the side, pondering with squinted eyes for a long time before saying, "This place is sealed. My body is a bit under the weather, so I might not be able to open it right now. We’ll have to find another way."

It suddenly stood up and said, "Let’s go to the edge of Jade Lake, where the seal is weakest. I reckon there’s a way to sneak in."

They proceeded forward for half a day, searching and digging many large pits in the sandy ground, before the Black Emperor confirmed, "Search here."

The midday sun was scorching. Under the blazing sun, people and their shadows almost overlapped. The Black Emperor wandered around and suddenly jumped up, exclaiming, "Found it!"

Hearing this, Ye Fan rushed over.

Ahead, a patch of red sandy ground shone brightly. The scorching sunlight swirled toward it, making it resemble a large Fire Furnace.

"Is there something unusual underground? Can we enter Jade Lake from here?"

"I recall at the edge of Yaochi Immortal Land, there was an Ancient Well. It should be here. We can probably get in through there," the Black Emperor replied.

"I’m telling you, old Black, are you reliable? Don’t try to fool me again." He didn’t fully trust it.

The Black Emperor bared its teeth threateningly, "Call me Black Emperor!"

Ye Fan slapped out with his hand, stirring up the red sand. A large pit appeared on the ground, revealing some large stones.

"Indeed, it is here. Time is relentless! Even this Ancient Well has been buried by sand." The Black Emperor crouched to look closely.

After they cleared the ground, an Ancient Well appeared below, lined with Ancient Jade, its mouth sealed by large stones.

The sunlight was drawn to this well, making it intensely hot, like a Fire Furnace.

"The Yaochi Ancient Land is truly extraordinary! Even sealed, it can automatically absorb the Sun and Moon Essence. This well is absorbing the sun’s brilliance."

When Ye Fan removed the large stone, it revealed a dark, deep well opening with no visible end.

"Are you certain... this well can lead to Jade Lake?" Ye Fan looked at it suspiciously.

"Should be about right," the Black Emperor replied with an uncertain tone.

"What do you mean ’about right’? Are you sure? Have you entered from here before? This well is so deep; who knows where it leads?"

"There’s no other way. We have to explore it slowly." The Black Emperor picked up a stone in its mouth and tossed it into the Ancient Well, but a long time passed without an echo.

It’s a bottomless pit! Ye Fan was startled.

"Now I remember! This must lead to Jade Lake. Someone entered through here in the past. Kid, you go down first and scout the way."

"Why don’t you go explore?"

"This Emperor is having some problems with my cultivation right now. Flying isn’t advisable, so you have to go down."

"You’re supposed to lead the way, yet you want me to explore?" Ye Fan glared at it.

"Hey, there’s light below!" The Black Emperor suddenly peered into the well.

Surprised, Ye Fan looked down but saw nothing. Just then, he felt the large dog’s head bump him, knocking him into the well.

You bald-tailed dog, you’re truly insidious and wicked! Luckily, he had always been wary of this big black dog. He grabbed its mane and pulled it down as well.

"One person exploring is enough. There’s no need for both of us to go in."

"Yeah, I also think you’re enough by yourself. Should I just throw you down?" Ye Fan was about to let go, thinking of flying upwards himself.

"I can’t fly! If you dare let go, I’m not finished with you!" The Black Emperor bit into Ye Fan.

"Damn it, bitten by a dog again!" Ye Fan didn’t fly upward but held onto the Black Emperor as they fell, trying to find a path.

The Ancient Well was indeed deep. They fell for over two thousand meters before reaching the bottom. There was no water, only muddy ground where the stone the Black Emperor had tossed in earlier was deeply embedded.

Landing on the ground, a fetid odor arose. Dried leaves were mixed in the mud.

The Ancient Well connected to an underground river, but the river had dried up, extending far away horizontally. Occasionally, small puddles appeared with blind fish swimming inside.

"This dried-up riverbed must lead to Jade Lake. Even if it’s sealed, this would be the weakest point." The Black Emperor’s eyes gleamed green.

The riverbed was pitch-black; one couldn’t see their hand in front of them. Only spiritual perception could capture nearby scenery. Ye Fan advanced carefully, while the Black Emperor followed beside him.

"You even managed to find a passage like this? Did you dig this hole yourself before?" Ye Fan swallowed the words dog hole, fearing the Black Emperor would fly into a rage.

"Damn it, are you cursing me?" The Black Emperor, exceptionally perceptive and as cunning as any human, immediately sensed the underlying meaning.

Ye Fan feared being bitten and quickly diverted its attention, "No, you’re overthinking it. How did you discover this path?"

"In the past, the water in the Ancient Well was full, making this path almost impossible to find. However, people did enter through here before. It has nothing to do with me; I only heard about it."

After traveling continuously for thirty to forty miles, Ye Fan gradually felt the Earth Formation begin to slope upwards, as they slowly ascended towards the surface.

Here, the seal was weak. A faint light shone through but didn’t block anything. It led straight ahead.

After proceeding several more miles, daylight shone through as they neared the exit.

"Can we really enter the Yaochi Ancient Land from here..." the Black Emperor muttered.

"Turns out you really have no idea!" Ye Fan really wanted to give it a couple of slaps, but was afraid of getting bitten by it.

This was a large lake, but it had already dried up, with cracks in the lakebed. This river channel connected to a large fissure at the bottom of the lake.

Upon exiting the river channel, a thick Spiritual Qi hit them in the face, making them feel refreshed, as if bathing in the spring breeze.

The bottom of this large lake was dry, and if not for the large fissures, it was shaped like a flat-bottomed pan.

Many large fish bones were strewn across the ground. The drying of the lake led to their demise, and their size was astonishing; some reached more than ten meters, close to twenty meters.

"Fish this big are probably close to becoming spirits."

Around the lake, towering Ancient Trees took root on the shore, immensely vigorous, yet unfortunately all dried up. Only one or two trees still had a dozen or so yellow leaves.

These trees are so thick; they must have been growing for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, right? Ye Fan was amazed.

Such Ancient Trees should have already turned into spirits, yet they died here. It was really peculiar.

"This place is strange!" The Black Emperor’s bell-like eyes shone with a ghostly light, and it said, "Whether it’s the enormous fish in the lake or those Ancient Trees that would take more than ten people to encircle, they clearly have no way of becoming spirits."

"What did you sense?" Ye Fan asked.

"Nothing, just a hunch. Perhaps this is the reason why Jade Lake had decided to relocate," the Black Emperor scanned the lakeshore.

The surroundings were silent, somewhat filled with deathly stillness.

Ye Fan walked out of this dry lake pit, climbed onto the shore, and looked around. In the distance, there was a stretch of withered trees, bare and devoid of life, giving an extraordinarily bleak feeling.

"Didn’t you say it was a world fragrant with flowers and sounds of birds? Why is it so desolate and lifeless?"

"Something has happened here..." the Black Emperor walked forward.

Although the Yaochi Ancient Land was desolate, its Spiritual Qi was very rich, many times more abundant than the outside—a true Sacred Land for cultivation.

After walking a few miles, they heard the sound of flowing water, passed through a large forest of withered trees, and greenery came into view.

Ahead, there were green plants everywhere, lush and verdant, with a lake as clear as sapphire, and its banks were covered with vigorous plants.

Enormous Ancient Trees, with branches stretching toward the sky, were about the size of small mountains. Thick vines were like Azure Dragons, climbing everywhere. The fragrance of various flowers and plants was refreshing, brilliant and colorful, most pleasing to the eye.

Ye Fan found it strange. How could the contrast be so great? So close in proximity, one place was dead silent, while the other was so vibrant and full of life.

The Black Emperor ran forward, past this lush area, and after traveling little more than a thousand meters, encountered another desolate area, silent and still.

"Strange. It can’t all be due to issues with the water source."

They continued moving forward, discovering that ninety percent of the area was deathly still, with only a few places showing vitality.

The mountains were the same. Most were barren, with no plants at all, except for a few peaks that possessed spiritual beauty, showcasing green peaks and verdant valleys.

After traveling dozens of miles, they finally saw a few pavilions, but they were half-collapsed. Even though there were Dao Glyphs, so many years had passed, and they could not withstand the erosion of time.

"We’re close to Jade Lake’s main area," the Black Emperor’s hairless tail stood erect as it ran forward.

After crossing several mountain ranges, they finally arrived at a place shrouded in immortal mist, where all the grass and trees were withered.

A large number of palaces stood like Heaven Temples, either standing atop mountains or positioned in front of dry waterfalls...

If this place were to be revitalized, it would certainly be an Immortal Realm.

"All the Jade Lake palaces suspended in the air have been moved away, leaving none..." the Black Emperor scanned the surroundings.

"Does Jade Lake have a floating Ancient City that never falls?" Ye Fan asked.

"Of course, there’s one." The Black Emperor’s eyes flickered as if searching for something. It continued, "Beyond the few mountain ridges ahead is the central area."

They quickly advanced, passing the barren land, and the mist ahead grew more ethereal.

After passing through several mountain ranges, lushness appeared before them again, with waterfalls and flowing springs, misty waters, and numerous palaces, extremely magnificent, as if entering the immortal world.

"The central area hasn’t become a dead zone, that’s great!" The Black Emperor rushed forward.

"Where did the West Emperor Mother engrave the Scripture on the cliff?" Ye Fan urged, his heart stirring with anticipation upon reaching such an immortal land.

"What’s the rush? First, go to a nice place!"

On the beautiful cliffs, large waterfalls fell, silver Pilean cascaded down for thousands of feet, very spectacular, a vast expanse of white.

The palaces stood like a painting.

"Where exactly are you going?" Ye Fan asked.

"Naturally to the Holy Lake of Jade Lake; Jade Lake is named after it!"

Not far ahead was an open area, surrounded by countless exotic flowers and grasses, with palaces dotted the landscape. In the central area, the Spiritual Qi was dense, auspicious colors flowing, with a hazy lake in the center.

"It should be here..." The Black Emperor rushed over.

Here, the Spiritual Qi was even more abundant, many times denser than elsewhere. Standing here, without employing mystical arts, one could automatically absorb the Original Essence Qi of heaven and earth.

SPLASH.

The Black Emperor plunged into the Immortal Lake.

"Black Emperor, is there some treasure in the lake? Otherwise, why are you so anxious?"

It didn’t answer, swimming toward the lake’s center like a streak of black light, then suddenly diving in.

AWOOO... It submerged for several minutes, let out a wolf-like howl, and burst out of the water, seemingly startled.

"What did you see?" Ye Fan was alarmed.

"Nothing, it was too invigorating. Bathing in this Immortal Lake of Jade Lake has profound effects; it unblocks the meridians and accelerates cultivation. Kid, you should come down too."

"Nonsense, you looked so scared just now, there’s definitely something strange. You want to drag me down with you to share your bad luck?" Ye Fan stood on the shore, arms crossed, watching it.

"Kid, you’re suspicious by nature. Is This Emperor really that untrustworthy?" it said.

"When have you ever been trustworthy? Hurry up and get out! Go find me the ’West Emperor Scripture’," Ye Fan urged.

"This Immortal Lake has special water, reserved for Jade Lake’s fairies in the past. It’s a place where unparalleled beauties bathed. Outsiders were not allowed to enter, not even see it. Don’t you want to come down and feel it?"

Suddenly, Ye Fan was shocked. He saw several human figures underwater, gliding beneath the surface, pale white, making his hair stand on end.

You bald-tailed dog, you truly are insidious and wicked!

It seemed to sense something, jumped up high, and leapt out of the water, shouting, "Why have they come up, and why can they still move?!"

Damn it! This worthless dog really wanted to drag me down to suffer with it! Ye Fan cursed silently.

It dashed and sprinted, skimming across the water’s surface, its bald tail sticking up, as it raced toward the shore.

In the lake water below, several blurry figures, with black hair flowing and clad in white garments, moved past. What were those things? Ye Fan’s heart pounded.