Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 238: Chapter 243: West Emperor’s Relic

Stone mountains stood tall, devoid of any grass. The cliffs were like knife-cuts, sheer and precipitous, rising one after another like steps to the heavens.

This region possessed not a handful of earth, not a single blade of grass. Stone mountains stretched endlessly, and there were many stone forests. Each rock varied in form: some resembled resting oxen, others looked like green bamboo shoots—a diversity of shapes considered miraculous sights.

After entering the mountains, Ye Fan observed his surroundings. This stony land gave him a very special feeling; as if an Outer Domain world was sprawled here.

Each mountain, its own realm; each rock, its own scenery. It was as if someone had inscribed the natural traces of the Dao with grand strokes. Every mountain and stone here attracted his gaze.

Upon entering this mountainous region, Ye Fan found many engraved images had been blurred by years of wind, frost, rain, and snow, becoming only vaguely recognizable.

Unfortunately, most were not the so-called cultivation methods. Many depicted ancient events, along with scenic imagery such as birds and rare beasts, all vivid and lifelike.

Why did the Jade Lake fairies carve these? Ye Fan wondered, observing intently.

These portray great events that once occurred in Jade Lake, but sadly, their true meaning is now lost to time.

Walking forward a few dozen steps, Ye Fan came to a mountain wall. He paused in surprise; the carvings were unique, depicting two figures, one of which was not of the human race.

It was a man, perhaps two meters tall, with four pairs of Divine Wings. He was impressive and mighty, possessing a total of eight arms below his shoulders, each as strong and powerful as a dragon. A vertical eye was set in his forehead.

Opposite him stood a dignified and elegant woman, like a queen reigning over the world. Her presence was extraordinary, inspiring deep reverence.

These indeed are depictions of significant events that occurred in Jade Lake, where unknown creatures faced off against its peerless experts, Ye Fan was astonished.

"Specifically, contending with a West Emperor Mother," the big black dog commented.

Regrettably, there was only this single image, with no follow-up, leaving the outcome of their confrontation unknown.

They continued forward, observing carefully. There were depictions of the Welcoming Demon King ceremony and the inauguration of a new West Emperor Mother, each a single, succinct image that didn’t reveal much.

When they arrived at a stone forest, Ye Fan finally spotted a technique. On a large bluestone resembling a crouching tiger, half an engraving portrayed a figure standing, forming a hand seal.

Though incomplete—only half a body remained, the other side missing—it was incredibly mysterious. Ye Fan found that Seal Technique familiar. After careful pondering, he realized it was the Mountain Embracing Seal.

The Li Huo Sect’s ultimate mastery was this very Seal Technique, extraordinarily powerful. He had incorporated it as an aspect of his Fighting Saint Technique and was surprised to encounter it here again.

It seems deliberately erased by someone... Ye Fan felt uneasy. So many years have passed. Can the West Emperor Scripture still exist? Perhaps it too has been erased. He didn’t much believe the Black Emperor’s words.

"Quickly, take me to find the West Emperor Scripture!" Ye Fan urged.

"Aren’t we searching for it already? It might be hidden in one of these wall carvings," the Black Emperor responded.

"Don’t tell me you don’t know the exact location."

"That’s right, precisely so. This Emperor is searching too," the Black Emperor replied, head held high, unhurriedly.

This dog was truly unreliable. Ye Fan wanted to kick it, but he had no other option for now and ultimately had to rely on it.

"Are you sure you can find it?"

"More likely than not," the big black dog replied uncertainly.

Ye Fan took out the Bodhi seed and held it in his palm, sensing his surroundings. He couldn’t rely entirely on this big dog; he had to search on his own.

The big black dog, looking innocuous, moved closer and then suddenly snapped at his hand.

"Damn you, you cursed dog, trying to bite me sneakily again!" Ye Fan had been wary of it and quickly darted into the sky.

"’So petty! It’s just a nut. It smells great, and I wanted to taste the kernel.’" The big black dog defended itself after its failed ambush. It stubbornly refused to admit its intentions, yet its eyes constantly glanced at the Bodhi seed.

"If you dare to bite me again, you’ll never get that Mystic Turtle in this lifetime! Quickly, find the West Emperor Scripture for me. If you can’t get it, you’d better give up and stop proposing conditions to me," Ye Fan retorted, his face dark.

The big black dog tilted its head, looking at Ye Fan, and said, "’Boy, what kind of nut are you holding? Can it be eaten?’"

"Don’t play dumb with me!"

"’What’s the origin of that lousy nut? I saw a bald figure on it. Looked quite impressive. Did you carve it?’"

Ye Fan knew this sly, cunning dog again had ill intentions; it was targeting the Bodhi seed. No matter what, he would not show it to such a creature.

"’Who’s that bald guy? He looks somewhat unusual,’" the big black dog grew impatient when Ye Fan didn’t respond.

"’His name is Siddhartha Gautama. Have you heard of him?’" Ye Fan said, a thought stirring within him.

"’What a shabby name, four characters too! Could a bald head like that really be famous?’" the big black dog wondered.

Ye Fan was speechless; the solemn Tathagata being spoken of like that by a dog... He glared and said, "Stop babbling! Quickly, search for the West Emperor Scripture for me!"

"’Boy, what’s with your attitude?’" The Black Emperor bared its teeth. "’If you disrespect this Emperor again, don’t even think about the supreme ancient scriptures of the human race! By the way, if we find the West Emperor Scripture, you have to give me that nut engraved with the fat bald head.’"

Ye Fan ignored it and wandered off, reviewing image after image. Occasionally, he encountered incomplete techniques, and each time, he would investigate them carefully.

「An hour later.」

Ye Fan arrived before a sheer cliff, adorned with a vast series of engravings, over a hundred in length—far more extensive than what he’d previously seen.

Initially, he paid little heed. Although the engravings were lengthy, they weren’t particularly profound, depicting only the most common techniques. However, upon reaching the thirtieth or so image, his expression changed. These simple techniques seemed to mysteriously transcend as they progressed, giving one the sense of witnessing decay transform into the extraordinary.

He focused his mind and gazed attentively downward. For a full two hours, Ye Fan spoke not a word. Only upon reaching the end did he sigh deeply and say, "Jade Lake truly deserves its name as one of the Sacred Lands. These carvings were likely intended for young disciples to observe, and all are imbued with profound meaning."

They were not especially mysterious arts, but rather widely known, very ordinary Techniques. Yet, they progressed from the mundane to the sublime. When combined, they transformed decay into the extraordinary, capable of unleashing unimaginable power.

"’More than a hundred ordinary moves, when combined, can evolve into a completely different and mighty power. It’s quite miraculous.’"

Ye Fan pondered for a long time before continuing onward. He discovered another hundred or so carved images and studied them closely.

In the end, he was truly astonished. It was a series, totaling more than five hundred carvings.

"This is..." He was extremely shocked. It was the deduction of some kind of supreme secret technique, starting from the mundane and progressing to the profound. He instantly saw the mystery within.

This was the deduction of the Attack Holy Technique, one of the Nine Secrets!

The unparalleled genius of Jade Lake was shocking. Starting from the ordinary, she had gradually evolved towards the Fighting Saint Technique, attempting to recreate one of the absolute arts of the Nine Secrets.

To turn decay into magic, to deduce such a Great Technique of attack and slaughter from the Nine Secrets—this must have been an individual of astonishing talent and brilliance.

Unfortunately, she ultimately failed to deduce the Fighting Saint Technique.

Such individuals are rare in any era. Those Techniques are all related to the legends of the Fighting Saint Technique. For this person to have evolved them to this stage based on such legends is astonishing enough; she must have been an unparalleled figure.

"To connect the bits and pieces that have been passed down through the world and evolve them to this stage is truly astounding!" Ye Fan sighed.

This person started from simplicity and moved towards complexity. However, the Fighting Saint Technique has myriad transformations; it is impossible to reach its ultimate state, difficult to reach the pinnacle of complexity.

The true Attacking Sacred Technique, one of the Nine Secrets, is to first obtain the "One," then transform it into myriad forms, reach the pinnacle of complexity, and then return to the "One." Others cannot replicate this evolutionary process.

This technique, in the end, embodies the Great Dao’s principle of supreme simplicity!

Ye Fan stood silently for a long time, pondering carefully. Although this deduction had gone astray, it inspired him greatly, giving him a deeper understanding of the Fighting Saint Technique.

No matter how talented one is, without first obtaining the imprint of the Nine Secrets, one cannot evolve this Supreme Sacred Technique.

Ye Fan thought for a long time. He felt he could increase the power of this Attack and Kill Sacred Technique further; this was indeed an unexpected gain. The genius of Jade Lake had given him great enlightenment.

The sky had already darkened. Ye Fan continued to observe the carvings under the night sky. By midnight, he had viewed most of the carved images among the mountains, but the West Emperor Scripture remained elusive.

"’There are no mystical arts here at all! Even if there are, they’re just some ordinary ancient techniques. Are you playing tricks on me?’" Ye Fan’s expression was grim as he glared at the big black dog.

"’Didn’t I tell you? Even if you see the West Emperor Scripture, you might not recognize it. You need to comprehend it slowly,’" the big black dog said.

The moon was bright, and the stars sparse. Ye Fan paced forward, having almost circled all the cliffs, but he still could not find the West Emperor Scripture.

"’Found it! It’s here!’" the big black dog shouted, its voice echoing far in the deep night.

Ye Fan reached the spot in a few leaps. This stone mountain was imposing, but there was no so-called Scripture on it; it was merely barren.

"Where is it?"

"’This mountain itself is part of the Scripture. Whether you can obtain it depends on your destiny,’" the big black dog answered, its head held high.

"’You’re being dismissive, just pointing at any stone mountain and claiming it’s the West Emperor Scripture! How can I believe you? Can you truly find the Scripture?’" Ye Fan questioned.

"’It depends on your perception,’" the big black dog mumbled.

"Stop bluffing!" Ye Fan glared.

The big black dog also got angry and said, "’There are definitely some parts of the Scripture here! I heard it directly from someone back then.’"

"What did you hear back then?" Ye Fan pressed.

"’A stone mountain carved with a sun has part of the Scripture; a stone mountain carved with an Ancient Tree has part of the Scripture...’"

According to the big black dog, the West Emperor Mother had pioneered the West Emperor Scripture, comprehending the Dao while inscribing her insights, dispersing them among these stone mountains.

Indeed, on this sheer cliff, there was a vague, palm-sized carving of a sun. Even with careful observation, it was difficult to tell if it was man-made; it looked naturally formed.

"’This circular mark is what you call the West Emperor Scripture? Are you joking?’"

The big black dog raised its head, tilted its neck, and said, "’That has nothing to do with me. You need to comprehend it yourself.’"

This damn dog! Ye Fan really wanted to teach it a lesson but knew he couldn’t overpower it. Eventually, he flew up to the stone cliff to observe that sun carving.𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Ye Fan touched the sun imprint with one hand, holding the Bodhi seed in the other. But after being deep in his meditation for a long while, he could sense nothing unusual.

"’Black Emperor, you’re lying! There’s no Scripture here!’"

"’There definitely is! But it requires extraordinary perception. Whether you can obtain the West Emperor Scripture depends on your own ability,’" the big black dog said, its voice betraying a hint of guilt.

Ye Fan stood on the cliff, holding the Bodhi seed, his mind in a state of profound emptiness as he quietly sensed his surroundings. But all was silent; he discovered nothing.

"’How many Great Emperors have there been throughout the ages? The Scriptures they left behind are not so easily obtained...’" the big black dog shouted from below. "’I found the West Emperor Scripture for you. Whether you can comprehend it is your own business, but you must give me that Mystic Turtle!’"

The Heavenly Source Book contained a portion of the West Emperor Scripture, specifically from the Dao Palace Scroll. At this moment, Ye Fan silently circulated this portion of the Scripture, pressing the Bodhi seed against the sun carving.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted, suffusing the sky! The stone cliff seemed to birth a sun, blazing with incomparable heat, and Ye Fan was entirely engulfed within it.

The entire stone mountain turned crimson as flames surged, the inferno dyeing half the sky red. A colossal, vibrant red sun hung suspended in the air. Ye Fan stood within this sun, his appearance solemn and dignified.

Damn it, how could he actually learn it? Doesn’t it require extraordinary perception and the ’Scripture Guide’ from Jade Lake? This is a huge loss! That kid really obtained the West Emperor Scripture... The big black dog looked utterly wretched, as if it had just swallowed a bitter pill.