Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 239: Chapter 244: West Emperor Scripture in Hand

The black dog had a gloomy expression, but unfortunately, Ye Fan couldn’t see it. Otherwise, he would have given it a good thrashing, even if it meant getting bitten.

At this moment, above the stone cliff, a sun as large as a mountain peak filled the sky, making the four wildernesses bright as daylight descended. Ye Fan sat cross-legged in the center of this heavenly sun, motionless, with a serene and transcendent expression, completely immersed in a Dao.

The "Scripture Guide" recorded in the Heavenly Source Book had triggered the imprint left by the West Emperor Mother, and the sun burst forth vigorously.

That palm-sized heavenly sun was an unimaginable Dao Glyph, containing the imprint of the West Emperor Mother. Even though over one hundred thousand years had passed, it remained eternal, surviving in the world.

Ye Fan’s consciousness was clear; he was bathed in flames. His Heart’s Divine Treasure was as Fire Red as the sun, brilliant and soaring, illuminating the Dao Palace with a bright glow.

The Scripture he had learned from the Heavenly Source Book was far from enough and was incomplete. He was currently in the process of completing it. His Heart’s Divine Treasure shone at its zenith, corresponding with the external sun, overflowing with enormous Qi.

The Innate Essence transformed, and the Acquired Essence nourished. The Fire Red enormous Qi and surging power of the Dao flowed from the human body’s heavenly sun to every inch of his flesh.

His entire body was crimson and then slowly became transparent. Fire clouds enveloped him, his heart’s essence washing away all impurities. Within and outside the Dao Palace, everything was untainted as his flesh gradually turned crystalline.

This was an entirely new transformation. Within the Heart’s Divine Treasure, the Fire Red enormous Qi flowed along a more intricate path, encompassing both the Innate and Acquired Essences.

Ye Fan remained motionless, using his heart to perceive this change.

The sun filling the sky had no Scripture inside, nor any sound—only a rhythm of the Dao. Yet, it perfectly manifested the Heart’s Divine Treasure Chapter of the Dao Palace secret realm.

The heavenly sun carved on the stone cliff corresponded to the Heavenly Sun Scroll of the Dao Palace secret realm. After Ye Fan triggered it, he did not obtain specific Scripture but came to understand the profound evolutionary process.

This inheritance left no words, no traces—only the creator’s artistic conception. It deduced various changes of the ancient scriptures. While not an annotation of the "West Emperor Scripture" itself, it was comparable to the ancient scriptures.

Ye Fan sat still until the sun rose and the morning glow illuminated him. He suddenly opened his eyes just as the large sun in midair exploded with a BANG, transforming into ten thousand rays of flame that rushed into the imprint on the stone cliff.

Ye Fan felt that the Heart’s Divine Treasure Chapter of the Dao Palace secret realm was perfected and vastly different from before. He sensed the power of the Dao circulating more freely, and his entire being surged with enormous Qi.

Facing the morning glow on the cliff, his clothes fluttered, and his body was like jade. Though still youthful, he possessed an Immortal’s aura, exuding grace amidst his innocence.

"Did you really obtain the ’West Emperor Scripture’?" the black dog asked unwillingly.

"What do you mean? Do you think that even if you brought me here and guided me, I couldn’t practice the ancient ’West Emperor Scripture’?" Ye Fan glanced at it unkindly.

The black dog grinned sheepishly and said, "How could that be? Is this Emperor so unreliable? I was just asking casually."

"Hurry and take me to find the other parts of the ’West Emperor Scripture’!" Ye Fan urged.

"Have you come into contact with the ’West Emperor Scripture’ before? Have you obtained the so-called ’Scripture Guide’?" the black dog asked.

"What are you talking about? What’s this ’Scripture Guide’?" Ye Fan stared at it.

"Damn it, how can you cultivate without obtaining the ’Scripture Guide’? This time I’ve lost big," the black dog murmured in a barely audible voice.

Ye Fan’s divine sense could take form and far exceeded his current cultivation base. He vaguely heard its mumbling and was immediately filled with frustration. This dead dog is indeed unreliable.

"Black Emperor, have you found the West Emperor’s relics?"

"No, I’ve searched everywhere and only found this one place," the black dog shook its head unhelpfully.

"Nonsense! Stop sidestepping the issue and lead the way. Don’t you want that Mystic Turtle anymore?" Ye Fan threatened.

"Lend me that bald nut you have; I can definitely use it to find the ’West Emperor Scripture’."

"Stop spouting nonsense! Do you even know what this seed does?" Ye Fan gave it a sideways glance.

"How could I not know? Didn’t you use it to trigger that heavenly sun and obtain the ’West Emperor Scripture’?"

"Stop getting funny ideas!" Ye Fan sternly refused, knowing that lending it to the black dog would be like throwing a meat bun to a dog—it would be gone for good.

In the end, the black dog compromised, reluctantly leading Ye Fan to another stone mountain. This one had a palm-sized mark of Golden Essence carved on it.

This time, Ye Fan, being familiar with the process, didn’t waste much time before triggering the imprint left by the West Emperor Mother.

In an instant, a burst of energy shot into the sky, the Golden Essence CLANGED, and he was sucked into a field of Divine Light. He found himself sitting cross-legged beneath the sky, his sea of Qi surging like a tide and bursting forth.

The Lung Divine Treasure, belonging to Metal in the Five Elements, is the chief among the five viscera and is known as the canopy. Now, with the Scripture completed, a sharp aura surged skyward, CLANGING like ten thousand swords resounding together.

The surface of Ye Fan’s body shone with a metallic luster, akin to a sharp blade slicing through the blue sky, its edge overwhelming and impossible to contend with.

This place also lacked Scripture, offering only the evolution of the Lung Divine Treasure Chapter, which fully elucidated it without transmitting the Dao through words.

The Lung Divine Treasure stirred myriad Qi, mobilizing Essence, Qi, and Spirit. This spread throughout the body, reaching the skin and hair, as it inhaled and exhaled the natural essence of heaven and earth, brimming with vitality!

At this moment, the turbid Qi in Ye Fan’s Dao Palace vanished. Divine essence surged, shining crystal-clear, extending to the six viscera and reaching the four limbs and hundreds of bones, rendering everything utterly lucid.

All forms of Qi belong to the Lung Divine Treasure, which is connected with heaven and earth. The enormous Qi the flesh requires is primarily transformed by it.

When the brilliance retracted, Ye Fan opened his eyes, having perfected the Lung Divine Treasure Chapter of the Dao Palace. His pores relaxed, and he felt as if his flesh had merged with heaven and earth, able to invoke myriad Qi at any time.

"The ’West Emperor Scripture’ is indeed mysterious, seizing the very creation of heaven and earth—truly astounding!"

He had practiced these two Divine Treasures before. This time, after they were supplemented and perfected, he experienced a deeper Mysterious Meaning, as if divine light shone overhead, his mind clear and bright.

"If he hasn’t practiced the ’Scripture Guide,’ kill me and I still wouldn’t believe he could get the West Emperor Scripture!" the black dog grumbled with a long face.

"Black Emperor, what are you muttering about?"

The black dog said viciously, "Kid, you must have seduced the sacred lady of Jade Lake! Otherwise, there’s no way you’d have obtained the West Emperor Scripture Guide."

"What nonsense! Hurry and guide me to find the other Scripture. The Yaochi Ancient Land is not a place to linger. After this is done, we must leave immediately."𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

「Everything went smoothly after that.」 On a stone mountain with an Ancient Tree carved on it, Ye Fan found the Liver Divine Treasure Chapter, followed by the Spleen Divine Treasure and Kidney Divine Treasure Chapters.

The Five Divine Treasures of the Dao Palace were completed. However, he had yet to cultivate the latter three; he had only perfected their frameworks and committed them to memory. Thus, he finally obtained the Dao Palace Scroll of the ’West Emperor Scripture,’ possessing the complete nine secret arts.

Ye Fan stood silently for a long time, unable to hide his shock. This Scripture was extremely profound and mysterious, beyond comprehension, revealing the secrets of heaven and seizing the very fabric of the universe’s creation!

"You’re really lucky! The Dao Palace Scroll of the ’West Emperor Scripture’ is considered the foremost in the Eastern Wastelands, the most perfect of the nine secret arts, and you actually managed to gather all Five Divine Treasures." The black dog bared its teeth. "Hurry and give me the Mystic Turtle."

"Why are you in such a hurry? I’ve only obtained the Dao Palace Scroll. The West Emperor Scripture includes several major secret boundaries, and the Four Extremes and other scrolls have yet to be acquired," Ye Fan laughed.

"Greedier than me!" the black dog said through gritted teeth.

They only found one of the imprints for the Four Extremes secret boundary, but even with the Bodhi seed in hand, Ye Fan couldn’t activate it. He tried for a long time, but to no avail.

Does it really need the ’Scripture Guide’? He immediately thought of the West Emperor Scripture Guide mentioned by the Black Emperor.

Soon, they found the imprint of another of the Extremes, but still couldn’t activate it, unable to obtain the scriptural meaning of this scroll.

"I thought you were comparable to a Great Emperor, able to obtain the ’West Emperor Scripture’ without the Scripture Guide. Now it seems you definitely seduced the sacred lady of Jade Lake and practiced the Dao Palace Scroll’s Scripture Guide."

"You dead dog! You knew this was the case but didn’t tell me, tricking me into coming here. Were you hoping to make me come all this way for nothing?"

"Kid, you’re challenging my dignity! Beware, I might eat you!" the black dog growled viciously.

"Isn’t that exactly the case?!" Ye Fan glared at it.

"How could this Emperor be so unprincipled? I have a solution, of course. I was waiting for you to get here and offer up the Mystic Turtle before telling you."

"You really are cunning! Bringing me here, letting me see the True Scripture so I can’t tear myself away, yet unable to trigger it, thus forcing me to offer the Green Jade Turtle—that was your plan, wasn’t it?" Ye Fan resisted the urge to hit it and said, "Luckily, I have the Scripture Guide for the Dao Palace Scroll."

"Don’t think of this Emperor as so despicable." The big black dog said shamelessly, trying to tempt him, "Don’t you want the other scrolls of the West Emperor Scripture?"

"You sly dog! Are you really that treacherous? Do you have the ’Four Extremes Scripture Introduction’? How would you help me obtain the West Emperor Four Extremes Scroll?!" Ye Fan glared at it fiercely. "If you do, recite a passage for me."

The Black Emperor hummed and hawed, unable to recite anything. Then, it opened its massive jaws wide. "Kid, you repeatedly insult me, daring to call me a dead dog! This Emperor will teach you a lesson!"

"Dead dog, I’ve been wanting to deal with you too!" Ye Fan formed seals and launched a sneak attack, displaying the Fighting Saint Technique.

The big black dog was no pushover and retaliated almost simultaneously with a vicious bite.

"Damn it! A dead dog truly can’t change its nature, always resorting to dirty tricks!"

"You attacked me first this time!"

"If I hadn’t struck first, I’d have been bitten by you again!"

"Damn it, kid, you’re insulting me!"

Ye Fan and the Black Emperor clashed in the Stone Forest. Both possessed abnormal physiques, and their fight was thunderous, their strikes sounding like clashing metal.

"Kid, regardless, you obtained the Dao Palace Scroll of the ’West Emperor Scripture’, so give me the Mystic Turtle!" the big black dog snarled while biting.

"No way! You think you can get something for nothing? Don’t even dream of it in this lifetime!" Ye Fan swung his golden palm, pushing out the Sun and Moon Seal and then unleashing the Mountain and River Seal, exerting his full force.

"You want this Emperor to have toiled in vain...?" the big black dog bared its teeth threateningly.

"Dead dog, what did you grow up eating? Even the Fighting Saint Technique can’t faze you!" Ye Fan cursed.

"Damn it, so that’s one of the nine secret arts! No wonder it hurts so much! This Emperor is in agony!" The big black dog cried out pitifully, and it wasn’t pretending.

Ye Fan had been bitten over a dozen times. He was truly speechless. The Fighting Saint Technique merely inflicted pain on his opponent—what kind of situation was this!

"Dead dog, you’re seriously abnormal!"

"You’re the abnormal one! If cultivators of the Four Extremes secret boundary were hit by your palm, they’d be shattered. Only this Emperor can withstand it! Damn it, it hurts so much!" The big black dog shrieked, baring its teeth.

BOOM.

Suddenly, a terrifying wave erupted. Black mist billowed upwards tens of miles away, and the sky instantly turned as black as ink.

"The Immortal Pool!"

"It’s from the Immortal Pool!"

Ye Fan and the big black dog immediately stopped fighting. They made the same choice: sprinting wildly toward the exit to flee.

A tremendously frightening wave erupted from the Immortal Pool at the source of Jade Lake, and dark clouds churned.

That’s an Immortal Pool... What change has occurred? Could it be related to the people of Jade Lake withdrawing?

Not long ago, they had probed deep into the lake. Recalling this, both Ye Fan and the Black Emperor felt a sense of horror.

They moved quickly and soon arrived at the dried-up lake, rushing toward the Ancient Well along the great rift.

Although the Immortal Pool had undergone an alteration, nothing chased after them, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief.

Just then, Ye Fan cried out as his left hand was bitten by the big black dog, which refused to let go.

"$#@!%&... Why do you always resort to dirty tricks?!"

"Kid, I can’t fly! If we reach the Ancient Well and you just run off, leaving me here, what am I supposed to do? Better to bite you first," the Black Emperor muttered, still biting Ye Fan’s left hand.

"Once we’re outside, let’s never meet again! How disgraceful for a cultivator of the Dao Palace secret realm to be bitten by you every day..."

Following the riverbed, they smoothly returned to the Ancient Well. Ye Fan carried the Black Emperor as they soared into the sky, arriving on the surface shortly thereafter.

Sunlight bathed the open earth. The scenery of Jade Lake could no longer be seen. The whole experience felt very unreal.

Ye Fan flung the Black Emperor down and immediately took flight.

The big black dog was furious, cursing, "Kid, you’ve obtained the ’West Emperor Scripture,’ but you still haven’t given me the Mystic Turtle, nor have you told me the whereabouts of the ancient scriptures left by the demon race’s Great Emperor! If you dare run off, I won’t let you get away with it!"

"You return to the stone village first, and I’ll find you there later!" Ye Fan sent by voice transmission as he fled.

"Kid, are you trying to go back on your word?!" the big black dog shouted. "If you dare run, I’ll expose all your secrets and claim the rewards from the Ji Family and the Flickering Light Sacred Land!"

Ye Fan slowed his pace, realizing this big black dog was truly difficult to deal with.

"Kid, you dare try to escape, try to deceive this Emperor!"

"Black Emperor, you have the nerve to say that? You brought me here without a ’Scripture Guide’—you’re the one who tried to deceive me first!"

The big black dog, knowing it was in the wrong, said, "Regardless, you’ve obtained the West Emperor Scripture. Fulfill your promise."

Ye Fan stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and said, "I can’t give you the Mystic Turtle yet, but I can take you to find the ancient scriptures of the demon race’s Great Emperor."

"You’re not trying to scheme against me, are you?" the big black dog asked suspiciously.

"You think I’m like you? Rest assured, I wouldn’t be so unprincipled," Ye Fan responded.

"I think you’re even less principled than I am!" The big black dog bared its teeth.

"To find the ancient scriptures of the demon race’s Great Emperor, we might have to enter the hidden retreat of a sovereign. Do you think we can succeed?" Ye Fan asked.

"A sovereign? You certainly know how to pick difficult tasks."

"Although it’s in such a place, it’s not certain we’ll encounter a sovereign. The ancient scriptures aren’t in his possession; someone else has them."

The big black dog pondered for a moment and said, "That might be worth a try." Then, it lifted its head, gritted its teeth, and added, "Kid, you’re not tricking me, are you?"

"Don’t think so badly of me. You think I’m like you—devious and sly!" Ye Fan replied.

The big black dog stared at him. "You’re very unreliable."

"I should be the one saying that! Did you do a single reliable thing back in Jade Lake?" Ye Fan questioned, then added, "The person holding the ancient scriptures has two souls within their body. Do you have any way to draw one out?"

The big black dog said doubtfully, "Kid, I suspect you’re up to no good."

"Am I that kind of person? From start to finish, you’re the one who’s been unprincipled!" Ye Fan pointed out its flaws, then added, "Don’t worry. The process might have some twists and turns, but you’ll definitely get the ancient scriptures."

"I just have a bad feeling about you, kid," the big black dog said, staring at him.

"That’s because you’ve done too many bad things yourself, always plotting against others, so you assume everyone else is as rotten as you are," Ye Fan sneered.

"I’ll trust you just this once. But kid, you better think carefully! If you dare plot against this Emperor, when the time comes, I’ll make sure there’s no escape for you, neither to the heavens nor into the earth!" The big black dog threatened viciously.