Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 309 - A Lion’s Greedy Opening

Xu Yuan was undeniably strong. Only nineteen years old, already at the Fifth Stage of the Dao Palace, he stood out among his peers. Divine radiance coiled around his body as he struggled to resist.

But unfortunately, he had run into Ye Fan. Against the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body, all his efforts were meaningless, he couldn’t even struggle free, much less land a strike!

That golden hand grabbed his collar and hoisted him up as if a pair of tongs had clamped onto him.

Ye Fan lifted him effortlessly with one hand while holding the God-Striking Whip in the other. Like a ghostly shadow, he darted back to the battlefield, intent on killing the other two Four Pillars Realm cultivators.

Xu Yuan’s face was pale as he fought with all his might, unleashing the Azure-Gold Sky-Splitting Hand at Ye Fan’s arm. His palms shone with green light, gleaming like divine jade, radiating brilliance.

Clang!

Yet, no matter how he unleashed his profound techniques, he couldn’t so much as scratch Ye Fan’s skin. Instead, his hands throbbed with pain, green fingers dripping blood one by one.

“Save your strength.” Ye Fan’s lips curved into a cold smile. Still holding Xu Yuan by the collar, he dangled him in the air like a chick caught by the scruff.

“Let go of the young master at once! Do you know who he is? If you keep this up, you’ll bring down a calamity on yourself!” one of the Four Pillars cultivators shouted. His voice was fierce, but his heart was weak. Earlier, four of them had attacked together, and two were already dead.

Ye Fan sneered. “I’ve burned even the Supreme Elder of the Ji Clan alive, why would I fear you?”

He strode forward, swinging the God-Striking Whip. The strike came crashing down like Mount Tai itself.

That Four Pillars cultivator blanched and formed the Qilin Seal. Black light flared before him, manifesting a roaring black qilin.

Pfft!

Ye Fan’s cauldron trembled. A wisp of primal mother qi surged forth like a blade of chaos, sharp beyond compare. It sliced the black qilin in half instantly.

Boom!

The Four Pillars cultivator’s ten fingers trembled, unleashing beams of divine light that tore at the void as they shot toward Ye Fan.

Rumble!

Beside him, Tu Fei struck as well. He didn’t want to stand idle. The imitation of the ancient Heaven-Devouring Jar in his hands radiated terrifying might, shaking souls to their core.

The Four Pillars cultivator screamed in terror. He wasn’t comparable to the Saints of great sects; his body was nearly swallowed, pinned midair.

Even an imitation of a Paragon Artifact, though incomplete and forged with inferior materials and Dao Runes, was terrifying beyond measure.

With no other choice, he unleashed every artifact he owned, hurling them all at the Heaven-Devouring Jar.

Brilliant lights flared, dazzling under the night sky. More than a dozen treasures flew out, shaking the void as he poured his full strength into them.

Crack! Crack!

Ye Fan strode forward, whip lashing. One item after another shattered to pieces. The Four Pillars cultivator screamed in agony, toppling to the ground, his spirit grievously wounded. Before Ye Fan could even strike the killing blow, he collapsed, writhing on the ground.

Pfft!

A wisp of Motherly Energy fell from the cauldron above Ye Fan’s head, crushing the man into pulp, obliterating body and soul alike.

Another Four Pillars cultivator hadn’t been nearly as loyal. Watching coldly from the sidelines, he bolted as soon as he realized things had turned hopeless.

“Black Emperor, seal the exits. Don’t let anyone leave alive!” Ye Fan sent a voice transmission.

He still held Xu Yuan captive. If word leaked, the consequences would be dire. Xu Tianxiong, the Third Warlord, was even more terrifying than the Azure Flood Dragon Monarch!

Far off, black mist surged. The fleeing cultivators, including the Four Pillars cultivator, were all blocked, unable to escape.

“Why run? Didn’t you say you wanted me to kneel here and present the Motherly Energy Cauldron? The cauldron is right here. Come and take it.” Ye Fan advanced coldly.

“You… you dare harm Xu Tianxiong’s grandson? Stop now, while there’s still a chance to undo this!” That Four Pillars cultivator tried to negotiate, his backbone clearly weak.

“Too late for that,” Tu Fei sneered. He unleashed the imitation Heaven-Devouring Jar, and a black vortex formed instantly, like a bottomless pit that devoured even the soul.

This man was no Yao Xi. He couldn’t compare to a true Saint or Saintess and was dragged down as if into a mire, unable to resist.

“You…” His horrified cry echoed. Ye Fan was already upon him, whip in hand, looking like an ancient war god. He knew even surrender was useless. Eyes flashing with ferocity, he snarled: “If you kill us, you won’t live either! Xu Heng will strike, and Xu Tianxiong will never let his grandson’s killer go unpunished!”

He opened his mouth and spewed forth a rain of swords, over a hundred crystalline blades, as if forged from starlight, dazzling with divine radiance, stabbing toward Ye Fan.

Crack! Crack!

All for nothing. To try killing Ye Fan with spirit weapons was like using paper to smother fire. Ye Fan’s whip shattered dozens of flying swords in quick succession.

The cultivator screamed and toppled backward, unwilling to die, his power greater than Ye Fan’s but utterly useless before such overwhelming might.

Pfft!

Ye Fan pointed a finger, a golden ray piercing the man’s forehead and ending his life.

Tu Fei, ruthless as ever, swept the battlefield with the imitation Heaven-Devouring Jar, pulling in survivors.

Ye Fan stopped. All the Four Pillars cultivators were dead, the rest beneath notice. He lowered his gaze to Xu Yuan.

At this point, all ten of Xu Yuan’s fingers were mangled, bleeding profusely, green light glimmering ominously. His bones seemed fractured; he could no longer exert any strength.

“Put me down. I have words for you,” Xu Yuan said in a low voice.

Smack!

Ye Fan slapped him across the face, sneering. “Want to say you’re Xu Tianxiong’s grandson? Too bad, I already knew.”

“You…” Xu Yuan’s face went deathly pale, his body trembling with rage. But he quickly mastered himself. “That’s not what I meant. I only wish to talk. Perhaps we could even become friends. There’s no need to be enemies.”

“Funny. Why didn’t you say that earlier?” Ye Fan slapped him again. “Who was it just now, telling me coldly to kneel and offer the cauldron with both hands?”

“We fought, but sometimes that’s how friendships begin,” Xu Yuan said, forcing his voice calm.

He knew the man before him dared to provoke even Desolate Clans and Sacred Grounds. If he kept posturing arrogantly, he’d be slapped to death.

“True enough. No fight, no acquaintance.” Ye Fan hurled him to the ground with brutal force. Xu Yuan nearly blacked out, rolling his eyes.

Bang!

Ye Fan kicked him like a ball, sending him flying. Then, with five steps, he caught up, slapping him out of the air and breaking several bones in the process.

Pfft!

Xu Yuan spat blood, struggling to rise but failing. With a twisted smile, he gasped, “You’ve vented your anger. Let’s talk. I don’t like the Sacred Grounds and Desolate Clans either. We could cooperate.”

Ye Fan didn’t believe a word. Tu Fei had warned him, this man was rotten to the core, vicious and vengeful, sheltered by an untouchable grandfather and an unrivaled brother. There was no crime he wouldn’t commit.

Smack!

Another slap sent Xu Yuan flying, blood streaming from his mouth.

“Don’t kill him outright, or things will get messy,” Tu Fei advised, walking over after dealing with the others.

“Brother Tu, our families are old allies…” Xu Yuan tried to appeal.

Boom!

Ye Fan kicked him skyward. His golden hand slammed down again and again, breaking him further. Even at the Fifth Stage of Dao Palace, Xu Yuan couldn’t withstand the Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique’s strikes.

At last, he was nearly ruined, his screams no longer even human.

“Stop… stop…!” Xu Yuan was utterly dazed.

Never before had anyone dared lay a finger on him. He had always been the one crushing others, and now he was beaten to this pitiful state.

Ye Fan slapped him once more before stopping. Sitting back in a soft chair, he said coldly: “I’ll give you one chance. Atone for your crime. Hand over all your source, and maybe I’ll spare your dog life.”

“Fine… no problem.” Gritting his teeth, Xu Yuan dropped to his knees. A flash of venom crossed his eyes but quickly vanished. To survive, he would endure anything.

Light flashed, and a pile of source stones appeared, over 400 Kg, radiant in all colors, dazzling in the night.

“That’s all? Enough to save one ear at best.” Ye Fan’s voice was icy.

Xu Yuan cursed him bitterly in his heart but kept his face calm. “I don’t carry all my source with me. If you want more, I can fetch it for you.”

“Trying to lure your grandfather into killing me?” Ye Fan mocked. “Absolutely not!”

“If you want to live, bring out 100,000 Kg of source. Then we’ll call it even.” Ye Fan’s demand was outrageous.

“You…” Xu Yuan nearly fainted with rage, blood threatening to rise in his throat.

“I plundered the bandits of Tranquil Prefecture and took 10,000 Kg of source. Do you expect me to believe you’ve only exploited one prefecture? Enough talk. Fail to bring it out, and I’ll kill you.”

Under Ye Fan’s gaze, Xu Yuan didn’t dare lie. He knew if Ye Fan probed his sea of consciousness, the pain would be unbearable.

Sure enough, he admitted he controlled other bandit groups too, perhaps another 10,000 Kg total. That was his limit.

Ye Fan searched the mountain stronghold thoroughly, finding another 3,000 jin.

Meanwhile, Tu Fei picked up a golden pagoda. “This was personally refined by Xu Tianxiong. He truly dotes on his grandson. Worth at least 15,000 Kg of source.”

The golden pagoda was majestic, glowing brilliantly. Earlier, Ye Fan had knocked it away with the whip, but it was still undamaged.

Forged from rare materials and inscribed with complex Dao Runes, it was a precious treasure. Five layers tall, each engraved with dragon motifs, it radiated ancient dao aura.

“This pagoda may indeed have some history…” Ye Fan nodded. Then he turned to Xu Yuan. “At best, you can gather 10,000 Kg of source. Add this pagoda, and that’s barely over 25,000. If you’ve nothing else, I’ll just kill you.”

Boom!

Suddenly, the pagoda shook. From its fifth layer, a ray of light burst forth. The figure of an old man emerged, speaking, “This young friend, could you perhaps stay your hand?”