Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 508: Chapter 513: Massacre

The deep night was like an abyss, the ancient city engulfed in darkness. When the Array Patterns of the Great Emperor of No Beginning appeared, they devoured the energy of heaven and earth, transforming this place into an ancient killing field.

At this moment, an invisible killing intent surged, as if a Great World was disintegrating and collapsing. The murderous aura spread, seeming to want to annihilate all living beings in the world!

“What happened?”

Everyone was terrified, as if they had fallen into the black abyss. Every inch of their flesh convulsed, blood oozed out, and every bone trembled, creaking ominously.

Whether they were powerful cultivators or weak individuals, everyone was in utter despair, experiencing the illusion of doomsday approaching, their hearts filled with hopelessness.

Once the Great Emperor Killing Array of No Beginning was activated, everyone was trapped inside, with no chance of escape!

“Ye Fan, do you think deploying a few Array Patterns can trap us?” a cultivator in the Four Extremes Secret Realm tried to break out, speaking telepathically.

CRACK!

A green light descended from the sky, the acrid smell of burnt flesh assaulting the senses. His whole body emitted white smoke, his flesh and organs quivering, his features distorted.

BANG!

He fell straight down, his flesh completely charred, struck dead by a green lightning bolt. His divine scan also faded into nothingness.

This is… Many gasped; even many elders from the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm paled. The man they had sent to test the array had been killed in a single strike.

Ye Fan stood under the night sky, a trace of a cold smile on his lips. He said nothing, calmly scanning everyone.

Almost no one revealed their true appearance. Those seeking to seize the cauldron had used various means to conceal their faces. They were shadowy figures; cultivators from the Four Extremes and Dragon Transformation Secret Realms, and even half-step sovereigns, were among them!

AWOOO… The Black Dog appeared not far away with a loud howl, covered in blood, having suffered considerable injuries in the chaotic battle.

Behind him, Wu Zhongtian, Jiang Huairen, and others were also bloodstained. Although they had retreated at the first opportunity, they too were injured because too many experts had arrived.

“Still acting arrogant, are you? Come and kill this emperor again! Damn it, don’t look at anyone else, I’m talking to you!” the Black Dog roared, glaring at an old man in the sixth transformation of Dragon Transformation.

“A lowly, hairless dog demon…” The old man sneered, completely unaware of the peril, not recognizing these as the Array Patterns of an ancient Great Emperor.

“Die, old thing!” The Black Dog attacked, setting the Killing Array into motion.

CHSST!

A red glow erupted, as brilliant as fireworks, yet its murderous aura was like ice sealing thirty thousand li, chilling to the bone as it engulfed the old man.

“AHHHH…”

The old man in the sixth transformation of Dragon Transformation screamed as the red glow reduced him to pus and blood, annihilating both body and soul. He died a tragic death.

Even many elders’ complexions changed. In the darkness, fear struck everyone’s hearts. Such enigmatic Array Patterns, once activated, would cause a great catastrophe.

“Ye Fan, we’ll spare your life for a moment…” Several powerful cultivators, conceited about their profound attainments in Dao Glyphs, attempted to jointly activate a Domain Gate and escape.

SWOOSH!

The patterns they had inscribed shattered like illusions. Simultaneously, dozens of blood-colored lightning bolts intertwined and struck downward.

BOOM!

Scarlet lightning struck from above. These people were all hit, their bodies smoking, clothes turning to ash. Their flesh was charred black, the electric current pierced their bodies, and their heads even cracked open.

All seven of them died. Each was skilled in Dao Glyphs, but none survived, becoming the second batch of victims.

What kind of Array Pattern is this? How can it be so terrifying? No one could remain calm; fear gripped their hearts.

So many had come to hunt the cauldron, yet all were trapped here. If all of them perished, it would be a great massacre, a chilling thought.

CHSST!

A purple light suddenly flashed. A sharp sword aura descended from the sky, aiming to pierce Ye Fan’s Sky Gathering Parasol in a lethal strike.

An expert from the Ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty was hiding in the void above Ye Fan’s head, launching a thunderous strike at the critical moment.

However, before the sword aura was even a few zhang away, his body convulsed. He was swept by a green light and instantly turned into pus and blood, which trickled down.

CLANG!

The divine sword clattered to the ground, striking sparks. A powerful assassin had been obliterated by the Array Patterns, ceasing to exist.

“Black Emperor, activate the Killing Array and wipe them all out!” Ye Fan commanded, unwilling to let the night drag on and allow for more complications. He prepared to slaughter everyone.

“Such big talk! A mere ant, do you really think you are an Ancient Saint? You are far from it!” Finally, a half-step sovereign stepped forward, his arms crossed behind his back. He stared at Ye Fan, his face indifferent and merciless.

BOOM!

He suddenly struck. Lightning flickered between his fingers as a web of electric light wove itself into a Thunder Sea, forming a natural image of the Dao. It spun like a disk of light as it shot towards Ye Fan.

Ye Fan’s heart skipped a beat. Following the Black Emperor’s guidance, he retreated rapidly within the Killing Array, his form flickering as he evaded the attack and left his previous position.

THUD!

A dull thud sounded as the Thunder Sea image collapsed instantly. This simultaneously triggered the operation of the ancient Great Emperor’s Killing Array, which began to emit a Qi Mechanism capable of obliterating the Mortal World.

HUM!

The void trembled, and the earth seemed about to sink. A burst of Immortal Light erupted, with innumerable auspicious lights, like giant Immortal Flowers blooming, radiating a peerless killing intent.

The half-step sovereign shouted angrily, exerting all his might to resist this endless killing light, but it was all in vain. The divine halberd in his hand, forged from meteor iron, crumbled to dust like rotten wood, falling away in shreds.

“AHHH…” he let out a scream as his arm began to dissolve, bone and flesh turning to mush.

An irresistible killing momentum spread, advancing like a stormy sea, each wave stronger than the last, crushing everything in its path. Even the half-step sovereign couldn’t withstand it!

“AHHH…” He had lost his previous composure and calmness. His face was filled with horror as he shouted to the sky, yet he was unable to change anything.

BANG!

His body cracked, as if crushed by a celestial grindstone, turning into a bloody paste inch by inch, starting from his limbs. Eventually, with a SQUELCH, his head shattered.

“Break through! We must rush out!”

Everyone screamed. Seeing this scene, no one was without fear. Even a half-step sovereign had been annihilated; who could remain calm?

Perhaps only by everyone joining forces could a path to survival be opened; otherwise, all would perish here.

“You are so ruthless, setting up such an Absolute Array and waiting for us to enter!” Many looked at Ye Fan, a mixture of fury and fear in their eyes.

“You came to kill me and seize the cauldron, so you should be prepared to be killed,” Ye Fan said with a smile.

“There’s nothing more to say! Black Emperor, activate the Killing Array and destroy everyone!” Li Heishui said.

“Alright! Activate the Array Patterns immediately! Today is destined to be a river of blood!” the Black Emperor shouted.

BUZZ!

Suddenly, the void was pierced. A Blood Arrow shot out, aiming straight for the Black Emperor’s throat. He screamed and retreated in panic.

“Black Emperor, what’s wrong?” Ye Fan was shocked, deeply fearing a mishap.

“Why was this thing… left behind?!” the Black Emperor stammered, somewhat frightened.

SWOOSH!

The Blood Arrow, like a rainbow, pierced through the Great Emperor Array Patterns. It pursued him relentlessly, aiming for the Black Emperor, a deathly aura permeating the air.

DANG!

Ye Fan rushed over, using the Origin Qi Cauldron as a shield, forcibly withstanding the blow.

The Blood Arrow, still like a rainbow, did not shatter. It continued its pursuit of the Black Emperor, the deathly aura intensifying. It would not stop until it had killed its target.

SWOOSH!

Ye Fan activated the cauldron. Circulating Origin Qi, he drew the Black Emperor inside and asked, “What is this?”

“This is a Secret Arrow specifically crafted by an ancient Great Emperor to kill enemies within Array Patterns. It is relentless and unyielding; even Array Patterns can hardly wear it down.” The Black Emperor was truly frightened.

DANG!

The Blood Arrow, like a beam of light, was still ceaseless. It pierced at the Origin Qi Cauldron. If the cauldron hadn’t been sturdy enough, it would have been shattered by now.

DANG! DANG!

The force of the Blood Arrow was immense. Each strike nearly sent the cauldron flying. Ye Fan felt as if he were being hammered by a ten-thousand-jun sledgehammer, his body trembling lightly.

“If I could have laid out even one-third of the Array Patterns, this Secret Arrow from an ancient Great Emperor would have been ground to dust!” the Black Emperor said resentfully.

“Huh? No, this isn’t a true Secret Arrow of an ancient Great Emperor! It’s a forbidden item, a replica!” he exclaimed, a look of surprise on his face.

This was because the Blood Arrow had dimmed. After striking seven or eight times, with a PUFF, it turned to ashes, worn down by the Array Patterns.

So-called forbidden items were weapons that could only be used a few times. Although powerful, they couldn’t be used long-term.

“It was just a shoddy replica of a forbidden item! Scared this emperor to death! I was wondering how a Secret Arrow from an ancient Great Emperor could have been passed down.” The Black Emperor was completely revitalized, leaping out of the Origin Qi Cauldron.

CHSST!

Another blood-red light shot over, accompanied by the roar of wind and thunder. Its killing intent alarmed the clouds as it aimed for Ye Fan’s throat, intending a lethal strike.

“It’s someone from the Jiang Family!” Liu Kou said in a deep voice.

The archer was Jiang Huai’an, Jiang Yichen’s uncle. His eyes were cold as he continuously drew his bow. In the blink of an eye, several crimson, blood-like arrows shot forth, all aiming at Ye Fan.

“It’s merely a crude imitation of a forbidden item, completely ineffective!” the Black Emperor shouted, activating the Array Patterns.

BOOM!

Countless Great Dragons formed from condensed killing intent soared into the sky, piercing the clouds. The Array Patterns of the Great Emperor of No Beginning revealed their terrifying aspect.

“AHHH…”

Screams echoed instantly. In the blink of an eye, dozens of cultivators were annihilated, their forms and spirits crushed by the killing aura, leaving nothing behind.

The sound of shattering was heard as the few arrows Jiang Huai’an had shot disintegrated into powder, vanishing in mid-air.

“Pin him down!” Ye Fan pointed at Jiang Huai’an.

“WOOF! That’s exactly what this emperor intended! Killing him outright would be letting him off too easily!” shouted the Black Emperor.

The night sky shook. Countless patterns emerged, and Jiang Huai’an and his group were all bound, unable to move an inch within the Killing Array.

Meanwhile, the others were desperately charging, amidst rumbling thunder and bursting beams of killing light. Many were reduced to bloody pulp, dying a tragic death on the spot.

SWOOSH!

Ye Fan rushed over and took a large purple bow and a few Blood Arrows from Jiang Huai’an’s hands.

CHSST!

Nearby, a few half-step sovereigns suddenly appeared, launching their attacks, hoping to take advantage of the opportunity to eliminate him.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Thousands of swords hummed in unison as the Array of No Beginning transformed endlessly, sending tens of thousands of sword auras shooting toward the four half-step sovereigns.

“AHHH…”

One of them was instantly turned into a sieve, his head pierced by hundreds of sword lights, his spirit and form obliterated.

“AHHH…”

Another cried out as he was slashed into a bloody pulp by hundreds of sword auras. He died a tragic death, ceasing to exist.

SWOOSH!

Ye Fan retreated. Following the Black Emperor’s directions, he moved as if through an uninhabited land. Then, he nocked an arrow to his bow. With a flash of blood-red light, he shot it out.

SPLURT!

The third half-step sovereign, already on the verge of being obliterated by the Killing Array, was struck between the brows by Ye Fan’s arrow. He cried out and instantly turned into a mist of blood.

“You’re next!”

Ye Fan drew his bow again. Just as the last, dying half-step sovereign leaped skyward, a streak of blood-red light descended, piercing through his Sky Gathering Parasol.

PUFF!

His head shattered. This expert’s body turned to bloody mud, and he perished instantly, without even a chance to scream.

Everyone was terrified to the extreme. In total, five half-step sovereigns had been exterminated. How could they not fear? All of them cried out.

“Rush out! We must rush out!” Everyone swarmed together, trying to pave a way out with corpses.

Damn it, he tricked us! If I survive this, I’ll kill him a hundred times! Someone vowed fiercely in secret.

RUMBLE!

It was as if a Big Grinding Disc was turning in the heavens, ruthlessly crushing lives. Blood light continually surged as, one after another, people were turned into bloody paste.

These were merely a corner of the Array Patterns left behind by an ancient Great Emperor, yet they held the great power to kill all living beings in the world. Once trapped within, it was nearly impossible to escape.

In this void, thousands of Great Dragons made of terrifying killing intent leaped about. There were also various flashes of lightning. Anyone struck would undoubtedly turn to ash.

“AHHH…”

The screams were ceaseless, creating a terrifying scene reminiscent of an Asura’s battlefield. Rotating killing light sliced one body after another, and blood flowed like a river.

That night, too many people had come to attack Ye Fan. Anyone who entered the array was unable to escape; all were slaughtered.

It resembled an ancient battlefield. Corpses piled high, blood flowed freely, and the stench was pungent. A blood mist swirled, dyeing the hair of Ye Fan and his companions red.

“They’re all experts. Too many have been killed this time,” Wu Zhongtian sighed.

“Since the slaughter has begun, we cannot stop. There’s no need for mercy. We might as well not act, but once we do, we’ll kill them all!” Ye Fan declared.

CHSST!

Ye Fan drew his bow and aimed at Jiang Huai’an. The Blood Arrow flew like a celestial rainbow, piercing through.

PUFF!

He had no way to evade. The arrow struck him squarely in the abdomen. With a BANG, his Wheel and Sea shattered, and all his divine energy vanished.

With a single arrow, Ye Fan had crippled him!

“AHHH…”

Jiang Huai’an screamed, his eyes filled with despair. His Wheel and Sea was destroyed, and his divine energy depleted; he could never again set foot on the path of cultivation.

“You…” He roared venomously, glaring at Ye Fan and the others.

“Who are you?” Ye Fan asked with a cold laugh. Then, he reached out a large hand, grabbed him, and sealed him on the spot, giving him no chance to speak.

“I don’t know who you are, but since you came to kill me, I can’t let you go. You’ll be suppressed in a latrine pit for at least a thousand years!” Ye Fan tossed him to Li Heishui.

“Indeed, this man deserves to be suppressed!” Liu Kou shouted.

The Killing Array activated, relentlessly reaping lives. Ye Fan carefully searched for the whereabouts of several Saint Heirs.

Jin Chixiao of the Northern Plains’ Golden Family? Ye Fan stared at a mighty figure covered in scales, like a fearsome spirit, trampling over corpses as he charged outward.

“Damn! The Golden Family members truly are descendants of Ancient creatures!” Jiang Huairen exclaimed.

“Kill him!” Ye Fan commanded. No matter who it was, once they entered the Killing Array, death was their destiny.

BOOM! The Black Emperor activated the Killing Array.

Endless blood-red light swept over him. The towering figure instantly shattered, scales falling off as his body was torn apart. However, there were only fluctuations of divine energy; no blood splattered.

That was a god from his Dao Palace, not his true body! Yet it was so strong, almost comparable to a Saint Heir, Liu Kou thought, his heart leaping.

Jin Chixiao had been cautious and hadn’t appeared in person. He had merely manifested a god to investigate. With it being slain here, he would inevitably suffer grievous damage to his Yuan Qi.

Here, blood-red light soared to the heavens, and killing intent was endless, like a vast ocean raging.

From afar, one could clearly see the Array of No Beginning transforming into a Big Grinding Disc, crushing one body after another, continually reaping lives.

The scene was terrifying to the extreme. Blood flowed on the ground, accumulating into a thick layer of bloody mud. It was a gruesome sight, like a Human World Purgatory.

The Purple Mansion Saint Heir!

Ye Fan’s eyes turned cold as he spotted this Saint Heir again. His hair was disheveled, and he wore a straw coat and a bamboo hat. He carried a pitch-black Black Gourd on his back and a Rotten Wood Hammer in his hand, stepping over corpses as he advanced.

CLANG!

Ye Fan drew the Yin Yang Holy Sword and marched forward, moving through the Array Patterns.

BUZZ!

He swung it as if wielding a mountain range. The Yin Yang Holy Sword smashed down from the sky, threatening to shatter the heavens, its force heavy and its power fierce!

CLANG!

Ye Fan swung the sword heavily down. The Purple Mansion Saint Heir met the attack with his Rotten Wood Hammer. Chaotic Light flickered as their weapons clashed, emitting a deafening sound.

THUD!

The Purple Mansion Saint Heir was sent flying backward, coughing up a large mouthful of blood. He had nearly been obliterated within the Array Patterns earlier and his Yuan Qi was already severely damaged; he was now struggling to hold on.

However, the Rotten Wood Hammer in his hand was truly terrifying; it had even caused cracks to appear on the Yin Yang Holy Sword. This was incredible.

SWOOSH!

Ye Fan once again brought his sword down. The sword aura seemed to connect with the dark clouds in the sky, as thick as a mountain, terrifying all who witnessed it!

“You cannot kill me! Do you know who…” The Purple Mansion Saint Heir knew his current state was absolutely unsuitable for a major battle.

“I don’t care who you are! If you dare to come kill me and seize the cauldron, then be prepared to die!” Ye Fan shouted, giving him no chance to speak. If the Saint Heir revealed his identity, it would lead to significant trouble in the future.

CLANG! CLANG!

The Yin Yang Holy Sword was heavier than a mountain. Each downward swing made the Purple Mansion Saint Heir spew blood. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but had no opportunity.

If not for the terrifying Rotten Wood Hammer and the Black Gourd on his back, which saved him at crucial moments, he would have already been slain.

These Saint Heirs all have great fortuitous encounters. If he hadn’t been severely injured by the Killing Array, it would indeed take a great deal of effort to kill him, Ye Fan mused.

He didn’t know how the other party had obtained items like the Rotten Wood Hammer, nor the corresponding spells that, when used in conjunction, unleashed such immense and unmatched power.

“It’s time to end this. I’ll send you on your way!”

Finally, Ye Fan swept his sword out forcefully. The strength in his arm was terrifying; the Yin Yang Holy Sword bent as if it were about to break.

SPLURT!

Ye Fan beheaded the Purple Mansion Saint Heir. Blood surged over three meters high as the headless body fell into a pool of blood. He swung his sword again, cleaving the escaping head in half!

“AHHH!” The Purple Mansion Saint Heir let out an unwilling, sharp cry with his soul, “Ye Fan, you won’t live long either…” A mass of purple light rushed out.

SQUELCH!

Ye Fan struck down with his sword, and the purple light shattered, obliterating the Saint Heir in both body and spirit. He didn’t want to give the other party a chance to shout out his identity.

Killing you now is like killing a nobody! he thought, standing there holding the Blood Dripping Holy Sword.