Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 598: Chapter 602 West Dam

Why avoid that special period? Even a thousand years after the Demon Emperor’s death, can there still be such terrifying effects? It’s unbelievable that later generations cannot prove their Dao to become Great Emperors.

“In the same era, there cannot be two Great Emperors. This has been the consensus since ancient times, without exception,” Pang Bo said.

Ye Fan was already aware of this rumor but still couldn’t understand why. The Black Emperor had not explained it in detail back then.

Ancient Great Emperors represented the highest achievements of the human race. They possessed the extreme power of the world and were the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao, capable of Picking Stars and Catching the Moon and performing any feat.

After a Great Emperor passed away, their influence could linger in the world for a very long time. Some estimated that it would take a full ten thousand years after a human Great Emperor’s passing for their Dao to completely and the world to return to calm.

The Green Emperor was a legend. During the Post-Huanggu Era, it had become almost impossible for even Saints to appear, yet he had proven his Dao and become a Great Emperor, ranking among the strongest throughout history.

No one could clearly say which period he belonged to, nor could they accurately estimate how long he had lived. People only knew that he had passed away in the Eastern Wastelands ten thousand years ago.

“Xiang Yufei had to avoid that special period. Otherwise, even with his emperor-like aptitude, he wouldn’t be able to prove the Dao. Besides, he indeed bore the signs of a premature death.”

Xiang Yufei, at nineteen, became a pinnacle figure in the Central States. He contended with several Emperors and competed with the Eastern Wastelands’ Peacock King. Such peerless talent has been seen only rarely in history.

Unfortunately, he died at the age of twenty, leaving many to sigh in mourning. Nine thousand years later, he reappeared in the world, becoming an unsolvable mystery.

“He was like the ancient creatures, slumbering through a dream of nine thousand years, bidding farewell to his past life, only to awaken now.”

For such a remarkably talented individual to be revived was truly an auspicious event. It added another legend to this era and also increased the pressure on many powerful figures.

“He bore the signs of premature death. Sealing himself with Divine Source Liquid had only kept him in a near-death state. It took the consumption of several Medicine Kings for him to finally revive and reappear in the world.” This was a secret from the Qi Shi Mansion that Pang Bo had learned by accident; barely anyone knew of it.

Ye Fan took a deep breath; the Qi Shi Mansion’s foundation was indeed strong. Even in this age, they still possessed Divine Source Liquid to use—it was practically like something from a legend! And, to revive Xiang Yufei after nine thousand years, they had actually used several Medicine Kings. Those were ancient medicines eighty to ninety thousand years old; just a few of them combined were equivalent to one Undying Divine Medicine.

Ye Fan sighed lightly. This person, he thought, seemed to be treated as a future Great Emperor. He would likely truly prove the Dao; otherwise, the resources expended were far too great.

“This person must possess unparalleled talent. Nine thousand years ago, in the Western Desert, a supreme figure on the verge of achieving the rank of Bodhisattva gifted him the Buddha’s Treasure Longevity Lock to extend his life. That alone offered a glimpse of his potential.”

For those living fossil-level figures, that lock was a priceless divine artifact capable of prolonging lifespan. It was cast from Purple Gold and had been repeatedly refined by a Buddha, infused with endless merit.

“Nine thousand years ago, even Buddhism favored him. Now, revived by the Qi Shi Mansion, many believed he would be the protagonist of this world,” Pang Bo said.

“It seems this world, as the Black Emperor said, has started changing again,” Ye Fan contemplated. “Besides the Demon Emperor’s influence fading, it was also evolving towards the state of heaven and earth before the Ancient Desolation era.”

“Indeed, that’s truly the case. Otherwise, Xiang Yufei, as someone who might become a Great Emperor, could not have been revived at this moment.”

“Speaking of whom, that Wang Teng is truly terrifying. He rivals the Central Emperor in dominance, and he’s a figure of this current age.”

Both of them sighed. They were separated by nine thousand years. When heroes from different eras met, brilliant sparks would surely fly. They just wondered who else might join this contest.

They deeply felt they had been in this world for too short a time. Compared to such peerless prodigies, their cultivation realms were still far behind, requiring diligent effort.

“That Wang Teng has subdued two powerful ancient creatures and has already dispatched them. I think it’s highly probable they’re coming to deal with you,” Pang Bo warned.

“No worries,” Ye Fan replied. “With the God-beating Whip in hand, they can’t find any trace of me. I, on the other hand, can devise a way to set a trap for them.”

Ye Fan took out three bottles of Dragon Marrow. Each bottle contained a dozen or so golden liquid drops, each as large as a grape. The drops did not merge, remained individually distinct and crystal clear, and exuded a rich fragrance.

“You take two bottles. When you enter the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, assisting your cultivation with Dragon Marrow will certainly yield twice the result with half the effort. It contains Dao Law fragments and can nourish the Great Dragon within the body.”

“I have the Demon Emperor Ancient Scripture, which includes the Dragon Transformation Divine Skill. I don’t need these,” Pang Bo refused.

“There’s no need for such politeness between us. Just take them. They’ll definitely be of great use.” Ye Fan stuffed two of the bottles into Pang Bo’s hands.

“Their color is golden, and each drop is so large. This is definitely top-grade Dragon Marrow. One bottle is enough; I don’t need so much,” Pang Bo said, wanting to leave them for Ye Fan’s own cultivation.

“Rest assured. Although Dragon Marrow is said to be incredibly rare, perhaps seen only once in a century or even a millennium, it can certainly be bought. The Central States have many dragon veins, all of which are Ancestor Roots. The major sects have built cities as Pure Lands, nurturing Dragon Qi. I don’t believe Dragon Marrow is impossible to find.”

“I’ve heard that Dragon Marrow can indeed be found, but it often costs millions of pounds of Source. It’s only sold at super-auctions and must be traded using Divine Sources,” Pang Bo shared a piece of information.

Hearing this, Ye Fan smiled and said, “Then there’s no need to worry too much. At the Peach Blossom Festival, I won five million pounds of Source from the Source Technique ancient families and exchanged it all for Divine Sources. That should be enough to buy some Dragon Marrow for both of us to cultivate in the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm.”

“The Central States are truly a divine land! They even have Dragon Marrow, a heaven-defying substance containing Dao fragments. It can not only extend life but also enable Enlightenment. Legend says the topmost Dream Divine Marrow can outmatch an Undying Divine Medicine. It’s even rumored to have transformed into a living creature, impossible to grasp.”

Ye Fan laughed. “My Source Technique might have another chance to shine. Once I fully understand the secrets of Dragon Marrow, I’ll personally search for Ancestor Roots to acquire it.”

“Don’t go looking for Dragon Marrow! Such things are said to be very sinister. Upon entering underground Ancestor Roots, various strange occurrences are common, and even Saint Master Level figures have been known to die mysteriously,” Pang Bo firmly objected.

Ye Fan was astonished and felt it was necessary to understand more. This divine object, nurtured by heaven and earth, likely had something coexisting with it, or perhaps it had even birthed something.

“You stay in the Qi Shi Mansion. You must find that ancient road leading to the Outer Domain.”

Pang Bo nodded and said, “I know. I entered the Qi Shi Mansion primarily for that ancient road, although the insights left by the sages on those beautiful mountains are also very important.”

Finally, the two parted ways, agreeing on a time and place for their next meeting.

West Dam City had existed since ancient times. Amidst the fires of war, the cycles of dynasties, and the ceaseless flow of time, through countless changes, it had always stood firm, its location never once shifting.

Of course, it was unknown how many times it had been renovated over the ages. Given its extreme antiquity, it was recorded in the ancient books of the Central States as one of the ten great ancient cities of the human race.

It was over five thousand li from the Qi Shi Mansion, not considered too far. If the prodigies from the Five Great Domains had any needs after leaving the Qi Shi Mansion, West Dam City was often their first choice.

As one of the ten great ancient cities in the Central States, its layout was quite unusual. The entire city was nourished and invigorated by Dragon Qi, attracting many scattered cultivators to reside there.

This place had no City Lord and did not belong to any major power, allowing for a great degree of freedom. A large number of cultivators came and went, making it extremely prosperous.

Every time a large-scale auction was held, many Saint Master Level figures were drawn by its reputation, and all sorts of people, from all walks of life and various sects, could be seen there.

Ye Fan arrived in West Dam City carrying the God-beating Whip, intending to cultivate here and strengthen himself.

The city was magnificent, imposing, and grand. Its walls, forged like black iron, resembled a black steel Great Wall of China. The interior was spacious and prosperous, bustling with activity and people from all walks of life.

Ye Fan settled down here, cultivating while keeping an eye out for the Saint Master Level auction, hoping to obtain some precious Dragon Marrow.

Disciples from the Qi Shi Mansion were often seen here. As long as the mansion was not sealed, they could come and go freely, often visiting to exchange spiritual treasures, medicinal pills, and other items.

And naturally, within West Dam City, many people discussed the young generation of the Five Great Domains, debating who was the foremost talent in the world.

Besides the Central Emperor and Wang Teng, people talked about the Southern Demon and also mentioned the mysterious powerhouse from Mount Sumeru. However, they often selectively ignored the Eastern Wastelands.

This was because this great domain was truly complex and mysterious, making it difficult to discern who was stronger or weaker.

In the Eastern Wastelands, many heroes had risen, but no one could pinpoint who the top figure in the domain was. The Flickering Light Saint Heir remained very low-key and had never engaged in a life-and-death duel. Only the Golden-winged Little Roc had experienced his power, but he kept his mouth shut about it.

Now, it was impossible to even ask the Golden-winged Little Roc to recount the details of that battle, as he had been suppressed by the Old Roc King. He could not emerge unless he passed the trial set by the Ancient Celestial Roc Saint.

Moreover, some speculated that the Yaochi Saintess was very powerful, while others claimed that the Ji Family’s Divine King Body was invincible and undefeated, making him the top expert in the Eastern Wastelands.

Others said these individuals were nothing. Once the Purple Mansion Sacred Lady became a Peacock King, she would have no rivals, as she possessed an Innate Dao Embryo, unmatched worldwide.

Still others said that the true number one was Yan Ruyu; once her Extreme Dao Holy Weapon was unleashed, both Wang Teng and the Central Emperor would suffer defeat and concede gracefully.

Of course, Hua Yunfei was mentioned once again. Although he had been missing for almost three years, no one had forgotten him. He cultivated the Heaven-devouring Demon Technique. Once he truly let loose, no one could stop his advance; he would surely progress by leaps and bounds daily. Some made nearly alarmist predictions: within ten years, he would bring calamity to the Eastern Wastelands, and within a hundred years, he would dominate the Five Domains.

Naturally, many people also mentioned Ye Fan. They believed that if he did not die and continued to grow step by step, his achievements would be limitless; after all, he was the only Sacred Body in the Post-Huanggu Era to break the curse.

What left people most speechless was that even the tomb robber Daoist Duan De, already in his mid-thirties, was mentioned. This unscrupulous Daoist was called an outlier, his true depth unfathomable.

Additionally, Xia Jiuyou was also noted. At the age of thirteen, she had broken through the Four Extremes Realm to enter the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, a rare genius seldom seen even in ancient times.

She was not like Wang Chong, who had stumbled into a Dragon Cave and obtained a peerless fortuitous encounter, drinking Dragon Blood and consuming Divine Marrow. She had advanced step by step through her own efforts.

Ultimately, people realized there were too many individuals to discuss in the Eastern Wastelands, making it impossible to definitively name the foremost expert. Most of these individuals had never displayed their true strength and maintained a very low profile.

This remained true even after they entered the Qi Shi Mansion. None from the Eastern Wastelands had yet been called a peerless prodigy, and no one had forcefully stood out by accomplishing anything major.

However, people had heard that the Flickering Light Saint Heir was someone who had to undergo a Heavenly Tribulation for every minor realm advancement. How could such a person not be a peerless prodigy?

From this, one could infer that the other top talents from the Eastern Wastelands were also far from simple, possessing immense potential for growth.

Outside West Dam City, two towering figures stood in the void. One was entirely covered in fine golden scales and possessed a pair of Divine Wings. The other shimmered with silver light, had four arms, and an additional vertical eye on its forehead.

“He vanished, concealing his Qi Mechanism. Even the top disciple of the Diviner couldn’t deduce his whereabouts, and the people from the Yin Yang Sect could no longer find him.”

“He’s most likely still in this region. If we don’t take his head, we cannot return and report to our master.”

The two ancient creatures conversed in low voices, their gazes blazed like flames, and their powerful Qi Mechanisms were utterly astonishing.

While these two ancient creatures were devising means to kill Ye Fan, he held the Immortal Tears Green Gold Book and pondered. The tiny characters inscribed on it were in the Divine Text from before the Ancient Era. Could I perhaps capture an ancient creature to translate them?