Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 605: Chapter 609 The Second Saint

The dark clouds drifted away, the stars twinkled, and moonlight spilled down, making the Short Mountain serene, as if nothing had ever happened.

Ye Fan walked step by step to the old tree. This ancient pine was at least over four thousand years old, its trunk hollow, its needles sparse, already close to death.

At the tree’s root, there was a piece of green stone, not much longer than 1.6 or 1.7 meters, just matching the height of that old Daoist. It was quite smooth and somewhat extraordinary.

“Sometimes I come under the pine tree, high-pillowed on stone I sleep. In the mountains, there’s no calendar; the cold ends, and I know not the year…”

Is that old Daoist still alive? Ye Fan gazed blankly. The world has seen ages pass like seas turning to mulberry fields. How long must he have lived to offer such a lament?

He strode to the back of the small Daoist Temple, arriving at the earthen grave. Activating his Source Heaven Divine Sense to observe, he shivered at that moment.

Under the yellow earth, the torn Daoist robe was still there; that ancient wooden hairpin still lay crosswise, not having moved an inch, maintaining its original position.

How can this be… Ye Fan felt a chill in his heart. He had clearly already undergone Transformation and ceased to exist, so why did I see his figure just now?

It couldn’t have been an illusion earlier. The dark clouds appeared, the old Daoist manifested, then vanished mysteriously. It was all very vivid, and those words seemed to still echo.

It wasn’t a residual divine sense imprint, because I heard a real voice. Ye Fan returned to the front of the Daoist Temple, pacing on the Short Mountain, feeling very puzzled.

The night was like water, all was silent save for an occasional bird’s cry. There was nothing particularly odd, not the slightest presence of strangers, nor could any divine energy fluctuations be felt.

His mind was full of questions, but he had no means to solve them. In the end, he could only continue meditating. He believed that whatever kind of powerhouse it was, it likely bore him no malice.

Ye Fan settled here in seclusion. More than half a month passed, and each day he sat silently in front of the Daoist Temple, quietly seeking Enlightenment.

This was a Pure Land, a return to simplicity, far from the bustling world. Yet, there was no auspicious aura swirling; everything was very natural, like an elegant ink wash painting.

Sometimes during the day, woodcutters sang boldly, or hunters would chase beasts from the depths of the mountains, their roars echoing through the ranges. Ye Fan’s mind was tranquil and clear, taking in all this.

In these days, he had captured a strange Dao Mark. The Short Mountain nurtured spirit, and even without having taken Dragon Marrow, he already felt a kind of mysterious sensation, his body and mind both quickened.

This Transformation Land is divine land in the world. If any Great Sect learned of it, they would immediately occupy it, deploying a Great Net Array and making it a Forbidden Land unreachable by outsiders.

「Another deep night fell.」

Dark clouds rolled, almost pressing upon the mountain peak. It was pitch black, impossible to see one’s hand in front of one’s face. Soon, lightning blazed, thunder crashed, and rain poured down in torrents.

The world was enveloped in a curtain of rain. Ye Fan stood in the Daoist Temple, watching the world within the rain. Occasionally, flashes of lightning cut through the darkened sky, momentarily revealing a bright, rain-drenched realm.

BOOM!

Lightning struck wildly. In an instant, over a hundred silver streaks appeared between heaven and earth, connecting sky to ground. Torrential rain poured down, and the mountains in the downpour were briefly illuminated.

But immediately after, it plunged back into boundless darkness. The lightning vanished, leaving only the pouring rain; nothing else was visible. It was a frighteningly deep night, and standing alone created an unusual atmosphere.

BOOM!

Again, a burst of thunder. Hundreds and thousands of Golden Snakes danced, making the vast world blazingly bright, revealing clusters of distant peaks.

That is…

Ye Fan stood by the window, his expression changing. He saw the old Daoist again, still in that ragged Daoist robe, with a wooden hairpin in his topknot.

At this moment, he sat cross-legged in the pouring, rainy sky. He opened his mouth and took a breath, and thousands of lightning bolts were drawn into his mouth, disappearing without a trace.

BOOM!

Rain fell like waterfalls; water was everywhere between heaven and earth. The lightning grew even more intense. This time, tens of thousands of immense lightning bolts descended, thousands upon thousands of them striking down together.

So many lightning bolts… this is comparable to a Great Heavenly Tribulation… Ye Fan murmured to himself.

Yet, to his amazement, the old Daoist maintained the same posture. He opened his mouth and took a breath, and instantly, tens of thousands of lightning bolts vanished, all rushing into his mouth.

This is just too… monstrous!

Ye Fan’s expression changed. He had personally experienced multiple Heavenly Tribulations. He could resist them and felt no fear, but he always had to pay a price, his physical body often being injured by the strikes. When had he ever seen anyone absorb it all in one mouthful like the old Daoist?

This was like something out of a fable. Not a single bolt of lightning landed; all were drawn into his mouth and absorbed into his body. It didn’t seem like a Heavenly Tribulation at all, more like he was drinking water.

BOOM!

Endless lightning descended, and the world turned a blinding white. Various types of Heavenly Tribulations manifested: tribulations of earth, fire, wind, and water descended, along with streams of Chaotic Heavenly Thunder.

And at the very top, an expanse of ancient heavenly watchtowers appeared, with Human-shaped Lightning figures moving about, intertwining and striking wildly across the firmament.

Could he really swallow even such a Great Heavenly Tribulation? Ye Fan couldn’t believe it; the level of such a tribulation was beyond imagination.

He had seen heavenly watchtowers formed by lightning before, with human-shaped electrical figures moving within, but he had never experienced such a thing himself. He knew it possessed endless terror; to be struck by it would mean being reduced to ashes.

However, at this time, the old Daoist remained as before. He let the heavy rain pour down and the lightning engulf the sky. He merely opened his mouth and, with a single breath, drew all the lightning into it.

Is this… still human?!

The hairs on Ye Fan’s body stood on end. When he faced his Heavenly Tribulations, the endless lightning would eventually dissipate into the heavens and earth. Yet this old man hadn’t let a single wisp escape; he had absorbed it all.

This was terrifying beyond measure, completely defying reason. Especially the heavenly watchtowers formed by lightning, and those Human-shaped Lightning bolts—they were horrifying beyond words, yet they too were swallowed.

The old Daoist appeared out of thin air in front of the ruined Daoist Temple, his speed incomprehensible. Boundless lightning glowed in his mouth, then transformed into a pill that slid into his abdomen. His entire body shone brilliantly for a moment, then dimmed and became ordinary again.

Ye Fan was stunned. This old Daoist is truly terrifying. Did he really transform those Heavenly Tribulations into a pill?

Between heaven and earth, the lightning vanished. Only the torrential rain remained, a curtain of water falling through the pitch-black night sky, the sound of it everywhere.

Ye Fan remained motionless, quietly watching the old Daoist. He feared that if he made a sound, the man would suddenly vanish again, just like last time.

“The vast sea turns to dust in myriad autumns, the Dao transforms even yellowed hair, yet Longevity still brings sorrow. A single dream spans several thousand years; where on the immortal path does one wander…”

The old Daoist softly recited this, sitting cross-legged on the green stone, unmoving. He merged into the night rain of heaven and earth, without radiance or divine energy. Raindrops fell upon his body yet did not wet his garment.

This is undoubtedly an extraordinary figure! Ye Fan’s heart was stirred. I might have encountered a Saint!

I originally thought only the old madman had become a Saint in this era. I never expected the Central States to have one too! His words are profound and unfathomable, his Realm beyond estimation.

“Senior…”

He stepped into the heavy rain, calling softly with sincerity and reverence. Yet the old man remained unmoving, his eyes closed as if he were stone.

Ye Fan cautiously tried to sense him. He discovered the small, thin old Daoist sitting upon the green stone, close at hand, yet he was unable to perceive his presence.

Something’s wrong. It’s not a mental imprint, yet there’s no physical form… His heart trembled because his Source Heaven Divine Eye had opened at that moment, revealing it to be a mere illusion.

Suddenly, the old man stood up and walked straight toward him. Ye Fan was startled but did not react. If a Saint wished to strike, besides the old madman, all the masters of this age together would be unable to resist.

SWISH!

The old Daoist walked directly toward the Daoist Temple. Upon reaching Ye Fan, he dispersed like air, passed right through him, and then slowly vanished.

Not a real person. He truly has… passed away. Ye Fan was dazed.

After that, he carefully examined the Short Mountain under the heavy rain and discovered numerous magnetic rocks—it was an iron ore mountain.

Yes, I understand now…

He recalled the reports he had seen on the other side of the Starry Sky: human shadows appearing in ancient tombs, ancient soldiers battling in great canyons, all resembling reality.

In fact, all these scenes were merely replays of past events. Magnetic rock formations and similar things in nature can replay these “past stories” under certain conditions.

Ye Fan felt immense regret. He had missed encountering an ancient Saint by only two years. He had been unable to meet this person whose Daoist Practice had reached an incredible level.

Refining Heavenly Tribulation into elixirs—such methods were unrecorded even in Ancient Books. One could only imagine the terrifying degree of his might. That was a Heavenly Tribulation that could even manifest visions of the Ancient Heavenly Court, a fearsome level beyond imagination!

A Saint quietly sat and passed away here, unknown to anyone. The Five Great Domains remain unaware. Besides the old madman, the Central States had another Saint…

Ye Fan sighed deeply. Perhaps this is what defines a true master. He had no desire for world domination. Despite possessing such unrivaled cultivation, he was unknown to anyone, passing away in meditation amid the wilderness.

This is the Realm of a Saint!

In comparison, other cultivators fell far short. Such a person had already seen through the Red Dust, with no attachments, harboring only a heart seeking to become an Immortal.

After realizing it was an illusion, Ye Fan paid even closer attention, choosing to stay here long-term. If he could witness some of the old Daoist’s cultivation methods, it would definitely be a tremendous opportunity.

「Two months passed in a flash.」

Ye Fan continued his silent cultivation, quietly seeking Enlightenment and refining Dragon Marrow. He was nearing a breakthrough and could potentially trigger a Heavenly Tribulation soon.

However, in recent days, his heart found it difficult to remain calm, because he had seen several more images and obtained some astonishing information.

The old Daoist, while muttering to himself, had mentioned the nine secret arts. He came from an ancient family that possessed one of the secrets!

Of course, it was merely a few words, insufficient as evidence. I pieced together various clues; this is my deduction, and it isn’t necessarily the truth.

But even so, ripples formed in my heart. The lineage of the nine secret arts is almost completely broken; only three or four are known to remain in the world. Unexpectedly obtaining a clue to one in the Central States is an immense matter.

The Cai Family… there’s no ancient family by that name in the Central States… Ye Fan murmured to himself. Before coming to the Central States, I diligently studied the situations of the major powers and found no mention of a Cai Family.

Could it be a secluded noble family?

Or perhaps, the Cai Family that was immensely prosperous ten thousand years ago but suddenly declined and vanished?

In recent days, thunderclouds frequently gathered in the sky. Ye Fan felt he might soon take that transformative step.

That night, with the moon bright and stars sparse, he once more saw the old Daoist’s figure. He had only encountered him five or six times in total, so he paid particular attention.

If only I could hear him recite a piece of Daoist incantation, or intone one of the nine secret arts.

Ye Fan hoped. But I know it’s nearly impossible. After the old Daoist sat and passed away, he left not a single word behind. This clearly shows his mentality; he was truly transcendent.

“What in this world does not bring tears? Gains, losses, human feelings—none can extend life. Just drinking in my hall at home, I turn my head, and eight thousand years have passed…”

This time, the old Daoist surprisingly showed a hint of melancholy, unlike before. He somberly walked around the Daoist Temple three times, then raised his eyes toward the West, eventually arriving behind the Daoist Temple.

His tone… why is it like this? It’s as if he’s about to depart this life.

Ye Fan’s heart trembled. This old Daoist lived at least eight thousand years and left home eight thousand years ago! This is truly astonishing!

He must be a Saint; there’s no doubt about it. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly possess such a lifespan. Moreover, he must have been a peak existence among them.

The old Daoist found a piece of empty land behind the small Daoist Temple, dug a pit in the soil, and then, calmly and naturally, walked into it, thereby burying himself.

This coincided precisely with the original earthen grave; it was the same place.

“Coming without trace, leaving without a track; going is the same as coming. Why ask further of fleeting life’s affairs? This fleeting life itself is but a dream…” These were the old Daoist’s last words. With that, he underwent Transformation, disappearing from between heaven and earth.

This… this is an ancient Saint! Ye Fan could only sigh out these few words.