Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 449: Chapter 454 Burning the Evil Enemy

There is no interaction between ants and dragons, and the seeds of dandelions and the Caiyun in the sky rarely meet; they reside in different worlds, forever unaware of each other.

In the past, when Ye Fan first embarked on the path of cultivation, cultivators in the Spring of Life realm seemed insurmountable to him, and those in the Dao Palace secret boundary were nearly invisible. But now, he has left behind the Wheel and Sea and the Dao Palace, and he can confidently face cultivators in the Four Extremes secret boundary and look directly at the powerhouses in the Dragon Transformation secret boundary.

Different realms, different identities, different journeys—this is an experience everyone has. Standing at different heights, one naturally encounters different things.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo discussed for a long time, unsure of how to handle these thirty or so young talents. They had no energy to care for them if they took them along, but where exactly should they send them?

The small town was very quiet. Moon Trees lined both sides of the street. At night, their crescent-shaped leaves emanated a gentle glow and a faint fragrance filled the air, making it a very pleasant place to live.

In the deep of night, a light breeze blew, causing the Moon Trees to rustle and sway, casting a hazy light. The fragrance drifted through the windows.

However, Ye Fan felt a sudden palpitation. He sat up abruptly in bed and stood by the window, looking out onto the street.

A shadow walked down the street, each step firm yet light, making no sound as it landed but exuding an extremely dangerous Qi Mechanism, like a Primordial Beast approaching.

At this time, Pang Bo and the others were also awakened, all rising to check.

Silently, more than twenty figures appeared around the small town, gathering together, each exuding a murderous intent, no longer concealing it.

“Go! We need to leave quickly!”

Ye Fan collected the thirty-something children into the pure jade bottle, and the Black Emperor summoned the mysterious jade platform to prepare for a spatial traversal. The newcomers were powerful, their murderous intent chilling, and there might be no way to resist.

“Trouble, something big has happened!” the Black Emperor exclaimed.

“What happened?” Pang Bo asked, his heart skipping a beat.

“There’s no way to traverse the void!” The Black Emperor was anxious, having tried several times without success.

“Why is this happening?” Tu Fei asked, knowing full well that the big black dog was highly skilled in Array Patterns and almost impossible to restrain.

“It seems those outside are carrying a forbidden item,” the Black Emperor said, his voice tinged with unease. “It was likely refined using profoundly intricate methods from before Ancient Desolation, methods that can suppress spatial movement.”

“It’s people from the Yin Yang Sect,” Ye Huiling concluded.

“They are truly haunting, having actually chased us down here,” Pang Bo frowned.

“We break through and avoid that person,” Ye Fan said, pointing to the first shadow appearing on the street, as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.

A soft chuckle drifted through the air. Before they could act, a laugh like silver bells pealed through the night sky. A woman, wreathed in moonlight and shimmering with a soft glow, descended, saying, “Don’t even dream of escaping.”

“The Sacred Lady of the Yin Yang Sect,” Ye Huiling whispered, then merged into the darkness, altering her Qi Mechanism and blurring her features. She did not want to be recognized.

“It was that lady who took me away,” the little pitiful girl said, her voice tinged with grievance. “But later, she really started to dislike me…”

“She was blinded, unable to see your worth. Even cultivating for a hundred lifetimes won’t make her surpass you,” the big black dog spoke harshly.

Ye Fan smiled and patted the little pitiful girl’s head, saying, “You’re so adorable; everyone likes you, except for those bad people.” Then, he also collected the little pitiful girl into the pure jade bottle, not wanting her to be frightened during the upcoming battle.

The Yin Yang Sacred Lady, a woman in her early twenties with a face as lovely as a flower and an elegant, willowy figure, called out, “Ye Fan, I know you’re in there. Come out.” Her smile was captivating, yet it held a chilling hint of killing intent.

“You arrived quickly enough,” Ye Fan responded coldly. He already harbored a murderous intent towards this woman.

In the past, he left a piece of Jade on the little pitiful girl, containing memories and moments, for her to look at each morning, to guard against forgetting the past. When the Yin Yang Sacred Lady took the little pitiful girl away, she must have seen the memories within the Beautiful Jade. She would have known the little girl’s relationship with him, yet she still abducted her.

The Yin Yang Sacred Lady said, her smile carrying a hint of coldness, “Ye Fan, you destroyed an important place of our sect and took all the children. You’ve gone too far.”

Ye Fan snorted coldly and said, “You should know why I did that. When you took the pitiful little girl away, you should have known about her relationship with me.”

“The world says you don’t have much time left,” the Yin Yang Sacred Lady chuckled, dismissing his anger. “Taking her from the inn was for her own good, to prevent her from ending up on the streets.”

If there wasn’t a mysterious expert present, I would definitely fight her, Ye Fan thought. This woman twists the truth! She clearly abducted the little pitiful girl and let her suffer in the Yin Yang Sect, yet she dares to show such a face!

“Go!” Ye Fan gave a low shout and broke through first. Pang Bo, Ye Huiling, Li Heishui, and others followed closely, fleeing towards the West.

The Yin Yang Sacred Lady laughed lightly. “Thinking of leaving? It’s not that easy!” Around them, more than twenty figures simultaneously moved to block their path. The most terrifying was the shadowy figure Ye Fan dreaded, who pursued them with incredible speed.

They wanted to break through and then traverse the void, never expecting this person to follow like a shadow, impossible to shake off. The forbidden item was on him.

The Yin Yang Sacred Lady and the others pursued relentlessly, determined to leave them no chance, their murderous intent surging.

“We’ll split up and escape. My speed is fast enough to draw away the strongest mysterious person. You must be careful!” Ye Fan said.

“No, I’ll go with you! At critical moments, I can block him!” Pang Bo disagreed, fearing for Ye Fan’s safety.

“It’s alright. I have extreme speed; he won’t catch me. You should leave quickly!” Ye Fan insisted.

Eventually, they split up, each seeking a direction to escape. Before separating, Ye Fan transmitted a few words to the Black Emperor and Pang Bo, then charged away without looking back.

Sure enough, the most powerful mysterious person and the Yin Yang Sacred Lady both chased Ye Fan, determined not to let him go.

“Since the divine king has spoken, we won’t kill you, but we cannot let you go either. Imprisoning you and slowly extracting sacred blood sounds like a good plan,” the Yin Yang Sacred Lady laughed charmingly.

“First you wronged the pitiful little girl, and I haven’t even settled the score with you for that. Now you want to plot against me? You’re going too far! But are you sure you can handle me?!” Ye Fan said coldly.

“Now the world knows you have learned the footwork of the old madman, possessing top-tier speed. Capturing you isn’t easy. But you may try using it and see if you can shake us off,” the Yin Yang Sacred Lady smiled charmingly, but her killing intent grew stronger.

Ye Fan’s heart sank. It seems the opposition is well-prepared, probably with a method to counter me. He quickly increased his speed, leading this group of pursuers away.

Sure enough, the strongest elder and the Yin Yang Sacred Lady, along with others, were not shaken off. Golden lightning flickered beneath their feet, allowing them to move with extreme speed as well.

What is that? he wondered.

Suddenly, he remembered what the Black Emperor had said: among the Ancient Divine Talismans, there is a type called the Lightning Talisman. Only supreme Sect Hierarchs can refine it. Once it locks onto a target, the Lightning Talisman matches their speed, no matter how fast they are, making it impossible to shake off.

Without knowing its secrets, one could be run to death, unable to escape the enemy. It was a very mysterious item. Although there were ways to break its effect, Ye Fan didn’t know any of them.

His expression grew serious. He continued to flee, neither speeding up nor slowing down, because he couldn’t turn back to fight. He had just discovered with a shock that the strongest elder was a powerhouse at the eighth transformation of the Dragon Transformation secret boundary.

The Dragon Transformation secret boundary involved nine transformations. Only by completing them all could one leap into the sky, becoming a true dragon among men. Only then could one hope to glimpse the Supreme Domain of sovereigns and witness the unparalleled grace of a Peacock King.

Ye Fan absolutely could not contend with a powerhouse at the eighth transformation of the Dragon Transformation secret boundary. The difference in their realms was too vast. If he could somehow defeat such an opponent, it wouldn’t just be Reverse Immortal Slaying; it would be an act of defying the heavens themselves.

“Ye Fan, you might as well stop running. After all, you’re on the brink of death. Why not just let us have our way?” the Yin Yang Sacred Lady said, her smile unwavering. “Your sacred body is partially accomplished; your blood can be refined into medicine. Your whole being is a treasure.”

“Watch out that your joy doesn’t turn to sorrow if I end up slain!” Ye Fan responded.

“I am waiting for you. Come and kill me,” the Yin Yang Sacred Lady laughed charmingly.

The old man snorted, “You little wretch, you’re doomed, yet still delusional. My lifespan is running short; even killing you won’t matter if the divine king seeks revenge on my behalf.”

The Yin Yang Sacred Lady giggled, “You mustn’t kill him. We plan to raise him in captivity; he’s more precious than those strange and spiritual beasts. His blood is invaluable; extracting it slowly is the most profitable.”

“Indeed, let’s raise him in captivity along with those strange and powerful beasts!” The old man nodded repeatedly, and seven or eight others chased after, laughing all the while.

“You old undying fiend, and you, that wench from the Yin Yang Sect! I will cut you both down!” Ye Fan hurled back the words as he continued to flee. This was not the time for a desperate battle.

Such terrifying figures at the eighth transformation of the Dragon Transformation secret boundary were impossible to oppose. If they advanced just two more steps in their cultivation, they would be figures on par with the Grand Elders of Sacred Lands.

“You little wretch, if we don’t kill you this time, we’ll exhaust you till you cough blood, then capture you!” Two other old men spoke, equally terrifying. They were powerhouses at the seventh transformation of the Dragon Transformation secret boundary, at Great Elder-level.

This time, their pursuers were serious. Not only was the Sacred Lady dispatched, but three of their top Elders followed, armed with Lightning Talismans—more than enough to annihilate Ye Fan.

The pursuit stirred many cultivators. People were shocked that the Yin Yang Sect was targeting the sacred body, something beyond everyone’s expectation.

Soon, news spread. The Yin Yang Sect claimed Ye Fan had, without reason, destroyed their stronghold and killed innocents, forcing them to retaliate to uphold their dignity.

They really are masters at twisting black and white, Ye Fan mused, having heard many such distorted accounts along his flight.

For the next two days, he couldn’t escape them. He was relentlessly pursued; his enemies were determined to exhaust him to death.

The southern region was shaken. For the Yin Yang Sect to wield a knife against the sacred body was a decision requiring immense audacity, especially since the divine king had not yet died.

During this period, many rushed over, wanting to witness the chase. Yet Ye Fan flew into the Great Wilderness, traversing the Primitive Territory. They moved so swiftly that others could not catch up.

The Yin Yang Sect had already replaced their Lightning Talismans seven or eight times. They were shocked by Ye Fan’s apparent tirelessness; he maintained such high speed without showing any signs of exhaustion. They began to fear their supply of Lightning Talismans would run out before they could catch him.

“Ye Fan, you’d better stop,” mocked the Yin Yang Sacred Lady. “If your body becomes exhausted, it will likely exacerbate the existing wounds to your Great Dao. At that point, survival will truly be impossible for you. Though we plan to raise you in captivity, we won’t harm your life—not until you die of your own accord.”

Ye Fan ignored them. On the third day, he finally heard some news: the Yin Yang Sect had been plundering talented children in the Eastern Wastelands, which had caused significant discontent among many Great Sects in the southern region.

Pang Bo and the Black Emperor must have evaded the Yin Yang Sect’s pursuit and spread this news, Ye Fan realized. They should have everything prepared. I can go to them now, as we agreed before splitting up.

Ye Fan accelerated, turned back, and flew towards that small town. Along the way, he heard more news: many sects had lost their talented young children, their whereabouts unknown. Now, all fingers were pointing towards the Yin Yang Sect.

He couldn’t help but laugh. I didn’t expect that randomly leaking that bit of information would uncover such a hidden affair! The Yin Yang Sect is far too audacious, plundering young talents from various sects in the Eastern Wastelands. Now that this is exposed, they’re bound to be in serious trouble.

HA HA HA… he couldn’t resist laughing aloud. If I return those thirty-odd young talents to their sects, they will surely be grateful. The sects of the Eastern Wastelands will probably unite to drive out the Yin Yang Sect!

On the fifth day, Ye Fan flew back to that small town.

“You wicked brat! For your ‘good deeds,’ once I catch you today, I’ll break every bone in your body!” the Great Elder-level powerhouse at the eighth transformation of the Dragon Transformation secret boundary said coldly.

“It was clearly your shameless plundering of our Eastern Wastelands’ young ones, including the pitiful little girl, whom you bullied! And now you chase me, acting like victims—do you have any shame!?” Ye Fan responded.

“Wicked brat, no matter what you say! Aren’t the bones of a sacred body supposed to be hard? I’ll break them one by one!” that Great Elder-level figure said coldly.

“Elder, you’re getting angry again. You can’t kill him; we still need to extract his blood slowly,” the Yin Yang Sacred Lady giggled, then provocatively addressed Ye Fan, “So what if I was the one who snatched away the pitiful little girl? If you hadn’t come, I was planning to toss her out. If you want to avenge her, feel free to come and kill me.”

They’re deliberately trying to provoke me into stopping, Ye Fan knew.

He smirked inwardly; he had already received the Black Emperor’s mental transmission. He began to fly in a zigzag pattern, following a specific, predetermined route.

“Something’s wrong, be careful!” The Yin Yang Sacred Lady was cautious. Sensing something amiss, she warned them and hovered in the air.

However, it was too late. A thunderous BOOM echoed from ahead, and clouds and fog billowed out, instantly swallowing them.

No one managed to escape; all were engulfed within.

Pang Bo strode out, laughing heartily. “HA HA HA…”

The Black Emperor also grinned from ear to ear, utterly delighted. This was according to their agreement: if they managed to shake off their pursuers, they were to return immediately and lay down Array Patterns to help Ye Fan out of his predicament.

BOOM!

From within the Array Patterns, terrifying energy fluctuations emerged as those trapped inside tried to break free.

They couldn’t be refined quickly. Fearing that other members of the Yin Yang Sect might soon arrive, Ye Fan frowned. He truly wanted to eliminate these enemies.

“These people are too strong; they can’t be trapped to death in such a short time.” The Black Emperor shook his head; he too was powerless in this regard.

“No matter,” Ye Fan declared. “I’ll make a quick trip. When I return, I’ll exterminate them!”

Ye Fan unleashed the mysterious jade platform and began traversing the void. Moments later, he reached the Flame Region. Holding the Bodhi seed, he directly entered the seventh layer. Without the Origin Qi Cauldron, he had no proper vessel to contain the terrifying flames.

He endured them with his body directly, holding the Bodhi seed to guide the overwhelming fire as he flew back. He was unable to traverse the void with such flames; otherwise, the mysterious jade platform would undoubtedly be reduced to ashes.

Fortunately, the distance to that small town wasn’t very far, only a few tens of thousands of li. Along the way, the multicolored flames surged intensely, burning the very fabric of space as he headed south, astonishing countless cultivators.

Many people recognized Ye Fan and were astonished. Though they couldn’t match his speed, many still chased after him, slowly following, eager to see what he intended to do.

Eventually, Ye Fan returned, bringing the overwhelming divine flame to the outskirts of that small town. Even the Black Emperor and Pang Bo were stunned.

“Time to send you off on your journey!” Ye Fan roared, casting the endless divine flame into that sealed-off expanse of heaven and earth.

BOOM!

Flames soared skyward, and terrifying screams echoed. Such fire was indomitable; even Grand Elder-level figures struggled to withstand it, let alone them.

From afar, all were dumbstruck. Ye Fan wielding a great fire to annihilate all his foes was truly “decisive”!

“AAAHH…”

The great fire also destroyed the Array Patterns. Three Great Elder-level figures emerged, covered in flames, screaming. Their bodies were already contorting from the severe burns, a horrific sight. They were clearly doomed.

Elsewhere, the Yin Yang Sacred Lady also emerged. Her body was wreathed in auspicious light; she was not dead, evidently possessing a secret treasure.

“You’re alive? Good! I’ll personally cut you down!” Ye Fan snarled, charging towards her.

Pang Bo and the Black Emperor also moved forward to prevent her escape.

The Yin Yang Sacred Lady’s face was pale. “You… you’re ruthless…” All seven or eight powerful experts had died miserably. The sight chilled her to the bone.

“You repeatedly hounded and bullied me. Now it’s your turn!” Ye Fan declared, stepping forward.