Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 492: Chapter 497: Opening the Coffin to Obtain the Secret of “Action

The two Starry Sky maps were enormous, not engraved on stone tablets but imprinted on the stone ground—a meticulously conducted projection.

Though engraved only a few hundred years apart, they were not from the same era. Their creation, however, could be discerned as dating back roughly over two thousand years.

Compared to over a hundred thousand years, two thousand years wasn’t particularly terrifying, but it was still the Pre-Qin period, marking a very ancient chapter of history.

The Peacock Kings of the Eastern Wastelands could only live to such an age. Any longer, and they would return to dust; from time immemorial, no one has escaped death.

“What mysterious truths is this cow-herding old coot trying to evolve? Why can’t I see through it?” The big black dog stared at one of the engraved maps, pondering for a long time, but couldn’t understand.

Only the old madman, his gaze profound, watched intently. He could clearly see the two engraved maps evolving in the depths of his pupils, imprinting themselves upon his mind.

A stir went through Ye Fan, and he, too, imprinted the two Starry Sky maps onto his mind, silently committing them to memory. This might just be my way home, he thought.

“Two little dragons are swimming…” The pitiful little girl pointed with her small finger at two thin lines in the Starry Sky map. Her vision was unique; she could see the two lines evolving, winding, and extending.

Even Ye Fan, despite possessing the Divine Eye, spent a long time to see them clearly before memorizing them perfectly.

If he couldn’t return to the other side of the Starry Sky from the five-colored altar in the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land, he planned to have the Black Emperor carve the most complex Dao Glyphs to traverse back, bit by bit.

“Never mind that cow-herding old coot and the bumpy-headed baldy! We should be figuring out how to get the Walking Rune Secret,” the big black dog grumbled, having no favorable impression of those two.

“I truly hope that when you meet them someday, you’ll use those exact colorful terms to their faces,” Ye Fan said with a smile.

His heart was filled with a tumult of emotions. To think that two Great Sages from Earth’s ancient past, figures who should have long vanished into the annals of time, were actually involved with cultivation!

The old madman circled the ancient coffin, his eyebrows deeply furrowed. Even someone as powerful as him did not open it, seemingly wary.

Long green hair grew through the cracks of the Stone Coffin, densely covering its entirety. It was oily and so vibrantly green that, if not examined closely, it truly resembled moss.

Drawing a little closer, one would feel a bone-chilling coldness, as if the Stone Coffin were an ice cellar capable of freezing people solid.

“Is this really the corpse of the Great Success Holy Body? Who carved this Stone Coffin for him…” Ye Fan muttered to himself.

SWISH!

The old madman carved in the void, manifesting the Merak Step Technique. It wasn’t a specific cultivation method, but rather a profound natural image of the Dao that encompassed everything.

He attempted to trigger it with the incomplete Walking Rune Secret he possessed. Ye Fan watched, gripping the Bodhi seed, and also began to evolve it, his movements slow yet earnest.

BANG!

A soft sound suddenly emanated from the ancient coffin, startling everyone. An unparalleled sinister killing intent overflowed from it, as if some ancient lifeform had awakened.

The green hair on the Stone Coffin trembled violently, an icy, bone-piercing chill emanating from it. It was like countless ghostly claws struggling, extending bit by bit, surprisingly snaking towards them.

“This place is too strange!”

The mist grew denser. They had the distinct impression that all of this was caused by the ancient coffin, as if the thick fog itself was seeping out from the cracks within it.

WHOOSH!

Suddenly, the coffin lid trembled. It emitted a light that shot towards the sky, dispersing the clouds. It blazed brilliantly, and a natural image of the Dao appeared!

“The Nine Secrets!”

“The Walking Rune Secret has emerged from the coffin!”

They were both startled and elated. After overcoming innumerable hardships, they had come seeking the Nine Secrets of Movement, and now, they had finally seen it.

At first glance, Ye Fan confirmed it was indeed the Walking Rune Secret, as it bore many similarities to the footwork he practiced.

“The legendary supreme Holy Technique! Once mastered, I can roam the world freely; no path will be impassable!”

“This is great! We must comprehend it!”

No one was not excited. They all used their powerful spiritual perception to capture the natural image of the Dao, fearing they would miss something.

“No, it’s too blurry! This emerged through the coffin; the true Nine Secrets are inside the coffin!”

Upon closer observation, they discovered this disheartening truth, and their hearts sank. There was undoubtedly something ominous inside the ancient coffin, making it perilous to open.

“What do we do? We’ve come this far; surely we can’t retreat now?”

“Pitiful little girl, can you see it clearly?” Ye Fan squatted down and asked the pitiful little girl.

The little girl wrinkled her dainty nose and blinked her large eyes. She stared for a while, then said in her clear voice, “Some parts are very clear, but other parts are blocked by something, so they’re not distinct.”

The old madman stood motionless, as if petrified. His hollow eyes emitted threads of silver light that connected with the natural image of the Dao.

However, it was clear the natural image of the Dao was incomplete, blocked by something inside the coffin. The silver threads shooting from his eyes could not connect to it fully.

The mountaintop was smooth. No Array Patterns had been laid around the Stone Coffin by any ancient Great Emperor. They walked around, feeling rather helpless.

BANG!

The ancient coffin trembled again. An unparalleled killing intent radiated outwards, like the harshest depths of winter descending, as if tens of thousands of miles were frozen solid and a million miles were blanketed in snow.

The Bodhi seed in Ye Fan’s hand grew warm as he carefully observed the natural image of the Dao. He cast aside all distracting thoughts; with the old madman present, he wasn’t concerned about anything else.

Even if it’s an incomplete Walking Rune Secret, I must thoroughly comprehend it, or it will become a regret that haunts me for a lifetime!

An unknown amount of time passed before Ye Fan stopped, awakening from a state of clarity. At this moment, the old madman was walking around the ancient coffin, apparently preparing to open it.

The big black dog and Li Heishui stood aside, daring not to breathe. They hid far away, fearing the release of an Overlord Demon King.

The old madman walked nine full circles, seemingly performing some sort of deduction. Then, his eyes shot out silvery threads. He took a firm stance, and with a wave of his sleeve and a BOOM, he obliterated all the green hair.

He was finally taking action, preparing to formally open the ancient coffin and behold the legendary, complete Nine Secrets of Movement!

The instant the green hair outside the coffin turned to ash, the ancient coffin trembled violently, as if some colossal creature were about to emerge. It emitted a terrifying Qi Mechanism that shook the very mountains.

In this region, over fifty Great Mountains stood together. All of them began to tremble as if an earthquake had occurred, and massive rocks continuously rolled down their slopes.

This was especially true for the Great Mountain they stood upon. If not for the Great Emperor Array Patterns reinforcing it, it might have already collapsed. A mysterious Qi Mechanism surged.

At this moment, the Great Emperor Array Patterns inscribed by the Beginningless Great Emperor manifested a supreme mystery. Myriad threads of light spread out from it in all directions, intertwining in the void.

Although no Dao Glyphs had been carved onto this mountaintop, it served as a convergence point, directing all those countless threads of light towards the ancient coffin, tightly binding it.

The violent shaking finally subsided. The Stone Coffin ceased its trembling, and everything gradually calmed down.

“Stand back!” the old madman shouted softly. Matters had reached this point; he had to open the coffin to obtain the Nine Secrets of Movement.

They retreated continuously. The old madman roared—a sound like a dragon’s cry and a tiger’s howl that reverberated for hundreds of miles. He waved his sleeve, and with a resounding BOOM, the coffin lid was sent flying, landing heavily on the mountaintop.

BOOM!

A peerless, eerie baleful air burst forth. Black fog billowed to the sky, completely flooding the area. As suspected, all the dense fog had overflowed from the ancient coffin.

Li Heishui and the Black Emperor were motionless. Under such sinister killing intent, they couldn’t even speak. They were completely restrained, their bodies on the verge of shattering.

SWOOSH!

Countless thin lines of light interwove and descended, activating the Array Patterns left by the Beginningless Great Emperor. A blazing light curtain appeared, enveloping the ancient coffin.

Simultaneously, a golden glow surged from the Investiture of the Gods halfway up the mountain, descending to calm the restless ancient coffin.

Only then did the overwhelming killing intent recede like a tide. Otherwise, Ye Fan and the others would not have been able to withstand it.

“The killing intent alone is enough to annihilate one’s body and soul. In such a short time, it almost took half my life…” Li Heishui muttered weakly, his body covered in cracks. He greedily drank the Divine Spring Ye Fan offered him.

The Black Emperor’s black fur was almost all gone. Just moments ago, it had been mocking someone for being bald, and now its whole body was nearly bare. It cursed incessantly, “To think even this brings retribution… Damn it!”

Ye Fan was largely unharmed, mainly due to his incredibly formidable physique. The pitiful little girl, sheltered in their midst, was also unscathed, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looked all around.

Not far away, the great Dao pressed down upon the sky!

A natural image of the Dao hung suspended in the void. It was exceptionally clear, as if the Nine Layer Heavens themselves had descended, inspiring a profound awe that made one want to kneel in reverence.

“The Nine Secrets!”

“The opportunity is right before us! Whether we can comprehend it depends on our individual fortune!”

They rushed forward and sat cross-legged on the ground, observing the natural image of the Dao in the sky, earnestly beginning their attempts at comprehension.

As for what lay inside the opened ancient coffin, they paid it no mind. Nothing was more important than comprehending the Nine Secrets, and with the old madman there, he would handle everything else.

“I can’t comprehend it!” After exhausting an Enlightenment Tea Leaf, Li Heishui opened his eyes, deeply frustrated.

The Black Emperor was even more anxious, muttering curses, “Damn it, this supreme secret art was created for two-legged beings! This emperor can’t comprehend it unless I transform into a human. Damn it, this emperor will defy the heavens and master it!”

The Black Emperor indeed defied the heavens. It stood upright, just like a human, proclaiming, “There’s no Holy Technique this emperor can’t learn! I refuse to believe otherwise!”

“Damn, this can actually work…” Li Heishui was dumbfounded. Then, his confidence surged! If even a dog could cross the species barrier to cultivate the Walking Rune Secret, what did he have to fear? He grabbed several Enlightenment Tea Leaves and immediately began to comprehend it again.

The old madman was motionless, as if petrified, gazing up at the Nine Secrets Dao Map. He himself almost seemed to transform into an Ancient Map, appearing highly mysterious.

Ye Fan was profoundly shaken. The Nine Secrets of Movement were unfathomably deep; the Merak Step Technique was but a corner of it, merely a tiny fraction!

No wonder fully comprehending it allows one to touch upon the Time Domain—it is truly profound and abstruse, likely requiring a lifetime to master! He silently comprehended, clutching the Bodhi seed, understanding it piece by piece.

Time flowed by, bit by bit. They were all motionless, silently comprehending, fully immersed. Without a doubt, the old madman gained the most.

After a long while, he withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes. He stopped observing the natural image of the Dao and began to evolve it in his mind.

The Black Emperor was the most restless. Standing upright, it shouted about defying the heavens, all while comprehending the Nine Secrets and running around like a human.

However, its comprehension was truly high. Its speed grew faster and faster, until it almost became a black streak in motion.

It was extremely arrogant. With all its black fur gone, it ran about naked on two legs, shouting, “Damn it! For the sake of mastering the Walking Rune Secret, this emperor will run on two legs from now on! I will defy the heavens, no matter what!”

Li Heishui was greatly provoked by this display. He concentrated intensely on his comprehension. If even a dog could achieve this, what did that make him, a two-legged human?

He wasn’t lacking in comprehension; it was just that this particular technique wasn’t entirely suitable for his cultivation. However, the provocation spurred him to make substantial gains, and his tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

The pitiful little girl was also observing with curiosity. Finally, unable to resist, she began to imitate the movements. She took a small step forward and, with a SWOOSH, vanished from her spot, startling everyone awake.

“Pitiful little girl!” Ye Fan called out.

The pitiful little girl reappeared on the edge of the coffin, frightened and on the verge of tears. She looked down helplessly, her eyes brimming, and whimpered, “I was just trying it out…”

This left Li Heishui utterly speechless. He sighed towards the heavens, lamenting, “My comprehension may not be the absolute best among my peers, but it’s certainly in the top tier. Yet, I’m outdone by a dog, and now even a little girl barely over two years old has surpassed me! Can it be that the Nine Secrets are truly unsuitable for my cultivation?”

Ye Fan and the others quickly moved to the coffin. They lifted the pitiful little girl to bring her down, but in doing so, they inadvertently saw the scene inside the coffin, which made their scalps tingle.

Inside the Stone Coffin, at the very bottom, was half a pool of blood. It was shockingly bright red, as if freshly drawn from a living body. An old man lay horizontally within, floating just above the surface of the blood.

His flesh was incorruptible. He held a golden scepter, and his body exuded a peerless killing intent that felt as if it could pierce one’s very soul!

“Heavens, is this the Great Success Holy Body? Dead for over a hundred thousand years, yet not decayed at all—so lifelike!” Li Heishui exclaimed in shock.

“Why does this person emanate such heavy killing intent, as if he slaughtered millions of beings!” Ye Fan exclaimed in alarm.

“This… this should be the Lord of the Celestial Court, an Ancient Sage!” the Black Emperor stammered, so startled it nearly fell.

“Weren’t the two old Sages of the Celestial Court killed? How did one end up here?” Ye Fan was suspicious. He had heard the Black Emperor recount those past events in detail.

The Black Emperor said in astonishment, “Rumor had it that his lifespan was exhausted and he was slain in the final battle. No one would have thought that he had secretly carried the Nine Secrets of Movement into the Holy Cliff and died here!”

The golden Ancient Staff exuded wisps of killing intent so potent they seemed to freeze the entire Holy Cliff, making it feel like a black abyss. This was undoubtedly the Celestial Court’s Supreme Scepter!

“Back then, the Celestial Court, wielding the Supreme Scepter, could almost command the world,” the Black Emperor sighed.

“It is time for it to see the light of day again, to let it shine brilliantly once more!” Ye Fan declared loudly.

“More than a hundred thousand years have passed, and his body hasn’t decayed. Truly an Ancient Sage! But why did he die inside the ancient coffin?” Li Heishui wondered, perplexed.

“His neck was twisted off by someone…” the Black Emperor exclaimed. Just moments before, it had been harboring sinister designs on the Saint’s bones, wanting to drag the body out and refine them.

But now, a chill ran down its spine. This ancient Saint’s neck had been snapped, and clear fingerprints were visible on it, along with clinging bits of green fur.

“I’m scared…” The pitiful little girl buried her head in Ye Fan’s chest, not daring to look down. She whispered, “There’s a person lying in the Blood Pool, and his body is covered in green fur…”

“The Great Success Holy Body!” Everyone was stunned.

The Great Success Holy Body had perished for endless ages, yet its corpse had snapped an ancient Sage’s neck! This realization sent a profound chill through their hearts.

Without them noticing, the old madman had also appeared atop the Stone Coffin. His eyes, which seemed to pierce through all illusion, stared intently at the blurred figure in the Blood Pool.

SPLASH!

Beneath the ancient Saint—the Lord of the Celestial Court—the blood in the Blood Pool churned violently. A large, green-furred claw, clearly a corpse’s, shot out from the depths.