Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 539: Chapter 544: Cell Phone, Deadly Game

A familiar, beautiful face appeared through the screen, her tender voice sounding helpless, leaving Ye Fan in a daze.

Then, he became furious. The frail woman was stumbling on the Dead Volcano, constantly running, occasionally falling, hard rocks cutting her skin, leaving bloody marks.

In the distance, everything was white, as if snowflakes were falling.

Liu Yiyi, his lonely and pitiful classmate, came to Ye Fan’s mind. She had been forced into the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land to pick sacred medicine. After fleeing separately, they had not met for six years.

And now, suddenly seeing her image on a phone, suffering hardships, someone wanting to kill her—it deeply impacted Ye Fan.

Who did all this…?

Ye Fan immediately thought that this must be targeting him; the opposition wanted to lure him out of the Jade Lake and then put him to death!

Dark and oppressive. This was an ancient Dead Volcano, barren on top, with leaden clouds pressing down almost to the crater, utterly devoid of life.

Liu Yiyi’s clothes were tattered and blood-stained in many places. Her shoes had been lost during the run, and she left bloody prints on the hard rocks, her expression one of extreme terror and panic.

Ye Fan watched quietly for a long time before closing the video. He pondered silently: who exactly wanted to harm him?

There were many possibilities, but who could have discovered Liu Yiyi’s whereabouts? How was she found? And where was Zhang Ziwen, who had been with her?

Ye Fan forced himself to remain calm, refusing to let anger overcome him. He carefully analyzed the situation. He knew the opponent must have learned they came from beyond the Starry Sky and therefore possessed much information that could be used against him.

He took out his phone, which had been sealed away for many years. A faint light glowed from his fingertips as he cautiously injected power into it.

Melodious music sounded as he turned on his phone. He flipped through old memories, wanting to confirm if any other old acquaintances had been drawn into this.

Ye Fan looked quietly for a long time, then tapped on Liu Yiyi’s phone again, discovering another recording.

“I just want to kill her, what can you do about it?!”

A very gloomy voice emerged, causing a deep-seated disgust. It carried the arrogance of a triumphant, unscrupulous person, coupled with a bloodthirsty, ruthless tone.

“I’ll give you one month to find this Dead Volcano. Then, immediately crawl over and beg me on your knees, or I will skin her, one cut at a time!”

The icy voice was like a sinister wind, filled with rancor and resentment. The sound of gnashing teeth, like human bones being crushed, resonated with pure hatred.

SNAP.

Ye Fan closed the phone, gazing at the small, jade-clear lake not far away. Mist was rising, and several fairies glided over the water, their beauty otherworldly.

One month… to make me run myself ragged. Does the person in hiding want a one-hit kill, or are they confident enough to focus on mental torment…?

Such malignancy suggested a deep enmity. Thinking carefully, Ye Fan realized there were indeed several people who could be responsible, but it was difficult to pinpoint exactly who it was.

After pondering for a moment, Ye Fan opened Liu Yiyi’s phone again and played another recording. The rancorous voice replayed.

“Kneel devoutly before me and await my summons to beg, or I will obliterate every single one of your old acquaintances!”

A fierce wind howled, making a whooshing sound in the phone. It was likely recorded atop a high peak, with the faint, intermittent rustling of pines in the background.

Rustling pines, a fierce wind, and the faint sound of falling snowflakes… Yet it’s currently the season of flourishing flowers… Ye Fan looked into the distance.

Ye Fan tapped the phone and discovered an image of Zhang Wenchang. He was standing on Zhuo Peak, inhaling the morning glow, with enormous Qi flowing like dragons from his seven orifices.

Evidently, after becoming a disciple of the elder Li Ruoyu, his cultivation base had improved significantly. His demeanor was no longer despondent; he had undergone a great transformation.

“Do you see? This will be the second person I kill in the future. If you don’t come begging, he will die tragically in three months!”

The malicious voice roared sonorously, like a Fierce Ghost, echoing clearly. It carried a cruel undertone that made one feel uncomfortable and disgusted.

“They’re not the only two. Afterwards, there will be a third, a fourth… until everyone you know is dead!”

Ye Fan rubbed his temples. This person knew everything about him, yet showed no surprise at his past experiences. He stood up, a cold light shooting from his eyes.

“Of course, you can choose not to come. Ignore their lives and deaths, live on ruthlessly by yourself, and let them all die. But I will actively come looking for you later!”

SNAP.

Ye Fan closed the phone again. This person certainly isn’t my match right now, or they don’t have complete assurance; otherwise, they wouldn’t speak this way, he concluded.

He was certain that once he left the Jade Lake, he would walk into a death trap. The instigator likely wouldn’t fight him personally but would enlist other powerful figures.

“Don’t bring any backup. I’m giving you the chance to be a hero and save the beauty all by yourself. Just wait until you’re kneeling before me, heh heh…” This was the final message, cruel and heartless.

Ye Fan pondered. This person understood his character and was certain he would go, rather than mercilessly abandoning his old friends.

He stood up and wandered among the cluster of lakes. Petals scattered like rain, their fragrance lingering, glittering like crystals—a scene of beauty and fantasy.

“Young Master Ye, please stop.” A lady in white blocked his path, preventing him from going further, her face slightly flushed.

Ahead, clouds billowed like auspicious mists, and a white Immortal Qi flowed. The sounds of women playing in the water could be heard.

Ye Fan was slightly dumbfounded. Lost in thought, he had unintentionally wandered to the bathing place of the Fairies of the Jade Lake. He chuckled and turned to leave.

“Do you have something on your mind? You were so lost in thought, you walked right in here,” an alluring voice said, soft with a hint of magnetism, like immortal music cleansing the soul.

The Yaochi Saintess emerged from the Immortal Lake, gracefully approaching. She was clad in Snow Clothes, her black hair damp. Her delicate, pink skin, adorned with water droplets, looked as if it would bruise at the slightest touch.

Within the Jade Lake Sacred Land, she did not conceal her divine beauty. Ye Fan’s Divine Eye had already perceived her true appearance, so there was no need.

“I encountered a few things and got distracted. Fortunately, I didn’t actually trespass into the Immortal Pool, or a group of fairies would have definitely tried to fight me to the death,” Ye Fan laughed, though his expression held a hint of regret.

The Yaochi Saintess was silent for a moment, then gave him a serious look before asking, “What happened to make you so distracted?”

Hers was a flawless, peerless jade-like face, beautiful and dreamlike. With long eyelashes and eyes as limpid as water, full of poetic grace, she resembled an Immortal Flower emerging from the water—exquisite, transcendent, and untouched by worldly dust.

Water droplets clung to her hair and her ivory-like, tender skin. Every frown and smile of the Yaochi Saintess was immensely captivating.

This was a jade-like face as flawless and perfect as Yan Ruyu’s. She was beautiful enough to contend with An Miaoyi for the title of the Eastern Wastelands human race’s most beautiful woman; her looks were simply breathtaking.

If anyone could be praised as a cold fairy, it was likely only her. She possessed an ethereal, otherworldly quality that other women could not match.

“Do you know this place?” Ye Fan took out the phone and played the video.

“What is this?” The Yaochi Saintess was surprised. Water droplets slid down her ivory-like skin, gleaming with a rainbow sheen.

Though bright and wise, she was taken aback, a rare moment of discomposure.

“This is a divine object from the Outer Domain. When time permits, I’ll explain it to you in detail,” Ye Fan said, then recounted the entire sequence of events.

“The vast Eastern Wastelands stretch boundless and infinite. Such towering mountains, where snow might fall even in summer, can be found in tens of thousands of places, perhaps even more. However,” the Yaochi Saintess continued, “with the sound of rustling pines in such an environment, they must certainly be ice pines. That would allow us to exclude ninety percent of the possibilities.”

Pausing slightly, she then said, “However, the key issue is that they just want to see you step out of the Jade Lake.”

“Indeed, that’s the crux of it. The moment I do, I’ll be walking into their killing trap,” Ye Fan nodded.

“Must you save this person?” the Yaochi Saintess asked. It was an obvious death trap; to enter it willingly would likely lead to no good end.

“Yes, I don’t want to see her die,” Ye Fan sighed. He couldn’t bring himself to be indifferent.

“That enemy has grasped this point about you. They’re certain you will go. They understand your character very well,” the Yaochi Saintess reminded him.

“I know,” Ye Fan nodded.

“How do you want us to help you?” the Yaochi Saintess asked.

Ye Fan sighed lightly. The other party forbade him from bringing reinforcements, clearly intending to kill him. He could choose not to go, but then they would certainly kill Liu Yiyi without mercy.

This was the dilemma before him. Even knowing it was a killing trap, he had no choice but to jump in. There was no way to avoid it.

On this day, Ye Fan sat by the lake, thinking deeply for a long time. Eventually, he stood up and asked the people of Jade Lake to help find that place. He had to keep the appointment.

“Are you truly going to court death?” The Yaochi Saintess was startled.

“I won’t let myself fall into a hopeless situation. It’s just that there are indeed many difficulties involved,” Ye Fan frowned.

“What can you possibly do? You can’t have anyone accompany you. This is a certain-death situation!” said the Yaochi Saintess.

Ye Fan asked Jade Lake for assistance, insisting they find the location. He also sent word, asking Daoist Red Dragon and the Peacock King to arrive at the crucial moment.

Afterward, he went into seclusion, cultivating diligently, seeming to have forsaken everything else as he focused on comprehending his own great Dao.

He only emerged from seclusion at the end of the month, full of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Having adjusted himself to his peak condition, he inquired about the current situation.

“If there’s no mistake, it should be the Fire Demon Ridge in the Central Eastern Desolate,” the Yaochi Saintess answered.

“Brother, the Uncles have arrived…” the Little pitiful girl ran over. She was followed by the elderly Daoist Red Dragon and the Peacock King, who had already been there for many days.

Ye Fan played the video again, letting the assembled group watch.

“Crawl like a dog to beg me…”

When the big black dog heard this venomous voice, it became even more furious than Ye Fan, roaring, “What do you mean, ‘crawl like a dog’…? Damn it! I’ll torture that thing to death! I’ll make it the pet of my human pet!”

“This sister is so pitiful…” The Little pitiful girl couldn’t bear to watch as the footage showed Liu Yiyi stumbling and leaving trails of blood on the Dead Volcano.

Ye Fan stood up and declared, “Let’s go. We’ll kill them now!”

The Yaochi Saintess was surprised, unsure where his confidence stemmed from. Going to the appointment was clearly walking into a death trap. How could he possibly escape the looming Death Tribulation, let alone intend to massacre his enemies?

“Young man, you need to think this through carefully,” one of Jade Lake’s Grand Elders advised.

“No need to fear! We’ll just kill them all!” Daoist Red Dragon declared.

Ye Fan had gifted him a sacred fruit, an act that extended his life. Daoist Red Dragon had rushed over as soon as he received the news. Now, he could roam the Eastern Wastelands unchallenged and was naturally fearless.

The Peacock King, too, was prepared. The Chaos Treasure Seal hovered above his head, shining with myriad radiant lights. He looked down upon the world, fearing no fierce battle, capable even of confronting living fossils.

At the last moment, Daoist Crow, having received a message, also appeared in Jade Lake. With the arrival of this peerless powerhouse of the demon clan, their lineup became even stronger.

“To the Central Domain! We’ll slaughter them until rivers of blood flow!”

The Domain Gate appeared, its interior pitch-black. Ye Fan, Daoist Red Dragon, and several Grand Elders from Jade Lake entered one after another, disappearing into the Pure Land.