Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 566: Chapter 570 Immortal Cave

The lake water receded, and underground Immortal Light flashed, emitting strange sounds. Before long, the entire Immortal Lake vanished, revealing a Great Rift Valley. It was surrounded by rock cliffs, appearing as if artificially carved and deliberately arranged into a lake, endlessly graceful, with Earth Dragon Qi overflowing from below. An Ancient Cave flowed with Immortal Light, suffused with Dragon Qi that spewed outwards. It wasn’t too violent, yet it possessed a certain Immortal Charm, clearly indicating this was no ordinary place.

“HAHA…” Daoist Duan De laughed heartily. It was very quiet here, not disturbing anyone else. In the distance, everyone was still scrambling, vying to enter the cave mansion in the Immortal Vein, unaware that everything had been calculated by the shameless Daoist, who was merely borrowing their power.

Only I, this poor Daoist, can unravel such a chain of cave mansions, Daoist Duan De thought, immensely pleased and chuckling non-stop. With a flash, he was inside.

“This person is indeed mysterious, possessing such methods; everyone else was used,” Princess Yu Die said, surprised, not expecting Daoist Duan De to be so unscrupulous.

Ye Fan waited with her for a short while, then descended to the dry bottom of the Immortal Lake. Cliff walls stood all around, and an Ancient Cave glittered. A Blessed Paradises’ Gate, covered with countless Runes, was already open.

This fat bastard is truly something, Ye Fan complained inwardly. To open this gate, he had many cultivators fighting for him miles away. He always felt that Daoist Duan De deserved a beating, yet so far, no one had managed to make him suffer a major loss.

“This place is very profound!” Princess Yu Die frowned. Although the Stone Gate was open, there were still many Array Pattern traces inside. These ancient patterns and lines had existed for an unknown number of years. They were mysterious and complex, and interpreting them was beyond their abilities, making them hard to see through. Neither of them could claim a deep understanding of Dao Glyphs. Frowning, they knew rushing in could get them trapped. It seemed just as Daoist Duan De had said: possibly related to a Great Emperor of old.

“You wait here; I’m going in to take a look,” Ye Fan said, deciding to use the Travel Word Art to traverse the Ancient Array. He had to give it a try; otherwise, if they waited any longer, the entire cave mansion might be emptied by Daoist Duan De.

“Be careful!” Yu Die advised, her eyes bright and teeth white, her breath fragrant.

SWISH!

Ye Fan disappeared in a flash, walking in the auspicious light. This Ancient Cave wasn’t damp but quite dry. It wasn’t inlaid with bright pearls, yet many strange black stones emitted radiance. Inside the cave mansion, Immortal Mist lingered, and radiant clouds dazzled, very much possessing the charm of an Immortal Realm. Not far in, he saw White Jade Steps leading further into the depths.

“Immortal Juice Jade Liquid…” Ye Fan was surprised. Beside a spring pool, there was a small Dao Platform, only about half a foot high, with a small bowl on it containing more than half a bowl of milky liquid. This was Earth Milk nurtured by the Earth’s spiritual root. If it were juice from the Ancestor Root, it would have the effect of reviving the dead, ranking just below the Undying Divine Medicine—a priceless Immortal Treasure. It’s a pity, Ye Fan thought after careful observation, disappointed. It’s not real Immortal Juice Jade Liquid, just ordinary Earth Milk produced by a common spiritual root.

Suddenly, his expression tightened. The small Dao Platform, a little over half a foot high, was very special. It was crystalline and transparent, exuding threads of Spiritual Qi, with a mysterious Qi Mechanism. This is… condensed from Immortal Juice Jade Liquid! Ye Fan was shocked, immensely astounded. Previously, Immortal Treasures were born here, freely dripping down, allowing the Spiritual Qi to dissipate and forming this small Dao Platform. It seemed the Immortal Juice Jade Liquid had been exhausted, resulting in only ordinary Earth Milk later. At that moment, Ye Fan felt his heart, liver, and stomach ache. How much Immortal Milk was needed to form this half-foot-high small Dao Platform? It’s too extravagant and wasteful!

Undoubtedly, countless ages ago, this place was connected to an Ancestor Vein Divine Energy Spring, where Immortal Juice was produced. All of it dripped down, unutilized by anyone. Ye Fan sighed deeply and eventually picked up the small Dao Platform. It was heavy in his hand, like a small mountain peak, greatly surprising him. It looks like a piece of Beautiful Jade but is as heavy as a mountain; ordinary cultivators couldn’t possibly lift it, he murmured inwardly. Immortal Juice Jade Liquid was incredibly rare; he had never heard of so much being produced, nor would anyone waste it by letting it naturally dry out. Ye Fan thought this small Dao Platform’s material was special and might be very useful in the future.

Radiant clouds flowed, making the Ancient Cave dreamlike. Ye Fan used the Travel Word Art to break through Array Patterns, passed the White Jade Steps, and entered the deeper reaches of the cave mansion.

“Withered spiritual medicines, all with medicinal ages of tens of thousands of years!” He found himself in a vast stone cave, discovering some plants in Jade Fields. They were clearly precious items but had already been withered for ages. Only the Undying Divine Medicine could exist eternally, never wilting. Other herbs, after growing for many tens of thousands of years, would eventually die, their Spiritual Qi dispersing. Could they have grown for eighty or ninety thousand years before dying? Ye Fan mused. If so, it was truly letting divine items return to dust, having futilely absorbed so much energy of heaven and earth, only for it to disperse again.

Suddenly, his posture stiffened. Just ahead, someone sat cross-legged, without a hint of a Qi Mechanism; he only noticed upon nearing. An old ape! Ye Fan was surprised. This was an ancient ape that had been sitting in meditation for who knew how many years. Its grayish-white fur crumbled into dust at the slightest touch; only the white bones inside still shimmered. Undoubtedly, this cave mansion had existed for at least eighty or ninety thousand years. The old ape’s remains being preserved to this day spoke volumes of its immense power and terrifying nature when alive.

This old ape was at least an absolute Peacock King Level powerhouse, Ye Fan pondered, inspecting the White Jade Bones within. But judging by its appearance and the layout of this Ancient Cave, it clearly seems to be merely guarding the mansion, not the master of this place. This… an absolute Peacock King Level old ape, could it just be a Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast?! Considering this possibility, his heart pounded violently. What kind of person would be the master of this mansion?

Ye Fan moved forward, his heart uneasy. This place was most likely an Ancient Saint’s cave mansion, or even one left by a Great Emperor of old; perhaps it truly contained an ancient scripture! Where did that fat bastard run off to? He didn’t dare delay. He activated the Travel Word Art and quickly moved forward, searching for Daoist Duan De.

In the depths of the cave mansion, Dragon Qi intertwined, and a glow radiated. He arrived in a relatively open area where there were quite a few jade trees, none taller than half a meter, shining brilliantly.

“Undying Miao Tree?!” Ye Fan was taken aback. The more he looked, the more he felt this was a mysterious place. There were a total of forty-nine jade trees, each of a different color: some like scarlet heart, some as green as jade leaves, and others as radiant as gold. The forty-nine jade trees weren’t carved but cultivated, rooted in jade, their stems like Coiled Dragons.

The records in Ancient Books are indeed true! After coming to this world, Ye Fan had spent years reading many strange Ancient Books of this land in search of a way home, encountering many bizarre accounts. Earth Marrow could give birth to jade trees that seemed alive and capable of growth. If obtained by a Saint or Great Emperor, they could be refined into Supreme Weapons of unparalleled power. If spawned by the world’s Ancestor Vein Divine Energy Spring, they could produce jade trees comparable to the exclusive holy divine relics of ancient Great Emperors; once refined into treasures, they would be unbreakable.

The big black dog once recounted a legend: one hundred eighty or one hundred ninety thousand years ago, an Ancient Saint successfully refined an Undying Miao Tree. One branch bore seven leaves, and a gentle swipe could break all things, rendering him invincible.

Forty-nine jade trees! This is truly an attempt to refine an Undying Miao Tree! The more Ye Fan looked, the more alarmed he became. They were rooted in the Jade Vein, arranged with great care in a complex and profound manner. Upon closer inspection, each tree had patterns, interwoven into unpredictable Dao Marks. The Dayan number is fifty, of which forty-nine are used. This is related to the Great Dao. There should be one more, which is the one that escaped—namely, the Undying Miao Tree!

Excitement surged through Ye Fan. These jade trees have all died and turned into jade stones! Their infinite divine power must have been taken by the ‘One’ that escaped, refined into the Undying Miao Tree! He searched carefully and finally found the fiftieth tree, the one that had fled—the Undying Miao Tree! Failed… It dried up… Ye Fan stared blankly. Why would this happen? This is truly a waste of a divine item!

Huh? Wait, it’s not completely wasted! There must be some part of the Miao Tree’s branches left! Ye Fan discovered that although the whole jade tree was dried up, lacking luster and riddled with cracks, a section was missing, as if someone had recently broken it off. Daoist Duan De! He instantly thought of the fat man; it must have been him. On the upper part of the dead jade tree, there should have been an flawless (tender branch/sprout) of the Undying Miao Tree, not dead. Although the refinement failed, that small segment must still have endless wondrous uses.

A segment of the Undying Miao Tree! Ye Fan’s heart pounded with excitement. That’s definitely a divine item! That fat bastard truly has great fortune to have acquired such a treasure! I’ll ambush him later and demand recompense. He took so many treasures from me in the past; it’s time for him to pay up. Ye Fan began to ponder how to deal with Daoist Duan De.

He left the area, walked forward, and entered an Ancient Cave used for refining medicine. Bottles and jars filled white jade shelves. Unfortunately, upon opening these jade bottles, all the medicinal pills had deteriorated. This was the power of time; nothing could withstand it. It laid waste to numerous precious items, leaving only dust unchanged.

“Nine Revolutions Immortal Pill?!” Ye Fan exclaimed, having looked through every jade bottle. He finally saw a Five-Colored Small Gourd with these four ancient characters engraved on it, shocking him to the core. Daring to use such a name, it must be an unparalleled Immortal Treasure, probably able to last forever. Yet, upon opening it, it was empty; there was nothing inside.

There’s no sign of Daoist Duan De’s Qi Mechanism here; he hasn’t checked this place. The cave’s owner back then likely didn’t leave behind any immortal pills. Ye Fan explored many Ancient Caves. Everything is dilapidated. Originally, there were many divine items, but sadly, they’ve all been buried by time, turned into ordinary earth.

He traveled a long distance further. Finally, ahead, light shimmered, and the Array Patterns were profound. Even with the Travel Word Art, he couldn’t pass through; after all, he hadn’t fully comprehended this secret art yet. At this moment, Ye Fan greatly missed the big black dog. If that fellow were here, these Array Patterns wouldn’t block his path, and he’d likely trap Daoist Duan De too! He thought carefully and decided to retreat. If I go in like this, I’ll probably be trapped and might even fall into that fat bastard’s hands.

Ye Fan returned the way he came. Outside the Ancient Cave, besides seeing the peerless beauty Yu Die, there was also a disheveled barbarian wearing Beast Skin clothes and carrying a Wolf-toothed Stick.

“This is Dongfang Ye…” Yu Die introduced.

Ye Fan was surprised to learn that this barbarian, with the surname Dongfang, was a Demon Level existence who had once cracked the palm of a sovereign. Dongfang Ye, true to his name, had a somewhat wild aura. He was very primitive, with bronzed skin beneath his Beast Skin clothes. He was strong and powerful, and his Wolf Fang Club was made of stone. At this moment, he smiled ingenuously, showing a mouthful of snow-white teeth, appearing very honest.

“This place is at least an Ancient Saint’s cave mansion, possibly even where a Great Emperor passed away…” Ye Fan seriously described the situation inside.

“It’s a shame we can’t enter.” Yu Die’s pretty eyebrows furrowed slightly; the Array Patterns were too complex, impossible to crack.

“We don’t need to go inside; let’s ambush that fat bastard!” Ye Fan laughed.

“This… isn’t very good,” Yu Die said, reluctant.

Dongfang Ye chuckled honestly. “If it were someone else, I’d disagree, but he’s always had his eye on my ancestral Wolf Fang Club and almost stole it once…” This seemingly simple barbarian raised both hands in approval of ambushing Daoist Duan De, though he specified they shouldn’t kill him, only plunder his precious items.

Ye Fan gave him a strange look. This guy looks harmless and honest, but he doesn’t seem entirely upright either.

The group discussed Daoist Duan De’s Combat Power, and all concluded it was profound and immeasurable. Even though the barbarian had almost fought him, he couldn’t gauge his true depth.

“Set traps with Array Patterns!” Ye Fan took out some jade pieces and placed them at the exit, leaving no trace. Once these jade stones were laid, they all disappeared automatically.

“Can Array Patterns trap him? You know he broke the Restriction to get inside; he surely has a deep understanding of them,” Princess Yu Die reminded.

“Don’t worry,” Ye Fan laughed. “These were specially prepared by a certain… powerful existence for that fat bastard.” Back then, after the big black dog and Daoist Duan De clashed fiercely without either gaining an advantage, the dog had helped Ye Fan inscribe this set of Array Patterns for future use.

“Are they really that effective?” Dongfang Ye chuckled.

“This is a small formation, not grand, to avoid detection. As soon as he steps in, he’ll be disoriented for a moment, and we’ll only have that brief instant to strike and subdue him,” Ye Fan explained.

BOOM!

A loud noise emanated from the cave mansion, accompanied by surging smoke and mist. Daoist Duan De was causing quite a commotion inside, evidently breaking a Restriction. They waited patiently without rushing in to watch.

Over the next four hours, various sounds periodically came from the Ancient Cave. The commotion grew louder, and dense Spiritual Qi surged like water.

“I hope he acquires lots of Immortal Treasures, maybe even a volume of an Ancient Emperor Scripture!” the barbarian said with a simple smile.

Princess Yu Die was somewhat speechless. This fellow was far from being as naive as he appeared; he was clearly preparing to fleece Daoist Duan De thoroughly. Ye Fan laughed, put an arm around Dongfang Ye’s shoulder, and they discussed their plan of attack for a long time.

“He’s coming out!” Ye Fan’s spiritual perception was sharp; he sensed the Qi Mechanism. They hid within the Array Patterns, not worried about being exposed.

Daoist Duan De emerged, humming and cursing continuously. His clothes were in tatters; he had clearly suffered a great loss inside.

BUZZ!

The Array Patterns activated, glowing brightly. Daoist Duan De was momentarily disoriented; his Sea of Consciousness was almost stripped away and eternally sealed!

BANG!

The barbarian, without hesitation, swung his great club from behind, striking Daoist Duan De squarely on the back of the head. The pain made the fat Daoist’s eyes roll back, and he nearly fainted instantly. Daoist Duan De’s body went limp, and he swayed, trying to turn around. At that moment, Ye Fan, holding the half-foot-high small Dao Platform, slammed it into his face.

BANG!

“Shameless… Damn… Heavenly Venerate!” Daoist Duan De finally rolled his eyes and was knocked unconscious by the two “barbarians,” staggering and collapsing to the ground. (To be continued, for more, please visit www., support the author, support authentic reading!)