Chapter 66: Yang Tomb and Yin Grave
Ye Fan did not have a deep understanding of "Dao patterns." He had only heard Elder Wu Qingfeng briefly mention that truly powerful weapons had Dao patterns inscribed within them, which could be considered the soul and life of the weapon.
Of course, Dao patterns were not limited to this; their application in weapons was just one aspect. They had endless marvelous uses in various fields. For example, they could be inscribed on mountain ranges and earth veins to form various kinds of "configurations," gathering strange powers and turning that region into an enigmatic and mysterious "domain."
Profound Dao patterns were even more extraordinary, possessing unfathomable strange powers. Once inscribed, they could alter the properties and structures of all things, regulating life and death. Some miraculous Dao patterns, when laid down, could even influence the flow of time within a certain range, truly achieving "time captured in a single thought."
Other esoteric Dao patterns could only be inscribed on rare materials. After being arranged with precision and error-free, if they were then supplied with powerful divine energy, they could pierce through heaven and earth, traverse the void, and instantly appear from one place to another.
Even more complex Dao patterns could condense "heavenly configurations," possessing unimaginable transformations and power.
In fact, many powerful Dao patterns were not circulated in the world. They were held in the hands of Holy Lands and Primordial Aristocratic Clans, kept secret and undisclosed. Outsiders had no way of knowing their might, only hearing fragmented legends.
Indeed, Dao patterns were profound and extensive, covering a very wide range. It was said that Dao patterns were things "copied" by ancient great powers when they comprehended heaven and earth, gaining insights, and then passed down through the ages, forming the Dao patterns of today.
Ordinary cultivators could not access this field at all. Only those who had reached a certain level of strength could study Dao patterns, because in a sense, Dao patterns were the "copied insights" of ancient great powers. The stronger the cultivator, the more they enjoyed delving into the Dao patterns circulated in the world.
The surface of the mysterious green copper had no Dao patterns. Only at the broken edge were they densely packed, intricate, profound, and utterly incomprehensible. Although mysterious and arcane, they had a natural charm of the Dao, deeply moving anyone who saw them.
"Very much like something naturally born..." Ye Fan muttered to himself. Elder Wu Qingfeng had once said that some precious treasures had innate Dao patterns inside, not artificially refined, unique and irreplicable, which was the root of their power.
"Could they really be natural Dao patterns..." Ye Fan couldn't be sure. He didn't know much about Dao patterns, only harboring doubts.
Suddenly, Ye Fan felt a strange fluctuation. He found that the path ahead was cut off, hazy and indistinct, with no end in sight. Strange, eerie mists shrouded the front.
At the same time, he heard the earth-shaking roar of a green flood dragon. A great figure from the Primordial Aristocratic Clan Ji Family rushed past on a golden ancient war chariot, a murderous aura sweeping across the rugged mountains.
"Temporarily seal the ruins! No one is allowed to leave!" Nine flood dragons pulled the chariot, blocking the path ahead. The great figure from the Ji Family inscribed countless Dao patterns on the mountain ranges and earth veins, cutting off the road.
From another direction, nine qilin beasts pulled a jade carriage, riding clouds and mist, with overwhelming divine might, blocking the east. At the same time, similar shouts came from other directions. Several great figures sealed off the ruins, forbidding anyone from leaving.
Ye Fan's heart jumped. He sensed something was wrong and quickly stopped, no longer circulating the mysterious method recorded in the *Dao Scripture*. His golden Sea of Suffering calmed down and then disappeared.
The ruins immediately buzzed with noise. Many cultivators didn't know what was happening, thinking the great figures were about to start a massacre.
"What happened?"
"Why won't they let us leave?"
Many scattered cultivators were uneasy. Only those from major sects remained relatively calm, not showing panic.
"The human race's supreme treasure of the Eastern Wasteland hasn't appeared yet. The great figures are getting anxious!"
"Exactly. Blocking the way is to prevent someone from taking the treasure and leaving."
"Even these five great figures can't find the human race's supreme treasure of the Eastern Wasteland. Can anyone else possibly get it?"
...
The cultivators discussed among themselves. When they learned that the area was sealed off because of the human race's supreme treasure of the Eastern Wasteland, most calmed down. They hadn't held much hope for the treasure anyway.
The five great figures inscribed Dao patterns on the mountain ranges and earth veins, sealing off all directions. Then they returned to the place where the Demon Emperor's tomb had shattered and began searching anew.
"Why is our Eastern Wasteland human race's supreme treasure so silent? When the Demon Emperor's tomb shattered, it should have erupted with earth-shattering momentum."
The five great figures murmured softly. They didn't use secret speech; there was no need for concealment.
"Where is the Desolate Tower? Why doesn't it appear..."
"It's been missing for over ten thousand years. The Desolate Tower should reappear in the world. Why is there no trace?"
In the distance, many cultivators were awed. The great figures were clearly determined to get it. If they couldn't find this supreme treasure, who knew how long the blockade would last.
Ye Fan was surprised. Only now did he learn that the human race's supreme treasure of the Eastern Wasteland was called the "Desolate Tower." Just the name alone felt extraordinary.
Many cultivators from major sects discussed it, talking about the treasure's past.
"It's said that the Desolate Tower has existed for endless ages. No one knows from which era it was passed down."
"Legend says it coexists with the Eastern Wasteland. When life first appeared on this vast, boundless land, the Desolate Tower was already there."
"What does the Desolate Tower look like?" Many cultivators didn't know much about it.
"As the name suggests, it's a tower. The nine-layered Desolate Tower possesses vast, unfathomable, and mighty power. It is immortal through the ages and can suppress all the strong in the world!"
"Is it that terrifying?"
"Even if your divine might covers the world and you look down upon the Eastern Wasteland, you cannot withstand the suppression of the Desolate Tower. Otherwise, why would it be called the human race's supreme treasure of the Eastern Wasteland?"
"Since ancient times, countless peerless experts have fallen beneath the Desolate Tower. No one can withstand its suppression."
The path ahead was blocked. Ye Fan couldn't leave and returned to the depths of the ruins. Hearing the cultivators' discussions, he felt a surge of longing. The Desolate Tower was so heaven-defying; it was truly tempting.
Just then, the unscrupulous Taoist Duan De appeared, rushing toward Ye Fan at lightning speed. He seemed almost on fire, moving at maximum speed, arriving in an instant. His face was full of excitement as he said, "Where's that piece of scrap copper?"
"I threw it into a pond."
"What?!" The unscrupulous Taoist's face was full of shock, then extreme anxiety. He grabbed Ye Fan's shoulders and shook him forcefully. "Which pond? Take me there quickly!"
Ye Fan's heart stirred. Could this green copper be of great origin? At first, he thought it might be related to the Eastern Wasteland's supreme treasure, but when he learned the Desolate Tower was a nine-layered tower, he immediately realized the green copper couldn't be the human race's treasure—it had nothing to do with a tower.
"The ruins are huge, full of dense forests and mountains. I've lost my bearings. I can't remember where I've been."
"No, you must remember!" The unscrupulous Taoist's face was terrifying, his eyes bloodshot as he held onto Ye Fan.
"Isn't it just a piece of scrap copper? You looked at it over and over for a full quarter of an hour, but then you threw it on the ground yourself. Why do you want to find it now? Does that scrap copper have some origin?"
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you. Now hurry up and find it!" The unscrupulous Taoist had no smile on his face. He was extremely serious, pulling Ye Fan along.
Ye Fan understood. The mysterious green copper was indeed of great origin, seemingly extremely important.
"Wuliang his mother's Heavenly Venerable, why was this poor Taoist so stupid? I had it in my hand, and I threw it away..." The fat Taoist's face was ashen, filled with regret and annoyance, a far cry from his usual smiling demeanor.
Ye Fan felt a chill. He sensed that this unscrupulous Taoist was now in a murderous mood. He didn't want to run into a knife's edge, so he obediently walked forward.
"Young friend, you must think carefully. If we can find that green copper, I'll give you whatever you want!" The fat Taoist's face was serious as he earnestly urged, "You must remember well."
"What exactly is that thing?"
"Don't ask. If you ask again, this Taoist will go crazy!" The fat Taoist slapped his own right hand hard. "How could I be so muddled? I've spent my life searching for treasures, only to be so blind in the end." He was clearly very self-blaming, without any pretense, wishing he could cut off his own hand.
"We separated here, and then I saw you running off into the distance..." The fat Taoist brought Ye Fan to the mountain peak where they had parted.
"Yes, this is it. Let me think about where I went..." Ye Fan unhurriedly walked down the mountain. The unscrupulous Taoist followed closely, not urging him, letting him recall slowly.
Ye Fan walked very slowly, thinking about how to shake off this fat Taoist. Unknowingly, they crossed three mountain ridges. When they climbed the fourth, Ye Fan showed a hint of joy and said, "It's here."
Looking in the direction he pointed, the fat Taoist's face immediately turned ugly. On this mountain ridge was a dark, deep pool, as silent as stone, without a single ripple, emitting a chilling cold that made one's heart tremble.
"Don't tell me you threw it into this deep pool!" The fat Taoist's eyes emitted an eerie light, immediately making Ye Fan's mind blur. He vaguely felt something was wrong, as if the other party was peering into his heart and mind.
At that moment, Ye Fan tensed up, quickly concentrated, and tried to imagine a scene: standing by the black pool, throwing a piece of scrap copper into it.
The fat Taoist's eyes returned to normal. He gritted his teeth and said, "You wasteful brat... I wish I could throw you in!"
"Isn't it just a piece of scrap copper?" Ye Fan said, looking completely unconcerned.
*Plop*
The fat Taoist dove straight into the deep pool. At first, divine radiance flickered underwater, but soon it dimmed, and the dark, deep pool gradually returned to calm.
Ye Fan waited for a full half hour, but the unscrupulous Taoist didn't come up. He muttered to himself, "Could that wicked fatso have met his comeuppance down there?"
Another quarter of an hour passed, and with a soft splash, the fat Taoist emerged, covered in a thick layer of black ice, like an ice sculpture.
*Bang*
Inside the black profound ice, light kept flashing, but it took dozens of breaths before the unscrupulous Taoist broke through the ice with divine light, shaking off chunks of ice. His face was now blue-purple, and his lips were trembling.
"Wuliang his mother's Heavenly Venerable, this Taoist is freezing to death." He was shaking all over, shivering, as divine light continuously overflowed from his body to expel the cold. Black mist could be seen rising from his skin, instantly freezing the surrounding vegetation, which then turned to powder.
In the distance, Ye Fan gasped. He had chosen this black pool only because it seemed deep enough, never expecting it to be so terrifying. The chunks of ice that fell to the ground froze everything within ten meters. Many rocks had cracked, and even from far away, Ye Fan felt a bone-chilling cold.
"Daoist, didn't you find it?"
"I dived down several thousand meters. Midway, I saw a broken stele inscribed with the words 'Netherworld Pool.' It was bottomless. I have no idea how deep this black pool really is!"
"Daoist, why did you throw it away in the first place? Now you regret it..."
"Don't say anymore!"
Seeing the fat Taoist's furious expression, Ye Fan almost burst out laughing. He felt immense satisfaction inside, but his face showed extreme tension as he said, "Could it really be a treasure?"
The fat Taoist's face was ashen. He paced back and forth in anger and said, "I have no common language with you!"
Ye Fan tactfully walked aside, picked two wild fruits, and ate them with relish.
Seeing him so unconcerned, still enjoying wild fruits, the fat Taoist became even angrier. He scowled and said, "You, the biggest wasteful brat under heaven, actually threw it into a deep pool. I... I wish I could kill you!"
"Daoist, you were the one who threw it away first. Why are you blaming me now? You also treated it as junk at the beginning..."
"I... I hate it!" The unscrupulous Taoist wished he could slap himself. Then with a *plop*, he jumped into the deep pool again.
This time, over an hour passed before the fat Taoist burst out of the water, completely turned into a big block of ice, dark and gleaming, with bone-piercing cold.
Ye Fan stayed far away. This time, it took the unscrupulous Taoist a quarter of an hour to break out of the ice. His whole body was black and purple, and black mist spewed from every pore. A large area of the mountain ridge was frozen into black ice, countless plants withered, and many rocks cracked from the cold.
It took a long time for the unscrupulous Taoist to recover. He dejectedly walked out of the ice zone and sat down on the ground, muttering to himself, "I hate it..."
Beside him, Ye Fan was secretly delighted. Seeing the wicked fatso so dejected made him feel immensely satisfied.
Suddenly, the unscrupulous Taoist seemed to remember something. He jumped up in shock, looking at the distant active volcano, then at the black cold pool before him, and exclaimed, "I understand! The Demon Emperor has two tombs: one is a Yang Tomb, and the other is a Yin Grave!"
Ye Fan was startled by him and said, "Daoist, what are you talking about?"
The fat Taoist ignored him. He seriously began drawing on the ground, marking the active volcano and the black pool, then sketching the surrounding terrain in proportion.
"Wuliang his mother's Heavenly Venerable, it's exactly like this! One Yang, one Yin, embracing the Taiji. The source of power, the heart, is buried in the Yang Tomb, while the true cold corpse is buried in the Yin Grave." The unscrupulous Taoist's face was uncertain.
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