# Chapter 994: Heavenly Court Descends Upon the Mortal World
The Pope had been defeated, losing his life, leaving behind a resplendent golden holy armor. The Spear of Destiny stood thrust into the ground, gleaming brilliantly. Not a single person dared to approach; it was deathly silent.
Ye Fan descended upon the Sacred Mountain, ascending the stone steps step by step toward the First Sacred Palace of the Vatican. Everyone watched, none daring to block him. A pin drop could be heard.
Finally, Ye Fan entered the most sacred ground of the Vatican since ancient times and disappeared within. Many people seemed to collapse, listless and dispirited, falling to the ground on their bottoms.
This day was forever recorded as a Dark Day. The strong of the Jerusalem Divine Clan were killed, the most sacred place of the Vatican was trodden upon by a demon, suffering the most severe desecration.
A thousand years passed, ten thousand years passed. Whenever people thought of it, they could not help but shiver. But for those of another faith, it was a day of great prosperity.
In the distance, Zhang Qingyang's expression was excited. The cauldron above his head let down strands of Mother Qi of All Things, protecting him within. Holding a Bodhi seed, he loudly proclaimed that the Heavenly Court should be established.
Behind him, the many followers who had accompanied him shouted in unison. Their voices resounded through the clouds, vast sound waves shaking the surroundings. The entire Vatican trembled.
At this moment, the old cultivators of the Vatican and the clan leaders who had come to assist all changed expression drastically. For them, this was a great calamity.
The news spread quickly, crossing mountains, traversing countless ridges, crossing the great ocean, spreading throughout the cultivation world.
In the West, many traditions fell silent. The dome of heaven seemed to press down, making everyone feel oppressed, all uneasy and fearful, as if waiting for a doomsday judgment.
The Demon marched through the West. By his own power alone, he had defeated the Divine Knight and the Pope, killed three Divine Clan experts. No one could contend with him! What would he do next? Thinking of the terrible possibilities, everyone's heart turned cold, shivering uncontrollably.
The most severe consequence was that he could uproot the Vatican entirely, exterminating the West. This did not seem to be a difficult matter.
When the Central Land Daoist sects received the news, many were stunned, unable to believe the fact. One person acting alone, killing his way into the Holy City of Jerusalem, slaying Divine Clan members—what kind of means was this? Then, with his own power, he had breached the Vatican, sovereign over the West. This was like a myth!
The Buddhist sect was likewise. Many eminent monks chanted Amitabha, Buddha names rising one after another. They found it somewhat unbelievable, their hearts trembling with shock.
At this moment, the world was in an uproar. The gaze of the entire cultivation world focused on the Western Lands, fixed on the Vatican, all waiting for the final result.
A Demon had emerged from the Central Land!
Everyone was discussing it. Now the Demon marched through the West, shocking all people. The whole world was astonished, all paying close attention.
At this very moment, Ye Fan had ascended to the summit. After entering the Sacred Palace, he had no idea that the entire cultivation world was nearly suffocating, all waiting in silence for the result, watching what he would do next.
He was very calm, his steps forceful as he walked through the empty great hall. No one dared to block him. All the divine envoys trembled with fear and retreated.
This palace had existed since ancient times, with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent and magnificent. Every inch of space radiated holy light, piled high with treasures, filled everywhere with rare curiosities.
Ye Fan paid them no heed, treating them like dirt and dust. He walked toward the depths of the palace. He sensed the ancestral artifacts of the Central Land and strode forward, seeking them out directly.
After the First Emperor unified the six kingdoms, the jade seal carved from the He Shi Bi was quietly displayed here. Though what was engraved upon it was not Dao principles, it possessed a historical sedimentation heavier than mountains and rivers.
On the other side, a stone platform formed from hardened yellow clay was enshrined in a higher position. This was the Nuwa Stone, carved with a Dao body of a human head and serpent tail, with traces of the Great Dao interwoven. It drew Ye Fan's focused attention, and he watched for a long time.
...
Finally, he found the altar foundation stones inscribed with the Ancient Heavenly Scripture. They had been seized from Mount Tai by Vatican experts over twenty years ago, piled up in a large heap. They had obtained a great deal back then.
Ye Fan carefully examined the Heavenly Scripture, his heart greatly stirred. The altar foundation indeed bore bird-seal script, truly recording a shocking secret—the opportunity for Immortal Ascension.
It described the ancient Ninety-Nine Dragon Mountains. This was something Ye Fan already knew, having seen it at the burial site of the Quasi-Emperor Rong Cheng, already understanding the cause and effect.
What truly attracted him was that at the end of the Ancient Heavenly Scripture, there was a terrain map. This was actually one corner of the Immortal Map for entering Kunlun Immortal!
However, it was incomplete, because the altar foundation was not whole. Part of it was within the Central Land, with only this portion lost in the Vatican.
Ye Fan's heart pounded. He had not expected to find another piece of the map. This corner could be pieced together after returning. There were nine copies of the map in the world, and now he had obtained the sixth corner.
He carefully stored away several ancestral artifacts and the ancient altar, then began a thorough search of the palace. In the divine hall that housed the golden holy armor and the Spear of Destiny, he discovered some so-called Western sacred objects, among which was actually a bone fragment!
"Another corner of the map!"
Ye Fan could not help but exclaim. He had not expected the Vatican to have another corner, and this piece was the original ancient map, carved on a simple bone fragment.
The maps on the Lushan underground palace and the altar foundation should have been copied, not the originals, but they were clear enough.
Fortunately, the copied versions did not overlap. He now had seven corners of the Immortal Ascension Map, with only the last two bone fragments remaining. This made his heartbeat quicken.
The ancient sages had fought great battles, and none had been able to collect the complete map. Now, in this age of declining Dharma, those people had departed one after another, giving him an opportunity.
"Unfortunately, the ninth bone fragment was shattered by someone and can never be collected," Ye Fan sighed softly.
He conducted a great sweep through the Sacred Palace. No one knew what all he had taken away. When he came out, the divine aura of the palace seemed to have dried up, and the holy radiance could no longer be seen.
At the Vatican, everyone trembled in fear. No one dared to step forward to stop him. Even the radicals who had earlier wanted to welcome him and celebrate the death of the Divine Clan halted in their tracks, because the gap in their cultivation levels was too great to engage in dialogue.
Ye Fan also did not wish to go too far. He did not want to commit extermination and did not create a slaughter. With a "clang," the resplendent holy armor standing on the battlefield flew up, shrinking to three inches in height, sinking into his palm, claimed by him.
"Bang"
The Spear of Destiny also pulled itself from the ground and flew toward him. It had long ago been broken into three sections in ancient times, barely joined together, but it was still a divine-slaying sacred object.
"You can take the golden holy armor. The Spear of Destiny is the supreme sacred object of the Vatican, with special significance. Please leave it behind. If you like holy spears, you can take this object. I believe that in terms of power, once its seal is released, it far surpasses the Lance of Longinus."
The Divine Knight's breath was nearly gone. His body was cracked all over, with traces of blood seeping out, but he was not yet dead. He spoke with difficulty. Beside him was thrust a simple ancient dragon spear.
"Clang"
Ye Fan flicked his wrist, and the Spear of Destiny transformed into a golden divine light, thrusting before the magnificent palace of the First Sacred Mountain. It trembled a few times and then was still.
He had neither liking nor dislike for Western traditions. He had not thought of exterminating them. His purpose was merely the ancestral artifacts. Having achieved his goal, he did not wish to slaughter to the last.
"Seeing that you are also upright, why confine yourself here? Are you willing to go with me to the outer domains?" Ye Fan asked.
"The flame of my life is about to be extinguished," said the Divine Knight, a sinner who had borne guilt until now, turning his back on the light, without glory his entire life. Now, nearing death, he felt a sense of release.
"If you wish to leave, I will extend your life."
The Divine Knight's gaze was calm. He had let go of everything. "I am very longing for the outer domains."
Ye Fan stepped forward and pointed a finger. A holy radiance shot out, bathing the Divine Knight. He took out a jade jar and poured out a crystalline droplet—the essence of the Changbai Mountain ancestral ginseng, truly a precious medicine. He flicked it lightly, and the droplet fell into the Divine Knight's mouth, instantly causing life force to surge within him. Then, Ye Fan took out some divine spring water and gave it to him to drink.
The Western Lands had endless faith power, but the Divine Knight had been branded by ancient sages as a sinner, unable to use it to extend his life.
It was precisely for this reason that he could only rely on his own cultivation. To reach this level in such a world was truly a miracle, worthy of being the greatest genius of the Western Lands in tens of thousands of years.
This was what Ye Fan valued. If such a fierce man were brought to another star domain, to cultivate in a different environment, what great achievements would he achieve? It would likely cause a great shock.
"Divine Knight!"
The radicals within the Vatican finally found their opportunity. They all stepped forward, shouting loudly.
The Divine Knight sighed. He vaguely guessed that the ancient sages might have deliberately branded him, preventing him from using faith power to cultivate, to temper his Dao body.
"Our teachings are beautiful. There is no need to revere the Divine Clan from the outer domains. Having God is sufficient. From today onward, whether Jerusalem or the Vatican, they will belong to us."
"Yes, your teachings are sacred and beautiful," Ye Fan smiled, also voicing his agreement.
"Embarrassed"
Everyone could only make this expression. This demon from the Central Land actually said such things—how could they face this?
"What I say comes from the heart. Your teachings give ordinary people spiritual sustenance, guide cultivators on the path ahead. They are priceless treasures. What I targeted was the outer domain Divine Clan, and I only offended you to reclaim the Central Land's ancestral artifacts."
Ye Fan had an expression of "whether you believe it or not, I believe it myself, and I've said so," and he had also done what needed to be done.
"The Heavenly Emperor is merciful..."
Zhang Qingyang began to preach, replacing the word "God" with "Heavenly Emperor," recruiting followers at the Vatican. The result left a group of people quite speechless.
This matter concluded. Ye Fan did not go to Mount Olympus to visit ancient sites, nor did he seek treasures in the divine lands of that pantheon, which made several of his disciples somewhat regretful.
Because he did not want to cause panic throughout the Western cultivation world. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
The West watched him depart like seeing off a plague god, wishing he would just disappear through time and space. Everything that happened on the Dark Day weighed on their hearts like a mountain—the demon from the Central Land.
When Ye Fan returned to the Central Land, the sect leaders of various schools personally welcomed him. It was a lively affair, an unprecedented event in hundreds of years. The ancestral artifacts returning east was a world-shaking matter!
Ye Fan studied them carefully for several days. He handed over the Fuxi Dragon Stele, the fragments of the Nine Tripods, and others to the various schools, returning them to their original guardians.
A Demon Emerged from the Central Land!
These four words spread throughout the world, not limited to the Central Land and the West. Every cultivator knew of them; they were thunderous.
"I am not a demon. Who exactly I am, even the heavens probably don't know yet..." Ye Fan murmured to himself.
From this day onward, the Little Heavenly Master of the Daoist sect began to spread the teachings, traveling far to foreign lands. Dragon Little Sparrow, Zhan Yifan, and others also often manifested divine miracles among mortals.
The Heavenly Court, since the Dark Day, had taken root and sprouted in every corner of the world. Especially in the West's open and free environment, Zhang Qingyang, leading the Crusaders converted by Ye Fan and the Vatican Holy Maiden Audrey, achieved fruitful results.
Ye Fan's great battle in the West, his divine might covering the world, shook the cultivation world. The Central Land Demon's might shook the four seas, no one dared to obstruct. The process of spreading the teachings could be said to be very smooth.
Perhaps decades, perhaps a hundred years passed. Many people would have to utter "The Heavenly Emperor above" on their lips. This was Zhang Qingyang's achievement.
Ye Fan was in the Central Land, but he could truly feel all of this. His cauldron, as the sacred object of the teachings, bore the power of faith, changing every day.
During this period, the cultivation world was tumultuous, noisy, with many things happening.
And Ye Fan's sudden emergence naturally drew attention from all directions. His rampage through the West, killing the Divine Clan experts of the Holy City of Jerusalem, battling the Vatican—it was like a myth.
Many major forces sought his origins. When they dug up that he was one of those taken away by the Nine Dragons Coffin, they all sucked in cold air, none not terrified.
During this time, some interesting things also happened. For example, cultivators from a certain peninsula country in Northeast Asia were very meticulous in their research. After careful digging, they reached a conclusion.
Ye Fan, such a stunning figure with astonishing bloodline and powerful strength, actually had ancestral origins belonging to that peninsula country. They cited various evidence from extensive citations.
In the end, some even wrote works recording this in the national cultivation history, treating it as fact.
Cultivators from other regions who learned of this could only shake their heads and sigh. The cultivators of the peninsula were truly invincible. This seemed to have become a tradition—the entire universe should apparently have been created by them.
Time flowed like water, passing unnoticed. Three years had passed in the blink of an eye. Zhang Qingyang's teachings were very successful. Now there were not only churches and mosques, but also the Heavenly Court, blooming in all corners of the world.
The cauldron, as the sacred object of the teachings, steamed with holy energy every day, strand by strand, with immortal light brilliant, gathering even more faith. It had nearly become spiritual, appearing even more sacred, unattainable.
Zhang Qingyang was able to hold this foremost sacred object of the Heavenly Court, which was also Ye Fan's future Dao-proving vessel. This made the other disciples quite envious.
No one could replace him. The Little Heavenly Master was unmatched in spreading the teachings, nearly pouring out his heart and blood, his footprints covering every corner of the world.
Now, not only countless mortals believed in the Heavenly Court, but also many cultivators were converted by his eloquent words, converting to the Heavenly Court, jointly revering the Heavenly Emperor.
And his Dao conduct also made great progress. Every time the Heavenly Court grew a little, he would advance slightly. Ye Fan saw all of this and established him as a nominal disciple.
And on this day, Ye Fan summoned him across time and space, calling him back to the Central Land, because he was about to undergo tribulation and needed the cauldron to undergo tribulation together.
Accumulated strength bursting forth!
It was not that he could not undergo tribulation. He could have done so three years ago. Everything was because he wanted to reverse-cut the Great Dao. He did not want any accidents. If he broke through, the future would be brilliant and glorious. But if he failed, he would become tribulation ashes, inferior even to ants. He had to be cautious.
"Greetings, Master."
Zhang Qingyang returned. The cauldron suspended above his head fell off, shrinking to an inch in height. The cauldron body was simple and natural, while outside the cauldron swirled immortal divine radiance, sinking into Ye Fan's brow.
"These past few years have been hard on you. If the Heavenly Court achieves success, you will be credited with the first merit."