Chapter 1016: Heavenly Venerable
The Great Dao resonated in harmony, as true dragons and phoenixes forged from immortal radiance cried out to the heavens, thousands upon thousands of auspicious rays shining brilliantly. On that Dao platform, a middle-aged man shrouded in divine rings rose to his full height.
His black hair was thick, his eyes clear and bright. Though not particularly heroic, he possessed an eerie, demonic aura, like a reincarnated demon fetus, inspiring involuntary reverence.
"An honored guest arrives, and I failed to welcome you from afar."
Contrary to everyone's expectations, the Penglai Heavenly Venerable did not attack. Instead, he spoke amiably, stepping down from the five-colored Dao platform in a single stride, appearing before them in an instant.
The Dragon Horse's heart leaped. This was a profound technique—one step covering tens of li, something an ordinary person could never execute. This middle-aged man's strength was formidable.
He was undoubtedly a Dao Cutter, and if there was no mistake, a Greatly Accomplished King—the strongest person Ye Fan had encountered on Earth so far.
Though the Penglai Heavenly Venerable concealed his aura, his inherent majesty radiated through his demeanor. At Ye Fan's level, he could sense it and perceive the essence.
This was a figure from ancient times!
Otherwise, he could not possess such cultivation. A Greatly Accomplished King was a human expert no matter where he was placed. On present-day Earth, he was likely the foremost expert, if not the very strongest.
This man's eyes were like stars, holding a mysterious power, clearly the result of cultivating that Heavenly Scripture to a terrifying level. His black hair cascaded freely, and his very presence commanded awe without anger.
"Penglai has been isolated from the world, rarely venturing outside for many years. Some disciples have grown restless and impulsive. I apologize for their rudeness, fellow Daoists." The Heavenly Venerable was polite and easygoing, showing no intention of fighting.
Having just emerged from seclusion, he first scolded his disciples, ordering them to put away their weapons and welcome the honored guests, completely catching Ye Fan's group off guard.
Since the other party was so courteous, they could hardly come demanding retribution. Even the Dragon Horse sheepishly withdrew, returning the five-colored precious tree to the Penglai Sect Leader.
Truth be told, it was extremely reluctant. This was a Saint-level artifact, shot down by Ye Fan's black arrow and seized by the Dragon Horse, who had grown quite fond of it.
A great battle dissolved into nothingness. The tense atmosphere dissipated as Ye Fan and his group stepped through the immortal gate. Inside, cliffs stood tall, elegant mountains rose, divine vines coiled, auspicious light clustered, ancient herbs exuded fragrance, immortal cranes danced, and spirit springs gurgled, shimmering with radiance—truly a pure land.
The Penglai disciples were somewhat resentful. In all these years, no one had ever dared to storm their gates, trample Penglai underhoof, and level the mountain gate with a Dragon Horse, crushing dozens of great peaks into rubble.
"The path to immortality is rugged and full of trials. One's nature is especially important. I was negligent, spending so many years in seclusion refining my Dao body, never imagining that a few unworthy disciples would become so arrogant."
The Penglai Heavenly Venerable did not hold back, rebuking several Great Power-level disciples until their faces flushed red, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
"Why did you offend Brother Ye?"
"Lingxiao went to the Central Land and claimed that a certain sect was stealing the collective faith power of the people, calling itself the Heavenly Court. So he took action to punish them..." the Penglai Sect Leader explained.
The so-called Lingxiao was the Little Heavenly Venerable, also the direct descendant of this Greatly Accomplished King, holding an extraordinary status. Otherwise, he would not have received such protection.
After hearing this, the Heavenly Venerable nodded. "Brother Ye, please don't take offense at a child's actions. They only venture out once every few decades or centuries and know nothing of the Central Land. They hear rumors and act on youthful impulse."
What could Ye Fan say? The other party had already said this much, and the Dragon Horse had already acted, trampling a group of people into severe injury. The Little Heavenly Venerable himself had nearly been broken in two. He could hardly press the matter further.
Afterward, they conversed pleasantly, discussing Dao techniques. The Heavenly Venerable shared many cultivation insights, all drawn from personal experience.
Reaching this level of cultivation was remarkable even in ancient times. Though many sages and saints had lived in that era, many were visitors from other domains, not true natives.
Ye Fan was deeply impressed. This man's Dao arts were extraordinary, his cultivation methods unique. To reach this level and become a Greatly Accomplished King was truly astonishing.
The Penglai Heavenly Venerable stated frankly that establishing a sect was acceptable, but naming it the Heavenly Court was indeed taboo. Even the ancient sages had avoided these two characters, fearing disaster.
He kindly warned that unwritten heavenly laws from ancient times contained such a rule. It was best to avoid it, or great trouble might arise in the future.
"Oh, is that so? Could it be that the name of the ancient Heavenly Court has become a taboo, with someone from beyond the stars watching?" Ye Fan asked.
"It cannot be said, it cannot be explained. For some things, it is better to maintain reverence," the Heavenly Venerable replied.
Ye Fan nodded, then asked about the five-colored altar. This was his greatest concern—he wanted to find a path leading into the depths of the starry sky.
In the distance, the five-colored Dao platform shimmered with radiance, exuding the aura of the Great Dao. The material was unmistakable—it was the special stone used to construct star domain altars.
The Heavenly Venerable sighed. The ancient sages had departed without leaving behind any starry coordinates. Though some secret places held five-colored altars, later generations did not know how to activate them.
"Has no one ever explored them?" Ye Fan refused to give up.
The Heavenly Venerable's expression shifted as he looked at the distant five-colored Dao platform. "Those secret places are very dangerous. To be honest with you, Brother, I do know of one place. This Dao platform was obtained from there. Unfortunately, my strength is limited, and I could not venture deeper."
"Oh, such a place exists? Could the Heavenly Venerable tell me about it, so I might go and take a look?"
The Penglai Heavenly Venerable nodded. Of course, they could not set off immediately. Etiquette demanded they entertain their guests with spirit tea.
Ye Fan's arrival riding the Dragon Horse had greatly shaken the Penglai Heavenly Venerable. Upon inquiry, he learned it came from Kunlun, causing his eyes to flicker with strange light as he repeatedly praised it.
"I wonder who resides on the other two overseas immortal mountains?" Ye Fan asked.
Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou were the three great overseas immortal mountains, immensely famous and widely known since ancient times. While Kunlun was rarely mentioned among the people, everyone knew of Penglai.
"Both Fangzhang and Yingzhou have experts in residence. If I mention their ancestors, I think Brother Ye might have heard of them," the Heavenly Venerable said with a smile.
"Oh, I would be glad to hear the details," Ye Fan said, seeking instruction.
"On Fangzhang Immortal Mountain dwell the descendants of Peng Zu, while on Yingzhou Immortal Mountain live the descendants of Xu Fu."
Upon hearing this, Ye Fan was astonished, a strange expression crossing his face. Both men were renowned alchemists, recorded in ancient texts.
Xu Fu's personal cultivation was not particularly profound, yet he had once sought the elixir of immortality for the First Emperor, leading a group of boys and girls out to sea, recorded in historical annals.
According to the Penglai Heavenly Venerable, Xu Fu eventually reached Yingzhou but failed to find the elixir of immortality, so he never returned. One of his sons, gifted with extraordinary talent, inherited the legacy of Yingzhou Immortal Mountain and still lived there, holding some decision-making power on the island.
Peng Zu was a famous alchemist from the pre-Qin era. Whenever longevity was mentioned, his name came up. Various Daoist texts referenced him, with some speculating that he might have obtained a fragment of the Presence Secret from the Nine Secrets, making his life-nurturing arts unparalleled. His descendants sailed out to sea and eventually reached Fangzhang Immortal Mountain, becoming one of the island's major lineages, wielding significant influence.
"It is said that the three overseas immortal mountains possess the elixir of immortality. Is that true?" the Dragon Horse asked, having set aside its violent temper and adopting a more auspicious beast-like demeanor.
"It has been rumored since ancient times, but no one has ever seen it. I suspect that even if it existed, it was taken away by the ancient sages and emperors when they ventured into the boundless starry sky," the Heavenly Venerable shook his head.
Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou—these three overseas immortal mountains were extremely renowned in ancient times. Many sages and saints had appeared there, leaving behind numerous Dao traditions. However, after the heavens changed, many traditions withdrew. Though the spiritual energy of the three immortal mountains had not diminished much, they had declined, with less than a tenth of their original traditions remaining.
Finally, the Heavenly Venerable led the way, personally guiding Ye Fan to a stretch of sea. They descended into the underwater world, arriving before a sea palace. The place was desolate, with fish and shrimp not daring to approach.
"Is this an ancient dragon palace?" Zhang Qingyang and the others were astonished.
This palace complex was immensely grand. Though now reduced to ruins, its former glory could be imagined. All the pillars were made of jade, towering like a heavenly palace.
The area was vast, stretching continuously. After countless years, many intact ancient palaces remained, majestic in scale, crystal clear, and radiating precious light.
The Heavenly Venerable stopped at the deepest part of this sea palace. "The area ahead is very dangerous. I can only lead you this far."
Ahead, a palace complex like crystal shone brilliantly in the depths of the sea, radiating dazzling light like a divine hall. Huge pillars and majestic halls blinded the eyes.
At the center of this continuous palace complex sat a five-colored stone mound, like a tomb, surrounded by many ancient palaces.
The Heavenly Venerable said his five-colored Dao platform was taken from here. It had taken great effort and a long time to succeed. He warned Ye Fan to be careful when entering, then turned and left.
The Primordial Qi Cauldron emitted divine energy threads. Ye Fan absorbed all his disciples into it, then handed it to the Dragon Horse. He also took out a black arrow, leaving it for protection.
"Don't return to Penglai. Be careful and protect them. Wait for me to come out," Ye Fan instructed.
The Dragon Horse was naturally unwilling. This place surely held secret treasures. Even if dangerous, it was worth the risk, likely yielding great rewards. But in the end, it did not enter, kicking up its hooves and running off.
Ye Fan entered this crystal palace and immediately sensed killing intent. Ancient formations definitely guarded the place, warning people not to approach.
Crystal light flowed everywhere, like a dreamlike world. This place was as magnificent as an ancient dragon palace. The only discordant element was the five-colored stone pile at the center, exuding a demonic power.
Ye Fan had come for this five-colored tomb. To find the coordinates of the starry ancient path, he needed to find this kind of material. Perhaps there would be clues.
"This is not a tomb, but an ancient sealed ground!"
When he approached and circled this five-colored divine altar several times, he revealed a shocked expression. A seal laid with this five-colored stone was no small matter!
A warning sign flashed in Ye Fan's mind. He activated the Stride Art to retreat swiftly, but a terrifying force erupted from within the sealed ground, a tremendous pulling force trying to drag him in.
His heart shook violently. This was Saintly might! The aura was overwhelming, spreading everywhere, powerful enough to shock anyone.
Ye Fan was not unprepared, but he had not expected a living ancient saint to be sealed within the ancient dragon palace beneath the sea. This was a great crisis.
He activated the Stride Art, his body turning into a bolt of lightning as he rushed out of the crystal palace, trying to escape this terrifying death ground in the first instant.
Once one became a Saint, they stood above all! In terms of combat power alone, they had almost transcended the human realm, viewing Dao Cutters as ants, looking down on all living beings.
"Boom—"
All the crystal palaces shifted, blocking Ye Fan's escape route, transforming into an ancient slaughter formation that fully awakened, countless times more terrifying than before. This was an ancient formation laid by an ancient saint.
In the distance, the Penglai Heavenly Venerable's face was cold. His hands moved, activating this ancient great formation. His gaze was icy, devoid of any emotion.
"The five-colored Dao platform and the ancient heavenly scripture I obtained both came from here. I only forgot to tell you one thing—this place also seals an ancient demon fetus. Wait here to die. I will first go slay the Dragon Horse and your disciples, then return to watch you slowly wither!"
The Heavenly Venerable seemed like a different person. His gaze was dark and deep, his voice cold and icy. Then he turned and left.
A faint, cold smile curled at the corner of Ye Fan's mouth as he spoke to the retreating figure: "Do you think I didn't know you were setting a trap? Since I dared to come, I am naturally unafraid. In a moment, I will go collect your corpse."
"First, survive the ancient demon saint's trial. No one can live within the sealed ground, haha..." The Heavenly Venerable laughed cruelly, his voice sinister. "I will go slaughter the Dragon Horse and the others cleanly!" With that, he vanished.