# Chapter 1022: Westward Out of Hangu Pass
Ye Fan and Divine Knight exchanged glances with the others, all showing strange expressions. This demon venerable had been ordered by Guan Yinzi to guard this place—that was truly an extraordinary origin.
Guan Yinzi, whose given name was Yin Xi, held an extremely lofty position in Daoism, revered as the Primordial Beginning True Person. He was directly connected to the Daoist allusion of "Purple Qi from the East," and it was he who welcomed Laozi into Hangu Pass, giving rise to various legends.
A great sage from the pre-Qin period personally appointed a demon venerable to guard this place—naturally, this was no small matter. No one could underestimate it; all must show reverence.
This great demon was named Xuan Chi. How long he had lived could no longer be verified, but he had once received guidance from Guan Yinzi. His black hair was thick, his face like white jade, showing no signs of age. In his eyes was a universe of stars and space, deeply grasping the essence of Yin Xi's "Primordial Beginning True Scripture." It was just unknown whether he had indirectly cultivated the One Qi Transforms into Three Purities.
"Sage Yin has decreed that later generations cannot pass through Hangu Pass, because the road ahead is too dangerous." Xuan Chi spoke very resolutely. To pass, one could only fight—defeat him in this place.
The great demon who had made a fleeting appearance during the Second World War was definitely no pushover. Having received the inheritance of the Primordial Beginning True Person, truly fighting him would surely be a bitter struggle.
The Dragon Horse raised its four hooves and struck first, attacking this transcendent great demon. Having rarely encountered an expert of the demon race, it naturally wanted to "spar" a bit.
On this ancient battlefield, all kinds of radiance shot forth. The Dragon Horse's hooves were like great hammers, rumbling as they stamped, spun, and danced, constantly shattering the void. Horse neighs tore through the sky. The ten-directional ribbon-like black mists all scattered, and millions of soldier souls trembled, quickly fleeing.
The ancient great demon Xuan Chi used both hands to perform wondrous techniques, pushing the sun, moon, and stars as he moved. Beside him, the starry sky was vast and boundless. He actually had the bearing of being untouched by ten thousand techniques, dominating the six directions and eight wastelands.
A meteor shower fell from the sky, countless comets streaking across the void. Between the two, strange techniques and wondrous arts were endless. The battle reached a fever pitch, dazzling to behold.
The Dragon Horse, at the Severing Dao realm, was absolutely invincible as long as it didn't encounter figures above the Greatly Accomplished King level. It was hard to find an opponent at the same rank. Yet now, it was struggling immensely.
Great demon Xuan Chi was not at a higher realm than it, but the profound techniques he cultivated were unfathomably strange, endlessly mysterious. Various spells and immortal arts often caught one off guard, many seeming like strokes of divine inspiration.
"This is the Dao tradition obtained from the Primordial Beginning True Person. He is of the demon race and cannot fully inherit it, yet this very fact shows how terrifying this lineage is."
Divine Knight stepped forward, thrusting his spear through the void. The spear tip was plain and unadorned, without any divine power fluctuation—returning to simplicity. But when it truly touched the area ahead, even Xuan Chi became extremely solemn.
Then, Ye Fan stepped forward. This great demon who had lived since the pre-Qin era immediately leaped back, feeling an unparalleled pressure. After a moment of silence, he said: "The road ahead is dangerous. Guan Yinzi had me guard this place, also not wanting people to take risks and die needlessly."
"Thank you, Dao friend, for telling us." Ye Fan said politely. This great demon could not be offended.
"Rumble—"
The magnificent city gates were opened. Inside the ancient city, everything was desolate, quiet and silent. The streets seemed as though no one had walked them for thousands of years. The blue stone slabs were dotted with spots, all dim.
Ye Fan and the others entered the city, stepping into this border pass that had been mysteriously famous throughout the ages. It belonged to the cultivation world, a strategic fortress leading to the outer domains.
In ancient times, this place had once been very prosperous. Many cultivators had cultivated here, and moreover, a great sage like Guan Yinzi had personally guarded it—truly a reputation that shook the ages.
"This place is very important. Throughout the ages, a powerful sage of great strength must personally guard it. Now, in the era of the Dharma's end, the sages have long since departed. Otherwise, I wouldn't even have the qualifications..." Ye Fan stared blankly, lost in thought. On the Ziwei Ancient Star Domain, he had seen the incarnation of the green ox that Laozi had ridden.
Soon after, they saw another giant stele, suppressing the city of Hangu. Its might was overwhelming, entwined with streaks of immortal light. It was densely covered with engraved characters, all Dao patterns and divine marks. This was personally erected by Yin Xi to suppress this place.
Guan Yinzi had once served beside the quasi-emperor of the Daoist faith, building a hut on Dragon Mountain, inviting Laozi to lecture on the Dao, staying for many years. It was precisely because of this that the "Dao De Jing" came into being.
Without a doubt, Yin Xi was a sage. Otherwise, he could not have guarded the Hangu Pass of the cultivation world. This place was of great significance, leading to the starry sky beyond, holding ancient secrets unknown to many.
"With this stele here, it is enough to keep Hangu Pass immortal for ten thousand generations." Ye Fan marveled. Upon it were the laws and imprints of a great sage. Every wisp of immortal light seemed to contain the aura of the primordial beginning.
Yin Xi, with the status of a sage, had served beside Laozi for many years. His Dao conduct had thus been elevated by a large margin, reaching an unfathomable depth. Within the secretly transmitted "Dao De Jing" of Laozi were wondrous techniques like One Qi Transforms into Three Purities, all of which he had cultivated. As a disciple of a quasi-emperor, he was a great sage who had cultivated to the highest realm in the past few thousand years.
Yin Xi himself had also authored a scripture, named the "Primordial Beginning True Scripture." This scripture was divided into nine chapters, expounding the laws of the universe and nature, experiencing the reality within emptiness. It was ranked among the famous five scriptures of Daoism.
Finally, Ye Fan and the others passed through the city, leaving this deathly silent ancient land. The huge western city gates were opened, and a brilliant starry sky appeared before their eyes.
Everyone drew in a cold breath. This was all too fantastical. Behind them was solid land and an ancient city, while ahead was already a vast, boundless starry sky.
Starlight shimmered, brilliant and boundless, like a beautiful scroll painting. Those stars seemed within reach. Star rivers flowed, cascading down strands of star power, peaceful and holy.
"How do we enter this starry sky? Are there coordinates for places like the Big Dipper Star Domain?" Divine Knight asked.
What they lacked were only coordinates. Otherwise, Ye Fan had already restored the ancient altar of Mount Tai. Unfortunately, they didn't know how to locate the place they wanted to go, unable to cross the celestial dome.
"There are no star domain coordinates, only an ancient path. The former sages followed it one after another." Xuan Chi replied.
He pointed with his hand, and not far away, a five-colored altar appeared. It was several meters in circumference, not very large. The stone body shimmered with various crystalline lusters.
"Step onto this altar and you will enter the starry sky. Along the way, there may be many demons and monsters. You must be careful yourselves." Xuan Chi warned.
There was only this altar, no coordinates for the road ahead, because it was already fixed. This was a special small altar that could only reach a certain fixed secret place.
"So you're saying there are such small altars along the road ahead, requiring multiple activations along the way to finally reach the destination?"
"Exactly, that's how it is." Xuan Chi nodded.
Everyone was startled. This was indeed an ancient path. The road ahead was vast and boundless, the endpoint unknown. One could only keep walking down it. Many former sages had departed in this way.
And Ye Fan was even more lost in thought. Would this ancient starry road overlap with the mysterious star path left by the Nine Dragons Coffin? Everything was unknown. All of this awaited them ahead.
Zhang Qingyang, Long Yuxuan, and the others could not remain calm. They were about to depart far away, leaving Earth. They all showed some excitement, clenching their fists.
Only the little purple one was most sorrowful, crying as if dying, grabbing Ye Fan's clothes and refusing to let go no matter what, pleading over and over, tears falling in strings.
"If fate allows, we will meet again..." Ye Fan comforted softly.
Finally, he hardened his heart and led the others onto the altar. There, light flickered, and a Bagua gate appeared. Various symbols flickered uncertainly, eventually slowly growing bright.
"Master... take me with you, okay?" The little purple one cried and begged from behind, her voice childish, looking at him helplessly, reaching out her small hands toward the sky, wanting to grasp something.
Ye Fan could hardly bear it, turning his head away.
"Take care!" Long Yuxuan didn't speak much, but he uttered these two words, waving his hand forcefully.
"We're off. From here, it's billions of miles through the starry sky, heading for the other shore." Divine Knight said.
"Let's go. Ten thousand rays of starlight, the road ahead is in sight. All is for attaining the Dao." The Dragon Horse also spoke, this time not transforming into a vicious beast.
"Let's go." Ye Fan turned around, bringing his two disciples and the child Huahua, stepping into this starry gate.
"Everyone, take care!" Xuan Chi shouted loudly from behind.
"Thank you, Demon Venerable!" Everyone waved, expressing their thanks.
"Swish—"
Light flashed. The Bagua gate on the five-colored altar bloomed with an eternal radiance. The Bagua symbols on it were like cast metal, all ringing and vibrating, then flickering a thousand times before connecting the road ahead.
Then, the entire altar dimmed in an instant. The Bagua gate and everyone disappeared together. They had embarked on their journey, entering the boundless starry sky. Mysterious unknowns awaited ahead.