Chapter 97: Advancing to the Life Spring Realm
When all the dust had settled, after thoroughly dealing with Elder Han and ensuring his life was no longer in danger, Ye Fan calmed down. He sat on a stone chair and began to seriously contemplate what to do next.
The Ji Family's knights were hunting him. At this moment, without formidable strength, he simply could not contend with them. It was truly unwise to show his face. The best choice for now was to hide away and improve his cultivation.
Without a doubt, this cave dwelling built within the mountain belly was an excellent hiding place. Elder Han had once said that the mountain rocks were carved with many Dao patterns, making it impossible for outsiders to perceive or discover this place.
"Good, I will cultivate here."
After making his decision, Ye Fan began to clean the stone chamber. First, he placed Elder Han's corpse into the medicine cauldron and sealed the lid on top.
"You spent your life refining medicine, so let this alchemy cauldron be your coffin, resting in peace within your own cave dwelling."
This cave dwelling was extremely vast, like a maze. Ye Fan carefully made some markings as he moved forward, carrying the medicine cauldron to the deepest part of the mountain belly, and then sealed it inside a stone cave.
Returning to the stone chamber, Ye Fan continued cleaning. He placed several medicine cabinets back in their original positions and put the dozen or so rare spiritual herbs he carried back inside, as that was the best place to preserve them.
Besides the medicine cabinets, the spacious stone chamber also contained over a dozen bronze medicine cauldrons, as well as several stone tables and stone chairs. On one stone table lay two ancient books, made from beast hide, appearing to be very old—at least several hundred years old.
Clearly, Elder Han had often read them. The stone table and chairs were polished smooth. One book was open, with some annotations by Elder Han.
"Oh!"
Ye Fan showed a surprised expression. The open ancient book consisted of only a few sheets of beast hide, inscribed with many strange patterns. There were almost no words, looking like ghostly scrawls, impossible to decipher. If not for Elder Han's annotations, Ye Fan would have found it difficult to understand the meaning of those strange patterns.
"They are... Dao patterns!" His heart skipped a beat. Although only a few pages, this was a precious ancient book recording Dao patterns.
It was said that "Dao patterns" were things that ancient great powers "copied" after comprehending heaven and earth and nature, with some parts passed down through the generations.
In a sense, "Dao patterns" were the copied imprints of ancient great powers' insights. The more powerful a cultivator, the more they enjoyed studying the "Dao patterns" that had been passed down.
Ye Fan looked carefully. From the few limited ancient characters, he learned that this was merely an ordinary "Dao patterns" ancient book, marked with the words "basic level."
However, even this ordinary "Dao Patterns" ancient book had given Elder Han considerable difficulty. He had written many annotations, as many parts were beyond his full understanding.
"It seems Dao patterns are indeed profound and extensive. Only powerful cultivators can study them. Even Elder Han could only linger at the threshold." Ye Fan immediately realized that the Dao patterns outside this cave dwelling were most likely carved by Elder Han based on this book.
"Although I can't understand this book, I need to carefully study the things he annotated. Otherwise, I might not be able to leave this cave dwelling."
Ye Fan opened the other beast hide ancient book. It was also only a few pages, a thin volume, recording some ancient alchemy formulas. If successfully refined, they would bring immense benefits to cultivators.
However, Ye Fan's knowledge of spiritual herbs was limited. Even if the herbs mentioned inside were placed before him, he might not recognize them, let alone start refining pills.
The beast hide ancient book clearly recorded that if one could find a sacred medicine capable of transforming one's body, it could be refined into a miraculous precious pill. This could not only increase a cultivator's lifespan but also greatly enhance their cultivation, benefiting cultivators of any realm.
"No wonder that old bastard insisted on capturing me..."
Later, Ye Fan discovered a mountain spring in the cave dwelling, along with a considerable amount of grain stored by Elder Han. This immediately resolved his worries, allowing him to cultivate here in peace.
In the following days, he carefully studied Elder Han's annotations on the Dao patterns ancient book and finally understood some of the principles, successfully leaving the cave dwelling.
After that, Ye Fan kept a low profile. Occasionally, he went out to pick some wild berries and vegetables, but most of the time, he spent cultivating and comprehending the Dao Scripture.
Time passed quickly. A year had already gone by. Ye Fan had consumed all the spiritual herbs. His golden Sea of Suffering had been expanded to the size of half a fist, dazzling and radiant, with endless vital energy.
At the center of the Sea of Suffering, clouds and mists rolled like smoke signals, shooting upward. It was no longer just diffusing and swirling; it was like an active volcano erupting!
Ye Fan's golden Sea of Suffering could hardly remain calm. It surged unceasingly, as if it were about to connect with the Wheel of Life and release a divine spring.
Whenever he entered a state of emptiness, the Sea of Suffering would roar with waves, and faint sounds of the sea would emanate from his body. His entire being was enveloped in a layer of sacred light.
Moreover, some phenomena would even arise within the Sea of Suffering. The central area continuously erupted like an undersea volcano, and lightning would often streak across the sky.
When he activated the profound method recorded in the Dao Scripture, powerful life fluctuations would surge within his body. The golden Sea of Suffering shone like a sun. With endless vital energy, his limbs and bones were nourished, and his physical body became exceptionally strong, far more formidable than before.
"The Life Spring realm is indeed difficult to break through..." Ye Fan felt a slight regret. He had attempted to break into the Life Spring realm five times, but all had failed.
During this year and more, he had earnestly comprehended the Dao Scripture and continuously tempered his "artifact." That "divine iron lump," after repeated refining and constant copying of the Dao patterns from the green copper, had begun to show an extraordinary aura, gaining some ancient and natural flavor.
After such a long time, Ye Fan believed that the Ji Family's knights should have long since departed and would not still be persistently pursuing him.
One day, he left the cave dwelling and tried to control his divine power in the desolate mountains. Waves surged in his Sea of Suffering, and a blazing divine light burst out of his body, enveloping him. It lifted him three feet off the ground and carried him forward.
"Plop"
Unfortunately, after flying only about thirty meters, he fell to the ground.
"Without entering the Life Spring realm, it's impossible to sustain flight. One needs an endless fountain of divine power to soar through the skies and traverse the earth."
Although he couldn't ascend high into the sky, this short-distance flight still felt novel to Ye Fan. He practiced continuously and found that he could fly up to about a hundred meters. It was much faster than running, allowing him to glide over grass without touching the ground, like a gentle breeze.
Without reaching the Life Spring realm, Ye Fan did not want to leave this cave dwelling. He felt his strength was too low and that moving around would be dangerous. Moreover, the fire essence within the mountain belly could aid his cultivation. Although that special spiritual energy was not extremely dense, it was continuously replenished.
"I should make a trip to the Ziyang Cave Heaven and retrieve that Source..." Although he felt it was not suitable for a long journey, he still left. His physique was too special, like a bottomless pit, requiring a massive amount of spiritual energy to accelerate his cultivation.
On the way, Ye Fan casually learned that the Ji Family's knights had indeed long since left and would no longer pose a threat to him. The Yan region was now very peaceful.
Arriving at the mountain range where the Ziyang Cave Heaven was located, Ye Fan was extremely cautious, avoiding any encounters with members of that sect. Soon, he came to a river. He plunged in with a splash. After about half an hour, the water churned, and Ye Fan surfaced, holding a sparkling piece of "Source" in his hand.
"Fortunately, it's still here..."
When he first came here, his heart was pounding, afraid that someone else had taken the Source.
In fact, this place was very secluded. Unless a top-level expert from the Ziyang Cave Heaven passed by, no one else could sense the aura of the "Source."
Ye Fan did not want to stay long. He retraced his steps.
"It's her..." Ye Fan suddenly stopped. He saw several young figures, one of whom was Li Xiaoman.
Ye Fan did not pause. He quickly moved away until he disappeared into the mountains.
Half a month later, rumbling sounds came from the cave dwelling Elder Han had carved. Then, a tremendous tsunami-like roar shook heaven and earth, and thunderclaps were deafening.
"Boom"
At that moment, a powerful aura burst forth. The entire cave dwelling shook. Ye Fan's vital energy surged, and golden divine fire blazed around his body.
His eyes shone with brilliant divine light, like two bolts of lightning shooting out, exceptionally dazzling within the cave dwelling.
Ye Fan stood up. Now, he carried a more solemn aura. The released energy shook the entire dwelling violently, creating large cracks.
"I have finally broken through to the Life Spring realm!"
He transformed into a golden bolt of lightning and rushed out of the cave dwelling. Then, a blazing divine rainbow covered him as he slowly rose into the air.
At this moment, at the very center of Ye Fan's Sea of Suffering, a spring eye appeared, connecting to the Wheel of Life. A divine spring was gushing forth, surrounded by hazy, colorful mists.
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