# Chapter 1035: Divine Fetus
At the bottom of the stone valley, the Qilin beast lay alone on the green stone, ancient medicinal herbs took root and grew along the cliff walls, orchids grew alongside, purple mist filled the air, everything peaceful and serene.
A clear breeze blew, and the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi's beautiful hair floated up, her snow-white dress dancing, outlining her graceful and enchanting figure, like a heavenly goddess descending to the mortal world.
Her beauty was beyond doubt, stunning the world. Various immortal Holy Lands, ancient dynasties of the Central Province, and many royal clans of the Ancient Clan had all proposed marriage, but were all politely declined.
Ye Fan smiled. Since he had been recognized, there was no need to continue hiding. Yao Chi had never harbored any ill will toward him, so there was no need to worry.
"Do you have any hush money?" the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi asked with a smile, her beauty so radiant that it dimmed every divine flower around.
"What could I possibly have? Aside from killing you to silence you, I could only offer myself in marriage. I really have nothing else worth offering," Ye Fan teased.
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi glanced at him, a strand of glossy black hair sticking to her fair cheek, pure and ethereal yet lively. "Brother Ye's return is truly a miracle. I should congratulate you instead."
"Just luck."
"I would like to ask Brother Ye for a favor," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said.
"Oh? The fairy maiden is backed by the Western Emperor's inheritance. What difficulty could you possibly have?" Ye Fan said noncommittally.
"This matter is nothing for Brother Ye, easily accomplished, yet it has far-reaching implications for my Yao Chi. So I earnestly ask for your help," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said.
The more she spoke like this, the more curious Ye Fan became. He couldn't help stroking his chin. "What exactly is it?"
"I wish to borrow a few strands of Brother Ye's sacred blood," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said, her peerless beauty glowing, her skin flowing with rosy light as she looked at him with a serious expression.
"I see!" Ye Fan immediately understood what they wanted to do and couldn't help but fall into contemplation. This was a major matter; if mishandled, it could pierce the heavens.
"Brother Ye, it won't harm you. A few strands of sacred blood won't affect you. I sincerely hope you can help," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said softly.
"My blood isn't that hard to obtain, but what you intend to use it for worries me," Ye Fan said, looking forward, trying to see into her true heart.
Yao Chi had several strange stones, mysterious and unfathomable. Four were obtained by successive Western Queen Mothers, and three were gifts from the fifth-generation Origin Heavenly Master. The previous Yao Chi Assembly had been convened because of these stones.
The Celestial Prince had been within one of those strange stones, discovered by Ye Fan. At that time, he was gestating inside an egg white as jade, its divine pattern fluctuations shocking the world. Eventually, the Ancient Clan came and took him away.
Another strange stone had nine orifices and eight holes, even more special. Yao Chi valued it immensely. From ancient times to the present, generations of sages had preached the Dharma and expounded scriptures to it.
Back then, when the monkey came seeking the Flat Peach sacred medicine, Yao Chi had him exchange it with Battle Saint blood, using his blood to nourish that immortal stone for over a month. Ye Fan remembered it well.
Now the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi was asking for help, surely for that same strange stone. In those days, his Dao was not yet complete, and his sacred blood's effect wasn't so great. Now, it was entirely different.
"Fairy Maiden, I urge you to think thrice. A divine fetus born of heaven and earth—whether its continued existence is a blessing or a curse is hard to say. Doing this is truly somewhat risky," Ye Fan said with a frown.
He didn't say the more alarming words. Once the nine-orifice, eight-hole divine fetus emerged, it might become a great disaster. Aside from ancient Great Emperors, few could subdue it.
"Brother Ye speaks truly," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi nodded, admitting she too had concerns. But later she was reassured. Sages in their later years had poured their hearts into converting it, and this stone fetus had long become connected with them.
How powerful were sages? Generation after generation had preached the Dharma and expounded scriptures, already causing the divine fetus to change, becoming part of Yao Chi, unlikely to do evil.
Ye Fan fell silent, saying nothing more. How could a few words from him change Yao Chi's decision? This was the crystallization of their efforts. Even ancient sages thought it was fine—what more could be done?
He knew that if this divine fetus didn't emerge, fine. But once it appeared, it would inevitably be incomparably powerful. After all, throughout these long years, it had been listening to sages and eminent elders preach the Dao. It had likely already mastered the entire Western Emperor Scripture.
"Has Brother Ye agreed?" the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi asked.
"I want to think it over," Ye Fan replied.
"Brother Ye still has concerns," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said.
"I think you still remember what Black Emperor said. Though that dog is despicable, his words were not false. After all, he once followed Emperor Wu Shi," Ye Fan said.
During the Yao Chi Assembly, Black Emperor had said that over a hundred thousand years ago, a powerful Holy Land had done something similar. The result was that a Sacred Spirit emerged, causing that Holy Land to vanish into thin air. If not for Emperor Wu Shi's Dao reaching completion and forcefully suppressing it, it was hard to imagine what great calamity would have occurred.
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi nodded. "There is no time left. The path to immortality is about to open. With the current strength of the human race, how many can break through?"
She didn't say more, but Ye Fan could feel the sense of urgency of all the great Holy Lands. Now, every immortal inheritance was striving for this, all wanting to ascend to immortality.
Ye Fan returned to his meditation room and accompanied Liu Yiyi, talking about many things from the other shore of the starry sky. She was filled with mixed emotions, occasionally shedding tears, deeply missing that homeland.
"Don't worry, there's great hope of returning!" Ye Fan comforted her, but didn't say much on this matter.
The next day, the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi came again, asking how Ye Fan's consideration was going. He really couldn't refuse. Yao Chi had shown him goodwill and had helped him in the past. Even if he felt it was inappropriate, he couldn't find a way to decline. He nodded in agreement. "If problems really arise, aren't there the Ancient Clans? Let them also 'share the blessings and the rain.'"
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi's smile could topple a city, causing even the sun in the sky to lose its luster. "Since Brother Ye is willing to help, that's best. We naturally won't let you lose blood for nothing. Whatever you need, just speak."
What was Ye Fan most interested in from Yao Chi? Naturally, the forbidden chapter of the Western Emperor Scripture. The last page of scripture recorded the most essential insights, secret arts, and inheritance of the Western Emperor's entire life.
Unfortunately, he knew this was impossible. No one would impart such secret methods. The final secret arts of ancient Great Emperors were rarely displayed, let alone obtained by outsiders.
"I want to understand how the Western Emperor forged the Immortal Tear Green Gold Tower," Ye Fan said after careful consideration, making such a request.
"The forging of Imperial weapons... later generations don't know the full details. But we can do our best to search the scripture library for you," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said, a strange light flashing in her eyes.
How difficult was it to forge an Imperial weapon? For a Great Emperor, it was an extremely significant matter in their life. When a Great Emperor died, the Imperial weapon was like an extension of their life, able to guard their descendants.
In the present age, what was most precious? Naturally, the weapons of ancient Great Emperors!
Deep in the sky, chaotic mist filled the air. The Western Emperor Tower was faintly visible, rising and falling, as if suppressing the beginning of heaven and earth, strands of immortal qi descending to protect this entire pure land.
Ye Fan walked forward with the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi, heading toward the most important place. Along the way, he opened his heavenly eye to gaze at the Immortal Tear Green Gold Tower and saw a small wooden hut not far from the Imperial Tower.
A woman stood forlornly on the clouds, gazing into the distance, her expression indescribably sorrowful.
Ye Fan's mind shook. He recognized her at once—this was Yang Yi, the confidante of the fifth-generation Origin Heavenly Master, a Holy Maiden of Yao Chi from ten thousand years ago.
He said nothing, sighing inwardly. The Origin Heavenly Master had fought a great battle to suppress the Northern Domain, single-handedly destroying the Divine Spirit Valley, but buried himself in the morning glow, never to return.
"When will the path to immortality finally open?" Ye Fan suddenly asked.
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi was startled, looked at him, and said, "No one can say for sure, but it shouldn't be too far off. Even the Ancient Clans can't sit still; they're all preparing."
"There's another matter I'm very curious about and have always wanted to ask, but I always felt it might be too presumptuous..." Ye Fan said.
"What is it?" the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi asked.
"I've heard people say that Yao Chi's original site wasn't here, that it was moved from another place. I don't know if it's true or false. Why was that?" Ye Fan had gone to that place with Black Emperor and obtained the Dao Palace chapter of the Western Emperor Scripture there, but he absolutely couldn't reveal that, or there would be big trouble.
The old site of Yao Chi was utterly devoid of life, deathly still, very eerie. Moreover, whenever he thought of that immortal pool, he felt a chill run down his spine. At the bottom of the pool were countless corpses, all young and beautiful, all Yao Chi disciples, buried there for unknown reasons.
According to Black Emperor, the material for the Western Emperor Tower was discovered at the bottom of that pool.
Upon hearing this, the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi's expression turned serious. She shook her head. "That is an old matter, too long ago. Few within Yao Chi understand it. I do not know either."
Ahead, misty water vapor, immortal qi swirling, various rays of light shimmering—they arrived at Yao Chi's most important place—the Immortal Pool.
The sect's name originated from this immortal pool. The old site had one, and here there was also one, said to originate from the same pool root.
This region was like the immortal realm, very dreamlike. Ordinary people had to stop, unable to approach at all.
Here, various auspicious beasts appeared faintly, auspicious birds danced, creatures resembling three-legged Golden Crows, fire phoenixes, and Qilins roamed nearby.
An ancient tree stretched its branches toward the high heavens, very tall, like a coiled flood dragon. This was the famous Flat Peach sacred tree, rooted by the Immortal Pool, absorbing essence, its medicinal fragrance wafting.
Moreover, this area was covered with orchids, growing like weeds in clusters and thickets, everywhere.
Such divine soil was hard to find in the world, a wonderful place for nurturing heaven-and-earth spiritual fetuses. Even a weed growing here would become spiritual, let alone rare plants.
Ye Fan's pupils flickered with light. He saw the Ancient Clan members he had noticed earlier. The leader was a Dao Cutter, accompanied by Yao Chi's important figures, standing before the Flat Peach sacred tree, sprinkling mysterious blood on a strange stone.
"The Celestial Prince's aura!" Ye Fan's pupils blazed with divine light. He sensed the enemy's qi from the brilliant five-colored blood.
The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi nodded. "They are indeed the Celestial Prince's subordinates."
"Did you also request blood from the Celestial Prince?" Ye Fan asked.
"No, he sent it voluntarily. He once wanted to exchange the Immortal Emperor's ancient scripture for the nine-orifice, eight-hole strange stone," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said.
"What?" Ye Fan was shocked. The scripture left by the Immortal Emperor was called the Divine Spirit Ancient Scripture. He had shaken the entire ancient era, revered by all races, supreme and unparalleled.
Such a figure could look down on all eternity, unrivaled under heaven. The scripture he authored was naturally profound and mysterious. He was regarded by all races as a being surpassing the divine!
"We couldn't possibly agree. The path to immortality is about to open. Even an immortal scripture laid before our eyes couldn't compare to this divine fetus," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said.
Ye Fan's expression shifted. "Were Yao Chi's several strange stones kept together in the past?"
"Though they had contact, they were not sealed in one place," the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi said.
Ye Fan stared at the stone king beneath the Flat Peach sacred tree, then at the Celestial Prince's brilliant five-colored blood, silently pondering for a moment.
End of the month, autumn. Thank you, everyone!