Chapter 98: One Vessel Breaks Ten Thousand Techniques
This was an entirely new experience. Ye Fan stood high in the sky, the fierce wind causing his clothes to rustle and flap. The mountains, rivers, and the vast earth lay beneath his feet, and a feeling of controlling "everything" surged within him.
His vision was vast, his gaze stretching to the horizon. This was an unprecedented sensation—relying on his own power to soar into the heavens, looking down upon the world he once lived in, filled with awe.
The magnificent mountains and rivers, the boundless land, all lay before his eyes. It made his heart feel free and his ambitions soar high. Heaven, earth, and all things—every blade of grass, every tree—were absorbed into his heart, involuntarily stirring a heroic ambition to swallow mountains and rivers.
"So this is the Life Spring realm... I can feel a powerful strength..." Ye Fan stood high in the air, his flesh free of dust and filth, his entire body crystalline, shimmering with a faint luster like a beautiful work of art, giving him a feeling of being reborn.
At this moment, he finally understood the vast gap between different realms. His physical body was flawless, nearly perfect. If he encountered a cultivator in the Sea of Suffering realm, he felt he could reduce them to ashes with a mere raise of his hand. This was not blind confidence, but rather the surging, unending, and overwhelmingly powerful force within him.
Ye Fan rode a rainbow, traversing the heavens and earth. A brilliant rainbow streaked across the sky, at times like a comet crashing into the earth, at others like the moon rising over the sea, or an azure dragon ascending into the sky.
It was only half an hour later that he finally calmed down completely. Standing atop a mountain peak, letting the clear wind brush his face, his long black hair gently fluttering, his eyes shone like two stars, radiant and bright.
Ye Fan was silent. His powerful and sharp aura completely receded, replaced by a peaceful and tranquil temperament. He was flawless and pure, his clothes fluttering, like a banished immortal descending to the mortal world, ethereal and elegant, giving a feeling of transcending the mundane and being one with nature.
At this moment, within his body, the Sea of Suffering, the size of half a fist, was completely calm. There were no violent "volcanoes," no surging waves, no billowing smoke.
The golden Sea of Suffering was very tranquil. At its very center, a spring gushed forth, emitting a vigorous life force—the flow of divine power's source.
The Wheel of Life, covered beneath the Sea of Suffering, was now connected, and the boundless life essence surged upward. This was the fundamental source of a cultivator's strength.
Ripples spread from the Life Spring towards the four directions of the Sea of Suffering, transforming into gentle waves, adding a touch of agility and naturalness. The golden sea rippled, the divine spring gurgled. The two combined, providing endless divine power and vigorous life.
At this moment, the mysterious green copper piece had shifted its position, settling at the bottom of the spring within the sea, constantly being baptized by the life-giving divine spring. Meanwhile, the golden book was still squeezed to the edge, unable to approach the spring's eye.
The "cauldron" Ye Fan was trying to forge now only had a vague outline, still unformed. It was about the size of a cherry, suspended above the Sea of Suffering.
According to common sense, each of the four major realms—Sea of Suffering, Life Spring, Divine Bridge, and Other Shore—could be used to refine one "vessel." But now that Ye Fan had reached the second major realm, he had yet to form a single "vessel," causing him to frown. The "cauldron" was indeed the most difficult to refine.
However, he wasn't overly worried. The *Dao Scripture* clearly recorded that the more profound and complex a "vessel," the harder it was to form, as they contained the "Dao" and "Principles" of heaven and earth.
According to the *Dao Scripture*, one could focus on refining a single "vessel." A powerful "vessel" was invariably formed by combining the power of all four realms. In other words, to obtain the strongest vessel, one refined only one "vessel" across the Sea of Suffering, Life Spring, Divine Bridge, and Other Shore realms, not four.
This was what was meant by "great vessels are late to mature." Once successful, one vessel could break ten thousand techniques; after my flower blooms, a hundred flowers wither.
Across the entire Eastern Wasteland, only a few ancient scriptures recorded this profound secret method of refining a single "vessel" across four realms. Ordinary cultivators had no chance of even touching upon it.
However, even among the disciples of the Holy Lands and Primordial Aristocratic Clans that possessed these few ancient scriptures, very few dared to take such a risk. Opportunity always walked hand in hand with danger. To gain more, the price one might pay could also be unbearable. Using four realms to refine a single "vessel"—throughout history, the vast majority of people ended up with no "vessel" at all, wasting their years in vain. Without one's own "vessel," one couldn't control objects, becoming little different from a cripple. Thus, even disciples of Holy Lands and Primordial Aristocratic Clans rarely made this choice.
In the Sea of Suffering realm, Ye Fan didn't need to make a decision; he only needed to focus on refining the "cauldron." But now that he had broken into the Life Spring realm, and the "vessel" was still unformed, he had to make a choice.
"Although it's full of peril, and I might end up with nothing in the end, I have no way back. I chose to refine the 'cauldron' because I wanted the strongest 'vessel,' one that might one day give birth to the 'Dao' and 'Principles' of heaven and earth. Using four realms to refine a single 'vessel' doesn't contradict my choice; in fact, it's very consistent. There's no reason for me to back down."
Ye Fan wasn't worried about others having many "vessels" while he had few, leading to an embarrassing situation. He believed in the bold declaration recorded in the *Dao Scripture*: one vessel breaks ten thousand techniques; after my flower blooms, a hundred flowers wither.
"I hope for a great vessel that matures late, not a lifetime wasted..."
Having reached the Life Spring realm, he could now fly through the sky. Ye Fan began to consider making a trip to the Ancient Forbidden Land. However, he needed to prepare thoroughly; otherwise, that place could very well become his burial ground.
He didn't rush to leave but stayed behind to consolidate his realm. After a breakthrough in cultivation, an adaptation period was necessary. In the following period, Ye Fan dug his cave dwelling into a mess. To obtain the spiritual energy from the fire calamity, he excavated deep into the earth, nearly causing the fire vein to erupt.
Time passed quickly. Ye Fan cultivated for nearly another year. The entire fire vein was almost completely refined by him, nearly dried up. His realm was completely stabilized and had steadily improved. The gushing divine spring became even more vibrant.
Of course, this wasn't his greatest gain. What satisfied and excited him the most was that the "rough embryo" of the "cauldron" had been successfully refined. Using the peculiar spiritual energy of the fire calamity, after thousands of billions of hammerings, the three-legged round cauldron was finally initially formed, coming into this world.
"It seems that to successfully refine a 'vessel,' one needs peculiar spiritual energy. Without a doubt, the power of various divine fires is the most effective. Just like forging weapons in the real world, you need a fire source to smelt and forge divine weapons and precious blades. Forging the 'cauldron' within the body is the same!"
Above Ye Fan's Sea of Suffering, the rough embryo of a small cauldron, the size of a cherry, had all its brilliant divine light completely internalized, looking ancient and natural. After nearly a year, through thousands of billions of hammerings and repeatedly carving the "Dao patterns" from the green copper piece, the small cauldron had already taken on a very extraordinary aura, giving a feeling of innate Dao resonance.
Ye Fan moved his mind, and the small cauldron immediately shot out of his body. Silently and effortlessly, it easily pierced through a stone wall over ten meters thick, flew straight out of the cave dwelling, and hovered in the sky.
"One cauldron, two ears, three legs. The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things. All things carry Yin and embrace Yang... Good! Good! Good!"
Ye Fan was very satisfied. The ancient and natural small cauldron gave him a feeling of the Dao being one with nature, as if it had truly already given birth to the "Dao" and "Principles" of heaven and earth, appearing mysterious and profound.
"I look forward to the moment when one vessel breaks ten thousand techniques..."
Even in its initial form, the small cauldron was already a powerful weapon. It could attack and defend, was indestructible, and the mysterious "Dao patterns" on the green copper piece had endowed it with a strange power, allowing it to continuously transform.
Ye Fan had been in this world for three years. He had lived in the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven for a year and cultivated in this cave dwelling for nearly two years. His body had grown considerably, now about 170 centimeters tall, but he still looked very young, like a child of about fourteen.
His once short hair was now two feet long, jet black and thick, naturally draped over his chest and back, gently fluttering in the wind. He looked very delicate. No one would guess that such a youth was already a cultivator in the Life Spring realm.
"It's time to leave..." Ye Fan glanced back at the cave dwelling behind him, then flew close to the forest canopy at low altitude, rushing out of the mountains.
Ye Fan dragged a water deer into a small town. After exchanging it for some coins, he first chose a suitable set of clothes for himself. In two years, his body had grown much taller, and his original clothes were already tattered and worn, truly ragged. When he entered the town, people pointed at him.
"To cultivate in the world, the first thing to do is to blend into the mundane world."
Ye Fan found a place to eat and chose a seat by the window. At the table next to him, several people were sitting together. Their bearing was extraordinary, different from ordinary people.
True cultivators had no interaction with mortals. They generally didn't reveal their extraordinary nature before the common people. Even if they met face to face, ordinary people wouldn't know. Clearly, these people were cultivators. Adhering to their usual principles, they didn't want to disturb the surrounding mortals and were talking in low voices. Unless one had exceptionally sharp spiritual senses, ordinary people couldn't hear anything.
"That Demon Emperor's tomb is truly sinister. Over two years, countless cultivators have died, but it still can't be opened."
"The entire Eastern Wasteland has been stirred up. All the major sects have sent experts to that ruin, but there's no way to open that Yin tomb."
"The main reason is that the truly peerless experts have reservations. They dare not act recklessly, because that Yin tomb is extremely eerie, almost having become sentient. Unless they have the supreme treasure of the Eastern Wasteland human race, even if a generation-suppressing expert could break the fatal killing formations, they couldn't stabilize the Yin tomb. It would charge deep into the earth of the Eastern Wasteland, like a dragon returning to the sea, becoming untraceable."
"It's said that three major figures have already died. Is that true?"
"Of course it's true. Over two years, countless cultivators have been killed or wounded. That deep pool is almost filled with corpses. Even major figures have fallen, one after another. Several more are said to be on the verge of death."
Ye Fan was very surprised. He hadn't expected that even after two years, the Demon Emperor's tomb remained unopened. The fatal killing formations within the Yin tomb had claimed the lives of a vast number of cultivators. He ate quietly, listening without any change in expression, not wanting to be noticed by those cultivators.
"The area around that deep pool is piled high with bones, completely turned into a demonic land. Just looking at it from afar sends chills down one's spine. The resentment there is sky-high, and every inch of the ground is stained with the blood of cultivators."
"Since that deep pool is a one-way trip, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, why are there still endless cultivators rushing forward, continuously going there?"
"Without benefits, who would disregard life and death like that? That's the tomb of a generation of Great Emperor who unified the Eastern Wasteland demon race! It must be filled with countless treasures."
"That's right. Even those transcendent major figures have been stirred. Legend has it that the Demon Emperor's Yin tomb contains the supreme treasure of our Eastern Wasteland human race—the Desolate Tower!"
"Is that the Desolate Tower, the legendary artifact said to be able to suppress and kill immortals?"
"Naturally. Otherwise, why would those major figures risk falling and venture deep inside?"
"For two whole years, the disciples of various sects have been terrified, afraid of being transferred to that ruin. But the sects refuse to give up. At this rate, who knows how many more will die."
"You might not know this yet, but it's said that even people from the Central Province have been stirred. Recently, some mysterious figures have arrived in the Eastern Wasteland."
"Are they trying to snatch our Eastern Wasteland treasure—the Desolate Tower?"
"That's not it. They wouldn't stretch their hands that far. Even though the cultivators of the Central Province are unmatched in the world, surpassing the other four domains, they wouldn't dare to easily make enemies of the entire Eastern Wasteland. If such a war broke out, it's hard to imagine how many would die. It's said they seem to be searching for a treasure from the Central Province..."
Not far away, Ye Fan's heart suddenly skipped a beat. He didn't need to think to know that the major figures from the Central Province must be coming for the mysterious green copper piece.
*******h!~!