Chapter 1217: Fishing
The sky was clear as washed jade, the azure vault as pristine as a precious gem. Radiant light scattered down, broadening the mind and lifting the spirit.
The great mountains stood majestic, silver waterfalls cascaded like silk ribbons. Walking through the barbaric mountain ranges, the cries of apes and roars of tigers filled the air—a scene straight from a prehistoric era.
The Human Demon would pause from time to time, lost in deep thought. Looking back, a million years had already passed. The things of the past, the things that had vanished, the things that were gone—none of them remained.
An old man and a youth walked through the Eastern Wasteland without any particular destination. At the Human Demon's request, Ye Fan accompanied him to observe the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, to take in the famous peaks and great landscapes.
"The departed are gone. How many outstanding talents and ancient emperors have been buried in the dust?" the Human Demon sighed softly.
Before Ye Fan could offer words of comfort, the wild man's elder—with his tough, rough, and straightforward heart and temperament—automatically adjusted himself and muttered, "I've never tasted Battle Saint Ape before."
Ye Fan was dumbfounded. He quickly told the old man to stop. This species was far too precious. Now only two remained. Not a single one could be killed, let alone eaten.
"Senior, back then I stole you out of the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest. What exactly happened in those days?"
"Let's go. To the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest. I originally wanted to go see them anyway." The old wild man's tone was full of confidence.
They set out from the Central Province, passing through many ancient cities. At Ye Fan's earnest request, the Human Demon changed his appearance to avoid alerting their enemies.
"Hey, am I seeing things? That's the Human Clan's Sacred Body! He really has guts. All the sages are looking for him, and he still dares to come out?"
As soon as they entered a populated area, they were spotted. Some cultivators showed strange expressions. A person's reputation was like a tree's shadow—Ye Fan's name had shaken the world.
"No, it just looks like him. It's not Ye Fan. The facial features are far off."
"What's going on? I thought it was him just now, but then he suddenly changed into someone else?"
Some people secretly observed, feeling somewhat disappointed. But others didn't retreat. Instead, they paid even closer attention. When the ancient clan elders learned of this, they rushed over at top speed.
"This person has a very steady demeanor. And someone earlier was certain they saw his true face. This is most likely Ye Fan in disguise. It's not a case of mistaken identity."
Many refused to give up. They carefully questioned some junior cultivators and concluded that there was a ninety percent chance it was Ye Fan's true body, using a secret technique to conceal his features.
This naturally became an undercurrent. Those with ulterior motives quickly spread the news. Some ancient clans even reported the information to Saint-level ancient kings.
Moonlit City was one of the ten great ancient cities of the Central Province, closest to the ruins of the Celestial Pivot Holy Land. It was grand and magnificent. Time had left mottled marks on its city walls.
Block after block of blue stone, wall after wall of fortifications—all were covered with axe marks and arrow holes. They were the best proof of the brutal wars fought since ancient times.
Ye Fan and the Human Demon walked all the way and entered the city directly. They paid no attention to the secret observers in the shadows. A hint of mockery curled at the corner of Ye Fan's mouth.
"Candied hawthorn sticks! Exotic fruits from a ten-thousand-year ancient tree, containing the essence of heaven and earth. Big and round. If they're not sweet, you don't pay!"
"Dragon meat from the sky, donkey meat from the ground! A divine donkey that has cultivated into a spirit. The greatest tonic in the world. It can extend your life, nourish yin and strengthen yang. Fresh out of the pot, piping hot!"
Moonlit Ancient City was bustling with people. The flow of traffic was like a stream. Cries of vendors rose and fell one after another. It was extremely lively.
"Are all these people human?" the Human Demon stared at the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, quite astonished. The streets were incredibly crowded. There were simply too many pedestrians.
The passersby on the road all rolled their eyes when they heard this. They thought his brain had problems, that he wasn't mentally stable.
Ye Fan's head ached. He told the old man that the human race was now flourishing. The population of a single region was measured in hundreds of millions, let alone the total across the entire world.
"So many!" the Human Demon nodded. Then he reached out a hand, pulled down ten skewers from the candied hawthorn seller's rack, and swallowed them all in one gulp.
"Hey, old-timer, you've got good teeth! How is it? Sweet, right?" the candied hawthorn seller said, quite pleased.
"These aren't from a ten-thousand-year ancient tree," the Human Demon said flatly. "They're just ordinary wild fruits."
The vendor's face immediately fell. He glared at the Human Demon and muttered, "You ate ten skewers for nothing, and you still talk nonsense!"
Ye Fan quickly dragged the Human Demon away. He was afraid the old man would cause trouble everywhere. After all, this was a terrifying figure who had once eaten a Golden Crow and even wanted to taste the Battle Saint Ape.
They walked through the city. The Human Demon was very interested in everything. He would stop and look at every stall. Ye Fan had no choice but to follow him.
Soon, they left the city and headed straight for the Northern Domain. They were going to the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest.
The Northern Domain was vast and boundless. The terrain was complex. There were stretches of red earth, vast deserts, and endless snowy plains. The ancient mines were like scars on the earth, crisscrossing the land.
The Ten Thousand Dragon Nest was located in a snowy region. This place had once been the site of the Underworld Palace Holy Land. It had been destroyed by Jiang Taixu, the Divine King, back in the day.
The Underworld Palace was a dark cult. It had emerged during an era of dark turmoil. Some said this holy land was backed by the ancient clans, which was why it was wiped out by the Divine King of the Jiang Family.
Times had changed. The years had passed. The truth was slowly being revealed. The Underworld Palace was undoubtedly a puppet of the ancient clans, because beneath this snowy mountain lay the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest!
On the highlands, there had originally been ten thousand ice peaks. They had been leveled in the battle seven or eight years ago. Now only a hundred miles of snowy mountains remained, still towering and majestic, standing before them.
Rolling dragon qi occasionally seeped out from the cracks in the snowy mountains, filling the entire area with an aura of majesty and grandeur!
Deep underground, the work was like a masterpiece of nature. This was the most terrifying creation of the heavens. Nine enormous dragon caves led deeper still, where the aura of an emperor permeated the air, suffocating all who approached.
And at the very extremity, there was a Chaotic Dragon Nest. Legend said it was built by a true dragon. The Ruthless Great Emperor had already sunk her coffin within.
At this moment, in a vast ancient cavern, the Qianlun Great Sage was conversing with his grandson, Lei Zhan.
"Grandfather, rest assured. I have already laid a brilliant trap. There's no way that Human Clan Sacred Body won't take the bait. I'll make him jump even knowing he'll die. He'll come without hesitation. He'll kneel down and lick the soles of my feet," Lei Zhan said with a sinister tone.
Ye Fan and the Human Demon had already reached the snowy mountains. Naturally, they no longer needed to conceal their true appearances. After all, they had come to smash the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest, to vent a mouthful of foul air.