Chapter 1274: Breaking Through the Firmament
In the wilderness, giant trees soared into the sky, their trunks as thick as mountains, their branches coiling like azure dragons winding toward the heavens. Lush and verdant, these towering ancient trees pressed down even the mountain ranges beneath them.
Ferocious beasts rampaged, stirring up clouds and mist, making the Primeval Dao Field appear even more vast and desolate—a primordial ancient land.
Golden-winged dragons swept across the sky, azure divine luan birds cried out to the nine heavens. Occasionally appearing, their saintly might spread far and wide, their terrifying power shaking the Primeval Dao Field.
Ye Fan, however, was engaged in fierce battle with several foreign clan experts. They moved from one mountain range into another swamp, destroying countless wild mountain ranges and startling ancient beasts one after another.
"You are indeed powerful, beyond our expectations. But since we dared to make a move, how could we not have means to deal with you?" A foreign clan expert cackled eerily, his face now showing undisguised ferocity as he revealed his true form. Far from the aged appearance he had projected, he was a monster.
He had a humanoid body with a human head in the center, his face covered in fine emerald scales, a wide mouth with fangs, and a head of green hair. On his left shoulder grew a silver wolf head, savage and evil, its bloody maw wide open, surrounded by streaks of divine light, exuding killing intent. On his right shoulder grew a crow's head, pitch black like ink, rolling with black mist, radiating an aura of death. When it opened its mouth to cry, it sounded like the tolling of a death knell.
The others also had bizarre appearances, not of the human race. They were terrifying clans from the depths of the starry sky, each possessing earth-shattering divine abilities.
These foreign clansmen, as Emperor Heaven's capable subordinates, could each kill ancient saints. Moreover, they were evolving a formation called the Subduing Spirit Array, truly terrifying in its scope.
"No matter how extraordinary your talent, can you be stronger than a Saint King? This was created by Emperor Heaven's ancestors, a Dao technique specifically targeting unparalleled experts. Today, you have no path to heaven and no door to earth."
The three-headed foreign clan member laughed grimly. The crow head cawed shrilly, piercingly loud like a death knell tolling. Living beings and plants touched by the black mist all turned to ash, turning ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers into dead land.
Ye Fan was not surrounded by them. He activated the Stride Art, stepping on array patterns one after another beneath his feet, flashing with brilliant divine light, moving like a golden bolt of lightning.
"If you don't submit with the Dao Source now, when will you? You must understand that opportunities come and go in an instant. Regret will be too late."
Primordial Magnetic Immortal Light danced and flew about like a brilliant river of stars falling, putting these few on the defensive, forcing them to struggle. Ye Fan fought wildly, unleashing the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist, smashing through everything in his path. He moved steadily, never entering the Subduing Spirit Array.
This battle attracted the attention of many. Numerous trial-takers were alerted, standing on mountain peaks or in the sky, watching from afar.
Among the Thirteen Desolate Riders, the second leader, Ye Wuhun, squinted his eyes. Clad in azure-gold battle armor and holding a large halberd, he watched coldly from a distance, ready to strike at any moment.
Guan Cheng stood in another ancient land, expressionless, gripping a bronze halberd tightly, his knuckles white, staring without blinking. Seeing Ye Fan sweeping through the Subduing Spirit Array, fighting furiously in the wilderness, he couldn't help but think of that person's figure from the past. This aura of swallowing mountains and rivers, this invincible temperament, was too similar.
Ou Ye Mo, Tuoba Yu, Ku Toutuo, Yu Xian, and others were all alerted, standing among stone mountains and ancient veins, watching the battle intently.
Ye Fan, alone on horseback, holding a black spear, fighting within the Primeval Dao Field, truly shook everyone. Every spear strike caused the Great Dao to rumble.
His black hair flowed like a waterfall, his eyes like lightning. Every spear strike shattered mountain ranges. Even with prohibitions and seals in place, it was useless, turning many ancient lands into ashes. His divine might was unmatched.
But these six foreign clansmen were truly too powerful. This was an invincible combination, not meant for killing trial-takers, but clearly capable of hunting Saint Kings.
The only fortunate thing was that Ye Fan had not been surrounded. Once the great formation closed in, no one who came would be of any use; it would be impossible to change his fate.
This formation was terrifying beyond compare. One could not fall into it; only fighting outside the formation was the correct path.
"Emperor Heaven has received the recognition of heaven and earth. He will surely become an emperor in the future. But you are not accepted by the heavens above. Don't you understand the gap between you?" A foreign clansman sneered, trying to make Ye Fan face reality and bow his head to them.
"You can change your fate. If you stand by the side of a great emperor, you will share in his glory. You don't have to fall on the imperial path."
The battle between the two sides turned into a flash of light, sweeping across mountains, crossing divine lakes, startling one wild beast after another. The aura was terrifying.
"Follow behind Emperor Heaven. This is your chance to change your fate. You must understand that opportunities come and go in an instant."
This group possessed absolute, terrifying martial power. But facing Ye Fan, they also encountered trouble. He was a hard bone to chew.
The battle lasted a long time. Ye Fan frowned because he could barely suppress himself; he might break through to sainthood at any moment.
"I can sense it. You're about to become a saint. That would be somewhat dangerous for us. Since you won't seize the opportunity, we have no choice but to strangle a genius." One of them spoke.
Then they shouted in unison. An ancient wooden box appeared in the sky, refined by the six of them, emitting strange light in countless strands, penetrating everything.
The box exploded, shining with immortal rays that flew toward Ye Fan, wrapping him up. He was like a giant cocoon, trapped inside.
What was this? The distant crowd felt a chill, sensing a terrifying power spreading, so sinister.
"Leftover bones from a Great Sage's Dao dissolution, ground up with supreme divine artifacts, mixed with secret materials from all heavens, refined into Dao Dissolution Powder. No matter how great a hero you are, once touched, you can only passively dissolve into the Dao."
Hearing this cold pronouncement, everyone's hearts trembled. This was a world-killing weapon. What was the most terrifying thing in the world? Dao dissolution was undoubtedly one. Even ancient great emperors dissolved into the Dao after death.
"Aren't you about to become a saint? Now we'll make you dissolve into the Dao! Even if you survive by some miracle, you will never become a saint for eternity!"
The cruel words chilled many hearts. This method was too vicious. These foreign clansmen were too ruthless. Cutting off a person's hope of becoming a saint was worse than killing them.
On the plaza of the Second Human City, Great Commander Yu Han saw this scene in the Primeval Dao Field through an ancient mirror. A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"We can move now. Bring me the Dao Source."
"Please give your orders, Great Commander!" A dozen veteran soldiers stepped forward, their battle qi surging. No one knew how many battles they had been through; they had crawled out of piles of corpses.
"Take this ancient mirror. It is a primeval artifact that controls this Dao field. It can mobilize the power of heaven and earth and suppress enemies." Great Commander Yu Han handed over the mirror in his hand.
Yu Han told them that this artifact could only be used at a critical moment, because it consumed too much essence. Prolonged control would drain a person's body dry.
In the Primeval Dao Field, Ye Fan and the Dragon Horse were trapped inside the cocoon. Even a Saint King would meet their end if touched by this stuff, unable to escape the fate of Dao dissolution.
At this moment, Ye Fan displayed extraordinary divine abilities. The nine ancient characters from the Dao Scripture shone, flying out from his forehead bone one by one, surrounding him and the Dragon Horse. The Great Sage Dao Dissolution Powder could not touch them.
The nine characters were completely bright, shining with immortal radiance, making him appear sacred and majestic. Even the Dragon Horse felt a tremor in its heart.
Then, Ye Fan's brow flickered again. The nine ancient characters passed to him by the divine thought of the Sun Saint Emperor also manifested, taking shape on his gleaming forehead bone, jumping out one by one.
The nine imperial characters from the Dao Scripture protected his body, while the nine ancient characters from the Sun Immortal Scripture began to counterattack. This was a blazing divine power that destroyed everything. With a bang, the Great Sage Dao cocoon burst open.
Everyone was shocked. This was too sudden. This forbidden substance, made primarily from the remains of a Great Sage's Dao dissolution and supplemented with secret materials from all heavens, had failed to trap Ye Fan.
At this moment, a commotion outside also startled Ye Fan. A dozen veteran soldiers were jointly offering up an ancient mirror, attacking the six foreign clansmen. Mountains collapsed, seas roared, blood mist filled the air, and both sides paid a bloody price.
His breaking out of the Dao cocoon at this moment shook both sides, causing them to stop simultaneously.
Ye Fan understood instantly. Great Commander Yu Han had deliberately let the six foreign clansmen in to eliminate him, then sent out capable subordinates at a critical moment, hoping to reap the final benefits.
At this moment, the gazes of both sides fell on him. This was a terrifying killing intent. They all wanted the Dao Source on him. There was no more pretense now.
"You all deserve to die! Wait for me to return. I'll visit you one by one and take your dog heads." After saying this, Ye Fan turned and left without looking back, activating the Stride Art, teleporting over a hundred thousand miles away.
He was now in great trouble. He could no longer suppress his own power. He was about to break through to sainthood and needed to calm his mind to face the heavenly tribulation.
For any outstanding talent who could reach this step, the Saint Tribulation was the most difficult life-and-death pass in their entire lives. There was no room for carelessness or negligence.
Moreover, Ye Fan's heavenly tribulation was unique, extremely sharp, requiring even more caution and care.
"We cannot let him go! We absolutely cannot let him become a saint!"
"At any cost, interfere with his process of becoming a saint. Make him fail at the last step."
The six foreign clansmen shouted. They would not allow this to happen. They used every means to search, wanting to stop Ye Fan from becoming a saint.
The dozen veteran soldiers did not follow. Instead, they hid in a valley, jointly offering up the treasure mirror in their hands, trying to control the Primeval Dao Field and find where Ye Fan was. But after countless attempts, they could not locate him.
At this moment, Ye Fan had set up a Heaven-Deceiving Array. His true body was even sitting cross-legged inside the Green Copper Cauldron, using it to suppress himself.
He wanted to achieve an absolutely empty and clear state of mind and body to face the unimaginable Saint Tribulation ahead. This was a crucial step in his life; he could not make a mistake.
"This Dao field is not an ideal place to undergo tribulation. Becoming a saint here would be somewhat unwilling." Ye Fan muttered to himself.
He thought of the starry sky he had seen earlier when he used all his combat power to forcefully break through this Dao field. He gritted his teeth and said, "Break out of this cage and see the outside world. I clearly sensed the aura of an ancient great emperor. That should be an ideal place."
Ye Fan sat cross-legged in the Green Copper Cauldron, calming his heart. He actually meditated for an entire day and night without being forced to break through.
"Alright. Let's break out and take a look. When I return as a saint, I'll settle accounts with all of you!" He made this decision.
The Dragon Horse strongly agreed. It also wanted to find that ancient land to become a saint.
It was a pitch-black night. Everything was silent. Ye Fan had made all preparations.
"Boom!"
The horse trampled through the sky. One man and one horse charged against the heavens. Ye Fan held a black spear in one hand, piercing through the firmament. The Six Paths Reincarnation Fist was unmatched, dominating heaven and earth, smashing the cosmos.
Battle Saint Art, Divine Phenomenon Unity... Ye Fan unleashed various secret techniques, charging into the sky like a peerless overlord, crushing the Primeval Dao Field. He broke into a place of brilliant starry rivers.
Perhaps it was fate. At this moment, only one person saw this scene. It was still Guan Cheng.
He opened his mouth in shock, wanting to say something, but his throat moved again and again without a sound. His face turned pale, as if he had lost all his strength, and he collapsed to the ground.