# Chapter 1290: Questioning the Heart, Seeking the Dao
In the early morning, some people stood on green stones, while others sat cross-legged on meditation platforms, inhaling and exhaling the essence of heaven and earth. White columns of qi sprayed from their mouths and noses, producing thunderous sounds.
Being in the Human Clan's Tenth Sacred City, even children understood some methods of qi refinement. Among the native residents were many experts who had been diligently cultivating without cease.
The streets of the Human Clan's Tenth City were very wide, paved with green stones. At this moment, the sound of horse hooves, like a mountain flood erupting or a tsunami surging, rang out urgently, spreading throughout the entire ancient path.
The morning sunlight was brilliant, scattering across the entire city. The early morning was filled with vitality as large numbers of cultivators set out, heading toward the living planet below.
Many cultivators were stranded here. A conservative estimate put the number at several thousand, all of extraordinary strength. Some were unfathomably deep.
Since stepping onto the Stellar Ancient Path, some people had never been defeated, truly deserving the title of Kings Among Men. They remained here, never proceeding onward, hoping to obtain heaven-defying opportunities.
Ye Fan sat astride the Dragon Horse, amidst the crowd, heading toward the square. People came and went, ancient beasts roared, and blood qi obscured the sun.
With so many experts gathered, the square of the Tenth City was filled with solemnity. Battle qi surged like a million mighty lions converging, shaking the universe.
"Be careful in everything. I won't say more than that," the Guide Envoy said, ordering people to unseal the ancient city's seals. Teams of cultivators stepped into the sky, emerging from the formation arrays into outer space.
Fierce beasts, ancient birds, and large numbers of experts, all with extraordinary bearing, refusing to yield to one another, marched toward the mysterious ancient land.
RUMBLE!
Like a torrent of steel, the entire sky trembled. A group of iron cavalry galloped across the void, rumbling and shaking, causing everyone's heart and spirit to shudder.
All the heroes rose together. For so many years, this was the first time they had marched with such unified purpose, like a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals being unleashed, descending toward the ancient star below, bringing clouds and mist mixed with Dao sounds, majestic and grand.
Clouds and mist surged, carrying the mounts downward. Powerful fluctuations spread in all directions. Not a single person among them was mediocre.
With so many Human Clan experts descending, their horses galloping through the void, they naturally alarmed many powerful beings below, who watched closely, hidden killing intent lurking.
The mountains and rivers became increasingly clear. Demonic mountains that pierced the clouds, layers of mist—in this area, several bone halls could be seen sitting, baleful qi rolling upward.
"This is the Dao field of a wild fox that has cultivated for several thousand years. It has devoured many invading trial-takers. Its strength is unfathomable. To this day, no one is willing to provoke it easily."
Clearly, this was a forbidden Dao field. According to legend, this wild fox was likely a Saint Beast King, having cultivated the Ten Directions Eight Desolations Ten Thousand Demons Art, ruling supreme in this region, unshakable for several thousand years.
When their cultivation levels were insufficient, many cultivators were unwilling to provoke it, avoiding this forbidden area, steering their mounts toward distant regions, and penetrating deep into the mountain ranges.
After bypassing this area, when the altitude was relatively lower, the sounds of apes howling and tigers roaring came from the wilderness, deafening.
Below, the mountain ranges were verdant, ancient trees towered to the sky. Some old vines, having grown for who knows how many years, coiled around mountains like flood dragons, spanning several peaks.
"ROOOAR..."
From deep within the mountain range came the roar of a Saint Beast King. All the birds and beasts trembled, shaking, not daring to appear.
Ye Fan was startled. This was indeed a primeval ancient land, with many powerful beings. Some forbidden areas could not be easily entered.
The closer they got to the ground, the denser the spiritual qi became, almost turning into liquid, drilling into people's bodies on its own. Many old medicines could be clearly seen growing, rooted in stone crevices and cliff faces.
Upon reaching the ground, the many cultivators scattered, entering various primeval secret lands and different regions.
This ancient star was very large, its territory boundless, enough for these cultivators to spread out. The vast land they had just seen was but a corner. Many mysterious unknown regions lay at the horizon's end.
Ye Fan galloped on horseback, seeking his own place for Dao enlightenment. He focused primarily on cultivating himself, not wasting time.
The Dragon Horse traversed an ancient land, encountering several terrifying demonic auras but not provoking any conflict. Clearly, the ancient beasts were also unwilling to provoke Human Clan experts.
"Ah..."
After advancing more than forty thousand li, screams came, beast roars shook the sky. Ahead, fierce battle raged. Demonic qi surged, sword qi shot into the sky. Many cultivators were fleeing.
"The Nine-Tailed Crocodile Dragon has gone mad, devouring more than a dozen cultivators," someone who had escaped said. That place was in chaos. Mountains cracked, the earth split, and large swaths of mountain ranges were leveled.
A golden divine crocodile spanned the sky, several hundred zhang long, as if cast from gold. Shaped like a crocodile, it had nine tails and a dragon's head. Its golden great mouth opened and closed, biting apart a group of cultivators, blood mist swirling.
This was a killing field, a forbidden area belonging to a Saint Beast. Outsiders were not allowed to set foot there.
Before long, the place quieted down. The Nine-Tailed Crocodile Dragon returned to its nest, plunging into the waters and disappearing.
By the time Ye Fan reached the battlefield, the battle had already ended. The few cultivators who had escaped did not look back, departing into the distance.
"I will cultivate in this place," Ye Fan said, stopping. Adjacent to a vast, boundless lake, he built a thatched hut dozens of li away, very peaceful.
That golden divine crocodile was extremely powerful, definitely a strong one among Ancient Saints. Ordinary cultivators dared not approach. Having such a fierce neighbor, he believed not many would come to disturb him here.
While others searched the surroundings for Human Clan ancestral artifacts, Great Emperor scriptures, mysterious ancient treasures, etc., entering many secret areas usually not open to the public, Ye Fan ignored all that, focusing on cultivation.
Some rumors spread from the Tenth City. A few people discussed that a crisis might appear on the Stellar Ancient Path, and a great battle might occur in the near future.
All the heroes were enriching themselves, strengthening their bodies. Ye Fan was the same, but he was not seeking ancestral artifacts or Emperor steles, not borrowing external objects, but cultivating his own Dao fruit.
There were rumors that some inconceivable existences, like Sacred Spirits, might make a move, seeking to sever the Ancient Human Path. Against this backdrop, becoming stronger was the only correct choice for trial-takers.
In front of the thatched hut, a few ancient trees and a green stone, very simple, accompanied by some wild medicinal herbs growing.
In this secret land where spiritual qi was almost turning into liquid, the Dragon Horse took a bite of a purple-glowing Fire Scale Fruit on the left, and on the right, a Bixia Grass with twenty thousand years of age, quite leisurely.
While consuming spiritual medicines, it cultivated its own Dao, unhurriedly advancing in Dao enlightenment, quite in tune with the natural way, following its heart's desires.
Ye Fan sat cross-legged on a green stone in front of the thatched hut, quietly seeking Dao enlightenment, cultivating his own methods, ignoring worldly affairs. The sound of scripture chanting came from within his body, and the several great secret realms all shone together.
Over so many years, the Dao in his heart had long had a direction. He meditated constantly. What remained was to create his own path.
The Dao Scripture, the Yin Extreme Immortal Scripture, the Western Emperor Scripture, the Sun Extreme Immortal Scripture, etc.—although most were only one volume, not the complete texts, when combined, they allowed him to cultivate all five great secret realms to perfection.
Walking his own Dao could not be accomplished in a single day. Many years ago, he had been contemplating his future path. After becoming a Saint, he gained a deeper understanding.
Now, step by step, he had established his own path, understood his own Dao. Ye Fan felt as if the clouds and mist were gradually parting to reveal the clear sky, a feeling of sudden clarity.
The past year had brought the greatest harvest.
Passages of scriptures, ancient characters, leaped out, revolving around him, turning this place into a land of Dao.
Looking from afar, one Dao character after another densely filled the void, as if cast from metal, shining brilliantly, filled with complex profound meanings, making him appear like an immortal.
The Saint Body's exclusive method for cultivating secret realms also emerged simultaneously. Ancient scriptures rumbled, echoing in his heart, making Ye Fan's body radiant, emitting true Dao sounds.
After the Saint Body lineage reached the Saint realm, it was necessary to recultivate the Wheel Sea, Dao Palace, Four Extremes, Dragon Transformation, and Immortal Platform—these five great secret realms—before ultimately achieving perfect completion.
This was something he had to face. Since becoming a Saint, he had been completely immersed in it, comprehending the Saint Body's Dao, understanding the various methods within.
Each of his secret realms shone. The Saint Body's exclusive cultivation method operated on its own, emitting bursts of Dao sounds, majestic and grand, dazzling and brilliant.
Ancient characters leaped out from within his body. Each secret realm flowed with light and color, like bright Dao platforms, blooming with immortal brilliance.
In fact, when he was still a small cultivator, he had obtained the Saint Body's exclusive cultivation method at the place where the Great Accomplishment Saint Body fell on Sacred Cliff. Over so many years, he had long memorized it thoroughly.
Although he could not cultivate it without becoming a Saint, he had been pondering it, deducing it in his heart, having all kinds of ideas.
Now, nothing could stop his progress.
At this moment, the Dao Scripture, the Sun Extreme Immortal Scripture, the Saint Body's exclusive cultivation method, etc., all harmonized together, merging, making this scripture-chanting sound increasingly grand.
Ye Fan had cultivated several ancient scriptures and also had the Saint Body's exclusive cultivation method. He did not wish to walk the path of his predecessors. He wanted to create his own Dao, to nurture a hundred scriptures in his furnace. After so many years of hard thinking, he wanted to refine them into one furnace, to transform and sublimate.
Over so many years, his Dao conduct had advanced. He constantly pondered, understanding his own Dao, not wasting a single moment.
Especially this past year, he had consolidated his Saint realm, pondering his own path. This was a process of questioning the heart and seeking the Dao. For his future achievements, its significance was profound and immense.
In solitude, he comprehended. In monotony, he calmed his heart and sought. The fog in his heart was blown away, and his path became increasingly clear.
Over so many years, he had spent much time in quiet contemplation. In those moments, his Dao conduct had not advanced by a single inch, but Ye Fan believed these sacrifices were the most precious. Questioning the heart and seeking the Dao—this was a crucial process of accumulation and sedimentation.
Nurturing a hundred scriptures in his furnace, he ultimately had to break free, to find his own Dao. Years of quiet enlightenment and contemplation had made his path increasingly firm.
At this moment, Ye Fan appeared increasingly majestic, like a god or demon sitting cross-legged. His black hair spread loose, his eyes closed in meditation. His body was radiant as if cast from divine gold. The five great secret realms bloomed with boundless immortal light, filled with an immortal aura.
Within his body, it was as if three thousand Buddhas were chanting, or three thousand Demon Lords were roaring in anger, revolving around him. The Great Dao rumbled without cease.
The ancient scriptures Ye Fan had cultivated, as well as the Saint Body lineage's exclusive cultivation method, all rumbled, as if one Dao body after another was chanting scriptures, profound and unfathomable, merging into his flesh and blood, causing even his bones to resonate.
Within his body, it was as if one Dao, one immortal, one self after another were chanting scriptures, constantly blending, constantly merging. All the scriptures' profound meanings were fused together, evolving into the ultimate Dao tradition.
His path, his Dao, was taking shape step by step, about to appear in the world, different from all others. He would create his own ancient scripture.
For a moment, wind and thunder raged between heaven and earth. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Divine phenomena appeared and emerged frequently. It was as if the heavens above were moved, shaken by this.