Chapter 1364: Seizing the Scripture
“Young man, are my demands too excessive? Release the Overlord, let there be less bloodshed and fewer killings. It would be better for everyone.”
The first protector to appear was named Qi Tian. His figure was very blurry, harmonizing with the Dao, with strands of divine pattern traces swirling around him, cascading down like rivers of stars encircling him.
“Since you advocate reducing slaughter, why didn’t you stop the Overlord when he turned back to kill me with his higher cultivation level?” Ye Fan’s gaze was sharp.
Silently, dense patterns appeared beneath his feet, instantly traversing the starry river, fleeing who knew how many li away, leaving that battlefield behind.
This was the Stride Art, the fastest speed in the world. Moreover, in his current Divine Seal state, the All Secret was no longer sealed. Activating it multiplied his speed tenfold on this basis.
This was a divine speed that even a Great Sage could only gape at, utterly unable to match.
Over the years, Ye Fan had already evolved the Stride Secret to its limit, precisely to deal with the giants on the ancient path. With it, he could stand transcendent above all laws. If he could fight, he would; if not, he would leave. Facing a protector, a dignified Great Sage-level existence, this was no disgrace.
Ye Fan did not truly retreat. His hands moved slowly, and the entire starry sky trembled. The earlier forbidden formations all revived, transforming into golden divine patterns that blazed with intense light.
This was his main battlefield—able to advance and attack, able to retreat and defend, ensuring complete safety.
Protector Qi Tian’s face turned cold as he silently assessed this golden formation. As a Great Sage, he could naturally perceive its mysteries. This place was a remnant of the ancient Heavenly Court; if mishandled, even a Great Sage might fall into it.
Qi Tian’s expression was wooden. “Young man, I acknowledge your heaven-defying talent. But before the passage of time, many shining things grow dim. The future road is long, full of uncertainties. How many prodigies have been buried in foreign lands, unable to complete the star path? Where it’s possible to forgive, forgive.”
“Are you threatening me?” Ye Fan’s eyes blazed, his aura like a rainbow. He remained in the Divine Seal domain, never withdrawing, his body unimaginably powerful.
He felt extreme disgust for this protector. Qi Tian was clearly biased. If his cultivation level allowed it, he wouldn’t hesitate to fight for an explanation!
“This old man is merely speaking the truth.” Qi Tian’s expression did not change. He stood like a stone statue in the starry sky, the vast Dao shrouding him.
At this moment, another protector, Cang Lan, spoke: “The Overlord turned back to the fiftieth city of the Ancient Human Path, attacking the weak with strength, seriously violating the path’s regulations. He stirred up such a great conflict and will naturally be severely punished.”
Attacking the weak with strength? The crowd was stunned. In the end, the powerful Overlord was nearly suppressed and killed, yet he bore this charge—truly ironic.
But upon careful thought, it was indeed so. The Overlord’s cultivation level was extremely profound. He had merely encountered Ye Fan, who was even more heaven-defying and understood the Source Heaven Divine Formation. Anyone else would have had no way out.
Great Sage Cang Lan continued, “I ask you, young friend, to spare his life. The Immortal Path is about to appear; no one knows what will happen. This era may see great chaos. Let some young supremes grow to guard the ancient path.”
Ye Fan smiled. “I am an easy person to talk to. Since two Great Sages have spoken, I naturally won’t resist. Trade the Yin Extreme Immortal Scripture and the Presence Secret for his life.”
The heroes were stunned. Even the pleas of two Great Sages were useless.
Ye Fan was determined to obtain the scriptures; no one could change that. These two ancient arts were of great use to him. The Yin Extreme and Sun Extreme ancient characters complemented each other, and the Presence Secret would grant him an indestructible body.
Who could say what the future held? The Immortal Path was about to appear; everyone would strive for it. For the sake of illusory immortality, even the beings in the seven Forbidden Zones of Life on Big Dipper would have to act.
Now, only by strengthening himself could he stand firm in the future, live better, and protect his family and friends.
Great Sage Cang Lan did not continue. His expression was wooden, and he fell silent for a time.
Qi Tian spoke coldly and darkly, “Only what withstands the test of time is true. You are a peerless genius, stunning past and present. You should cherish all this. Reaching this step is not easy.”
“I have never believed in evil in my life. You have withstood the test of time, living to such an old age. Do you think of yourself as a sparkling, undimmed immortal stone?” Ye Fan said coldly.
He began to refine the Primordial Qi Cauldron. Inside, chaotic energy surged, spilling strands of immortal mist. Within, heaven and earth were overturned, as if a world was being created.
The Overlord roared. The blood energy in his body continuously decreased as Ye Fan forcibly refined it, turning it into part of the world’s essence energy. In a short time, his flesh was severely damaged. Even if his purple blood possessed immortal divinity, it could not withstand such terrible consumption.
Ordinary sacred weapons could not refine him, but this cauldron was different. Inside, it contained all beings of the myriad heavens—a powerful artifact filled with endless Dao marks.
The Overlord struggled. The ancient ancestors on the cauldron’s walls stepped out to suppress him. Spreading-winged Kunpeng, true dragons soaring through the nine heavens—all emerged from the cauldron’s walls and charged at him.
Within the cauldron’s world, everything was so real. The Overlord was shocked beyond measure, more astonished than when he saw Ye Fan’s Divine Seal. Once such a divine artifact was nurtured, what in the myriad heavens could it not break?!
He had vaguely heard some rumors. The supreme immortal artifact of the Heavenly Court was like this. Would another immortal weapon commanding all star domains appear in the future?
The Overlord was lost. His blood energy was continuously refined, his flesh severely damaged, and even his primordial spirit felt like it had been struck by thousands of blades, rapidly weakening.
Even with the Presence Secret, he could not hold on. This cauldron was too mysterious. Inside, it was like a real immortal realm—Vermilion Birds dancing in the nine heavens, ancient ancestors opening up starry rivers, gods and demons roaring in chaos, true dragons leaping from ancient pools…
Every mark on the cauldron’s walls manifested truly, making the trapped Overlord suffer unbearably. He could not resist, as if fighting against true immortal realm beings.
This was the world within the cauldron!
Outside, people saw streams of purple blood rising, turning into mist, the divine essence dissipating. All showed shocked expressions.
How could the Overlord be refined so quickly? This cauldron was truly heaven-defying. Once one fell into it, even a Saint King could not escape death.
“Primordial Mother Qi…” Many were eager, but could only think about it in their hearts. No one dared to rush over and die at this moment.
Ye Fan was connected to the cauldron, instantly understanding everything. Even he had not realized how divine this artifact was. The Overlord was fixed within the cauldron, unable even to self-destruct.
This place was equivalent to a terrifying world. True dragons, Vermilion Birds, ancient ancestors, gods, and demons trapped the Overlord, binding him in the starry river of creation. He could not move at all, and even his primordial spirit lost its freedom.
Qi Tian’s heart pounded violently. Through the strands of energy emanating from the cauldron, he sensed the Overlord’s peril. He transformed into a shadowy figure and rushed forward to stop this.
Ye Fan’s expression was calm. Golden runes flickered beneath his feet. The Stride Art reigned supreme over this starry sky. In his current state, no one could match him—ascending to the nine heavens, descending into the underworld, reaching everywhere.
He was too fast, like a golden lightning bolt. Even a Great Sage could not approach. With a soft rumble, that Source Heaven formation shattered, unable to block the protector on the ancient path.
Qi Zheng, as a human Great Sage, struck but missed, not even touching Ye Fan’s golden afterimage. The crowd was shocked. What kind of extreme speed was this?
In today’s world, setting aside other matters, Ye Fan had enough speed to protect himself. He could go anywhere in heaven and earth, and no one could stop him.
Qi Zheng’s face was wooden, revealing neither joy nor anger. As a Great Sage, his first sudden attack had failed, making the heroes’ hearts pound violently.
Ye Fan shouted, “You attacked me! Fine protector of the Ancient Human Path! I ask you, who are you protecting? Are you even worthy of guarding this path?!”
This was a harsh interrogation. Facing all the strong in the starry sky, he loudly rebuked Protector Qi Tian, whose face turned gloomy, his gaze icy and cold.
From the depths of the starry sky came a powerful fluctuation. A withered figure appeared, saying, “As a protector of the ancient path, if you bully the weak with your strength, suppress the Sacred Body, and protect the Overlord too obviously, that truly goes too far.”
The crowd trembled. Another great figure had arrived, no weaker than Qi Tian and Cang Lan—a third protector, manifesting in this star domain.
“Azure Phoenix Daoist,” someone exclaimed, recognizing this old Daoist. His time was short; it was said he would soon pass away. But he was absolutely powerful, even with his blood energy withered, able to fight an invincible Sacred Spirit.
By now, Ye Fan no longer needed anyone’s protection. At worst, he could leave. But he was still grateful that Azure Phoenix Daoist had appeared.
Qi Tian’s expression was cold. “I am merely mediating. The Sacred Body’s killing intent is too heavy. He should abandon his murderous thoughts. I want him to understand that one should know when to let go.”
“Let go, abandon. Since you can say such words, you should slap yourself and immediately turn and leave,” Ye Fan said mercilessly.
Qi Tian’s face changed color. “Young man, you go too far! You show no respect for the protector of the ancient path. You deserve punishment!”
“What kind of protector are you? You have no right to say that. Leaving is your best choice. Otherwise, you will regret it too late,” Ye Fan said coldly, even more disrespectful.
Everyone was stunned. For so many years, who had dared to disrespect a Great Sage on the Ancient Human Path? He spoke up to this point, glancing at the human path protector Qi Tian.
In the starry sky, there was dead silence. Except for Azure Phoenix Daoist and the arriving demon clan giant, no one dared to speak, openly rebuking a human Great Sage.
Ye Fan’s dominance made everyone’s hearts pound with fear.
“Clang!”
A strand of immortal light shot from his fingertip, splitting the Overlord’s head, cleaving his primordial spirit, and forcibly extracting the Yin Extreme Immortal Scripture and the Presence Secret from his consciousness.
“Ah…” The Overlord roared in fury, but could change nothing. Falling into this cauldron, his body and spirit were trapped, unable to move, unable even to kill himself.
The purple little man in his skull was split open by Ye Fan’s immortal light. He forcibly seized his divine consciousness treasury. First, the nine-character essence of the Yin Extreme Immortal Scripture appeared, followed by the flawless Presence Secret glowing brightly.