Chapter 1481: Return to the Big Dipper
When he came, Ye Fan had fought for ten years, passing through many dead domains along the way and enduring dozens or even hundreds of trials before reaching the Ancient Human Path.
Now, he was finally going back, but the star coordinates he had were not accurate.
The Big Dipper Path was very distant. Back then, the cultivators of the Eternal Star Domain had groped their way to the Big Dipper through continuous deduction and exploration, constantly correcting their course along the way, without any truly precise coordinates.
Ye Fan had obtained this set of vague coordinates in the past and said, "Though not precise, it's close enough."
The group stood on the Divine Light Platform, silently gazing into the distance. In an instant, the stone platform radiated brilliant light, bursting forth with dazzling rays that wrapped around them, tearing through the void and vanishing from this place.
In their final moment, they looked back at the ancient path behind them, leaving everything in their hearts. Most of their lives had been spent here, fighting across the starry river, battling all the way, leaving behind indelible memories.
The Human Sacred Body had departed, a fact that spread across dozens of ancient paths, causing many to breathe a sigh of relief, feeling as if a great stone had been lifted from their hearts.
Of course, there were also many cultivators who regretted it, especially the younger generation of humanity.
"Sigh, Senior Ye has actually left. I thought he would enter the ultimate heavenly path and fight all the way to the Emperor realm."
"What do you know? That path is extraordinary. Perhaps the decisive battle hasn't come yet. In the future, there will naturally be a most glorious great era of decisive war, where the strongest from across the entire universe will appear!"
"The Golden Great Era has already begun. The most blazing radiance is about to bloom, and the most terrifying war is about to unfold. Let us look forward together and witness one peerless divine battle after another!"
Some human experts naturally hoped that Ye Fan would shine brilliantly, unleashing invincible power, sweeping across the starry sky, and reaching the pinnacle.
Ye Fan had traveled far, but many legends circulated in the starry sky. Many years later, people still spoke of his fame in sweeping through all races without an opponent.
The Human Sacred Body left behind a glorious chapter and drifted away.
The vast starry sky, the brilliant stars—how many secrets did they conceal? From ancient times to the present, one strong figure after another had explored, spending their entire lives without reaching the end.
The dark universe split open, and a simple stone platform rushed out. Many figures stood on it: Ye Fan, Ji Ziyue, the Dragon Horse, and others had arrived at the other shore of the starry sky.
"Are we back?" Ji Ziyue murmured, her voice trembling. After being away for over a hundred years, she felt the anxiety of nearing home.
However, what she saw was endless darkness, with faint starlight. This was not a continent of life; they were still in the universe.
"We haven't gotten lost, have we?" The Dragon Horse changed color, fearing this most of all.
"Can we not return to the Big Dipper?" Ji Ziyue asked with a trembling voice.
"Don't worry, it's not far," Ye Fan said, gazing ahead, fixing his eyes on a stretch of starry river where a mysterious aura emanated.
The Divine Light Platform once again tore through the void, carrying them toward the depths of the vast starry sky.
This time, the distance was short. They appeared amidst a patch of starlight, seeing clusters of stars ahead, one of which emitted a massive life aura.
"We're really... back!" Ji Ziyue was excited, tears welling up in her eyes. After being away from home for so many years, she missed her parents terribly and often woke from dreams in a start.
"Heh, this lord has arrived again. Let this realm prepare to tremble," the Dragon Horse said arrogantly, looking proud.
"So this is... the Burial Emperor Star?!"
Whether it was the Black Bear Saint or the Golden Lion, all of them were extremely eager to see this ancient star and find out what was so special about it. What magic did this place possess that made one Great Emperor after another choose it as their burial ground? It was predicted that the path to immortality would open here, and now they had finally seen it.
The massive star slowly rotated, as if nurturing a great divine fetus waiting for the right time to be born. The life aura it emitted was too powerful.
Even from a great distance, it could be sensed, inspiring awe.
"We're home!" Ye Fan said to Ji Ziyue, knowing she must miss her family dearly.
Their group streaked across the sky like dozens of meteors, arriving in an instant before this great star, gazing ahead.
"Oh!" Suddenly, Ye Fan's heart stirred, and he was startled.
"What's wrong?" Ji Ziyue blinked her big eyes and asked him.
"Look, isn't the layout of the continents on this ancient star somewhat patterned?" Ye Fan pointed ahead. He had been puzzled about this in the past, but not as sensitive as he was today.
The five continents—Central Province, Eastern Wasteland, Western Desert, Southern Ridge, and Northern Plains—were pieced together in a very unusual shape. With a few modifications and additions, they would closely resemble a Five-Colored Altar.
In fact, each of the five continents had a distinct color. If the trees, soil, and rocks on the surface were removed, they would truly correspond to the colors of the Five-Colored Altar.
"This..." The more they thought about it, the more shocked they became. With a little adjustment and careful arrangement, it would really look like one!
If true, such a massive Five-Colored Altar... was simply appalling! What kind of coordinates could activate it? Where did it lead? Could it go straight to the Immortal Domain?!
The Big Dipper was no ordinary place; this ancient star was super massive, and these five continents might well be the foundation of an altar. It was truly astonishing.
"We've been taught a lesson. As soon as we arrived, we were given a show of force. No wonder it's called the Burial Emperor Star," the Black Bear Saint and others sighed.
They descended, already in the outer space of this great star. As soon as they approached, they sensed a soaring killing intent—someone was engaged in fierce battle.
They flew forward to a battlefield beyond the realm. Throughout history, many great battles of the Big Dipper had taken place here. Broken blades, shattered bells, and many enormous bones floated about.
A group of people were in a chaotic melee, of different races: Golden Crows, Flood Dragons, humanoid experts, strange beasts, and ancient clans of the Big Dipper. There were seventeen or eighteen of them, and the fighting was intense.
In the past, this would have been considered a major battle, but Ye Fan had seen too much in the starry sky and was now almost numb to it. Moreover, his own cultivation had risen, so he viewed it with indifference.
"Boom!"
Further away, an incredibly terrifying fluctuation erupted—a Great Sage was in combat!
When Ye Fan and the others arrived, the outcome was already decided. One person was bleeding and fleeing beyond the realm, while the other sneered, did not pursue, and vanished from the place, descending to the Big Dipper.
The Dragon Horse drew in a cold breath. With just a brief glance, they had witnessed such a scene. The chaos of the Big Dipper nowadays was unimaginable; who knew how many ancient sages had arrived?
They traveled through the battlefield beyond the realm, seeing over a dozen battle groups, all in utter disorder, with blood flying everywhere, intensely fierce.
The era of warring states had arrived. The Big Dipper had entered a chaotic age!
Without a doubt, the opening of the path to immortality had touched the nerves of countless people. Saints from beyond the realm had descended, creating various conflicts and frequent bloody battles.
"A hundred and several decades later, I have returned," Ye Fan murmured to himself.
Back then, it could be called leaving home against his will. Not only because he had to embark on the star path for training, but also because he carried the Green Copper Cauldron and had been hunted by all the saints.
Now, he was no longer the minor cultivator of those days. He could look down on the world, and even facing a Great Sage, he had no need to retreat!
Forced to leave, he was now returning with extraordinary calm. His gaze flickered as he scanned this mysterious star.
"Hey, you up ahead—did you see a silver python at the Saint realm escape?" A shout came from afar.
A group approached, and someone yelled for them to get out of the way. This was a powerful group, riding a purple bronze warship, led by a Saint King, with four Saints standing behind him. The ship was full of cultivators, and they were very aggressive.
Ye Fan's group remained silent. They did not release their pressure, said nothing, and stood still, showing no intention of moving aside.
The several-hundred-zhang-long warship suddenly stopped. The Saint King revealed a grave expression, sensing unease. Then he cupped his fists and quickly apologized, saying, "Everyone, our apologies. We meant no offense. In our urgency, we spoke rashly. Please do not take offense. We will withdraw immediately."
With that, the warship immediately turned around. The Saint King-level expert apologized, steered the ship, and rapidly retreated, avoiding them.
"Ancestor, what's wrong? Are those people that terrifying? We represent the Goulen Ancient Star. If a conflict really broke out, wouldn't they fear the people of Goulen Star?"
"Shut up! What do you know? That group just now was all Saint Kings, not a single Saint!"
...
Ye Fan and the others descended, brushing past eight warships in succession. It must be said, with the chaotic era upon them, several ships' crews were full of hostility and nearly started a fight.
The ninth warship passed by them. This was a group of ancient clan experts, intimidated by Ye Fan's aura and refraining from action, but the people on board couldn't help staring for a moment.
Among them was a three-headed, six-armed middle-aged man, like a demon god, very imposing. He was a rising expert famous among the ancient clans in recent years. He looked again and again, then suddenly his expression changed drastically.
"I... am I seeing things?" He wanted to look further, to identify more clearly, but Ye Fan's figure had already vanished. He frowned deeply, full of doubt.
"Muni, what's wrong?" an Ancestral King asked. He was very satisfied with this disciple. If not counting the saints from beyond the realm, Muni was one of the top ten rising experts of the ancient clans in recent years.
"That person's back looks very familiar, like someone from the past," Muni said with a grave expression.
"Like who?" the elder asked.
"The Human Sacred Body who almost tore a hole in the sky back then," Muni replied.
"What?!" The elder was greatly shocked, extremely shaken. "Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"
"I only saw a side view and his back. I can't be certain. After all, I only saw him from afar once back then. He is too terrifying for our generation," Muni said.
In the past, Ye Fan had roamed the four seas, battling the world, fighting one battle after another against the ancient clans. Before he was even a Saint, he had shattered the barriers of the Saint realm and begun slaughtering Saints!
For the younger generation of the ancient clans, he was like a great mountain pressing on their hearts, making it hard to breathe. He was the most terrifying enemy they had set in their minds.
Slaying Yuangu and killing the Celestial Prince—such proud achievements were enough to shake the past and present, driving the younger generation to despair. Even the offspring of the ancient emperors were no match for him. Who could contend with him? One could imagine the pressure on their hearts.
"It shouldn't be him. He has set foot on the ancient path. Even if he doesn't die fighting beyond the realm, he won't return until he reaches the Great Sage realm. The time is too short. I think it's impossible!" the elder said, frowning.
"It really looks like him," Muni insisted.
"Your generation has truly been ruined by him. The pressure he put on you is too heavy, leaving a shadow in your hearts. That's not good," the Ancestral King shook his head.
"I feel it really is him," Muni persisted.
Hearing his increasingly certain tone, the Ancestral King had to become serious. "If it really is him, there will be another storm of blood and wind. The Human Sacred Body will likely stir up monstrous waves."
"Should we inform the other clans?" Muni asked.
"What do we care about them? It's none of our business. Let's watch quietly! No, immediately seal the mountain gate. Even if blood floods the outside world, don't let the clan members go out." The Ancestral King gave a death order, then immediately ordered the ship to turn toward their clan. He felt the problem was serious.
Ye Fan descended on the land of the Eastern Wasteland, gazing at this magnificent landscape. His heart was full of thoughts. He had returned again, not knowing what awaited him.
This place was not far from the Ancient Forbidden Land. With a brief glance, he saw many caves appearing among the peaks outside this forbidden zone of life. Some speculated that the path to immortality might open here, and a group of powerful Saints were waiting.
Ye Fan looked for a moment, then did not linger. The group headed into the distance.
"Hey, who is that person? And that horse... Heavens, could it be that the Human Sacred Body has returned?!" One young ancient clan member muttered to himself, his face full of horror.
"Is it really... him?" Another person beside him stared at the fading afterimage on the horizon, lost in thought, then said seriously, "It has nothing to do with us!"
Starting tomorrow, I will resume two chapters. Rest for one more night; tomorrow should be fine. Thank you all for your support.