Chapter 1483: Shock
"What? Saint Kings?"
"These are all honored ones at the Saint King realm?"
The Ji Family members were stunned, each and every one dumbfounded. This was far too impactful, utterly shocking to the mind. The news made some people's ears ring.
As powerful as the Ji Family was, they felt as if facing a vast ocean or standing before an abyss. Just how formidable a force was this?
If they did not mobilize their clan's hidden foundations, if they did not possess a supreme Imperial weapon, they would be utterly powerless against these divine birds and beast kings before them, swept away like autumn leaves.
This was a group of Saint Kings!
Counting carefully, including the Ancient Golden Roc and the Lightning Phoenix Bird, there were twelve in total, a shocking sight. Twelve Saint Kings appearing together—even the most powerful Holy Lands on the Big Dipper, including the Ancient Clans, did not have this many.
Yet these twelve Saint King realm experts were all followers of the young man before them. It was hair-raising; nothing could be more shocking.
In the past, Ye Fan was incredibly strong, stirring up chaos across the Eastern Wasteland, and when he finally left, he turned the Five Domains upside down. Everyone acknowledged his brilliance on the path of cultivation.
But this result still left them stunned, all somewhat dazed. Twelve Saint Kings combined—just how massive a force was this? Without relying on hidden foundations, how many inheritances in the current era could compare?
"They are... all at the Saint King realm?!" Some among the Ji Family crowd found it hard to believe. Ye Fan had only been gone for a little over a hundred years, yet he had already risen to such dominance, with saints following him?
"Yes, they are all at the Saint King realm." Ji Ziyue nodded, her eyes like black gems, her delicate face fair and smooth, the corners of her mouth lifting into a faint smile.
Back then, Ye Fan was hunted by others, truly forced to leave his homeland and journey to the outer domains. Now, returning with such a group of followers was truly astonishing.
"Ye Fan... what realm is he in?" One of Ji Ziyue's cousins asked quietly.
"Great Perfection of the Saint King realm, only half a step away from Great Sage. Like the Ancient Clan's Qilin King and Nine Phoenix King, he can be called a Heavenly King." Ji Ziyue replied.
Half-step Great Sage... he had reached such a height. It severely impacted everyone's minds. Everyone present was petrified, mouths agape, wanting to say something but unable to form words.
They admitted that Ye Fan had heaven-defying talent, but the contrast between past and present was enormous. In the past, he was still being hunted by various sages. Now, everything had turned upside down. It was a revolutionary change.
Among the Ji Family elders, Old Eight's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his face somewhat pale. He couldn't help but retreat another dozen steps.
He felt cold sweat running down his spine. He had heard of Ye Fan's name when Ye Fan was still a minor cultivator, and now he had grown to this level. He could definitely look down on the world now.
Although Old Eight had severed the Dao after the great changes in heaven and earth, and might even be able to impact the Saint realm, compared to the other's cultivation speed, it was truly a difference between heaven and earth. Perhaps the other looked at him like an ant—killing him would be far too easy!
"Once you set foot on that path, it's hard to turn back. To return, one must at least step into the Great Sage realm. Could it be that Fellow Daoist Ye already possesses such combat power?" A very elderly elder of the Ji Family said. He knew far more than the others.
Upon hearing this, everyone changed color again. This was equivalent to a Great Sage returning. Such combat power could dominate the world no matter where one was.
Ji Ziyue's mother wiped away the tears on her face, holding her daughter's hand as if she had endless words to say, her face full of love. She didn't care about anything else, only missing her two children.
Ji Ziyue's father smiled. Back then, neither he nor his wife opposed their daughter's association with the Sacred Body; it was just that there was too much resistance within the clan. Today's outcome wasn't bad.
At this moment, whether those who had looked favorably upon Ye Fan in the past or those who held grudges against him all had complex expressions. This was a true invincible Heavenly King. Times had changed. If he were to establish a sect, just these twelve saints alone would be enough to shake the world and look down on all directions. This combat power was extremely formidable.
It took a long time for people to recover.
"Ziyue, you... what realm are you in?" One of Ji Ziyue's grand-uncles asked kindly.
"Eighth level of the Saint King realm." Ji Ziyue answered truthfully.
Everyone was pleasantly surprised. They had to sigh—that ancient path was indeed a good place to temper people. Facing the strongest from all domains, undergoing all kinds of trials, one would inevitably shine brilliantly if they didn't die.
"Has Haoyue become a Great Sage?" Old Eight among the Ji Family elders asked hopefully, wanting to hear even more shocking news. If he could surpass Ye Fan, he would be at ease.
The ancient path was distant, cutting through time and space. The section connecting to the Big Dipper was nearly broken. Back then, Ye Fan had traveled for over a decade before reaching the first checkpoint. It was difficult for news to be exchanged.
Even if various sages from the outer domains descended on the Big Dipper, they didn't even know the results of their own clan's battles on the ancient path, let alone the situation on the Human Clan's ancient path.
Among the myriad heavens and countless domains, Ye Fan was the fifty-fifth person to reach the end and set foot on the sole heavenly path, and the first cultivator to return to the Big Dipper from the Human Clan's ancient path. No news had come before.
Ji Ziyue shook her head and revealed some information.
"Others all fight for hundreds of years. Why did you two return so early?" One of Ji Ziyue's aunts asked, holding her hand, very doting.
"Because I missed home, and Ye Fan had defeated all opponents on the Human Clan's ancient path." Ji Ziyue said softly.
"What?!" Compared to Ye Fan's realm, this news was even more shocking, making everyone in the Ji Family change expression. This was earth-shattering news!
Realm, for geniuses, could be honed through cultivation. At least before the Great Sage realm, for talents like Ji Haoyue, it should be no problem.
But the one who sweeps the ancient path undefeated can only be one person!
The Human Clan's ancient path was a road where cultivators from many ancient stars and small worlds gathered and competed. It wasn't as simple as a single star; it included all of humanity.
The hearts of the Ji Family members shifted again—from shock to complexity to astonishment. Their hearts pounded violently, thinking that Ye Fan was simply the embryo of a future Supreme Being!
In a daze, they saw the radiance of a Great Emperor blooming.
Among the myriad heavens and countless domains, although there were many ancient paths, being undefeated on the path of the largest race, humanity, absolutely had extraordinary significance.
According to ancient records, in the final battle of the ultimate emperor path, humanity had never fallen out of the top fifteen. That is to say, even in the worst period, they could rank fifteenth in the universe.
Ye Fan's strength was beyond doubt. Without accident, he would definitely be among the strongest in the future, possibly ranking from first to fifteenth.
Everyone's blood roared, nearly boiling. This person had a deep relationship with the Ji Family. If the relationship were further consolidated, it would be equivalent to having him as one of their own.
No matter what, such a future Supreme Being was worth treating with the utmost sincerity.
Old Eight among the Ji Family elders felt bitter inside. His last trace of thought vanished. He wished he could slap himself. He wanted to immediately go into seclusion and never emerge again.
"This era is different from the past." Ye Fan spoke, as if knowing what some were thinking.
Everyone calmed down and understood his meaning. The sealed prodigies of various clans had all crowded into this era. From ordinary physiques to ancient imperial princes, to divine lords, and even Chaos Bodies, it was unimaginable!
One could not measure by past standards. But even so, Ye Fan's strength was beyond doubt. He could absolutely walk proudly through the world.
The Ji Family opened their most magnificent main gate. This was the highest form of etiquette, welcoming Ji Ziyue's return and inviting Ye Fan inside. At this moment, who would dare to block, who would dare to speak recklessly? They would be regarded as traitors to the Ji Family and executed.
With so many Saint Kings arriving at once, the Ji Family, if not for their Imperial weapon and hidden "foundations," would truly feel shabby.
Ye Fan directly inquired, "Where is Ji Zi?" A hundred years apart, he deeply missed the days when he fought side by side with Ji Zi.
"A hundred years ago, he left, entering the universe. We don't know where he went." The Ji Family members replied.
Mentioning Ji Zi, the Ji Family naturally felt proud. He was the son of Emperor Void, who had fought against ancient imperial princes, participated in the killing of the Celestial Prince, and was of the same kind as Ye Fan. He would surely become a future Supreme Being.
Ye Fan sighed softly. This old friend would not be seen for who knows how many years. He hadn't taken the Human Clan's ancient path. Where had he ended up now? He was probably bathing in blood and fighting, charging toward the ultimate.
The Void Emperor Hall was magnificent, ancient and simple with a vicissitude of grandeur. The deeper one's cultivation, the easier it was to feel a sense of reverence sitting here.
At the very least, the twelve saints were all shocked, behaving themselves, not daring to act rashly in this place.
A group of important Ji Family members sat in attendance, ordering the finest tea to be served. They even invited out a Saint King, an ancestor of the Ji Family who had survived from the ancient times sealed in divine source.
Back when Ye Fan and the others launched the general offensive against the two Assassin Divine Dynasties, this person had participated, so he wasn't a stranger. He was very surprised by Ye Fan's return. After learning the details, he sighed repeatedly.
Through conversation, Ye Fan learned that the pinnacle figures of the Big Dipper's human race, such as Gai Jiuyou, Great Sage Wei Yi, and the White-Robed Divine King, had all left, entering the universe many years ago.
"I want to know, how is Heavenly Village? Do you know where my friends and disciples are?" Ye Fan quickly asked about his most pressing concerns.
Many Ji Family members' expressions changed slightly. Some opened their mouths as if wanting to say something.
Ye Fan's heart sank. He sensed that something bad might have happened. Heavenly Village had already moved to the outer domains, far from the center of conflict. Had it still been affected?
"The matter might not be as serious as imagined." Ji Ziyue's father spoke. He was a very heroic middle-aged man, with deep eyes, thick black hair, and vigorous blood energy. Encountering such a prosperous era, with the rules of heaven and earth undergoing drastic changes, his cultivation was growing deeper day by day, carrying a king's majesty.
"What happened?" Ye Fan asked calmly.
"Your disciples and a few others may have run into trouble, but it's not yet certain." The Ji Family Saint Lord said.
He first mentioned Ye Tong. Over the years, the Sun Body had shaken the Big Dipper, shining with boundless radiance. Not only had he killed all opponents of his generation on the Big Dipper without equal, but he had also defeated many outstanding talents who descended from the outer domains.
"Give birth to a son like Ye Tong!"
This was a widely circulated saying on the Big Dipper, claiming that he was a second Ye Fan. He had taken on a good disciple, carrying forward his master's legacy, ensuring a successor.
Over the years, Ye Tong fought in his master's stead, defeating many of Ye Fan's former opponents, such as the Ancient Clan's strongmen, the Central Province's invincible Twin Kings, the Nether King Body, and others.
In these years, Ye Fan's reputation still spread across the Big Dipper, known throughout the world, solely because of Ye Tong's rise to the Saint realm, continuing his glory, fighting across the land, truly undefeated among his peers.
Hearing this, Ye Fan couldn't help but nod. This disciple had indeed shone brilliantly, destined to look down on the masses.
"Thirty years ago, Ye Tong killed the little prince of the Golden Crow Clan on the Fire Mulberry Ancient Star, incurring a great calamity. He was hunted down miserably. Now, his life or death is uncertain."
"The Golden Crow Clan..." Ye Fan's eyes immediately blazed. He had killed many of this clan. He never expected his disciple to also have a grudge with them, leading to a deadly pursuit.
"Ye Tong was a heaven-defying genius, truly rare throughout the ages. Under the pursuit of several old Golden Crow ancestors who were much higher in realm than him, he kept fleeing. Only in the last ten years has he quieted down. His life or death is unknown."
"Several ancestors of the Golden Crow Clan came out to kill my disciple. The Golden Crow Clan truly has great skill!" Ye Fan's words were cold, his gaze piercing, killing intent spreading.
Those present felt their bodies nearly splitting apart. Fortunately, he quickly restrained his aura and asked, "What about Black Emperor? His formations are endless. Didn't he step in to protect them?"
"According to rumors, that... dog, that... Black Emperor, has disappeared."
For a long time in the past, Black Emperor had rampaged across the world because his formation arts had reached great success, making all heroes wary.
During that time, he was extremely strict with Ye Tong, Little Sparrow, Huahua, and others, bringing them from the outer domains to the Big Dipper, almost raising them in the wild, letting them undergo blood-soaked trials and battles.
There was no doubt that the geniuses from Heavenly Village were terrifying, truly unparalleled, each one walking proudly through the world.
Black Emperor secretly set up many trials and obstacles for them, training them as if they were young supreme beings, sometimes even using slaughter formations to bombard them.
Hellish training naturally made them advance by leaps and bounds.
But when Black Emperor disappeared, the situation became somewhat unfavorable. These "wild-raised" geniuses on the Big Dipper, a place of trouble, encountered terrible problems. People began to target them.
It was said that the Killing Saint Qi Luo came forward but was severely wounded by the various saints from the outer domains, nearly dying.
"What exactly happened to Black Emperor?"
"Some say he excavated a relic and obtained the unparalleled Formation Character Secret, going into seclusion for it. But he had problems comprehending the Dao, remaining unconscious for decades. Others say he studied the Five-Colored Altar built by the Great Emperor, understanding most of it, but when testing it, he accidentally teleported himself away, possibly crossing to the other shore of the universe."
Ye Fan frowned. For the first reason, he had nothing to say. If it was the second reason, this dead dog was still as unreliable as ever, repeatedly teleporting people away. This time, it was finally his turn.
"Your other disciple, Huahua, is equally stunning. In a few more years, he would surely become another little invincible one. Unfortunately, he also met with disaster." A Ji Family elder said.
"What happened?" Ye Fan's heart sank.
"He was suppressed and converted, made to leave Heavenly Village forever. He probably won't be able to return." The Ji Family Saint Lord sighed.
Ye Fan shot to his feet, even angrier than when he heard Ye Tong was being hunted. Someone had converted his disciple—this was more severe than killing.
"I've been away from the Big Dipper for too long, haven't I? Hunting my disciple, leaving his life or death uncertain. Converting my disciple, leading him into another sect. Each of you truly has great skill! I will visit you all one by one. Perhaps the world has been peaceful for too long. I, Ye, have returned!"