# Chapter 1631: Withdrawal
Ye Fan had arrived, and he was this domineering. Even having lost his Dharma and Dao, he still struck down the disciple of the Eternal Life Heavenly Venerable, announcing his return in this forceful manner.
The entire Emperor Pass was filled with a strange atmosphere. Ye Fan's return had intensified the tension here many times over, becoming somewhat oppressive. People felt that the most terrifying path of the emperor's road might be about to begin.
In this era, there were many people in Emperor Pass, coming from all corners of the universe, all with a single goal — to attain the Dao.
The oldest could be eight thousand years old, unwilling to admit their age, rushing here to fight for a bright and clear world in this life, letting the final years of their lives flow with the most brilliant radiance.
The youngest was only a little over a hundred years old, yet had already reached the peak of Great Sage, truly shaking the ages and drawing countless gazes, for he had already matched the fastest cultivator in history — the Divine Clan Supreme Being, Du Mu.
Everyone believed that Ye Fan would engage in a series of fierce collisions with others next. However, although the atmosphere was tense, no battle broke out.
Ye Fan had no conflicts with the Divine Court, the Underworld, Yao Guang, Yin Tiande, or the Sacred Spirit Clan. No one came to provoke him, even though the city was becoming increasingly suffocating.
A silver moon hung in the sky, illuminating Emperor Pass. Within the city, mist rose and swirled, accompanied by brilliant starlight. Immortal light rose from Chaos Lake, winding among the nearby buildings.
"Three or four hundred years apart, and we meet again. Brother, your bearing remains the same." Zhang Bairen carried a jar of wine as he came to visit.
In Emperor Pass, such occurrences were rare. People generally did not enter another's cultivation grounds, as doing so could trigger battle.
Because everyone on this path was a competitor. In the end, only one could stand at the peak. If one continued all the way, there would inevitably be a battle sooner or later.
"Three hundred years of life and death, muddled and confused — what bearing is there to speak of?" Ye Fan shook his head, inviting him to ascend a Dao platform built from bluestone.
The two drank a few cups of wine under the moon, exchanging only casual words. Zhang Bairen did not ask how Ye Fan had survived, and Ye Fan did not ask about his true origins or background.
Ye Tong, Huahua, and Yang Xi also joined in. After drinking a few cups of wine, Huahua couldn't help but say, "I say, Jade Emperor old man, have you descended to the mortal world, or have you reincarnated?"
Zhang Bairen smiled upon hearing this and said, "Are you referring to me?"
He possessed an ordinary body, with no special bloodline, yet his depth was difficult to fathom. He was balanced and harmonious, without any particular domineering or sharp aura.
"Alas, you've forgotten Chang'e and abandoned Bajie too. Truly heartless." Huahua poured wine, sighing deeply.
Hearing his nonsense, Ye Fan directly smacked him on his bald head.
Zhang Bairen chuckled, very easygoing, not minding at all. "Brother Ye, do you think that reaching the final pass will necessarily lead to becoming an emperor?"
Ye Fan shook his head. "Being invincible under heaven doesn't guarantee becoming an emperor. Who can say what the future holds? However, I don't plan to continue down this path. I want to go back and take a look."
This was a fact. This path had been opened hundreds of times. Since ancient times, many expeditions had reached the end of this road, yet none had attained the Dao.
Zhang Bairen was surprised. "Withdrawing from this path — re-entering will be somewhat difficult."
"What meaning is there in a half-crippled person like me contending with a group of outstanding talents?" Ye Fan said self-deprecatingly.
Zhang Bairen smiled. "If you say that, wouldn't you make many people feel ashamed? Even in this state, you still killed the disciple of the Eternal Life Heavenly Venerable. How many can do that?"
"I want to return to my homeland and take a look, to recover my body." Ye Fan replied truthfully.
He had been away for three hundred years. He wanted to go back and see. His former friends and relatives all thought he had died, had erected cenotaphs for him. He should let them know he was still alive.
At the same time, given his current state, life-and-death battles might not necessarily be useful. Perhaps it would be better to calm his heart and comprehend the Dao and Dharma.
In fact, three hundred years ago, Ye Fan had already fought bloodily against ancient Supremes. At this point, more slaughter might not necessarily play a role in fundamentally breaking through his shackles.
The emperor's road was forged through slaughter, very cruel, but it might not be suitable for his current state.
"Master, you're leaving? The crystal wall already bears your name. Once you give up, re-entering will be extremely difficult, perhaps even impossible to return to Emperor Pass." Yang Xi said.
Ye Fan nodded. This was his decision. He warned them that if they encountered an unbeatable opponent on this path, they must not be stubborn. They were still young, with plenty of opportunities. They must not throw away their lives in vain.
In truth, as he said these words, Ye Fan's heart was heavy. On the emperor's road, the strong survived. Continuing down this path would inevitably be accompanied by falling and death.
"You're not the first to withdraw. It's said that someone, before the crystal wall summoned them, came directly here to erase their name, never setting foot in the pass." Zhang Bairen said, but did not mention who.
"Senior Brother Holy Prince came, entered the city for a stroll, killed over a dozen people he didn't like the look of, and then left too." Ye Tong said.
"That monkey..." Speaking of this, Zhang Bairen showed a strange expression.
After the Holy Prince arrived, he directly went for the hard bones to chew, specifically challenging the mysterious Zhang Bairen by name. But at that time, Zhang Bairen had entered the Flying Immortal Battlefield, or else there would certainly have been a battle.
"I've heard that some ancient emperors' and supremes' descendants haven't come. They might be about to engage in another kind of life-and-death decisive battle." Ye Tong said.
The Holy Prince had clearly given up on this path, rushing to another battlefield for an appointment. But he had left a message that he would return.
The next day, news that Ye Fan was about to withdraw spread, shaking Emperor Pass. Many people were stunned, unable to understand.
"Really? Why would he make such a choice?"
"I know. The battle three hundred years ago affected him too greatly. He must have suffered unimaginable hidden injuries. Sacred Body Ye Fan can only choose to withdraw in obscurity."
The news was shocking. People discussed it endlessly. The relatively consistent view was that Ye Fan's body had hidden injuries, forcing him to make this choice.
Some were delighted, some sighed, and some breathed a long sigh of relief. Reactions varied.
An era's end. Regardless, Ye Fan had once been extremely powerful, intimidating an entire generation. Although he had returned alive, his glory might have reached its end.
His Dharma and Dao fragments did not manifest. In his battle against the disciple of the Eternal Life Heavenly Venerable, he used order divine chains formed from sacred blood, which sufficiently indicated that something was wrong with him.
In the past, how could he have let blood flow outside his body for such a battle?
Many thought so. Quite a few people deeply regretted it. They had thought they were seeing another powerful and invincible Sacred Body rise, but never expected that he ultimately could not defy heaven.
Before leaving, Ye Fan once again entered the Flying Immortal Battlefield. He retrieved some artifacts and heavenly treasures from his three disciples, then crossed the entire battlefield, heading toward the human settlement on the First Calamity Star.
"Ah, Brother Ye, you're back!" Outside the battlefield, Bai Ye was still there, having been waiting all this time. Additionally, Big Beard and the others were also there, eagerly waiting.
Ye Fan smiled, giving Big Beard and the others some artifacts, and even passed on a few powerful secret techniques, immediately earning their reverence. They regarded him as a celestial being.
"This is divine combat technique!"
Despite their requests, Ye Fan did not agree to take disciples. He only told them to help take care of Bai Ye in the future.
He did not leave immediately. Instead, he returned with Bai Ye to that small mountain village. From the pond, he pulled up the azure lotus. So much time had passed, yet it still hadn't grown, remaining the same as before, only with slightly denser chaos energy. It had once made Old Man Bai stare blankly for many days.
"These things can help you cultivate." Ye Fan left behind precious medicines refined from Heavenly Village, containing evolution liquid components that would allow Bai Ye to step onto the right path in the future. Then, he left behind a scripture and departed.
Ye Fan returned to Emperor Pass. After thinking it over, he decided to take the initiative to visit a few "old acquaintances." If truly necessary, he would certainly not hesitate to fight.
Unfortunately, he came up empty. Those people had already gone to the Flying Immortal Battlefield.
The main gate of Emperor Pass opened, and Ye Fan walked out. Then, before a huge crystal stele, he erased his name, formally withdrawing from the Only True Path.
Hearing about it was one thing; seeing it was another. Many people stood on the city wall, all witnessing this with their own eyes, all feeling deeply regretful.
"How could this be? Let him survive, yet not give him an undamaged body?" Although they were competitors, some still couldn't help holding this thought.
And those who had only come for a stroll, not intending to fight all the way for the emperor's throne, sighed even more, all feeling regret.
"Is the era of the Sacred Body, the glory of the Sacred Body, truly about to end here? He clearly could slay the disciple of the Eternal Life Heavenly Venerable!"
People could only watch him leave the pass.
"Master, wait for me!" Huahua rushed out, quickly erasing his name on the crystal stele, saying, "I'll go back with you!"
His reason was simple: he had no interest in fighting and killing. He had been forced in by Ye Tong and had never originally wanted to come here to temper himself.
"Master!" The other two disciples shouted, wanting to rush out and go back with him.
But Ye Fan sternly refused. He knew Ye Tong's heart — he wanted to fight all the way to the ninth and final Emperor Pass. And Yang Xi was even more of a battle maniac, already regarding this battlefield as the most important trial of his life.
Those who had once wanted to follow Ye Fan stood silently on the city wall. Some wanted to leave with him, but Ye Fan politely declined. He did not want his withdrawal to affect others' paths.
But that blood crow was very decisive. It resolutely rushed out, erasing its name on the crystal stele, insisting on following.
"Farewell!" Ye Fan waved behind him, then turned and left.
On the city gate, many people had complex feelings. The series of events over these days had changed too quickly. Three hundred years ago, Ye Fan had returned against heaven, appearing alive and shaking Emperor City. Now he suddenly withdrew — truly a turbulent upheaval.
Watching Ye Fan and the others depart, some people smiled coldly. However, their smiles had not fully bloomed before they froze. Because at this moment, Huahua turned around and shouted loudly: "Nine Emperor Passes, tremble in fear! My master will return one day!"
He took out the Divine Light Platform, invited Ye Fan and the blood crow to board, and then instantly pierced through the universe. They disappeared from the spot, bidding farewell to the Nine Heavens Emperor Road.
Asking for a guaranteed monthly ticket. Calling on all brothers and sisters, begging for support. Thank you.