Chapter 1636: Sinister Purpose
"Four-thousand-year-old fire lotus seeds, growing deep in the earth's core flames, rooted in magma, about to evolve into a Medicine King. Don't miss out if you're passing by!"
"Heavenly Demon Blood Crystal—after a peerless Demon Lord fell, his entire life's essence blood transformed into demon crystals in a cave heaven paradise. Worth a fortune!"
"Earth Dragon Vein Essence, a divine material rarely seen since ancient times. You'll never encounter it again in this lifetime."
Divine Punishment City was extremely bustling, with all kinds of clamorous voices rising and falling. There were no weaklings here; all were powerful cultivators, so the heavenly treasures and earthly rarities being exchanged were naturally extraordinary.
Many eyes turned to look. When Ye Fan entered the city, he attracted too much attention. In fact, when he passed through a certain area, it would become so silent that the sound of a falling needle could be heard.
It was originally a busy marketplace, yet as their group passed through, even those unruly cosmic rogue cultivators and the powerful figures with deep backgrounds all stepped aside, making way.
The people of the Heavenly Court were destined to fight a great battle with the Divine Court's army. No one wanted to get involved, and courting trouble at a time like this would simply be asking for it.
Ye Fan inspired fear. Even though rumors said he was nearly crippled, forced to withdraw from the Imperial Path, and had been deteriorating over the past ten years, once he appeared, every single move he made still tugged at everyone's heartstrings.
Along the way, Black Emperor's big eyes nearly popped out. Among the heavenly treasures and earthly rarities being traded, there really were divine-grade items that made even him drool.
"Is that the Nine Yang Divine Grass that can only grow inside a Sun Star?" Black Emperor's drool was almost dripping as he stopped in front of a stall, unable to move.
It was a plant wreathed in divine flames, like a mass of chaotic immortal light, bearing six leaves that illuminated all directions. This was a rare divine herb; searching through many Sun Stars, finding even one would be considered lucky.
This was an excellent plant for tempering the body and refining one's own yang energy. It could forge a person into a body of bronze tendons and iron bones, refining them into an indestructible diamond body.
For such an item to appear in this ancient city showed how prosperous it was. Only a treasured place where Great Sages frequently appeared to exchange divine materials could have such a divine object circulating.
Unfortunately, Black Emperor was notorious. When the seller saw it was a big black dog, he immediately mounted an escape light and fled.
"Woof! Why are you running?"
"Anyone with sense knows never to trade anything with a black dog or a fat Daoist!"
"Woof! You're discriminating against this Emperor!" The big black dog, with his square head and big ears, looking quite ferocious, was about to give chase when Ye Fan grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, stopping him from causing trouble.
Many people narrowed their eyes, shooting sharp rays of light at Ye Fan's palm, trying to see clearly.
Ten years had passed. Had his body changed at all? Everyone wanted to know the truth of his condition. Many gazes, like bolts of silk, shot over from various directions.
However, they were disappointed. Ye Fan's hand wasn't exerting any force, and the big black dog seemed to sense something as well, narrowing his bell-like eyes and sweeping his gaze across the surroundings.
On a broken mountain, a young man asked, "What do you think? Has he recovered?"
Beside him was an old man with hair as white as snow, but his complexion was ruddy, his skin as delicate as a newborn's, and his eyes were bright and piercing. "It's hard to say. Logically speaking, he shouldn't be able to recover in this lifetime. He should die in sickness and hardship."
The young man, who looked very young, had brilliant divine light in his eyes. His voice was somewhat cold and ruthless. "What do you think would happen if I suddenly struck out and killed him?"
Upon hearing this, the old man's expression turned serious. "Yu Mo, don't act recklessly. You most likely cannot kill him."
"I really want to find out—to see if he's getting weaker day by day or if he's actually improving." The young man's gaze grew even more intense.
The old man warned, "Don't be reckless. Not to mention whether you'd succeed, the consequences of attacking him are not something ordinary people can bear. Back then, he fought the Supreme Beings in the Forbidden Zones of Life and died. Now that he's returned alive, if someone were to kill him, the world would not stand for it."
"You people are always so hesitant, thinking too much. Kill him, and it's done. It becomes a fact. So what? I think in a few years, everyone will forget him. So-called achievements are just fleeting clouds!"
Ye Fan had arrived, and many people were restless. Undercurrents surged. Some even wanted to strike violently! Most of those harboring hostility were the leaders of the Divine Court. Among them, their youngest Great Commander had come, known as one of the three strongest prodigies of this generation in three hundred years.
Clearly, everyone had their reservations. Even if they could secretly kill Ye Fan, they wouldn't dare act rashly. If it were exposed, many would surely raise their banners and denounce them.
Regardless, no one yet dared to openly advocate killing Ye Fan. That would be going against the world, making an enemy of all living beings.
A considerable number of hostile cultivators wished for Ye Fan's early demise. They didn't want him to live, always feeling he was an unstable factor. They would do everything in their power to make this wish a reality.
Outside this great star, the border army of the Divine Court's territory was boundless, almost drowning the region.
With so many troops deployed to the border of the star domain, Ye Fan and his group stood on this star, clearly feeling the rolling pressure from outer space.
A bloody battle seemed to be drawing closer and closer!
Standing on the back of the Blood Crow, Ye Fan and the others went into outer space. They could see banners fluttering in the distance, forming a magnificent formation arrayed across the cosmos.
"Ye Fan, the Sacred Body, has appeared. Does he really think we wouldn't dare make a move? Don't think that fighting the Supreme Beings in the Forbidden Zones of Life has turned that glory into a protective talisman."
Some strong and fierce soldiers were unconvinced. In the star domain, they stared coldly in this direction, but they hadn't received the order to attack yet and didn't dare act rashly.
On the other side, in the territory ruled by the Heavenly Court, the border was also densely covered with banners, murderous aura boiling over. All the powerful figures who had been enfeoffed as kings had arrived, each leading their own troops, staring across the void at each other, eyeing one another like tigers watching their prey.
The armies of the Divine Court and the Heavenly Court faced each other across a region, ready to strike at any moment.
The central buffer zone was this Divine Punishment City.
Legend had it that, in the distant past, this was a vibrant great star. Only a fierce battle turned this place into a land of calamity.
It was said that the two sides involved were the Divine Organization and the Underworld. That battle was earth-shattering, causing ghosts to wail and gods to howl, even destroying the nearly flawless Imperial array patterns.
History was strikingly similar. Now, two major organizations were again pitted against each other, about to fight a decisive battle here. Now, only Divine Punishment City remained on this star, with no more Imperial patterns to protect it. It might completely turn into cosmic dust.
Ye Fan, Black Emperor, Li Tian, Yan Yixi, and the others, unhurried and composed, returned to Divine Punishment City, ignoring the army across the way, seemingly unafraid.
"So steady, huh? Aren't you afraid I'll get angry and send my army in to wipe you all out?" Not long ago, the young man standing on the broken mountain snorted coldly.
He was the youngest Great Commander of the Divine Court, known as one of the three strongest prodigies in three hundred years. He was an outstanding rising star named Yu Mo, taken as a personal disciple by the Lord of the Divine Court.
Beside him, the white-haired old man was the oldest commander of the Divine Court. He also frowned. Ye Fan was so calm—was he really relying on something?
"Report! Ye Fan, the Sacred Body, has accepted an invitation and is beginning to preach the Dao in Divine Punishment City. Many people have gone to discuss scriptures and expound on cultivation insights."
Divine Court scouts had immediately detected the commotion in Divine Punishment City and came to report. This made the young Great Commander Yu Mo's sword-like brows rise repeatedly. Was this a show of contempt for them?
"Let's go. Let's take a look and enter Divine Punishment City too." A woman's voice carried a magnetic quality, a hint of seduction, and an astonishing charm.
The adopted daughter of the Divine Court's Lord had arrived. Being adopted by someone about to attain the Dao made her status extremely illustrious. The daughter of a future Dao-Attainer would command awe and reverence wherever she went.
Divine Punishment City was very large, enclosing even some mountain peaks within it. In one area, five stone mountains stood side by side, like the Five Finger Mountain. On ordinary days, this was a place where cultivators discussed the Dao and debated principles.
But today, only Ye Fan sat on the Dao platform, explaining his past cultivation insights, which had indeed attracted a large crowd.
"What wonderful Dao sounds. But it seems only these experiences remain. Can the Sacred Body still fight?" Yu Mo descended, being very direct.
On the way here, he had made up his mind. He couldn't let Ye Fan continue like this. His merits to the various races couldn't always be brought up; those were all empty. If this continued, Ye Fan's reputation would only grow. Even if he didn't fight Ye Fan to the death today, he would still humiliate him, make him lose face, and tear away his halo.
Even if people might be displeased with him, he would still do it. He would make Ye Fan fall from his pedestal, letting people see that he was now just an ordinary mortal. Three hundred years ago was merely a specific historical period when Ye Fan, the Sacred Body, happened to shine and make his mark.
The adopted daughter of the Divine Court's Lord frowned but ultimately acquiesced, letting him act, allowing him to push Ye Fan's divine statue off the high platform.
"Youngster, not knowing how to respect your elders is one thing, but being this arrogant only shows your ignorance and shallowness," Black Emperor said unceremoniously, even extending a big claw, ready to strike.
Yu Mo sneered. "Every generation produces its own talents, each leading the way for a few hundred years. Some people are old. Since they're already crippled, they should retire and not come out again."
He knew the consequences of saying these things. He would most likely be denounced by the world, but he wanted to humiliate Ye Fan, break the fact that he was respected by all races, and pull him down from his pedestal.
Once, twice... if it happened many times and controversy arose, with many people turning against the Sacred Body, Ye Fan's so-called divine halo would dim, and he wouldn't be so supported anymore.
"I see you really want to fight me, don't you?" Ye Fan sat cross-legged on the Dao platform, his expression calm, without joy or worry, looking at Yu Mo.
"I have some thoughts. Unfortunately, you are no longer the you of the past. I've heard that over the past ten years, you've been deteriorating, with no strength left to fight. How disappointing." Yu Mo landed on the ground.
The crowd was in an uproar. The people from the Divine Court were clearly here to stir up trouble. Their words carried too much disrespect. Since they knew Ye Fan's condition, why were they still pressing him like this?
"Child, let this Emperor teach you what it means to be a strong one!" Black Emperor descended like a demon god, his entire body shrouded in mist, his blood energy like an ocean.
Ye Fan waved his hand, stopping Black Emperor from acting. "I do have some problems, but I can still fight. Come on, child, strike at me."
When Black Emperor heard Ye Fan say this, his heart pounded violently. Was he really going to take that step? He silently mourned for the Divine Court's million-strong army, sighing for all those who came here to attack and kill him.
"Heh, I'm looking forward to this endless divine army helping Little Leaf break his cocoon and become a butterfly. Best if a Deputy Sect Leader follows along to kill him at the critical moment!" Li Heishui was also very excited, but he hid all of this deep in his heart, not revealing a thing.
Yu Mo's expression was cold and ruthless. "If I accidentally hurt you, I'm afraid I'll be spat upon by the world. I'm not like you, bathed in a divine halo, with statues of you in many places."
"It's fine. Go ahead." Ye Fan said.
Yu Mo sneered. "Since that's the case, don't blame me for striking hard. If you really can't hold on, feel free to cry out!"
Putting aside everything else, just looking at his battle record, how many people over the years had dared to disrespect Ye Fan? Saying something like this was too much! Many people were furious!
Divine Punishment City fell silent instantly. After so many years, could Ye Fan still fight? There had always been rumors that his body seemed to be getting worse and worse.
Ten years ago, he could still fight at the Imperial Pass using the order divine chains in his blood. But not long ago, someone leaked a secret: now, Ye Fan couldn't even use his order divine chains anymore.
Bang!
Yu Mo struck, directly slapping Ye Fan on the chest. The Sacred Body didn't dodge. Everyone's heart trembled, sighing at the hero's end. Couldn't he even evade such a blow anymore?
A trace of mockery appeared on Yu Mo's face, full of ridicule. He was just about to say something, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his expression suddenly changed drastically. He exclaimed inwardly, "What's going on? My Dao fragments!" (To be continued)