# Chapter 1731: When the Wind Rises, the Mountain Storm Approaches
The mountain was covered in peach blossoms, pink with a touch of rosy glow. The ancient trees were like dragons, their branches and trunks vigorous and sturdy, truly looking like an otherworldly peach garden.
An aged figure walked alone, moving along the path, occasionally stopping to gaze at the distant sunset glow or observe the nearby peach blossoms. His white hair was scattered, his face etched with the marks of time.
He was Ye Fan, having come to a world that did not belong to cultivators. All he saw were mortals, and few knew that this place hid unknown secrets.
This was Xue Yueqing's favorite place. Here he had once met a young girl, sharing the warmest memories. This place held the deepest recollections of a generation's Demon Emperor's life.
Long years had passed, yet the peach garden remained the same, with the spring breeze brushing against one's face.
A stone tablet stood in the peach grove, bearing three ancient characters carved in demon script: Flat Peach Garden.
Ye Fan walked silently. Tens of millions of years had passed, yet this place and its scenery had not changed much from what was recorded in the secret ancient texts he had obtained.
A generation's Demon Emperor, Xue Yueqing, had risen from a weak race, charging against the immortal path until he became an emperor, transforming into the most ferocious powerhouse of the universe.
Yet he had experienced so many joys and sorrows, so many helpless moments. At the peak of his power, he could not even see his most beloved woman one last time.
That woman had dissolved into the Dao, leaving no bones behind. All she left him was a withered bouquet of flowers, which ultimately became his most treasured possession, carried with him until death and placed in his tomb.
"The Demon Emperor once obtained the Flat Peach Immortal Tree. Did he discover it here?"
Ye Fan wandered for over ten days, capturing imprints that ordinary people could not perceive. He also saw the footprints of the Western Empress Mother here—she too had come to pay her respects.
"Fifty years, yet I feel as if I have aged five thousand years..." Ye Fan murmured softly, his white hair dancing in the wind as he strolled through the peach garden, without using any magical power or casting any spells.
This path, he continued to walk, never giving up. In his eyes, there was always a flame—the light of unyielding struggle!
The paths of predecessors, the ways of those who came before—he had studied many. Those people were all Emperors and Sovereigns!
Over these years, he had continuously traced their life journeys, but ultimately they did not belong to him. However, he had managed to capture some of the sentiments and emotions of those people from their time, which had touched his inspiration.
In the blink of an eye, another twenty years passed. Time slipped through people's fingers, impossible to hold back.
Seventy years had passed. In the mortal world, almost an entire generation had lived and died. The cycle of life continued, yet people could hardly hear any news about Ye Fan anymore.
Yes, after the fiftieth year, there was no further word of him. People believed his condition was worsening.
Some even speculated that one year for him was like a hundred, that he had wasted away his years, truly stepping into old age, pushed to the brink by the ancient supremes, forming a vicious cycle.
Over the decades, the world had undergone many changes. Especially in recent years, some Forbidden Zones of Life had shown unusual activity.
The Underworld—the entire vast netherworld was submerged in black mist, impossible to see through clearly. Even the gaze of a Quasi-Emperor could not penetrate it. A terrifying mutation was occurring there.
A powerful fluctuation came from within, like the sound of breathing, as if some colossal entity was inhaling and exhaling the essence of heaven and earth, about to awaken.
During this period, a youth had always sat cross-legged in the starry sky, eyes closed, facing the black netherworld. His hair had all turned white—he had truly aged seven thousand years!
But he had not left even for a moment, always standing alone against the netherworld.
Some who had seen him were all shaken and admired him. To face the Underworld alone, guarding this place—what tremendous boldness was this? Who among ordinary people would dare?
As for the ancestral star of the Great Accomplishment Overlord Body, it too had been restless these days. People heard terrifying low roars, very deep and muffled, shaking the great Dao of the universe.
Everyone on that star trembled. Some had personally seen something pacing within the ancestral cave of the Heaven-Dominating Bloodline. Finally, it emerged.
It was a ferocious beast, its entire body covered in black scales, gleaming with cold, dark light, wreathed in mist, like a terrifying demon god wanting to destroy the world.
It was like a predator—wolf, jackal, tiger, leopard—with a cruel aura, but even more powerful and terrifying. Its scales and armor made it look ferocious, especially the dozens or hundreds of huge spear-like spines on its back, pointing diagonally toward the sky, terrifying and frightening, gleaming darkly. Coupled with its mouth full of snow-white teeth, it could swallow star rivers, like a disaster beast lord from the era of creation.
This was a heaven-slaying ferocious beast raised by feeding it the blood of ten thousand spirits. Its origin on this ancestral star was astonishingly great, because it had once followed a Great Accomplishment Overlord Body, campaigning across the world, leaving a trail of blood and bones wherever it went.
Whenever it appeared, it meant war was coming. It was the terrifying guardian beast of the Heaven-Dominating Bloodline.
The mount of a generation's overlord had emerged, causing the entire star to shake violently. No one could sit still. This matter was too significant. Could it be that the Heaven-Dominating Bloodline was about to descend upon the mortal world again, controlling the rise and fall of the universe?
"The master has not come out, but he is very displeased. He commands all of you to go out and find the whereabouts of the Sacred Body Ye Fan."
This terrifying ferocious beast stood in the heavens, swallowing star rivers, surrounded by clouds and mist, looking down upon the entire great star, issuing these words. Its blood energy swept across the land, making everyone's heart palpitate, feeling uncomfortable. Many people knelt down.
"We obey the decree of the Heaven-Dominating Bloodline!"
Immediately, someone shouted, declaring they would do their utmost to find Ye Fan's whereabouts. Others echoed, for the Great Accomplishment Overlord Body was the sacred ancestor of their clan, and no one dared to defy him.
Moreover, from the bottom of their hearts, they also revered him, unconditionally accepting his commands.
The heaven-slaying ferocious beast nodded, its eyes crimson, its scales gleaming with dark light, fierce and intimidating. It turned and vanished into the starry sky, setting out itself.
So many years had passed, and Ye Fan had shown no movement. Although hope grew increasingly faint, it also made the people of the Heaven-Dominating Bloodline uneasy.
They would not forget how, back then, a Great Accomplishment Overlord Body who was almost immediately about to become an emperor had been struck down by their ancient ancestor, ending in gloomy defeat.
They harbored deep wariness toward the Sacred Body lineage—they were their greatest enemies!
Although over these tens of thousands of years, they had gained the advantage on the Stellar Ancient Path, winning more often, that did not mean much. Their conflict originated from the Mythical Era. Considering all battles throughout history, those few victories were too insignificant.
Big Dipper—this was a place both longed for and feared.
This was the legendary Burial Emperor Star, burying too many secrets. It had once been extremely glorious, with footprints left by many Great Emperors and Ancient Emperors. Even now, there were still seven Forbidden Zones of Life, incomparable, which could be called the strongest place in the world!
From the Primordial Ancient Mine, a melodious flute sound emerged, like a clear spring gushing forth, flowing into the desert, nourishing all things in heaven and earth, making people feel a sense of joy and beauty.
Everyone in the Northern Domain was shocked. After hundreds of years, they heard this flute sound again. As early as when Ye Fan first emerged, some had heard it.
"Heavens! Rosy clouds fill the sky! A heaven-defying figure has emerged, a Lingering Wave Immortal Maiden walking through the heavens!"
That day, many in the Northern Domain were stunned. Powerful cultivators saw an unimaginable scene. From the Primordial Forbidden Zone, mist rose, ten thousand rays of auspicious light shone, and a peerless beauty crossed the sky, playing a flute as she walked, entering the starry sky.
Many were petrified. What was happening? It wasn't a dark age, so why had a powerful figure emerged?
"Do you know? There have been rumors in the universe that someone is about to become an emperor, attracting the attention of the various Forbidden Zones!"
"I've heard, but not every Forbidden Zone necessarily acts. There have been such cases in the past. I think most Forbidden Zones choose to watch coldly from the sidelines."
"Such matters—who can say for sure?"
The Northern Domain was in uproar, the Eastern Wasteland in panic. People feared most the arrival of a dark turmoil.
"It seems it's not necessarily to act against the one becoming an emperor. It should just be to understand the situation, to see what attitude this generation's Dao-achiever holds toward them. The one who just emerged should not yet be a true Supreme, but not far off either."
"Boom!"
In the Eastern Wasteland, a forbidden land erupted with a cloud of demonic energy, directly charging toward the outer domain. It was a terrifying cloud of smoke.
"It's the Immortal Mound! Someone has also emerged!"
Legend had it that this was the burial ground of immortals, with the oldest graveyards, called the Immortal Mound. Some also said it was a Forbidden Zone from the Mythical Era that had been moved here later.
Soon after, the Reincarnation Sea trembled. A blood light pierced the sun and moon, becoming a rainbow, disappearing into the outer domain, startling the mortal world.
Various Forbidden Zones showed unusual activity one after another, making people uneasy and fearful. Would someone truly achieve the Dao in this generation? It had triggered the attention of the various Forbidden Zones.
Interests were at stake. Those in the Forbidden Zones of Life believed this generation was extraordinary. Was a Dao-achiever about to appear? Were they assessing whether there would be conflict with him? Could it really be Ye Fan?
But based on the rumors over the past seventy years, his condition was very terrible. He hadn't even passed a single tribulation.
The Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree rustled, its leaves shimmering. From the Immortal Mountain, a powerful creature emerged. With one step, heaven and earth shook, and it too soared into the sky.
"What is happening? No matter how you look at it, it seems someone really is about to achieve the Dao. Can they be so certain?"
That day, a huge uproar erupted in the universe. No one could remain calm. The Forbidden Zones of Life showed abnormalities, making people tremble.
Finally, an important piece of news spread, and people suddenly understood. Someone had discovered a Chaos Body, and it had already reached the Quasi-Emperor realm, attracting the attention of the Forbidden Zones.
Someone used Reflection Heaven Crystal in the universe to record a segment of images, faithfully reproducing what they had seen. It was brought back by disciples of the Forbidden Zones walking outside, triggering a major earthquake.
Reflection Heaven Crystal could record true history. Some copied and reproduced it, allowing ordinary people to see that scene.
In a dark expanse of the heavens, a white-robed person sat cross-legged, back to everyone. From the crown of their head, chaotic energy rolled forth, defying heaven and rising upward, terrifying beyond measure. The surrounding stars were dim, all essence absorbed by them, finally transforming into Chaotic Immortal Essence.
Had the Chaos Body truly emerged? Was it they who would become emperor? This triggered the attention of the Forbidden Zones. What a terrifying great era this was.
Unexpectedly, some visitors from the Forbidden Zones were pursuing the Chaos Body, while another portion was actually searching for Ye Fan's whereabouts.
This result once again shocked the world!
This universe was about to fall into chaos. People sensed a calm before a violent storm. Someone was about to become an emperor!