Chapter 166: Storm (Part 2)
Now, the outside world was even more dangerous for Ye Fan. Once discovered, he would be dead without a doubt. When members of the Ji Family appeared, he guessed they were most likely not here for him. After all, more than half a year had passed. This time, he just needed to avoid them.
Ye Fan went straight to the depths of the seventh layer of the Fire Domain. He only stopped when he neared the eighth layer. Ahead, strands of seven-colored mist swirled, appearing peaceful and tranquil. The eighth layer of the Fire Domain was right before him. The terrifying heat, like surging river waters, rushed directly into the seventh layer, as if using heaven and earth as a bronze furnace to refine everything in the world.
He drew in a sharp breath of cold air. The five-colored cloud flames were only two colors fewer than the seven-colored mist strands, but the temperature difference was immeasurable, beyond reason.
The five-colored cloud flames were already making him feel scorching hot. The seven-colored mist strands were even more terrifying. He figured that even holding the Bodhi Seed, he couldn't casually enter.
"Big shots usually forge artifacts on the sixth and seventh layers. If that old undying enters the seventh layer, I'll have no choice but to risk entering the eighth. I hope he stops at the 'Purple Qi from the East' area."
Ye Fan really didn't want to barge into the eighth layer. He had no confidence at all. If he got burned to ashes, body and soul destroyed, then everything would truly be for nothing.
"Caw... Caw..."
Just then, Ye Fan felt incredibly shocked. He heard several crow calls, actually coming from the eighth layer of the Fire Domain. It stunned him, leaving him dumbfounded.
The seventh layer of the Fire Domain could burn away divine power and incinerate big shots. The eighth layer was unimaginable. How could there be crow calls?
Ye Fan circled the edge of the eighth layer, probing inward. Seven-colored mist strands swirled, like countless tiny rainbows running through it. Moreover, the ground was covered with giant boulders of strange shapes, forming a stone forest.
"Caw!" Ye Fan heard the crow's call again, clear and sharp, like metal splitting the air.
At this moment, he saw a giant boulder ahead, a hundred meters tall, like a small mountain. The ominous sound originated from there. At the base of the boulder was a stone cave. Ye Fan carefully observed and found several black feathers gleaming with dark light at the cave entrance.
"This..." He was truly startled. There was a living crow inside the eighth layer of the Fire Domain!
He shivered involuntarily. This was extraordinary. Even big shots stopped at the seventh layer. How did a crow get into the eighth layer of the Fire Domain? He couldn't provoke it!
Ye Fan obediently retreated, found a patch of stone forest, and hid. With the crow ahead and the Ji Family big shot behind, he was caught in the middle.
Fortunately, the five-colored cloud flames seemed demonic, capable of devouring everything. Even big shots dared not casually extend their divine sense. Ye Fan hid in the stone forest, silently cultivating, not daring to draw fire to temper his cauldron. If he alerted the Ji Family member, the trouble would be immense.
For the first few days, everything was calm. Nothing particularly happened until, on the eighth day, clanging sounds came from the sixth layer of the Fire Domain, resounding through heaven and earth.
Ye Fan completely relaxed. The Ji Family big shot was here only to forge artifacts, unrelated to him. He was somewhat curious, wondering what kind of artifact the other party was forging to cause such a commotion.
Inside the sixth layer of the Fire Domain, purple energy surged. Reddish-golden light shot into the sky, illuminating even the heavens above.
"What is that old undying forging?" Ye Fan was very surprised. He moved stealthily, observing from within the seventh layer of the Fire Domain. Due to the great distance, he could only vaguely see what looked like a giant bronze furnace standing there.
"It really is a bronze furnace!"
Ye Fan changed positions and saw clearly. A giant bronze furnace, a full thirty meters tall, was enveloped by purple flames, emitting rumbling sounds. The reddish-golden light was precisely what was rushing out of the furnace.
A gray-robed old man sat cross-legged nearby, holding a green jade fan, fanning continuously. Purple fire gathered from all directions, surging toward the furnace.
"This old fellow doesn't dare use himself as a furnace to forge artifacts. He's using a real treasure furnace to craft his artifacts..."
The giant bronze furnace emitted increasingly intense red light, manifesting in the sky as a divine boat, red as blood, as if forged from blood jade.
"What a fine treasure. It's almost taking shape, already manifesting in the sky. This old thing is indeed extraordinary."
Ye Fan knew that if this divine boat was successfully refined and inscribed with the Ji Family's profound dao patterns, it would definitely be extraordinary, after all, it was being forged by a big shot.
"Clang, clang, clang!"
The sounds inside the bronze furnace grew louder, clearly traveling dozens of li, echoing continuously between heaven and earth.
"Compared to the divine boat, this furnace is an even greater treasure." Ye Fan didn't dare look too long. He retreated, avoiding being detected.
After entering the depths of the seventh layer of the Fire Domain, Ye Fan heard the crow's calls again, faint and indistinct, seeming very agitated, cawing incessantly.
"Caw... Caw..."
"What's going on?" Ye Fan moved forward and saw the stone cave at the base of the boulder from a distance. Flames spewed forth, seven-colored mist strands swirled, and the area was scorching hot.
At the cave entrance, the dark, gleaming black feathers had increased. There were also some ashes. Ye Fan muttered to himself, "Is it a spirit born from the flames, or a real crow?"
"Damn it!"
From inside the stone cave in the eighth layer of the Fire Domain, these two words actually came out, seemingly furious. Ye Fan could hardly believe his ears.
"Clang!" From inside the flame cave, a piece of shattered metal flew out. It was pure white, like mutton fat jade.
Ye Fan was instantly stunned. This was definitely legendary divine iron, a rare treasure of the world, an ultimate material for forging artifacts. It was said that even the weapon of the Saint Lord of Yaoguang had some of this divine iron added to it, showing how precious it was. Clearly, someone was forging artifacts, but they had ruined the divine iron and thrown it out of the cave.
A crow spirit! Ye Fan shivered involuntarily. This was absolutely a peerless old demon. He made an immediate decision to retreat, getting far away without stopping.
In the following days, the eighth layer of the Fire Domain occasionally emitted crow calls, growing more and more agitated.
Five more days passed. From the sixth layer of the Fire Domain, the Ji Family big shot's bronze furnace emitted a thunderous roar, like thunder shaking the sky, clearly audible throughout the entire Fire Domain.
At this moment, from the flame cave at the base of the boulder in the eighth layer, an exasperated cry came out. Then, several more pieces of snow-white divine iron were thrown out, landing at the cave entrance.
"Infuriating to the extreme!"
The seven-colored mist surged. The stone cave erupted with a dazzling light. Endless flames gushed out, and then an old Daoist rushed out furiously.
He wore a feather robe, gleaming with dark light, woven from black bird feathers. He appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, very much like an old crow.
"Who is forging artifacts, so reckless as to shake the Fire Domain?!" The black-feathered old Daoist's voice clearly echoed out. His anger surged as he shot straight into the sky, flying toward the sixth layer of the Fire Domain.
Ye Fan's heart tightened. He saw a streak of dark light instantly tear through the sky and land in the sixth layer of the Fire Domain.
A demon forging artifacts in the eighth layer of the Fire Domain—what kind of existence was that? Just thinking about it made one's scalp tingle!
"Who are you..." The Ji Family big shot seemed to be shouting in inquiry. But with a thunderous boom, the rest of his words were swallowed back. He was silent for a long time.
Although Ye Fan couldn't see, he could imagine it. He was extremely shocked. That old demon was definitely a ruthless character. He had no idea what he might do.
"Boom!" The sixth layer of the Fire Domain erupted with a terrifying wave of energy. Purple energy surged sky-high, as if it had been boiled by someone's attack.
"Why are you..." This was the voice of the Ji Family powerhouse.
"Your forging here shakes the Fire Domain and ruined my divine bell. Give me an explanation!" That old demon seemed almost out of his mind with anger. "I, this Daoist, never stir up trouble, but today, I have no choice but to be angry!"
"Your divine bell being ruined—what does that have to do with me?" The Ji Family big shot seemed somewhat intimidated.
"If not for you, the deafening noise, how could I have ruined my forging? If I hadn't been unable to leave seclusion earlier, I would have come to find you long ago!"
Ye Fan listened from afar, not daring to get close, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
"The Fire Domain is ownerless land. How can you blame this on me? The Ji Family never backs down from provocation!"
"Are you reminding me that you're from the Ji Family?" The old Daoist's words were icy cold. "If it were someone else, I might let it go, but the Ji Family..."
Ye Fan, far away, was secretly astonished. This old demon definitely had a grudge against the Ji Family.
"Boom!" The sixth layer of the Fire Domain instantly erupted. Purple energy overflowed, rushing in all directions. Flames blazed fiercely.
"The big shots are fighting!" Ye Fan's heart pounded, but he didn't go over. He restrained his impulse, knowing those people were extremely perceptive. He absolutely couldn't get close.
Fortunately, the five-colored mist devoured all power, preventing even the big shots from probing. Otherwise, he would likely have been discovered.
The energy fluctuations were terrifying, but they quickly calmed down. No more sounds came. Not a single noise.
"So fast... Is the battle over?" Ye Fan's heart tightened.
"When I, Crow Daoist, was contending with your Ji Family's great powers, your grandfather wasn't even born yet..." A streak of dark light shot into the sky.
Ye Fan only caught a glimpse of a silhouette. It did indeed look like an old crow, wearing a black feather robe, thin and gaunt. In the blink of an eye, it vanished, directly leaving the Fire Domain.
"Crow Daoist..." Ye Fan waited until he was completely gone before moving toward the sixth layer of the Fire Domain.
That giant bronze furnace had disappeared, presumably taken by Crow Daoist.
The Ji Family powerhouse lay decapitated in a pool of blood. Over a dozen black feathers were stuck beside him, blocking the purple flames, preventing his body from being burned.
Ye Fan felt a chill run down his spine. A Ji Family big shot had been killed just like that. How terrifying was that old crow?! His body was preserved, but his divine sense was extinguished, completely dissipated. He could never come back to life.
Ye Fan was silent for a moment. A powerhouse like that was killed just like that. The world of cultivation was truly cruel. If one couldn't reach the pinnacle, even their life couldn't be preserved in the end.
He quickly calmed down and moved swiftly, searching the corpse. This was, after all, a Ji Family big shot. The items on his body were certainly extraordinary.
However, he was disappointed. There were no treasures on the corpse. Whether it was the Wheel Sea or the Dao Palace secret realms, all were empty. Not a single treasure remained.
"This old crow is thorough. He took everything."
Looking at the dozen black feathers on the ground, his heart tightened. Crow Daoist had deliberately left them behind, clearly provoking the Ji Family.
A Ji Family big shot had died. This would definitely be a storm! He could imagine that the Southern Domain would be in turmoil again.
"Chi!"
Just then, space suddenly tore open. A Ji Family eminent elder manifested. He wore a special colorful robe that blocked the purple flames.
When he saw the corpse on the ground and Ye Fan, he was instantly stunned. His face was full of disbelief, utterly shocked. "You..."
The moment space tore open, Ye Fan had already summoned his cauldron and directly suppressed it downward.
Not to mention past grievances, even this scene alone was impossible to explain. He had to take the other party by surprise and subdue him. Otherwise, there was absolutely no way to survive! (To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please visit the website for more chapters. Support the author, support genuine reading.)