Chapter 189: The Terrifying Final Years of an Origin Heavenly Master
“Your concubine wants to enter Purple Mountain?” Fifth Master Zhang had long understood Ye Fan’s intentions, knowing he could not stop him no matter what. He sighed and said, “Wait a moment.”
He turned and walked into the stone house. After a while, he laboriously carried out a large wooden chest. Its color had yellowed, clearly an ancient artifact from a distant era. “What is this?” Ye Fan asked with a puzzled expression. “A thousand years ago, that ancestor also prepared meticulously before entering Purple Mountain. These are some things he left behind.”
Fifth Master Zhang pried open the iron lock and lifted the lid of the large wooden chest. A musty smell of decay immediately wafted out, as countless years had passed, and the interior of the chest had begun to rot. “This is…” Ye Fan first noticed a set of stone garments. Indeed, it was a robe made of stone pieces strung together, plain and unadorned, folded neatly. “What is this for?” The stone armor was exquisitely crafted, clearly the result of considerable effort.
Fifth Master Zhang lifted out the stone robe and rubbed it with his hand, saying, “This was made personally by that ancestor a thousand years ago. He took one set with him and left this one behind.”
Ye Fan held the stone robe in his hands but did not sense anything special about it. This type of stone was common—it was the same special stone skin that wrapped source stones.
Such stone skin could block the spiritual perception of cultivators, preventing penetration. Therefore, without truly cutting open a source stone, it was impossible to know if there was treasure inside, which was how source gambling had arisen.
Ye Fan believed that if he wished, he could easily crush this stone skin. Such armor would be useless to him. “Don’t underestimate this stone robe. It’s no ordinary object; it possesses powerful spirituality.” Fifth Master Zhang seemed to see through his thoughts. “It has spirituality?” Ye Fan carefully sensed it but found nothing unusual. “This is not ordinary stone skin.” Fifth Master Zhang rubbed it, somewhat reluctant to let go, and said, “This is stone skin peeled from Divine Source, material worthy of the Origin Heavenly Scripture’s attention.” “This is the old skin that wraps Divine Source?” Ye Fan brought the stone robe closer and examined it closely, but still could not discern anything.
“Different trades are separated by a mountain. You are a cultivator, but you cannot understand how precious such a stone robe is.” Fifth Master Zhang spread the robe open and said, “Every source seeker dreams of owning such a stone robe. You see, digging for source underground all day inevitably leads to encountering bad things. This Divine Source robe can ward off evil and avoid unclean things.”
Ye Fan nodded. Many thoughts flashed through his mind. He had spent some time in the source region of Yaoguang Holy Land, where strange events had occurred one after another, so he naturally understood the dangers involved. “The stone skin of Divine Source has unique spirituality. It can avoid unclean things…”
According to Fifth Master Zhang, such stone skin coexisted with Divine Source, absorbing its spirituality, and had become divine, capable of attracting good fortune and avoiding disaster. In the large wooden chest, there was also a stone helmet that could cover even the face.
“You must wear this stone robe and also put on the stone helmet to conceal all your aura. It may not be sturdy, but it can isolate you from the outside world and perhaps help you avoid the ominous creatures in Purple Mountain.” Fifth Master Zhang warned solemnly.
Ye Fan’s heart pounded with unease. “Aren’t the powerful beings from the ancient era sealed in Divine Source?” “Things in Purple Mountain are hard to explain. It’s better to be well-prepared. In truth, I still say the same thing—I really don’t want you to take this risk.”
Ye Fan was indeed having second thoughts. “I don’t plan to go deep into Purple Mountain. I’ll just find the Origin Heaven Scripture and retreat immediately. I don’t want to disturb any living creature.”
“Take this stone pendant as well.” Fifth Master Zhang took a stone pendant from the large wooden chest and said, “This was refined by my Zhang family ancestor. If you are truly targeted by evil spirits, it might play some miraculous role.” With a clang, Fifth Master Zhang also drew a stone knife. The wooden scabbard had long since rotted, shattering the moment the blade was pulled out. The knife was only about two feet long, engraved with suns, moons, and stars, as well as some strange patterns.
“Underground, you might see some bizarre things—strange and grotesque. Unless absolutely necessary, never confront them head-on.” Fifth Master Zhang’s expression was grave. “Whether it’s a ghost or something else, if it doesn’t attack you, treat it as an illusion. Use this knife to clear the way.”
Ye Fan felt a chill run down his spine at these words. Earlier, when Fifth Master Zhang had tried to dissuade him, he hadn’t taken it seriously, but now he was uncertain.
Finally, Fifth Master Zhang took out a star compass and said, “This star compass has been passed down to my generation, accumulating a vast amount of stellar divine power. Keep it safe. It will come in handy at critical moments. If you fall into a ghost mine, it will help you find a way out.”
Ye Fan was truly speechless. He was starting to have second thoughts. Muttering, he said, “Old master, are you supporting me or trying to scare me? The more you talk, the more uneasy I feel.”
The stone robe, stone pendant, stone knife, and stone star compass were all carved from the old skin of Divine Source. They showed no special features but were imbued with spirituality. “Old master, where did your family’s first ancestor eventually go? Did he spend his final years peacefully in this village?”
The Zhang family’s first ancestor was an Origin Heavenly Master, a figure of extraordinary talent. Since ancient times, only a handful had appeared in the Northern Domain.
Regarding the whereabouts of that Origin Heavenly Master, Ye Fan had asked Fifth Master Zhang before. The old man had been vague, only saying that an Origin Heavenly Master knew too many secrets of source and would inevitably face ominous events in his later years. “His life and death are a mystery.” The old man shook his head. “What happened?” “In those endless years ago, five Origin Heavenly Masters appeared in the Northern Domain. In their final years, they all encountered very strange things. Our Zhang family’s first ancestor was no exception.” “What strange events?” Ye Fan asked. “In his later years, he saw many unclean things that others could not see. He said that was the ultimate fate of an Origin Heavenly Master.” “Unclean things?!” Ye Fan was shocked.
“Yes. In the end, he disappeared, no one knows where. On the night he left, a red-haired whirlwind blew outside, and unknown terrifying creatures howled endlessly, screaming through the entire night.” “Old master, I wasn’t raised on scare tactics. If you want to dissuade me, just say so directly. Why go through all this…”
“I’m not trying to scare you. Everything I’ve said is true. The Zhang family’s first ancestor indeed vanished like that. When the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi learned of it, she searched the entire Northern Domain for him but found nothing. In the end, she personally erected a cenotaph for him.” Fifth Master Zhang sighed.
That was a legendary figure who had made all the holy lands turn pale, yet he died in obscurity in his later years. Ye Fan’s mind churned. “Was there no clue at all?”
“That night, a four-year-old child of our Zhang family was with the first ancestor. He was scared into a state of idiocy.” Fifth Master Zhang shook his head. “It took over half a year to cure him. According to him…” “What did the child say?” Seeing the old man pause, Ye Fan pressed on. “He said that night, he saw one of the ancestor’s hands covered in red hair, and he saw humanoid creatures moving outside the window. He only turned his head once, and the first ancestor was gone forever.” “Old master, you can’t scare me like this. You know I’m about to enter Purple Mountain…” “These stories have been passed down orally through generations of my family. I’ve never told anyone before.”
Ye Fan felt a chill in his heart. This blood-red land seemed to hold too many mysteries, many things beyond imagination. “What was the strength of an Origin Heavenly Master, exactly?” “Are you asking about combat power?” “Yes.” Ye Fan nodded. “My first ancestor, in his youth, fought the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi to a draw.” Fifth Master Zhang said calmly.
Ye Fan drew in a cold breath. Such a figure was truly extraordinary. To be an Origin Heavenly Master and possess such strength—no wonder the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi eventually became his close companion. “Once you become an Origin Heavenly Master, you can fix dragon veins and seal Divine Source. It’s impossible not to be powerful.” Fifth Master Zhang concluded.
In the end, Ye Fan still set out. “Young Master Ye, when will you return?” Wang Shu saw him off, unaware that he was heading to Purple Mountain. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back in a few days. Then I’ll take you to gamble on source and fleece those holy lands…”
“The wind blows bleakly, the water is cold, a brave man gone never to return…” Er Lengzi waved his hand with a simple-minded grin.
“I… of all the things I taught you, why did you only remember that line?” Ye Fan was very exasperated.
“I’m afraid you won’t come back…” Er Lengzi scratched his head.
Ye Fan felt he couldn’t get angry with him. He smiled and waved back, then walked away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
According to Fifth Master Zhang, to enter Purple Mountain, one had to go deep through the nine dragon veins, travel underground, and then cut into Purple Mountain from beneath. Otherwise, attacking directly from outside would put oneself in a deadly situation.
Ye Fan chose the eastern dragon vein, planning to go deep from there, because a thousand years ago, the Zhang family ancestor had taken that very path.
In his mind, he recited the ancient scripture recorded on the bronze coffin, occasionally carving a few characters into the cauldron forged from Mother Qi of All Things. For the past two months, he had been doing this constantly. Though the characters could not last long and soon disappeared, he persisted in carving them.
This was the source of the Mother Qi of All Things, his greatest reliance. Even if the void shattered, hiding in the cauldron would allow him to survive any disaster.
The mountain range was majestic, towering like a crouching azure dragon lying across the path ahead.
The tall stone ridge was bare, reddish-brown in color, with no vegetation, dotted with a hint of purple, resembling the purple mountain nearby. According to Fifth Master Zhang, this dragon vein had long been hollowed out, the underground…
Ye Fan did not directly break through the earth to go deep. He did not want to destroy it that way, fearing it might lead to bad consequences.
He patiently searched and finally found an ancient mine. A thousand years ago, the Zhang family ancestor had entered from here.
Ye Fan put on the stone robe, immediately feeling airtight. All his aura was sealed, unable to leak out even a trace. Carrying the star compass on his back, gripping the stone knife, and hanging the stone pendant, he silently descended into the ancient mine.
Ye Fan mentally measured the depth. He was shocked to find that he had fallen a full three thousand meters before reaching the bottom.
The pitch-black ancient mine had been excavated over a hundred thousand years ago, filled with the breath of time. It was eerily silent.
Ye Fan moved lightly, not using divine power, but advancing step by step, carefully sensing everything around him.
Everything here was connected to the ancient Great Emperor, pressing down on him with heavy weight. He had never been so cautious.
Thus, Ye Fan silently walked several miles. The ancient mine grew darker and darker. “What is that?!” Suddenly, his heart jumped. Ahead, there was the sound of wings fluttering. He vaguely saw a humanoid creature rushing toward him with wings. “I’ve only just entered, and I’ve already encountered a race from the ancient era?!” Ye Fan exclaimed in dismay.
[Helping someone advertise: Book ID: 1chu21q, Title: Soaring Through Nine Heavens. Synopsis: The Saha world, reincarnation without end. Like ants in the cycle, the heavens play their chess game. Heaven opposes earth, yin opposes yang. Who can record black and white? Let all beings understand my will; let all gods stain the blue sky with blood.]