Chapter 207: Peerless Young Demon King
Eighteen green mountains stood tall, light mist coiled around them, with thousand-foot waterfalls cascading down each peak, splashing up thin smoke, green waters flowing around the mountains. This place was lush and beautiful.
Springs gurgled, flowers bloomed like brocade, adding a touch of vitality and a hint of liveliness to this beautiful land.
Elsewhere, such scenery might not be considered much, but in the Northern Domain it was rare. Everywhere was gravel, barren of grass, making such landscapes like a fairyland. With abundant vegetation, misty waters, ethereal halls, green mountains and clear waters, this place was truly a pure and beautiful land.
"Who are you?" the people of Green Cloud Sect shouted.
Ye Fan simply flicked his finger, and the boulder at the mountain gate engraved with the words "Green Cloud" shattered with a "puff," turning into dust.
"Th-this..." Everyone gasped. The newcomer meant trouble, directly smashing Green Cloud's boundary stone—clearly, this was serious.
"Are you looking for death?" The people of Green Cloud Sect were enraged. Only three had come, yet they dared to boast about establishing a sect here—they truly underestimated them. The gate guardians all unleashed their weapons, flying swords, divine hammers, and the like, shooting like a rain of light.
Ye Fan didn't care. With a wave of his sleeve, a "crack" sounded, and all the weapons shattered, falling to the ground. Even if a hundred more cultivators at the Life Spring realm came, they couldn't contend with him. He fiercely swung his sleeve, and all the people at the gate were sent flying backward, tumbling into the pool beneath the waterfall.
"Quickly report to the Sect Master!" By now, they knew the trouble was serious. The opponent was unfathomable, no ordinary madman.
Ye Fan stood before the mountain gate. A flash of light behind him revealed one hundred and eight large banners, which he had spent the entire previous day inscribing.
Back in the Southern Domain, when Elder Han of Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven had failed to refine him into medicine and instead lost his own life, Ye Fan had obtained two ancient beast-hide scrolls from that cave dwelling.
One of them was an ancient text on Dao patterns. After entering the Dao Palace Secret Realm, he could comprehend it. Although the beast-hide scroll wasn't a profound ancient manual, it had its unique aspects.
The one hundred and eight banners Ye Fan had inscribed were densely covered with Dao patterns, forming a sealing and trapping formation. He threw out four, instantly locking down the mountain gate.
Then, he soared into the sky and hurled the remaining one hundred and four banners, planting them all among the mountains and waters, sealing off all directions.
The banners rustled in the wind, becoming hazy, and vanished beyond the green mountains and clear waters.
"You... who exactly are you?" The gate guardians retreated.
Before the mountain gate, a green stone path lay like a reclining dragon, with hundreds of stone steps. On both sides, the grass was fresh, immortal vines coiled, and small streams babbled.
"I am your future Sect Master." Ye Fan walked forward, ascending the steps with light steps, no killing intent, his entire being ethereal and transcendent.
"You..." The people of Green Cloud Sect all retreated. The more otherworldly and empty this youth seemed, the more uneasy they felt.
"This place is excellent!" Ye Fan nodded repeatedly. The oasis where Stone Stockade was located was too small, only a dozen or so miles in circumference. When a strong wind blew, sand and dust from afar would rush in, making him quite uncomfortable.
He loved mountains and waters, loved beautiful scenery. Green Cloud Sect was indeed a good place for cultivating the mind and nurturing the spirit.
"Who dares to cause trouble?!" A long roar came, and an elder descended like a meteor, landing before the mountain gate.
Ye Fan walked calmly, slowly ascending, and said, "A wandering cultivator, no need to mention my name."
"You want to establish a sect here?" The elder's gaze was cold, his face ashen. Anyone hearing such news would find it hard to smile.
"That's right, that's exactly my intention." Ye Fan nodded.
"With your age, you truly speak arrogantly!" The elder sneered with disdain.
It was understandable that he underestimated him. Ye Fan had a delicate appearance, looking only about fifteen years old. At such an age, even a successor of a Holy Land might not be able to single-handedly take down Green Cloud Sect.
Ye Fan unhurriedly climbed the hundreds of stone steps, standing by the water. By the pool, his entire body was covered in a layer of mist, as if a banished immortal had descended into the world.
Only then did the elder notice something amiss. Ye Fan was right before his eyes, yet he seemed so ethereal and elusive.
"For five hundred miles around, bandits run rampant, closely connected to Green Cloud Sect. Are you involved in that too?" Ye Fan asked.
"You even know this?" The elder was unsettled and spoke involuntarily.
"Then there's nothing more to say. I'll send you on your way."
Ye Fan instantly drifted close and reached out to press forward. "Buzz!" Weapons vibrated as seven weapons shot out from the elder's body—blades, spears, swords, halberds, and more—turning into seven rainbows, stabbing toward Ye Fan's palm.
However, to his shock, the seven weapons shattered like rotten wood, utterly fragile!
That jade-like palm seemed to possess a demonic quality. The weapons indeed struck the center of the palm, but they scattered like yellow earth, completely crushed.
He was greatly alarmed. Such methods were miraculous, making his entire body turn cold as he quickly retreated.
"Since you condone bandits, there's nothing more to say. I'll send you on your way."
Ye Fan pressed down with his hand, and the elder was sent flying dozens of zhang away, then suddenly split into four pieces.
The gate guardians were dumbfounded. Even an elder of the sect had been crushed to death by this youth with one hand, making them tremble all over.
This was like a god-slaying, Buddha-slaying demon. This was a young demon king—who could stop him? With one slap, he had killed a Green Cloud elder. Even if the Sect Master came out, he might not be able to suppress him.
Ye Fan ignored them and continued forward. Those people, trembling with fear, dodged to the sides.
"When can I enter the Ji Family like this, or walk into Yaoguang Holy Land?" He felt that to do so, he would need a vast amount of Source.
Shouts erupted everywhere. Within Green Cloud Sect, the ancient bell tolled deeply, alerting everyone. Many cultivators flew over quickly.
Ahead, water flowed with a tinkling sound, and patches of flowers and grass grew beside the spring pool. A riot of colors met the eye. Figures descended rapidly, surrounding Ye Fan and his two companions.
"Brother Ye..." Wang Shu was nervous.
"Which of you are bandits?!" Er Lengzi was very angry.
"Where are you three from? What nonsense are you talking about?" the surrounding people scolded.
"You condoned Big Beard Chen to plunder everywhere, preying on ordinary mortals. I'm not wronging you, am I?" Ye Fan said calmly.
"So, Big Beard Chen's mysterious death was your doing?" Behind them, a white-haired, white-bearded old man, with an air of immortality, slowly walked forward.
"A Dao Palace realm cultivator?" Ye Fan showed a hint of surprise.
"Big Beard Chen was my disciple. He offered enough Source to help me break through the Other Shore bottleneck. You killed him, and you still dare to come to our door!" This old man's killing intent was thick, his eyes fixed on Ye Fan. He ordered those around him, "Kill him!"
All around, figures flew, light flashed, and various weapons were unleashed. Dozens struck at once.
Ye Fan hadn't expected so many to know about Big Beard Chen. He snorted coldly and decided to go on a killing spree.
"You two, step back and watch carefully!" He told Wang Shu and Lei Bo to move aside.
Ye Fan moved like a flood dragon, charging up. He displayed two of the Nine Secrets, pointing to the sky and softly chanting. In an instant, a massive seal emerged above his head, vibrating.
It was a vast, towering mountain, reaching into the heavens, condensed into an ancient seal, pressing down. One could clearly see birds, beasts, and towering ancient trees on it.
"Boom!" It was unstoppable. The mountain seal, with the force to hold up the sky, crashed down. All the weapons flying in the air turned to ash.
"Ah..." Screams rang out. Of the dozens surrounding Ye Fan, not one escaped. Their bodies cracked and turned to dust in the same instant.
This shocking scene left the distant cultivators speechless, cold sweat streaming down their faces, and they couldn't help but tremble.
In the sky, the towering ancient mountain seal slowly faded and then vanished.
This was the Battle Saint Art, two of the Nine Secrets, representing the pinnacle of offensive techniques. It could evolve into thousands of moves and forms, and with each insight, different life-slaying grand arts would be realized.
"You... what secret art is this?" The white-haired, white-bearded old man no longer had his immortal air. He showed a terrified expression and kept retreating.
"A life-slaying grand art!"
Ye Fan smiled faintly. There was no need to tell him it was one of the Nine Secrets.
"I am the Supreme Elder of Green Cloud Sect. Do you truly intend to be an enemy of my Green Cloud Sect?" He shouted loudly, his voice like thunder, awakening the secluded Sect Master and other Supreme Elders.
Ye Fan shook his head. "It's useless. No one can save you."
"I am a Dao Palace realm cultivator. If you want to kill me, you'll have to pay a price!" He blustered, trying to buy time.
"Go reunite with your good disciple, Big Beard Chen." Ye Fan stepped forward, each step like a lotus blooming, Dao rhythm beneath his feet, drifting lightly.
"You... I'll fight you to the death!"
The Green Cloud Sect's Supreme Elder shrieked, his face twisted, beard and hair bristling, his eyes fierce. Over a dozen weapons shot out from his Wheel Sea.
From his Dao Palace, a green-armored "deity" flew out, holding a broadsword. Its entire body was clad in gleaming cold iron armor, several meters tall. With one step, it cracked the ground.
The three-meter-long great sword swung, surging with green energy, emitting a whooshing sound. Thousands of rays of light shot out, like a rain of swords falling.
This area was filled with divine light. Over a dozen weapons, plus this "deity," sealed the region. Endless killing intent and dazzling light surged violently.
In the distance, the disciples of Green Cloud Sect shouted in unison. In their eyes, Ye Fan was completely engulfed and would surely die.
But they soon fell silent.
"Boom!" Ye Fan formed the Great Sun Seal.
A blazing sun rose slowly, enormous, filling the sky.
Yes, a red sun, vast as the boundless sea, crowded the sky, vigorous and grand. Its fiery red light burned everything!
The deity in green iron armor was almost instantly burned to ashes, and the dozen or so weapons were turned into gas in a flash, ceasing to exist!
Ye Fan held the Great Sun Seal, and above his head, a massive red sun truly emerged, like a great mountain, pressing down from above with overwhelming power, making everyone want to kneel.
"Ah..." The Green Cloud Sect's Supreme Elder screamed. Losing the deity nurtured in his Dao Palace, he was severely wounded and fled desperately to survive.
Ye Fan lightly shook the Great Sun Seal. From the vigorous red sun, nine Golden Crows shot out, their bodies shining with golden light, as if cast from gold, each with three legs, flapping their wings and crying out.
"Thud!" Not far away, many Green Cloud disciples were forced to their knees by this supreme power, unable to stand.
The nine three-legged Golden Crows turned into nine beams of golden light, flashing past. Although the Green Cloud Sect's Supreme Elder had already fled hundreds of zhang, he was silently burned to nothing, instantly turning into black ash.
"Ah..." Screams followed one after another. Wherever the nine Golden Crows passed, no one could resist. All were consumed by golden flames, becoming dust.
This was an incredibly terrifying power, with an unparalleled oppressive force. Only when Ye Fan released the Great Sun Seal did the massive red sun and the nine Golden Crows slowly disappear.
Further away, many Green Cloud disciples collapsed, weak and limp on the ground. Such supreme power was irresistible, directly intimidating them to their very bones.
This was one of the Nine Secrets, the pinnacle of offensive techniques, the incomparable Battle Saint Art! Each time it was comprehended, it would evolve into a life-slaying grand art, ever-changing, without end!
All around, every Green Cloud disciple trembled in fear. That delicate youth was nothing short of a demon king. The sheer, unparalleled terror of his power was enough to shake their bodies and minds, leaving no need for battle.
Roars rose and fell. The Supreme Elders and the Sect Master of Green Cloud Sect were all alerted, emerging from seclusion and rushing over swiftly.
Figures flickered. Ten figures landed in succession, surrounding Ye Fan.
"Ten Dao Palace realm experts. It seems I can go all out today." Ye Fan was calm and composed, without a trace of alarm.