Chapter 267: The Secret Art of the Sacred Body’s Inheritance
This dried-up flesh was indestructible, imperishable, with essence energy flowing smoothly without any obstruction, exuding an aura of the Great Dao.
Suddenly, the divine bell above his head chimed softly, and a purple copper gourd floating before him silently cracked and turned to powder.
This flesh was extremely powerful. Just upon awakening, it displayed a terrifying might that left people stunned.
Behind them, several people retreated, ready to strike at any moment.
Ye Fan observed from within his Wheel Sea. After a careful exploration, aside from his own Azure Lotus, he found nothing else within this flesh.
The vast golden Sea of Bitterness was utterly still, its waves calmed, empty and hollow inside with nothing at all.
"Swish"
A flash of light, and the divine bell hovering above him sank into the Wheel Sea, while the Azure Gold War Halberd also flickered and vanished, returning to his body.
He sat cross-legged on the ground, resuming his original posture, solemn and dignified, surrounded by numerous treasures.
The Azure Lotus swayed, drawing back endless divine power. The golden Sea of Bitterness slowly dimmed and eventually dried up.
Green light flickered as the Azure Lotus surged forth, accompanying Ye Fan. With a thought, he completely returned to his own body.
Ye Fan desperately wanted this flesh, but it belonged to the Azure Flood Dragon King, whose combat power rivaled that of the various Sacred Lords. He could only sigh inwardly—if he actually tried to take it, he would surely be reduced to ashes.
"Rumble"
The meter-thick white jade door closed, and the group left the Ninefold Treasure Vault, standing atop a towering peak that pierced the clouds. Several old demons were planting flowers and vegetables not far away, paying them no mind.
"Let's go. Still want to go back in?" Tu Fei patted Ye Fan on the shoulder.
"I wonder what I'd have to trade for the Azure Flood Dragon King to give up this flesh," Ye Fan muttered to himself.
"Don't even think about it. This is the remains of a Sacred Body, an ancient sage who opened up a small world. Its bones can be refined into a peerless weapon. What could you possibly offer in exchange?" Tu Fei shook his head.
"If you traded the Primordial Mother Qi Root, the entire treasury would be yours," an old demon said from behind, squinting.
"Let's get out of here quickly!" The Big Black Dog raised its bald tail and was the first to run, sensing danger.
Ye Fan had no desire to tangle with these old demons. If they made a move, even Yan Ruyu would be in a difficult position. He bowed, activated the Old Madman's footwork, and vanished in the blink of an eye.
"I need to leave here as soon as possible!" That was his decision. Every extra day he stayed increased the danger by ten percent.
"Princess, could you take me to see the Undying Hall?" Ye Fan asked Yan Ruyu on the way. An ancient sage had passed away there, likely leaving something behind. As someone of the same physique, he might be able to discover something.
"That's probably not possible. You'll have to wait a few months," Yan Ruyu politely declined.
"You triggered that corpse. What did you gain?" Qin Yao asked.
Yan Ruyu and Tu Fei also looked at him, having wanted to ask the same question.
"What could I find? It's just a skeleton. What can be left after losing life? Everything was controlled by the Azure Lotus within me."
Saying this, Ye Fan's heart stirred. "However, I did notice that he only cultivated the Wheel Sea Secret Realm and never crossed the Dao Palace threshold."
"An ancient sage who cultivated only a single secret realm?!" Tu Fei was shocked.
Qin Yao was somewhat surprised. "It seems that since the Primordial Era, no one has been able to break the curse. The Sacred Body can only stop at the Dao Palace Secret Realm."
At this moment, the Big Black Dog suddenly jumped up, its bell-like eyes fixed on Ye Fan. "Did he really cultivate a single secret realm?!"
"What's so surprising about that?" Ye Fan countered.
Yan Ruyu seemed thoughtful and shook her head. "Since the Primordial Era, there's been no record of a Sacred Body cultivating a single secret realm."
"To cultivate a single secret realm, besides a powerful mental method, you need an unparalleled secret art to assist," the Big Black Dog said, full of surprise, muttering to itself. "But after the Primordial Era, the Sacred Body has found it difficult to cultivate a single secret realm. What ancient secret art is that?!"
Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat. The secret art he had obtained seemed far from simple.
"Comparable to an ancient sage, opening up a small world—what kind of secret art is this…" Yan Ruyu also murmured.
This was also why the Azure Flood Dragon King had been reluctant to refine the remains into a weapon, wanting to uncover its mysteries.
Ye Fan's heart was greatly unsettled. He decided that tonight, after entering the Undying Hall and rescuing Pang Bo, he would thoroughly investigate the place.
"Black Emperor, we're moving tonight. Are you confident?"
"Let's act quickly. Those old demons are dangerous. This emperor doesn't want to stay here any longer."
Back in the palace among the pine forest, Ye Fan directly closed the doors, took out various materials, and had the Big Black Dog carve Dao patterns, preparing to break the restrictions of the Undying Hall at night.
Night fell. Within this small world, there was no moon, no stars—utter darkness, so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
Ye Fan and the Big Black Dog moved silently, arriving above the clouds to quietly observe the Undying Hall.