Chapter 287: Unrivaled in the Imperial Palace
Ye Fan strode grandly toward the Bright Divine Hall, with a cauldron over a meter tall suspended above his head, strands of Mother Qi of All Things cascading down like silk threads.
Black Emperor was hidden inside the cauldron, serving as a surprise force, waiting for the critical moment to strike.
As soon as Ye Fan entered the great hall, everyone let out a chorus of exclamations. His cauldron was too eye-catching; it was impossible not to notice.
Primordial Mother Qi Root—searching the entire Eastern Wasteland for a hundred generations might not yield even a single strand—yet his entire cauldron was forged from this substance, with no other impurities mixed in.
This could almost be called a rough embryo of an Extreme Imperial Weapon, something that drove people mad, a treasure dreamed of by the heirs of every Holy Land.
Instantly, everyone present was stirred into a frenzy. Many, even if they had never seen Ye Fan before, deduced that he had arrived. Because, in all the world, this was the only case—only he possessed such a sacred object.
A disciple of a great sect immediately jumped out and said, "A sacred object like the Primordial Mother Qi Root is something even the Saint Lords can only gaze at from afar. What virtue and ability do you, a mere cultivator in the Dao Palace Secret Realm, have to possess it?!"
"What kind of person do you think is worthy of holding it?" Ye Fan asked with a faint smile.
Not everyone had rushed toward the Chaos Stone and been immobilized there. Many with weaker cultivation, who deemed themselves unable to compete, stood within the great hall instead of flying into the air.
"A sacred artifact should naturally be held by a great sect. Only then does it align with the will of heaven and earth, preventing the sacred object from being tarnished." He wore an air of transcendence.
"Come, tell me which sect you're from. I'll clean my ears and listen carefully." Ye Fan looked at him.
"Stop playing the fool! You actually have the nerve to come here. Don't think you'll leave today—leave the cauldron behind!" The disciple's killing intent was palpable.
"Do you really think you can seize it?" Ye Fan laughed, sweeping his gaze over him. This man was only at the first heaven of the Dao Palace. While that was decent for his age, it depended on who he was compared to.
Today, with so many Holy Sons gathered, so-called geniuses of the Dao Palace Secret Realm were truly unimpressive. Not to mention those Holy Sons—even the others immobilized above had at least fourth-heaven Dao Palace cultivation.
"I am from the Illusory Extinction Palace of the Northern Domain. Even if you hand over the cauldron today, you won't keep your life!" He turned to a few others and said, "Senior brothers, junior brothers, what are you waiting for? Seize him, kill him, and take the cauldron!"
The powerful Holy Sons were all restrained, and the geniuses of various great sects were also immobilized in the air. The strongest people on the ground were only at the third heaven of the Dao Palace. In a sense, this was their opportunity—no top-tier young experts were competing.
If they could seize the Primordial Mother Qi Root, it would be far more valuable than any Chaos Stone. This was a sacred object exclusive to Great Emperors, its value immeasurable.
A cold smile curled at the corner of Ye Fan's mouth. "Illusory Extinction Palace—I've heard of it. A great sect of the Northern Domain. But aren't you afraid of sullying your reputation by robbing so blatantly?"
"A dead man talks too much. Kill him!" This disciple charged first.
"Swish"
With a flash of light, he vanished into thin air. At the same time, three others closed in, appearing and disappearing like ghosts, their movements elusive and impossible to track.
This was their trump card. The name "Illusory Extinction" referred to their movement technique—like phantoms, hard to catch.
Moreover, three of them were at the same cultivation level as Ye Fan, all at the second heaven of the Dao Palace, so they felt emboldened.
"Hand over the precious cauldron, and we'll give you a quick death!" The first-heaven disciple dared not approach but coordinated with his senior and junior brothers.
"Even if I hand over the cauldron, you still want to kill me. What magnanimity you have."
"We'll give you a quick death. The Illusory Extinction Palace never drags things out—one strike, and it's over." One of them taunted.
These people had heard of Ye Fan's name but never took it seriously. As disciples of a great Northern Domain sect, they were arrogant, believing that aside from the Holy Lands, they had no rivals.
"Such big talk. Since that's the case, let me send you all on your way together." Ye Fan's expression remained calm.
"Chi"
A disciple of the Illusory Extinction Palace made his move. A sky-blue net descended, sparkling like stars, radiant and brilliant.
"Swish"
The blue net enveloped him. The few of them laughed, about to refine him, but suddenly their faces changed—it was only an afterimage, not his true body.
This showed just how fast Ye Fan was. The Old Madman's footwork was pushed to its limit, striking like lightning.
"Slap," "Slap," "Slap"
A series of dull, forceful sounds came as one. The three experts of the Illusory Extinction Palace were struck as if by thunder, each receiving a palm blow.
"Pfft"
The three of them shattered almost simultaneously, vanishing from their spots and turning into a mist of blood.
"You..." The sole surviving first-heaven disciple of the Illusory Extinction Palace turned pale with horror.
"Is this the great Illusory Extinction Palace of the Northern Domain?" Ye Fan smiled.
"Our outstanding disciples are all immobilized up there. Otherwise, you'd have been annihilated long ago." This disciple was stubborn, refusing to beg for mercy.
"Oh? Which ones? Point them out to me." Ye Fan looked up at the air, where the Chaos Stone had immobilized many.
"Senior brothers, avenge me in the future!" the disciple shouted loudly.
"Too bad your toughness is wasted. I'll go test your senior brothers' strength later." Ye Fan shook his head, then struck out suddenly, killing him.
"You really don't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth, daring to come here." A figure slowly emerged from the crowd. He was very steady, looking at Ye Fan as if at a dead man. "There's nothing to say. Leave the cauldron, then kneel aside and await judgment."
This tone made Black Emperor, hiding in the cauldron, burn with rage, almost leaping out to attack.
But Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat. This man was at the fourth heaven of the Dao Palace, stronger than those around him. He had originally thought that all fourth-heaven cultivators had flown into the air and been immobilized by the Chaos Stone, not expecting someone to be hiding in the crowd.
"And who are you?"
"Song Tianfeng, disciple of the Five Elements Hall of the Northern Domain." He paced forward, very calm and composed.
Ye Fan had crossed realms to slay enemies, killing some at the third heaven, but he had never truly fought someone at the fourth heaven of the Dao Palace. He found it very dangerous.
"Did you not hear what I said?" Song Tianfeng clasped his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent. "Leave the cauldron, then kneel aside and await judgment."
Ye Fan smiled, a bright smile, his white teeth gleaming with a crystalline luster. His delicate features looked very youthful, even a bit innocent.
"Is that funny? Or do I need to come over and break your legs before you'll kneel?" Song Tianfeng continued to walk forward slowly.
"I'm laughing because you really don't know anything about me." Ye Fan's bright smile faded as he shook his head.
"Do I need to know a dead man?" Song Tianfeng advanced step by step, extending a pitch-black hand as large as a house, pressing down with force. "Kneel!"
"Duo!"
Ye Fan let out a soft shout. A golden sword beam shot from between his brows, his powerful divine sense materializing and charging forward. The other party had no idea he possessed this killing move and had walked right up to him—a suicidal act.
"Ah..." Song Tianfeng screamed, clutching his forehead as he staggered backward.
But it was too late. He had come too close; there was no way to avoid this calamity. His divine sense was severely damaged, and with a thud, he fell to one knee.
"You..." He barely uttered a word when an inch-long golden sword shot through, "piercing" his forehead with a puff.
"Bang"
Song Tianfeng groaned and collapsed, a dead corpse.
Many didn't know that Ye Fan had killed with divine sense, and they were all startled. It wasn't until someone shouted in alarm that the others understood.
"Ye Fan, you really have the guts of an immortal, daring to meddle here under these circumstances!" Several people filed out, the weakest at the second heaven of the Dao Palace, with two at the fourth heaven.
"The Ji Family!" Ye Fan's face darkened. He had a deep grudge with this clan.
On the other side, several more people stepped out from the crowd—disciples of the Yaoguang Holy Land, including a fourth-heaven Dao Palace expert.
With the Ji Family and Yaoguang making their moves, others also gathered around, including several Holy Lands. Though they hadn't acted yet, their eyes were fixed on Ye Fan's cauldron, clearly intent on seizing it.
At the same time, everyone sacrificed a weapon to block their foreheads, afraid he might attack with his divine sense.
"Hahaha..." Seeing this, Ye Fan couldn't help but laugh loudly.
Today, Ye Fan's name was destined to be spread far and wide, making the disciples of every Holy Land so wary.
In fact, from this day on, many would turn pale at the mention of Ye Fan, their first thought being to defend themselves.
"Swish"
Ye Fan leaped up. He didn't want to waste any more time, lest something unexpected happen.
The ancient cauldron, just over a meter tall, hung above his head, with strands of Mysterious Yellow Qi cascading down like silk ribbons, thick and dense, protecting him thoroughly.
With the cauldron above his head, Ye Fan was unimpeded. The auspicious light shot out by the Chaos Stone was easily dissolved by the Mother Qi of All Things.
At this moment, everyone's expression changed. This sacred object was too heaven-defying—truly a divine material that even Great Emperors dreamed of!
The peerless rarity—the Chaos Stone—couldn't even immobilize him. It was powerless against the Mother Qi of All Things, making everyone want to claim it for themselves.
This was definitely the rough embryo of an Extreme Dao Weapon. Once it gave birth to "Dao" and "Principle" in the future, it would surely dominate the Eastern Wasteland and intimidate the world.
"The unscrupulous Taoist hasn't appeared..." Ye Fan muttered to himself, but he didn't dare let his guard down. He was ready to cross the void at any moment. In a few steps, he reached the strange black stone.
"Chi"
With a flash of light, he grabbed the ancient scroll in his hand. Only then did he finally relax.
Then, he tried to collect the Chaos Stone as well, but he felt his divine power was insufficient to succeed. This black stone was too heavy; without being refined, it was almost impossible to take away.
"Put down the beast-hide scroll!" The people below were truly frantic. After all their hard work, it would be unbearable if someone else just took it away.
"Are you scolding me? Don't provoke me, or I might accidentally cut down your Holy Sons and Holy Maidens." Ye Fan swept his gaze downward.
At these words, everyone's hearts turned cold. The most outstanding disciples of the Holy Lands and great sects were all immobilized in midair, and only Ye Fan was unaffected.
If he went berserk, it would be a real disaster. Thinking this, everyone felt a chill of fear.
"Swish"
With the cauldron above his head, Ye Fan strode forward, heading straight to a spot not far from the Golden Wing Little Peng King. His right hand moved like a golden millstone.
"Bang"
The Golden Wing Little Peng King was sent flying backward, but he was soon immobilized again. The force field formed by the Chaos Stone restrained everything, making it hard to move.
"Kid, you can't kill me!" The Golden Wing Little Peng King's eyes flashed with a wild light. Immobilized in the air, he finally gritted out these words.
"Bang"
Ye Fan threw another punch. His golden fist was heavy and powerful, slamming the Golden Wing Little Peng King into the Chaos Stone, causing the entire hall to shake.
Around them, many Holy Sons changed color, but no one spoke. Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
Ye Fan paced and swept his gaze across the surroundings.
Ji Haoyue, Holy Son Yao Guang, Yao Xi, the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi... all of them changed color.
Under Ye Fan's gaze, the Holy Sons and Holy Maidens of Da Yan, the Jiang Family, Wan Chu, Zi Mansion, Dao Yi, and many others felt uneasy, fearing he might charge forward.