Chapter 292: Fame Shakes the Eight Directions
"Have you heard of a young man named Ye Fan? He’s the one who single-handedly captured the younger generation of the demon clan... Only a Great Emperor can found a Holy Land, but Holy Lands not founded by an Emperor are equally terrifying, for their accumulated foundations are thick and deep.
Some emulate nature, carving the imprints of the Great Dao; others have received nameless inheritances, possessing unfathomable depths; still others have produced generation after generation of sages, creating supreme scriptures through long accumulation.
No Holy Land is undeserving of its name; all are extremely powerful, even beyond imagination. What they lack is merely an Extreme Dao Weapon.
After all, the Great Emperors have long since vanished. Only the Extreme Dao Weapons they left behind remain the most powerful things. Holy Lands that never produced a Great Emperor naturally covet such sacred artifacts even more.
"Latest news! Yaoguang Holy Land and the Ji Family have put out a sky-high bounty. Anyone who can provide relevant clues will receive thirty square measures of Source!"
"That’s a massive move. Offering ten thousand catties of Source just for clues about Ye Fan? Wealth stirs men’s hearts. The Northern Domain will boil over."
"That’s not the most shocking news. The bigger bounty is yet to come. If someone can precisely confirm where that young man surnamed Ye is, they can claim thirty square measures of Source."
"Thirty square measures—a full hundred thousand catties of Source! That’s a heaven-defying price!"
As soon as these messages spread, the Northern Domain was shaken. Many people began to act, all seeking Ye Fan’s whereabouts.
Clearly, this value wasn’t for Ye Fan himself, but for the existence of the Primordial Mother Qi Root.
Naturally, many sneered. A sacred artifact was priceless; even a million catties of Source wouldn’t be enough. Any major force with real depth, if they obtained it, would never trade it away.
Countless cultivators mobilized. Many knew that even if they got the sacred artifact, they couldn’t keep it. Better to go to other Holy Lands and demand a price—it would certainly be higher than what the Ji Family and Yaoguang offered.
In the Southern Domain of the Eastern Wasteland, on Clumsy Peak of Grand Mystery, the vegetation withered, presenting a scene of desolation.
Ever since Ye Fan left here and burned the Ji Family’s Supreme Elder to death, Clumsy Peak had faced immense pressure. Even the Grand Mystery Sect Leader had to step in, ordering other disciples to return to their original main peaks.
Clumsy Peak, which had just shown signs of revival, was now desolate again.
Now, overgrown with weeds, dotted with withered trees, and filled with falling yellow leaves, only Li Ruoyu remained on the entire peak, sitting quietly amidst the ruins.
"You’ve really brought out a fine disciple—one that keeps the Holy Lands restless." The Grand Mystery Sect Leader landed on Clumsy Peak, having received news from the Northern Domain.
"He is not my disciple. But if I could have such a student, it would be worth it. Even if Clumsy Peak withers, having someone like him will be enough to bring it glory in the future," Li Ruoyu replied.
"You’re quite open-minded about it. But the pressure on Grand Mystery has grown considerably." The Grand Mystery Sect Leader, hands clasped behind his back, gazed toward the clouds. "Everyone wishes for a disciple who can shake the world, one for whom they could die smiling. But there must be a limit. Otherwise, it will bring great disaster in the future."
Back at Grand Mystery, on a subsidiary peak of Star Peak, a blue-robed man, elegant as jade and ethereal as an immortal, gently plucked his zither strings, producing a beautiful melody. Around him, many flowers bloomed in time with the music, and hundreds of birds flew in to pay homage, dancing gracefully.
When the song ended, he raised his head and looked at a woman in white, pure as snow, across from him. "Junior Sister Xiaoman, what kind of place is your homeland? I’d like to hear about it. And while you’re at it, tell me about this Ye Fan."
In the Northern Domain, within a palace of the Ji Family, Ji Ziyue ground her sparkling little tiger teeth, sulking to herself. She muttered under her breath, "So that little Daoist was him."
Then, she wrinkled her delicate nose, hugged Ji Haoyue’s arm, and said, "Good thing I didn’t throw big brother into the furnace."
"Sooner or later, I’ll catch him!" Ji Haoyue’s body was shrouded in divine moonlight, dragon qi coiling around him. The aura of a Divine King was already beginning to emerge.
In the Northern Domain’s Holy City—a magnificent metropolis spanning who knows how many li—this city had never changed its location since recorded history began. No one knew how many years it had existed.
The First Ancient City of the Northern Domain, the First Divine City—these were its names. Legend said that in the distant past, it once hung in the sky.
Here, there were Great Powers from the Northern Plains and imperial clans from the Central Province, all residing here year-round. Now, even some of the city’s top figures had heard of Ye Fan’s name.
A Great Power from the Northern Plains was laughing wildly in the Holy City, startling many.
"Old Peng King, let’s see you keep your nose in the air! Every time you see me, your chin is practically pointing at the sky. You have a prodigy among your descendants, but that’s no reason to boast that none of my eighteen grandsons can match your one heir. And what happened? Your bluster burst, didn’t it? Walking the path of an Emperor? Hah, he was still flipped over and suppressed with a single hand! Hahaha..."
"Too bad Old Peng King is scouring the world for his descendant. Otherwise, we could enjoy another earth-shattering battle between you two," chuckled an elder from a Central Province imperial clan.
If anyone was burning with rage right now, it wasn’t even Old Peng King at his worst. It was the people of Yaoguang Holy Land.
A dignified Holy Land—its two future exemplary figures—had been taken away in a furnace by some nobody, not even one left behind.
The Holy Son of Yaoguang had the ambition of an Emperor, renowned among all Holy Lands. His performance had earned everyone’s recognition. But now, he’d been scooped up in a broken furnace.
This was a disgrace beyond measure!
Ye Fan’s words had already spread to every major sect: he would personally visit Yaoguang and the Ji Family in the future. This made all the Holy Lands lose face—a mere minor cultivator declaring war on immortal traditions.
For over half a month, the winds of change had surged. The Northern Domain could not find peace. Yet no one had been able to locate Ye Fan.
At this moment, he felt no sense of crisis. Transforming himself, he became a dashing young man, often appearing in the gambling stone workshops, quite at ease.
"Golden Wing Little Peng King, Holy Son Yao Guang, Yao Xi—all of you, quiet down. If you push me too far, I’ll throw you all into the Primordial Ancient Mine!" Ye Fan held the Li Fire Divine Furnace, threatening the three inside.
But the Golden Wing Little Peng King had a fierce temperament. Holy Son Yao Guang and Yao Xi would never submit. Trapped in the bronze furnace, they attacked the seals every day, trying to break free.
"I’m keeping you alive for now because you’re useful. Don’t force me to take drastic measures. Be careful, or I’ll stick this furnace into a latrine for ten thousand years!"
When Ye Fan said this, even the composed Holy Son Yao Guang almost cursed. Yao Xi was so furious her beautiful face lost its color.
But the effect was obvious. Even the arrogant Golden Wing Little Peng King had no retort.