Chapter 372: Immortal Tomb
"We're never arrogant, it's just that every time someone either crashes into us from below, or shoves their face in front of us demanding to be slapped, and there are even those who rush to gift us over a hundred thousand jin of Source," Li Heishui said with a brilliant smile.
The Supreme Elder of the Illusion-Destroying Sect immediately darkened his expression. This was like pointing at a monk and cursing a bald head—it struck a raw nerve. Last time, he had jumped into that trap himself, losing until his face turned green, and he still wanted to vomit blood just thinking about it.
"Black boy, don't get cocky just because you've had some luck. Be careful you don't suffer a miserable defeat later and die right in front of the strange stone," Li Yishui said darkly.
"With Senior Li here, I don't think I'll lose. It's become a pattern now—every time it's been the same, haha..." Li Heishui laughed loudly.
"Senior Li, what status do you have? Why bother with an ignorant child? Rest assured, they'll soon taste the bitter fruit of their own actions," a young man from the Source Art Aristocratic Clan sneered coldly.
Li Heishui mocked in return, "Who gave you permission to speak here? We're dueling in Source Art with people of your grandfather's generation. As for you... go find a cool place to stay out of the way."
"You..." The young man's face turned red, his neck bulging.
"Too arrogant! I'll be waiting to watch you fall hard from the clouds!" Wu Ziming, standing behind Li Yishui, gritted his teeth.
He and Li Chongtian were definitely victims too. Over several encounters, they had lost tens of thousands of jin of Source and suffered a great loss of face.
"Am I wrong? We're dueling with their grandfathers, what's a junior like him butting in for? He has no right to act superior in front of us. If he wants to look down on others, he should go study Source Art for another twenty years."
"Fine, fine, fine!" Several young disciples of the Source Art Aristocratic Clan stormed off in anger, knowing that continuing would only bring more humiliation.
The Source Art duel hadn't even begun, yet the atmosphere was already thick with gunpowder. If they could actually fight, it would surely be a life-and-death struggle.
Nearby, a group of old men watching narrowed their eyes. Today would undoubtedly be a clash of dragons and tigers. Both sides were so confident and confrontational that they would likely cut open something earth-shattering.
Among these people were ancient fossils with withered lifespans, Supreme Elders from Holy Lands, and overlords from the Demon Clan—all with astonishing backgrounds.
On the other side were the younger generation's Holy Son-rank figures from the Eastern Wasteland: the young Daoist nun from Dao Yi Holy Land, Jin Chixiao, the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi, Xu Heng, Yao Yuekong, and others were all paying close attention.
A master-level Source Art duel was a rare sight once in a century, let alone a shocking bet of one million five hundred thousand jin of Source. Such a high-stakes gamble hadn't been seen in several thousand years.
An old man from the Source Art Aristocratic Clan, with a kind face and benevolent eyes, spoke up, "Young friend, shall we begin?"
Ye Fan's heart tightened. He sensed a hint of danger and turned to Li Heishui, saying, "You can follow me, but don't get too close."
"Could that old bastard really dare to kill someone in broad daylight, in front of everyone?" Li Heishui was shocked.
"Don't worry about it. Just watch from the sidelines," Ye Fan instructed.
The blood-tear jade bamboo was pure white, flawless, sparkling and translucent. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, making them sound like falling tears of blood.
The bamboo grove was dense, blocking the sunlight, but the place wasn't dim at all—it was bright and glittering.
Ye Fan stepped forward, calmly facing the four old men without even glancing at the young ones. "Which senior would like to test my Source Art skills?"
"I'll take that role," said the old man who had just spoken. He came from the Nangong family and had been revered as a Source Art Grandmaster for ten years. His name was Nangong Qi.
After learning his identity, Ye Fan spoke calmly, "Senior Nangong, what are our rules?"
"If you win, besides the one million five hundred thousand jin of Source as the bet, you also get the treasures cut from the stones," Nangong Qi said with a smile.
"Good, that suits me fine!" Ye Fan nodded.
"I haven't finished yet," the old man shook his head.
"Oh? What else does Senior have to say?" Ye Fan asked.
"One million five hundred thousand jin of Source is no small amount. Betting on a single stone would be too hasty and wouldn't showcase the brilliance of a Source Art duel. I think each person should choose three stones. What do you think?"
"Fine, I agree!" Ye Fan nodded. Even a master can make mistakes; this way, both sides would be safer and could display their true skill.
"Then let's choose the stones," Nangong Qi said, walking toward the bamboo grove first.
The Celestial-rank Stone Garden buzzed with noise. Senior figures and Holy Son-rank elites all followed to see how they would select their stones.
Ye Fan strolled slowly among the blood-tear jade bamboo, examining the strange stones. He didn't rush to act—he needed to make a full circuit first.
In the Celestial-rank Stone Garden, there were many priceless strange stones, each extraordinary and astonishing. Their prices were equally daunting.
At a sunny spot where the jade bamboo was sparse, Ye Fan saw a stone worth one hundred twenty thousand jin of pure Source.
This stone was very special—spherical, perfectly round and natural, about one and a half meters in diameter. Touching it, one could feel a slight warmth.
"This must have been artificially polished!" Li Heishui asserted, because the stone was too regular.
"Young friend, you're mistaken. This stone was born this way. If you don't believe me, look closely."
"Right now, it resembles the sun. After sunlight shines on it each day, strands of essence flow within. Some speculate there's a stone embryo inside."
"Back then, many wanted to cut it open. If not for a Source Art Grandmaster vetoing it, Yao Guang Holy Land would have done it themselves."
Ye Fan judged that this stone was naturally formed, not artificially polished.
This strange stone was called "Demon Fetus." Some speculated it might contain a Sacred Spirit inside, even more precious than Dao Yi Holy Land's Nine-Orifice Stone Man.
The group of old men didn't comment much, because the Source Art Grandmaster had vetoed this stone, and Yao Guang was already considering lowering its price.
Ye Fan didn't draw any conclusions. He stood there for a long time before leaving to continue examining stones. Suddenly, he felt a dazzling sensation. A stone ahead stirred the purple light in his eyes.
He strode forward quickly, approaching it. The purple light in his eyes penetrated three inches into the stone, trying to see through it completely.
However, at that moment, the strange stone suddenly shattered, and a crimson dragon burst forth with blazing light, charging at Ye Fan's chest, aiming to pierce through it.
This sudden change stunned everyone. No one understood what was happening, except Ye Fan himself. The seemingly kind and benevolent Nangong Qi had set a trap for him.
This strange stone had been tampered with. Inside was a type of exotic Source called "Fire Red," which the opponent had transformed into dragon qi using profound Source Art, making it easy to mistake for Divine Source.
Touching it would inevitably cause it to shatter, and the endless essence would turn into a life-taking blade!
A Source Art duel could also kill. This was now vividly demonstrated. Ye Fan quickly retreated, dodging the crimson dragon's charge.
"Swoosh!"
A golden light shot over. The little golden spirit opened its mouth in midair and inhaled. The essence of the Fire Red Source turned into a divine light that vanished into its mouth. It smacked its lips in satisfaction, its big eyes sparkling.
"Little thing, you've done a great deed!" Li Heishui laughed loudly.
The little golden spirit didn't appreciate the praise. It bared its teeth and claws at him and Ye Fan, then flew off in a huff, landing on the shoulder of the White-Robed Little Nun.
Nearby, Ji Ziyue chuckled softly. She took out a Divine Source bean and waved it at the creature. The Divine Silkworm, utterly disloyal, scampered over without hesitation.
The White-Robed Little Nun pouted in dissatisfaction and called out softly, but the Divine Silkworm pretended to be deaf for the sake of the Divine Source bean.
"Sister Yilin, don't be mad. This little rascal is so easily tempted. You can't keep an eye on him. Why don't we take care of him together?" Ji Ziyue said sweetly, her dimples showing.
"Little darling, you're too easily tempted!" the White-Robed Little Nun complained.
The two girls, both with rosy lips, white teeth, and bright big eyes, stood together. One pouted in grievance, the other smiled slyly and cleverly, laughing nonstop. The contrast was amusing and very eye-catching.
"What exactly happened?" Someone from Yao Guang's Stone Workshop stepped forward. A strange stone worth thirty thousand jin of Source had shattered—that was their loss.
"Someone's Source Art isn't refined enough. They broke the stone. Let them compensate for it," a young man from the Source Art Aristocratic Clan said with a mocking glance at Ye Fan.
"Damn it! You clearly set a trap to kill! So despicable and shameless!" Li Heishui cursed.
Another young man from the Source Art Aristocratic Clan sneered, "Are you a rookie? Is this your first day in the Source Art business? Whoever breaks it pays for it!"
"Fine, I'll pay!" Ye Fan stopped Li Heishui.
He looked at Nangong Qi. The old man still wore a very kind expression, but he had given Ye Fan a warning shot right from the start. If he had reacted even a moment slower, he would have died on the spot.
The young men from the Source Art Aristocratic Clan all sneered coldly, their mockery undisguised. This was the first lesson for their opponent.
Now, everyone knew that Ye Fan had suffered a hidden loss. No one had expected a Source Art duel to be so dangerous. Even when selecting stones, a single moment of carelessness could allow an opponent to take advantage and kill you on the spot.
"An arrogant brat who doesn't know his place. The moment he faces a true grandmaster, the difference in level becomes clear," Li Yishui, the Supreme Elder of the Illusion-Destroying Sect, sneered repeatedly.
"That old bastard..." Li Heishui frowned and glared fiercely at him.
Ye Fan pulled him back, not letting him say more. He walked a few steps casually, then lightly stomped his foot on the ground.
"Boom!"
Not far away, screams rang out. Two young disciples of the Source Art Aristocratic Clan spat blood and were sent flying in a burst of brilliant light.
Beside them, a strange stone had shattered, and the essence of the exotic Source inside had all struck their bodies.
"Earth Vein Dragon Transformation Art!" Nangong Qi's eyes flashed as he stared at Ye Fan.
It was Ye Fan's deliberate act. He had used Source Art to dissolve the exotic Source inside that stone, turning it into dragon qi, returning the favor.
"These are just minor techniques. I also have life-slaying grand arts. If you want to play, I'll see it through to the end!" Ye Fan replied calmly.
Everyone was astonished. The Holy Maiden of Yao Chi, An Miaoyi, Yao Yuekong, Jin Chixiao, Jiang Yifei, and others couldn't help but look over.
The senior figures also showed surprise, silently observing everything.
"We'll settle this by cutting stones later," Nangong Qi said, turning and leaving.
Ye Fan walked deep into the bamboo grove. The jade bamboo shimmered with white light. He fixed his gaze on an extremely special stone and found it hard to move.
"This stone is worth two hundred fifty thousand jin of pure Source!" Li Heishui exclaimed, his face full of disbelief. This stone was ridiculously expensive—the most expensive he had ever seen, a true astronomical price.
"Immortal Tomb?!" Ye Fan was also shocked. This strange stone was called Immortal Tomb, a very odd name, but it suited its shape.
The stone was about two meters tall, shaped like an ancient tomb, with a base diameter of about three meters. It was covered in traces of age, looking less like a stone and more like an antique.
"This stone really does look like an ancient tomb. If you threw it in a cemetery, it would be hard to tell apart," Li Heishui said in amazement.
"You two young men should take a good look. This stone is probably one of the oldest in Yao Guang's Stone Workshop, a true treasure of the garden, very unique," an old man nearby introduced, his eyes burning with enthusiasm as he urged Ye Fan to cut it open.
"This stone has a lot of history. Look, there seem to be marks on the front, like writing or natural traces. I almost joined someone to buy it back in the day, but in the end, I didn't dare," another old man said, pointing to the other side of the Immortal Tomb, hoping to fulfill a long-held wish through Ye Fan and learn what was inside.
Ye Fan stepped forward to examine it closely and was shocked. On the front of the Immortal Tomb, there really were some impressions, like carved characters or natural markings.
"This is too strange. Could it really be a naturally formed ancient tomb? It looks like heavenly inscriptions..." Li Heishui was dumbfounded.
Clearly, the Immortal Tomb's reputation was enormous. When Ye Fan stopped here, many old men gathered around, unable to stay calm.
"In the past, even the Origin Heavenly Master specifically sought out such strange stones. He once said that there are naturally formed ancient tombs in the world, containing priceless immortal treasures."
"That's right. This stone got its name because it closely matches the Origin Heavenly Master's description, so it was called the Immortal Tomb."
"Young friend Gu, I strongly recommend this stone to you. It's definitely extraordinary, and it might really be a tomb sealed by heaven."
...
These old men were even more invested than Ye Fan. In just a moment, they had told him everything about this stone, even bringing up the Origin Heavenly Master from ten thousand years ago.
Ye Fan activated his Source Heaven Divine Sense. Purple light flickered in his eyes as he peered into the stone. Then, he walked around it several times, carefully pondering, and furrowed his brow.
"What's the matter? What did you see? Could it really be sealed with an immortal corpse? If so, not just the Eastern Wasteland, but the Central Province, Western Desert, Southern Ridge, and Northern Plains would all erupt," Li Heishui transmitted secretly.
Ye Fan shook his head. "My Source Heaven Divine Sense is only partially developed. It's not a Heavenly Eye, so it's hard to determine what's inside."
An old man nearby also reminded him, "Young friend, be cautious. If it were truly a naturally formed ancient tomb, Yao Guang wouldn't have placed it here."
Someone immediately retorted, "Every strange stone is full of uncertainty. I think this Immortal Stone is worth the gamble."
"How many people have come and gone over the years? Even former Source Art Grandmasters have been here, but in the end, they all gave up, didn't they?"
Before Ye Fan could respond, the group of old men started arguing among themselves.
He crouched down and touched the marks on the Immortal Tomb with his hand, trying to determine if they were naturally formed characters.
Someone said, "Some old immortals have been here. They said these scratches look like ancient script from before the Primordial Era, while others say they're blurry Dao patterns condensed by heaven and earth."
Ye Fan's eyes shot out purple light again, staring unblinkingly at those ancient traces. Then, he let the purple light penetrate three inches into the stone, probing deeper.
"Younger brother Gu Feng, your Source Art is truly superb. Your eyes shoot divine light like lightning—it's astonishing!"
"Brother Gu, your Source Art has improved again in just over a month."
The Great Xia Prince and Yao Yuekong approached, speaking one after another.
Ye Fan looked up slightly, his purple light flickering. He noticed that quite a few Holy Son-rank figures were nearby, including An Miaoyi and several Holy Maidens. He silently recited a prayer for forgiveness in his heart.
Li Heishui patted him and said with a mischievous grin, "Focus!"