Chapter 433: Dao Fragments Within the Sacred Fruit
The Ancient Forbidden Abyss had existed since time immemorial. What secrets did it hold? No one knew, and the legends about it were countless.
What exactly was the "desolation" beneath the endless abyss? Was it a living being, or a kind of power? No one could say for certain. Perhaps only the ancient Great Emperors had truly understood.
It was pitch black, like a bottomless pit, seemingly capable of devouring one's mind and spirit.
The Five-Colored Altar hung silently below, without the slightest fluctuation. What power sustained it? No one knew. It seemed as if it had never swayed even once since ancient times.
It was incomplete and damaged, bearing the unique scars of endless ages. Its luster had been sealed away, leaving only plainness and truth.
Ye Fan's heart could not find peace. Mount Tai, the Ancient Yinghuo Star, the Ancient Forbidden Land... Where would it be next? The Ziwei Ancient Emperor Star? This was an unpredictable journey.
Ye Fan very much wanted to leap down. This Five-Colored Altar connected to the Ancient Yinghuo Star, perhaps a path home. He wished he could reverse course and embark on the journey back.
The setting sun dyed the sky red. The aura of desolation suddenly intensified, like a volcano about to erupt. Ye Fan's physical body was violently assaulted.
He quickly retreated to the Life Spring Pool to nourish himself, then filled his Jade Purification Vase with divine water. Moving swiftly, he raced toward the Sacred Mountain where the Bronze Coffin lay.
Ye Fan's choice was correct. As the sky darkened, the Ancient Forbidden Abyss became increasingly terrifying. It was as if a peerless evil god was emerging. Terrifying waves surged, and heaven and earth trembled.
The aura of desolation spread out, enveloping the Nine Sacred Mountains, then rushing toward the more distant forbidden zone. It was like the end of the world had arrived. There was no sound, only boundless oppression.
Ye Fan hid inside the Bronze Coffin, quietly observing. His heart was shaken. What existence lay beneath the abyss? Or what kind of power was it?
"Perhaps only a resurrected ancient Great Emperor could resist it. Or is this the aura of a Great Emperor?" Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but he could not truly judge.
He soaked the Qilin seed and the seven-colored little stone in the Jade Purification Vase, nourishing them with divine spring water. Then he took out several pieces of ancient jade from Emperor Wu Shi and laid them together.
When the four pieces of Imperial Jade were assembled, they formed half a map. The Purple Mountain surrounded by nine dragon veins appeared. He studied it for a long time, wondering when he would be able to enter.
Finally, Ye Fan opened the small white jade cauldron and took out a pink fruit. It was carved like pink jade, no larger than a fist, shaped like a pink baby doll, very lifelike.
Its fragrance penetrated his five viscera and six bowels, soaking into every inch of his flesh and blood. Rich and fragrant, it was an irresistible temptation. The crystal-clear fruit contained infinite vitality.
"At the other end of the starry sky, the legendary ginseng fruit from ancient myths—is this that kind of Immortal Elixir? It must be something similar."
Ye Fan took a bite of the pink jade-like fruit. His mouth was filled with fragrance, and his entire body was enveloped in radiance. He felt as if he were about to ascend to immortality, surrounded by hazy mists.
He did not consume it all at once. After one bite, he began to meditate and refine it, striving to maximize the medicinal effect. He planned to stay in this forbidden zone for several months, not leave immediately.
In an instant, his body seemed to catch fire. His withered and depleted flesh suddenly blazed with brilliance, enveloped in scorching light.
"This is..." Ye Fan was startled. The Dao wounds were being nourished. Although there was no sign of healing, he felt a surge of comfort.
"Fragments of the Heavenly Dao's laws!"
Two divine beams shot from his eyes. The light around him grew even brighter. Within this sacred fruit was a power of order and rules, something only detectable upon reaching the fourth secret realm.
It was the presence of this power that brought a trace of vitality to his Dao wounds. This was a very good sign. If he consumed more sacred fruits, there would definitely be noticeable improvement.
"Immortal Elixirs truly are sacred objects, containing such fragments of the Heavenly Dao's laws..." Ye Fan knew this was the best medicine for healing Dao wounds.
The night was peaceful. He sat motionless, slowly refining the fruit bit by bit.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, in the latter part of the night, Ye Fan was awakened by a tremendous sound. It was as if heaven and earth were about to overturn. The Nine Sacred Mountains shook.
"Clank, clank, clank!"
The sound of enormous iron chains, like demonic tones from hell, filled the sky and shook the clouds.
The terrifying iron chains, the sound of death, the immense noise, bone-chilling cold—it was as if a peerless evil being had broken out of a hellish prison.
Ye Fan was horrified. The hairs on his body stood on end. He felt a peerless killing intent. If he were not inside the Bronze Coffin, his body might have been torn apart.
He stood at the edge of the coffin and looked up toward the Sacred Mountain. A chill ran up his spine, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
Endless demonic clouds surged, rushing out from the abyss like terrifying waves crashing against the sky. Vaguely visible were several enormous iron chains, cold light flashing, connecting to the heavens.
A terrifying existence was tightly bound, struggling in the sky. Heaven and earth were on the verge of collapse. At the same time, low roars echoed in people's hearts, like mountains pressing down.
"What is that?" Ye Fan muttered to himself. When they first came to this world, leaving the Ancient Forbidden Land late at night, they had also seen this kind of terrifying phenomenon.
Some said it was a Desolation Slave, an untamed peerless figure. Others said it was a clone created by the Desolation itself. No one truly understood.
Ye Fan retreated deep into the coffin, calmed his mind, and continued refining the sacred fruit. External things could not move his fundamental heart. He forgot everything, undisturbed by the sounds.
It took Ye Fan three full days to completely refine one ginseng fruit, allowing its ultimate medicinal effect to be fully realized. All the essence was absorbed.
Within his Dao wounds, vitality surged. There were signs of improvement. His blood energy became much more vigorous, and his flesh regained vitality.
"Indeed... Dao wounds require corresponding laws to heal. Life essence alone is not enough!" Ye Fan muttered to himself.
Then, he spent another three days refining and absorbing the second ginseng fruit. His life force immediately flourished, and golden blood energy swirled around his body.
But Ye Fan frowned. The fragments of Dao laws he absorbed were repetitive and did not have much effect.
"Does the same sacred fruit contain the same divine effect, just like the legends say?"
In truth, there was only one divine medicine plant in the forbidden zone. The nine types of sacred fruits were all offshoots from it. They could not be considered true Immortal Elixirs. However, if all nine fruits were gathered and combined, they would be comparable.
The original main root, though not transformed into nine separate divine medicines, had nine mutated branches. If their medicinal effects were combined, they could rival two or three Immortal Elixirs.
Of course, there were also great drawbacks. Immortal Elixirs were all unique. After being divided, they lacked spirituality. They could no longer fly through the heavens and earth. The Heavenly Dao laws they contained were also incomplete.
Only by reuniting them could one obtain the true, flawless, and mature power of an Immortal Elixir.
Ye Fan sealed the third sacred fruit, no longer consuming it. He prepared to risk climbing the mountain to pick other sacred fruits to heal his Dao wounds.
"What if I encounter the Desolation Slave again?"
This was Ye Fan's greatest concern. He could not escape danger every time. Next time, he might be struck down, body and soul annihilated.
He went deep into the coffin, embraced the small inner coffin, and shook it with force. But it did not budge. He was filled with endless curiosity, wanting to open it, but he could not move it at all.
"Carrying the coffin up the mountain is unrealistic. It seems I can only rely on myself and risk my life!" Ye Fan sighed. He poured divine spring water from the Jade Purification Vase into his mouth.
Then, he took out the Qilin divine medicine seed and the seven-colored little stone and rushed toward the peak of the Sacred Mountain.
During the day, the Nine Sacred Mountains were very quiet. Although the aura of desolation was strong, it was far weaker than at night. Ye Fan continuously drank divine spring water and absorbed the essence from the divine medicine seed and the little stone, so he did not age much.
He climbed a Sacred Mountain he had never been to before. From afar, he saw a patch of crystalline light and an endless fragrance wafting over. Ye Fan quickly approached, plunged into a Life Spring Pool, drank his fill, and then examined the sacred fruits.
There were seven small trees here, pure white in color—both leaves and branches. They shimmered with crystalline luster. Each tree bore a crescent-shaped fruit, different in color from the plant itself. They were silvery and brilliant, like little moons hanging on the branches.
Ye Fan took out his jade cauldron, picked all seven silver moon sacred fruits, sealed them carefully, and then rushed toward another Sacred Mountain. The Desolation Slave had not appeared. This was an excellent opportunity. He wanted to pick all the divine medicines from the Nine Sacred Mountains in one go.
He arrived at another Sacred Mountain. Five small emerald jade trees swayed, rustling and flowing with light. At the top of each tree hung a heart-shaped fruit, red as blood, bright and beautiful, as if carefully polished from the most brilliant ruby. Their fragrance was intoxicating.
When the small trees swayed and the red heart-shaped fruits trembled, they truly seemed like five hearts beating, full of vigorous life and power.
Ye Fan quickly picked them and prepared to rush to the next Sacred Mountain. But when he glanced into the abyss, his expression changed drastically. The Holy Maiden of Tianxuan was flying up like a water spirit fairy.
Ye Fan turned and fled. At this moment, his life force was still vigorous, and his speed was extremely fast. Golden blood energy swirled around his body, like golden divine fire burning.
But the Holy Maiden of Tianxuan was even faster. She crossed the void in an instant and arrived beside him, slowly descending. Her white robes fluttered, her bearing peerless, like a divine maiden descending from beyond the heavens.
She did not attack. She only stared at Ye Fan's feet, lost in thought. Traces of light flowed in her eyes.
Ye Fan's mind was sharp. He instantly thought of a possibility. He exerted all his strength, began to display the Old Madman's footwork, and rushed toward the ancient coffin.
As he expected, the Holy Maiden of Tianxuan's black hair danced as she flew through the air. She only stared at his feet, not making a move against him, observing this strange footwork.
"Swish"
In no time, Ye Fan returned and plunged into the Bronze Coffin. The Holy Maiden of Tianxuan halted, no longer following. Her expression was somewhat wooden, as if she were trying to recall something.
"The Old Madman is not dead. I don't know if he is your senior brother or your junior uncle..." Ye Fan transmitted his voice.
Silently, the Holy Maiden of Tianxuan departed. In a flash, she was at the peak of the Sacred Mountain. In another flash, she disappeared into the abyss.
This time, after returning, Ye Fan began to go into seclusion, refining the silver moon fruits and the heart-shaped red fruits.
Mists flowed, fragrance assailed the nostrils. For half a month, Ye Fan's entire body was crystalline, light flowing, as if he were about to ascend to immortality. Golden blood energy surged, and an ocean of essence energy roared.
Most peculiar of all, as he sat cross-legged, various Dao diagrams swirled around him, profound and mysterious. He was like a deity, united with heaven and earth, drawing the Dao into his body.
Ye Fan did not move. The Dao wounds within his body slowly healed in part. The incomplete fragments of Heavenly Dao laws were very effective for him in this ancient heaven and earth.
"Swish"
He opened his eyes, shooting out two blazing divine beams. Over the past half month, he had refined three silver moon fruits and two heart-shaped fruits.
"If I refine two or three of each type of sacred fruit, the Dao wounds will surely be dissolved!" His entire body surged with essence energy. Incomplete Dao diagrams swirled around him, constantly imprinting into his body.
Ye Fan stood up and walked to the inner coffin. He exerted force to move it.
"Clang!"
It moved! He had actually pushed the small coffin!
Ye Fan's heart trembled. What was inside the coffin? He exerted force to lift the lid, wanting to open it and see what was inside.
"Hum!"
The moment the small coffin moved, the large coffin shook. Various bronze carvings flashed with light. Especially the starry sky map—it was even more peculiar, like a real universe appearing, stars twinkling.
The vast heavens, the boundless starry sky, cold and dark, lacking life. Emptiness was the eternal theme.
The blurry Stellar Ancient Path, like a thread, quickly flickered and vanished. Ye Fan was truly stunned.
The Stellar Ancient Path had no end. Who had paved it? Where did it lead? Was it to the Ziwei Ancient Star, or to an even more ancient and mysterious star domain?