Chapter 490: Provoking a Sage
The Ziwei Sect stretched endlessly, auspicious vapors permeating the air. Rows of purple mountain peaks stood side by side, with ten-thousand-year-old peerless spiritual medicines growing here and there, the spiritual energy thick and hazy.
As Ye Fan and the others walked into this ancient land, they could smell a heart-soothing fragrance. On sheer cliffs and beside ancient trees, a rare precious medicine could occasionally be spotted.
"That purple cliff has a 'Dragon Ancient Divine Orchid'—at least fifteen thousand years old! It's a peerless spiritual medicine!" Big Black Dog's old habit flared up again, his copper-bell-sized eyes glowing green as he wished he could pounce over and snatch it away.
Range after range of mountains shimmered with flowing light, wrapped in mist and clouds. Precipitous cliffs and strange rocks stood tall, making the place look very much like an immortal realm.
Beyond the uniquely shaped stone mountains, many peaks were full of vitality, covered with exotic trees that stretched like coiled flood dragons, swaying with sparkling green light.
Countless white waterfalls cascaded down from the mountain peaks, piercing through ribbon-like clouds, appearing both ethereal and magnificent.
On almost every purple mountain peak, one or two precious medicines over ten thousand years old could be found. Setting aside everything else, these alone were worth a fortune.
The Ziwei Sect had an ancient heritage, having existed for over a hundred thousand years. Having such accumulated wealth was only natural, yet it still amazed Ye Fan and the others.
This was an ancient land, meticulously managed by predecessors over countless generations, filled with many rare treasures that ordinary great sects could never compare to.
Several young disciples of the Ziwei Sect accompanied them, leading the way. Each one was nervous—the disheveled strange man made their hair stand on end.
Legend had it that ancient sages possessed boundless divine power, capable of anything, beyond anyone's comprehension. They were like walking deities in the mortal world, inspiring reverence.
Even in ancient times, such beings were rarely born, which was why they were honored as sages, revered by all races and venerated for ten thousand generations.
In the Ziwei ancient land, stars densely filled the sky, as if they were in an endless starry expanse. Starlight flowed over the main peaks, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
Before long, the Ziwei Sect Master and many Supreme Elders personally came out to welcome them. Facing an existence comparable to an ancient sage, no one dared to be presumptuous.
With such a "divine being" visiting, they were all extremely troubled. If he came to settle a score, how could they resist? Use their so-called foundation? But this was a living, unharmed sage—they simply couldn't fight him!
"Senior, your esteemed presence graces us. We failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive our offense!" These people performed great bows and paid their respects, their hearts filled with anxiety.
As for the younger generation of the Ziwei Sect, they barely dared to breathe, following at the very back to pay their respects. Inwardly, they cursed Ye Fan—how had he managed to invite such a divine being? Just barging in like this would scare people to death!
Old Madman remained silent, his hollow eyes fixed on the stars above the Ziwei ancient land and the purple great star at the center, as if pondering something.
"Esteemed seniors, I apologize for intruding on your secluded cultivation..." Ye Fan smoothed things over, explaining that Old Madman was walking the mortal world in a unique form of "seclusion" to seek a breakthrough. Therefore, he paid little attention to external matters and might even be wandering through the void in spirit right now, so they shouldn't take offense.
Seeking a breakthrough? The top figures of the Ziwei Sect exchanged bewildered glances. He was already comparable to an ancient sage and still wanted to break through? Was he even letting others live?!
Ye Fan was very humble, not using Old Madman's sage might to pressure them. Just making an appearance here was enough—the Ziwei Sect would never dare trouble him again in the future.
Old Madman couldn't travel with him forever; he might disappear soon. For now, Ye Fan could only borrow his power like this to make the Holy Lands wary.
"Uncle doesn't like to talk. Big Brother is telling the truth..." Little Nannan spoke innocently, then the little one started "climbing a tree," tugging at Old Madman's clothes, wanting to get up.
The big shots of the Ziwei Sect were completely dizzy. In this era, only this little girl would dare to "climb a tree" on an existence comparable to an ancient sage.
Big Black Dog stepped forward and carried Little Nannan onto Old Madman's shoulder. The little girl wasn't afraid at all and sat down by herself.
The people of the Ziwei Sect didn't dare disturb Old Madman, letting him stroll through the ancient land. They pulled Ye Fan aside and asked, "How did you come to know that senior?"
"We are old acquaintances. He's practically my half-master, having once taught me the Celestial Pivot Step Art. We've simply reunited now." Ye Fan smiled.
The Ziwei Sect people were instantly petrified, suddenly guessing the identity of the disheveled strange man—he was the only surviving Mad Old Man of the Celestial Pivot Holy Land!
Big Black Dog barked, "Are you people trying to kill Ye Fan?" He spoke very directly, like a reckless fool, deliberately playing the bad cop to pressure them.
"How could that be..." A big shot of the Ziwei Sect wiped cold sweat, glancing at Old Madman not far away, feeling very guilty.
If they provoked this sage into anger, he could flip the entire Ziwei ancient land over. Who would dare court such misfortune now?
"But, we heard about it with our own ears not long ago." Big Black Dog wouldn't let it go, speaking very loudly.
In the distance, Little Nannan sat on Old Madman's shoulder, looking pitiful, and said, "Old grandpa, please don't kill Big Brother, okay?"
Dizzying—would we dare kill him? Little ancestor, please don't look so innocent. The big shots of the Ziwei Sect's hearts were pounding. Little Nannan sitting on the sage's shoulder and pleading like this made their hair stand on end.
"Old grandpa, please don't kill us, okay?" Little Nannan continued to plead softly, looking pitiful.
This was truly terrifying—pleading while sitting on a sage's body made the group of big shots restless. They all spoke up one after another.
"It's all a misunderstanding. Such a thing will never happen."
"Rest assured, our Ziwei Sect has always been detached from worldly conflicts. We would never do such a thing."
"From now on, the young people of our sect will interact more with you."
This group of big shots had never encountered such a situation before. Even the Holy Lands had never come to demand an accounting. Now, a few grassroots individuals with no background had brought a sage to visit.
"As long as that's not the case, it's fine. If you really wanted to kill us, the sage wouldn't stand idly by." Big Black Dog spoke shamelessly.
"Esteemed seniors, please don't mind him. Don't listen to his nonsense. Actually, I came to apologize..." Ye Fan knew when to stop, taking a very low posture, claiming he had come bearing thorns to apologize for the Zhao Fa incident.
The Ziwei Sect Master stood tall and imposing, as if wearing a purple-gold crown and a starry robe. His eyes were as deep as the ocean, and a purple great star hung above his head, like an Heavenly Emperor reincarnated.
On an ordinary day, he wouldn't bother saying much to Ye Fan, but now he lowered his stance, smiled slightly, and said, "Let bygones be bygones. Don't mention it anymore."
"You young people should interact more in the future..." The Supreme Elders beside him also spoke up.
Ye Fan and the others entered the Ziwei Sect and were eventually personally escorted out by many Supreme Elders, causing a stir throughout the central region. This was a major event.
"Are you kidding? Bringing a sage to visit—no one can handle that!"
"I wonder if their next stop will be the Central Province. If they visit the Yin Yang Sect, it'll definitely be lively. If that supreme great sect of the Central Province resists, it'll be an earth-shattering battle."
...
The outside world buzzed with discussion. After receiving the news, all the Holy Lands became extremely wary, afraid that Ye Fan, not knowing his place, would rely on Old Madman to cause trouble at their gates.
If that happened, the Holy Lands would lose face. Whether to fight or not would put them in a dilemma.
Soon, Old Madman's identity spread from the Ziwei Sect, triggering a shockwave—he was actually the only surviving supreme expert of the Celestial Pivot Holy Land!
"He's the Mad Old Man... returned to youth. Six thousand years have passed and he still hasn't died. How many more years can he live?!"
"No wonder. It can only be him. He was already invincible in the Eastern Wasteland six thousand years ago. After so many years, it's only natural that he's now comparable to an ancient sage!"
"So it's the unmatched expert of yesteryear. Has his lifespan been extended again?!"
No one was unmoved. This unparalleled existence, who had no equal in the Eastern Wasteland six thousand years ago, now had his lifespan extended again, shocking everyone.
In the current situation, the Celestial Pivot Holy Land couldn't be considered destroyed. As long as Old Madman lived for one more day, he could rebuild it at any time with his supreme cultivation.
Ye Fan's enemies were furious. The Peerless Divine King was destined to fall, and they thought the opportunity to kill Ye Fan had come. They never expected a sage to appear out of nowhere.
Now, even the Holy Lands dared not touch him. Old Madman was invincible in his era. If he went berserk, he could absolutely tear a Holy Land apart!
Because this was no longer the past. Ancient sages were almost impossible to be born now. He was a living ancient scripture and sage—who could contend with him?
Ye Fan and the others left, planning to head to the Sacred Cliff. They had no intention of visiting the Holy Lands. He was only borrowing Old Madman's might to survive, not to stir up trouble.
But that day, the Eastern Wasteland was greatly shaken. All the Saint Lords came to pay homage, rushing to meet Old Madman one after another.
The Holy Lands were very uneasy. Now, Old Madman's mind was clearly not as chaotic, and he was so silent—he must have remembered everything from the past.
Back then, the Holy Lands had stripped the Celestial Pivot Holy Land clean. What would this sage do now that he understood everything?
If he was enraged and attacked the Holy Lands, it would be a disaster of rivers of blood. No family could remain calm.
When Ye Fan and the others entered Wangkong City, the entire street fell silent. Everyone retreated, leaving only the Saint Lords to respectfully welcome Old Madman.
Every person's expression was extremely devout. They were all cautious, performing great bows and paying respects. No one dared to be negligent.
The Saint Lord of the Jiang Family, the Saint Lord of the Wind Clan, the Saint Lord of the Ji Family, the Saint Lord of Yaoguang, the Saint Lord of the Zi Mansion, the Saint Lord of Wanchu, the Female Saint Lord of Yao Chi...
On this day, the Eastern Wasteland shook violently, as if a tsunami had sunk the earth. The world watched, and everyone talked about it.
A named and titled sage had emerged, his lifespan extended again. Even people in the Central Province heard about it, and it was a frenzy!
The Yin Yang Sect was completely silent, utterly voiceless. They no longer dared to send a single person to the Eastern Wasteland. They had even prepared to face the sage in battle in the Central Province.
Beside the Saint Lord of the Ji Family, Ji Haoyue and Ji Ziyue accompanied him, both given the opportunity to pay homage to the current sage, as they were the future hope of their family.
The Divine King Physique had fought the Yin Yang Holy Son in the Southern Domain, as everyone knew. He had beaten the Yin Yang Holy Son until he vomited blood before stopping. Now, hearing that Ye Fan had personally killed him, Ji Haoyue carefully observed Ye Fan.
The little moon of the Ji Family showed dimples on her cheeks, her little tiger teeth sparkling. Learning that Ye Fan had cut his own cultivation and could survive, she felt relieved. She wanted to squeeze over, but was stopped by the Divine King Physique, pouting and muttering softly.
Beside the Saint Lord of the Jiang Family, Jiang Yifei accompanied him. He was as white as snow, elegant as jade, very refined, impossible not to notice.
He left a deep impression on Ye Fan. Like Hua Yunfei and the Holy Son Yao Guang, he had his own unique charm.
By now, Ye Fan was certain that Jiang Yifei was definitely not the mysterious Divine King Physique of the Jiang Family, but he felt this person was probably unfathomable—not a Divine King Physique, yet by no means weaker than the Jiang Family's young Divine King.
Beside the Saint Lord of the Wind Clan, Wind Phoenix accompanied him, looking at Ye Fan with a complex expression. He had even invited a sage, and with a half-crippled body, he had killed the Yin Yang Holy Son. This deeply shook her. The potential of the Sacred Body was far greater than she had imagined.
Additionally, the Holy Maiden of Yao Chi, the Holy Maiden of Dao Yi, the Holy Maiden of the Zi Mansion, and others also came with their sect masters to pay respects to Old Madman.
"What do these Saint Lords mean? Why have they brought their strongest Holy Sons or Holy Maidens?" Li Heishui was suspicious.
"We pay our respects to the senior. We are willing to send our strongest successors into the Celestial Pivot Holy Land to help the sage rebuild its glory and let it reappear in the world." The Saint Lords spoke in unison.
"What the hell, a big move! Do they dare do that?!" Even Big Black Dog was stunned.
Wangkong City was silent to the extreme, especially this ancient street, where you could hear a pin drop. Everyone looked this way, waiting.
But Old Madman remained very silent, not saying a word for a long time.
Some Saint Lords broke out in cold sweat. They had looted the Celestial Pivot Holy Land clean. Now, this sage had not only emerged alive but was also clear-headed, causing them immense worry.
"We are willing to provide everything to restore the Celestial Pivot Holy Land to its former glory!" A Saint Lord spoke again.
The others didn't want to fall behind, chiming in one after another, earnestly requesting to restore the glory of the Celestial Pivot Holy Land and revive the brilliance of this once-prosperous Holy Land.
The Holy Lands had powerful "foundations" that could contend with the world's supreme combat power. But after a battle, they would likely be extremely weak for a considerable time.
Because Old Madman was a current sage—unharmed, unwounded, in his prime, with a long lifespan remaining. He could fight any enemy!
If he went on a killing spree, he would exhaust the Holy Lands' "foundations," as he could wage a prolonged war. That would be a catastrophic outcome!
"Let the past be past..." Old Madman finally spoke a sentence. A clear wind blew, his thick black hair dancing, revealing his bronze-colored face.
His features were very upright—straight nose, square mouth, face carved like a knife, extremely resolute. But his eyes were bottomless, like two abysses.
Suddenly, large white petals drifted down from the sky, each as big as a palm, all stained with blood threads.
"Mortals' World..."
Many people changed color. This was the ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty's high-profile killing method, only done in the ancient past. Were they really making a strong comeback now?
"Must kill the Sacred Body!"
These four words rumbled through heaven and earth like thunder, then a half-man-tall white petal drifted down.
"The Mortal World's kill order!"
"This is a divine dynasty kill order issued only after accepting at least ten commissions!"
Someone exclaimed, explaining its significance.
On that large white petal were carved scenes of mortal life's ups and downs, representing the Mortal World. Behind them, two words were written in blood: Ye Fan.
This was the ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty's kill order. They dared to kill even with a sage's protection—a very thought-provoking matter!
"If you want to kill me, come on!" Ye Fan shouted.
Suddenly, the sky darkened. Countless black petals drifted down, like ink jade, also stained with blood threads.
"What, the Underworld has also appeared? This is their assassin's order!"
"The ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty Underworld has also emerged!"
People exclaimed again, all changing color.
Finally, a huge black petal fell, engraved with a deity breaking free from chains and charging out of the Underworld, representing this ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty.
Additionally, two words were written in blood on it: Ye Fan!
Still a kill order. The ancient Assassin Divine Dynasty Underworld had also received at least ten commissions to kill Ye Fan.
"So many ancient heritages have contacted the Mortal World and the Underworld to kill the Sacred Body..." Everyone changed color.
Knowing he was walking with a sage, they still dared to issue a kill order. The terror of the Mortal World and the Underworld sent chills down everyone's spine.