# Chapter 545: The Fallen Ground of the Sacred Spirit
Central Province, Fire Demon Ridge.
Legend has it that this place once gave birth to a Fire Clan Sacred Spirit, nearly comparable to an Ancient Emperor, suppressing the world and shaking the Primordial Era.
Unfortunately, it was said to have been suppressed to death by an Ancient Heavenly Emperor, its form and spirit utterly destroyed, leaving not a trace of life.
Endless years had passed, yet some legends about it still remained. Various signs indicated that the Ruthless Great Emperor had personally slain it.
Back then, the Devouring Heaven Great Emperor had bathed the world in blood. Later, despite having unparalleled merits for the human race, these were not passed down through the ages, but were deliberately erased.
Later generations could only sigh, catching a few faint clues. The Heavenly Emperor had long since passed, and the past had turned to smoke.
Fire Demon Ridge stretched endlessly, filled with withered mountains and scattered rocks, countless dead volcanoes, not a trace of life. Grayness and monotony coexisted, even the sky was hazy and dim.
Ye Fan and the Big Black Dog arrived at this place. Their divine thoughts spread like an ocean, exploring the entire region.
However, the territory of Fire Demon Ridge was too vast, boundless and limitless. The withered mountains grew not a single blade of grass, stretching beyond the horizon. This was a barren land.
"In ancient times, the earth contained endless divine fire, giving birth to a Fire Spirit. It fell from the Dao into demonhood and was ultimately annihilated," the Big Black Dog said.
Having seen the Ruthless One sink her coffin into the chaos at the Crow's Nest, and now coming to the place of her great achievement in battle, the Big Black Dog felt somewhat moved.
Only a nine-orifice stone man could become a Sacred Spirit, an invincible existence under heaven and earth. Yet the Ruthless One had destroyed a Fire Clan Sacred Spirit without it ever being known to the world.
Ye Fan's heart also stirred with emotion. Standing on this ancient ground, silently gazing at the endless dead veins, he marveled at the combat power of the ancient Heavenly Emperor.
The divine fire underground seemed to have long cooled. All volcanoes were dead, no longer erupting. Yet there were still some strange fluctuations, untouched by snowflakes.
"Where is Yi Yi?" Ye Fan muttered to himself, scanning one volcano after another.
Though there were endless legends, he had no mood to investigate them. Saving people was the most urgent matter. He feared that Liu Yiyi might meet with an accident.
He didn't know how many miles they had traveled when distant majestic mountains appeared, vast and white. Heavy snow danced, bitter cold raged.
The dead volcano cluster was embedded within a stretch of snowy mountain ranges, a very peculiar place in the Central Province. Ordinary people were unwilling to venture deep into this area.
Because the place where a Sacred Spirit had perished always made people feel uneasy. Though nothing had ever happened, anyone who came here would have a strange illusion, as if entering an ancient graveyard.
"You've finally come..." A voice like a wandering soul echoed through the mountains.
Ye Fan's expression tightened. On a nearby volcanic crater, he saw a light gate, flowing with strange and uncanny power, its destination unknown.
"Where is Yi Yi?"
"She's not dead yet." The speaker did not appear, only the voice remained, cold and merciless, carrying a hint of mockery. "She will personally witness the scene of you kneeling on the ground. Please enter the Sacred Gate."
"You think we'll just go in because you say so?" The Big Black Dog was indignant, baring its teeth. "Who knows where that thing leads!"
"If you want to save people, do you have any other choice?" The voice in the shadows carried a trace of sarcasm.
"My human pet's beast pet, you're too cocky!" Black Emperor cursed. "If we lose our lives, how can we save anyone? Dream on!"
The person in the shadows was silent for a moment before speaking: "This gate does not lead to a death ground. It's only to check whether you came here yourself."
Ye Fan didn't say much. He could already tell that this person was merely following orders, not the mastermind behind the killing trap.
Above the volcanic crater, the light gate blazed brilliantly, like a golden house, as if endless treasures lay behind it.
The moment Ye Fan stepped in, his body trembled. Red Dragon Daoist, Peacock King, Crow Daoist, and several Supreme Elders from Yao Chi all manifested.
"Swish"
They appeared in the void almost simultaneously, unable to hide, unable to remain sealed on Ye Fan's body.
"Ten Thousand Nether Gate!" Red Dragon Daoist exclaimed in surprise. This was a Life Gate. Once entered, almost nothing could remain hidden, unless a world-shaking figure sealed themselves.
The person in the shadows seemed very shocked, never expecting Ye Fan to have brought such a powerful lineup. If it came to a fight, even one living fossil appearing would be a disaster.
"Only you can come. Since you don't want it that way, we'll send that bitch on her way!" The voice in the shadows was cruel and merciless.
Ye Fan was silent for a moment. He hadn't expected the other party to possess such a strange object as the Ten Thousand Nether Gate. He walked forward and said, "I'll go with you alone."
"You cowardly thing that can't see the light!" Black Emperor cursed.
"I've changed my mind. Let this dog come too." The person in the shadows spoke fiercely.
"Damn it, this Emperor doesn't want to go!" The Big Black Dog jumped high.
"Let's go. We'll face this together," Ye Fan said.
Awkward. The Big Black Dog was depressed. It really didn't want to go. Without Red Dragon Daoist's combat power, it felt it would likely be slaughtered by the enemy.
"This won't do. Don't go!" Peacock King blocked him. Anyone could see that this was a trap for Ye Fan's life. Going would only mean throwing his life away.
The several Supreme Elders from Yao Chi also tried to stop him, believing this was equivalent to suicide, opposing him going alone.
Ye Fan shook his head, silently asking them to rest assured. Without saying much, he strode forward.
"The wind blows bleakly, the water is cold. The brave man leaves and never returns." The Big Black Dog howled, sounding as unpleasant as a pig being slaughtered. Ye Fan grabbed its tail and dragged it into the nearby Domain Gate. It wailed, "I really don't want to go!"
This was a vast snowy mountain. The cold wind howled, and goose-feather snow fell heavily. Ye Fan and the Big Black Dog stood atop a mountain peak, surveying their surroundings. Not far away was only a single dead volcano.
"Woo woo..."
The fierce wind roared like thunder, and the pine forest rustled. Amidst the vast white mountain range, there was only one type of tree — Ice Pines!
Each one required over a dozen people to wrap their arms around. They were pure white, as rugged as flood dragons, stretching toward the sky.
The leaden clouds hung heavy, almost pressing down to the mountain peak. Invisible killing intent filled the air. Unrivaled experts surrounded the area from all sides, sealing it off.
"Bad!" The Big Black Dog changed color instantly.
In that moment, it carved dozens of array patterns, but all were erased in the void, unable to be preserved.
"It's over! The Primordial Emperor Wu Shi's killing formation can't be used!"
The Big Black Dog stared fixedly at the only dead volcano, fear appearing in its eyes. It trembled and said, "This is the fallen ground of a Sacred Spirit. Unless an ancient Great Emperor is resurrected, no one can set up array patterns here."
Ye Fan's heart turned cold. The other party really knew him well. The Big Black Dog's array pattern mastery was unparalleled, but here it was useless.
"You actually dared to come. You don't know when to die!" A man laughed loudly, walking through the void, step by step approaching, stopping on a distant mountain peak.
Ye Fan stood motionless in the wind and snow, silently watching him. He activated his divine eyes and saw through his true appearance. It was actually the Holy Son of Da Yan, Xiang Yifei.
"Really coming to die. What a pity. In this world, heroes aren't so easy to be. Many people end up being chopped down as cowards!" Another person laughed, with a look of contempt, appearing on another mountain peak.
Ye Fan's eyes flickered with cold light. This was the Holy Son of Dao Yi, Li Donglai. Under the Source Heaven Divine Eye, nothing could hide.
"Haha... sending the Sacred Body on his way is truly a great joy in life. I really want to taste the taste of Sacred Blood!" A third person stepped through the falling snow, stopping in midair. His eyes were wild, filled with cruelty and bloodlust.
Ye Fan saw through his true form and felt another chill. This man was the Golden Clan heir of the Northern Plains, Jin Chixiao!
During the Bloody Night last time, when the Primordial Emperor Wu Shi's killing formation slaughtered the heroes, the three of them had come to kill Ye Fan, but their true bodies hadn't entered the formation, escaping the calamity.
From another direction, another cold laugh came. A fourth person appeared, her beautiful eyes as sharp as blades, almost cutting into people's hearts.
"Chu Holy Maiden..."
Ye Fan saw through the fourth person's true form. It was a woman, graceful and elegant, with long hair reaching her waist. Though beautiful and refined, her face was filled with venom. She was the Chu Holy Maiden, Zhao Yanran.
His heart sank. These people were all extraordinary. They had come together. The power they could mobilize would be terrifying. Behind them stood four Holy Lands!
"Rushing to die. Killing him gives no sense of achievement. I wonder how you all want to torture him to death?" A fifth person laughed, standing on a distant mountain, not coming over.
"Killing the Sacred Body is no small feat. Hanging his head in the Northern Domain Divine City to feed the wild eagles should cause quite a stir." A sixth person sneered coldly, also not showing his true face.
Ye Fan's expression was extremely grave. This time was truly bad. So many Holy Sons appearing together clearly meant they didn't want to give him even a single chance.
In that instant, he sensed a seventh person, an eighth person... a thirteenth person!
All were vigorous young people. Though they hadn't revealed themselves, they couldn't be hidden. This was the unique life fluctuation of the younger generation. Each one was extremely powerful.
A full thirteen Holy Son-level experts had come to attack him, comparable to that night when thirteen Saint Lords had surrounded and killed the Peerless Divine King!
"You really think highly of me..." Ye Fan stood on the snowy peak, sweeping his gaze in all directions. His black hair danced wildly in the wind, and two bolts of cold lightning shot from his eyes.
"You still came after all. No surprise there. Kneel and beg us." The Holy Son of Da Yan, Xiang Yifei, smiled coldly.
"Who are you people?" Ye Fan asked.
"Better to die confused!" The Holy Son of Dao Yi, Li Donglai, laughed mercilessly, his white teeth flashing cold light.
Ye Fan naturally wouldn't point out that he had the ability to see through their true forms. At this moment, he felt endless killing intent and bore tremendous pressure.
"Someone is using you, wanting to use your hands to eliminate me. After setting up this killing trap, didn't he come himself?" Ye Fan scanned the distance.
"Everyone who wants to kill you has come..." From a distant snowy peak came an extremely venomous voice.
Ye Fan's eyes shot out two divine beams, locking onto that spot. This voice was exactly the same as the recording!
"Ye Fan, I really want to see the scene of you kneeling at my feet, begging for mercy!" It was hard to imagine how deep the enmity was. This person was like a vengeful ghost, hoarsely roaring, his tone vicious beyond measure.
"Isn't it just thirteen Holy Son-level experts? Even if thirteen more came, I could still cut them down!" Ye Fan stood tall and proud, with an aura of dominating the world, as if he alone was supreme.
"What is he saying? Has he lost his mind? He wants to kill all thirteen of us? Hahaha..." Jin Chixiao laughed, bloodlight flickering in his eyes, filled with cruelty.
"Courting death!" Many sneered coldly.
Silently, figures appeared on various snowy peaks, indistinct and numerous. Some had auras as unattainable as ancient divine mountains, while others were as unfathomable as great abysses.
Beside Xiang Yifei, Chu Holy Maiden, Jin Chixiao, Li Donglai, and the others stood two or three old men each. Needless to say, they were all Supreme Elder-level figures.
"If you can survive today, it would truly be a miracle!" That venomous voice sounded again.
"A miracle? Today I'll cut you all down and prove my Dao as a god!" Ye Fan's words were firm and resounding, his gaze unwavering. With the momentum to swallow mountains and rivers, he looked down at the crowd and said, "You will all die!"