Chapter 574: Saintly Weapon
Upon hearing these news, Ye Fan did not immediately retreat. With the Stride Art, he was not overly afraid; rather, he wanted to see what would happen when the so-called Primordial Beast Kings led hundreds of thousands of alien beasts in a riot.
That day, he continuously waved the Immortal Wondrous Tree in experimentation. Legend had it that once this divine object was fully refined, its power would be limitless, capable of dominating heaven and earth and breaking all things.
However, after most of the day passed, he was somewhat disappointed. He had to wave it dozens or even hundreds of times to unleash a single strike. The crimson jade leaf emitted a misty glow that could sweep away towering mountains.
Yet, although the mountain peak was blasted over ten miles away, it remained completely intact, not reduced to dust. He was speechless for a long time. Consuming so much divine power, could it only send an opponent flying without killing them?
"It does have some use, after all. This is a great mountain. If it were a person, they would probably be sent flying to the edge of the sky!"
However, it absorbed far too much divine power. Ordinary people simply could not use it. Even Ye Fan found it somewhat strenuous, feeling as if his entire essence would be drained in an instant.
"This is just the power of the crimson jade leaf. The other six leaves have unknown uses..." Ye Fan muttered to himself.
The Immortal Wondrous Tree was crystal clear and dripping with luster, bearing seven leaves in total. So far, he had only managed to activate the power of the crimson jade leaf; the other six showed no reaction at all.
"Could it be that my cultivation is insufficient, preventing me from unleashing its true terror?!" Thinking about this, Ye Fan grew excited and carefully stored the precious tree away with great reverence.
The Immortal Mansion World was truly a divine land, vast in territory, preserving the characteristics of the Primordial Era. Many extinct spiritual herbs could be found here, along with supreme immortal treasures like Dragon Loach, ancient scriptures, and Saintly Weapons.
It could be said that this was a pure land containing priceless divine treasures. Who could remain unmoved? Outside, various major sects were racking their brains to find a way in.
Even with rumors of an impending Beast King uprising, many people were still active here, not leaving immediately.
Because opportunity and danger coexisted. Being the first to gain insight into this barbaric world was equivalent to seizing the initiative. Whether one could obtain a Great Emperor's ancient scripture depended heavily on such an advantage.
"Deep within the Primordial World, there likely truly exists a Great Emperor's ancient scripture. Someone has discovered a clue and is searching for the cave dwelling of an ancient Great Emperor!"
Ye Fan had been inside for over half a month, but his initial luck had faded. After obtaining the Mountain-Embracing Seal, the Human King Seal, and the Heaven-Overturning Seal, he had gained nothing more. He had seen a few cave dwellings, but they were empty.
"Perhaps I really should leave and come back later." He noticed the alien beasts beginning to gather, showing unusual movements that were clearly abnormal.
"Many experts have died again, including five Half-Step Great Powers." Ye Fan overheard such discussions. In this region, many cultivators were leaving, sensing something amiss.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a fierce aura surged from the distance, like a flood overwhelming the sky, instantly drowning the entire world. Then, a beam of holy light, as thick as a mountain, pierced the heavens, causing countless peaks to collapse.
"Holy light fills the sky! A divine object has appeared!"
Many people cried out and rushed forward immediately. Although experts died from time to time in this world, it also brought many surprises, with treasures occasionally emerging.
In just a few moments, nearly seventy or eighty figures charged forward. Ye Fan's heart tightened. In this area alone, dozens of experts were lying in ambush, with many factions watching covetously.
Among them, a gray-robed figure shot up, his magical power overwhelming. He shook the void, and others spat blood and flew backward, halting in shock. A Great Power was present!
Everyone's heart sank. There might be a peerless divine object ahead, but with such a top-tier expert here, how could they compete?
The Great Power let out a long roar, transformed into a streak of light, and flew forward. Others were unwilling but could only stop. Even if some Half-Step Great Powers were present, going forward would only mean death.
"Shua"
Ahead, in the desolate mountains, the holy light piercing the clouds grew even more dazzling, captivating people's souls and making them want to fly there.
But the next second, everyone was terrified. A giant centipede, as large as a mountain range, rose upright. Desolate mountains collapsed, rocks shattered the clouds, shaking heaven and earth!
Such a centipede was enormous. No one knew how many years it had lived. Its body was covered in soil and overgrown with ancient trees. As it emerged today, dirt and rocks tumbled, and dust rose to the sky.
"This is an ancestor of centipedes!" Everyone was stunned.
Its body was massive, with hundreds of legs moving simultaneously. The surrounding peaks and the earth cracked, then collapsed and sank. The leaden clouds in the sky were scattered by its aura.
The holy light originated from its head, where a divine object indeed lay. It looked like an ancient mirror, radiating terrifying waves, refined into the center of its forehead bone.
"Puff"
The giant centipede opened its mouth and spat out a black light, instantly covering the Great Power. Unable to dodge, even the Great Power's protective divine light was broken through.
"The world's ultimate poison! This is a centipede ancestor. Even a Great Power can't withstand it!"
Those behind trembled with fear, secretly grateful that they had been stopped earlier and hadn't rushed forward, or they would have surely died.
The Great Power would not sit idly by. His body erupted with ten thousand rays of light, and he tried to escape, tearing through the void. But at that moment, the holy light from the centipede's forehead bone shot out, instantly freezing him in place, unable to move.
"Shua"
It opened its mouth and inhaled, almost swallowing the entire world. The whole space dimmed for a moment, terrifyingly powerful. It used a dark light to drag the Great Power into its mouth, then refined him alive!
Everyone was horrified, witnessing a Great Power die before their eyes. This shook them deeply, but soon, the ancient mirror in the centipede's forehead bone attracted all their attention.
"A divine object! That is an ancient Saint's weapon, refined into its body!"
A beam of holy light swept out, freezing a Great Power who couldn't even resist, then easily killed him. This was undoubtedly an ancient Saint's weapon; nothing else had such power.
This barbaric world had finally revealed a peerless divine object, one that would drive people mad and cause them to fight bloodily for it.
The mountain range erupted in chaos. Many cultivators shot into the sky to send messages to their major powers, hoping to invite top-tier figures to subdue the Heavenly Centipede. An ancient Saint's weapon shocked everyone.
Ye Fan's heart was also unsettled. This world was too mysterious. The appearance of an ancient Saint's weapon would attract even more powerful people to enter!
"A Saint's weapon, the ancient battlefield of hundreds of thousands, the Immortal Emperor..." Ye Fan muttered to himself.
"Buzz"
The void collapsed. The mountain-sized centipede flew deep into the Primordial World and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Ye Fan didn't dare to pursue. Even a Great Power had been refined alive. If he went up, he would surely die. At the very least, some Sect Lords would be needed to subdue it.
"If I find another ancient expert's meditation site and trace their enlightenment marks, I will surely break into the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm. At that time..."
Ye Fan thought again of the heavenly tribulation. If he chased the giant centipede while undergoing the tribulation, could he have a chance to kill it and seize the ancient Saint's weapon? He was quite tempted.
But transitioning from the Four Extremes to the Dragon Transformation, such a major secret realm, would surely bring an extraordinary tribulation. Surviving it safely would be extremely difficult.
Before long, that area was buzzing with activity. Countless experts followed the trail left by the giant centipede.
How many years had this centipede lived? It was hard to determine. Generally, alien species that didn't take human form cultivated more slowly but lived relatively longer. Heaven was fair.
Ye Fan didn't pursue closely. He only followed the trail at a leisurely pace, not wanting the Heavenly Centipede to turn around and swallow him in one gulp.
Soon, he traveled over a thousand miles and arrived at a stone forest. Here, he sensed a trace of Dao and stopped.
"In the past, did someone cultivate in seclusion here?"
Ye Fan perceived some Dao resonance. The stone forest was tranquil. Ahead lay a blue, deep lake, clear and waveless, its blue intoxicating.
By the lake stood a stone mountain, no more than a hundred zhang high, yet mysterious and profound. Though it sat there without mist or clouds, it gave a ethereal feeling.
The stone mountain was like a brush, straight up and down. On it grew several spiritual herbs, rooted on the cliffs, nearly ten thousand years old. They hadn't been eaten by alien beasts, which was rare.
The stone mountain was bare, but these few ancient spiritual herbs added an indescribable liveliness to it. Everything here bore the marks of the Dao.
Ye Fan sensed an unusual aura. Circling the stone mountain, he saw several people confronting each other in the distance, with invisible killing intent spreading.
"I won't say much. Leave immediately, or don't blame me for being ruthless and starting a massacre!" Yan Yunluan said coldly, standing with his hands behind his back.
On the other side, Li Heishui and Liu Kou stood opposite him, their faces full of anger and unwillingness.
"Yan Yunluan, you're too domineering. We discovered this place first. What right do you have to make us leave?"
"Because I am Yan Yunluan!" He paced forward with his hands behind his back, exuding powerful confidence, his eyes icy cold as he looked down on them.
"What's there to be arrogant about? You just entered the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion while undergoing a tribulation. If you're so tough, go compete with Little Leaf. He's struck down several Great Powers." Liu Kou muttered.
"I'll give you ten breaths. Disappear from my sight immediately, or you know the consequences. I don't mind staining my hands with blood!" Yan Yunluan's expression was cold. In this barbaric world, killing two people meant nothing, and no one would care.
Liu Kou was furious. This was too humiliating. As a descendant of a Great Bandit, being so despised was unprecedented, and it burned him up inside.
"Don't be impulsive!" Li Heishui grabbed him, knowing the gap between them and Yan Yunluan. If they fought, they would be killed quickly.
"Fine, fine, fine. We'll leave!" Liu Kou also understood the situation. "Don't think you're some prodigy. There will always be someone more monstrous than you to suppress you!"
"Are you talking about that person from the Eastern Wasteland? He doesn't even dare to come to the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion. What is he worth?" Yan Yunluan sneered coldly.
In the distance, Ye Fan emerged from the shadows. Without a word, he held the Ten Thousand Sorrow Bow and directly drew the bowstring. A rainbow beam a hundred zhang long tore through the sky.
Yan Yunluan's face changed. He had suffered greatly before, nearly being shot dead. Now, seeing Ye Fan holding the Ten Thousand Sorrow Bow again, he was extremely wary.
In terms of cultivation, he feared nothing. He would even dare to kill someone at the Ninth Transformation of the Dragon Transformation realm. But against this secret treasure, he was naturally suppressed.
"I'll give you ten breaths. Get lost immediately and disappear from this place, or I'll kill without mercy!" Ye Fan used his own method to pressure him back.