Chapter 612: Interception
The Extraordinary Scholars Mansion, though less than a thousand miles in circumference, was magnificent and divinely beautiful, gathering the ancestral qi of the ten directions, manifesting a pure land on earth, and was one of the secret places of the Central Province.
Ye Fan waited outside for several days, occasionally seeing people enter and exit, but he never spotted the Yin Yang Holy Maiden or Yan Yunluan. The scroll painting in his hand depicted eleven people in total.
Over the years, these strong individuals came from the Central Province, the Southern Ridge, and the Western Desert. All of them had made a move against Li Heishui, utterly humiliating him, breaking his chest bones and snapping his legs.
Ye Fan waited for three days and finally saw a target appear, matching one of the men in the painting. However, he did not act rashly, lest he alert the enemy.
On the fourth day, Pang Bo brought him news: the opportunity was near. The disciples within the mansion were about to undergo a so-called trial. Unless something unexpected happened, the Yin Yang Holy Maiden, Yan Yunluan, and the others would be going together.
"Good. I'll take this chance to wipe them all out. Since they humiliated Li Heishui like that, I'll settle the score with them." Ye Fan's temperament was ethereal. With a flick of his wide sleeve, he drifted away.
Five days later, a group of people walked out of the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion. The leader was Yan Yunluan, a prodigy within the mansion with formidable strength. However, last time he had been utterly disgraced, nearly killed by Ye Fan using heavenly tribulation.
"The strange beast we need to slay is an old snake that has cultivated for nine hundred years. Though it hasn't transformed, it has the strength of the first level of the Immortal Platform. It's a tough challenge."
"With so many of us, if we set up the innate array patterns, I'm sure we can deal with it."
Over five thousand miles away, an old snake appeared in a valley. The miasma there was thick, with beast bones and quite a few human bones scattered everywhere. This strange creature, having dwelled there for nine hundred years, had finally cultivated a certain level of Dao attainment.
It followed the path of a beast king, never attempting to transform into human form. Recently, it had been causing havoc in the region, so the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion sent its disciples to eliminate it. These people were dispatched for that purpose.
After leaving the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion for over forty miles, they reached an open area. The plain had many rock formations, sparse vegetation, and was somewhat desolate.
"This is Ye Zhetian's territory. Who would have thought he's that Ye Fan? It's a pity we missed the chance earlier to join forces and kill him."
"I'm sure he won't live long. Offending Wang Teng, who is favored by heaven, won't end well for him."
"Not being able to kill him with my own hands is truly regrettable. Humiliating Li Heishui and those others still doesn't vent the anger in my heart."
As these people passed through this area, they whispered among themselves, all hostile and unfriendly toward Ye Fan. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gathered together.
Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky. There was no terrifying fluctuation, no overwhelming aura, yet it made everyone's heart tremble as it blocked their path.
A youth of sixteen or seventeen, dressed in purple robes, stood with his hands behind his back, cutting off everyone's way forward. A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" A young man stepped forward and asked in a deep voice.
"To kill all of you!" Ye Fan enunciated each word, spitting out these five syllables.
Someone immediately burst out laughing. They had never heard of anyone daring to face so many outstanding talents alone. These were the elites of the five domains, the inheritors of great sects.
"Have you eaten a celestial's gall, or taken the wrong medicine, to speak such arrogant nonsense? Aren't you afraid the wind will slap your tongue?"
"You don't know your place, do you? Didn't you check the almanac before leaving? Have you strayed into the wrong path, daring to intercept even us?"
Many didn't take it seriously. Among their generation, few dared to be so arrogant. The person before them, only sixteen or seventeen, was far too young.
"He's Ye Fan!" Yan Yunluan suddenly said.
"That's right, he's that prodigy from the Eastern Wasteland!" The Yin Yang Holy Maiden also showed a grave expression.
At these words, the scene instantly fell silent. Those who had been speaking all shut their mouths. The killing star from the Eastern Wasteland had arrived, and the main culprit had cornered them.
Not long ago, they had received many benefits from the Yin Yang Holy Maiden. At her instigation, they had crushed many of Li Heishui's bones, thoroughly humiliating him, but they hadn't felt at ease about it.
Ye Fan sneered. Sacred blood flowed through his hundred meridians, and a thick golden blood energy surged from his crown, sweeping over everyone.
"I really don't understand. Some of you don't even know me, so why did you attack Li Heishui?" he asked in a deep voice.
"Ye Fan, you are an enemy of the world. We can't stand you. So what if we attacked him?" A head-tied ascetic with several knife scars on his face spoke coldly.
"You wild ascetic, with no trace of a monk's compassion, harming the innocent. Soon, I'll send you to the Buddha to repent." Ye Fan stepped forward.
"It's better if I, the Buddha, send you off!" The bitter ascetic's knife scars trembled slightly, making him look fierce.
"You look like a wild ascetic. Weren't you kicked out of some ancient temple in the Western Desert?" Ye Fan laughed.
"You're asking for death! I'll send you to see Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in hell!" The bitter ascetic, with disheveled hair, shouted loudly, as if Ye Fan had struck a nerve.
With such a strong figure stepping forward, the others weren't as afraid. They all prepared for battle, offering up their magical artifacts for protection.
Yan Yunluan, as the leader among them, naturally stood at the front. Last time, he had tried to kill Ye Fan with tribulation lightning, but instead, he was struck nearly to death. Not only did he fail to break through, but he was almost crippled.
He had recuperated for nearly half a year before making another breakthrough, displaying a physique incomparable to ordinary people and a talent in cultivation that was almost monstrous.
"Ye Zhetian, do you dare to fight me openly and fairly today?"
"You're not worthy!" Ye Fan glanced at him, offering only a three-word evaluation. Yan Yunluan's expression changed drastically. When had he ever been so belittled?
"Everyone, what are we waiting for? This is a rare opportunity. Let's join forces and kill him, seize the Primordial Mother Qi Root!" The Yin Yang Holy Maiden transmitted her voice. Her hair was like clouds, and she was as beautiful as a flower, but she sneered repeatedly.
Now that they were on a narrow path, it was impossible for her to say she wasn't afraid. But at this moment, there was no choice. She had to rally everyone to attack together, or else she would surely die.
"I killed your sect's former Holy Son and Holy Maiden. You, a substitute Holy Maiden, still haven't learned your lesson. This all started because of you. Today, I'll send your old sect leader a great gift—I'll take your head."
"Everyone, attack together and kill him!" Another person shouted. By now, Ye Fan was famous across the land. Except for prodigy-level figures, no one dared to fight him alone.
"No need to fear. Cut off his head. What does a Sacred Body matter? With so many of us, we can kill him!" A white-robed scholar stepped forward, his eyes sinister. He made the first move, offering up a patch of five-colored stones to smash at Ye Fan.
They had no other choice but to unite. Fighting alone would surely lead to disaster.
"Hmph!"
Ye Fan snorted coldly, leaving an afterimage at his original spot. A golden fist shattered all the five-colored stones, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of them.
"Not good, fall back!"
Others shouted, offering up their magical artifacts to attack Ye Fan and save the white-robed scholar from danger. But it was all too late.
Ye Fan intended to give them a show of force. His Stride Art was unmatched in the world. He arrived in an instant, and his golden fist broke through the divine power barrier as easily as shattering glass.
"Pfft"
Ye Fan's fist pierced through the white-robed scholar's chest. With a slight shake, the body split apart and fell in all directions. Ye Fan, in his purple robes unstained by blood, stood firm.
A large net, fiery red like clouds, burned fiercely as it descended from the sky toward Ye Fan.
A five-colored feathered fan waved gently, causing mountains to collapse and seas to roar. Five-colored divine light flooded the world.
A large bell rang with force, shattering the void. Waves of bell energy, ten thousand layers thick, surged forward.
...
The space between heaven and earth nearly boiled. Everyone attacked together, striking at Ye Fan simultaneously, not wanting to give him any chance. Otherwise, everyone present would die.
However, the battle situation was unfavorable for them. Ye Fan moved as if through an empty land, clashing head-on with their magical artifacts.
"Rip"
The red net, like countless stars, flickered with light and shattered in the void.
"Clang"
The silver bell collided with the golden fist. Ten thousand waves of bell energy erupted, but in the end, the precious bell cracked into over a dozen pieces and fell from the air.
"Ah..."
Finally, another person screamed in agony as Ye Fan slapped them into a bloody pulp.
"What's happening? Is that Ye Zhetian? He's intercepting Yan Yunluan and the Yin Yang Holy Maiden!" Several figures appeared in the distant sky, all showing shocked expressions.
This place was only about forty miles from the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion. People passing by naturally saw the great battle.
"The prodigy from the Eastern Wasteland has arrived!"
Ever since Ye Fan's identity was exposed, everyone had been guessing when he would come again. No one expected it to be so soon.
"The young strong of the five domains have almost all entered the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion. Only he hasn't come. Now he's finally shown up. Let's see who is stronger."
In the blink of an eye, dozens of figures appeared in the distant sky, all watching the battle.
"Smack!"
Ye Fan's golden palm swung again, killing another strong individual. Those surrounding him began to feel fear, and many thought of retreat.
Finally, someone couldn't bear the torment and fled into the distance. Where there was one, there was a second and a third.
"Who dares to flee?"
Ye Fan held the Ten Thousand Sorrow Bow, drawing the string until it was like a full moon. His strength peaked, reaching the Eight Forbidden Domain.
A golden rainbow shot out, traveling several miles before catching up to its target. With a "pfft," a string of blood blossoms burst forth, and that person instantly became a mist of blood.
Then, a second arrow flew out. Another golden light rose, catching up to another person. With another soft sound, flesh and shattered bones exploded, and that person died a violent death.
Ye Fan fired three arrows in succession. The three who fled first were all shot dead, their bodies shattering in the void. One could imagine the terrifying force!
"One arrow kills a Holy Son!"
The crowd in the distance was all shaken. Such combat power was terrifying. Aside from a few, who among the younger generation could contend with him?
"Everyone, don't flee! Fight him to the death! This place is close to the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion. The Northern Emperor will soon get word and come to kill him personally!" the Yin Yang Holy Maiden shouted. If they scattered now, no one would survive.
"I'll send you on your way first!" A cold smile hung at the corner of Ye Fan's mouth. He drew the bow and aimed at this substitute Holy Maiden, instantly causing her beautiful face to pale in terror.
"Whoosh!"
An arrow flew out, swift and fierce like a golden snake. With a "pfft," a blood blossom bloomed on the Yin Yang Holy Maiden's forehead as the arrow pierced through.
A beautiful face, stained with drops of blood, lost the light in its eyes. She died on the spot and slowly fell backward.
"Don't kill us! Spare us!"
"We have nothing to do with this! We were just invited and didn't make a move!"
Except for Yan Yunluan and the ascetic, everyone else begged for mercy, showing panic. No one was unafraid of death, especially when facing someone like Ye Fan.