Chapter 729: Outrage of Gods and Men
In the distance, the North Sea surged, dark as a vast abyss, stretching endlessly without bounds. But here, all was peaceful and auspicious—clouds steamed and mists rose, immortal cranes danced, ancient herbs wafted fragrance, and the cave dwelling was resplendent.
Many major figures had arrived, including great sects from the land and scattered cultivators from overseas, all of them illustrious and commanding authority over their regions.
Ye Fan walked over leading a five-year-old child by the hand, drawing much attention. Many people cast curious glances in his direction.
Not far away, the minor demon commander who had been pulled aside by an old demon broke out in a cold sweat and said, "Is he the one who escaped from the sea eye, the one who shot down five Golden Crow princes with his bow in a single day?"
This was absolutely a killing star. For some time now, all demon cultivators in the North Sea had been extremely cautious, afraid of provoking this god of slaughter who roamed these waters.
Ye Fan led the child by the hand as he walked inside. Many people were astonished, though not everyone recognized him. Here, jade formed the steps, and beautiful women held jade platters, coming and going to present rare delicacies and fine wines.
"Who is this person? He doesn't know the rules, bringing a child to a banquet. How improper! Doesn't he know that only renowned figures are present here?" From not far away, a discordant voice rang out. A young man in brocade clothes, holding a folding fan, spoke these words.
Many people were coming and going on the island. Rosy mist flowed beneath their feet, celestial music played in waves, and songs and dances filled the air with peace and prosperity. Everyone in this area immediately looked over.
"Did Senior Xuan Gui say that children were not allowed to come?" Ye Fan asked a minor demon commander beside him, who was a guard of this island.
This was a shark spirit. He had personally heard an old demon say earlier that this master should be allowed in without obstruction or disrespect, or else great disaster would follow. This was the baleful star of recent rumors.
Now, hearing Ye Fan's question, he shuddered and could barely speak clearly. "No... the senior... said nothing."
Ye Fan nodded. "Since that's the case, I'll go in and offer my congratulations. Otherwise, I might as well turn around and leave now, and not trouble the host."
The minor demon commander nodded like a chick pecking at rice, ordering someone to lead the way, showing extreme deference.
On the other side, the brocade-clad young man was very displeased. He hadn't expected Ye Fan to completely ignore him, only speaking a couple of words to a demon head.
"Occasions like this aren't for just anyone to enter, are they? After all, it's very formal. Those who come and go are either grandmasters or direct disciples of various sects. That's an unwritten rule. Bringing in a milk-stinking child is truly ignorant of propriety."
Hearing these insinuating words, Ye Fan stopped and looked ahead. "The host himself said nothing about it. Who do you think you are? Where do you get so many rules? If you want to put on airs, go back to your own cave dwelling."
"Snap"
The brocade-clad young man closed his folding fan and walked over step by step. "I am showing respect for Senior Xuan Gui. I think you need to learn the rules of hierarchy among demons."
He said no more but stood on the jade steps, blocking the way, a hint of mockery on his face, quite provocative.
Ye Fan wore a faint smile as he led Little Tongtong forward. With each step he took, traces of the Dao appeared. On this jade staircase, auspicious colors descended, and the Great Dao harmonized in resonance.
The brocade-clad young man's face changed color. As the heir of an ancient cave dwelling in the North Sea, he roamed the boundless waters and dominated his generation, but he could not even come close to achieving such a feat.
Each of Ye Fan's steps was gentle, but each landing was astonishing. Dao tones harmonized, auspicious qi swirled, and the jade steps pulsed.
"Who is he? Could it be..." At this moment, a chill ran through the young man's heart. Seeing a part and knowing the whole, he was far inferior in such terrifying Dao arts.
Traces of the Dao appeared on the jade steps one after another, various runes flickering. To others, it was just a pulse, but in the young man's eyes, it was like heaven collapsing and earth splitting, thunder roaring in his ears!
He felt as if a giant was walking toward him. The sound of those footsteps struck his heart like a demonic curse, step by step drawing closer, making him feel as if he would explode and die.
At this moment, his blood vessels were about to burst. Blue veins bulged all over his body like writhing flood dragons, ferocious and terrifying, extremely frightening.
He wanted to move away, but he couldn't bear to lose face. He wanted to hold his ground but was utterly powerless to resist. So he stood frozen on the jade steps.
"Boom"
Ye Fan's final step landed. The brocade-clad young man let out a great cry, spat out a mouthful of blood, and flew sideways like a withered weed, crashing into the dust.
Everyone was horrified. Ye Fan, leading a five-year-old child by the hand, had walked very gently. He had only taken five steps, yet he had shaken a genius at the second level of the Immortal Platform realm until he spat blood and flew away. This was truly terrifying.
This was the embodiment of the Dao—merging oneself into heaven and earth and nature. Even the sound of footsteps contained the divine tones of the Great Dao, making it difficult for others to resist.
"Brocade Shell Young Master!"
Only after Ye Fan had passed did anyone dare to step forward, helping him up, stopping his bleeding, and feeding him a pill.
"He has gone too far in bullying me. I will have my revenge..." This young demon lord named Brocade Shell gritted his teeth.
"Silence!" Someone quickly stopped him and transmitted a voice message. "Though you are a demon lord, do you know who he is? He is the one who escaped from the sea eye. Lately, the entire North Sea is filled with legends about him."
"What? It's really him..." Brocade Shell's face turned deathly pale, and he stood frozen on the spot.
The news that over a hundred Golden Crow clan experts had been killed by one person, that a stretch of sea had been dyed red with Golden Crow blood, and that a graceful youth had shot down five Golden Crow princes with his bow had shaken the world.
Now, many cultivators in the North Sea were very wary, afraid of unnecessary conflict with this killing star.
Ye Fan led a five-year-old child forward, ascending the steps as if climbing to the heavenly gates. Five-colored jade sparkled, and rosy mists rose. He was very conspicuous.
It was the three-thousand-six-hundredth birthday of Senior Xuan Gui, a peerless old demon of profound cultivation. He was famous not only in the North Sea but also known to all the sects on land.
Behind jade tables sat renowned figures from various regions. When Ye Fan arrived, many were astonished, having already learned his identity.
An old man, stooped and bent with age, rose from a nine-colored divine jade throne. "Truly, heroes come from youth. Please, take a seat of honor here."
This was the world-famous Senior Xuan Gui, an ancient demon who had lived for three thousand six hundred years with unfathomable power. His hair was sparse, his face wrinkled like crumpled paper, covered in lines.
"Greetings, Senior." Ye Fan paid his respects. This ancient demon valued him highly and led him to the guest of honor seat. Ye Fan returned the courtesy and presented a generous gift.
"So this is the one who escaped from the North Sea Eye, who single-handedly bloodily slaughtered all the Golden Crow clan members who went to sea, shocking the world."
"A young expert soaring upward, who may well contend with Yin Tiande in the future. Few in this generation can kill him."
People murmured among themselves. Recently, Ye Fan had risen like a comet, shining brightly over the land. Wherever he went, he was bound to attract attention.
"Young friend Ye, your cultivation is profound and earth-shaking. Remarkable, truly remarkable." Beside Ye Fan, sect leader-level figures flattered him, clinking glasses and conversing warmly.
"Heroes have always come from youth. We are old. Come, come, come, let us drink this cup."
The consequence of Ye Fan's battle that shook the world was that, despite his youth, no one here dared to slight him. He sat on equal footing with senior overlords, and the young elites of the younger generation looked at him with a hint of deference.
Of course, there were also many who kept their distance, saying nothing, not wanting to be associated with Ye Fan, since the Golden Crow clan was too powerful.
There were even old friends of the Golden Crow clan present, who regarded him with hostility but dared not act, as his prestige was now at its zenith, and no one wished to provoke him.
Strong cultivators gathered, including the Divine Maiden of the Human King Hall, the Dao Protector of the Long Life Temple, the top figures of Guanghan Palace, and the princess of the Ziwei Divine Dynasty.
"Brother Ye, I've long heard of your fame." A man in a black dragon robe walked over, holding a cup of wine, a full smile on his face. Two dragon horns among his black hair were very conspicuous.
This was the famous Black Dragon King of the North Sea. Though his cultivation time was not long, he was extremely powerful and renowned. His ancestor was over three thousand seven hundred years old, known as the Black Dragon Ancestor, who suppressed the entire North Sea cultivator community until they could barely breathe.
Ye Fan naturally did not put on airs. He smiled, clinked glasses, and exchanged insights on cultivation experiences.
As for Little Tongtong, he was very quiet, blinking his black gem-like eyes as he ate vegetables on the side. Ye Fan didn't need to worry about him.
When other cultivators saw the Black Dragon King approach, many also came over to chat. For a time, the place was very lively.
"Brother Ye truly has great boldness and divine abilities, daring to shoot down Golden Crows with his bow, killing five princes in a single day. Truly a magnificent feat!"
Naturally, there were also sworn enemies of the Golden Crow clan present, and someone said this.
"Brother Ye, you must be careful. Within the Golden Crow clan, there is a true king who can contend with the peerless Divine King, nearly invincible under heaven!"
Surrounded by people offering toasts, Ye Fan received such well-meaning warnings.
Before long, celestial music played, strings and woodwinds harmonized, demon maidens danced, and more distinguished guests arrived.
People couldn't help but look outward. Below the five-colored jade platform, Brocade Shell Young Master accompanied a heroic man walking over. In his eyes, stars were born and died. His long brows swept into his temples, his hair was bound with a purple-gold crown, and he moved with the stride of a dragon and the step of a tiger, bearing the posture of one who rules the world.
"The Nine-Headed Jiao King has arrived!" someone exclaimed.
The North Sea was boundless, its extent unknowable. Many believed that at its deepest point lay a Kunpeng ancestor, a terrifying ancient sage sleeping in seclusion.
In the known waters, the strengths of various major powers could be inferred. It was said that the Nine-Headed Jiao King was an invincible rising expert among the demons.
Rumor had it that after transforming into human form, the Nine-Headed Jiao King had abandoned his demonic origin and switched to cultivating human methods. His Dao arts were now superb, and he cultivated a terrifying ancient human lineage.
At this moment, people showed strange expressions. Beside the Nine-Headed Jiao King, besides Brocade Shell Young Master, there were several Golden Crows and even the Yin-Yang Divine Son—all of them Ye Fan's enemies.
The Nine-Headed Jiao King paid respects to Senior Xuan Gui, presented his gift, and then fixed his gaze on Ye Fan. "At an occasion like this, those who have seats are all grandmasters. Even the direct disciples of various sects sit at the back. You bring in a milk-stinking child—truly ignorant of propriety."
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly tensed. The Nine-Headed Jiao King was an invincible rising expert in the North Sea, and everyone knew he had a close relationship with the Golden Crow clan. His provocation now needed no explanation.
"You say that those present here are of extraordinary status. Then do you know who he is? He is the sole surviving bloodline of the Human Clan's Sacred Emperor, ten thousand times nobler than you." Ye Fan responded calmly and lightly.
Everyone set down their cups. The hall fell silent. People's hearts pounded. They recognized the Yin-Yang Divine Son beside the Nine-Headed Jiao King, and that extremely heroic figure among the several Golden Crows—could it be Lu Ya?
The Nine-Headed Jiao King, the Yin-Yang Divine Son, and Lu Ya—these were the most terrifying young experts famous both overseas and on land. Were they gathering here to kill Ye Fan?
"A descendant of the Human Clan's Sacred Emperor... haha..." The Nine-Headed Jiao King laughed loudly, then his expression suddenly turned cold. "You say he is, and that's supposed to make it so? I say he is the descendant of my servant, and I have come specifically to take him!"
The Yin-Yang Divine Son and several powerful Golden Crows also wore cold expressions, staring at Ye Fan and the five-year-old child sitting quietly behind the jade table.
"You say he is the descendant of your servant? For that alone, if you can still live in the North Sea, it would truly be an outrage of gods and men." Ye Fan stared coldly at the Nine-Headed Jiao King, then looked toward the important figures of ancient human inheritances like the Human King Hall, Guanghan Palace, and the Ziwei Divine Dynasty. "Several seniors, am I not right?"