Chapter 755: Southern Ridge Assembly
Ye Fan had gone through countless life-and-death trials, yet failed to return to his homeland. For a full twelve years, he had wandered in foreign lands, only to end up back on this continent. He longed to see his old friends.
Under the setting sun, the earth was dyed in a bloody hue. Ahead, the terrain opened up, stretching endlessly like a plateau, barren and desolate, covered in reddish rocks with sparse vegetation.
Several dilapidated Daoist temples stood in the distance, all small and far apart from one another. In the afterglow of the sunset, they were gilded with a faint golden light, giving them a sacred aura.
Barrenness, decay, pale golden radiance, and sanctity intertwined, creating a strange sensation. It was a scene worth gazing upon, like the sedimentation of time itself.
Ye Fan stood there, as if trying to see through the entire land, his gaze piercing through twelve years, searching for his old friends everywhere.
"The Divine Son Li Tian has arrived! Tremble, ancient beauties!" Li Tian exhaled deeply, then howled at the sky, startling countless birds into flight.
The birds flapped their wings in the sunset, cutting through the pale golden sky and disturbing the peace and harmony, yet also adding a touch of vitality to the evening scene.
"These old little Daoist temples are quite significant. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to descend here from beyond the heavens," Yan Yixi said.
In the distance, several small, crumbling Daoist temples stood naturally and serenely, bathed in pale golden sunlight, suppressing the celestial and terrestrial veins of this place.
At first glance, they seemed unremarkable, but the more one looked, the more mysterious and extraordinary they appeared, almost mesmerizing, as if they exuded the aura of the Great Dao.
"That's right. We returned from beyond the heavens, which was the ancient battlefield of saints from the distant past. Back then, a saint must have ascended from here to join the battle," Ye Fan said.
"What are we waiting for? Let's loot the place! Even if an ancient saint left behind a toenail clipper, it could be a sacred artifact," Li Tian said dramatically.
Unfortunately, aside from birds, the small temples had nothing. They had become a roosting place for the birds, peaceful and serene under the setting sun.
Eventually, they left this barren plateau. Ahead lay endless mountain ranges, dense forests, deep ancient woods, rampaging wild beasts, and soaring exotic birds.
"Is this place too primitive? We've been flying for days and haven't seen a single person?" Half a month later, Li Tian kept grumbling.
Two days later, they finally encountered a herbalist gathering medicine among the high mountains and deep valleys. Upon asking, they learned this was the Southern Ridge.
The Central Province, Eastern Wasteland, Northern Plains, Western Desert, and Southern Ridge were the five major regions of the Big Dipper Star Domain. This was Ye Fan's first time setting foot on this region.
Fortunately, they hadn't ventured into the most primitive areas of the Southern Ridge, or they might not have emerged even after months of flying.
"Twelve years have passed. I wonder what has happened. When will I see Pang Bo, Zi Yue, Nannan, Li Heishui, and the others again?" Ye Fan murmured to himself.
They flew out of the mountains and spotted an ancient city. Li Tian couldn't contain himself and said, "In this world, can I single-handedly sweep through the younger generation and become a majestic Divine Son without any problem?"
He wore a look of arrogance, as if he were the only one under heaven, the supreme being overlooking the land, like the number one expert in the world.
Ye Fan smiled and said nothing, for he didn't know how strong his old friends had become. Everything required personal experience.
"Junior Brother, you'd better be careful not to get killed here. This ancient star, which even ancient emperors have visited, must hold many secrets and oddities."
Having been away for too long, Ye Fan was eager to learn everything about this world. The three soon entered the ancient city ahead, arriving at a bustling area.
Shortly after entering the city, Ye Fan began asking for information. Before he could say much, as soon as he mentioned the Eastern Wasteland, people shook their heads, saying it was very dangerous.
"Ancient creatures, powerful cultivators, all kinds of conflicts. Sooner or later, there will be a dark age."
Ye Fan's heart sank. He had returned at just the right time. The ancient creatures were indeed awakening one after another, and a great upheaval was likely on the horizon.
"There's a spiritual medicine assembly in the Yuan Tian Ancient Vein. You can learn the news there, as cultivators from all regions will be present."
The people of the Southern Ridge weren't very familiar with other regions either, as this ancient star was too vast, and crossing regions often meant traveling tens of millions of miles or more.
"Let's go to the spiritual medicine assembly and take a look," Ye Fan decided immediately.
As its name suggested, the Southern Ridge was full of towering mountains and ancient veins, naturally rich in spiritual herbs. There were even legends of immortality pills.
The Yuan Tian Ancient Vein was once the site where an immortality pill had broken through the sky, making it a famous location in the Southern Ridge.
The annual spiritual medicine assembly of the Southern Ridge was held here, showcasing a dazzling array of ancient herbs, all competing for attention.
Of course, this so-called assembly could also be called an auction. The display of spiritual medicines was meant to fetch sky-high prices. Otherwise, who would reveal their treasures here? They would rather keep them secret.
The ancient vein was rich in spiritual energy, covering a vast area with endless mountain ranges. In recent days, it had become incredibly lively, with cultivators from all sides appearing.
Ye Fan and his companions didn't attract much attention, as they had no spiritual medicines to offer. The people here had clear goals—they only cared about ancient herbs.
In the distance, a commotion erupted. The fragrance of herbs was so intense that it nearly intoxicated the crowd. Nearby cultivators swarmed over, creating a noisy scene.
"A thirty-five-thousand-year-old ancient herb! Truly rare! Such a treasure is hard to come by!"
"The Southern Ridge is indeed a spiritual land, gathering the world's spiritual energy. Only here can such precious herbs grow."
Everyone marveled, their eyes burning with desire for the ancient herb, wishing they could claim it immediately.
"I wonder if that dog has come. Such an event is usually hard for him to miss. He can't walk past good things," Ye Fan muttered to himself.
"A fifty-thousand-year-old ancient herb has appeared! Someone has picked a legendary little king among herbs!" In the distance, another uproar broke out, and the area was instantly surrounded.
It was a medicinal field, now packed with a sea of people. The place was nearly boiling over, with many cultivators ready to fight.
An ancient herb with seven leaves, each a different color, formed a rainbow of seven hues. It was crystal clear and fragrant, intoxicating everyone.
Li Tian was stunned on the spot. "A fifty-thousand-year-old ancient herb, known as the little king among herbs! It can be used to refine all kinds of supreme elixirs. The Path of Human Desire has a secret formula that requires a main ingredient of this age."
Having seen immortality pills, Ye Fan wasn't as excited as they were. He remained calm, scanning the crowd, hoping to spot an old friend, whether familiar or hostile. But he was disappointed.
"Let's go. Let's check out that area over there. It seems there's a place where experts discuss the Dao," he said, walking forward.
"Don't rush off. There's a legendary little king among herbs here. Aren't you surprised?" Li Tian didn't want to leave.
On the other side, there were stone platforms open to everyone, where many cultivators, mostly young, gathered to discuss the Dao and talk about the experts of the five regions.
Ye Fan walked over and sat cross-legged on a high platform, listening intently. Li Tian and Yan Yixi also sat down.
"Who is the number one expert among the current middle-aged generation?" someone asked.
"That's hard to say. The Central Emperor, the Southern Demon, and others were already capable of fighting top-tier Saint Lords over a decade ago. Who can see through them now?"
"In today's world, I nominate the Holy Son Yao Guang. His cultivation has finally reached great accomplishment, and he now walks the world invincibly. No one can match him."
"I personally think it's Hua Yunfei. After being hunted by the world's cultivators for over a decade, who still dares to touch him? He has mastered the Devouring Demon Art and is unmatched among his peers. Now, he only kills others."
"Xia Jiuyou has mastered the Tribulation-Transcending Immortal Melody. He is probably invincible and lonely now."
"You're all wrong. You've overlooked one person—the Holy Maiden of the Zi Mansion. She is an Innate Dao Fetus! Legend says that once she reaches the Saint Lord realm, she will merge with the Dao, making her unbeatable among her peers. With her physique, I don't believe she hasn't reached that level in over a decade."
"Sigh, you're only talking about a few. You've forgotten a more terrifying group: Zi Tiandu, Huang Xudao, Divine Silkworm Daoist, and many other fearsome beings. The middle-aged generation of the ancient creatures is chilling."
As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over everyone. Huo Qizi, the Celestial Prince, Huang Xudao, Yuangu, Divine Silkworm Daoist—each was a stunning figure across the ages, pressing down on the human race, making it hard to breathe. They were incredibly terrifying.
"This is truly a great era, with all kings emerging and various physiques appearing. Even the most powerful heirs of the ten thousand ancient clans have come forth. Who can claim to be the best in the world? It's impossible to say."
People knew one thing for sure: in this great era, if anyone could defeat all the kings and overpower the heirs of the ancient clans, they would surely attain the Dao.
In this era, the enemies were too many and too terrifying. To survive to the end and defeat everyone, the trials one would face were unimaginable.
If someone attained the Dao through this, they would surely become one of the most powerful emperors in history, for this bloodstained imperial path would surpass all before it, being the most fearsome.
"What if the Primordial Saint Body from twelve years ago hadn't left resolutely? How terrifying would he be now? Could he overpower the ancient clan's Huang Xudao, Yuangu, Celestial Prince, Divine Silkworm Daoist, and others?"
"Probably hopeless. These people are living miracles. Even the Holy Prince is now missing, reportedly due to a feud with the Celestial Prince."
"Once the Saint Body reaches great accomplishment, he can fight on par with ancient emperors. I believe that if that monstrous Ye were still here, he could stand alongside them, even if those clans' ancestors were ancient emperors."
"His chances are slim. There's only one Saint Body. He might match one ancient heir, but with so many stunning legends, some will surely overpower him."
"Without a real battle, who can say for sure? There's no 'what if' in this world. He has already left, leaving a mystery, a hope that our human race can remain undefeated."
Li Tian glanced at Ye Fan and chuckled, but he also felt the pressure. He could tell that this world seemed to have an overwhelming number of fierce experts. No wonder ancient emperors had visited this place one after another.
"The Saint Body is nothing. Any one of Huang Xudao, Yuangu, or Divine Silkworm Daoist could kill him with one hand," someone said at that moment.
"So it's one of the few human lineages that are closely tied to the ancient clans," someone whispered.
"Yes, if the Saint Body hadn't left, he wouldn't even have gotten past the human experts. Someone would have killed him. How many of his friends are left now? All have fallen!"
When Ye Fan heard these words, his mind exploded. His divine eyes shot lightning as he stared ahead, locking onto these people. He wanted to know what had happened.