Chapter 760: Demon Emperor Hall
In the Southern Ridge, lofty mountains clustered together, ridge after ridge stretching as far as the eye could see—a vast, boundless expanse of peaks and ranges everywhere.
On this wild and untamed land, there was hardly a single plain. This unique terrain had remained unchanged since ancient times, giving rise to its dense miasmas, the roaming of savage beasts, and the rampant flight of strange birds.
The Southern Ridge produced demons far more than the Central Province or the other four domains of the Eastern Wasteland—this was common knowledge among the world, which is why cultivators from the south were often called Southern Demons.
Ye Fan and his companions left the barbarian tribe, flew for several days, and found an ancient teleportation formation on a mountain. After a long-distance leap, they entered a region with relatively dense human habitation.
"That girl is really lovely!" Along the way, Li Tian kept commenting, stopping whenever he saw a beautiful woman.
As soon as they reached a populated area, they heard many rumors. Many people were discussing the reappearance of the Sacred Body.
The Wang Clan of the Northern Plains had aggressively attacked an ancient village, only to be completely annihilated. This caused a huge stir, and people were talking about it, many finding it unbelievable.
"Are you sure you saw correctly? How could it be the Sacred Body from twelve years ago? He had already set foot on the Stellar Ancient Path and couldn't possibly still be in this world."
"That battle was too terrifying—golden blood energy filled the mountains and ridges, and a single roar shattered rivers and peaks. I think it really was that person returning, far stronger than back then!"
"If it really is him, this world will surely fall into chaos, with war raging everywhere. He won't let things rest..."
An unconfirmed rumor sparked a massive uproar, with even cultivators in small towns discussing it, which made Li Tian secretly click his tongue in amazement.
"Impressive, I must say, Ye kid. Your popularity on this ancient star is really strong. Even after twelve years away, people are still talking about you."
Ye Fan said, "Find a famous city, gather more in-depth information, figure out the current situation, and then we'll head to the Demon Emperor Hall."
In the Southern Ridge, there could be no flat, open plains. Cities were built against the mountains, and some even had large hills inside them—quite strange, lacking flat terrain.
Phoenix City was a super-sized city in the Southern Ridge. A city daring to bear such a name was certainly a major stronghold.
It couldn't be built in a regular layout, avoiding mountains and ridges, with walls stretching like a phoenix nest, looking very odd. Inside the city, there was a low hill that resembled a crouching phoenix.
On the main streets of Phoenix City, traffic was heavy, and crowds flowed endlessly, bustling with activity. Shouts of buying and selling rose and fell, and mortals, cultivators, and demons mixed together, becoming a common sight.
In this city, even if one saw strange creatures with dog heads and human bodies, or beings with feathered wings on their backs, people wouldn't be surprised, because the Southern Ridge had too many demons.
"That enchantress is really captivating—a nine-tailed celestial fox. Her waist is so slender, and her eyes are so alluring they make you want to get drunk." Just after arriving in Phoenix City, Li Tian started looking around everywhere.
The Demon Emperor Hall wasn't too far from here, located in an ancient mountain range—a sacred land that inspired awe in countless cultivators.
Ye Fan came here to understand the situation and then immediately go to kill the master of the Northern Plains Wang Clan—Wang Chengkun.
If successful, it would cause a huge shock. Although the world was already in chaos, the death of the master of an ancient aristocratic clan would still shake the world.
"This old bastard is really afraid of death. He brought a lot of people with him and is being so cautious coming to the Southern Ridge," Li Tian said.
In Phoenix City, they learned a lot of valuable information. Wang Chengkun had gone to the Demon Emperor Hall as a guest, trying to win over the great demons and form an alliance with them.
"There are traces of the ancient clans behind this—a very bad omen. No wonder the Wang Clan is so aggressive and fearless." Ye Fan frowned.
This time, many members of the Wang Clan had come to the Southern Ridge to participate in a demon tribe sacrificial ceremony. According to rumors, there might be a certain ancient clan secretly backing them.
"Is it that clan from Divine Spirit Valley? I wonder if their young master has come. If so, I'll kill him too!" Ye Fan's eyes were sharp.
He had already learned that Dongfang Ye had been pursued by Zi Tiandu's men, meeting his end at Eagle-Falling Cliff, staining the stone wall with blood. Outsiders only heard his final unwilling roar.
In Phoenix City, the most discussed topic was still the bloody battle at the barbarian tribe, with many people talking about it endlessly.
The Wang Clan had crossed from the Northern Plains to the Southern Ridge, aggressively attacking a small village, which sparked dissatisfaction among many. Crossing domains to exterminate a clan was truly overbearing.
When they learned of the Wang Clan's complete defeat, with no one escaping, people were even more shocked.
That day, many had watched the battle, but no one dared to get close. They were terrified by Ye Fan's might and could only observe from a hundred li away, never seeing his true face.
And precisely because of this, people couldn't confirm whether it was really him.
"Crossing star domains and leaving this world—it's destined that he can't reappear."
"What a pity. The Sacred Body ultimately left. Otherwise, at his current level, he could probably dominate a region!"
In the end, people concluded that it probably wasn't Ye Fan. Someone had deliberately impersonated him to confuse public opinion.
Some major sects speculated that someone wanted to stir up the situation, causing the Sacred Body to reappear with hidden motives.
After all, crossing star domains was a feat only possible for ancient Great Emperors and ancient Great Sages. Ye Fan didn't have such ability. Once he left, he couldn't return unless a miracle occurred.
But this made people recall Ye Fan's past deeds, and many sighed, wondering what kind of power he would have if he were still here.
"Maybe he could compete with Huo Qizi, Huang Xudao, Yuangu, the Celestial Prince, the Divine Silkworm Daoist, and others!"
"Alas, it's good that he left. At least it means our human race didn't completely lose, preserving some dignity."
Being in Phoenix City and listening to people's discussions, even Yan Yixi found it hard to stay calm. Were the young experts of the ancient clans really that terrifying?
Li Tian said, "The more I hear, the more outrageous it gets. With so many ruthless people around, will there ever be a day when I, the Divine Son Li Tian, rule the world? How will my Path of Human Desire lineage flourish?"
The Demon Emperor Hall was an extremely ancient place, its origins impossible to trace. The world only knew that it had endured an incredibly long time, remaining eternal.
It was the sacred hall in the hearts of the Southern Ridge demons, a place of reverence approaching the divine. According to incomplete demon texts, it might have been personally built by a demon Saint Emperor.
The mountains were majestic, giant trees stood tall, and ancient trees supported the sky—this was a lush, verdant mountain range.
Deep within this ancient mountain range lay the sacred grounds of the demon clan. Under normal circumstances, anyone daring to trespass would be killed without mercy. No one dared to set foot there.
Only during certain ancient sacrificial ceremonies and major celebrations would it be opened, allowing various demon tribes to come.
Of course, honored human cultivators could also take this opportunity to glimpse its true appearance and learn about this mysterious ancient land.
Ye Fan and his two companions privately traded a large piece of Divine Source for an invitation, entered this mountain range, and would ascend as "honored guests."
The mountains were very quiet. Many giant trees, having grown for who knows how many years, were taller than the peaks, their foliage a lush green. There were also ancient vines, terrifyingly thick, covering the ridges like coiled flood dragons.
Flying was forbidden here; one could only ascend on foot. Especially for the various demon tribes, they needed to approach with a pilgrim's mindset.
Under the tree shade, it was cool. The stone steps were ancient, and walking step by step, one could feel the sedimentation of time and the accumulation of ages.
Finally, they arrived. Deep within the mountains, ancient pines accompanied the sprawling halls. Before they even got close, a wild, ancient demonic aura swept over them, as if surging from the distant past.
It was an indescribable majesty. This palace complex wasn't very vast, but it seemed to hang high in the nine heavens, letting down strand after strand of primordial creation energy, suppressing the entire great world.
Ye Fan sighed. The legendary Demon Emperor must have been real, not a fabricated figure. Only an ancient Great Emperor could have left behind such a hall.
Upon arriving here, the number of people suddenly increased. There were great demons on pilgrimage and human sect leaders, but few spoke, afraid of disturbing the peace and sanctity of this place.
Ye Fan's arrival caused no stir. This ancient star was truly too vast, and not many had seen him in the past.
Young demon attendants served them, leading them into an ancient tower. All who came and went were honored guests; the demon clan wouldn't offend them, and their etiquette was impeccable.
The central ancient hall was the most special, submerged in terrifying demonic aura, impossible to see in its entirety. It carried the aura of the ancient Demon Emperor, as if someone were sleeping inside!
Everyone had to stop. Except for a few figures from the demon clan, no one could enter.
The astonishing aura seemed capable of cutting across three thousand great worlds, immediately making people think of the legendary Demon Emperor Hall—towering, majestic, like the legendary ancient Heavenly Court.
Ye Fan and his group entered a palace not far from the Demon Emperor Hall. It was incredibly vast and grand, easily accommodating ten thousand people, clearly inscribed with spatial laws.
Behind one jade table after another sat powerful experts. Fruits, immortal brews, and other offerings were already laid out.
There were many people in the hall, each with their own position. All were great demons from various regions, along with some terrifyingly ancient demons. Of course, there were also human sect leaders.
Those who could enter this place were all people of immense power, each ruling over a region—sect leaders, elders, demon lords, formidable independent cultivators, imperial lords, holy monks, and so on, all wielding great authority.
Many were talking, some exchanging cultivation insights, others discussing ancient secrets, and still others speaking about current events.
Ye Fan and his companions chose a corner to sit down. They didn't say much, just listened with their ears while searching for the master of the Northern Plains ancient aristocratic clan, Wang Chengkun.
"Nowadays, the demon tribes of the Southern Ridge are flourishing day by day. Truly a cause for celebration. Especially the younger generation, with so many experts emerging—it's enviable," a human sect leader flattered.
"Yes, indeed. When it comes to the number one young expert, it probably has to be the Southern Demon," another living fossil said.
"The human race is the true protagonist of heaven and earth. One stunning figure after another emerges. How can our demon clan compare?" an ancient demon said modestly.
"The human race indeed has many strong experts. The Central Emperor's achievements, which shake the past and startle the present, need no mention—everyone knows them. And there are wave after wave of rising talents, truly astonishing."
"Yes, the rising Holy Son Yao Guang truly has a demeanor that looks down on the world. Who can resist him? One day, he will surely be invincible under heaven."
"And Hua Yunfei. Now, even we have to step back. Having mastered the Devouring Demon Art, no one dares to provoke him anymore. It's helpless and lamentable."
"Yes, people like that can be listed. Xia Jiuyou, who cultivated the Tribulation-Transcending Immortal Melody; the Divine King Physique of the Eastern Wasteland, Ji Haoyue; and that mysterious woman with the Innate Dao Body..."
"Alas, the ancient clans are also terrifying. Huang Xudao, Yuangu, the Divine Silkworm Daoist—they truly make our generation shudder!"
Just then, someone spoke up, saying, "Brother Wang, your son, the Northern Emperor, has broken through and rebuilt himself. He should be qualified to contend for the title of number one under heaven, right?"
Everyone looked at a black-haired middle-aged man. Stroking his beard, he said, "My son has indeed broken through and rebuilt himself, able to look down on the world. But it is full of regret. I want to kill that Sacred Body but have no way. I only hate that he fled this world."
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