Chapter 763: The Night of Bloodshed
A silver disk hung high, casting bright moonlight down. Ancient pines stood tall on the mountain, and a clear spring flowed over rocks at their roots—a tranquil and serene scene.
Several people sat cross-legged under the night moon, without a single sound, transcendent and peaceful, exuding an otherworldly aura, calm and natural.
Not long ago, Ye Fan's battle blood had been boiling as he furiously cleaved eight contemporary Great Powers, like a war god overlooking the mortal world, suffocating all who faced him. But now, he was like a banished immortal, still and unmoving, transcendent and detached, as if about to ride the wind away.
Moving, he was a slaughtering demon god; still, he was a snow orchid in a secluded valley. Motion and stillness—completely different, two utterly opposing temperaments.
The sound of a zither rang out, clear and ethereal, like divine symbols dancing, flowing from Qi Huoshui's slender fingers, painting a peaceful scene.
Moonlight spilled down, making her fair skin shimmer with crystalline luster. Her fingers danced like spirits, and she seemed carved from warm jade.
No one spoke, unwilling to break this Dao realm, quietly appreciating.
The water boiled again. The Southern Demon rose, displaying his peerless tea ceremony. Every movement carried a strange power that calmed the heart, soothed the spirit, and purified the mind, cleansing one's thoughts and letting the true self become tranquil and harmonious.
This was true tea ceremony, capable of purifying a soul. It dissolved the anxiety Ye Fan had felt over the life-and-death trials of old friends in recent days, and he slowly calmed his heart.
After a long while, the Southern Demon spoke: "Zi Tiandu is in the Southern Ridge."
Zi Tiandu—a young ancient clansman who had walked alongside Wang Teng twelve years ago. His strength was chillingly formidable, and he was the young master of the Divine Spirit Valley.
"How strong is he?" Li Tian woke from his tranquility, sipping tea as he spoke, while absentmindedly sneaking glances at Qi Huoshui.
"Stronger than Wang Teng was twelve years ago," the Southern Demon said. His thick black hair hung naturally loose, and in his eyes, mountains and rivers appeared, ancient moons sank and fell—unfathomable.
"You're telling us he's powerful. And that Wang Teng today is far more terrifying than before, surpassing his past self," Yan Yixi said.
The green pines could not hide the moonlight; the clear spring flowed over rocks. The place fell silent again. No one spoke, quietly savoring the fragrant tea.
The lingering fragrance elevated the spirit.
This was the world's most precious tea, from the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree. Leaves that flew out of the Immortal Mountain and fell into the outside world were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
The Southern Demon used it to host guests without saying much, but everyone could taste the intent—to experience their own Dao. The place grew even more tranquil.
"How strong is Yuangu?" Ye Fan asked. He had long decided to kill this man to clarify his Dao heart and avenge his old friends.
"When I was ten li from him, I glanced back and saw a silhouette—an extraordinary expert, very powerful," the Southern Demon said. His words were few but carried weight.
He did not exaggerate or describe in detail. His plain, truthful account still conveyed immense pressure.
The Southern Demon had once ventured alone into the Eastern Wasteland, hoping to witness the terrifying young experts of the ancient clans. But in the end, he only brushed past Yuangu. He had not seen Huang Xudao, the Celestial Prince, the Divine Silkworm Daoist, Huo Qizi, or any of the others.
"Today's battle will shake the five domains. Are you trying to resolve your old friends' crisis? Do you think they're still alive?" The Southern Demon looked at him calmly.
Ye Fan set down his teacup and gazed into the distance. "I hope some are still alive. Let all my enemies come to kill me. I'll take them all on."
"Aren't you afraid that endless enemies will swarm you? Can you hold them off?" Qi Huoshui had skin like ice and bones like jade, but when she smiled, she was enchantingly seductive.
"If they come, I'll kill them all," Ye Fan said.
In the distance, several old demons' expressions stiffened, then they nodded.
"Come on! I, the Divine Son Li Tian, have arrived. There will surely be a world-shaking battle, displaying the sacred might of my Human Desire lineage!" Li Tian declared with fervor.
Qi Huoshui curled her lips, showing no fondness for him.
"Fair lady, don't underestimate me. I am the sect master of the Human Desire Path, and I will revive our teachings in the Big Dipper Star Domain. In the future, I will dominate the land and rule the world."
"Aren't you just a flower thief?" Qi Huoshui said bluntly, feigning disdain. "I've killed no less than a thousand, or at least eight hundred, of your kind."
"Don't lump me with those tasteless fellows. I am a five-possession young sect master—with ideals, morals, depth, iron rules, and ambition."
In the quiet night, the fragrance of flowers drifted. The pine forest fell silent again. After a long time, Ye Fan asked the Southern Demon about the situation in the Eastern Wasteland. The information he received was largely the same as what he had heard before.
"During my trip to the Eastern Wasteland, I killed several ancient clan experts, all of the same clan as Yuangu. But when I pursued further, I didn't find your old friends," the Southern Demon said.
Ye Fan expressed his gratitude. He and the Southern Demon had no deep friendship, so this gesture was rare. In today's world, who would willingly provoke the ancient clans? Everyone wanted to protect themselves in the coming chaos, avoiding trouble whenever possible.
Each ancient clan had ancient kings sleeping within. Once they awakened, who among humanity could oppose them? To truly make enemies of them would mean mountains of corpses and seas of blood. No one could withstand their edge. Even the holy lands were gasping for breath.
Moonlight, like thin mist, scattered through the pine forest, like large swaths of white feathers. The spring gurgled. The place was incredibly peaceful, like a poetic realm.
The night was deep. Ye Fan stood up and said, "Tell me Zi Tiandu's exact location. Carve a teleportation array for me."
"Alright!" The Southern Demon rose and instructed an old demon to activate an ancient array platform on another mountain peak.
"You're going alone to kill the young master of the Divine Spirit Valley? That place is a dragon's pool and tiger's den. Not only is he powerful, but there's also a group of terrifying clansmen. It's one of their strongholds in the Southern Ridge." Qi Huoshui's beautiful eyes blinked.
Ye Fan smiled. "After tonight, that stronghold will cease to exist."
"Conceited fool," Qi Huoshui shot him a glance.
"Drunk, numb, melting—smile one more time, and I'll ascend to heaven!" Li Tian shouted.
"Go die!" Qi Huoshui glared at him fiercely.
"I've wronged you in the past, imprisoning you for a month. Don't take it to heart," Ye Fan apologized.
"You go die too!" Qi Huoshui erupted, kicking Ye Fan onto the array platform. The others were stunned. This girl was truly fierce—even kicking the Sacred Body without hesitation. And this was the ruthless man who had just killed eight Great Powers, including the master of the Northern Plains' Primordial Aristocratic Clan!
The ancient array platform interwove with patterns, resonating with the stars above. Now fully activated, demonic light steamed, and they vanished from the spot.
Vermilion Bird City was one of the ten great ancient cities of the Southern Ridge, with a history stretching back before the age of written records.
It was a primordial giant city. Legend said that when its foundation was laid, a divine Vermilion Bird cried out, hence the name.
On this deep night, with a bright moon and sparse stars, three people crossed the void, traversing hundreds of thousands of li, and entered this city.
"That Southern Demon seems extremely powerful, unfathomable," Yan Yixi said.
"He's very steady, with extraordinary bearing. He'll surely achieve great things in the future," even the rogue Li Tian admitted.
Ye Fan nodded. "If he weren't strong, why would the Extraordinary Scholars Mansion negotiate with him privately? They might give him a spot to enter the Stellar Ancient Path."
This was a spacious ancient mansion, with clusters of gardens and many halls. It had been left behind by an ancient heavenly demon who once dominated the entire Southern Ridge, but it was now nearly abandoned.
Ye Fan pushed open the gate and strode in. He did not summon his divine treasures; he simply carried an ordinary iron sword in his right hand and marched forward.
"Who dares trespass on our clan's sacred ground?" An ancient creature sensed him and flashed out from the gatehouse. It had red hair, fangs, and scales covering its body.
"Pfft"
Ye Fan said nothing. His sword's cold light shone in all directions. A bloodied head flew sideways, its primordial spirit annihilated by the sword energy. Blood spurted several meters high from the headless corpse. By the time the three walked past, it fell to the ground with a thud.
"Bold! A few humans dare to invade our Divine Spirit Valley's sacred ground!" Several creatures resembling flying silver night-ghouls leaped out, spitting divine techniques and shooting blazing electric beams as they attacked.
Ye Fan unfolded his Golden Sacred Domain and strode forward as if entering an empty land. Nothing touched him. He killed his way through as if strolling in a courtyard.
"Pfft," "Pfft"...
Head after head flew up. Blood bloomed like brilliant fireworks—a moment of shock, an eternity of silence.
A full nineteen heads were all sent flying by Ye Fan. None of the ancient creatures were weak, but suppressed by the Golden Sacred Domain, they had no power to resist and were all slain.
"Too fast, too sharp! Why won't you let me fight?" Li Tian shouted.
Ye Fan said, "Go to the air. Hold the Divine Maiden Furnace, but don't expose it. Blast back anyone who tries to escape. Not a single one gets away tonight."
"Ah..."
From this ancient mansion, scream after scream rang out, startling many cultivators in Vermilion Bird City awake. They watched from the distant sky.
"It's him! The Sacred Body again, avenging the barbarian."
"Returning after twelve years, so domineering and terrifying."
People gasped. In today's world, who dared provoke ancient creatures? Yet Ye Fan, upon his return, had single-handedly stormed the Divine Spirit Valley's stronghold in the Southern Ridge, aiming for total annihilation!
"Ah..."
This night, Vermilion Bird City was restless. Heaven-shaking killing intent surged into the sky. Bloodcurdling screams came continuously, making everyone feel that despair and coldness.
"Zi Tiandu, roll out and offer your head!"
Ye Fan, holding his blood-dripping iron sword, killed his way to the depths of the mansion. Over sixty ancient creatures lay dead at his feet, the ground soaked in blood.
"My younger brother has returned to the Eastern Wasteland..." A terrifying creature emerged, barely distinguishable from humans, with purple hair and purple eyes, skin as white as snow. Flames of fury spewed from his eyes as he said coldly, "So you're that Sacred Body. You really have returned."
"A pity. Then I'll make him grieve for a while," Ye Fan said, and struck.
From the distant sky, everyone heard a roar of rage. A fierce battle erupted. All kinds of radiance surged, and countless ancient secret techniques were unleashed, boiling over the area.
But half an hour later, a reluctant roar came. A bloodied head shot into the sky—purple hair, purple eyes—then shattered.
After that, a series of screams rose and fell. Some clearly saw a figure shrouded in a golden divine ring swiftly killing within the mansion.
With each sword stroke, either a head fell or half a body was sliced away. It was a horrifying scene. Blood stained the blue brick paths.
That person was like a demon king from hell, hair disheveled, killing without mercy. Not a single sword stroke missed. Each strike brought great splashes of blood and the end of a life.
"Too terrifying! Is this the Sacred Body's sacred power? One divine ring suppressed all the ancient creatures that attacked!"
"Returning after twelve years, coming back to this world, the Sacred Body is too powerful and terrifying!"
These were everyone's thoughts. Their scalps went numb, and their bodies turned cold.
When everything fell silent, over a hundred corpses lay at Ye Fan's feet. He was drenched in blood, his iron sword red. He threw it to the ground. The "clang" made everyone's heart tremble.
"Li Xiaoman, Hua Yunfei, Wang Teng, the Yin Yang Sect, Mortal World, Hell, Zi Tiandu, Yuangu... all my enemies. I sit in the Southern Ridge, waiting for you!"
Heaven and earth fell silent. No one knew how long passed before someone dared to enter the mansion. Everywhere they looked, there was blood and corpses—all killed in a single blow.
How much time had passed? Over a hundred ancient clan experts lay dead. This achievement made people shudder!
Gone for twelve years, the Sacred Body returned. By day, he killed eight Great Powers, including the master of the Northern Plains' Wang Clan. By night, he slew a hundred ancient clan warriors of the Divine Spirit Valley. It was horrifying to hear.
People knew that by dawn, the news would spread across the five domains, triggering a massive uproar. The world would be shaken!
The bloodstained imperial path had begun. The fierce battle had opened its curtain. Seeking monthly votes to escort the journey, helping Little Leaf advance smoothly.