Chapter 840: The Book of Time
The Book of Time was over a foot long, square and rectangular, crystalline and nearly transparent, dotted with specks of light. It was mysterious and eerie, unsettling the mind.
Time could hardly erode it. Such human skin was also known as divine skin, indestructible through countless calamities. It emitted a shocking murderous aura, almost enough to shatter one's bones.
Many characters were densely packed on it, carved on both the front and back. An ordinary person's vision couldn't make them out at all, as the script was very small.
These ancient characters were like iron hooks and silver strokes, vigorous and forceful like azure dragons or iron serpents, as if thousands of blades and swords were stuck to the surface, with a clanging resonance crossing through the ages.
At this moment, it felt like standing on a frozen polar plain, bone-chillingly cold, as if facing thousands of wailing deities. The crystalline gleam on the ancient sage's human skin flickered continuously.
Qi Luo pointed out a finger, and misty clouds flowed, but the divine skin remained utterly still. He let out a soft shout, and a mouthful of primordial essence sprayed forth, transforming into radiant mist that scattered onto it.
"Chi"
Finally, some small characters emitted light, moving like little dragons, dazzling and brilliant. Each stroke severed the void.
"This isn't right." Qi Luo frowned, then opened his mouth and spat out three mouthfuls of milky-white primordial essence, all of which fell onto the crystalline human skin.
"Hum"
This stretch of heaven and earth felt like a sealed box, shaking internally. Several hundred small characters on the divine skin lit up, imprinting themselves into the void, each one crystal clear.
Ye Fan was astonished, sensing a strange power, as if time were shifting, making this place somewhat chaotic.
Qi Luo struggled, his brows deeply furrowed. Several hundred small characters floated, surrounding him densely. He rose from the ground, trying to wield them, but found they wouldn't obey.
"Still not working. These small characters simply refuse to be summoned; I can't use their power."
"Po"
When he drew back the radiant mist and swallowed the primordial essence back into his body, the small characters once again imprinted themselves onto the translucent human skin, calming down.
Ten thousand small characters, like iron hooks and silver strokes—every stroke and every dot was a time rune. Combined, so many small characters formed an incredibly heaven-defying power.
But ordinary people couldn't activate them. Over ten thousand runes rising together would create time nodes, altering the trajectory of time, causing extremely terrifying events within their range of coverage.
"This is a quasi-emperor's secret treasure. Without reaching the sage realm, it's hard to comprehend. It doesn't contain a deity within; it requires a specific activating aura," Qi Luo said.
A secret treasure was different from other weapons, having a unique method of use, not a conventional weapon. But some possessed unmatched power, capable of shattering the universe and collapsing the heavens.
"The Lord of the Heavenly Court, who lived two lives, was indeed remarkable. Creating such a secret artifact, daring to call it the Book of Time, he must have had extraordinary abilities," Ye Fan said.
"Thinking back to those days, the Lord of the Heavenly Court held a supreme scepter in one hand and the Book of Time in the other, sweeping all before him, unstoppable in the world. Those who could withstand ten of his moves could be counted on one hand," Qi Luo sighed.
"This is the skin of a quasi-emperor, who consumed an immortality pill and achieved a supreme dao fruit." Ye Fan turned it over and over, holding it felt like grasping steel needles; his body ached, and it was hard to hold.
If it hadn't been refined into a secret treasure, there would be no way to hold it in hand. The killing dao rules within might harm those nearby.
Ye Fan tried repeatedly. Finally, the golden little man in his brow stepped out, sat cross-legged on the foot-square divine skin, activated the Stride Art, and with a "swoosh," broke through the sky.
Qi Luo's eyes nearly popped out. He quickly chased after. Soon, with a flash of light, the golden little man grimaced in pain, leaped up, and swiftly vanished back into the Immortal Platform.
"How was it? What did you experience?"
Ye Fan suddenly opened his eyes, feeling a sharp pain in his brow. "It was fast as flowing light, but still didn't touch time. It hurt like being pricked by needles."
Suddenly, his expression shifted. "Hey, no, it felt like time paused for an instant, with a slight crack. Maybe it will be useful in the future."
Then, he practiced and tried repeatedly. The foot-long, square divine skin floated up one small character after another, engulfing the golden little man, carrying it as it raced across heaven and earth.
"Pity, it's only an instant's time crack, gone in a flash, too fast to utilize," Ye Fan said.
"Creating battle opportunities still has its uses. Used well, it's a fatal strike," Qi Luo said, having tried many times himself.
Ye Fan nodded. This secret treasure was too advanced, a magical artifact meant for those above the sage level. He could imagine the Lord of the Heavenly Court, scepter in one hand and Book of Time in the other, reigning supreme over the world.
A long time later, the two sat down on a large green rock and began a detailed discussion.
Heavenly Village possessed the secret methods of the Heavenly Court but lacked a crucial part—this piece of quasi-emperor human skin, which recorded the core content.
Of course, the core lacked branches and leaves; without expandable details, it wasn't perfect. The two together formed the true Heavenly Court inheritance.
As for the Stride Art, that was another matter. Only the few leaders of the Heavenly Court could cultivate it; it wasn't part of this scripture and was the sect's foundational technique.
That very day, the two completed the Heavenly Court scripture. It could be said that this scripture was shocking, even blood-soaked, purely based on killing to attain the dao!
Without a doubt, this inheritance wasn't suitable for Ye Fan, differing from the path he walked. He merely killed enemies, while the Heavenly Court treated killing as an instinct and a habit.
However, after careful study and serious observation, many dao principles were enlightening, allowing for cross-referencing. As for the secret techniques, they could be used directly.
Qi Luo admitted he wasn't far from sagehood. In the future, he might step into that realm and truly challenge Hell and Mortal World.
"Do they really have killing sages?" Ye Fan asked.
A killer becoming a sage was an extremely serious and terrifying matter. Killing to attain the dao wasn't just talk. In real life-and-death battles, a killing sage could take down many of the same rank. "It's hard to become a sage under this heaven, but since they've reappeared, how could they show themselves without confidence?" Qi Luo frowned.
Heavenly Village had over a hundred and twenty people, men, women, old, and young combined. Not many, but they were all natural-born killers, with that instinct ingrained in their bones.
Ye Fan thought that if he founded a sect on some mountain peak, pulling these people in would instantly establish a foundation—a ready-made framework requiring little effort.
As for Qi Luo, he was already keen on rebuilding the Heavenly Court and destroying Hell and Mortal World. Letting him handle the hard work would ensure he did his duty.
"You've passed the trial of Heavenly Village. Now you're considered the divine son of the Heavenly Court," Qi Luo said.
"Damn divine son. It sounds like a target to be killed. I've already killed one myself; I definitely won't take that role," Ye Fan shook his head.
"So you want to be the Lord of the Heavenly Court directly? That's far from being number one in the world," Qi Luo glared.
Two days later, Ye Fan brought Black Emperor, Li Tian, and Yan Yixi to enter Heavenly Village together.
"Ye kid won't be the divine son? I'm willing! I'll sacrifice myself, condescending from my position as a sect master, to temporarily join the Heavenly Court," Li Tian blustered, then looked around. "If there's a divine son, there must be a peerless divine maiden, right? Bring her out for me to see."
"Indeed, there is a divine maiden, stunningly beautiful. In the future, she'll marry the divine son," Qi Luo squinted.
"Where? Let me see." Li Tian patted his chest, declaring he was definitely the divine son, and no one should compete with him.
Soon, a middle-aged beautiful woman came carrying a baby girl, just over a year old, chubby and adorable, holding a milk bottle, sucking noisily.
"Divine son—divine son—" The little one babbled unclearly, smiling cutely with baby fat, reaching out her hand.
"I jump! This is the divine maiden? Old man, are you messing with me?" Li Tian instantly deflated, his head drooping.
"Divine son—brother—hug—" The little girl reached out, not shy at all, smiling at the group.
"Hey, kid, she's calling you brother. Get up there," Black Emperor prodded Li Tian, bumping him forward.
Li Tian took the little girl and immediately handed her to Ye Fan. "Hold your divine maiden well." He declared righteously, claiming he was a sect master and couldn't be the Heavenly Court's divine son anymore.
Ye Fan was amused. The baby was very cute, blinking big eyes, sucking on a pacifier, smiling at them nonstop, reaching out her tender little hands, babbling "brother" to each one.
Whether it was due to good upbringing, a naturally sweet mouth, or something else, she wasn't afraid of them at first meeting and even tried to pull Big Black Dog's ears.
"Twenty years from now, Little Sparrow alone will be peerless, taking down all those dragons, phoenixes, divine sons, and divine maidens," Qi Luo said confidently to Ye Fan and the others. "Little Sparrow isn't an ordinary child. Even without anyone else, she'll flatten all the younger generation of Hell and Mortal World in the future."
"Yes," Little Sparrow nodded seriously, looking the part.
Ye Fan noticed this little baby girl was indeed special. So young, she was already connected to the essence of heaven and earth, cultivating without pause.
"What kind of physique is this?" Black Emperor leaned in, unable to resist asking.
"Born with an immortal root, suited for cultivation. It doesn't have to be a special physique. For example, Holy Son Yao Guang is said to be a mortal body, yet he surpasses many king bodies. Similarly, the ancient great emperors—except for a few, who knows what physiques they had?"
"No divine son, huh? I'll give you one." Li Tian released Little Tongtong from his magical artifact.
As soon as the little one appeared, he opened his mouth and cried, immediately running to Ye Fan, sobbing and calling him master, afraid of being locked back in by Li Tian.
These days, he had been terribly bored, stuck with dry books, reciting endlessly.
"Alright, you can stay outside from now on," Ye Fan, the irresponsible master, said.
"This child is very unusual," Qi Luo stared at Little Tongtong.
Of course he was unusual—the little guy was glowing all over, like a little sun, making the baby girl beside him very curious, babbling and smiling brightly.
"Good—nephew, don't cry," Little Sparrow said unclearly, blinking her big eyes.
Everyone was speechless. What did this baby girl know? She really thought she was the divine maiden, cheerfully comforting her "nephew" who was older than her?
"Founding a sect is troublesome. Elder Qi, I'll leave the rear to you. I need to recruit some people; we're severely short-handed," Ye Fan said.
"Where are you going?" Qi Luo asked.
"To Central Province for a trip. There are two people I need to catch; they always make me uneasy," Ye Fan said.
"Who?" Everyone was startled.
"The Divine Calculator and his esteemed disciple." That very day, Ye Fan and the others set out. Big Black Dog shouted that when he was ambushed back then, the Divine Calculator might have been involved, and this time they'd settle everything thoroughly.
Of course, Ye Fan going to settle accounts with the Divine Calculator and his disciple had another important reason: he wanted to know if Pang Bo and the others were still alive and where they were, to find all his old friends.
"Wait, bring Old Blind Man along. Let that old trickster deal with the Divine Calculator first. We need to find the mountain gate, or we won't even see a hair."
In the end, Old Blind Man was brought out of the mountain. Together, they crossed to Central Province and entered the Tianyan Mountain Range.
This was a very strange place. Countless stone mountains stood in a highly regular arrangement. Ye Fan and the others stood in the sky looking down and were stunned—it was a natural trigram formation.
A thousand peaks rose, arranged together like a trigram diagram. The power of nature had created such a strange and wondrous landscape.