Chapter 848: The Five-Colored Altar Again
The red-haired monster let out a low, hoarse roar. The clarity in its eyes vanished, replaced by fierce brutality. It suddenly jerked its head up, fixed its gaze on the group, and emitted a piercing shriek.
“Damn it, he’s lost his mind. Watch out for a sneak attack,” Yan Yixi said.
Ye Fan held the Divine Maiden Furnace, aiming it forward. A sage’s aura spread, and golden ripples rapidly expanded outward. The red-haired monster’s eyes blazed with murderous intent. After one last look at them, it vanished into thin air.
“They’re coming… Could it be the earlier generations of Origin Heavenly Masters? Each one is more terrifying than the last. This is truly unsettling,” Duan De said. He had spent years traversing ancient tombs and cemeteries, unearthing secrets about the Origin Heavenly Masters.
Ghost soldiers clearing the way, and now the appearance of an Origin Heavenly Master—this was baffling. What secrets lay hidden? Where did the Origin Heavenly Masters go after their late-life misfortune, and who did they serve?
“No wonder that red-haired monster fled into Purple Mountain, seeking refuge in Emperor Wu Shi’s domain to suppress itself. It wanted to isolate itself from the outside world and avoid being summoned,” Black Emperor muttered, referring to the Fifth Generation Origin Heavenly Master, Zhang Wu.
Nine ancient characters appeared above Ye Fan’s head, immortal texts recorded in the Dao Scripture. They floated and flickered, sealing eighty-one inch-long black flags within.
The nine ancient characters flowed with the rhythm of the Great Dao, opening a small world about a foot square. Time within it seemed frozen, as if achieving eternity.
Inside, the eighty-one black flags shimmered with dark light, motionless, harboring a vast and terrifying power ready to erupt at any moment.
“These are the formation flags left by the Immortal Emperor. If the Celestial Prince finds out, he’ll probably explode with rage. Using his father’s artifacts meant for his subordinates—how embarrassing for him,” the Monkey said.
The situation was dire. The powerful figures of the Origin Heavenly Master lineage could appear at any moment. They were all lost, recognizing no kin, and would slaughter without mercy. Ye Fan had no choice but to prepare the formation flags in advance.
“Yuan Gu, Hua Yunfei, and the others also entered. Why haven’t we seen any trace of them?” Li Heishui wondered.
“The ancient battlefield is vast and boundless. We might not run into them. Besides, they could have been scared off by the red-haired monster,” Li Tian said uncertainly.
They began circling the core battlefield, searching for a weak point to enter and rescue Dongfang Ye, pulling him out of this purgatory.
After traveling over eight hundred li, they discovered a massive abyss, bottomless. Beside it, earth and stone were piled high like a great tomb.
“This is freshly dug soil. Who did this, and what are they trying to do?” they wondered.
Surveying the terrain, it was originally a natural sinkhole, deepened by someone’s digging into this pitch-black, bottomless abyss.
Ye Fan held the Divine Maiden Furnace, with nine ancient characters above his head suppressing the eighty-one inch-long black flags. Fearless of danger, they descended to investigate.
“A Five-Colored Altar! A Five-Colored Altar!” Black Emperor shouted.
Duan De, the Monkey, and the others were also shocked. They now understood the significance of such a Five-Colored Divine Altar—it was a stellar ancient path, a gateway to the starry skies.
Who had unearthed this Five-Colored Altar? What did they intend to do? With these questions, they descended into the depths.
It was a sizable altar, but time had taken its toll. It had collapsed, mostly destroyed, and parts had been dismantled recently.
“There are bodies here! A battle took place!”
On the other side of the Five-Colored Altar lay several ancient clan corpses. A few bodies had withered, their primal essence drained dry.
“The Devouring Demon Art!”
Ye Fan’s heart skipped a beat. Hua Yunfei and Li Xiaoman had been here and clashed with the ancient clans. They might have unearthed this altar.
“These are all from Primordial Lake!” the Monkey confirmed. These were members of Yuan Gu’s clan, including several true imperial clansmen of immense power.
“They clashed first, then the red-haired monster arrived and killed everyone,” Li Heishui said.
Aside from a few ancient clansmen who lost their essence after being ambushed, the rest were killed instantly—their skulls split open, brains stained with a few red hairs.
“This must have happened a few days ago. Both sides were scared off by the red-haired monster.”
“Let me see what happened,” Duan De said. He carried many tools and took out an ancient mirror, polished from a piece of crystalline bone.
“What’s that? What does it do?” Li Tian asked.
“Don’t underestimate it. This is the only Dao bone left behind after a human Great Sage dissolved into the Dao—the forehead bone, enduring through the ages. The forehead bone is a person’s Immortal Platform Dao bone. A mirror polished from it has endless wonders,” Fatty Duan said, wiping it with great care until the mirror became more translucent.
Upon hearing this, Black Emperor nearly lunged to snatch it. Ye Fan had to hold him tightly by the neck to prevent a man-dog battle.
“Swish”
The ancient mirror flashed with light, revealing several images. First, Yuan Gu’s figure appeared, followed by a group of ancient clansmen holding a jade disc, matching it to the location and digging out the altar.
The Monkey’s heart trembled. “Not long ago, I heard some ancient clans were searching for a path beyond the heavens. It seems it’s true!”
As a member of the ancient imperial clan, his information was reliable. This statement shook everyone. The ancient clans were searching for a path beyond the domain—where did they want to go?
This was an absolutely terrifying matter. If it came true, it could have profound and far-reaching consequences!
“The people from Primordial Lake found this place. The imperial clans from Divine Silkworm Ridge, Blood Phoenix Mountain, and Fire Qilin Cave might be searching elsewhere too…” Thinking about this, they felt deeply uneasy. What did the ancient imperial clans intend to do? Where were they headed?
Then, the Dao bone mirror flashed again, showing Hua Yunfei and Li Xiaoman. They held an ancient scroll and had also found this place, seeking the Five-Colored Altar.
“The other end of the starry sky!”
Ye Fan read Li Xiaoman’s lips. There was such a phrase. He shuddered. Were these two like him, wanting to cross the starry domain and return to Earth?
At that moment, cold sweat broke out on his back. He must never let the inheritors of the Ruthless Great Emperor reach the other end of the starry sky, or it would bring endless calamity.
The other side had a vast population but no cultivators. Plundering essence among mortals and seeking various physiques would be too easy—life and death at their whim, absolute tyranny.
“That’s right, my physique… originated from that world. Perhaps that’s why they’re so hopeful. Besides, that side has endless secrets from ancient times!”
The people from Primordial Lake dismantled the Five-Colored Altar, recording the position of every stone. They clearly intended to take it apart for restoration and study. Hua Yunfei and Li Xiaoman ambushed them.
Then, the red-haired monster appeared, slaughtering in all directions. Yuan Gu offered a palm-sized divine platform and vanished. A golden vortex appeared above Li Xiaoman’s head, and she and Hua Yunfei disappeared into it.
“A Domain Platform!” the Monkey stared at the miniature divine platform in Yuan Gu’s hand, showing surprise. Only a Great Sage could carve such an artifact, capable of tearing through space at any moment.
“Guardian Deity from Beyond!” Black Emperor stared at the golden vortex above Li Xiaoman’s head, spotting a blurry golden figure seated within. His eyes widened.
Even the mirror, polished from a Great Sage’s sole forehead bone Immortal Platform and refined with secret techniques, could only reveal a few images. There were no more clues, and they couldn’t replay them.
“This is the mirror I use to shine on ghosts in ancient tombs. It’s impressive enough that it can do this,” Duan De said.
“Dismantle the Five-Colored Altar!” Big Black Dog was resolute. He memorized the patterns on the Five-Colored Stone Altar, then quickly dismantled the remaining half of the ancient platform, storing it in his artifact.
“Chaos is truly upon us. It’s no longer just about the ancient clans emerging. Now they’re fighting over paths beyond the domain. Who knows what this will attract in the future!” Black Emperor muttered, recalling ancient events.
“The imperial clans might be trying to summon beings from beyond the domain,” the Monkey said.
Ye Fan pondered as well. Had Hua Yunfei and Li Xiaoman, protected by a guardian deity from beyond, found some way back? In the near future, they would likely fight a life-or-death battle for the sole right to the path leading to Earth.
A chilling aura swept over them. The red-haired monster appeared again. If not for its fear of the Divine Maiden Furnace in Ye Fan’s hand and the eighty-one flags above his head, it would have already attacked.
“There’s no time. We must act quickly to rescue Dongfang Ye. If the earlier Origin Heavenly Masters arrive, we’ll have no chance of survival.”
Finally, Ye Fan steeled himself. He activated the Divine Maiden Furnace, forcing his way toward the battlefield’s core, letting down ten thousand silk threads to protect the group.
However, this was an extremely perilous process. Even with the Divine Maiden Furnace shielding them, they narrowly escaped death. Every few steps, they had to stop and recover their divine power.
This region was too terrifying. Ancient weapons and divine lights flew everywhere—manifestations of the divine laws left by ancient ancestral kings, equivalent to the residual shockwaves of sages.
“This won’t work. At this rate, it could take months or even years to reach the core.”
There was no time to waste. If the First Generation Origin Heavenly Master arrived, even their great killing weapons might be useless. The ground was rich in Source, and a single supreme Source Art could annihilate them all.
Finally, Duan De gritted his teeth and activated the Devouring Demon Jar. Black Emperor carved a corner of the Primordial Slaughter Formation. Ye Fan, exhausting his heart’s blood, inscribed a mysterious array of Source Heaven patterns, channeling the earth’s veins to provide endless essence for the Devouring Demon Jar and the Primordial Slaughter Formation.
Though the divine laws left by ancient ancestral kings were terrifying beyond measure, the Devouring Demon Jar floated, unaffected, casting down streaks of dark light to protect them.
Emperor Wu Shi’s corner of the slaughter formation was even more devastating, forcibly carving a path, causing some fading laws to dim and vanish entirely.
They advanced unstoppably, finally breaking into the very core of the ancient battlefield. In the distance, they saw a disheveled man in tattered robes, sitting cross-legged on the ground.
A Wolf Fang Great Club hung above Dongfang Ye’s head, emitting a thread of sage’s might, creating a peaceful space about a zhang in radius. But he was not well—trapped here, unable to move a single step.
“The deity within that Wolf Fang Club has awakened. No wonder he’s held on, protected by an ancient sage weapon!” Duan De said.
“Though protected, he has to fight desperately every day, living a purgatorial existence. But the benefits he gains are immense,” the Monkey said.
Around them, various laws and Dao light surged. Dongfang Ye faced them daily, resisting with all his might, naturally comprehending divine laws beyond ordinary reach.
“Brother Ye!” Li Heishui called out, tears nearly falling. Back then, Dongfang Ye had acted to save them.
“Though it was a great calamity, he survived. Comprehending the laws of ancient heroic spirits here, his future achievements will be limitless!” Black Emperor said.
“You all…” Dongfang Ye opened his eyes, shooting out two blazing beams of light. He awakened from the ocean of laws.