Chapter 850: Establishing a Sect
The moon was very round, mist filled the mountain forests, various wild beasts roared, and bonfires crackled brightly in the barbarian tribe’s settlement, dispelling the haze from the ridges.
The aroma of various meats drifted over, and jar after jar of aged wine was brought by barbarian children. Ye Fan, the Monkey, Duan De, Dongfang Ye, and others sat together with some elderly barbarians, drinking freely and joyfully.
Dongfang Ye’s return brought joy to the entire barbarian tribe. The blood of the ancient barbarian war god flowed within him, and barring unforeseen circumstances, he would become a war god in the future, his physical body second only to the Human Clan’s Sacred Body.
“Yuangu is not the true son of the Ancient Emperor; he is a descendant separated by several generations…”
Sitting around the bonfire, people feasted on flood dragon meat and drank aged wine in large bowls. Naturally, the conversation turned to Yuangu. Although he was not the Ancient Emperor’s son, his bloodline was not diluted, being only a few generations removed.
Moreover, his talent was extraordinary. In terms of cultivation alone, he was rarely seen in a thousand ages and surpassed all others in his clan, which was why he had been sealed away.
The Monkey spoke, saying, “He is the eighth-generation descendant of Emperor Yuan. His bloodline power is no weaker than that of a true Ancient Emperor’s son, and he stands supreme in that clan.”
“No way, is he actually stronger than Emperor Yuan’s own son? Did he take the place of the Imperial Prince?” Li Tian asked in surprise and doubt.
“That’s not it. During the years when Emperor Yuan passed away, two terrifying Sacred Spirits emerged one after another, both at the peak of Sacred Spirit power. Each could contend with an Ancient Emperor…”
These two Sacred Spirits emerged, seeking to seize the weapons left behind by Emperor Yuan. They descended upon the clan and nearly annihilated a great imperial clan that stood at the pinnacle of glory, overlooking the ancient times.
It could be said that battle raged with howling winds and bloody rain drenching the ancient era. The earth turned red. Eight royal clans, as their vassals, answered the imperial clan’s call for reinforcements and were completely wiped out.
Emperor Yuan had three sons, each astonishing enough to startle gods and move immortals, each capable of taking half a step toward enlightenment. Yet all were exhausted and died in that battle, along with their own descendants.
In the end, only the youngest son’s lineage left behind a dozen bloodlines. The once most prosperous imperial clan was nearly erased from the earth, a tragic sight.
One must understand that from the Ancient Emperor’s birth to his passing, and then to the rise of his sons, there would normally be at least tens of thousands of years of prosperity. But they enjoyed only half that heavenly fortune before suffering this calamity.
And it was precisely because of that battle that the lineage of Emperor Yuan could not preserve any Imperial Prince. Ultimately, they selected from among their descendants the most astonishing one, Yuangu, who was almost no weaker than a true son of the Ancient Emperor.
At night, the mountain forest was brightly lit. Distant mist drifted in, transforming into a hazy, colorful glow. The atmosphere was lively, and the barbarians were incredibly warm and hospitable.
When it was time to leave, Ye Fan took out nine drops of True Dragon Immortality Medicine and gave them to the Barbarian King, telling him they could extend the life of the war god sealed in Source within the tribe.
“This gift is too precious!” the Barbarian King said, deeply moved.
Even the black Dark Turtle stretched its massive head out from the pond and said, “The Ruthless Person’s True Dragon Divine Medicine from years past—truly rare!”
Finally, Ye Fan and the others set out on their return journey, heading back to the Northern Domain. The battle with Yuangu was approaching. Although the time had not been set, they needed to prepare early.
The Monkey said, “I reckon Yuangu made this decision himself. For a life-and-death battle like this, the people of Primordial Lake would definitely oppose it. They can’t afford the loss, especially if you also sever the Dao. They’ll be even more worried.”
“Severing the Dao… it’s too difficult,” Ye Fan murmured to himself.
Immortal Three Severing the Dao cuts off a cultivator’s path forward, leaving no Dao to seek. Many people spend their entire lives without making any progress.
At this checkpoint, some gain enlightenment in a single morning, while others sit in meditation for a thousand years, only to end in sorrow. How many heroes have coughed blood and passed away? How many beauties have turned white-haired and become bones?
Heaven severs the human path, destroying the foundation. If one cannot gain insight, even with great perseverance and diligent cultivation, it is useless. A single blockage can last a lifetime.
“What is called Immortal Three Severing the Dao is cutting off the cultivator’s path!” the Monkey said, sharing his own experiences and the various trials he had undergone, offering Ye Fan a reference.
The battle was imminent. A challenge from a descendant of an Ancient Emperor’s bloodline—who among the younger generation of this era could take it lightly? A figure at the level of an Ancient Imperial Prince who had severed the Dao would be an invincible existence among his peers!
“Severing the Dao—how does one resist it? Perhaps it can be understood as cutting oneself with a blade, severing the thoughts in one’s heart, cutting them all away, cutting them clean, and cutting out one’s own Dao,” Qi Luo explained from the side.
Over the following month, Ye Fan sat cross-legged on a cliff, watching the morning glow by day and the stars by night, breathing and refining his Qi, consuming the morning mist and drinking the dew, seeking to understand his own Dao.
Every morning, Little Sparrow would wobble up, clutching her pacifier and gasping for breath, calling out, “Has the Divine Son severed the Dao?”
As the first disciple, Tongtong naturally did not fall behind. He sat cross-legged on the cliff every day, following Ye Fan in breathing exercises, swallowing the morning glow. The Bodhi Seed was now used in turns between him and Little Sparrow; Ye Fan had long since stopped needing it.
A month of contemplation, a month of enlightenment, a month of silent meditation. Though Ye Fan’s heart was as still as water, he could never take that step.
In the end, his heart grew restless. He could not sever the Dao, and the opportunity to break through this barrier did not manifest. He stood up.
“Has the Divine Son severed the Dao?”
Another morning, Little Sparrow, clutching her milk bottle, staggered up the mountain. Wiping away her sweat, she plopped down on the grass and asked.
“Has Master succeeded?” Tongtong also asked expectantly.
“Still waiting,” Ye Fan said, patting their heads before heading down the mountain.
At the other end of the starry sky, there were too many things he longed for. He thought of returning every moment, and this had almost become a curse.
Was he supposed to sever everything related to Earth? That would be equivalent to denying himself, forgetting the past, and erasing his true heart.
At the same time, there was much in this world that he cherished. Perhaps in the near future, he would leave, and there were attachments and helplessness that made it hard for him to calm his spirit.
Severing emotions, severing the Dao, severing oneself—Ye Fan had silently calculated and carefully considered. There were many things he could not let go of, various entanglements. If he truly calculated it, it seemed he would have to sever himself.
What kind of Dao was that? He did not know, and he would never act that way.
“Ah…”
The Twin Blood Emperors were screaming, as usual. Black Emperor had drilled them to the point of madness. Every day was like this, their cries resonating with the barking of dogs.
Li Tian and Yan Yixi had been disappearing for a few days at a time lately, going to the Heavenly Pivot Stone Workshop in the Divine City to seek guidance. They might truly become disciples of a sage.
The Monkey, aside from occasionally showing up to steal some divine wine from Qi Luo’s cellar, was mostly away and rarely returned.
Li Heishui had formally become a disciple of the Northern Domain’s number one Great Bandit, so he came back less often. In the future, he might go into seclusion for several years and not appear at all.
As for Duan De, it was said he had discovered an ancient great tomb. Ghosts kept appearing, and he fled back several times, covered in dust. He speculated it might belong to a Sacred Spirit. With a burning heart, he threw himself into the great cause of archaeology and rarely showed his face.
Ji Ziyue came every few days, but seeing Ye Fan in meditation, she did not disturb him much. She would rest her chin on her hand and gaze absently from another peak.
Dongfang Ye, on the other hand, visited often. He was very eager to help Duan De with his archaeology, but the unscrupulous Taoist flatly refused. The barbarian’s sacred weapon had been taken back by his clan, and if they dug up any treasures, Dongfang Ye would likely go red-eyed and try to snatch them.
Half a month later, news spread from the Northern Domain: the Human Clan’s Sacred Body had founded a sect, named the Heavenly Court, and the news spread throughout the world.
“Who leaked the information?” Ye Fan was stunned, because they had not yet announced the Heavenly Court to the world. Otherwise, it might have been nipped in the bud by Mortal World and Hell.
“The two little ones did a divination. Someone has been deducing everything about you and knows you founded a sect,” Qi Luo said. He too sensed the gravity of the situation.
Beside him, Gu Fei and Gu Lin nodded seriously, their big eyes pure and innocent. Their Heaven-Stealing Art was still immature and far from perfected, but with their outstanding talent, they could still calculate some things.
“It might be one of our uncles or elders.”
After a long period of deduction, the young siblings believed it was someone from the Divine Calculator lineage. The father of these two spirit children still had one or two fellow disciples alive in the world.
The Human Clan’s Sacred Body had founded a sect named the Heavenly Court. This news spread like the wind across the land, sparking widespread discussion.
“It’s… the Heavenly Court! What exactly does he intend to do?”
“Why this name? What are his plans?”
Almost everyone was shocked. These two words carried immense weight, holding extraordinary significance that unsettled the mind.
Even the Ten Thousand Primeval Clans were extremely sensitive to this name, their hearts trembling.
Both human history and the ancient records of the Ten Thousand Primeval Clans contained myths and legends about the Heavenly Court, though they could not be verified, as everything had vanished into smoke.
Nevertheless, many ancient clans believed that in the distant past, there was a buried history—gods had existed, immortals had been born, and the ancient Heavenly Court had once stood!
The assassin divine dynasty—the Heavenly Court—had also left an unforgettable memory for human cultivators. During those dark years, the Heavenly Court ruled the world, and the entire land was shrouded in death.
Later, in the Primordial Era, it was said that the Green Emperor had also intended to establish the Heavenly Court. He had entered the Divine Ruins, visited the Immortal Mound, and even tried to move the Southern Heavenly Gate out of the Divine Ruins.
But in the end, all of this came to nothing. The generation of the Demon Emperor passed away, leaving eternal mysteries. No one knew why he had made such moves in his later years.
Perhaps the Green Emperor had discovered something and wanted to achieve something, but in the end, it became mere history, its secrets unrevealed.
“Did you know the Human Clan’s Sacred Body has founded a sect? It’s called the Heavenly Court!”
“I’ve heard. To use that name—what boldness!”
“The name is the Heavenly Court. Can anyone tell me what he’s thinking? Isn’t his ambition a bit too great?”
At first, there was no reaction, but as people discussed it and recalled the significance of the name, many grew restless. Even the ancient clans could not remain calm.
Ye Fan’s founding of a sect caused an uproar, because the Heavenly Court carried great implications. Many could not articulate why, but they knew this name could not be used casually.
Had he glimpsed some heavenly secret? This was the question on the minds of many immortal great powers, both human and ancient. The whole world was watching.
“Why? He’s founding a sect now. My father didn’t dare to establish the Heavenly Court in his time. What gives him the right to do it now?!” In the Northern Domain, the most unsettled person was the Celestial Prince, whose heart churned with turbulent waves.
He had long pondered the words “Heavenly Court,” considering them for who knows how long. He muttered to himself, “I originally planned to wait until the day I attained enlightenment to try establishing the Heavenly Court. Now, I might have to found my sect early and take everything from you!”
In the Heavenly Village, the two children were divining again and again, cold sweat pouring out. They only divined the words “Heavenly Court,” but the result made them tremble with fear—they could calculate nothing.
“All we know is that using this name to establish a sect now will have far-reaching consequences. Whether it’s good or bad, we simply cannot calculate,” the two little ones said, exhausted in body and mind.
“Now is not the time to reveal all our cards. Do you have a way to cover this up?” Ye Fan asked.
“No problem. Grandpa Divine Calculator gave us the talisman that has been refined by generations of ancestors. It can suppress all heavenly secrets,” the two little ones replied confidently.
“Good. Then I’ll go out and establish the sect—a Heavenly Court of one person. Cover everything else and don’t let the heavenly secrets leak,” Ye Fan said, turning to leave.
On that day, the Eastern Wasteland was stirred up again. Ye Fan founded a sect, named the Heavenly Court, with only himself as a member, causing shockwaves everywhere!
Many people traveled north, and numerous great powers mobilized, all wanting to see why a single person dared to use such a title. Of course, it was also a great crisis, because on that very day, some said this name should not appear in the world—no one under heaven was worthy of using it!