Chapter 867: Imperial Son's Fragmented Memories
Emperor Void had likely visited ancient China. This secret revelation left Ye Fan and Pang Bo stunned, their eyes wide as they stared at each other, long unable to speak.
At that moment, the same name surfaced in both their minds—Yellow Emperor. This being, part human and part divine, was born by the banks of the Ji River. Was there some karmic connection?
Yet, after a moment's thought, they shook their heads in denial. The timing simply didn't match. The Yellow Emperor was a figure from roughly four thousand years ago, while Emperor Void had departed this world over a hundred thousand years ago.
"Elders, could you elaborate? We're all ears." Pang Bo stepped forward, grabbing an old arm and offering attentive assistance.
"Easy, you'll break me apart." The old man from the Ji Clan winced in pain, unable to bear Pang Bo's arm, which was three times thicker than an ordinary man's. He said, "This is something I saw in an ancient text from the scripture library. The records were sparse, nearly forgotten."
"This isn't the place for discussion. Please, come inside." The Saint Lord of the Ji Family smiled. Ji Haoyue stood nearby, set to formally take over in a few years.
The Ji Family, ruling over the Southern Domain and overlooking the Eastern Wasteland, had few lineages that could compare. Having produced a Human Emperor, their foundation was unmatched in strength.
Mists swirled as various palaces hung in the void. Spirit birds danced, orchids and herbs wafted fragrance—a scene of ethereal beauty, like a painting come to life.
One sacred land after another floated, suspended on clouds. Ten-thousand-zhang great peaks stood tall, cascading down countless white waterfalls in a magnificent display.
"Roar..."
A great roar came from afar. A range of black mountains stood amidst the clouds, where a black flood dragon was tethered, as thick as a mountain ridge.
The group was quite astonished. A family that had produced an Emperor was indeed extraordinary. That flood dragon possessed immense aura, its bloodline pure. Its roar carried the resonance of the Dao, its realm unfathomable.
Ji Ziyue said, "That's the Sacred Domain, connected to a small world. The Black Dragon guards there, never able to move half a step away, doomed to live its entire life before the Black Dragon Pool. It's pitiful. My brother and I used to visit it often when we were young."
Clearly, that was a secret place, a top priority for the Ji Family, off-limits to anyone not of the direct line. Their foundation was truly inscrutable.
On the way, Ye Fan encountered an acquaintance—the Ji Family's Eighth Elder, a senior figure of high status. In the past, he had sided with the Northern Plains Wang Clan, going out of his way to make things difficult for Ye Fan.
When they met, both were startled. The Eighth Elder's eyes flickered uncertainly. Finally, he sighed inwardly, cupped his hands in salute, and departed. Times had changed. The Northern Plains Wang Clan had been trampled flat by Ye Fan's iron cavalry. Circumstances were stronger than people. If he tried to stir up trouble, he'd likely be suppressed by his own Ji Family first.
The Central Void Heavenly Palace was grand and towering, like an ancient Heavenly Court standing tall. Immortal cranes danced, colorful luan birds sang, circling above. Only the most honored guests could enter, yet now its doors were wide open.
The Ji Family treated them with great courtesy. Ye Fan's battle had shaken the world, drawing attention from all sides. He had even slain the bloodline of an Ancient Emperor—who could still block his path?
After the Ji Family's older generation made detailed inquiries and learned of the relationship between Ji Haoyue, his sister, and Ye Fan and his companions, they naturally wanted to pull him into their camp.
In years past, some had opposed Ji Ziyue growing too close to Ye Fan. Now, almost all had changed their minds. If this led to the Ji Family gaining a Great Accomplishment Saint Body, they would be secure for ten thousand years.
Before Ye Fan and Pang Bo could ask about the Ji River, a living fossil got straight to the point: "I've heard you come from the other end of the starry sky. Is that true?"
By now, the mystery of Ye Fan's identity was no longer a secret. Many had long known, so his question wasn't out of line.
"That's correct." Ye Fan nodded in confirmation.
"The starry domain knows no bounds, holding too many secrets. No wonder the ancient Great Emperors had to travel far. The heavens contain many mysteries we cannot know." An old man sighed.
Graceful, beautiful maidservants swayed as they entered the Heavenly Palace, offering tea. Its fragrance was rich and pure—it was actually Enlightenment Tea. Such a divine substance was rarely used to entertain guests.
"Unexpected, I've been able to taste this divine tea often lately." Black Emperor stood upright, extending a pair of large claws to demand more, startling several maidservants who nearly dropped their trays onto his face.
Soon, a Ji Family elder personally fetched an ancient scroll. He, Pang Bo, and Ye Fan perused it together, examining the mysterious places Emperor Void had visited.
"Hmm, speaking of which, our Ji Family isn't native to the Big Dipper Star Domain. In fact, it seems the ancient Great Emperors all crossed the starry domains to get here. Truly belonging to this world may not exist." A living fossil said.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo were astonished. Only Black Emperor poked out his massive head, shaking it: "Ruthless and Emperor Wu Shi were born in this world, attaining the Dao here."
"Perhaps." The Ji Family's living fossil smiled, not arguing.
"Maybe our clan's Emperor came from your world as well." The old man perusing the ancient scroll with Pang Bo said this.
"Impossible. Over a hundred thousand years ago, our ancestors were still eating raw meat and drinking blood in places like Zhoukoudian and Yuanmou. How could cultivators exist?" Pang Bo shook his head.
Then he froze. How could he understand everything in this world using Earth-based thinking? He couldn't deny the possibility of mysteries.
Since figures like Laozi and the pre-Qin Qi Refiners had appeared, the ancient era might have been completely different from conventional understanding. Divine wars might have truly existed.
Earth had too many myths and legends, some connected to this world, some even mutually corroborating. Had they truly existed?
"Found it, here..." Ye Fan, Pang Bo, and the two old men carefully read the ancient scroll sealed with Dao patterns. It mentioned Qi Refiners and spoke of the Ancient Stellar Path.
However, the records were too sparse, only a few key words. This was recorded by the Imperial Son as he approached his end, things he had heard in his youth. But what Emperor Void had actually said wasn't clearly remembered—only vague memories remained.
"It must be Earth!" Ye Fan and Pang Bo stared blankly.
"And... the Heavenly Court Battle!" Even Black Emperor was stunned, staring at the last word, lost in thought.
The Ji Family members laughed. Many old fossils shook their heads, saying not to take it seriously. Those were things the Imperial Son heard as a child, already blurry. Only as he neared his end did he mutter them to himself, later recorded by descendants. Some had been verified, but many were just stories the Imperial Son heard as a child, not real, with evidence to the contrary.
"Heavenly Court Battle!" Ye Fan muttered to himself, not swayed by their words. On Earth, there must be many unknown secrets, lost in the river of history.
"There's also a fragment of a map." Flipping to the end, they saw a corner of a landscape map, engraved with a great mountain, but no text.
"It looks a bit like Mount Tai." Ye Fan and Pang Bo exchanged glances. The more they looked, the more it resembled it.
"This is a mountain map the Imperial Son drew based on vague memories in his heart as he neared his end."
Mount Tai, known as the number one mountain under heaven, was regarded in ancient times as the place where the sun first rises and all things develop. Historical records state: no mountain is greater than it, no history more ancient than it!
"Laozi went west through Hangu Pass, riding an ox, but left Earth. That proves many legends are true." Pang Bo said.
"This Laozi you speak of—was he an old man riding a green ox?" The Ji Family's master suddenly asked.
"That's right."
"I have seen him." The Ji Family's master spoke.
"Pfft!"
Ye Fan and Pang Bo sprayed out the Enlightenment Tea from their mouths, showing expressions of disbelief. They were truly shocked. The beautiful maidservants hurriedly came to clean up.
"When I was young, I saw the clan elders welcome such a person in, treating him with great respect..." The Saint Lord of the Ji Family recounted.
That was over two thousand years ago. He was still young then, and could only observe the clan's honored guest from afar, unable to say much. Later, he learned that person was unfathomably deep, having come specifically to visit Emperor Void's legacy.
"Speaking of visitors from beyond the domain, several incidents have occurred." A living fossil said.
If it were the past, they would never have revealed such secrets. But now, Ye Fan was on par with them, and himself came from beyond the domain, hence all this talk, hoping to explore together.
Several ancient texts were brought, but it was hard to make sense of them. It was unclear which ancient star domain those people came from. They didn't seem related to Earth, making it difficult to find clues.
"I really want to return to the other end of the starry sky immediately. Leaf, do you think we could dig up fragments and ruins of the Heavenly Court?" Pang Bo said.
"This... it's hard to say." Ye Fan stroked his chin in thought.
Finally, they asked the Ji Family where the Feather Transformation Immortal Valley was located. They were told it was a very mysterious place, deep in a vast wilderness.
In years past, a Divine King of the Ji Family had entered the Immortal Palace outside the Ancient Forbidden Land, obtained an opportunity, and was eventually teleported into the Feather Transformation Immortal Valley, thus learning of that place.
"Ziyue, you can go with him. I'll take care of things at home. You don't need to worry." When no one was around, Ji Haoyue said to his sister.
At the Ji Family, a living fossil passed by and overheard their conversation. He didn't object either, instead saying that if one could truly travel to the other end of the starry sky, there must be a way to return.
The group left the Ji Family and headed for the Feather Transformation Immortal Valley. Ye Fan wanted to see Lin Jia, to know how she was doing now. He couldn't forget certain past events.
A group of people had come to this world. Why were the others never appearing? This troubled him. He truly wondered what they were doing, scattered across which lands.
"Back then, how many of us came to this world? It should have been sixteen people." Pang Bo muttered to himself.
"Yes. On the ancient Yinghuo Star, inside the ancient coffin, over a dozen died. Only sixteen of us came to this world alive." Ye Fan said.
"Among them, Liu Yunzhi, Li Changqing, and Wang Yan tried to harm us. As soon as we arrived in this world, they died in the tiger's den outside the Ancient Forbidden Land." Pang Bo nodded.
They were taken by six cave heavens from the Yan region for cultivation. Three of them died within a few years—one from cultivation problems, one killed while traveling outside, one torn apart by strange beasts while gathering herbs.
Now, only ten truly remained alive. Li Xiaoman had turned hostile, becoming a great enemy. Zhang Wenchang was at Clumsy Peak. Liu Yiyi had entered the Jade Pool. Kaide had been converted by an old monk, becoming a Dharma Protector Vajra of the Buddhist Gate. The others—Zhou Yi, Wang Ziwen, Lin Jia, Zhang Ziling—had never appeared. It was unknown what encounters they had.
"Are you sure that, besides us, everyone else on the ancient Yinghuo Star, inside the Bronze Ancient Coffin, and after arriving on this ancient star is dead?" Ye Fan asked.
Pang Bo pondered, not answering immediately.
"I've always felt there's a ghostly shadow standing in the darkness, watching me." Ye Fan muttered to himself.