Chapter 915: The Ruthless Lineage
The final layer of the small world contained eighty-one halls. Ye Fan and the others now stood atop a ridge, overlooking everything. Mist and rosy clouds swirled, the temples were grand and imposing, flowing with light and color.
"If I had a choice, I would rather spend my whole life never leaving the Grand Mystery where I was born and raised, never stepping into the cultivation world. I would only wish to be a simple, happy zither boy, lingering by small bridges and flowing streams." Hua Yunfei murmured to himself, his expression momentarily dazed.
"Your path is your own to walk. Everything is your choice. Why put on a show before a life-or-death battle?" Ye Fan formed the True Dragon Seal and attacked.
A true dragon leaped from his fingertips, its cyan scales flashing, its dragon body powerful, radiating a strong life force. Its eyes were spirited and gleaming. The moment its dragon roar sounded, wind and clouds scattered, and the nine heavens thundered.
"If life offered no choices, how pitiful that would be, forced only to move forward passively..." Hua Yunfei was melancholy, but he quickly calmed down and struck out with composure. Five-colored divine light surged from his fingertips, his five fingers pressing down to suppress heaven and earth!
Their battle began. Divine radiance burst forth, strand by strand, beam by beam, surging in all directions. Life-slaying grand arts rose together, clouds soared, rosy clouds shot forth, and immortal light was dazzling.
Hua Yunfei's offense and defense were flawless, almost without a single blemish. This was the secret art of the Ruthless Great Emperor. She was the most stunning great emperor throughout history, using her own strength and peerless talent to single-handedly resist the crystallization of all the wisdom of past and present Daoist sages—the Nine Secrets.
Of course, some also said that each of the Nine Secrets was created by a Daoist Heavenly Venerable. Their realms were unfathomable, said to be ancient beings who had long since passed away in the Mythical Era.
But the Ruthless One was alone. She went head-to-head, independently creating nine related secret arts, one person trying to rival the entire Daoist path!
Her secret arts each countered one of the Nine Secrets. Some also speculated that she had encountered nine world-shaking experts who practiced the Nine Secrets, which greatly moved her.
Others said she had single-handedly faced nine invincible, supreme experts from nine ancient stars, struggling to suppress and kill them, and thus created her own unique nine secret arts.
Soaring Immortal Force!
This was a sharp and unmatched attack, a world-shaking, supreme secret art created by the Ruthless Great Emperor, born to counter the Battle Character Art. No one knew what kind of enemy she had faced to create such an art.
Ye Fan countered with the pure Daoist Battle Character Secret. He guided with both hands, and a magnificent sacred furnace appeared. The Eternal Universe Furnace swirled with crimson mist, its radiance ten thousand zhang tall, pressing down to suppress.
"Ten Thousand Transformations Sacred Art, breaking all methods!" Hua Yunfei shouted. Ripples appeared on his left hand, dissolving time, shattering space, enveloping the entire furnace, trying to swallow it.
"Boom"
A ancient mirror appeared in Ye Fan's right hand, evolving into the Void Imperial Mirror. It shone with an immortal, divine radiance, freezing Hua Yunfei's entire left arm.
At the same time, the Eternal Universe Furnace in his right hand also surged with crimson light that pierced the sky. Immortal flames blazed, rolling and boiling, smashing downward with flashes of extreme imperial might.
"Bang"
Both men trembled violently. Blood splattered, unknown whose it was. They transformed into two phantom shadows, launching a shocking, world-shaking duel, incredibly brave, charging forward without hesitation.
This was a life-or-death battle, holding nothing back. They struck with full force. It could be said their eyes were bloodshot from killing intent. The Soaring Immortal Art, Ten Thousand Transformations Sacred Art, Battle Character Art, Weapon Character Art, and other supreme secret arts shone in turn, igniting true fire.
They flew over one hall after another, turning into two beams of light entangled together. The battle reached a fever pitch. Hua Yunfei carried a divine diagram on his back, rustling in the wind.
Dragon-Sealing Diagram!
This was a treasure he had found after traversing countless mountains and rivers, from a dragon cave in the Qinling Mountains of the Central Province. It was a relic of the third-generation Origin Heavenly Master, who had traveled far to the Central Province. It could seal the dragon qi of mountains and earth veins, preventing anyone from drawing it up.
The third-generation Origin Heavenly Master had encountered misfortune in his later years, fled to the Qinling Mountains, died, and was buried in the dragon cave. Seventy thousand years later, his corpse emerged to cause chaos, only to be destroyed by a single killing thought from the Green Emperor.
It wasn't that he wasn't powerful enough, but that the ancient great emperors were too terrifying. Otherwise, few in the world could have stopped him. The treasure diagram he had refined was naturally profound and mysterious.
The earth's dragon qi was locked, preventing Ye Fan's Origin Heaven patterns from effectively manifesting, neutralizing this advantage. The two moved swiftly, clashing fiercely, fighting from above the halls into the ancient temples.
Time was pressing. Ye Fan didn't want to waste much time. He needed to find the scripture library before the others, or the secret of crossing star domains would be known to others, causing great trouble.
Six Paths Reincarnation Fist!
Heaven and earth split open, chaos surged. Six ancient universes appeared, sun, moon, and stars revolved. His golden fists shattered the void, breaking all obstacles.
"Pfft"
Hua Yunfei spat a mouthful of blood, staining his blue robes red. But the fighting spirit in his eyes burned even higher. Order divine chains clinked all over his body, transforming into phoenix divine wings, slashing horizontally and vertically, radiating ten thousand zhang of light.
This was a thrilling battle. Hua Yunfei was no longer what he once was. Years ago, he could rival Ye Fan and compete with him. Now, having devoured various origins and even dug open the tombs of saints, he was even more terrifying.
Fortunately, the Devouring Demon Art was too profound. He had only mastered three or four of the forbidden secret arts on its last page, unable to reach the ultimate realm and manifest them all. Otherwise, the outcome would be unpredictable.
Even so, it was extremely terrifying, making many living fossils tremble with fear. This was why the appearance of the Ruthless One's inheritor caused panic throughout the world—it was simply too invincible.
They fought from one hall into another, battling until the sky grew dark and the sun lost its light. All kinds of immortal light and divine clouds surged, shaking the entire small world.
Even the ancient cave leading to the depths of the Central Province's first ancestral vein was cracking, emitting demonic radiance, rumbling continuously, and surging out strands of Dao light.
"Bang"
Ye Fan spat a mouthful of golden blood. The Soaring Immortal Force was one of the few secret arts that could injure him. Legend said that when the Ruthless One used it, it was true soaring immortality! It had long surpassed the scope of human power, something no "human" could resist. Some speculated it was used to kill immortals!
"Pfft"
Hua Yunfei was injured even more severely. He was sent flying by Ye Fan's palm, which was like a golden millstone. Though it was just a graze, his bones crackled and popped, breaking over a dozen, and he coughed up large mouthfuls of blood.
He was originally an elegant, otherworldly figure who rarely suffered such injuries. Especially in the past twelve years, he had been unstoppable. The mere mention of the Ruthless One's inheritor made the whole world change color. But now, facing Ye Fan again, he had suffered a great loss.
"Ye Fan, your path ahead won't be easy. Someone has long had their eyes on you." Hua Yunfei smiled, with a hint of desolation. Blood dripped from his mouth, giving off an unusual feeling.
"Saying this is useless. Today, we settle life and death, nothing else!" Ye Fan was bold and unrestrained. He let out a long roar, startling everyone in the entire small world.
The golden blood energy of the Human Sacred Body was especially unique, like an immortal furnace left behind by ancient gods. Golden blood energy filled the sky, drowning all eighty-one ancient temples.
Ye Fan's hair was disheveled, each strand dancing wildly, thick and jet-black. He strode forward like a god or demon, using the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist again, extremely fierce and masculine. This profound art was most suited to his physique.
"Boom"
Heaven and earth surged because of him. Essence energy raged violently. If not for the ancient sage's formations, nothing would be left here. Everything would be leveled to the ground, reduced to a pile of ash.
Hua Yunfei struggled even with the Ten Thousand Transformations Sacred Art. This heaven-defying, wondrous art could not fully neutralize it, because Ye Fan had comprehended the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist to a new level. It was no longer just a confrontation of arts and Dao, but also contained faith and soul.
"Hua Yunfei, have you come to die today? With other thoughts in your mind, you still want to oppose me? You have no hope of living!" Ye Fan shouted.
Although golden blood was also trickling from Ye Fan's mouth, this life-or-death enemy was even worse off. If not for the miraculous Phoenix Calamity Regeneration Art, the consequences would be dire.
The two fought all the way, blood splattering, charging into one ancient hall after another. Ye Fan searched for the scripture library while fighting. This great enemy was truly more terrifying now. Devouring kings and saints, his physique was now quite special.
Pang Bo and the Big Black Dog were also engaged in fierce battles, but they both had trump cards yet to use. Especially Black Emperor, who laughed sinisterly, holding back from killing.
Meanwhile, Qi Luo and that half-saint had both disappeared simultaneously, launching a hunt and counter-hunt operation. Occasionally, terrifying fluctuations would erupt from the void.
The most surprising was Ji Ziyue. Battling Li Xiaoman, she displayed astonishing strength, colliding back and forth with the three hundred and sixty-five golden deities without falling behind.
"Ah..."
Hua Yunfei was injured again. The blood he spat out stained nearly half his body red. His eyes were cold, nearly mad. The Great Dao Vase above his head descended, merging with the Soaring Immortal Force. He unleashed wondrous arts one after another.
"One Thought, a Flower Blooms, Sovereign Over Realm..."
The Soaring Immortal Force surged out, and even more, one white flower after another bloomed. The petals were crystal clear, drifting down. Each petal emitted a Dao sound. This place was pierced through and completely submerged by various order divine chains.
"Clatter"
The divine chains were like solid objects, one after another interweaving. Crimson like blood, sky-blue like crystal... colorful, each strand a different color, brilliant but intimidating.
"Pfft"
Ye Fan dodged hundreds and thousands of them, but one finally pierced through his chest. Even the Human Sacred Body could be severely injured, showing the terror of the Ruthless One's secret arts.
A strand of golden blood shot from his chest. Ye Fan's eyes instantly turned cold. He withdrew all other thoughts, no longer paying attention to the ancient temple's scripture library, and focused entirely on killing Hua Yunfei.
He let out a clear roar. His thick, black hair was disheveled. Behind him, eighty-one golden waterfalls surged against the heavens, each as thick as a heavenly river, rolling upward.
Especially the one in the center, which burst from his crown, piercing through the entire small world. His dharma power was like an ocean, severing all order divine chains.
Ye Fan wielded the Battle Saint Art in his left hand and the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist in his right, fierce and unmatched, overbearing and boundless. His eyes even turned upward. Behind him, golden rivers surged upward, shattering all obstacles, his divine bravery shocking the world.
"Boom"
Amid the deafening roar, Hua Yunfei retreated, leaving bloody footprints with each step. A crack split open from the center of his brow, then spread like a spiderweb, reaching his chest. Finally, his sternum exploded.
He was sent flying, coughing blood as he laughed: "The Sacred Body lives up to its reputation. But you are also someone else's prey."
"With your current state of mind, facing me today, you will surely die!" Ye Fan used the Presence Character Secret. Golden light enveloped him like immortal fire. Golden flames blazed fiercely. His bones crackled and popped as his injuries healed.
"I don't want to be someone else's shadow. In today's battle, either you die or I die. If I succeed, I will travel to the other shore of the starry sky. One day, I will surely return in glory and kill my way back!" Hua Yunfei used the Phoenix Calamity Regeneration Art. His physical body also healed rapidly, with the wondrous effect of nine deaths and rebirth.
"What are you talking about?" Ye Fan advanced coldly, fearless. Among his peers in this era, he feared no one.
"The Ruthless Lineage is far more terrifying than you imagine. Today, you are nothing more than prey..."
"Are you trying to reveal something to me?" Ye Fan said.
"I am merely unwilling. I refuse to be a chess piece on someone else's board. Today, I, Hua Yunfei, will kill out a future that truly belongs to me!" His aura changed, becoming utterly resolute.