Living in Their Shadow

Living in Their Shadow

"When can we get out of here?!"

A long sigh carried endless bitterness.

Getting an Imperial weapon should have been such a joyful thing, so why had it turned out like this?

They had not been trapped here for long, but the crucial problem was that they could see no hope of getting out.

Ye Fan looked at Qin Sheng. He was still cultivating diligently, his presence vast and mighty, as if he could swallow heaven and earth.

Having spent so much time with Qin Sheng, Ye Fan could not help wondering what ancient scripture Immortal Qin cultivated. It was far too terrifying.

Sometimes, when facing Qin Sheng, Ye Fan's spiritual senses trembled and his heart turned cold, as though he were keeping company with some savage beast that could devour people.

That strange feeling seemed to be warning Ye Fan of something.

In truth, by now, Ye Fan already had a premonition.

Qin Sheng had likely embarked upon a terrifying path unlike any other.

At a certain moment, a vast chant rose from within Qin Sheng's body. Ye Fan could even hear the faint, indistinct sound of the Dao.

It was like ancient ancestors worshipping the gods, yet also like the eternal Heavenly Dao warning the world.

Ye Fan clicked his tongue. Had he improved again?

A moment later, Qin Sheng opened his eyes. His pitch-black pupils resembled an abyss that could swallow one's soul.

"You broke through again?" Ye Fan could not help asking.

"It doesn't count as a breakthrough."

Qin Sheng shook his head. "When we came here, I had only recently entered the Dao Palace Fifth Heaven. Now, I've cultivated it to completion."

"With a little preparation, I can attempt the next stage and advance into the Four Extremes Secret Realm."

Ye Fan felt depressed. "I'm still in the Sea of Reincarnation Secret Realm."

"Your time to soar to the heavens will come soon enough." Qin Sheng smiled.

"I have a Mortal Body and need fewer resources. You're different."

"Once you reach the Four Extremes Secret Realm, you'll need to comprehend heaven and earth and come into contact with laws in order to keep advancing. Source Stone alone will no longer be useful."

"When that time comes, it won't be a problem for you to surpass me. As I said before, the future is yours!"

"I always feel like you're fooling me." Ye Fan began to doubt whether the future really belonged to him.

"When is this future you're talking about actually going to arrive?"

"It'll come when it's meant to."

Ye Fan was somewhat frustrated and asked again,

"Do you want to try breaking through here? If you can enter the Four Extremes Secret Realm, then activate the Swallowing Heaven Immortal Canopy. Maybe you could break this place open."

"This environment can't support my breakthrough." Qin Sheng shook his head.

His breakthrough into the Four Extremes would certainly not be as outrageous as that of a Sacred Physique, requiring ten million jin of Source.

But at that moment, he would indeed need to absorb a massive amount of heaven and earth essence in a short time to undergo transformation.

This place did not meet the conditions.

"Alas." Ye Fan sighed.

But before long, they heard another sound.

"Are there other people here?" Ye Fan was startled.

They had explored this entire space thoroughly. There was nothing here, so how could such a change have occurred?

Qin Sheng listened carefully. Sure enough, there were footsteps and indistinct whispers, like demons, yet also like ghosts.

"Be careful."

They became vigilant and stared in the direction of the sounds. Soon, a figure emerged from the gray mist.

"Boundless Heavenly Venerable, this Daoist finally made it in!"

Qin Sheng and Ye Fan exchanged looks, their delight erupting at once.

"Daoist priest!" Ye Fan called out.

"Hahahaha!"

Qin Sheng laughed heartily. "Daoist friend, we meet again. Fate—this truly is fate!"

"What the hell? Why do I hear that black-hearted bastard's voice? Is there some kind of illusion here?"

The plump Daoist emerged from the gray mist. When he saw Qin Sheng and Ye Fan staring at him eagerly, his entire body froze.

Damn it, was this really an illusion? Since when...

"Why are you two here?!"

"Hahaha."

Qin Sheng's smile was especially radiant as he walked over to Duan De and vigorously patted his shoulder.

"Daoist friend, ever since we parted last time, I've missed you every moment of every day. Now that we've met here, Heaven must have heard my heartfelt wishes and deliberately brought us together again."

"Such a pity you're a man of the cloth. Otherwise, I'd truly like to cut off a chicken's head and burn yellow paper with you, then become sworn brothers from this day onward!"

"Same here!"

Ye Fan patted Duan De's other shoulder, his face nearly stiff from smiling.

"Daoist priest, you were right. Our fate was truly ordained by Heaven."

Duan De looked at their faces, feeling as sick as if he had eaten dozens of tons of flies.

"Boundless... fucking Heavenly Venerable!"

He had really run into these two unlucky bastards again. No, why was this happening?

Duan De could not accept it.

But Qin Sheng and Ye Fan... accepted it all too well!

"Come, Daoist friend, have a seat. Don't stand on ceremony. Yezi and I are both your fans. Just treat this place like home."

"Daoist priest, how did you get in here?" Ye Fan asked enthusiastically.

As Duan De looked at them, his teeth itched, yet he was also deeply curious.

"This Daoist naturally walked in. What exactly is going on with you two? How did you end up here?"

"Alas, that's a long story, so I'll keep it short for you, Daoist friend."

Qin Sheng sighed. "The two of us came to explore this sacred land ruin and accidentally entered this place."

Duan De: "..."

That was way too short.

Ye Fan smiled and added the details of how they had gotten in. When Duan De heard it, he immediately jumped up.

"What? You accidentally opened a stone door, rolled around in the water, and ended up here? You didn't encounter any danger at all?"

"Mm, that's about it." Qin Sheng asked in return, "From the sound of it, Daoist friend, did you enter differently from us?"

Duan De threw back his head and howled, filled with grief and indignation.

"I fucking crossed through deadly terrains like the Nine Dragons Devouring Sun Tomb and Zhoujue Yin Land! I was chased by yin soldiers and ghost pawns, and some thousand-year-old corpse bit my ass..."

"I got trapped in more than one Dao-Mark Killing Formation and nearly left these several hundred jin of flesh outside before finally managing to get in!"

"Was it really that hard? I don't believe you."

Ye Fan was skeptical. "Daoist priest, you aren't exaggerating, are you?"

Ye Fan knew this fat bastard had some skills, but was he really that capable?

Ye Fan did not believe it. Did Duan De think he was a Great Emperor?

Duan De wanted to vomit blood. His body trembled with rage.

"You don't believe shit!"

Duan De wailed like a ghost. "I refuse to accept this! I really refuse to accept this! Why was it so easy for you two to get in?"

"Damn it, is this place really your home?!"

Duan De's feelings were exceedingly complicated right now.

He had painstakingly used every means at his disposal to enter this treasured land. Before entering, he had thought he would be the first and would get to enjoy it properly.

Yet in the end, he discovered that this place had long since been explored by others, and they had gotten in without expending the slightest effort!

After going mad for a while, Duan De finally calmed down somewhat and hurriedly asked,

"You've been here for several months already. What treasures did you find here?"

"Those who see it get a share!"

The fat bastard's nature had not changed. All he could think about were treasures.

Qin Sheng shook his head. "This place is completely empty. What treasures could there be?"

Clearly, the Swallowing Heaven Devil Canopy was what Duan De had obtained during this adventure.

But now...

Duan De jumped in outrage. "Nonsense!"

"How could the dwelling of a legendary Great Emperor possibly have no treasures!"

Qin Sheng and Ye Fan exchanged looks and shook their heads together.

"A Great Emperor's dwelling?"

"We don't know anything about that. We didn't see a thing!"

Hearing this, Duan De felt as though his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys all hurt.

The treasures were definitely on these two black-hearted bastards!

What the hell? Why did these two brats turn up everywhere?

Duan De felt as though he had always lived in their shadow.

(End of chapter)