Lin Xian was speechless. Did he not know that Ye Fan was near Qing Emperor's Tomb? He even knew that Ye Fan was on the lands of the Eastern Wasteland, on this Big Dipper Star.
Qing Emperor's Tomb was enormous. The entire Primordial Ruins had once been one of Azure Emperor's many places of cultivation.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
The bell summoning the disciples of Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven rang out. Several Supreme Elders of the Other Shore Realm and the Jade Cauldron Sect Master rose into the air and shouted, "Cultivators of the Divine Bridge Realm, come with me! We're heading into the depths of the Primordial Ruins. A heavenly treasure is about to emerge!"
The Primordial Ruins had undergone a sudden change. The several Cave Heavens were the closest and thus among the first sects to receive the news. They acted with all possible speed, hoping to arrive before everyone else. Even if they could not get a share of the meat, they at least wanted a bowl of the soup.
By then, renowned figures of the Four Extremes, experts of Dragon Transformation, and even the lofty great figures of the Immortal Altar would all descend.
Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven could forget about drinking the soup—it did not even have the qualifications to enter.
Streams of divine light rose into the sky, all belonging to cultivators of the Divine Bridge Realm. There were no cultivators of the Life Spring Realm because they could not keep up with the speed of those in the Other Shore Realm. Going would only be a waste of time.
The situation had arisen too suddenly for the Jade Cauldron Sect Master to arrange his forces. Lin Xian took the opportunity to blend in with them.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
The sounds of things tearing through the air rang out without end. Aside from Lingxu Cave Heaven, which had taken advantage of its geographical proximity to enter the Primordial Ruins first, the sect masters and Supreme Elders of the five Cave Heavens of Yan Kingdom had also arrived.
These cultivators of the Other Shore Realm had no time to exchange words. Each was frantic with anxiety as they charged recklessly into the Primordial Ruins, hoping to drink the first bowl of soup. The other cultivators of the Divine Bridge Realm followed as well.
Seeing this, Lin Xian slowed his flight and reduced his speed, letting everyone move ahead of him. Using the Wheel of the Sea Secret Realm to attack Qing Emperor's Tomb? Give him a break.
What difference was that from a Qi Refining cultivator attempting to challenge a Great Vehicle dungeon? There were seven or eight major realms between them. Even a protagonist with heaven-defying luck would not dare try this.
Even if the Primordial Ruins held a Yang Tomb that Azure Emperor had specially left for his descendants to store opportunities—a sort of burial mound containing no body—where one could gain an opportunity simply by paying respects at the Divine Stele Mausoleum...
It had still been left for the descendants of the Demon Race. If members of the Human Race went there to meddle, they were doomed to survive by the narrowest of margins.
"Old Ma, cultivators from a Holy Land have arrived. There's no hope of getting an opportunity now. Staying alive is the priority."
Lin Xian sent his voice through his Divine Sense, giving Elder Ma Yun—the only person in Jade Cauldron Cave Heaven with whom he had any connection—a warning. He then turned and flew away without the slightest reluctance.
When one needed to act decisively, hesitation only brought trouble.
Elder Ma Yun raised his head in astonishment. His expression immediately changed. In the distant sky, clouds and mist churned as radiance shot in every direction. A huge divine ship refined from Divine Jade tore through the air and rapidly approached.
"Rumble, rumble, rumble..."
In another direction, dozens of streams of divine light opened the way. Nine Desolate Antiquity ferocious beasts resembling Qilin pulled a jade carriage wreathed in divine radiance through the clouds and mist. It let out repeated thunderous booms as it charged over.
People from the Holy Land immortal sects had arrived. The Cave Heaven cultivators probably would not even get a sip of soup. They might even lose their lives.
"Old Lin..." Elder Ma Yun flew outward. He was just about to offer a few words of thanks when his Divine Sense could no longer detect Lin Xian. He could not help muttering, "That escape speed is even better than someone in the Other Shore Realm."
Lin Xian flew all the way, crisscrossing the battlefield, yet never entered the core region. He was searching for a place similar to Five-Finger Mountain. Azure Emperor's descendants had buried a Treasure-Gathering Basin there, which could attract treasures to fly over.
As long as he stood there, he would not need to fight or kill anyone. Treasures would simply descend from the heavens. It was practically a holy land for getting things for free.
After wandering around for a long while, Lin Xian lowered his head. His expression immediately brightened. He had not seen Ye Fan, but he had spotted a red-faced, portly Daoist. His cultivation was not high, only at the Life Spring Realm, yet he was holding a sentient weapon. He was so happy that his face was wreathed in smiles, and the fat on his body trembled with every laugh.
"Daoist, you look positively radiant." Lin Xian stopped his flight and stood before Duan De, smiling warmly. "May I ask your surname?"
"My humble surname is Duan, and my name is De. Duan De." Duan De immediately became vigilant and prepared to flee at any moment. He asked tentatively, "Senior, what do you want with this humble Daoist?"
"Nothing. I merely saw that you looked radiant and walked with great vigor, while spiritual light surged from your crown. You must be a rare prodigy seldom seen in ten thousand years. How many years have you cultivated, Daoist?"
Lin Xian asked with a smile.
"Time spares no one. In the blink of an eye, it has already been more than twenty years." Duan De sighed before flattering him, "Still, I cannot compare with Senior, whose attainments are profound and whose cultivation has already reached the Divine Bridge Realm."
"You bold zombie! I say you're clearly an old corpse that has cultivated for many years!" Lin Xian suddenly shouted. "You old ghost, you died yet refuse to remain still. You're carrying a dagger—a vicious weapon—and must be planning to harm the people of this world."
"This venerable one shall purge you, you fiend!"
"Senior, please forgive me!" Duan De had roamed the world for many years and immediately understood that Lin Xian was deliberately picking a fight because he wanted his sentient weapon. He hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "This humble Daoist has always been kindhearted and has never committed an evil deed. I am a genuinely good person."
"I see that Senior is righteous and imposing, with the bearing of an immortal. If this sentient weapon were in your hands, it would certainly shine brightly and uphold justice in the mortal world."
"Hahaha..." Lin Xian let out a hearty laugh, stepped forward, and took Duan De by the hand. "I didn't open my Heavenly Eye just now. I only saw that your body was steeped in yin energy and mistook you for a demon or monster. But after taking a closer look, I now realize that Daoist Duan De is a person."
"Senior, what are you saying?" Duan De cursed inwardly. You're a person too, you bastard.
However, he was half-convinced about Lin Xian's so-called Heavenly Eye. He had spent years conducting archaeological research. It was impossible for him not to have yin energy clinging to him.
"Was it the Source Eye, the Martial Dao Heavenly Eye, or some other pupil technique? This place is not safe to remain in." Duan De gritted his teeth and, though it pained him terribly, handed over the sentient weapon.
"Have a safe journey, Daoist Duan. How about I see you off?" Lin Xian put away the dagger, smiled faintly, and patted Duan De on the shoulder.
"No need!" Duan De shuddered violently, summoned a stream of divine light, and flew back in the direction he had come from. He cursed under his breath the entire way. Why have I been so unlucky today? To run into such a jinx... Truly, this is the work of that no-good Heavenly Venerable.
A great many sentient weapons had indeed escaped from the Demon Emperor's Tomb. Rays of light shot in every direction as countless cultivators rode divine light in pursuit. The sky above the Primordial Ruins was filled with streaks of light and shifting shadows.
"Whoosh!"
Duan De used a treasure-seeking technique and spotted another streak of spiritual light. It flew toward Five-Finger Mountain. A twelve- or thirteen-year-old cultivator had golden threads flickering at his fingertips. He quickly cut through the stone wall and dug out a blood-colored pearl. Crimson radiance immediately burst in every direction.
"Hahaha, truly, what is lost in the east is gained in the west..."
Duan De was in high spirits. He quickly flew over and said with a beaming smile, "Young friend, we meet again!"
"Damn it!" Ye Fan cursed inwardly. He grabbed the pearl wreathed in crimson light and turned to run. That fat bastard had just snatched one of his sentient daggers, and he had never expected to see him again the moment he turned around.
They really were natural enemies!
"Friend, please wait." Duan De smiled warmly and extended his hand. "This item is fated to be mine!"
"Daoist, you're bullying people too much." Ye Fan gnashed his teeth, wishing he could skin the fat Daoist alive.
"This pearl was transformed from a demon. You cannot suppress it, young friend. I'm only doing this for your own good and have come to subdue it." Duan De's face was flushed with delight. He reached out his pudgy hand with a grin and, with a swift motion, snatched the red pearl away.
Ye Fan cursed inwardly and could only say, "Daoist, you've already taken one item. Leave this one for me."
"Alas, that sentient weapon from earlier was snatched away by some accursed bastard." Duan De looked utterly miserable.
"Ah..." Ye Fan froze. Seeing that Duan De's expression did not seem fake, he could not help laughing. Fatty, you've had your things snatched too, huh?
"But fortunately, I have you, young friend!" Duan De gazed at the pearl, his gloomy expression vanishing without a trace. He threw his head back and laughed. "You truly are my lucky star."
Ye Fan's face darkened. A smile could not disappear—it could only be transferred.
Tomorrow, there will be two updates, both released at eight in the evening.