The Jade Pool Holy Land, a Immortal Lake shrouded in mist and clouds.
Li Qingshan and Lin Qingyao sat facing each other, with two glass cups already placed on a warm white jade table between them.
The " Tranquil Void Embracing Truth Dew " in the cup is a pale gold color, with a clear, moonlit glow that flows around it, and a misty, spiritual aura that is refreshing and soothing.
Lin Qingyao held the teapot in her delicate hands and poured a cup for Li Qingshan, her movements graceful and gentle.
"Junior brother, please." With a smile in her eyes, she gently pushed the glass cup in front of Li Qingshan.
Li Qingshan picked up his cup and took a small sip.
The dew moistened his throat, then transformed into wisps of cool Daoist energy that spread throughout his body. Although it provided him with only a slight benefit, its delicate flavor made it a truly rare and precious treat.
"Senior Sister, you're too kind," he sincerely praised. "This dew is not easy to condense and will greatly benefit cultivators in the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm. Senior Sister should use it herself."
The two sat facing each other, sipping tea amidst the tranquil scenery of the lake and mountains, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle outside the Northern Region Licheng.
In the Northern Region, in the desolate outskirts of Licheng, outside the underground palace.
The setting sun, like blood, stained the withered bones and excavated tombs on the mass grave with a poignant hue.
More and more cultivators gathered, and warships, ancient chariots, Immortal Palace, and Daoist temples lined the sky, their various divine lights reflecting off each other, creating an oppressive aura that made it hard to breathe.
Seven days later
Duan De squinted, his bulky body moving nimbly among the broken tombstones and mounds. He held a compass-like magical artifact in his hand and chanted incantations. " Boundless Heaven, I know five thousand years into the past and five hundred years into the future. You see these superficial tombs? They are nothing but a decoy to deceive people. The true ancient family tombs must be buried deep underground, with arrays to conceal their secrets."
Ye Fan, dressed in a blue robe, stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm.
He is now at the Fifth Heaven of the Dao Palace, and can trigger the Four Extremes Heavenly Tribulation at any time. In addition, he possesses the Source Root of Mother Qi of All Things, and has the backing of the Jiang Family God King and " Eastern Exalt " Li Qingshan. He certainly has the capital to be at ease.
Hearing Duan De's words, Ye Fan laughed and said, "Daoist, with your ability to 'know five thousand years in the past,' did you accurately predict that we've been digging up over a hundred empty graves these past few days?"
Duan De blushed slightly and coughed twice. "Well, the secrets of heaven are unpredictable, and occasional deviations are normal. But this time, my calculations, combined with the study of tomb feng shui, are certainly correct!"
The Purple Mansion Saintess said, "Daoist Duan, if we still find nothing this time, we may start to doubt your reputation as a 'master of tomb studies'."
The Purple Mansion Saintess was once attacked Assassin Divine Dynasty " Hell ". Fortunately, Ye Fan and the Black Emperor and others passed by and rescued her. After that, they went through many dangerous situations together. Therefore, she accompanied Ye Fan and his group on this exploration of Licheng.
At this moment, the Purple Mansion Holy Son, who was leading the Purple Mansion members to explore another area, inexplicably felt a faint green tinge above his head.
"Don't worry, don't worry!" Duan De patted his chest, but secretly transmitted his voice to Ye Fan, "Kid Ye, if you really find something good later, you'd better be smart. Don't fall for the honey trap. None of these Holy Land disciples are easy to deal with."
Ye Fan's lips twitched slightly, and he replied telepathically, "Daoist Master, speaking of 'black,' you and the Black Emperor are renowned throughout the Eastern Wasteland. Now, wherever I go, people watch me like I'm a thief."
"What do you know!" Duan De retorted confidently. "This is called specialization! Locating dragon veins and locating auspicious sites, exploring tombs and extracting treasures—those are technical skills! Those disciples from the Holy Land may say they're disdainful, but secretly, which one of them doesn't want a piece of the pie?"
As they were talking, the sky suddenly brightened!
Two Dao Body, like two blazing suns, clashed fiercely, their divine power surging, their battle shaking the heavens.
The golden divine light collided with the holy glow, causing the Void to tremble.
"It's the Yaoguang Holy Son!" Duan De said.
The other figure was tall and imposing, with golden hair flowing like a waterfall. He wielded a jet-black halberd and exuded a fierce and imposing aura. It was none other than the Golden-Winged Little Peng King!
The two clashed high in the sky at incredible speeds, transforming into two streaks of light that collided repeatedly.
Each clash unleashed terrifying shockwaves, causing many cultivators below to turn pale.
Ye Fan's aura surged, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. " Golden-Winged Little Peng King, you suppressed your cultivation last time and didn't go all out, yet you are indeed terrifying."
Purple Mansion Saintess the Zixia, gazed at the battle and thought to herself: The Holy Light Technique of the Yaoguang Holy Son has reached the pinnacle, combining offense and defense; while the Golden-Winged Little Peng King follows a fierce and domineering path, his Great Wilderness Halberd as heavy as a mountain. Neither of them is using their full strength, as if they are testing each other.
He couldn't help but say, "It seems the competition among the younger generation has already begun; in a sense, the battle for the title of Great Emperor has commenced."
"A battle to qualify for the Great Emperor's title? If he really had the qualifications, he should be competing against that brat Li." Duan De muttered to himself upon hearing the words of the Purple Mansion Saintess Zixia of the Purple Mansion.
However, the younger generation seems to tacitly regard " Eastern Exalt " as invisible.
Though inwardly grumbling, Duan De outwardly feigned a sigh, chanting a Daoist incantation. " Boundless Heaven, watching these young people vying for supremacy, my heart is also warmed. Alas, my aptitude is mediocre; such a grand event is ultimately beyond my reach."
His tone was melancholic, as if lamenting the relentless passage of time.
But those small eyes gleamed with a sharp light, their gaze already scanning the surrounding terrain, their minds clearly focused on the ancient tomb treasures hidden underground.
Suddenly, the compass needle in Duan De's hand trembled violently!
"Found it!" He exclaimed excitedly, his face flushed, pointing to a desolate wasteland of rubble ahead. "That's it! The ruins of Licheng, dating back 15,000 years!"
Looking around, they saw a desolate place, about two hundred miles from present-day Licheng, with nothing but broken stones and rubble.
"Ruins? What use would it be if we found them?" Ye Fan frowned.
Duan De, however, was confident. "Based on this, we can deduce the location of ancient family tombs! Feng shui is of utmost importance in tomb construction, and this site is sufficient to identify several of the most likely burial areas."
He immediately took out the talisman and calculated, and sure enough, he marked out fifty-four auspicious sites in the surrounding area.
However, almost simultaneously, other cultivators also marked out similar areas, clearly indicating that he was not the only one knowledgeable in burial practices.
"We've run into a fellow traveler." Duan De's expression hardened.
Over the next two days, the group dug at eighteen different spots as indicated, but found nothing.
What's even more troublesome is that of those fifty-four precious sites, thirty-two have already been excavated by others, and most of the remaining sites have been confirmed to be uninhabited.
Now, only four remaining areas remain undecided.
The atmosphere in the desolate outskirts of Licheng suddenly became tense.
Three days later, the number of cultivators surged.
Sky ships, chariots, and Immortal Palace appeared one after another, and almost all the outstanding figures of the younger generation had arrived.
The Jiang Family's iron cavalry arrived through the air, their leader enveloped in divine radiance—the very Jiang Family's Divine Body.
He and Ji Haoyue, the Divine Body of the Ji Family, locked eyes across the void, their auras clashing, causing the Void to tremble slightly.
The Yaoguang Holy Son of Yaoguang was surrounded by 108 divine halos, like the Sun god descending to earth, his holy light shining everywhere.
The Golden-Winged Little Peng King alone atop a mountain, his golden hair dancing wildly, wielding the Great Wilderness Halberd, his aura overwhelming mountains and rivers.
The purple Immortal Palace of the Purple Mansion Holy Land hangs silently in the air; the blue stone Daoist temple of the Dao Yi Holy Land exudes Daoist charm; and the golden warship of the Great Evolution Holy Land soars into the sky with sword energy.
An ancient demon ship broke through the sky, and Yan Ruyu stood at the bow, her black hair flowing like a waterfall, her beauty unparalleled. Beside her were three young demon powerhouses whose auras were awe-inspiring.
The descendants of the Thirteen Great Bandits of the Northern Region also gathered together, laughing and joking, yet none dared to underestimate them.
Countless independent cultivators and disciples of minor sects stood frozen in place, their hearts filled with an unprecedented shock. For the first time, they saw the chasm so clearly, far greater than they had imagined.
Some things are never born, and no matter how much hardship or struggle one endures, it will always remain unattainable.
This refers, of course, to talent and aptitude.
Duan De felt a chill run down his spine and whispered to Ye Fan, "Kid Ye, things are not looking good. With so many Ruthless gathered here, if we really find the Nine Secrets, with our limited manpower, we might not even get a sip of soup."
Ye Fan's gaze swept across the entire room, and he suddenly laughed, "Daoist, are you scared? Don't forget, we are the ' Three Scourges of the Eastern Wasteland,' oh, the Black Emperor hasn't arrived yet. Once everyone's here, it's not certain who will trick whom."
Duan De was taken aback. Looking at Ye Fan's calm yet sly smile, he suddenly realized that this kid had been hanging out with Black Emperor for too long and seemed to have learned a lot of bad habits.
"Besides," Ye Fan lowered his voice, a hint of mockery in his eyes, "When it really comes down to it, if we bring up the title of 'teacher,' do you think these people will give us some face?"
Duan De's small eyes lit up, but he immediately shook his head. "No, no. The title of Eastern Exalt is certainly useful, but using it too much will make us look incompetent and make us a laughing stock. We, the Three Evils, cough cough, we, the Eastern Wasteland Trio, rely on real skills to navigate the world!"
Ye Fan chuckled. This fat Daoist was clearly afraid that using Li Qingshan's name would attract attention and hinder his plan to "make a fortune quietly."
Just then, flower petals fluttered down from the sky, filling the air with a sweet fragrance.
A group of girls in white robes arrived like fairies floating on water. The one in the lead had an ethereal and otherworldly air about her; she was none other than Lin Qingyao, the Jade Pool Holy Maiden.
She and her disciples from Jade Pool gracefully landed, her cold gaze sweeping over the entire area.
When his gaze swept over Ye Fan, he nodded almost imperceptibly before looking away.
This subtle action was noticed by many observant people.
" The Jade Pool Holy Maiden actually took the initiative to signal to the Sacred Body?" someone whispered.
"It is said that the Sacred Body and the Eastern Exalt both come from the other side of the starry sky and share a common origin. Naturally, the Jade Pool Holy Maiden will treat the Sacred Body with special regard."
"Tsk, this Sacred Body Ye Fan, his own strength is not weak, and he also has the shadow of the Jiang Family's God King and the Eastern Exalt of Jade Pool behind him. His luck is too good."
Duan De leaned closer and said slyly, "Young Ye, if you have the chance, talk to the Jade Pool Holy Maiden and ask her to go easy on us when we compete for the Nine Secrets. I heard that Jade Pool has sent a few elders this time, secretly keeping an eye on things."
Ye Fan said irritably, "Daoist Master, your scheme is so well-thought-out, even the Southern Ridge can hear it."
As everyone spoke, the last four cemetery areas had already been occupied by various major forces.
Ye Fan, Duan De, and the others had no choice but to wait on the perimeter for an opportunity.
"Daoist Master, are you confident this time?" asked Zixia, the Purple Mansion Saintess, with a smile.
Red Hair Enters the Body Theory: Read this book!
Duan De's expression turned serious as he pointed to the terrain ahead. "Look, this place is terraced, rising step by step, with a river in the distance flowing like a dragon. In feng shui for burial sites, this is called the ' Silver Dragon Sweeps Across the Heavens ' formation. Only extremely wealthy and powerful families can use this Burial Ground. The ancient families of Licheng were once very prominent, and they would definitely choose such a treasure land."
Just as Ye Fan and the others were waiting for their chance outside, a hollow echo suddenly came from the depths of the excavated cave, as if it had pierced through another netherworld.
A chilling, malevolent aura surged into the sky, causing the cultivators from various sacred lands and aristocratic families who had previously entered to investigate to panic and transform into streaks of light as they sped away.
As the foul and filthy air that had accumulated over thousands of years slowly dissipated, the entrance to an ancient tomb was finally revealed to everyone, shrouded in eerie and unpredictable aura.
Before anyone could react, the sound of a thousand horses galloping suddenly came from deep underground! The eerie energy shot into the sky like smoke, instantly turning half the sky black!
"Oh no! There are ominous creatures in the tomb, and in great numbers!" The people from the Holy Land paled.
The next moment, iron hooves shook the ground, and hordes of ghostly soldiers and horses charged out! These ghostly soldiers rode savage beasts, wielded long spears and iron lances, and wore ancient iron armor. Their killing intent was chilling, and thousands of them charged out in an instant!
"So many?" Everyone was shocked.
The ghostly soldiers swept in like a black torrent, crumbling ancient trees and turning boulders to dust wherever they passed.
Dozens of cultivators who were closest to the target were the first to be hit. Their magical artifacts were shattered, their bodies were cut off, and they were instantly trampled into mincemeat by the iron hooves!
Screams erupted, ghostly soldiers roared, and the aura of death soared into the sky.
"Thump, thump, thump,"
Deep within the underground palace, war drums resounded, their mournful cadence heavy with sorrow.
The ghostly soldiers on the ground suddenly rose into the air, their horses pounding the Void, and charged towards the cultivators in the sky!
As the situation spiraled out of control, a clear and resonant voice echoed through the sky:
" Boundless Heaven "
A Daoist temple made of blue stone appeared above the great tomb; the Dao Yi Holy Land had made its move!
A young female Daoist priest stood in mid-air, her celestial music flowing like water, purifying the surroundings. The Yin soldiers who touched her crumbled upon them, turning into black mist and dissipating.
In a short while, most of the thousands of ghostly soldiers disappeared, and the world returned to peace and tranquility.
Everyone gasped in astonishment: the methods of the Dao Yi Holy Land were indeed brilliant!
Duan De watched with envy and whispered to Ye Fan, "See that? This is the foundation of the Holy Land! We need to be careful and sneak in behind them."
Ye Fan nodded, about to speak, when he suddenly felt his trouser leg being tugged.
Looking down, I saw a Big Black Dog had somehow slipped up beside me—it was Black Emperor!
This fellow had transformed into the appearance of a filthy dog, looking utterly despicable, and transmitted his voice. "Boy, I, the Emperor, have arrived! So, have you found any treasure?"
Ye Fan responded with his divine sense, "I just opened the tomb door, and there are countless Yin soldiers inside. Why did you take so long to arrive?"
The Black Emperor rolled his eyes. "I went to prepare some things. By the way, where's that fatso Duan De? Don't let him hog all the benefits!"
Ye Fan chuckled inwardly; these two were indeed eyeing each other.
At this moment, the Golden-Winged Little Peng King let out a long roar, transformed into a golden light, and rushed to the front of the tomb gate. He swung his Great Wilderness Halberd and smashed the city gate with three blows!
"Let me see what's so special about the Nine Secrets of the Human Race!"
He stormed into the underground palace, his golden hair dancing wildly, exuding unparalleled domineering power.
Upon seeing this, the Jiang Family's Divine Body, the Yaoguang Holy Son, and the successors of Great Saint all transformed into streams of light and rushed in.
The Jade Pool Holy Maiden, Lin Qingyao, whispered a few words to the elder beside her and then floated inside.
As she passed Ye Fan, she paused slightly, her clear, cold voice reaching Ye Fan ears. "The underground palace is dangerous; proceed with caution."
Ye Fan was taken aback, then cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Holy Maiden."
Lin Qingyao said no more and disappeared into the depths of the underground palace.
The Four Great Emperors, Princess Haoyue and Little Moon, gave Ye Fan a deep look before leading their clan's strongest members inside.
Seeing all the experts enter, Duan De anxiously wrung his hands, saying, "Let's go in too! We won't even get a bowl of soup if we're late!"
Ye Fan stopped him, saying, "Don't rush, let the bullets and the ghost soldiers fly a little longer."
Duan De was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Black Emperor chuckled, "This kid's gotten smart. If he goes in now, he'll either be the first to go in and become cannon fodder, or he'll be left eating dust. We'll go in and pick up the scraps once they've cleared out most of them."
Duan De suddenly realized, and gave a thumbs up. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"
The three of them squatted outside the tomb entrance, watching the cultivators surge in like a tide and engage in fierce battles with the endless stream of Yin soldiers.
An hour later, the sounds of battle gradually subsided, and outside the tomb gate lay corpses strewn across the ground, the muddy ground awash with blood.
Duan De estimated that it was about time and was about to get up when Ye Fan suddenly said, "Wait, there's another problem."
What's the problem?
"The sacred lands are determined to obtain it, and their Tai Shang elders must be secretly sealing off the surrounding area. Even if we get the treasure, how will we get out?"
Duan De and Black Emperor were both taken aback.
Black Emperor grinned. "Kid, you're thinking pretty far ahead. But I was prepared!"
It stood upright, its claws drawing patterns in the Void, and profound Daoist runes appeared. "See that? Daoist runes that traverse the Void! Although limited by materials, it can only traverse a thousand miles, but that's enough for us to escape!"
Ye Fan's eyes lit up. "What materials do you need?"
" The Profound Jade Platform!" the Black Emperor declared confidently, "The bigger the better!"
Without hesitation, Ye Fan took out a large piece of jet-black, translucent jade from the Cauldron of All-Things Mother Qi, which was about the size of a millstone.
Duan De's eyes widened in disbelief. "Holy crap! Such a huge piece of Xuan Jade! Kid Ye, where did you get this?"
Ye Fan smiled, "I picked it up casually in the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land."
Duan De and Black Emperor's lips twitched simultaneously. Picked it up in the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land? Is that a place where you can "casually pick up" things?
Black Emperor deftly began inscribing Dao patterns, while Duan De watched in amazement, "This damned dog, although his character is questionable, his array formation skills are truly unparalleled."
A quarter of an hour later, the Dao patterns were completed and disappeared into the Void.
"Done!" Black Emperor said smugly, but his gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept over the ethereal Purple Mansion Saintess Zixia standing not far away, a barely perceptible glint of shrewdness flashing in his dog eyes. "Can we go in now?"
Just as the three were about to set off, a clear, cold voice, like a spring striking jade, rang out. "The flow of Yin and Yin-Yang here is unusual. Although the malevolent energy is heavy, deep within it, there is a hidden resonance of the Great Dao."
Zixia had arrived before them without them noticing. Her hair was as black as a waterfall, her eyes as clear as lacquer, and she was surrounded by a hazy aura that was in harmony with the Dao.
As Innate Dao Embryo, her perception of the Qi of heaven and earth and the rhythm of the Great Dao far surpasses that of ordinary people.
"What did the Holy Maiden see?" Ye Fan asked, a thought flashing through his mind.
He had fought alongside Zixia and knew that the words of this aloof saintess were never false.
Zixia gazed into the depths of the tomb passage, her eyes calm and serene, and said softly, "At the end, there is a flowing Daoist aura, very close to my origin."
"Hehe, as expected of someone with Innate Dao Embryo, your nose—no, your sense of perception—is really sharp." Black Emperor leaned closer, a seemingly honest smile spreading across his dog-like face, his gaze subtly shifting between Ye Fan and Zixia. "Speaking of which, Ye boy, your physique is quite special. If there really is something strange at the end of this underground palace, it might hold a mysterious attraction for both of you."
Its mind was racing with calculations: although Li Qingshan had inherited the Great Emperor's lineage, it was too weak for one person to carry it forward and make it flourish; the more the merrier, a group attack was the way to go.
Young Master Ye possesses Sacred Body, while this girl has Innate Dao Embryo. If they could be brought together, who knows, hehehehe.
The Black Emperor seemed to already see a new Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo, eagerly awaiting nourishment.
Duan De was incredibly shrewd. One look at the lewd yet excited look in Black Emperor's eyes, and he guessed seven or eight parts of the truth. He muttered under his breath, "This damned dog, even while digging up a grave, he doesn't forget to play matchmaker. He's really thinking ahead."
As the last group of cultivators sneaked into the underground palace, the three people and the dog got up and followed them.
The underground world is far more vast than we imagine.
The underground palace stretches out like an ancient underground city, with dragon-carved stone pillars and phoenixes carved on the tomb walls, creating a magnificent atmosphere.
The road was littered with corpses and filled with eerie atmosphere. Occasionally, scattered ghostly soldiers would rush out, but they posed no threat to the three of them.
After traveling several miles, they heard the sounds of fierce fighting ahead.
A giant ghost soldier, over ten meters tall, had grown some flesh and blood, but half of his body was cleaved off by the Great Wilderness Halberd, and he lay on the ground struggling.
"It was the work of the Golden-Winged Little Peng King," Ye Fan concluded.
Further ahead, dozens more Yin soldiers covered in scales appeared, their Dao Palace- level weapons broken, and their corpses bearing marks of being burned by holy light, clearly the work of the Yaoguang Holy Son.
Yellow water surged, and a stinking river flowed through the palace.
Many golden-clad ghost soldiers lay dead on the riverbank, their faces ruddy and lifelike, yet they had been cleaved to death by the sharp sword energy.
"The sword energy of the Jiang Family's Divine Body." Black Emperor sniffed. "And there are traces of the Ji Family's Void Technique. Tsk tsk, these kids, they killed pretty ruthlessly."
Duan De's small eyes lit up as he kept looking around at the tomb walls and burial objects, but unfortunately most of them had been destroyed in the battle.
"What a waste!" he cried out in anguish. "These are all antiques, extremely valuable!"
Just then, a piercing meow suddenly came from ahead!
A flash of dark light appeared, and a monster resembling a black cat, but five or six meters long and covered in scales, pounced, its sharp claws like knives, aiming straight for Ye Fan's throat!
Ye Fan neither dodged nor evaded, but unleashed a punch!
Golden energy surged, and the fist imprint was as large as a mountain, directly shattering the monster into yin energy and foul blood.
The Black Emperor said gravely, "Yin beings generate blood, this place is dangerous. These Yin creatures have probably been sealed and nourished for tens of thousands of years. Ye boy, be careful, don't let yourself be caught off guard."
Ye Fan nodded, but thought to himself: If this place has Nine Secrets, it makes sense that it is guarded by such a ferocious creature.
The three people and one dog continued deeper into the area, encountering several more huge piles of bones along the way, with strange giant snakes moving in and out.
There was also a lake of blood, in which creatures seemed to swim, but sensing the presence of the three people and the dog, they dared not approach.
After overcoming numerous obstacles, they finally arrived at a grand hall.