Shrouding the Heavens - Chapter 202

Ye Fan felt light and ethereal, like a gentle breeze, as he returned to the Stone Village.

Fifth Grandpa Zhang saw him return and pulled him to a secluded spot. "Something’s happened," he said.

"What is it?" Ye Fan asked.

"Ever since Wang Shu and that uneducated youth went out with you, they’ve been acting strangely. These days, their foreheads glow, and they possess immense strength..." Fifth Grandpa Zhang frowned, his concern evident.

"A bloodline awakening?" Ye Fan was surprised. "Take me to see them."

"I’ve been keeping them indoors these days, not letting them out. Apart from gaining strange powers, nothing bad has happened." Fifth Grandpa Zhang accompanied Ye Fan to the uneducated youth’s home.

As soon as Ye Fan entered the courtyard, he felt a vibrant life force. Indeed, there was unlimited vitality, as if he had stepped into a lush and verdant place.

"You’ve come, Brother Ye." The uneducated youth’s sister, a very delicate and pretty girl, smiled sweetly.

"Is your brother alright?" Fifth Grandpa Zhang asked her to lead the way.

"He’s fine, eating well and sleeping soundly, like a lazy pig sleeping all day," the Lei family’s girl pouted.

Snores came from inside the house. The uneducated youth lay sprawled on the earthen bed, sleeping soundly. His forehead, shining like Jade, emitted a radiant glow.

Divine Ability! It was undoubtedly a Divine Ability!

Ye Fan was astounded. Not long ago, the uneducated youth was just an ordinary person, but now he possessed great power.

His forehead was almost transparent, gentle radiance flowing throughout his body, continuously cleansing his flesh.

Ye Fan couldn’t help but marvel. Different races have different achievements and starting points. This was an innate Divine Ability, an inherent power.

Human cultivators wishing to possess divine energy must endure arduous cultivation to unlock their internal treasures. Meanwhile, some long-extinct powerful races are born with Divine Ability. This represents an incredibly high starting point, difficult for others to attain.

"Brother... wake up." The Lei family’s girl pinched the uneducated youth’s nose, shaking him awake.

"Is it time to eat?" the uneducated youth mumbled drowsily, the glow on his forehead intensifying.

"Lei Bo, how do you feel? Is there any discomfort anywhere in your body?" Inside the Lei family home, Ye Fan directly called him by his name, avoiding the nickname.

"Little Brother Ye, you’ve come." The uneducated youth sat up. "I’m not uncomfortable. I feel full of strength, able to shatter ore."

Ye Fan nodded. With such power, the uneducated youth could do more than just break large stones. His Divine Ability was comparable to Divine Bridge cultivators, and he could easily cleave open a mine.

"Why has your body undergone such changes?" Ye Fan asked about his experience.

"Let’s go to my house. I’ll cook some good dishes, and we can talk while eating," Fifth Grandpa Zhang suggested. In front of the uneducated youth’s family, some matters were inconvenient to discuss in detail.

"Great! I love Grandpa Zhang’s tender lamb chops the most!" The uneducated youth was overjoyed, still as carefree as ever.

Wang Shu had also experienced the same change and was called to Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s house by Ye Fan. They ate and talked together.

"Did this change happen because you touched those nine pieces of stone that day?" Ye Fan asked, not overly concerned.

Many generations had passed, and these families had long ago been assimilated into the human race, not other races. Occasionally, special children would appear. However, aside from having innate Divine Abilities, there was no other abnormality.

"Yes. After returning, it felt as if a sheet of paper in our bodies was torn open. A warm ’water’ surged everywhere, and it was very comfortable."

Ye Fan was speechless. Divine energy like water—this was exceptionally powerful, a resurgence of ancient bloodlines, a heavenly gift.

"Bite your fingers; let me take a look."

The people of the Lei and Wang families knew their ancestors were special but didn’t know they weren’t of the human race. Without hesitation, both pricked their fingers, letting a few drops of blood fall.

"Red and glowing, with a faint silver shine. Such talent is admirable and enviable," Ye Fan nodded.

Their blood possessed only a slight silver sheen, far from pure Silver Blood. Yet, having such Divine Abilities spoke volumes of how formidable their ancestors must have been.

Perhaps they were Supremes among ancient beings, possibly even of the Royal Family. Ye Fan mused to himself, unable to voice such thoughts aloud.

"Little Brother Ye, are we okay?" Wang Shu asked cautiously, somewhat worried.

"We won’t turn into monsters, right?" The uneducated youth scratched his head; clearly, they had heard some ancestral legends.

"It’s a good thing; you needn’t worry." Ye Fan carefully checked, finding their foreheads held a mysterious connection to their body’s origin.

His divine sense was immense. Forcefully entering their Sea of Consciousness, he confirmed they possessed human characteristics and thus wasn’t worried they would transform into ancient creatures.

What truly surprised Ye Fan more than these matters were the nine pieces of stone from Jade Lake. Whatever was sealed inside them had triggered Wang Shu and Lei Bo’s Divine Abilities, and it was most likely something akin to their own bloodlines.

"Is it truly a good thing? Will we be able to fly one day?" Both showed hope in their eyes.

Ye Fan smiled and nodded. "If you’re willing, you can now."

"Really? How do we do it?" They forgot about eating, eager for Ye Fan to teach them.

"This..." Nearby, Fifth Grandpa Zhang looked worried.

"Elder, don’t worry. It’s truly a blessing," Ye Fan reassured Fifth Grandpa Zhang and sent the two boys outside. He then taught them how to wield their Divine Abilities. Soon, they lifted off the ground, enveloped in silver mist, wobbling as they soared into the air.

THUD! THUD!

The two fell from the sky, and Ye Fan rushed to catch them. For beings with strength comparable to Divine Bridge cultivators to fall to their deaths would be quite a joke. Such an incident might even be recorded in the annals of cultivation as a cautionary tale.

"Don’t fly so high. Practice three feet from the ground. Once you master this, I’ll teach you other skills."

From that day on, the people of the Stone Village saw the two of them daily, shouting and calling out as they flew around.

And from that day forward, no one called the uneducated youth by his nickname anymore, addressing him by his real name, Lei Bo.

「Half a month passed in a blink.」

While Ye Fan stabilized his Heart’s Divine Treasure, he also delved into the *Heavenly Source Book*. He had gained initial mastery of the Heaven and Earth Changing Technique, though for now, it was limited to altering his appearance and aura.

He was far from being able to change the appearance of mountains and earth. Such an advanced Great Source Technique required a profound cultivation Realm to master.

During this time, he closely watched the movements of the Yaochi Saintess. True to Tu Fei’s word, she traversed various cities in the Northern Region.

It seems she won’t return to Jade Lake anytime soon. Ye Fan decided to enhance his Realm further and refine the Heaven and Earth Changing Technique to a High Realm. Otherwise, exposing his cover could lead to life-threatening trouble.

By now, he had fully comprehended the initial part of the *Heavenly Source Book* and decided to go Scanning Source. One thousand jin of Source was a significant amount. Acquiring it from Pingyan City’s major Gambling Stone Workshops would pose a challenge.

However, he felt he could likely amass it, as his Source Techniques had advanced rapidly. In these lower-tier Gambling Stone Workshops, he was confident he wouldn’t fail.

"It’s not good..." Suddenly, a villager frantically came to find Ye Fan.

"What happened?" Ye Fan awoke from meditation, sensing trouble outside the village even before the villager spoke.

"Hurry and save Fifth Grandpa Zhang! He’s almost beaten to death!" the messenger cried, anxious and flustered.

Ye Fan shot to his feet. With a single step, he vanished, reappearing outside the village in the blink of an eye.

Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s hair was disheveled and his cheeks were swollen, with clear blue fingerprints visible. Bloodstains were at the corner of his mouth and on his chest. He had evidently been slapped.

The young people in the village all drew their curved blades, confronting the men in front. "How can you do this?!" they shouted angrily.

"What’s wrong with this?" A few young men standing opposite were indifferent, not taking the people of the Stone Village seriously at all.

"On what grounds are you hitting people?"

"This old fellow is one who spurns a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. The Qingxia Sect invited him to search for the divine sources mine, and he dared to make excuses and refuse. I think he’s lost his mind," one young man said nonchalantly, a cold smile on his face.

Not far away were also some elderly people, all of whom looked very familiar; they had evidently been captured from neighboring villages.

"This old guy indeed holds some respect. Just a few slaps, and you want to risk your lives for him. If he’s beaten to death, then what will you do?" the young men sneered.

"You..." The youths in the village were furious, raising their long blades as they stepped forward. "You’ve gone too far!"

"So, do you think you can stir up some waves? If you want to die, step forward." Those few young men glanced at the villagers with disdain. One even raised his hand high, aiming to slap Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s white-haired head.

SLAP!

A loud, crisp slap echoed, but it wasn’t on Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s face; it landed on the attacker’s own.

Ye Fan arrived, his face cold. He helped Fifth Grandpa Zhang up and circulated his Life Qi to stabilize and slowly repair his injuries.

"Who... are you?!" The Qingxia disciple who was slapped was stunned for a moment, then roared in anger, "You’re seeking death!"

SLAP!

Ye Fan swung his hand again, sending him flying with another slap.

"Who’s causing trouble? We’re back!" Wang Shu and Lei Bo shouted, flying back from the sky.

During the past half month, Ye Fan had taught them the Flying Technique and some simple Combat Skills, and they had practiced diligently. With their foundations and newly awakened talents, they were comparable to Divine Bridge cultivators. Possessing abundant divine energy, everything progressed smoothly for them.

"Kill them all. Don’t let a single one escape!" Ye Fan instructed the two. "Cultivation alone isn’t enough; one must experience trials of life, death, and blood."

He was extremely fed up with this sect. First, they supported Bandit Chen Da in his plundering. Later, Liu Cheng’en and Liu Chengwang carried out ambushes and killings with their backing. And now, they had come to act tyrannically themselves.

Lei Bo’s eyes turned red instantly. He saw a familiar face among these men, someone who had appeared alongside Bandit Chen Da before.

"Those damned bandits, truly supported by the Qingxia Sect! I’ll fight you to the death! Give me back my sister’s life..." he roared, charging forward like a beast.

Wang Shu, fearing Lei Bo might suffer a mishap, followed him and joined the fight.

"You two bumpkins dare to oppose the Qingxia Sect?!" Several young men, though fierce in appearance, were timid inside. They naturally recognized Ye Fan’s strength and attempted to intimidate him by invoking their sect.

"The Qingxia Sect..." Ye Fan looked at the slap mark on Fifth Grandpa Zhang’s face, then suddenly turned around. "This sect has no reason to exist any longer!"

"You... arrogant!" one of them sneered. "If you harm us, within a radius of five hundred li, all cultivators will be after you!"

SPLAT!

With a flick of his finger, Ye Fan shattered the man’s head directly. The corpse fell to the ground; he was the only Divine Bridge Realm cultivator; the others were merely of the Spring of Life Realm.

"Kill them all. Don’t let anyone escape." Wang Shu and Lei Bo could completely handle the remaining opponents. Although their techniques were limited and they were unable to control Vessels, their divine energy was overwhelming. Straightforward brute force was enough to crush those men.

Screams rang out.

"A misunderstanding! It’s all a misunderstanding! That bastard just now was the Head Elder’s descendant, accustomed to arrogance! It’s unrelated to us!"

Unfortunately, their pleas for mercy came too late. Lei Bo’s eyes were bloodshot; thinking of his sister, he nearly went mad.

These men couldn’t escape. Wang Shu and Lei Bo gritted their teeth and soon killed them all.

"They are from the Qingxia Sect. If they retaliate, our Stone Village simply cannot withstand it," someone in the village worried.

"It’s fine. Soon there will be no more of this sect," Ye Fan said calmly. He had learned that the Qingxia Sect was just a small faction. The strongest among them had only reached the Dao Palace Secret Realm, at most having cultivated one or two gods.

"Take these people into the village first. Release them after we’ve dealt with the Qingxia Sect," Ye Fan said, pointing at several elderly people from other villages.

The Qingxia Sect was, in his eyes, a cancer, and Ye Fan decided to eradicate it.

A sect like this should have a thousand jin of Source. If I were to conquer it, wouldn’t I be able to ascend another Realm immediately...? Ye Fan gave a wry laugh. Such a decision almost aligned him with the Thirteen Great Bandits.

I don’t plunder commoners; I only remove tumors. This isn’t an evil deed.

Before Ye Fan could act, people from the Qingxia Sect came looking for him after just one day.

The next day, just after he had left the Stone Village, he was ambushed. A Paramita Realm cultivator led nine Divine Bridge Realm cultivators, all wielding weapons, to attack him.

"Your noses are really sharp, to find me so quickly."

"So, does that mean the few people missing from our Qingxia Sect were killed by you?" one of them shouted.

"Ah, so you didn’t know. Then why are you attacking me?"

"You look suspicious. You’re clearly not from the Stone Village, yet you possess an extraordinary cultivation base. Naturally, we need to capture and question you."

"What arrogance! Does this mean you can attack at will?" Ye Fan shook his head. "How clueless."

"Daring to attack the Qingxia Sect? We’ll see who’s clueless!" The Paramita Realm cultivator ordered the nine Divine Bridge cultivators to surround and kill Ye Fan.

"Why bother with the trouble? I’ll send you all on your way!" Ye Fan waved his great sleeve, instantly drawing all nine Divine Bridge cultivators inside it. He moved like a Daoist saint.

"You..." The Paramita Realm cultivator was shocked.

"You can go on your way too." Ye Fan reached out, his hand pressing down like the Five Finger-Like Mountains.

All the Vessels the Paramita Realm cultivator released were crushed by that palm and fingers, and he himself fell into the massive hand.

Behind them, Wang Shu and Lei Bo were dumbstruck, finding it unbelievable.

"This is nothing; it’s merely the operation of the power of the Dao. Upon entering the Dao Palace Secret Realm, such prowess can easily be displayed."

Of course, others couldn’t exhibit such might.

"We’re going to the Qingxia Sect."

"Really going to destroy that sect?" Wang Shu asked, dumbfounded.

"Only slay the wicked leaders and leave the others. I’ve decided to establish my own sect, and the Qingxia Sect happens to be a ready-made foundation." Ye Fan took the two of them, soaring into the sky.

"Establishing a sect and becoming its founder?" Lei Bo mumbled.

"Establishing a sect for what?" Wang Shu asked, confused.

"Naturally, there’s a purpose."

Soon after, Ye Fan arrived at the Qingxia Sect, which was located in an oasis.

"Who dares trespass on Qingxia?!" A loud shout came from the front.

Green mountains and clear waters—truly a rare sight in this desolate Northern Region. The Qingxia Sect’s occupation of such a Spiritual Land was indeed somewhat unusual.

"Go tell your Head Elder that I wish to establish my sect here and would like him to relocate."

The guards at the Mountain Gate were all stunned. Then, one of them shouted, "You... you’ve got some serious nerve! Do you have a death wish?!"