Shrouding the Heavens - Chapter 206

The Qingxia Sect originally boasted vibrant grass, pristine waters, and a series of deep pools, a scene of serenity and grace. However, at this moment, cries of slaughter shook the heavens. Green grass was stained with red mist, petals were smeared with blood, and jade trees blossomed with crimson flowers.

Corpse after corpse fell; it was impossible to tell how many had died. Ye Fan had truly transformed into a youthful great evil person, slaughtering in all directions. One shadow after another lay dead at his feet.

Not only did the Qingxia Sect Leader turn to ashes, but the last two Grand Elders were also smashed to dust by him. At this moment, he was executing others.

His heart surged with rage. For the so-called development of the Qingxia Sect, they claimed their methods were temporarily excessive, but their heinous acts were unspeakable.

They plundered and oppressed, indifferent to human life, using any means necessary to obtain Source. Their hands were stained with blood, one evil deed piled upon another.

In dozens of villages, young girls had been ravished, Source Seekers had been killed, and many passionate youths who resisted had faced extreme punishment.

The Qingxia Sect not only supported a dozen bands of brigands but also occasionally took direct action, causing countless bloody incidents. They were the true source of evil in the area; everything had started because of them.

To unearth the divine sources mine, they forcibly evicted people from a dozen stone villages. If one village showed any resistance, half its inhabitants were exterminated—a bloodthirsty and brutal practice.

Of course, these actions were primarily carried out by the brigands, but the orders came from the Qingxia Sect.

"Spare me...," a dozen young disciples of the Qingxia Sect lay limp on the ground, kneeling and constantly kowtowing, pleading desperately.

From between Ye Fan’s brows, a powerful divine sense took form. It scanned their Seas of Consciousness and saw unremitting bloodshed; hence, he showed no mercy and struck aggressively.

"SQUELCH," "SQUELCH"...

Blood flowers blossomed one after another, eerily beautiful and shocking to behold. In the blink of an eye, another dozen corpses lay on the ground.

In the distance, everyone trembled, scattering and fleeing. However, some had already realized there was no escape and rushed forward to fight to the death.

Ye Fan’s expression was calm, as if strolling in a garden—graceful and ethereal—but his strikes were ruthless. Each point of his finger resulted in several vibrant lives departing forever.

"SQUELCH," "SQUELCH," "SQUELCH"...

He walked leisurely, ending lives as if harvesting wild grass. The roadside was littered with fallen bodies, and blood dyed the fragrant grass.

This scene made hearts pound; even Wang Shu and Lei Bo shivered uncontrollably.

Ye Fan was ethereal, like an Immortal, floating and walking without his feet touching the ground. He constantly pointed, and blood flowers bloomed, bodies piling up everywhere. He moved like a leaf, passing through the bones and gore without a single drop of blood staining him.

He was clearly killing, yet his actions possessed a certain beauty, carrying an aura of transcendence, as if he were demonstrating an art form.

The art of killing, fluid as flowing clouds and water, traceless and natural, a terrible beauty, almost captivating to behold.

"A demon... the great evil person from Hell!"

The people of the Qingxia Sect completely crumbled. At this moment, they were like lambs on a chopping block, awaiting an unchangeable fate—slaughter.

Death itself wasn’t terrifying; the process leading up to it was far more harrowing, a torment driving people insane.

"Don’t kill me! I haven’t done anything evil! It has nothing to do with me..." Cries and shouts echoed incessantly.

Ye Fan ignored everything else, focusing only on the facts. Scanning with his divine sense, anyone implicated in bloodshed was summarily executed. He walked calmly forward, oblivious to how many he had killed; the path behind him was dyed red.

"Brother Ye, stop killing!" Wang Shu and Lei Bo approached, their courage almost failing them; they had never witnessed such a bloody scene.

Although the method of killing seemed to possess a grim aesthetic, these were, after all, human lives. Witnessing heads constantly rolling, they found it hard to bear.

"You’ve killed too many, over a hundred! Brother Ye, weren’t you planning to establish a sect? You’ve nearly killed them all!"

Ye Fan halted and turned to look. The path behind him was lined with corpses and bones, with blood-red markings dyeing the ancient stone steps a dark crimson.

No one could escape. He had used one hundred and eight large flags to seal off the Qingxia Sect, and these people had no way to break through.

"These people, I dare not use them, nor can I. Evil must be eradicated completely," Ye Fan shook his head.

In the distance, the remaining people of the Qingxia Sect heard these words and were nearly overcome with despair. The Head Elder and Grand Elders had committed evil deeds, let alone them. Most of those present had acted as brigands and been personally involved; their backgrounds were far from clean.

"Fight him! Everyone attack together! We can’t just sit here and wait to die!"

"Even if we die, let it be a quick one! We can’t let him slaughter us like dogs!"

Having committed numerous evil deeds and frequently engaged in killing, many of these individuals were accustomed to death. Thus, some among them still possessed a bloodthirsty courage, and they roared, shouted, and charged forward.

The outcome was without suspense. No matter how much they roared, nothing could change. Screams and curses echoed endlessly as chaos engulfed the Qingxia Sect.

「Half an hour later.」

The area finally returned to tranquility. The blood mist slowly dispersed, leaving only a field of corpses.

Ye Fan had killed a total of two hundred seventeen people, nearly wiping out the Qingxia Sect, from ordinary disciples all the way to Elders, turning this place into a land bathed in blood.

The grass, stone steps, pools, and flowerbeds were all dyed red. Wang Shu and the uneducated youth, Lei Bo, kept vomiting; such a bloody scene horrified them.

These weren’t pigs or sheep; these were people. It might sound trivial when spoken, but truly facing hundreds of crisscrossed corpses would horrify any normal person.

Only twenty-three people’s lives were spared. They had indeed committed no evil deeds and were inwardly repelled by Qingxia’s actions. Ye Fan did not make things difficult for them.

In addition, he released three old men from the stone prison in the back mountains. They were Elders of Qingxia who had been suppressed there for similarly opposing the support of brigands.

Qingxia was practically wiped out. Eventually, only twenty-six survived; the rest were all slain by Ye Fan, decisively and resolutely.

"Bury all of them! Entomb all their evil!" Ye Fan instructed the surviving twenty-six, then strode boldly toward the Qingxia Main Peak in the center.

The treasure vault of Qingxia was opened. A colorful mist swirled, its brilliant glow dazzling to the eyes. On jade racks lay pieces of Source, some as small as jujube pits, others as large as fists. Although there were no rare and precious Sources, they were all considered pure.

There was a full Half Square Source, weighing one thousand six hundred to one thousand seven hundred jin, much more than he had estimated, all due to Qingxia’s plundering.

"Heavens, so many Sources! How many mines would one need to excavate for this?" Lei Bo exclaimed.

Wang Shu’s eyes couldn’t take it all in. He touched one piece, then wiped another. The various Sources were multicolored, mostly different in hue, sparkling and shining—the most precious substance in the Northern Region.

A full Half Square Source, radiating brilliantly, crystal clear and sparkling, captivating the Heart Spirit.

"You two take some as well. Now that you’ve embarked on the path of cultivation, you’ll need it daily," Ye Fan instructed them to take some Source.

Afterward, Ye Fan summoned the pure jade bottle and collected the remaining Half Square Source. This was enough for him to break through to the Second Realm of the Dao Palace.

"No wonder so many people become brigands! This truly stimulates the Heart Spirit!" Ye Fan exclaimed. Conquering a small sect had yielded such significant rewards; it was enough to drive one mad. Even he was tempted and wanted to attack another sect.

Currently, his combat power was already impressive. If he cultivated to the Second Realm of the Dao Palace, his strength would certainly advance by leaps and bounds.

In the treasure vault, besides the large amount of Source, there were many weapons. Some manuals of mysterious arts were also sealed away, all of which Ye Fan took.

Below Qingxia’s Main Peak, three grand waterfalls cascaded, a magnificent and beautiful sight. The water mist formed rainbows, surrounded by exotic flowers, strange grasses, and verdant Treasure Trees. The scenery was bright and delicate.

The remaining twenty-six people were very restless, uncertain about their fate.

THUD!

The highest scriptures of Qingxia were thrown before them, along with weapons refined by Dao Palace cultivators, which were also cast onto the ground.

"These all belong to you. Don’t doubt it, and don’t have any misgivings. Qingxia was once occupied by a gang of bandits who wreaked havoc everywhere. I exterminated them and have left behind the true inheritors."

From Hell to Heaven—happiness came so swiftly that these people could hardly believe it. Moments ago, they had been worrying about their lives, and now they could obtain treasures and mysterious arts.

"Is it true?" someone asked hesitantly, raising their head.

"Naturally, it’s true," Ye Fan said with a smile. "Conduct yourselves well. Once you become stronger, you will undoubtedly all be Elders of Qingxia."

All the previous power holders were dead. If these people stayed, they would naturally become the Ancestors and wield power.

"Brother Ye..." Lei Bo, the uneducated youth, started to say something.

"I forgot to introduce you. These two are the Head Elders of the Mining Sect. In the future, they may request your assistance," Ye Fan pushed Wang Shu and Lei Bo forward.

"We are Head Elders?! We’ve established a sect...?" The two were in a daze.

"The Mining Sect?!" Qingxia’s survivors looked at each other, thinking the name sounded terribly unsophisticated, clearly like something related to digging ores.

"Just as you’ve all guessed, our sect does not contend with the world; we only seek Sources in the mountains and lands. In the future, we might request your help." Ye Fan didn’t want to lead this sect directly, preferring remote control; otherwise, it would inevitably provoke rebellion.

According to the Heavenly Source Book, when seeking Source, it was sometimes necessary to lock down mountain ranges and earth veins, requiring a large number of people. He had internally designated these survivors as his "miners."

"Whatever you command, we dare not disobey and will certainly comply." Internally, these people felt a surge of relief and fortune. Not only had they survived, but they were also to become the actual controllers of Qingxia, far exceeding their wildest expectations.

Fundamentally, these people were of good character, opposed to evil deeds, and had clean backgrounds. Otherwise, Ye Fan wouldn’t have kept them.

"You should seal the mountain and cultivate in seclusion..." After imparting this advice, Ye Fan drifted away with Wang Shu and Lei Bo.

"Brother Ye, did we really establish a sect?" Wang Shu kept asking on the way.

"That name sounds awful..." the uneducated youth mumbled.

"Why does it sound awful? The Mining Sect. As the name itself suggests, it’s a peerless Great Sect, destined to be renowned!" Ye Fan chuckled.

"Weren’t we going to establish the sect in Qingxia? Why are we leaving?" Both were puzzled.

"My main purpose was to eradicate the malignant growth here. As for the Qingxia Sect, it must be firmly grasped!" Ye Fan smiled.

This was his plan: he had internally designated them as miners but couldn’t announce it directly. Otherwise, even if people complied outwardly, rebellion would brew behind the scenes; slow persuasion was necessary.

For now, let them become Qingxia’s controllers. These people would be extremely happy, and gradually, everything would fall into place according to his design.

Ye Fan already considered this sect his own territory, not allowing others to interfere. Soon, he would go there to cultivate in seclusion.

In the following three days, Ye Fan used lightning-fast tactics to wipe out all seventeen groups of bandits within a five-hundred-mile radius, eliminating them completely.

When Ye Fan returned to the Qingxia Sect, preparing to use the acquired Source to enter seclusion, he learned that for the past three days, people had been frequently observed scouting near the Mountain Gate.

"People from the Li Huo Sect, Luoxia Sect, Xuanyue Cave, and Seven Stars Pavilion have been probing Qingxia’s situation recently."

The three remaining Elders of Qingxia looked worried, and the other twenty-three young disciples also felt uneasy.

"No worries. As long as they don’t go overboard, we needn’t bother with them. If any of you encounter difficulties, I will naturally help, especially since I’ve borrowed a Qing Peak from you all," Ye Fan said with a smile.

He intended to reside in the back mountain, and naturally, the Qingxia people wouldn’t dare refuse to lend it. They initially had some reservations, but now they had no choice but to seek Ye Fan’s assistance.

"A disciple of Xuanyue Cave has come to pay respects and requests an audience with the Qingxia Sect Leader!" The voice echoed from outside the Mountain Gate all the way to the eighteen main peaks.

「Shortly after.」

A Qingxia disciple led a young man in his twenties inside. Ascending the stone steps, he glanced around, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"You are merely a disciple of Xuanyue Cave, yet you dare to cause a clamor at our Mountain Gate, disturbing our cultivation, and audaciously demand to see our Qingxia Sect Leader! Even if your Elders came personally, they wouldn’t dare to be so presumptuous!"

"Junior Li Youran, ninth disciple of the Xuanyue Cave Master, here on my master’s order to pay a visit." Li Youran observed his surroundings, spotting some bloodstains by the water pool and on the stone steps. The smile on his lips widened.

"What business do you have?" one of Qingxia’s Elders asked, his face stern.

"I’ve heard there has been some turbulence in Qingxia. Our Xuanyue Cave wishes to assist, and soon, powerful experts from our side will arrive," Li Youran replied.

"Audacious! Do you intend to invade our Qingxia?" The three Elders were furious.

"Not at all. The Master of our Xuanyue Cave is a close friend of your esteemed Sect Leader. If Qingxia is in trouble, our Xuanyue Cave will naturally offer support to help you overcome this crisis." Having already deduced Qingxia’s weakened state, Li Youran spoke more casually, a faint smile on his face.

"Is Xuanyue Cave trying to exploit our plight by looting a burning house?" The remaining twenty-six people of Qingxia were all incensed.

"Not at all, we sincerely come to assist." Li Youran unfolded his fan and began to speak with flowing eloquence, "Long ago, my master and the Qingxia Sect Leader discussed merging our two sects to jointly promote their prosperity and glory."

His words having reached this point, Xuanyue Cave’s intentions were blatantly obvious.

"You..." The people of Qingxia were enraged.

"Quite the bold tone." Ye Fan emerged and said, "Merging the two sects is no problem. Go back and tell your Cave Master to prepare a Half Square Source. He can join Qingxia at any time; making him a Vice Sect Hierarch is perfectly fine."

"Who are you?" Li Youran snapped his fan shut with a "SNAP," his smile vanishing as he spoke gravely, "A mere youngster like you has no place to speak here. I am conversing with your Elders. Step aside."

Qingxia had become Ye Fan’s territory. How could he allow others to claim it or swoop in to steal the prize? That was unacceptable to him.

"Are you talking to me?" He walked down the ancient stone steps, the breeze lifting his hair, his garments fluttering, giving him an ethereal, immortal-like appearance. He said, "This is Qingxia. What I say goes. Who do you think you are? A mere disciple of Xuanyue Cave, yet so arrogant. What do you take this place for, to dare act so presumptuously?"

"I represent Xuanyue Cave! You, a mere young disciple, naturally have no standing to converse with me!" Li Youran unfolded his fan, gazing at the distant mountains and waters, utterly disregarding everyone present.

"Get lost and tell your Cave Master to prepare a Half Square Source for me. Otherwise, I’ll grant his wish and prepare for a merger!"

Ye Fan sneered coldly. His long sleeves fluttered as he lightly flicked them, the movement as fluid as clouds and streams, capturing an ethereal grace.

SLAP!

Li Youran was slapped away, sent flying a hundred yards, and landed miserably on the ground.

"You... How dare you show such disrespect towards my Xuanyue Cave!"

SMACK!

Ye Fan waved his long sleeve again. Li Youran immediately spurted blood from his mouth and nose, his face swelling as if from a heavy slap; his entire body felt as if struck by lightning as he was sent flying backward.

"Good! Good! Good! This time, your Qingxia is truly going to be utterly extinguished!" Li Youran’s face turned ashen.

"Such arrogant nonsense! What do you think you are? Hurry back and tell your Cave Master to come and see me." Ye Fan remained motionless, his wide sleeves waving repeatedly.

Li Youran’s body trembled violently. His face was swollen, and his teeth were loose as he was directly slapped out of the Qingxia Sect’s Mountain Gate, tumbling towards a distant pond.