Shrouding the Heavens - Chapter 219

Yuan City, small and old, was more like a larger town than a small city. No one could remember when it was built. The reddish-brown city walls were marked with the passage of time, showing many cracks.

Ye Fan walked in the city, feeling the ancient and worn-out aura from the sediment of years, where the stone tablets on the streets were worn down by the passing cultivators.

"Hey there, young man, new to Yuan City, right? Looking to buy Sources? Come check out our Stone Pavilion; we guarantee you’ll find a strange black stone you like."

"Little Daoist, do you need good materials brought from the Great Primordial Mine’s edge? They’re authentic. Come in for a look."

On both sides of the street, many shops operated, dealing in various Sources, enthusiastically inviting cultivators passing by.

Ye Fan did not dare to underestimate these people. Despite the small shops, they all had deep backgrounds and various connections with the Sacred Lands.

He entered a Stone House and casually chatted with the shop owner. The prices of stone materials here were exorbitant.

The Stone House wasn’t big, just a single room standing along the street. Inside, there was only a Purple Sandalwood Shelf, upon which about a dozen pieces of stone material were laid.

Ye Fan was tongue-tied. These stone materials were worth ten times more than an equivalent weight of Source.

"This is too expensive!"

"These are not ordinary stones. They’re precious materials to be sent to the sacred city, imbued with Taichu’s Immortal Qi," the owner explained.

The prices were so exorbitant that the gamble was no longer on the Source itself, but on the more precious items sealed within the stones. After comprehending the Heavenly Source Book, Ye Fan’s insight was extraordinary. He chose only one piece and made no further purchases.

Stone-gambling here wasn’t worth the risk; items more precious than Source were rare and found only by chance, not simply sought out. He had made the purchase only to build rapport with the shop owner.

"Old brother, do you have any connections? I’d like to visit the Great Primordial Mine." He longed to visit the Great Primordial Mine but had encountered trouble.

The mining areas outside the Great Primordial Mine were divided among the Sacred Lands. Other places might have been negotiable, but areas near the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land were hard for outsiders to access.

Ye Fan was not a disciple of any Sacred Land. Without other means, as a mere scattered cultivator, he would be unable to pass through those areas.

"Little brother, that place is certainly not to be ventured. Not even the Peacock Kings could stir up a wave if they went there," the owner of the Stone House advised.

Ye Fan smiled and said, "I’m not going there to die; I just want to view it from a distance. I’ve long heard of Taichu’s great name, but not being able to see it is truly a regret."

The shop owner chuckled. "I fully understand. Often, young men like you want a distant view, but ultimately they fail to control themselves. It’s as if they’re summoned by the Demon Lord, venturing into the depths of the Forbidden Area. Many go missing each year."

"Is there a way to go to Taichu then?" Ye Fan’s eyes gleamed.

"Little Daoist, I advise you not to take the risk; curiosity really does kill," the Stone House owner kindly advised.

"Please help me, old brother. I know what I’m doing," Ye Fan insisted.

"In that case, find someone named Old Knife Handle. But be warned, his price is hefty, and he’s known for ripping people off," the shop owner told Ye Fan.

Afterward, Ye Fan wandered around the stone city for a good while and learned just who this Old Knife Handle was.

He was an old local fixer, certainly not a mere ruffian among mortals but a tough character among cultivators. His network was wide in this region, and he took on all kinds of business, such as escorting Sources, and even Assassination.

Old Knife Handle lived in the southern city district, in nothing more than five low, green-tiled huts that looked quite rundown.

He had none of the airs of an old local fixer. Instead, he resembled an honest old farmer, his face full of wrinkles, one hand covered in rough calluses. He was squatting on the ground, PUFF, PUFF, smoking his long-stemmed pipe, making it impossible to gauge the depth of his cultivation base.

"It’s truly bizarre how every year people willingly go to their deaths..." Old Knife Handle muttered in a barely audible voice. He then looked up at Ye Fan and said, "Wait a few days. We’ll go once we’ve gathered a full team."

"Old sir, is all this business you handle?" Ye Fan noticed numerous notices posted on a wall.

"I’m an honest man; I don’t kill anyone. These are just commissions. I’m merely an intermediary. Those wanting jobs come to me for tasks." Old Knife Handle said, PUFF, PUFF, smoking his pipe. "If you want a job, I can connect you. As for the pay, I take a twenty percent cut."

Ye Fan casually browsed the notices, and his eyebrows instantly leaped; some of the tasks were related to him.

He picked up a golden slip of paper that clearly depicted his likeness. Merely providing a clue was rewarded with one hundred pounds of Source, killing him with five hundred pounds, and capturing him alive with one thousand pounds.

It was truly a steep price, showing they were sparing no expense to hunt him down.

The employer hadn’t hidden their identity. A large character was clearly written: Ji.

You Daoist saint of a stone tablet!

Although Ye Fan had been mentally prepared, he still felt a stir within him. He had fled to the northern region, yet the Ji Family still refused to let him go and had put out a kill order.

The people from Flickering Light knew he had reached the northern region, so it was impossible that the Ji Family hadn’t received the news.

"I think I’ve seen similar kill orders in other cities too," Ye Fan said probingly.

Old Knife Handle exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "He offended someone he shouldn’t have. This lad won’t last long. Many from the Ji Family’s younger generation have arrived, and some young ones from Flickering Light are with them too."

Ye Fan casually glanced over other commissioned tasks and found more related to him—Orders to Hunt Ye.

Not only were there signatures from several top experts of the Ji Family’s younger generation, but one kill order was even issued by disciples of the Flickering Light Sacred Land.

Ye Fan had learned the Great Void Art and had burned a Grand Elder of the Ji Family to death; it was no surprise that this family wouldn’t let him off. But why would disciples of Flickering Light, whom he had never met, do this? He suddenly thought of Yao Xi. This was probably her doing.

Hunting me... I’d like to see how you’ll manage to track me down, Ye Fan sneered inwardly. He had cultivated the Heavenly Source Book and could alter his own aura, making it difficult for them to find any trace of him.

The experts of the younger generation... I’d actually like to see what they’re made of. His strength had been growing constantly recently, and he was somewhat tempted, wanting to find some people to test his skills against.

He didn’t believe everyone was on the level of Ji Haoyue or the Flickering Light Saint Heir. If they were young cultivators at the second or third Layer of Heaven in the Dao Palace secret realm, he felt he could slay them.

"How strong is this Ye Fan, that they would mobilize in such numbers against him?" Ye Fan casually asked.

"Reportedly, half a year ago, he was a cultivator in the Wheel and Sea secret realm. It’s unlikely he’s changed much in such a short time," Old Knife Handle said, blowing a smoke ring and eyeing Ye Fan with his murky old eyes. "Interested in taking this on? For this task’s reward, I’ll only take a fifteen percent cut. The rest is yours."

"Alright, this humble Daoist accepts. Please tell me all the details."

「A quarter of an hour later.」

Ye Fan left the southern city district.

"How did it go, Little Daoist? Did you reach an agreement? Surely that old coot didn’t mercilessly fleece you?" the Stone House owner asked enthusiastically as Ye Fan passed by.

"He charged me fifty pounds of Source. We set off in two days," Ye Fan replied.

"Though the price is steep, he didn’t fleece you too badly," the owner of the Stone House remarked. "You should buy some stone clothes from me. It’s old stone skin peeled off a Treasure Source and has an Exorcism effect."

Roars of ferocious beasts echoed as a group of people on horseback rushed into Yuan City. They were a group of young men, all appearing to be in their early twenties, riding extraordinary mounts that hovered three feet off the ground as they stormed through the street.

Ye Fan rubbed his chin. He had just been thinking about it, and now, unexpectedly, he’d encountered people from the Ji Family. He didn’t want to proactively cause trouble.

「Two days later.」

Ye Fan arrived at Old Knife Handle’s dilapidated, tile-roofed house in the southern city district. A dozen or so people were already waiting there, most of them young.

"It’s been half a month, and finally, we have nearly enough people," Old Knife Handle said, holding his long-stemmed pipe. "Let me make this clear first: I only lead the way. Your lives and deaths are your own concern. If you’re truly summoned into the old mine, it has nothing to do with me."

These people already understood the rules. No one said anything more, only urging him to get started.

"Why bother? What’s so special to see in an ancient mine? Every year, quite a few people get themselves buried in there," Old Knife Handle grumbled.

Some didn’t like hearing this and said, "I say, old man, can’t you say something more auspicious? It sounds like you’re cursing us to go to our deaths."

"Alright then, may we have a smooth journey!" Old Knife Handle said no more. This was a task he never entrusted to others; he always took responsibility for it himself.

As they left Yuan City, Ye Fan again saw those young people from the Ji Family. They were in a hurry, driving their ferocious beasts onward in a gallop.

Even though the feet of those strange and powerful beasts didn’t touch the ground, the fierce wind they generated still kicked up a lot of dust, causing those who intended to venture into the Great Primordial Mine to glare angrily.

"What’s there to be so arrogant about? Do you really think this city is your personal Palace?"

"Shhh, keep your voice down! Do you know who those people are? They’re from the Ji Family! You’ll bring disaster upon yourself!"

A few from the group that had rushed past looked back and glared. One of them smirked coldly and said, "Trouble comes from an unguarded mouth. Watch what you say." They didn’t stop, flying away as if on wings.

"Really... so arrogant! Are the Ancient Nobilities all that great?!" someone grumbled resentfully, but only dared to mutter softly after the group had gone far into the distance.

Old Knife Handle truly lived up to his decades of experience on this road; he actually managed to avoid the Sacred Lands’ blockaded areas, leading them in via a secret path.

The group walked and stopped, and after ten days of crossing vast, uninhabited areas and traversing the boundless Great Gobi, Old Knife Handle brought them to the outskirts of the Great Primordial Mine.

They were less than a thousand miles from the so-called Taichu Edge, having reached the outskirts of the legendary Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land.

"We can only proceed another eight hundred miles. Any further, and it’ll be dangerous. You must control yourselves. Don’t act rashly, and more importantly, don’t say anything reckless," Old Knife Handle sternly warned.

This place was barren. The earth had been blood-red since ancient times, and desolation was its eternal theme.

Gravel was strewn everywhere. The occasional stone mountains they saw were also as red as blood and as silent as tombstones.

"This place is truly desolate; you can’t even see a ghost shadow," someone exclaimed.

"Don’t speak recklessly!" Old Knife Handle rebuked angrily.

"Is it necessary to be so cautious? There’s nothing here. What’s so scary about making a few casual remarks?" A young man was dissatisfied, thinking the caution was over the top.

Old Knife Handle muttered continuously, his words unintelligible, while bowing repeatedly towards the front. Only then did he turn back, glare at the young man, and shout, "If you want to die, go off on your own! Don’t follow us! Since I’m leading this group, you all listen to me!"

"Old Knife Handle, you’re going too far! We paid you with Source! How can you have this attitude?" the young man retorted, his voice cold with indignation.

"I can return your Source to you. Then you can leave on your own," Old Knife Handle responded indifferently.

"Forget it, everyone calm down. We’re almost at our destination anyway. Let’s all just say a little less," someone nearby interjected, trying to mediate.

Old Knife Handle said coldly, "I’m doing this for your own good. Speaking recklessly in this region can cost people their lives."

"Is it that serious?" The others were skeptical.

Old Knife Handle snorted coldly. "Three years ago, precisely because someone in the group spoke without observing any taboos, it brought about a great disaster. Out of more than twenty people, only I and two others survived."

"Was it that terrifying? What happened? Did everyone else... die?" A few timid individuals cautiously inquired.

"No one knows what happened. At that time, everyone suddenly went blind, unable to perceive anything. All they heard were screams. When their spiritual perception returned, there were only twenty-odd pools of blood on the ground," Old Knife Handle calmly recounted.

The vast land was an empty expanse, a thousand miles of red stretching as far as the eye could see, with occasional dust devils stirring.

The crowd glanced at each other, half-believing, half-doubting.

The young man from earlier clearly didn’t believe it and sneered, "We’re all cultivators; are we really supposed to be afraid of demons and ghosts? I believe that as long as we don’t enter the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land, nothing bad will happen to us out here."

SLAM!

Old Knife Handle threw a bag of Source on the ground and said, "Go on, leave. Here’s your Source back. You can’t travel with us anymore."

"Forget it. Everyone, let’s just stop talking recklessly and keep moving," someone interjected.

"Alright, alright! I won’t say another word, okay?" The young man, seeing Old Knife Handle’s face darken and his serious demeanor, felt a little spooked himself.

"Remember, no one is allowed to speak recklessly!" Old Knife Handle admonished, his expression grim and solemn.

The group flew at low altitude, advancing into the depths of this land.

After traveling less than a hundred miles, they began to see some stone pillars. Some were extraordinarily large and, despite the countless years that must have passed, still stood tall on the land.

Occasionally, they would also see massive foundations. Each stone block was several meters long, and the bases were broad and strikingly impressive.

"What ruins are these? If these were buildings, they’re far too grand! Could they be the homes of giants?" someone exclaimed in astonishment.

"Look! This stone pillar has some carvings on it, depicting strange creatures. They’re truly hideous, even uglier than ghosts!"

"Why are you speaking recklessly again?!" Old Knife Handle snapped, his eyes wide as he glared at the young man.

"This is considered taboo too?!" The young man was getting angry as well.

"You need to understand what kind of place you’ve come to! The Great Primordial Mine is more incredible than you can imagine!" Old Knife Handle reprimanded. "Five years ago, I personally witnessed more than thirty cultivators meet violent deaths right in front of these ruins, their blood staining Taichu."

"What happened?" The others were shocked.

"I don’t know either. I only saw from a distance that they were somehow desiccated. Their blood shot skywards, and their bodies turned to ash," Old Knife Handle said, clearly still shaken by the memory.

"Let’s go. Let’s keep moving forward." The others seemed a bit uneasy.

Old Knife Handle let out a heavy, cold snort and distanced himself from the young man, avoiding him as if he were a venomous snake or scorpion.

Ye Fan saw this and followed behind Old Knife Handle, also keeping his distance from that fellow. He figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

The group traveled several hundred miles, and with less than a hundred miles remaining until the supposed edge, Old Knife Handle slowed down. "I suggest you all don’t go any further," he said. "Just fly high into the sky from here, use your divine mystical arts, and take a good look. That should be enough."

"Isn’t there still over a hundred miles to go? We’re still within the safe range. Why stop now?"

"Old sir, let’s go another few dozen miles. We can’t see anything from here."

"Alright," Old Knife Handle replied.

After advancing another fifty miles and nearing the Taichu Edge, he absolutely refused to go any further.

"Another few dozen miles won’t be a problem. I still want to dig up some stone materials near the Great Primordial Mine’s edge. Who knows, maybe I’ll strike it lucky and make a big find."

"What did you say?!" Old Knife Handle’s eyes widened, his beard and hair bristling, making him look like a lion.

"Now that we’re here, don’t you all want to take some stones back? If you manage to cut something valuable out of them, the benefits would be endless," the young man said.

"You..." Old Knife Handle said nothing more, just turned and walked away.

"Old sir, don’t go! We still need you to lead the way," the others pleaded.

"He’ll get everyone killed!" Old Knife Handle’s face was extremely grim.

"I’m just speaking the truth! Old Knife Handle, you’re being overly cautious!" The young man had been bottling up his anger for a long time and, at this moment, couldn’t hold it back any longer.

At some unknown point, a strong wind had picked up, filling the sky with sand and dust. The sound of the wind could be heard approaching from afar.

"How has the wind started up? It was just sunny a moment ago."

"What’s a little wind to us? We’re all cultivators. Why would we care about a gust of wind?"

"Can you just shut up?!" Old Knife Handle glared at the young man, his gaze fixed gravely on the path ahead.

Red sand filled the air, like a faint blood-red mist, drawing nearer and nearer, about to envelop the group.

WHOO! WHOO!

The sound of the wind was terrifying, like the wailing of a Fierce Ghost. The dust and sand billowed, growing more and more intense.

"A black whirlwind!" Old Knife Handle’s expression changed drastically.

In the distant sky, vast shadows rapidly approached, swirling like dark storm clouds pressing down, converging from all directions.

The red sand particles were completely overwhelmed by the black whirlwind, dyed black in an instant. Shadows stretched everywhere.

"What kind of damned wind is this? How is it coming from all directions?" Everyone was shocked and deeply uneasy.

WHOO! WHOO!

The black whirlwind swept up the sand that filled the sky, arriving before them in the blink of an eye. The land was plunged into darkness. The whirlwind itself was distinctly colored, forming large, terrifying vortices.

"AAAH..."

A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. The young man who had constantly argued with Old Knife Handle—his body seemed to be sliced open as if by sharp blades. He left a large pool of blood on the ground as his entire being was pulverized within the black whirlwind.

Ye Fan’s eyes shot wide open. He felt a terrifying aura within those black whirlwinds. He extended his divine scan to observe, but saw nothing.

The center of each black whirlwind was pitch-black, like a void capable of swallowing everything.

"AAAH..."

Another person was shredded by the black wind, only managing to let out a single, bloodcurdling scream.

By now, Ye Fan was also feeling a chill crawl up his spine. He hadn’t expected the area just outside the Taichu Forbidden Area to be so dangerous, where one’s life could be forfeit at any moment.

At this point, survival was paramount. He summoned the cauldron forged from Origin Qi and hid inside it. Then, he drew the cauldron itself into the Fire God Furnace.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The black whirlwind swept past, striking the Fire God Furnace like sharp swords, creating heaven-shaking sounds.

An incredibly dazzling light emanated from the copper cauldron, which shimmered brilliantly. The image of a sun engraved upon it radiated vibrant life and dazzling light.

Phoenix Cries shook the heavens as a few indistinct Divine Birds circled the Fire Furnace, flames raging and erupting into a towering inferno.

The black whirlwind, WHOOSHING and HOWLING, swept across. Several more people were pulverized, turning into wisps of mist.

CLANG! CLANG!

Heaven-shattering rumbles echoed. Ye Fan felt as if a giant palm was viciously slamming the copper cauldron, making him feel the terrifying force even from within his own cauldron.

Is this really just a black whirlwind? How can it possess such force?

His heart was filled with shock and doubt, but he didn’t dare take any risks. He could only hide inside, letting the deafening CLANGING and ROARING continue outside.

In a daze, Ye Fan seemed to hear heavy breathing and the sound of a giant body stepping, the earth itself appearing to tremble slightly.

Is it the black whirlwind, or is there some creature lurking out there?

He didn’t know how much time had passed before the sound of the wind outside finally ceased. The world grew tranquil, and no unusual sounds could be heard.

Ye Fan stowed away the cauldron forged from Origin Qi. He didn’t want others to see it, as it would undoubtedly cause immense trouble.

Then, he flew out from the Fire God Furnace and landed on the ground.

To his profound surprise, the copper cauldron was not destroyed. Although it was pitted and dented, it was slowly recovering and seemed likely to be fully restored soon.

This weapon is peculiar...

Ye Fan knew this definitely wasn’t the true Taiyang God Furnace. A peak weapon could suppress and kill even a sovereign, making it countless times more terrifying than this, and it would be impossible for it to be dented.

SWISH!

With a flash of light, the Fire God Furnace restored itself. Its ability to remain indestructible left him deeply shocked.

How could an ordinary weapon display such miraculous properties? He found it difficult to determine the rank of this copper cauldron.

The copper cauldron transformed, shrinking to an inch in height, resembling a five-colored crystal as it appeared in his palm. Ye Fan didn’t store it away but held it there, ready to use it for defense and prepared to deploy it at any moment.

Before him, the scenery had drastically changed. He had no idea where the black wind had blown him. Scattered rocks lay everywhere, and the ground was covered in red sand.

Not far away stood a figure: Old Knife Handle, silently holding his long-stemmed pipe in his mouth, his brows deeply furrowed.

Additionally, seven people lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, not having been killed by the black whirlwind.

"What happened? Where are we?" Ye Fan asked.

Gazing far into the distance, the surrounding wilderness was empty and exceptionally quiet. It was a vast, blood-red plain, sparsely dotted with large stone blocks.

"I’m afraid we might have entered the Great Primordial Mine," Old Knife Handle said, heavily exhaling a mouthful of smoke.

"Impossible!" Ye Fan exclaimed in shock.

"Don’t worry, we haven’t fallen into that Divine Mine itself." Old Knife Handle’s face crinkled into a mass of wrinkles. He paced back and forth a few steps and said, "They say the Forbidden Area where the Great Primordial Mine is located can span hundreds of miles, some even say thousands. We are most likely within that Forbidden Area."

"How could this be..." Ye Fan frowned.

The seven who lay unconscious on the ground began to revive, their faces pale, all showing endless fear.

"If even the Peacock Kings can only turn to red dust upon entering, aren’t we doomed to die here?!" one of the newly awakened individuals exclaimed, his face a mask of utter despair.

"They headed towards the Great Primordial Mine itself, so naturally, it was a one-way trip. As I said, this region is vast. We haven’t entered the central area, so perhaps there’s still a chance for survival," Old Knife Handle said, gazing toward the distant horizon.

"Really?"

"The chances are slim, but there is some hope. Similar things have happened before, and some people have made it out alive."

"What was that black whirlwind?" Ye Fan asked.

"I don’t know either." Old Knife Handle shook his head. "In this Forbidden Area, strange winds often blow. The black whirlwind is actually considered one of the mildest."

The nine of them set off. Old Knife Handle relied on his intuition to choose a direction and took the lead, walking ahead.

"Old sir, you absolutely must find the right way back! Otherwise, we might walk directly into the Great Primordial Mine..." a survivor said, trembling.

Old Knife Handle remained silent, simply continuing to lead the way.

Although they weren’t literally standing before the Great Primordial Mine, they still dared not fly. There were many legends about the Taichu Divine Mine, claiming that not even birds could fly across it safely; any who attempted to leap into the air would inevitably have both body and soul annihilated.

After walking for more than ten miles, they found a massive ravine stretching before them, extending for several miles.

Ye Fan furrowed his brow and observed carefully, a cold chill running straight up his spine.

He hadn’t expected to actually see such a landform; it perfectly matched what was recorded in the Heavenly Source Book.

"Don’t go down there!" He saw a cultivator cautiously peering into the ravine and wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.

The cultivator standing at the ravine’s edge, in a mere instant, had all the blood in his body evaporated. It transformed into a crimson light that sank into the rift valley, while his physical body disintegrated into ash.

"How could this happen?!" The others were horrified, retreating en masse, their faces drained of color.

That person had merely taken a few more steps than them, yet in an instant, they became ashes. Witnessing it with their own eyes made everyone’s scalp tingle.

Even Old Knife Handle’s expression changed. He had sensed the danger beforehand but hadn’t anticipated it being so terrifying. This was truly a Demon Land.

A cold chill continually ran up Ye Fan’s spine. This Forbidden Area was too terrifying, completely beyond imagination.

They were still far from that Divine Mine and hadn’t even entered its central region, yet they had already encountered such legendary terrain. It made him break out in goosebumps involuntarily.

This enormous ravine stretched out, long and rugged. Observing it closely, it was shaped like a dragon lying prone—so strikingly similar it was almost indistinguishable from a real one.

It was as if a real dragon had once slumbered here, its weight collapsing the earth and forming this vast Great Rift Valley.

The Heavenly Source Book recorded this as a place of great calamity, the legendary "Fire Dragon Tomb"—a place where dragons were buried.

Ye Fan had carefully pondered those words before, unsure whether it referred to the burial site of True Dragons or of dragon veins. He hadn’t yet fully comprehended it; the ancient texts were too abstruse.

According to the Heavenly Source Book, within a Fire Dragon Tomb, there would inevitably be Divine Sources—absolute peerless treasures among Sources. However, it also bore a stern warning: one should flee upon encountering a Fire Dragon Tomb. Unless absolutely necessary, it must never be excavated, or a monstrous disaster would surely follow.

The Great Primordial Mine... what kind of place is it, exactly?! Ye Fan’s heart could not find peace; terrifying waves surged within him. To have encountered such a landform merely on the outskirts made it truly difficult to imagine what kind of mountains and terrain surrounded the ancient mine itself.

"Let’s go around it. Don’t approach the Great Rift Valley," he seriously advised.

"Exactly. This is a deathtrap. I feel that no matter how many powerful cultivators enter, they will all perish," Old Knife Handle nodded, his expression solemn, indicating his agreement.

The eight unanimously agreed to circle around from the dragon’s head end. They walked for several miles, finally arriving at the ’dragon’s head’. It was indeed strikingly lifelike, as if a real dragon corpse lay buried beneath the ground.

"Here..." Old Knife Handle frowned, his innate spiritual perception making his heart pound in alarm.

"Not good! Retreat, quickly! Leave this place immediately!" Ye Fan felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

In front of the ’dragon’s head’ lay a very small lake, only a dozen or so zhang in circumference. It was a striking, vivid red, its waters like blood, deeply unsettling to behold.

Even an ordinary person would be shocked at this sight. The desolate Forbidden Area was devoid of all vegetation; there shouldn’t have been any body of water at all. How could such a lake exist here?!

But in Ye Fan’s eyes, it was even more extraordinary. He felt chilled to the bone. The Fire Dragon Tomb was already terrifying enough; if this Blood Lake was added to it, then it signified the greatest of calamities, a truly supreme misfortune.

According to the Heavenly Source Book, this was "Dragon Blood"—a phenomenon rarely seen in the world. It signified the burial of a Blood God Source, something almost impossible to obtain. To even touch it meant certain death.

A "Fire Dragon Tomb" combined with "Dragon Blood"—such landforms linked together, if disturbed, meant that even a peerless divine king of the Eastern Wastelands would find it difficult to escape with their life.