Shrouding the Heavens - Chapter 224

Ye Fan’s speed was unfathomably fast, almost unmatched within the Dao Palace secret realm, nearly contracting the land between steps. As he stretched his legs, he felt as if time were flowing and space itself was shifting.

In the blink of an eye, he had rushed several miles away. However, when he looked up, a chill ran through his body. The bright moon shone between pines, and clear springs flowed over stones. A simple and tranquil panorama lay ahead; he hadn’t escaped and was about to rush into the pine forest.

How can this be? He suddenly stopped. Ahead lay peace and harmony; the pine forest exuded a soft, unadorned essence.

This pine forest should have been behind him; how did it get in front?

He looked back. The six figures behind him were nowhere to be seen; the red earth stretched into the distance, empty and vast.

Why is it like this?

This Earth Formation, known as "Extremes Meet," could kill the Emperor of Great Xia, something Ye Fan couldn’t break. His heart pounded anxiously as he changed direction once more, fleeing like the wind.

SWISH!

Stars shifted, the world rotated.

Ahead, streams trickled, and the pine forest looked picturesque, like a celestial sanctuary for cultivation.

The same tranquil scene blocked his path again, as if he himself were rushing into it.

How can this Immortal Forest move? Ye Fan felt a chill. He hadn’t sensed any fluctuation in field energy. Everything was as calm as water.

Why is it like this? He changed direction again and had not gone far before encountering the same scenery.

The serene and elegant pine forest seemed naturally positioned ahead, as if he were exploring its secluded beauty, moving forward step by step.

Ye Fan halted, calculating silently, using his knowledge to analyze this anomaly. But after a long time, he found no cause or solution.

This was definitely not the work of some so-called field energy; this forest seemed truly capable of moving.

By now, Ye Fan no longer trusted his own senses. He closed his eyes, expanded his divine sense, and searched in all directions. The results were the same, unchanged.

It seems I am trapped here, unable to escape. He didn’t know if the others were in the same situation.

The forest and clear spring were just over a thousand feet away. It wasn’t realistic for Ye Fan to say he wasn’t nervous. His life was at stake; in such a situation, calmness was hard to achieve.

What to do? In the prime of life, no one wishes to die. He summoned the Origin Qi Cauldron, suspending it above his head, with tendrils of primal chaos dangling down. Then, he took out the Fire God Furnace, placing it in his palm, ready to deploy at any moment.

「At midnight, everything was silent.」 Apart from the soft sound of the stream, there was nothing else—an extreme tranquility.

Ye Fan stood for more than half an hour, and still nothing changed.

Where did those people go? Why wasn’t there any sound? Could they have escaped? Ye Fan wondered, realizing that simply standing there was futile. Finally, he took out the Heavenly Source Book, cramming at the last minute.

The wondrous book glowed silvery and felt heavy in his hands, its luster extraordinary under the moonlight. The words "Heavenly Source Book" on the cover shone brightly.

He opened it directly to the latter half, seeking the pages on "Extremes Meet," looking for a way to break free.

After a while, cold sweat dripped from Ye Fan’s brow. The situation seemed nearly unsolvable; the book advised a swift retreat, yet he was trapped here, unable to retreat.

Observing the Situation Technique... he sighed, realizing he hadn’t comprehended it thoroughly enough. If he had mastered it to a High Realm, he could have discerned danger early on and avoided this Desolate Land, preventing himself from entering such a perilous state.

It was too late to say anything now. In such a short time, the achievements he had made were already astonishing. Fully understanding the ancient scripture in an instant was not possible.

Upon studying further and meditating deeply, Ye Fan discovered one or two methods to attempt. However, they required a profoundly deep Source Technique he couldn’t employ. Even if he could, the methods only held a fifty-percent chance of success.

This truly lives up to being the devilish land that slayed the Heavenly Source Master... He was near despair.

HUM!

Suddenly, a roaring sound filled Ye Fan’s ears, as if a massive hammer had smashed onto him. Blood dripped from his ears and nose, and his body flew like a scarecrow.

BANG!

He crashed to the ground, his body engulfed in severe pain; even his mighty Sacred Body nearly collapsed.

What attacked me? Ye Fan was appalled. The Origin Qi Cauldron above his head quickly expanded, enveloping him, while the Fire God Furnace in his hand blazed towards the sky, fiercely burning before him.

All around was silent; nothing could be seen, and he had no idea what had attacked him.

HUM!

It came again!

His ears buzzed, vision blurred, and his divine sense throbbed with a pain as if pierced by needles. His sensations nearly failed as the strange power inexplicably struck his body.

DONG!

This time, he wasn’t hit. The Origin Qi Cauldron encompassed him, tendrils of primal chaos draped down, emitting a deep hum.

Simultaneously, the lid of the Fire God Furnace flew open. Flames erupted in all directions, sweeping across the sky.

Damn it! Ye Fan was furious. Having suffered greatly, he still didn’t know what had attacked him.

Inside the Origin Qi Cauldron, he checked his condition, deeply shocked. His seven orifices bled, bones nearly shattered, and his skin was covered in bloody lacerations.

This was only because it was him. If it were someone else, even a cultivator of the third secret realm, they would have been utterly annihilated. The attack was incredibly terrifying. His flesh surpassed spiritual treasures, not easily harmed by blades or swords, yet it nearly crumbled. One could only imagine the terrible strength of the attack.

HUM!

Another trembling sound came forth. This time, within the Origin Qi Cauldron, Ye Fan didn’t flinch as before. He clearly saw a peculiar light wave vibrating; it appeared gentle but wielded amazing power, causing his palms to break out in a cold sweat.

DANG!

The gentle light wave vibrated, akin to a ripple, very soft. But upon striking the Fire God Furnace, it immediately left a deep dent on its surface.

In the past, using the Fighting Saint Technique with all his might, he had merely left a palm print on it. Yet, this ripple-like light wave crushed a large part of the furnace—truly astonishing. No wonder it nearly shattered his physical body. With a few more blows of such force, his body and spirit would be utterly destroyed.

The light waves emanated from the pine forest, constantly rippling. Under the moonlight, they seemed exceptionally light. Indeed, this was a devilish land, its frightening nature gradually unveiling.

SWISH!

Ye Fan stored the Fire God Furnace inside the Origin Qi Cauldron. In just a short moment, four or five deep grooves had appeared on it, as if it had been lashed by the Heavenly Emperor’s Whip.

Fortunately, this furnace was extremely mysterious, nearly indestructible. It gradually began to expand, becoming as transparent as crystal, and quickly repaired itself.

This Fire Furnace has the power of immortality... Ye Fan’s eyes shone with Divine Light, but this was not the time to be distracted. The perilous situation outside remained unresolved; he would surely die here.

What reassured him slightly was that the Origin Qi Cauldron, although it lacked Spirit Communication and special abilities, was exceptionally sturdy. The ripples that struck it produced a clanging sound but left no marks. The descending strands of primal chaos even crushed a light wave.

Ye Fan controlled the Treasure Cauldron and broke through the void again, unwilling to give up, trying once more.

Unfortunately, the result did not change, and it attracted even more light waves, flooding the sky like a colorful rain, descending upon him.

DANG! DANG!

The sound of cracking metal and stone resonated deafeningly, and the Origin Qi Cauldron was struck and thrown about.

HISS!

Suddenly, the light waves disappeared. A black line seeped out from the forest. It lazily cut across the sky, terrifying Ye Fan.

That black line split the void itself, sending a chill down his spine. He worried that even his Origin Qi Cauldron could not withstand such attack power.

Extremes meet, indeed! It appeared peaceful, yet was so terrifying.

DANG!

The Origin Qi Cauldron shook violently but didn’t shatter. Inside, however, Ye Fan felt immense discomfort; the powerful force made his whole body ache.

Yet, what made his scalp tingle was the sight of countless black lines seeping from the pine forest, shrouded in silver moonlight and floating towards him.

Ye Fan controlled the Origin Qi Cauldron to escape. With so many black lines coming, the Origin Qi Cauldron surely couldn’t withstand them all. Even if it didn’t break, the impacts would be enough to shake him to death!

This truly is a situation with no way out! he despaired. This pine forest, serene and pure, although resembling an Immortal Forest, was more terrifying than any devilish land. No matter how he maneuvered, he couldn’t escape; wherever he charged, it blocked his way.

At this moment, Ye Fan noticed that the sky was filled with dense black lines, yet there were none at the lower parts of the pine forest, which was shrouded in a vague mist.

No matter! If I must die, so be it! He gritted his teeth, controlled the Treasure Cauldron, and rushed into the pine forest, skimming the ground.

"Extremes Meet"—such an Earth Formation, according to the Heavenly Source Book, meant that entering it was a near-certain death. But Ye Fan had no choice: if he didn’t rush in, he was certain to perish immediately.

In the sky, the black lines danced like demonic hands before eventually disappearing, leaving the forest in tranquil silence. Ye Fan waited inside the Origin Qi Cauldron for a long time, but nothing changed.

Could I really be trapped here for eternity? He emerged from the Origin Qi Cauldron, stood on the ground, and rubbed the Heavenly Source Book with his hand.

Suddenly, the Heavenly Source Book automatically flipped its pages, shooting out rays of auspicious light.

What’s this...

In the pine forest, auspicious light also flickered. Ye Fan’s expression shifted, and he continued forward, holding the Heavenly Source Book.

He was astonished to see Source Heaven Patterns on the ground—unique runes from the Heavenly Source Book—glowing brightly and resonating with the book.

Ye Fan strode over. The first Source Heaven Pattern was profound and intricate, something he couldn’t comprehend, composed of hundreds of runes forming a six-pointed star map.

All were etched on Sources buried underground, now revealed and radiating a dazzling light.

Up ahead, the auspicious lights shone from multiple places, guiding the way deeper into the pine forest like luminous beacons.

Why is this here? Could a Heavenly Source Master have visited this place before? Ye Fan’s heart surged with excitement. Having been plunged into despair, he now found a glimmer of hope.

He proceeded with the Heavenly Source Book in hand, observing carefully, heading towards the deepest part of the pine forest.

Suddenly, his expression froze; he was utterly shocked.

Not far ahead was an ancient building, dilapidated but still standing in the shadows, having not collapsed.

It was a Divine Temple!

In the mining area of the Flickering Light Sacred Land, when they had excavated a Green Iron Pyramid, they had witnessed a vision of the lush Ancient Land, glimpsing various races and different Divine Temples.

What lay before him was undoubtedly an ancient Divine Temple. Having stood the test of uncounted ages, it remained standing despite its antiquity.

Ye Fan’s heart trembled. No wonder this place was unique; it was evidently not ordinary soil but a sacred territory in ancient times.

"Extremes Meet"—this Earth Formation was likely just one manifestation, possibly hiding other elements.

Ye Fan did not venture towards it, as the Source Heaven Patterns on the ground did not point that way but further ahead.

He continued moving forward without distraction.

Along this path, he encountered dozens of runes, all incomparably profound, but none he could comprehend. Some were shaped like True Dragons, coiling and twisting; others resembled ancient tortoises, solemn yet imbued with vitality. There were also numerous star maps, corresponding to the constellations in the heavens.

These are the Source Heaven Maps! The patterns recorded in the Heavenly Source Book, laid down by those who reached the pinnacle of achievement!

Undoubtedly, only a Heavenly Source Master could do this; no one else had such means!

In the depths of the pine forest, moonlight cascaded down like pure white feathers, blanketing large swathes of land. Amidst the sound of flowing water, a quiet pavilion stood ahead.

This pavilion, full of ancient charm, was entirely built of Sources, etched with the patina of ages, weathered by wind and frost.

Many ancient words were engraved on the four pillars. Ye Fan only glanced at the first stone pillar and was taken aback.

"The Peacock King has perished, the Emperor has fallen, the divine king has met his doom..."

Ye Fan couldn’t help but be amazed; this place was indeed beyond imagination. He meticulously observed the records—it was a note left by a Heavenly Source Master!