Shrouding the Heavens

“This time elder Wu Qing Feng will be personally leading the group, you don’t have to worry about that dastardly elder Han doing any mischief.”

The matter was decided upon and Ye Fan and Pang Bo would both participate.

Two days later, Wu Qing Feng and another elder brought hundreds of disciples to leave the Ling Xu sanctuary to head towards a neighbouring area of the ruins.

In that area ancient trees covered the sky, a scene that seemed primitive, even from far away one could hear the earth shattering roars of wild beasts and occasionally feel a bitter killing aura being transmitted.

“Let me remind all of you one more time, precaution is key. Don’t look down on this expedition as your lives are on the line……” elder Wu Qing Feng spoke about many of the areas that attention was required and finally reminded: “In the past, for the sake of picking some rare spiritual grass some disciples disregarded danger and entered into the depths of the ruins, thereafter they ran into some ferocious wild beast and lost their lives. The deeper you go, the more fearsome the birds and animals you meet. There are many species that can be traced back to ancient times and even us Ling Xu sanctuary elders have no way to deal with them. Therefore I’d like to emphasize to not go too deep!”

The two elders brought the hundred odd disciples and soon reached that piece of ruin. The air here was filled with spiritual qi which was comparable to Ling Xu sanctuary. Having just reached this area, some people had already spotted spiritual grass.

“If the medicinal plants are too young don’t pick them……” Elder Li reminded.

The ancient trees here were enormous and even if several people were to link hands they would be unable to encompass it. The old vines hanging down were as thick as a normal man’s thigh and rather than calling it a ruin one could say it was more like a primitive forest.

“A gigantic python!”

They had only just entered the forest when someone suddenly shouted, he had discovered a multicoloured python that was as thick as a bucket.

“Chi!”

That huge python whose body was covered in multicoloured spots spit out a mist which enveloped the disciple that had shouted and immediately a shrill cry could be heard.

The other disciples felt their hair stand on end as they hastily retreated. The mist slowly dissipated and snow white bone could be seen on the ground together with a strange yellow liquid substance, the surrounding vegetation had all withered as well.

Elder Wu Qing Feng hurriedly walked forward and frowned: “How can there be a Venomous Serpent just on the outer edges of the ruins, something seems to be amiss.”

At this point elder Li walked forward and said: “This huge python is known as ‘Venomous Serpent’, it contains a highly toxic poison. All of you have to be careful, do not let the poison mist it spits forth come in contact with you, otherwise the poison will act immediately and you will perish.” Elder Li then reminded: “Its gall bladder is good material for refining medicine, those disciples with strength can go forth and subdue it.”

They had just arrived at the edges of the ruin and already met with such a venomous python, it was simply unimaginable what other fearsome wild beasts lurked within. It had already killed one disciple and the hearts of everyone felt chills as they all became more attentive of their surroundings.

“I’ll go forth and get that gall bladder!” A female appearing to be sixteen or seventeen walked out of the ground and moved forward, from her sea of bitterness came a green light that flowed to her arms and shot forth from her fingertips. The green light was like a sword as it chopped towards the Venomous Serpent with a “Chi!”, rending it in two.

That young girl carefully retrieved a gall bladder the size of a fist out and immediately exchanged it for a bottle of hundred plants extract from elder Li. The morale of the other disciples were immediately boosted as almost all of them had the ability to kill the venomous python and if they could control the fear in their hearts and use their abilities properly, they would be able to have a big harvest in the ruins.

“Don’t be frightened but remember to stay cautious, as we continue forward there will be more blood being spilled and possibly even some deaths, this is something that you people have to experience. The flowers and grass within the greenhouse will also one day have to meet with the cruelties of reality otherwise it will never be able to truly grow.”

Although the two elders worded it like this, they had frowns on their faces. They had only reached the edges of the ruin and a disciple had already died, this did not seem like a good omen.

At this moment, the other disciples began to move and it only took a while before someone had dug out a ten year old “Dragon Tongue Grass” and another disciple had found a “Green Dragon Vine”.

Suddenly, from within the depths of the ruin a shrill bird cry could be heard, it sounded metallic in nature as it pierced through the skies, making everyone’s eardrums extremely painful from the buzz. At present, everyone had expressions of shock as they stopped what they were doing and looked towards the direction of the sound. A golden flash of lightning streaked across the sky and sped towards a mountain peak.

“What is that thing?!”

Everyone was shocked, that golden flash of lightning was simply too fast and nobody could see it clearly, only a blazing golden flash could be seen.

Elder Wu Qing Feng had a serious expression as he said: “That’s a Lightning Bird, as swift and frightening as lightning, born with the power of thunder and lightning. Even if I were to meet it, I could only avoid it and carry on.”

“ROAR!!”

Suddenly, a roar shook the heavens, from the mountain peak that the Lightning Bird had swooped towards suddenly stood a huge ape whose body was densely covered in scales. It jumped over hundred metres into the air as it attempted to kill the Lightning Bird.

“It’s a Scaled Ape!” By the side, elder Li’s face drained of colour as he said: “It seems to be the king of the scaled apes, otherwise it couldn’t possibly be so big actually daring to attack the Lightning Bird.”

Elder Wu Qing Feng frowned: “It seems that it is no longer peaceful within the ruins, this expedition will likely have some twists and turns, we better not venture too deep.”

Shrill bird cries and roars of a beast could be heard resounding within the ruins, the sounds seemed to pierce the heavens as it travelled from far away. The faces of the disciples paled, previously someone had easily slain a Venomous Serpent and they were filled with confidence but now they finally understood that the ruins was far more frightening than they had imagined and within its depths were unparalleled existences that they simply could not afford to offend.

“Let’s change an area to enter the ruins from……” Elder Wu Qing Feng felt that this region was simply too risky and the ruins was vast enough that they could simply enter from another region.

After walking over ten miles the group reached another patch of forest and bore through it entering the ruins.

“Let me warn all of you one more time, even if you want to venture deeper do not go further than ten miles in!

Reaching this area the group split up into smaller groups and travelled together, all wanting to make gains. The hundred plants extract was simply a big temptation for these disciples that were establishing their sea of bitterness.

Han Fei Yu had also taken part in this expedition and when he gazed over at Ye Fan and Pang Bo cold light flashed within his eyes. When Ye Fan and Pang Bo looked over, he immediately looked away seeming to not pay them any notice.

“Han Fei Yu, you were almost killed by the two people?”

Together with Han Fei Yu were a group of males and females that looked to be around eighteen to nineteen, each seemed to be brimming with qi essence and their every action seemed to flow with a divine glow.

“Although one is a celestial sprout, he only just joined the sect and shouldn’t have learn much. The other is a useless person that cannot cultivate, being defeated by such an idiot, you’ve really thrown Elder Han’s face.”

The male and female who spoke in turn were around seventeen to eighteen and although they were younger than the other youths they were surrounded like stars by the rest.

Pang Bo was incensed, these two people were simply too unscrupulous, they actually ridiculed Ye Fan to his face that he was a useless person. He shouted: “How can you guys even speak like this, do you people even know how to speak the human language?”

The seventeen year old female coldly smiled, she had a mole just by her mouth and although she was very beautiful, she gave one a feeling of bone-chilling cold as she coldly said: “You temper certainly isn’t small, don’t think that just because you are a celestial sprout you can treat everyone as nobodies and look down on us. Who knows what may happen in the future, even celestial sprouts could die prematurely!”

“I wonder who’s the one disregarding everyone. Have we provoked you? On our first meeting you are already so cold and ridiculing others as useless people, if we are considered to be disregarding others, won’t you be considered as simply having no eyes at all?!” Pang Bo said very belligerently.

“If it weren’t for the elders orders that there could be no altercations between disciples, I’d really like to teach you a good lesson on how to be a well-behaved disciple.” The female with the mole had cold light in her eyes as her gaze swept past Ye Fan and stared at Pang Bo saying: “Although you are a celestial sprout, you shouldn’t just bring random people to this area. This ruins is an important ground of the Ling Xu sanctuary and random people shouldn’t be allowed to easily enter.”

The other seventeen year old who stood with her also ridiculed: “Not everyone can cultivate, a person should have some level of self awareness.” Having said this, he coldly looked at Ye Fan: “I’ll have to trouble you to leave as soon as possible, this is the area where our Ling Xu sanctuary disciples train in and outsiders should not be here.”

“Shut your dirty mouths!” Pang Bo was pissed, dissing Ye Fan was the same as dissing him and he really wanted to rush forward.

Ye Fan held him back as his gaze swept past the few people. He did not say much but merely held a jade pendant as he flashed it in their direction before moving forward with big steps.

“It’s Elder Wu’s jade pendant……”

The few people had pained expressions on their faces, they had wanted to get Ye Fan to scram but it seemed like they had just spoken a bunch of nonsense.

Han Fei Yu walked forward and said: “Senior sister Li Lin, Senior brother Li Yun, don’t provoke them first. My granduncle has instructed me not to provoke them and if that old foggy finds out he will surely punish me.”

After walking several hundred metres, Pang Bo voiced out: “I remember now, I’ve seen them at the back mountain of Ling Xu sanctuary before. They were very far away then and I didn’t pay much attention to them. Elder Wu Qing Feng casually mentioned them, if I recall correctly that girl is called Li Lin and is also a celestial sprout. The boy is called Li Yun and although he isn’t a celestial sprout his aptitude is exceptional and doesn’t pale much in comparison to a celestial sprout.”

Pang Bo was simply indifferent: “Only when there’s pressure will there be motivation. My current target is to step on all those bastards within three years. I finally understand why elder Wu Qing Feng had previously sighed and mentioned that in recent years the good and bad were entwined……”

“The Ling Xu sanctuary isn’t as peaceful as it seems on the surface. There may be some conflicts between the elders, in future you better be more cautious.” Ye Fan reminded.

“I know, elder Wu Qing Feng has said that he wants to take me in as his disciple. I think once you leave, I’ll go to the back mountain to cultivate and I won’t find trouble until I’ve at least achieved some modicum of success.

Ye Fan pondered for awhile before shaking his head and said: “It’s a pity that our current strength is simply not enough. Otherwise we could plot and get rid of these nuisances.”

“No problem, don’t worry about me. They won’t be able to do much to me.” Having said this, Pang Bo was still fuming: “Don’t care about those nuisances.”

Ye Fan laughed: “Don’t worry, I can’t be bothered to talk with them, I obviously won’t care about them.”

“That’s good, you don’t have to care about anything else now, just concentrate on cultivate and once your golden sea of bitterness is finally established they will know who’s really the useless person.”

It wasn’t long before Li Lin, Li Yun, Han Fei Yu and their group caught up, but this time they weren’t chasing after Pang Bo and Ye Fan but merely passing by.

“We’re going to the depths of the sanctuary, leave the outer edges to the useless people……” Li Lin had a mocking face and her mole seemed all the more unsightly, making one feel cold inside.

Ye Fan stood by the side quietly watching them go by and did not say anything.

“These bunch of low lifes!” Pang Bo was pissed but he could only bear with it as he currently did not have the strength to retaliate.

In the following two days, Ye Fan and Pang Bo found several medicinal grasses but only managed to exchange them for two bottles of hundred plants extract. There were many others who were like them and some people were even unable to exchange for a single bottle. Within the two short days three disciples had already died.

“We can’t go on like this, the outer regions have some medicinal plants but their age is insufficient and the ones that are mature have long been picked by others. As for those rare animals and birds, with so many people around it’s likely that they’ve all gone into hiding and hunting them will not be simple.

Two bottles of hundred plants extract to Ye Fan was simply too insignificant and would not have any effect. The two people discussed and came to the conclusion that if they wanted to find real spiritual medicine or hunt spiritual beasts they would have to follow Li Lin and her group’s example and head deeper into the ruins.

“The deeper parts are simply too dangerous, those ferocious birds and beasts are not something that we can handle. Furthermore if we meet with the group of Li Lin and Li Yun, although they won’t dare to openly attack us, if there’s no one else around I’m afraid……”

The two people continued to discuss for a long time and finally their gazes locked in a certain direction.

They wanted to leave this region and walk towards a different part of the ruins. Two days earlier the Lightning Bird had streaked across the sky, its body a blazing gold leaving a deep impression on them. There was also the Scaled Ape King whose entire body was covered in scales that leapt over hundred metres high which made them feel stunned. At this moment the battle between the Lightning Bird and Scaled Ape King was unfolding in their minds.

These past two days, the sounds of shrill bird cries and beast roars could be heard within the depths of this region and the sounds of their activity were very loud. It was only today that the sounds gradually became silent. Why were these two frightening beasts fighting? The two of them were certain that there was an extraordinary reason behind it.

Currently, the depths of the ruins gradually became peaceful and they felt that if they could advance stealthily to that region they would have astonishing gains.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo were very decisive people and once they made their decision, they immediately moved and headed stealthily towards that region.