Shrouding the Heavens

This didn’t even seem like a force that the human world was capable of gathering. They seemed more like celestial troops waiting to kill. Beasts stamped across clouds in the air, even the blue dome of the sky was trembling.

The Ji Family Sacred Master didn’t merge with the void this time. He stood high in the air as endless light enveloped him, making it appear like a new divine king was being born.

With him at the center, a vast wave of energy rushed out. Powerful divine energy filled the world. At this time, the Ji Family had become the core of this part of the world.

Divine winds filled the area for tens of kilometers around. The Sacred Master flew into the air and directly landed within the sixth level of the Flame Region. Purple Qi soared, but none of it was able to approach his body. As he got closer, the flames were silently extinguished.

It could be said that although he wasn’t a divine king, he was comparable to one, as terrifying power rippled off of him. Behind him followed six or seven seniors.

The blood on the ground had long since evaporated. The skull and body had been separated, but not destroyed. However, the death was completely thorough. Even if they had a power that defied the heavens, they would not be able to revive him.

A dozen black feathers were randomly inserted into the ground, surrounding the corpse. They were the reason why the corpse had not been burned by the purple flames.

“This is…” an extremely old senior with eyebrows a foot long frowned. “A flame crow’s divine feathers… they are as hard as supreme iron, and even intense flames are unable to smelt them. These have to be feathers from an old crow that has cultivated for over a thousand years.”

The seniors present all looked at each other in dismay. One of them pondered it for a bit and said, “Fifteen hundred years ago, a Daoist Crow appeared within the southern region. His magical might was immeasurable, but he then went missing, never to be seen again.”

The Ji Family Sacred Master twirled a feather in his head. A tinkling sound rang out as the iron-like feathers trembled.

One of the Grand Elders’ expressions immediately changed. “This old demon should be near the end of his lifespan, but his cultivation base is becoming more and more terrifying.”

“No matter who it is, or how powerful he is, he’s dead as long as we find him!” The Ji Family Sacred Master’s words were icy cold, and killing intent filled the region. His eyes opened wide and two bright dazzling lights like exceptionally sharp swords swept throughout the Flame Region.

The Ji Family had now lost two Grand Elders within less than half a year. This was an extraordinary shame and humiliation for an Ancient Desolation Noble Family. They should be existences that overlooked the world from the heavens, capable of engulfing mountains and rivers, but now they were repeatedly provoked by people.

Even now, the Peacock King still survived. And now that another similar situation occurred, if they weren’t able to take care of it immediately, how could the Ji Family have any more face left?

On this day, the entire southern region shook. The Ji Family’s public list of enemies they had to kill had an additional ‘Daoist Crow’ on it.

All of the cultivators within the Eastern Wastelands’ southern region were alarmed. There had been repeated turmoil over this half a year, and there had never been a genuine peace. Now, the situation was once more turning turbulent.

Most people had never even heard the name of the Daoist Crow, but each sect’s Grand Elder’s expressions immediately changed when they heard it.

A huge storm had arisen within the southern region, a storm even greater than last time!

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After Ye Fan fled far from the Flame Region, he learned quite a bit of news in a short time.

Half a year ago, the Bronze Immortal Palace had completely sunk into the land of the Eastern Wastelands, disappearing without a trace. There were dozens of seniors who disappeared with it. They were all people whose lifespans were at their end, powerful experts who couldn’t continue living.

This indicated that a era was about to end, with so many pinnacle experts of the Eastern Wastelands disappearing at once. The Bronze Immortal Palace truly was a tomb for experts.

However, this didn’t indicate a disaster for the Eastern Wastelands. The old being replaced with the young was a natural thing. In any case, these people would all have died within a couple years from old age.

The Eastern Wastelands were endless and there were countless nations that existed within its borders. For just a couple dozen people to disappear from it was not a huge affair.

Another piece of important news was how powerful the Peacock King was. Back then when the Flickering Light Sacred Master and the Ji Family Sacred Master had joined hands, they were still unable to force him and the Green Flood Dragon King to stay behind. They had managed to bring the Demon Emperor’s descendant into the Eastern Wastelands’ northern region.

Other than this, during this half a year, the Ji Family, the Flickering Light Sacred Land, and other existences like them, were sending experts into the northern region. That was the source of Divine Sources, and each of the great powers established during the Ancient Desolation all wanted a portion.

The northern region’s Great Primordial Mine was originally a very empty place, but during the last year, it became more and more chaotic. It was said that human-shaped lifeforms were roaming around there, and heavenly sounds had appeared there that intoxicated people.

Half a month later, Ye Fan once more returned to the Flame Region. In the great turmoil of the outside world, only this place was the most safe.

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After the Ji Family’s people left here, this place once more became peaceful. Other than if the Flickering Light Sacred Master personally came, he didn’t believe that there were many people capable of entering the seventh level of the Flame Region.

In that half a month, he read through a large nation’s ancient texts and historical records, learning everything there was to know about the Flame Region.

There were many legends of the Flame Region, and some of them were beyond belief.

But there was no way to prove them. They were only legends, as the ancient texts were simply too preposterous.

For example, there was an ancient text that said an Immortal could be burned to death in the deepest part of the Flame Region. Another text said that the Desolate Pagoda had appeared there several thousand years ago.

There was another text that said the ninth level of the Flame Region held ten types of flames, but the tenth flame had no foundation or root. It had only appeared several times within the past thousands of years.

This excited Ye Fan greatly. The Flame Region actually involved Immortals and even the Desolate Pagoda. Although it was just a few vague lines, they were still captivating.

Ye Fan returned to the seventh level of the Flame Region and began thinking of ways to further refine his cauldron.

The five-colored mist flames were too hot, capable of burning powerful experts to ash. Ancient texts called this flame a rare treasure. In the entire southern region, it only existed within this place, and it was a peak quality flame source to refine things.

Ye Fan carefully tested things out. He sent the cauldron to collect the five-colored mist flames and returned them to his Wheel and Sea. He engulfed it within his golden sea and had some preliminary success.

However, in just a moment, his expression changed.

This kind of flame was too terrifying. Even the golden sea had difficulty completely controlling its power. His body began to feel like it might dry up.

After all, his cultivation base was far from enough. Despite his special physique, he still couldn’t handle it. After all, his Sacred Body had yet to be properly cultivated.

Even a powerful figure of the Ji Family only went as far as the sixth level to refine things, and didn’t dare easily enter the seventh level. It could be seen just how terrifying the five-colored mist flames were.

At this critical moment, the green lotus within his Sea of Bitterness gently trembled. Mist completely filled his wheel and Sea, and a refreshing feeling filled his body.

Ye Fan let out a long sigh, feeling as if he truly did take too many risks. If it weren’t for the mysterious green lotus, it really might have been dangerous.

“Well since I’ve already done it, I should be able to handle it.” He continuously brought the five-colored mist flames into his body, relying on the green lotus to protect his Wheel and Sea. The flame eventually began to rage hotly, and he could finally begin refining his body.

In this manner, a whole month passed as Ye Fan further refined his cauldron.

The five-colored mist flame was used up many times, and he didn’t even know how much of the flame essence he had drawn out. He only stopped two months later.

The flame had become even more ancient and simple. Under the five-colored mist flame’s further refinement, the inside of the cauldron had become misty and a great amount of Origin Qi appeared.

After all, he had used the Origin Qi foundation, something that would never be used up. Under further refinement, the Origin Qi overflowed and the cauldron no longer appeared silent as death. Instead, it was filled with life.

Throughout this time, he never had any designs on entering the eighth level of the Flame Region. Using the five-colored mist flames was already his absolute limit. He could only go deeper once his cultivation base became firmer.

After finishing the refinement of his cauldron, he silently cultivated here, waiting for the outside world to completely calm down before leaving somewhere far from the southern region.

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Another month passed, and Ye Fan suddenly heard a creature roaring outside the Flame Region.

“Has another powerful figure appeared to refine things?” He hid himself, sizing up this new arrival from a distance.

The area outside the Flame Region was completely barren. The ground was cracked and not even a blade of grass grew.

There were dozens of beasts standing in the sky, their scales shining sinisterly and filled with a dark air. Each knight mounted on them was extremely powerful, their armor gleaming coldly.

Ye Fan was somewhat startled to see Ji Ziyue was amongst them. Her eyes shone brightly, making her appear spiritual and natural. Her purple clothes fluttered like a fairy. She descended on her own, quietly facing the Flame Region.

A blue-clothed beautiful man was also in the sky, his sleeves waving in the wind, appearing like a god of flowers. He was the Taixuan Sect’s Hua Yunfei, and he descended with her.

“Little brother Ye, we’ve come to see you. If you can hear us, I hope you feel at peace.” Hua Yunfei’s voice held a magnetic feeling to it.

Ye Fan was truly speechless now. He was alive, yet others had come to pray for him in death.

“Cousin Hua, please go look around somewhere else. I want to be alone for a while,” Ji Ziyue said calmly.

“Fine.” Hua Yunfei nodded and didn’t say much. He started to stroll away along the border of the Flame Region.

Ji Ziyue quietly stood for a moment before using a long sword with her to begin digging a hole in the ground. The knights behind all wanted to come up and help, but were stopped by her. She personally dug a deep hole and threw Ye Fan’s abandoned clothing from Zhuo Peak inside. She then filled the earth, forming a burial mound. She left a stone tablet in front of it with a jade hand leaving behind a line of words.

Ye Fan bitterly smiled. Now he even had a burial mound, while he was still alive!

Ji Ziyue silently stood in front of the grave for a long time. She was completely different from her usual lively self. She didn’t move for a long time.

Just at this moment, Ye Fan noticed Hua Yunfei had silently floated into the Flame Region like a blue cloud.

“What is this guy doing?” Ye Fan followed and silently observed him.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted. He saw an acquaintance. A tall old man appeared in the flames and bowed towards Hua Yunfei.

Back then, the hemp-clothed man with the five level silver pagoda had chased him and Ji Ziyue, narrowly avoiding killing them.

A couple months ago, when the hemp-clothed man was chased and killed by him, he had seen this old man looking for his remains after he was killed.

“Hua Yunfei!”

Ye Fan had never imagined that it was Hua Yunfei who was behind all this!

Ye Fan’s impression was that Hua Yunfei was a refined person. His immortal music was close to the Dao, natural and spiritual. Even the birds would flock towards him and the flowers would bloom. He was like a divinity overlooking the mortal world.

Such a refined person with his elegance and character actually created such deep schemes, it really was too shocking.

Due to the distance, and the divine sense those two were using, it was impossible for him to know what they were saying. Ye Fan could only quietly observe them.

Not long after, that tall old man left.

Hua Yunfei quietly stood there for a long time, muttering to himself, “What a marvelous divine body. It has amazing might, and if I were to obtain it, I must forcibly take it…” He slowly walked out of the Flame Region.

“This guy really schemes deeply! But even if I told anyone, no one would believe it.” Ye Fan pondered over it. “Crap! I have to warn Ji Ziyue! Hua Yunfei clearly has evil intentions.”

At the same time, he decided that he had to leave the Flame Region and even the southern region. Even if he had to waste his time flying, he couldn’t stay in this region anymore.