Ch. 286 - Known Across The World

“That is the criminal wanted by our Ji Clan, Ye Fan.” A Ji clansman stepped forward and bowed respectfully to a middle-aged man in his thirties.

“So bold, daring to come here.” The elder prodigy of the Ji Clan spoke calmly, hands clasped behind his back.

Many present recognized him. He was Ji Yuanqing of the Ji Clan, medium build, not especially tall or imposing, yet carrying an aura of the Grand Dao, ethereal and unfathomable, like a void impossible to grasp.

He gave others a feeling of emptiness, proof of his profound mastery of the Void Scripture. In years past, he had fought Peacock Monarch’s disciple Kong Teng all the way from the Southern Region into the Middle Continent, shaking the world.

He was renowned across the sacred grounds. If not for the birth of the God Physique Ji Haoyue, the position of future Patriarch would surely have been his.

“Where is the Leviathan Prince?” At this moment, Kong Teng raised his head, sword-like brows flaring, sharp aura surging forth.

Other members of the demon race stepped forward. One reported: “The Leviathan Prince was also captured by Ye Fan.”

“What?! Three prodigies, all taken down by him alone?!”

Everyone changed color. Though they were half a generation to a generation older than the young saints and saintesses, they still paid close attention to these chosen figures.

The Leviathan Prince and the Radiant Light Saint both faintly bore the qualifications of a Grand Emperor, their youthful brilliance echoing that of ancient sovereigns. To be subdued by a single man left them shaken.

Kong Teng stepped forward, his sword-brows piercing his temples, eyes shining like stars. Born with proud bones, his mere gaze carried majesty. Fixing Ye Fan in midair, he said: “No wonder my master holds a trace of expectation for you. Indeed, you are not ordinary. Be it luck or strength, to overcome these three is proof that the younger generation must make room for you.”

The foremost disciple of Radiant Light, Chu Lingkong, also advanced. His figure was tall and graceful, like an immortal king descending to the mortal world. His eyes were deep as the starry sky. Fixing Ye Fan, he uttered only two words: “Release them.”

Ye Fan had seized three people in total, two of them from Radiant Light. This made Chu Lingkong frown. If word spread, it would damage their sect’s prestige.

Standing tall, Ye Fan smiled brilliantly. “Just what I wanted to say. These three, I will not release. I demand that for one full year, none of you may hunt me, none may pursue me. If you comply, then one year later, I will let them go.”

Everyone was dumbfounded. None expected Ye Fan to name such terms in front of so many sacred-ground prodigies.

“You’re confident you can even leave here alive?” Chu Lingkong’s voice was calm, though his eyes grew sharp.

Boom!

Suddenly, Kong Teng struck. His palm slammed out, shaking the grand hall itself. He blocked the entrance, barring Duan De’s way.

At the same time, Chu Lingkong, Ji Yuanqing, and others also moved, cutting off the rogue daoist’s retreat.

“Why hurry away, Daoist Duan?”

Though they were calm, these men had all been famous for years, each with deep schemes and constant vigilance. Duan De could not escape their net.

These dozen men were the peerless prodigies of the previous generation. Together, they could battle a Supreme Giant, even slay the head of a great sect.

Duan De wore a bitter face, muttered a Daoist title, and said: “This poor Daoist only wanted a breath of fresh air.”

He dared not force his way through. His situation was dire: ahead stood over a dozen prodigies, behind a demon princess wielding an ultimate weapon, he was ill at ease.

Boom!

A violent quake nearly overturned the Bright God Hall. The power behind it was immeasurable.

Even the chaotic stone at the hall’s center shook, its force field destabilized by the shock.

“What is this…”

All changed color, deeply shocked.

Duan De hunched his neck. “Run, quickly! Too late otherwise. Behind us lie three great coffins, something is breaking free!” He tried to sneak out while speaking.

“Daoist, stay where you are.” Ji Yuanqing’s voice was cold.

Kong Teng and Chu Lingkong’s eyes flashed like lightning. The dozen surrounded him, murderous intent ready to strike.

“I’m thinking for your sakes, truly! I swear to heaven, those three coffins are not ours to disturb!” Duan De swore desperately.

“Rest easy. It’s the supreme elders of the sacred grounds who act,” Chu Lingkong replied coldly.

“You dare? That’s the Three-Talent Absolute Coffins! Someone is trying to prove emperorhood through death, a terror beyond imagining.” Duan De’s face went green.

“Alive he never became emperor. Dead, what emperorship can he prove? He will not surpass the sacred lords. With my master here, he will surely be slain,” Kong Teng said indifferently.

Duan De’s expression twisted. The Peacock Monarch indeed stood peerless, sweeping the Southern Region in past years, unchallenged by any sacred lord.

Boom!

The surge of power nearly overturned the Emperor’s resting palace. Any ordinary building would already be ash.

But this was the dwelling of the Beginningless Emperor, marked with imperial runes, imbued with his aura. Not even Supreme Giants could destroy it.

A mighty roar sounded. Mountains and rivers shook, an underground Yin Mountain collapsed.

The whole subterranean world quaked, as though a great earthquake struck.

“Roar…”

Another roar came, shattering weaker cultivators within the hall outright.

“What is this…”

The survivors turned ashen. Even Kong Teng, Ji Yuanqing, Chu Lingkong, and Duan De blanched. This was the power of a Supreme Giant, one roar could shatter mountains.

“It is my master striking,” Kong Teng said solemnly.

Ye Fan too recognized the voice: it was the Peacock Monarch, fighting an unparalleled foe.

Ji Yuanqing and Chu Lingkong’s faces shifted. The Peacock Monarch was unfathomable, undefeated in eight centuries, his might unmatched.

A year earlier in the Southern Region, one roar from him had shattered Ji Clan veterans and slapped their supreme elder to death.

“Quickly, close the doors, else all here will be shaken to death by my master!” Kong Teng ordered. Not out of mercy, for demons and bandits were present too.

The dozen acted, sealing the Light God Temple, cutting it off from outside.

Outside, the Peacock Monarch fought in earnest, godpower raging, shaking rivers and mountains.

Boom!

The five palaces once breached were reduced to rubble by his roar. He and his foe clashed in midair above the subterranean realm.

Ye Fan had seen the Peacock Monarch before, a youth of sixteen or seventeen, fair and delicate in appearance. Who knew he could unleash such boundless might?

“Boy, forget refining them, let’s get out. That Peacock Monarch is terrifying,” the Black Emperor urged.

Ye Fan nodded. With the Leviathan Monarch, Radiant Light Saint, and Yao Xi already sealed, refining them was no longer urgent.

Suddenly, a Leviathan’s cry pierced heaven, oppressive enough to shake souls.

“The Ancient Leviathan Monarch! How terrifying!” many cried in fear.

Ye Fan trembled. That was the ancestor of the Young Leviathan Monarch, a Supreme Giant of the Demon Race, unmatched in speed, feared by all sacred lords.

“Boy, release the Young Leviathan Monarch,” Kong Teng demanded.

“Release our Saint and Saintess,” Chu Lingkong added.

“You won’t escape,” Ji Yuanqing shook his head.

Ye Fan remained calm. “Before all here, I repeat: for one year, do not trouble me. Else, the three captives die.”

“Absurd! Who do you think you are, to bargain with us?” someone barked.

Though most prodigies held composure, being repeatedly negotiated with by a Dao Palace junior made their faces dark.

Younger disciples of the Dao Palace realm mocked openly: “Bragging at death’s door, do you think yourself a Supreme Giant?”

Ye Fan smiled carelessly. “So sacred grounds are so mighty? Very well. Ji Clan, Radiant Light, I will visit in due course, to borrow your ancient scriptures for a look.”

This was outright blasphemy. To “borrow” the scriptures of sacred grounds, who could say such, except ancient emperors?

Unless one could conquer a sacred ground, how else could they? It was a naked declaration of war.

No matter Ye Fan’s past obscurity, from today his name would resound.

“Arrogant wastrel body, what leverage have you? You have no future, yet dare speak so?” Younger disciples scolded.

“The day will come when this ‘waste body’ will learn each of your so-called peerless arts!” Ye Fan declared, standing atop the chaotic stone, eyes sweeping them all.

Shua!

A flash of light, a jade platform appeared on the stone. Ye Fan stepped upon it.

“Not good, stop him!”

Only now did they realize, he had carved a portable spatial platform! They were stunned.

Shua!

In a blink, Ye Fan vanished.

At once, Duan De darted forward like a ghost, trying to use it too.

Crack!

But the jade platform collapsed, blasting him away.

“Damn it, a one-time teleportation formation!” Duan De raged, teeth grinding.

Behind, the dozen prodigies surrounded him grimly. Ye Fan had slipped away, leaving them shamed.

“Friends, let us study this ancient scroll together, no need for tension.” Duan De’s smile was uglier than tears.

A thousand miles away, light flared. From the Motherly Energy Cauldron, Ye Fan and the Black Emperor emerged.

“Quick, carve more runes. This time we need tens of thousands of miles, the Ancient Leviathan Monarch is too fast; a thousand miles is nothing to him.”

The Black Emperor wasted no time, swiftly carving. Soon they crossed the void again, fleeing tens of thousands of miles.

After multiple crossings, far from Beautiful City, across twenty oases, Ye Fan exhaled. He knew he was safe.

That very day, news spread like wildfire: a cultivator named Ye Fan had captured Radiant Light Saint, the Leviathan Prince, and Yao Xi. It shook dozens of states.

Within days, his name had reached hundreds of oases, spreading across half the Northern Region. All now knew of Ye Fan, who had seized three prodigies for a year.

Who was Ye Fan? Before, just rumors. But now, all sects knew his name.

Leviathan Monarch, Radiant Light Saint, both seen as future emperors, unrivaled among Eastern Wilderness’ youth, destined to be God-Kings.

Yet a nameless cultivator subdued them all!

Without doubt, the tale would spread ever wider, his name known to all.

From this day forth, none in the world would be ignorant of him. Ye Fan, who had seized Yao Xi, the Leviathan Monarch, and Radiant Light Saint, would be known across all sects.

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