Ch. 234 - Tyrant Black-Wolf

Ye Fan was hidden in the darkness, quietly observing everything in the courtyard. The tall figure with hair trailing to the ground, though built like an iron mountain, moved like a ghost, silent and swift.

"He went straight for my room. His intent is very clear..."

In the front courtyard, the sounds of battle and screams shook the sky. Numerous figures rose into the air, only to be ruthlessly struck down, blood splashing everywhere.

Ye Fan was shocked. The intruder was terrifyingly powerful. He held his breath and hid, observing silently.

Footsteps approached. A female disciple from the Jade Pool rushed into the courtyard. The door nearby creaked open, Li Desheng, pale-faced and desperate, rushed over as if grabbing a lifeline. He was staying in this courtyard too.

Bang!

Ye Fan's room collapsed from a direct strike. The windows shattered, beams broke, tiles flew everywhere. A gray figure stood in the swirling dust like a demonic wall.

"Who are you?" a female disciple from the Jade Pool asked in a low voice.

"Fairy, he’s not human. He’s a monster from the Primordial Mine. Run!" Li Desheng cried with a quivering voice and fled in a panic.

The towering creature’s gray hair fell to the ground, covering its face. Moonlight filtered through the strands and into its pitch-black eyes, making it look especially terrifying in the night.

The Jade Pool disciples backed away. This creature was too dangerous, it exuded an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Though they wanted to escape, they felt locked down. Any sudden movement might trigger a lethal strike.

A deep growl sounded, chilling them to the bone like falling into an ice cellar. The gray-haired creature dashed forward in a single step.

Clang! Clang!

Holy light flashed. Six weapons were crushed in its bare hands, reduced to scraps of twisted metal.

Puff!

At the same time, it released thick gray mist. It dashed past, and the six disciples from the Jade Pool didn’t even have time to scream. They were torn into bloody chunks, clothes soaked in gore.

Ye Fan's heart raced. The gray-haired creature was far too powerful, just one encounter had ended six lives.

Suddenly, a man and a woman landed. One was an elder from Radiant Light Sacred Ground, the other from the Jade Pool. They attacked the gray-haired being together.

Roar...

The deep roar was thunderous and shook the blood in their bodies. At some point, the creature was holding a giant blood-red sword over two meters long and more than a foot wide. The sword glowed crimson like flowing celestial blood.

Puff!

Its power was unmatched. The creature charged forward with the blood sword, gray hair flying like waterfalls. Nothing could stop it. The sword shattered the Radiant Light Sacred Ground elder’s weapon and cleaved his body in two, blood spraying everywhere.

The might was insurmountable. The two-meter-long sword swept across, slicing the Jade Pool elder in half as well.

Brutal and direct, savage and effective, merciless and cold!

Ye Fan reduced his life signs to the bare minimum. His body functions nearly stopped. This gray-haired creature was an unstoppable living demon. He had no choice but to stay hidden.

A blood-red glow stretched hundreds of meters as the creature disappeared into the darkness, flying toward the main street.

“Is it really from the Primordial Mine?”

Ye Fan rushed out, dragged Li Desheng out from another courtyard’s artificial hill.

“Don’t kill me… I’m tough and not tasty!” Li Desheng covered his head and trembled all over.

“It’s me.” Ye Fan slapped him to bring him back and asked, “You were born with the Lunar Sight. Was that creature really from the Forbidden Burial Ground?”

“Of course. Didn’t you see its appearance?” Li Desheng calmed a little when he realized it was Ye Fan, but still looked panicked.

“Did you look with your Lunar Sight?” Ye Fan shook his shoulders.

“I didn’t have time! I was too busy running. Why would it be fake?” Li Desheng looked around anxiously. “Daoist, let’s get out of here!”

“He was only ten meters from you and didn’t kill you. Don’t worry.” Ye Fan’s tone grew serious. “Stay hidden and figure out if these invaders are really from the Forbidden Burial Ground or if someone’s faking it.”

After saying this, he vanished into the night. Since the gray-haired creature had gone straight for his room, this place was no longer safe. The grand elders of Radiant Light Sacred Ground and Jade Pool weren’t here, they couldn’t stop it.

Ye Fan doubted the creature came from the Primordial Mine. There were many suspicious points. He felt it might be targeting his Phoenix-Blood Red-Gold.

This place couldn’t shelter him. Even Jade Pool couldn't guarantee his safety. Taking advantage of the chaos, he thought he might be able to escape unnoticed.

He found a secluded place. His bones cracked as he transformed, throwing his gray robe into the Departing Fire God Furnace and burning it to ash. He became a teenager in a purple outfit.

The Heaven-Swapping Earth-Changing Technique had reached an early stage, not only could it alter his appearance, but even his aura and demeanor were completely different.

"Wait..." He stopped.

If the attacker wasn’t truly from the Primordial Mine and had come for the Phoenix-Blood Red-Gold, they would’ve anticipated all scenarios. He might be waiting outside already.

If he tried to escape now, he’d likely draw attention. It wasn’t the right time. He stayed hidden.

In the front yard, battle cries shook the sky. A creature covered in white fur rushed into the air wielding a massive black iron sword. Each swing sent up fountains of blood.

Unstoppable, elders in the Four Extremities Realm couldn’t stop it. The creature slaughtered mercilessly, rampaging through all resistance.

“Was I overthinking it? Is it really a creature from the Primordial Mine? But why did the gray-haired one sneak into my room?” Ye Fan recalled everything and pulled out the jade-green mysterious tortoise from his body. Aside from this, he couldn’t think of anything that might have drawn the creature’s attention.

“Kill!”

“The Supreme Elders have returned!”

Someone shouted, boosting morale.

At the same time, other powerful forces in Source City arrived as reinforcements. The sky filled with more shouts and fighters rushing in.

Ye Fan transformed back into a Daoist, pulled Li Desheng out again, and shouted, “Take a good look! Was that white-furred creature really from the Primordial Mine?”

Li Desheng, trembling, looked toward the sky. The creature was almost out of sight, moving so fast even the Supreme Elders of Radiant Light Sacred Ground couldn’t catch up.

“Is it from the Primordial Mine?”

“It… it’s shrouded in strange mist. I can’t be sure,” Li Desheng replied with a trembling voice.

Ye Fan pushed him aside and quickly disappeared into the shadows again, changing into the form of a stranger. Using the chaos and the flood of people in and out, he slipped out of the courtyard.

Even if the gray-haired creature was watching, he didn’t need to worry. It was chaos now, he wasn’t the only one leaving.

“The sacred item of ancient emperors, long sought for forging weapons, it's truly unsettling.”

Ye Fan believed the attackers weren’t from the Primordial Mine. They were likely impostors, killing for the Phoenix-Blood Red-Gold.

This place was no longer safe. Even the Jade Pool couldn’t protect him.

“Old Blade, Radiant Light Saint, or...”

Ye Fan recalled the image of the gray-haired creature wielding a two-meter-long, one-foot-wide blood sword. With a single swing, it had split elders from Radiant Light Sacred Ground and Jade Pool in two, its power was horrifying.

Old Blade had hidden his true strength deeply. It was impossible to gauge.

Radiant Light Saint was in the Third Secret Realm, with natural talent and battle power comparable to a God-King. In the Four Pillars Realm, he was nearly unmatched.

As for splitting into two bodies, that wasn’t unusual. Aside from Ye Fan, other cultivators at the peak of the Dao Palace Realm could manifest five god-spirits.

That night, all of Source City was in turmoil. Radiant Light lost 27 people, including four elders from the Third Secret Realm. Jade Pool lost 18 people, including two elders from the Four Pillars Realm.

A total of 45 cultivators were slaughtered, all killed in a single strike, no one could withstand the power of the blood sword or the iron sword. The two creatures left both sacred lands devastated.

By dawn, news of the massacre spread across the region and reached every mining zone. Several Supreme Elders from Radiant Light and Jade Pool rushed over.

To dare attack sacred lands and raise the bloody blade, this was shocking news that shook all of the Northern Region's powers.

“If Radiant Light Sacred Ground lost so many, then Old Blade must’ve made a move...” Ye Fan was shocked.

After daybreak, he arrived at the southern district. Five low, run-down tile-roofed houses stood quiet and empty.

“Was it really that old guy?” Ye Fan habitually rubbed his chin.

He stayed in Source City, silently observing the storm. Many powerful figures from the two sacred grounds had arrived.

The region was full of hidden currents and unrest.

Three days later, Ye Fan left Source City. He didn’t want to stay any longer. Distance was the wisest move.

There were other ways to enter the Jade Pool. His Daoist identity couldn’t be used anymore. With the Phoenix-Blood Red-Gold, a sacred item sought even by ancient emperors, exposure meant death.

Half a month later, Ye Fan crossed vast red land, left the mining region, and headed toward an oasis, returning to the stone village beside Purple Mountain.

As he neared the village, a massive black shadow pounced. Ye Fan, known for his speed, unmatched in the Dao Palace Realm, still couldn’t avoid it.

He was knocked down. A huge black paw pinned him, thick and powerful.

Ye Fan slapped the paw, flipped, and sat atop the shadow.

It was a huge dog, much larger than a regular mutt, about the size of a bull, pitch black with a square head and large ears, bigger even than a tiger.

Bang!

The black dog was incredibly strong and agile. It flung Ye Fan off in one shake, catching him off guard.

The black dog drooled at him, tongue lolling exaggeratedly. Ye Fan was speechless and slapped it again.

Whoosh!

The dog dodged like black lightning and lunged with its bloody mouth wide open.

Bang!

Ye Fan slapped again. The dog staggered but was unharmed, and it had bitten off half his clothing.

He was stunned. Was this dog a demon? Even a dog demon shouldn’t withstand him.

“Where’d this stray mutt come from? I don’t believe I can’t break you!”

Ye Fan closed in, his fingers glowing gold. He used a trace of the Sacred Combat Technique.

“You’re the stray mutt...” the black dog suddenly spoke.

Now Ye Fan was the one who stumbled, startled. The dog could talk, it really was a demon.

“Dog demon…”

“Can’t you speak properly? No one spits ivory from their mouth these days,” the dog growled and lunged again with blade-like white teeth.

“You’re back, Little Brother Ye…” Wang Shu came out of the village and smiled. “There’s a demon dog here, don’t come close. It’s weird. Let me deal with it and we’ll eat black dog meat tonight!”

“Let’s see who eats who!” the black dog roared and lunged again.

“Don’t! That’s Fifth Master Zhang’s dog, you can’t eat it!” Wang Shu yelled, then shouted at the black dog, “Black Emperor, stop biting! He’s a friend of our village!”

The commotion brought many villagers out.

“You’re back, Brother Ye…”

“Black Emperor, don’t bite.”

“That’s Black Emperor. Master Zhang brought him back. He’s enlightened.”

A large crowd gathered around warmly. When Ye Fan heard that the dog came with Master Zhang, he was surprised and couldn’t kill it.

But the dog kept attacking, baring its teeth and tearing most of Ye Fan’s clothes off.

“You’re even fiercer than a bald dog!”

Ye Fan slapped it a few more times, but it felt like striking an iron wall. Without using full Sacred Combat power, he couldn’t harm it.

The black dog snarled but didn’t bite his body, just shredded his clothes.

“Oh god, it really is a bald dog. No wonder it’s so aggressive.” Ye Fan was speechless.

The dog’s thick tail was almost bald, with most of the fur gone.

“You’re back, Brother Ye. Did that bald dog hurt you?” Lei Bo ran over, lighter on his feet and clearly stronger.

But when he saw the black dog, his face turned pale. “Oops, I meant the Black Emperor.”

“Wait, what’s the deal with this bald dog?” Ye Fan pulled Wang Shu and Lei Bo aside.

Before they could answer, the black dog growled, “Call me that again and I’ll destroy you!”

“You really do have a big mouth, dog demon.” Ye Fan turned to the others. “This dog didn’t take over the village, right? If it causes trouble, I’ll burn it and let you all eat roast dog.”

“No, no. The Black Emperor is great. With him here, our village is safe.”

“Brother Ye, don’t misunderstand. He’s really a good dog.”

Everyone explained at once.

Ye Fan quickly understood, this was the same black shadow that had snatched the roast lamb during the bonfire party. It had appeared a few more times and eventually settled at Master Zhang’s place.

Apparently, the dog didn’t freeload. It had even brought back some source stones.

Ye Fan was shocked. Could this black dog be the creature that followed him out of Purple Mountain?

“Black Emperor, don’t bite. Brother Ye is a good man…” At that moment, Master Zhang came out with his cane.

The black dog, bigger than a tiger and stronger than a bull, wagged its tail and walked to Master Zhang.

“Is it really the creature from Purple Mountain?!” Ye Fan was full of doubt.

He asked Master Zhang, “This bald dog…”

“You sick of living, punk? Who’s a bald dog?!” the black dog bared its teeth, eyes like copper bells.

“You’re… the Black Emperor?” Ye Fan asked.

“That’s right. You may call me the Black Emperor!” the dog said proudly.

“Black Emperor my ass. You think you’re a Grand Emperor of old?” Ye Fan glanced at it. “For the villagers’ sake, I’ll stop calling you bald dog. How about Tyrant Black-Wolf instead?”

The black dog flew into a rage. “Why can’t I be as great as an ancient Grand Emperor? I’m about ready to destroy you!”

Comments