Shrouded Sky

Beautiful City, the streets on both sides were lined with divine trees, their branches lush, the leaves sky blue, carrying a dreamlike color, even the tree trunks glittering like blue crystals.

Ahead, on the ancient street, stood a girl in purple clothes, only seventeen or eighteen years old. Her slender brows curved gracefully, her eyes brimming with spirit, very beautiful, like an elf beneath the night moon, moving and enchanting.

“That’s Ziyue…” Ye Fan stood in the distance, not approaching. Because he also saw Ji Haoyue, the famed God-King Physique of Eastern Wilderness, one of the strongest among the younger generation.

His enmity with that family was too deep. Back in the Southern Region, he had killed their Supreme Elder, and not long ago he had killed four young disciples of the Ji Clan in Cloud Marsh. The impact was immense. If Ji Haoyue discovered him, he would surely strike without mercy.

“Look at his dragon-like stride, full of vitality. The hidden injury left by being hunted by Peacock Monarch back then should be fully healed.”

Ye Fan had cultivated the Heaven-Swapping Earth-Changing Technique, enough to change his appearance and aura, but he was still cautious. The God-King Physique and the Sacred Physique had strong resonance. Back then, they had unconsciously clashed before.

“What are they doing in Beautiful City?” He knew they had come to the Northern Region surely for the Jade Pool Festival, but why had they stopped in Beautiful City?

At this moment, Ye Fan had long altered his appearance, wearing a Daoist robe, disguising himself again as a young Daoist, though this face was different from his past disguises.

“Now my cultivation has advanced greatly, many times stronger than before. I should be able to better control my body, maybe not resonate with the God-King Physique.” Ye Fan wanted to test it.

Because he was going to the Jade Pool Festival, it was unavoidable that he would meet Ji Haoyue, and perhaps even encounter the God-King Physique of the Jiang Clan. If their resonances triggered, the consequences would be very bad.

Ye Fan restrained his aura, suppressed his cultivation, making himself seem like an ordinary person, and then walked forward along the ancient street.

The distance grew shorter and shorter. He activated the Heaven-Swapping Earth-Changing Technique recorded in the Celestial Source Tome, suppressing his godpower.

Finally, as he drew closer to Ji Haoyue, his body did not react abnormally, and the other party did not notice anything either.

The street bustled with people, streams of traffic flowing endlessly. Ye Fan brushed past them lightly, not stopping, leaving calmly.

He sensed Ji Haoyue was even more terrifying now, his God-King Physique like a deep abyss, unfathomable, like a slumbering god that could erupt at any moment with world-shaking power.

And Ziyue had become even more beautiful, her shallow smile showing dimples, her little canine teeth gleaming, making her appear lively and clever.

“Ziyue, what are you looking at?” Ji Haoyue asked, his eyes full of affection. He doted on his younger sister.

“That little Daoist just now seemed a little unusual…” Ji Ziyue pondered.

“Just a little Daoist, what could be unusual? If there was something off, my body would surely sense it.” Ji Haoyue shook his head.

Ye Fan drifted away without stopping, walking along the ancient street.

Beautiful City was like a giant city surrounded by forest. The streets were bustling, traffic like flowing rivers, yet the scenery was beautiful. Fountains and gardens could be seen everywhere.

Suddenly Ye Fan’s heart skipped a beat. He saw another familiar person, Wu Zhongtian.

He was tall and burly, with a leopard’s head, wide eyes, a face full of thick beard, shaped like a lion, robust and powerful. He was the grandson of Wu Dao, the Fifth Warlord, and the sworn brother of Tu Fei, Blackwater, Jiang Huairen, and Liu Kou.

“How is he here too? Could it be something major is happening in Beautiful City?” Ye Fan’s mind stirred.

Wu Zhongtian was an outstanding young powerhouse. Even Tu Fei and others, though not yielding to the Radiant Light Saint, had wanted to invite him to fight. Though he admitted he was not the Saint’s match, it was clear his strength was extremely formidable.

With a flash, Wu Zhongtian disappeared, and on the other side of the street, a stunning figure appeared. Yao Xi walked lightly, like a divine lotus blooming in a forest, swaying gracefully, moving with ethereal elegance.

Her figure was tall, alluring, like an unrivaled enchantress, her charm captivating, yet her aura sacred, her body crystalline, exuding an unapproachable divine grace. She was beauty to the extreme.

“No, something must have happened. Otherwise, how could they all appear in the same city…” Ye Fan avoided her.

Then, he stopped a passerby and asked if anything major had happened here, but all the townsfolk shook their heads, unaware of anything.

It was near noon. He found a place to eat, filling his stomach while listening to the conversations around him, but still learned nothing.

The place seemed peaceful, nothing unusual happening.

Finally, after his meal, Ye Fan strolled about the city. He discovered that both sacred lands and ancient desolate clans had set up dark stone workshops here.

“Why not try my luck at an underground stone workshop? Maybe I’ll hear some news.” At present, he only had two-thousand five-hundred kilos of source left. To break into the third level of Dao Palace, he needed five thousand kilos.

Source was what he needed most. He had been diligently studying the Celestial Source Tome. Once he had mastered it well enough, he would enter the Celestial City of the Northern Region.

“Cultivation faces a major problem…” Every time he thought of the vast amount of source required, he felt troubled.

He had obtained a divine tree from the remains of ancient sages, which allowed cultivation of a single secret realm. He had been experimenting with it, but the progress was too slow.

Originally, he was not so eager for source, but seeing the current situation, he had no choice but to reconsider. Perhaps he needed to pursue both paths: cultivate the single secret realm and also strive for source. If he could break into the Four Pillars Realm, better options might open up.

“The single secret realm is too slow. But I urgently need strength. I must gather source and first reach Dao Palace third level.”

Ye Fan finally entered the “Strange Stone Workshop” run by the Radiant Light Sacred Ground. This was a vast forested area filled with Azure Divine Trees, old vines coiling, lush flowers and plants.