Shrouding the Heavens

He wasn’t lacking in comprehension; it was just that this particular technique wasn’t entirely suitable for his cultivation. However, the provocation spurred him to make substantial gains, and his tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

The pitiful little girl was also observing with curiosity. Finally, unable to resist, she began to imitate the movements. She took a small step forward and, with a SWOOSH, vanished from her spot, startling everyone awake.

“Pitiful little girl!” Ye Fan called out.

The pitiful little girl reappeared on the edge of the coffin, frightened and on the verge of tears. She looked down helplessly, her eyes brimming, and whimpered, “I was just trying it out…”

This left Li Heishui utterly speechless. He sighed towards the heavens, lamenting, “My comprehension may not be the absolute best among my peers, but it’s certainly in the top tier. Yet, I’m outdone by a dog, and now even a little girl barely over two years old has surpassed me! Can it be that the Nine Secrets are truly unsuitable for my cultivation?”

Ye Fan and the others quickly moved to the coffin. They lifted the pitiful little girl to bring her down, but in doing so, they inadvertently saw the scene inside the coffin, which made their scalps tingle.

Inside the Stone Coffin, at the very bottom, was half a pool of blood. It was shockingly bright red, as if freshly drawn from a living body. An old man lay horizontally within, floating just above the surface of the blood.

His flesh was incorruptible. He held a golden scepter, and his body exuded a peerless killing intent that felt as if it could pierce one’s very soul!

“Heavens, is this the Great Success Holy Body? Dead for over a hundred thousand years, yet not decayed at all—so lifelike!” Li Heishui exclaimed in shock.

“Why does this person emanate such heavy killing intent, as if he slaughtered millions of beings!” Ye Fan exclaimed in alarm.

“This… this should be the Lord of the Celestial Court, an Ancient Sage!” the Black Emperor stammered, so startled it nearly fell.

“Weren’t the two old Sages of the Celestial Court killed? How did one end up here?” Ye Fan was suspicious. He had heard the Black Emperor recount those past events in detail.

The Black Emperor said in astonishment, “Rumor had it that his lifespan was exhausted and he was slain in the final battle. No one would have thought that he had secretly carried the Nine Secrets of Movement into the Holy Cliff and died here!”

The golden Ancient Staff exuded wisps of killing intent so potent they seemed to freeze the entire Holy Cliff, making it feel like a black abyss. This was undoubtedly the Celestial Court’s Supreme Scepter!

“Back then, the Celestial Court, wielding the Supreme Scepter, could almost command the world,” the Black Emperor sighed.

“It is time for it to see the light of day again, to let it shine brilliantly once more!” Ye Fan declared loudly.

“More than a hundred thousand years have passed, and his body hasn’t decayed. Truly an Ancient Sage! But why did he die inside the ancient coffin?” Li Heishui wondered, perplexed.

“His neck was twisted off by someone…” the Black Emperor exclaimed. Just moments before, it had been harboring sinister designs on the Saint’s bones, wanting to drag the body out and refine them.

But now, a chill ran down its spine. This ancient Saint’s neck had been snapped, and clear fingerprints were visible on it, along with clinging bits of green fur.

“I’m scared…” The pitiful little girl buried her head in Ye Fan’s chest, not daring to look down. She whispered, “There’s a person lying in the Blood Pool, and his body is covered in green fur…”

“The Great Success Holy Body!” Everyone was stunned.

The Great Success Holy Body had perished for endless ages, yet its corpse had snapped an ancient Sage’s neck! This realization sent a profound chill through their hearts.

Without them noticing, the old madman had also appeared atop the Stone Coffin. His eyes, which seemed to pierce through all illusion, stared intently at the blurred figure in the Blood Pool.

SPLASH!

Beneath the ancient Saint—the Lord of the Celestial Court—the blood in the Blood Pool churned violently. A large, green-furred claw, clearly a corpse’s, shot out from the depths.