Shrouded Sky

Chapter 118 - Yan Ruyu

The crystal coffin was dreamlike and radiant. Inside, the Imperial Demon Heart was wrapped in crimson haze and blinding light, outshining even the blazing sun. The entire peach grove was enveloped in divine energy, shrouded in the auspicious glow of blood-colored brilliance.

Qin Yao opened the coffin, and at once, a tidal wave of vibrant life force surged forth, making everyone feel as if bathed in a spring breeze. Such powerful vitality, if kept nearby, would undoubtedly aid greatly in cultivation.

It was hard to imagine just how terrifying the Demon Emperor must have been in his prime. Even after countless millennia since his death, the Heart he left behind still possessed such power, his strength was unfathomable.

"The Emperor’s cultivation was deep and boundless, yet even he could not become immortal. It really makes one wonder, do immortals truly exist in this world?" an old crone murmured in awe.

Yan Ruyu silently bowed to the crystal coffin. Then she stepped forward and took a jade tray from one of the demon women. Placing the heart, radiant like a ruby and bursting with divine brilliance, onto the tray, she walked toward the divine iron stake.

"Yan Ruyu..." Ye Fan used divine sense to send a message, wanting to say something. But at that moment, a dozen old crones stepped forward, each casting spells, pointing their fingers at his forehead.

Ye Fan was horrified. These old women were far too powerful, they immediately noticed his divine sense stirring and sealed the golden pond at the center of his brow. He struggled, golden light erupting, but was unable to break free.

Even so, the dozen crones changed expressions. One of them said, "This youth is extraordinary indeed. His spirit power is unimaginable. At his age, such strength is unheard of."

The jade tray in Yan Ruyu’s hands emitted crimson light with golden specks, enveloping her entire body. Her skin was like jade, sacred and flawless. She gazed at Ye Fan for a long time, then gently reached out and stroked his cheek. The gesture was soft and warm, like a breeze brushing across his face. Her stunning face held a complex expression, unclear emotions flashed in her eyes, but soon calmed, returning to the serene purity of a fairy from the Jade Pool, otherworldly and clear.

"Your Highness, please step back. We must proceed," one of the crones said, taking the tray from her.

Yan Ruyu nodded lightly and drifted back, graceful as the wind.

Ye Fan did not want to accept this fate. To nurture something like the Imperial Demon Heart inside his body, no one could predict what might happen.

Suddenly, intense pain struck him. The old crones were forcefully opening his Bitter Sea.

"Don’t worry. We won’t take your heart. We’re just placing the Emperor’s Imperial Demon Heart into your Life Spring. Using your Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique’s unique divine spring to nourish it..."

If Ye Fan could speak, he would have screamed. His golden Bitter Sea held too many secrets, he couldn’t let anyone see inside.

"No wonder it’s the Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique, tough as divine iron. Even with our combined strength, we can’t break it open. Unbelievable."

"This was the strongest human body type, invincible in ancient times. Unfortunately, it’s now considered a failed physique. Still, this kid has cultivated all the way to the Life Spring realm. Who knows how he managed that? Either way, as long as his divine spring flows, it will be enough to preserve the Imperial Demon Heart indefinitely..."

"Still can’t break it..." All the old crones were stunned and helpless. One of them turned and said,

"Your Highness, please lend us the Emperor’s sacred weapon to break through the Sacred Physique’s Bitter Sea."Yan Ruyu nodded calmly. A dazzling godlight erupted from her palm, blinding in brilliance. The sacred radiance was so intense that it completely obscured the item in her hand.

One of the crones accepted the glowing mass and lightly drew it across Ye Fan’s Bitter Sea. He nearly passed out from the pain, feeling as though a blade had torn through him. His Bitter Sea burst open, golden light pouring forth, waves surging into the sky.

"Heavens! It’s a golden Bitter Sea... How is this possible?!"

Everyone was stunned. None of them had expected such a scene. The golden sea surged violently, lightning crackling, it was like the primordial chaos from which life was born.

"Is this the true reason the Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique was once unrivaled?"

Golden Seas of Bitterness were unheard of. Even Yan Ruyu was visibly shaken, her perfect face filled with astonishment. Her beautiful eyes never left the sight.

Ye Fan couldn't move. If he could speak, he’d be furiously “greeting” every single person here. He gritted his teeth in silence, wracked with pain and on the verge of passing out.

"Legends say that the Oceanic Wheel of ancient supreme giants gave rise to all sorts of miraculous visions, like the moon rising over the sea, stars shining in the blue sky, golden lotuses blooming in the Bitterness Sea. Each vision granted unmatched power. This youth's golden sea is already the rarest anomaly, it’s likely he’ll manifest other mythical phenomena in the future."

"It’s a shame that in this age, the Sacred Physique is considered impossible to cultivate. For him to reach the Celestial Bridge is remarkable. He must have had incredible fortune."

The old crones didn’t dare delay. Worried about damaging Ye Fan’s life force, they quickly submerged the Imperial Demon Heart into the gushing Life Spring, then stepped back and returned Yan Ruyu’s sacred weapon.

At that moment, the golden Bitter Sea looked more astonishing than ever. Waves surged, lightning flashed, overflowing with vitality. It instantly healed itself, sealing up without any sign of damage.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

After the unbearable pain, Ye Fan finally stabilized. He was deep in thought about what the crones had said, could it be that the Oceanic Wheel could manifest visions like the moon rising, stars shining, and golden lotuses blooming? Even just the names filled him with longing.

"Speaking of which, those sacred grounds and ancient clans really are remarkable. Word is that the Ji Clan has birthed a God-King Physique. He’s already made great progress in cultivation. News just broke recently that his Oceanic Wheel contains multiple Celestial Phenomena, utterly terrifying."

"Who’s stronger, this God-King Physique or this old Sacred Physique of legend? Too bad the Sacred Physique is obsolete now. There’s no real way to compare anymore. That would have been an amazing match-up."

"If the Ji Clan’s God-King Physique doesn't die young, they’ll flourish for thousands of years. No one can stop them."

Ye Fan was startled, the ancient Ji Clan had birthed a God-King Physique. The news left him deeply unsettled.

Half an hour passed before Ye Fan fully recovered. He was released and the restraints were removed.

Qin Yao stepped forward, smiling: "As you can see, we never meant to harm you. You’ve got nothing to worry about. The Demon Emperor’s heart will only benefit your body, not hurt it."

Ye Fan said nothing. He sat down quietly and focused on the changes within him. The green copper block remained still and silent, lodged like a boulder in his spring. The crones hadn’t sensed it at all.

The Imperial Demon Heart now rested in the Life Spring, nourished by divine spring waters. Its vitality was powerful, more impressive than the golden book. But even so, it couldn’t compare to the green copper block. The heart had been squeezed to the side, unable to approach the spring’s core.

"This green copper really is something else..." Ye Fan was shocked. Even the Imperial Demon Heart of a demon emperor had to give way before it.

Suddenly, he felt the heart tremble slightly, then it began greedily absorbing his life force. The Life Spring surged, divine spring gushing like a volcano, funneling straight into the heart.

His expression changed instantly. This was not good. If the heart continued drawing from him like this, it would suck him dry.

Boom!

At that moment, the green copper block trembled slightly. The Bitter Sea immediately calmed. The divine spring stopped its outpouring. Everything froze. The heart, too, fell silent and motionless.

"Hiss..." Ye Fan sucked in a sharp breath. The green copper block truly was extraordinary, anchored in the spring, it could suppress all treasures within the Oceanic Wheel.

"If it weren’t for the green copper block, I’d be in real danger. They hadn’t fully sealed the Imperial Demon Heart at all..."

Ye Fan relaxed. He summoned the cauldron he’d forged through years of tempering and directed it toward the radiant, gem-like heart.

"Let’s see if I can get a few drops of the Demon Emperor’s blood..."

Boom!

The moment the cauldron touched the Imperial Demon Heart, the crimson heart gave a faint pulse. The entire golden sea boiled violently. But the green copper block trembled once more, everything stilled again instantly.

Ye Fan’s body shook violently, like he’d been struck by lightning. He noticed a line of blood on the cauldron, it transformed into a streak of blood light, bursting from the Bitter Sea and spreading throughout his body.

His flesh began to quiver, as if being reforged. Light radiated from within him, and his body was covered in a glowing blood sheen.

"Impossible. The Imperial Demon Heart just entered his Life Spring and it’s already nourishing his body? How can it act so fast?" one of the crones gasped.

The others were equally baffled, faces full of confusion.

Ye Fan now believed them, they truly hadn’t meant him harm. They thought they had sealed the heart, but they hadn’t. If not for the green copper, the outcome might’ve been disastrous.

"Good, good, good!" one crone exclaimed. "With the Imperial Demon Heart now properly nourished, it can endure. Her Highness can now boldly begin cultivating the supreme demon technique."

Before long, the blood glow receded. Ye Fan felt like his body had undergone a purification, his flesh clearly stronger. He sighed inwardly, even a trace of the Demon Emperor’s blood had this much effect. If he absorbed a drop, or ten, or the entire heart... what then?

Yan Ruyu looked shaken, staring at Ye Fan in a daze, muttering: "Should I cultivate alongside him...?"

"Your Highness, that’s your decision," someone replied.

At that moment, Ye Fan stood up, his body feeling light, his mind clear.

"You’ll stay here for now. In a few days, we’ll arrange another residence for you," Yan Ruyu said.

Then everyone turned to leave the peach grove.

"Fairy Yan, wait," Ye Fan called out to her alone. He stepped forward and studied the flawless woman in front of him, no embarrassment at all, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Are you really going to marry me?"

Yan Ruyu stood there like a goddess from the Moon Palace, slim and graceful, her glowing skin radiant. Her lashes were long, her eyes deep, brimming with poetic grace, filled with the wisdom of the heavens. She looked silently at Ye Fan and said nothing.

At that moment, Qin Yao giggled from the side: "Hey, your hand’s in the wrong place, that’s Her Highness’s palm."

The next instant, Ye Fan felt like he’d been hurled by a hurricane. Yan Ruyu had flung him away, and he ended up dangling from the cliff wall of Peach Blossom Valley.