Shrouded Sky

Chapter 160 - The Flame Domain

The purple mist was like blades, as if it wanted to tear Ye Fan apart. He was shocked, this was just a wisp of it!

“Come out!”

Ye Fan was panicked, doing everything he could to activate the Motherly Energy of All Things, trying to summon it forth. He could feel it stirring, but just barely.

Wisps of Black-Gold Dualforce light began to flow out, finally spreading a little, covering the surface of his body. But it was far from enough to fully protect him.

This is bad.

Ye Fan's expression changed drastically. He activated the Allheaven Net, flooding it with godpower. He wrapped himself completely within it, forming a glowing cage that surrounded him entirely.

BOOM,

The void split open completely, and the crystalline Jade Leaf shattered instantly, turning to ash and vanishing before Ye Fan’s eyes.

This had been a forbidden artifact, immensely powerful and capable of extraordinary feats. But its fatal flaw was that it could only be used a limited number of times before self-destructing. Back in the Ancient Forbidden Realm, the Ji Clan, the Jiang Clan, and the Radiant Light Sacred Ground each had a forbidden item, after a few uses, they too were destroyed.

Compared to those, this Jade Leaf was even less durable. It broke after a single use and could only be considered a lesser forbidden artifact.

The void collapsed, and Ye Fan plummeted into a purple-colored world. There was no fire, only misty, drifting purple qi, eerie and vague. But the heat was terrifying.

Ye Fan did everything he could, channeling godpower into the Allheaven Net. Its threads glowed like starlight, forming a radiant barrier that temporarily blocked the purple flames.

But before he could celebrate, the light shield collapsed. The purple mist weighed down like ten thousand mountains. The divine shield could not hold and began burning and melting quickly.

“What kind of flame can burn godpower?!” Ye Fan was horrified.

If the Allheaven Net was destroyed, he’d be out of options. The Motherly Energy of All Things was active but hadn’t fully emerged, unable to completely protect him.

Sizzle,

The light screen collapsed again, and the purple mist pressed down. Waves of searing heat seeped through, sending shivers down his spine.

Even the Ji Clan’s treasured artifact couldn’t block the Purple Fire!

This was a sacred place for weapon refinement by top-tier beings. Flames that caught their attention were undoubtedly rare and terrifying. As powerful as Ji Hui’s Allheaven Net was, it couldn’t compare to the treasures of those high beings, it couldn’t withstand this flame at all.

Sizzle,

The shield finally crumbled. The purple mist fell on the Allheaven Net, and the once-glowing threads dimmed instantly, cracking with sharp snapping sounds.

The Allheaven Net began to fracture, about to perish under the pressure of the purple fire. Ye Fan was terrified and quickly poured what remained of the Divine Springwater from the Jade Purification Vase into his mouth. Then he turned into a streak of light and rushed blindly in one direction.

Surrounded by endless purple qi, he had no idea where the outer edge or center of the Flame Domain was, he couldn’t tell at all.

Crack,

With one final, crisp sound, the Allheaven Net shattered into fragments, burned to nothing. No matter how strong Ye Fan’s body was, he could not withstand the burning of this Purple Flame.

Fortunately, though only a small amount had emerged, the Motherly Energy of All Things managed to flow faintly over his skin. It created a hazy layer that barely repelled the purple mist from direct contact.

But even then, he could barely bear it. It felt like being sliced by ten thousand dull blades, slowly shredding his flesh, unbearable pain surged through him.

How hot is this purple qi, really? Just being near it was enough to make him feel like he was going to explode.

“Damn it, Motherly Energy of All Things, why aren’t you fully activating?!” Ye Fan roared while sprinting, gulping down more Divine Springwater.

Unless the Motherly Energy could fully cloak him, he would surely die.

After running several miles, Ye Fan nearly despaired. Ahead, he saw five-colored mist swirling, a scene even more terrifying than the purple qi.

“F*ck! That’s the center!”

He turned and ran the other way.

Even Ye Fan’s powerful body was now blood-red, on the verge of ignition. The little Motherly Energy could not fully block the deadly heat.

Then, something occurred to him. The Jade Purification Vase, weaker than the Allheaven Net, was still intact. Why hadn’t it burned?

He had been too panicked earlier to notice this anomaly.

The bottle hadn’t even been protected by the Motherly Energy. How had it survived the flames?

“Why is it unharmed?!” Ye Fan felt like his flesh was about to dry up and crack. A few more steps and he might literally explode and become ash.

Without hesitation, he activated the Jade Purification Vase and sucked himself into it.

“I just threw myself into a trap again, and now I’m sealing myself inside a bottle. What a mess,” he muttered. But he had no choice.

Inside, he felt a refreshing coolness. His dizzy mind cleared.

Though the bottle had been damaged in the Forbidden Ancient Realm, its interior space remained vast, at least large enough to hold a 50-meter hill.

The Divine Springwaterwater, now nearly depleted, floated nearby.

In the corners were scattered items: food, water, a bronze plaque from the Grand Thunderclap Temple, an ancient bronze lamp, a vajra staff...

As he rummaged, Ye Fan suddenly spotted something that shocked him: the Bodhi Seed.

He knew it was a sacred object, but he’d always assumed it only aided in enlightenment. After all, it was a seed, he’d never imagined it could resist the Purple Fire.

But now he was both shocked and thrilled. Among all the relics from the Grand Thunderclap Temple, the Bodhi Seed remained untouched and flawless, imbued with a natural Dao diagram.

Holding it in his hand, Ye Fan channeled godpower and exited the bottle.

The moment he appeared, the purple mist parted. It rolled back like a tide, avoiding him and opening a clear space, a small, tranquil haven.

“So it’s true...” Ye Fan’s mind raced.

According to Buddhist legend, the most terrifying flame wasn’t physical fire, but Karmic Fire, flames formed from all sentient beings’ karma. This fire could burn even Buddhas to ash, destroy gods, it was unstoppable.

All sins gathered to form this karmic blaze. During Buddha’s enlightenment, he had to endure the burning of Karmic Fire, embodying boundless compassion before achieving enlightenment.

And central to his enlightenment was the Bodhi Tree, under which he resisted all karmic forces and attained ultimate realization.

Clearly, such a sacred Bodhi tree feared no Karmic Fire. It was divine in origin, transcendent.

Of course, nothing in the world is truly eternal. Even the Buddha’s enlightenment may only represent a state, not literal immortality.

Whether Buddha was an immortal, no one knew. After all, the Grand Thunderclap Temple was long destroyed, and only this seed remained from the legendary Bodhi Tree.

“If it can resist Karmic Fire, of course it can block this Purple Fire...” Ye Fan was ecstatic. This Bodhi Seed was far more mysterious than he’d imagined.

Within three meters around him, the purple flames dared not invade. He sighed in relief. With this divine seed, he finally felt safe.

He calmed down, drank more Divine Springwaterwater, and began healing. Earlier, his body had nearly combusted, suffering severe internal injuries.

He wasn’t in a rush to leave. In the current Southern Region, this was perhaps the safest place for him. The great sects were all searching for him. If he left and was found, he’d be killed.

Ye Fan didn’t move for three full days, sitting in meditation. Only after drinking more Divine Springwater did he fully recover to peak condition.

“The beings who forge weapons here must be unimaginably strong. I wouldn’t last a second here without the Bodhi Seed.”

He was shaken. Those figures were beyond comprehension.

He had been on the run for days, but was well-prepared. The Jade Purification Vase still held enough food and water for a long-term stay.

Since he planned to stay, Ye Fan began exploring the sixth layer of the Flame Domain, trying to understand it.

The place was utterly silent. Purple mist drifted everywhere. Apart from the jagged stone forest, there were no other notable features.

“These rocks are untouched, even though the Ji Clan’s treasures were destroyed. What makes them special?”

Ye Fan split one open but found nothing unusual. Confused, he assumed the Flame Domain must be spiritually aware.

“Even the great ones chose this place to forge weapons. Maybe I can use the purple flames to shape my cauldron and hammer.”

Fire was essential to weapon-crafting. Back in Elder Han’s alchemy cave, he had used hellfire to forge his cauldron.

Now, the purple flames here were far superior. The results could be extraordinary.

Ye Fan was excited. The Motherly Energy of All Things was now very active, perhaps he really could complete the process here.

After half an hour of wandering, he saw nothing exceptional, just traces left behind by others: ashes in human form, abandoned materials from failed forging.

Anyone who had left a mark here was surely a top-tier figure.

“The better the flame, the stronger the weapon. It’s said that some ancient geniuses spent half their lives gathering fire essence to refine supreme weapons.”

This might be a rare opportunity for Ye Fan.

“You tried to wipe me out... maybe you’ll end up helping me instead.”

He had learned this domain had nine layers of fire, each more intense than the last.

Now he was only in the sixth layer, already a place where great figures forged divine weapons. What terrifying power lay in the seventh? Or the eighth?

As for the ninth layer, Ye Fan could hardly imagine it.

Ancient records spoke vaguely of this place, even linking it to immortals and the Desolate Tower, but only in obscure, unclear references.

Ye Fan knew none of this, if he had, he would’ve been even more awed and thrilled.

Holding the Bodhi Seed, he walked toward the seventh layer. Earlier, he had glimpsed five-colored mist ahead, emanating a frightening pressure.

After a few miles, the five-colored clouds came into view. They didn’t look like fire, more like celestial mist, peaceful on the surface, but making the soul tremble.

Even standing on the edge, with the Bodhi Seed in hand, Ye Fan felt a searing heat.

He hesitated, he saw human-shaped ashes and discarded materials. Clearly, some great figures had died here.

He felt a chill. If even such beings perished, the five-colored flames must be beyond imagination.

“I’d better honestly refine my cauldron in the sixth layer first. If it works, then maybe I’ll try the seventh or even eighth layers.”

Ye Fan didn’t want to take unnecessary risks. He believed it was wise to take his time. If he could succeed here, maybe later he could draw on even higher flames for further refinement.

“The source of the Motherly Energy... an ultimate fire... together, they can surely forge the strongest weapon.”

He was determined to forge his supreme cauldron.