Shrouded Sky

Chapter 202 - The Sun of Humanity

Ye Fan moved with a light grace, as if floating like an immortal, returning to the stone village.

Fifth Master Zhang, spotting him, hurriedly pulled him to a secluded spot. “Something’s wrong,” he said.

“What happened?” Ye Fan asked.

“Wang Shu and Er Lengzi… ever since they went out with you, something’s off. Their foreheads have been glowing, and their strength is immense…” Fifth Master Zhang frowned, his face etched with worry.

“Bloodline awakening?” Ye Fan was surprised. “Take me to them.”

“They’ve been confined at home these days. Besides their newfound strength, nothing bad has happened,” Fifth Master Zhang said, leading Ye Fan to Er Lengzi’s house.

As they entered the courtyard, Ye Fan sensed vibrant life force, as if stepping into a lush, verdant land. “Brother Ye, you’re here!” Er Lengzi’s sister greeted sweetly, a delicate young girl.

“Is your brother okay?” Fifth Master Zhang asked her to lead the way.

“He’s fine, eating and sleeping like a lazy pig,” she pouted.

Snores echoed from the house. Er Lengzi sprawled on the kang, sleeping deeply, his forehead glowing like jade.

Godpower!

Unmistakably godpower!

Ye Fan was stunned. Not long ago, Er Lengzi was ordinary; now, he wielded formidable strength. His forehead was nearly translucent, soft light flowing to every part of his body, cleansing his flesh.

Ye Fan marveled. Different races, different destinies and starting points. This was innate godpower, a gift from birth. Human cultivators toiled to unlock their treasures, but certain extinct, mighty races were born with divine abilities, an unattainable advantage.

“Brother… wake up!” The girl pinched Er Lengzi’s nose, shaking him awake.

“Time to eat?” Er Lengzi mumbled, his forehead glowing brighter.

“Lei Bo, how do you feel? Any discomfort?” Ye Fan used his real name, dropping the nickname.

“Brother Ye!” Lei Bo sat up. “No discomfort. I feel full of strength, like I could shatter ore.”

Ye Fan nodded. Lei Bo’s power could rival Celestial Bridge cultivators, capable of splitting open a mine. “What caused this change?” he asked.

“Let’s go to my place, cook some dishes, and talk over food,” Fifth Master Zhang suggested, mindful of Lei Bo’s family.

“Great! I love your tender lamb ribs, Fifth Grandpa,” Lei Bo grinned, as carefree as ever.

Wang Shu, showing similar changes, joined them at Fifth Master Zhang’s house, where they ate and talked. “Did touching those nine stones trigger this?” Ye Fan asked, unconcerned.

Generations had passed; the Wang and Lei Clans were fully humanized, no longer another race. Occasionally, exceptional children appeared with godpowers but no other anomalies.

“Yeah, after we got back, it felt like a paper was torn inside us. Warm ‘water’ surged, so comfortable,” Wang Shu said.

Ye Fan was speechless. godpower like water, extraordinarily potent, a revival of ancient bloodlines, a heavenly gift. “Bite your fingers. Let me see.”

The Wang and Lei Clans knew their ancestors were unique but not non-human. Without hesitation, they pricked their fingers, letting blood drip. “Red with a faint silver glow. Such talent is enviable,” Ye Fan nodded.

Their blood held only traces of silver, far from pure silver blood, yet it granted such power. Their ancestors must have been formidable. “Likely high-ranking, even royalty among ancient creatures,” Ye Fan thought, keeping it to himself.

“Are we okay?” Wang Shu asked, uneasy.

“Won’t turn into monsters, right?” Lei Bo scratched his head, aware of ancestral tales.

“It’s a blessing, no worries,” Ye Fan said, inspecting their foreheads, which were mysteriously linked to their primal source. His powerful divine sense probed their consciousness, finding human traits, easing fears of transformation into Primordial beings.

What truly shocked him were Jade Pool’s nine stones. Whatever was sealed inside had awakened Wang Shu and Lei Bo’s powers, likely tied to their bloodline. “Really a good thing? Can we fly now?” they asked, eyes gleaming.

Ye Fan smiled. “If you want, you can start now.”

“Really? How?” They forgot their food, eager to learn.

Fifth Master Zhang looked worried. “Fifth Grandpa, it’s fine. They’re humanized; it’s just their talents awakening. They’ll protect the village,” Ye Fan reassured, sending them to the courtyard.

Their foreheads were like portals to a mysterious source, divine energy nourishing their bodies, rivaling Celestial Bridge cultivators. Ye Fan taught them to channel this power. Soon, enveloped in silver mist, they wobbled into the air.

Thud. Thud.

They plummeted, and Ye Fan rushed to catch them. Their strength matched Celestial Bridge cultivators; dying from a fall would be a historic embarrassment. “Don’t fly so high. Practice three feet off the ground until you master it. Then I’ll teach more.”

From that day, villagers saw them zooming around, shouting excitedly. No one called Lei Bo “Er Lengzi” anymore, using his real name. (TL Note - Er Lengzi means Doofus)

Half a month passed. Ye Fan solidified his heart’s divine treasury while studying the Celestial Source Tome, grasping the basics of ‘Heaven-Swapping Earth-Changing’ to alter his appearance and aura. Changing landscapes was far off, requiring advanced mastery.

He tracked the Jade Pool Saintess, confirming Tu Fei’s words, she was touring Northern Region’s cities, not returning to Jade Pool soon. Ye Fan decided to advance another realm and refine his disguise technique to avoid exposure.

Having mastered the Celestial Source Tome’s early chapters, he planned to “sweep sources.” A thousand kilos was a hefty sum, challenging to gather from Flatrock’s gambling houses, but his improved source arts should ensure success.

“Trouble!” a villager rushed to Ye Fan, panicked.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Fan snapped out of meditation, sensing issues outside.

“Save Fifth Grandpa! He’s being beaten to death!” the villager cried.

Ye Fan stood, vanishing in a step, reaching the village outskirts instantly. Fifth Master Zhang, hair disheveled, face swollen with clear palm prints, blood staining his mouth and chest, had been slapped.

“How dare you?!” Village youths brandished curved blades, confronting the culprits.

“What’s wrong with this?” Several young men stood nonchalantly, dismissing the villagers. “This old fool refused Sunset Clouds Sect’s invitation to find source mines, making excuses. He’s lost it,” one sneered.

Nearby, familiar elders from other villages had been forcibly brought. “This old man has some influence. Just a few slaps, and you’re ready to die for him? What if we beat him to death?” the youths taunted.

“You’re too much!” The youths stepped forward, furious.

“What, you think you can stir trouble? Want to die? Come on,” the youths mocked, one raising a hand to slap Fifth Master Zhang’s white-haired head.

Slap.

A resounding slap landed, not on Fifth Master Zhang, but on the attacker’s own face.

Ye Fan arrived, face cold, helping Fifth Master Zhang up, channeling life essence to stabilize and heal him. “Who are you?!” the slapped Sunset Clouds disciple roared, dazed.

Slap.

Ye Fan backhanded him, sending him flying.

“We’re back!” Wang Shu and Lei Bo shouted, soaring from the sky. Over the past half-month, Ye Fan had taught them flight and basic combat. With awakened talents rivaling Celestial Bridge cultivators, their progress was swift.

“Kill them all, leave none!” Ye Fan ordered. “Training isn’t enough. You need life-and-death trials.”

He was fed up with Sunset Clouds Sect, backing Bandit Chen, Liu Cheng’en and Liu Chengwang’s ambushes, and now this bullying. Lei Bo’s eyes reddened, spotting a familiar face tied to Chen, roaring, “You bandits backed by Sunset Clouds! I’ll make you pay for my sister!”

Wang Shu followed, fearing for Lei Bo, as they charged. “Mudlegs, daring to oppose Sunset Clouds?!” the youths blustered, invoking their sect despite seeing Ye Fan’s strength.

“Sunset Clouds Sect…” Ye Fan eyed Fifth Master Zhang’s slap marks, then turned sharply. “This sect has no reason to exist.”

“Arrogant!” one sneered. “Harm us, and every cultivator within five hundred miles will hunt you.”

Pop.

Ye Fan flicked a finger, shattering the man’s head, the only Celestial Bridge cultivator. The rest, mere Life Spring realm, were no match. “Kill them all,” he said. Wang Shu and Lei Bo, despite limited techniques, overwhelmed with raw godpower.

Screams rang out. “Misunderstanding! That jerk was the sect leader’s kin, used to tyranny. It’s not on us!” the survivors pleaded.

Too late. Lei Bo, eyes bloodshot, thinking of his sister, fought like a beast. They couldn’t escape; Wang Shu and Lei Bo struck, killing them all.

“They’re Sunset Clouds’ men. If they retaliate, our village can’t withstand it,” a villager worried.

“No worries. Soon, this sect will cease to exist,” Ye Fan said calmly. He knew Sunset Clouds was a small sect, its strongest only in the early Dao Palace realm, with one or two god-spirits cultivated.

“Take these elders into the village. Release them after Sunset Clouds’s dealt with,” Ye Fan said, pointing to the other villages’ captives.

Sunset Clouds Sect was a festering tumor; Ye Fan resolved to remove it. “A sect like this likely has a thousand kilos of source. Taking it could push me to the next level,” he mused, chuckling at how he resembled the Thirteen Warlords. “I don’t rob mortals, just purge tumors. Not evil.”

Before he could act, Sunset Clouds came knocking. The next day, leaving the village, he was ambushed by an Other Shore cultivator leading nine Celestial Bridge cultivators, weapons blazing.

“Your noses are sharp, finding me so fast,” Ye Fan said.

“So, you killed our missing men?” one demanded.

“You didn’t know, yet attacked?”

“You’re suspicious, not a villager, yet powerful. We’ll take you for questioning.”

“Such arrogance, attacking at will?!” Ye Fan shook his head. “Clueless.”

“Daring to act against Sunset Clouds? You’re the clueless one!” The Other Shore cultivator ordered the nine to surround Ye Fan.

“No need for trouble. I’ll send you all off!” Ye Fan swept his sleeve, engulfing the nine Celestial Bridge cultivators, moving like an immortal.

“You…” The Other Shore cultivator gaped.

“You too.” Ye Fan’s hand descended like a five-fingered mountain, crushing all the man’s weapons and capturing him.

Wang Shu and Lei Bo watched, stunned. “It’s just Daoist power. Easy in the Dao Palace,” Ye Fan said, though others couldn’t match his might.

“To Sunset Clouds Sect.”

“Really wiping them out?” Wang Shu stammered.

“Kill the leaders, spare the rest. I’ve decided to found a sect, and Sunset Clouds’s a ready foundation,” Ye Fan said, soaring with them.

“Found a sect?” Lei Bo muttered.

“Why?” Wang Shu asked, puzzled.

“It’ll be useful.”

Soon, they reached Sunset Clouds Sect, nestled in a rare Northern Region oasis of green hills and waters.

“Who dares trespass?!” a shout came from the gate.

“Tell your leader I’m here to found a sect and want him to move,” Ye Fan said.

The gatekeepers gaped, then roared, “Have you eaten bear hearts and leopard guts?!”