Shrouded Sky

Chapter 242 - Severed Cloud

The Cloud Severing Mountain Range towered into the sky, cutting through the white clouds. Some peaks were lush and green below, while their summits were covered in snow, creating a double spectacle.

Broken Mountain. Located in the central region of the range, vague human figures could be seen. From time to time young cultivators descended. More and more people arrived, as the outstanding young cultivators of Cloud Marsh gathered together.

Situ Feng’s expression was slightly cold. Tall and slender, standing outside the crowd, he was quite arrogant. Fixing his eyes on Ye Fan, he said, “That joke isn’t very funny.”

Ye Fan stood calmly just a few meters away from him. His joints shifted with cracking sounds, and he quickly restored his true appearance.

“It’s really you.” Situ Feng was a bit surprised, but soon sneered and said, “You actually dared to come here, you truly have some nerve.”

Mist rose from Ye Fan’s body, enveloping him entirely and concealing his true form. He took a few steps forward and said, “The world is vast, where can I not go? Just a mere gathering of Cloud Marsh cultivators, why wouldn’t I dare to come?”

Situ Feng’s face grew colder. “Coming here today, I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave.”

“You wanted to kill me with one slap?” Ye Fan said as he walked forward a few steps.

“Killing you would be nothing more than a flip of my hand, one slap would be enough.” Situ Feng, a genius of Fire Cloud Sect, was a Dao Palace third stage cultivator at just over twenty years old, and extremely arrogant.

Ye Fan touched his chin and said, “Am I really that easy to bully? You think you can kill me with one slap? You really take me for a blade of grass.”

“Other than relying on that flame, you’re nothing in my eyes. Killing you would be like plucking grass or picking leaves, effortless.” Situ Feng’s tone was calm.

“Then try killing me with a slap.”

Ye Fan stepped forward again.

At this moment the surrounding cultivators noticed the unusual atmosphere here and turned to look.

“Isn’t that Situ Feng of Fire Cloud Sect? He’s hailed as their most outstanding genius in a hundred years. At only twenty-one years old he’s already at the third stage of the Dao Palace realm.”

“In southern Cloud Marsh, Situ Feng is quite famous among the younger generation. Many people predict that before he’s thirty, he will surely break into the Four Pillars Realm.”

Many cultivators discussed him, speaking highly of his talent.

At just twenty-one and not a disciple of a Sacred Ground, to have such cultivation was indeed amazing. After all, in the younger generation, those who truly reached the Four Pillars Realm were extremely rare.

He was very likely to break into the Four Pillars before thirty, his talent was indeed extraordinary.

“You’re famous in Cloud Marsh, so many people know you.” Ye Fan’s mist swirled more thickly, covering his whole body.

“Who is this person who dares face off against Situ Feng? Could he be contending with Fire Cloud Sect’s genius?” Someone looked puzzled.

“Definitely a challenger. After Situ Feng’s fame spread in southern Cloud Marsh, some young cultivators refused to accept it. Situations like this happen often.”

“Fame kills people. To become famous, they’ll risk a fight. But challenging Fire Cloud Sect’s genius, isn’t that courting death? Among twenty-year-olds in Cloud Marsh, there are few who can rival him.”

“It seems I’m doomed, everyone says I’m far from your match.” Ye Fan mocked himself.

At this moment, Broken Mountain was full of young cultivators. Many turned their eyes here, sensing the tense atmosphere.

“It’s a pity. I actually didn’t want to kill you, but since you’ve come before me, I don’t mind sending you on your way with a slap.” Situ Feng replied indifferently. His body became a blur, drifting forward like a figure from a painting.

As he had said, he simply raised one palm. His right hand lifted high, emitting a water-blue halo, shimmering and bright.

At this moment, countless eyes, near and far, were fixed here. This was a gathering of Cloud Marsh’s young cultivators; such clashes were expected and didn’t surprise anyone.

Those in Broken Mountain, upon realizing this was Situ Feng, believed there was no suspense, this unknown challenger would surely be killed by Fire Cloud Sect’s genius.

Ye Fan stood motionless, waiting for Situ Feng to approach and strike with that water-blue palm.

“Pa!”

The sound was loud, like thunder exploding, echoing through Broken Mountain. The two palms collided, sending out ripples of water-blue light, a hazy halo floating like gauze, enveloping the area.

“I said long ago, Situ Feng’s talent is exceptional. Challenging him comes at a heavy price, often death.”

“That blue light is like lightning, divine power overflowing, the force of this palm is terrifying.”

Many people marveled.

However, when the blue mist dispersed, everyone was dumbfounded, their words caught in their throats.

In the center, Ye Fan stood calmly, sleeves fluttering, while Situ Feng’s face was pale as he staggered back far away. His entire right palm was deformed, dripping blood onto the ground.

“How… how is this possible?!”

“Who is he? He actually injured Fire Cloud Sect’s genius, every bone in his right hand shattered!”

“Who is this person? I’ve never heard of him, could there really be such a figure in Cloud Marsh?”

“Within three thousand miles of Cloud Marsh, I’ve never heard of such a person. Could he be from the oasis?”

Many people’s expressions changed. An unknown figure had injured Situ Feng with a single palm, astonishing.

Ye Fan was calm. In terms of pure physical body, who in the Dao Palace realm could match him? Copper tendons and iron bones, harder than magical treasures, unmatched in the Dao Palace realm.

Many tried to guess his identity, but the mist shrouded his body, leaving them unable to see clearly.

“You…” Situ Feng’s face was pale, not only were the bones in his hand shattered, his entire right arm was broken into eight pieces. No one was more shocked than him. Just now, it was like colliding with a great mountain, irresistible.

“Killing me with a slap is much harder than you thought.” Ye Fan stood still, not pursuing.

Situ Feng’s expression stiffened. His right arm trembled as he ground his teeth, setting the bones. He spat out a bead that floated above his head, releasing cascading curtains of water that enveloped him.

“It’s Fire Cloud Sect’s Water Blue Bead,” someone exclaimed.

At the same time, Situ Feng spat out a blue lotus, radiance blazing, heavy as a mountain, pressing so hard the surrounding people couldn’t breathe.

This lotus was translucent, glowing blue. Its oppressive weight made many feel palpitations and turn pale. Even the ground of Broken Mountain cracked with loud noises, splitting open with huge fissures.

Ye Fan’s expression changed, not just because the lotus was so heavy, but because the ground of Broken Mountain was cracking. This was the training ground of a ruthless figure; causing trouble here could be disastrous.

He held nothing back, rushing forward. His fingers and palms were like blades, striking repeatedly, shattering the water-blue halo.

The lotus remained intact, shining even brighter as it descended. He raised one hand to support it, its weight indeed like a mountain, making even his body strain.

The Water Blue Bead rose, flying toward the lotus. The two merged, doubling the weight, forcing Ye Fan to sink lower.

“This is Fire Cloud Sect’s heaviest treasure, almost unbearable, yet this man is holding it off with his body. Who is he?” the crowd was stunned.

What shocked them even more came next, Ye Fan’s hands struck again and again, golden handprints shaking the sky until it seemed to collapse.

Situ Feng’s expression changed. His left hand sent out three streams of blue light that merged into a blue lightning blade, which then grew to over ten meters, slashing toward Ye Fan.

“Situ Feng has refined Three-Yin True Water, each drop can pierce gold and split stone!”

“What’s even scarier is he’s forged it into a spirit blade, this secret art can cut a person’s soul!”

“It’s the Three-Yin True Spirit Blade, out again, astonishing!”

The spectators all turned grim, their attention locked on the battle.

Three-Yin True Water could extinguish true fire, dissolve fine gold, and was heavy as ten thousand catties. Refined into the Three-Yin True Spirit Blade, its power was unparalleled.

Ye Fan let out a low roar. His arms struck nine times in succession, and after the ninth blow, the Water Blue Bead and the lotus both cracked apart.

“Boom!”

His final punch exploded, sending blue light scattering as the two treasures turned to powder beneath his golden fist.

“Who is this man? How can he have such great strength?”

“His flesh is harder than treasures, how did he cultivate? Is he from the demon race?”

“Too terrifying.”

Everyone was stunned, unable to believe it.

The Three-Yin True Spirit Blade slashed down, its blue light illuminating everyone’s skin in a faint blue hue, the cold biting to the bone.

Ye Fan grabbed the blade with one hand. His palm gleamed like red gold, leaving five deep fingerprints in the blade.

“The Three-Yin True Spirit Blade can cut souls, yet he caught it barehanded, unafraid!”

“Could this be someone whose body will one day reach sainthood? How can there be such a terrifying physique?!”

Boom!

Situ Feng urged the blade, blue light shooting skyward, water energy flooding toward Ye Fan.

This was Three-Yin True Water, capable of corroding gold and devouring iron. A single drop could pierce a cultivator’s body. With so much unleashed, its terror was unimaginable.

But Ye Fan’s body blazed with divine light, and all the true water evaporated into blue vapor, unable to harm him.

Godpower surged, he was like an immortal divine furnace, burning and destroying everything.

Crack, crack.

The Three-Yin True Spirit Blade broke in his hand, turning back into true water, then into blue mist, completely refined by him.

This scene was horrifying, a spirit blade forged with a secret art was shattered by his golden fingers.

“You…” Situ Feng’s face went pale as he turned to flee. By now his heart was dead, facing such an opponent filled him with nothing but defeat.

“Fire Cloud Sect’s genius has been beaten and forced to flee!”

“That’s Cloud Marsh’s genius, yet he’s powerless before this man, who is he, so fearsome?”

In Broken Mountain, many faces were filled with shock.

“Now you try my slap!” Ye Fan’s speed was unmatched; in an instant he caught up, his golden palm enlarged to the size of a millstone, slamming down with a hum that made the air tremble.

“Spare him!” shouted a talented disciple of the Ancient Desolate Ji Clan, rushing forward.

At the same time, Situ Feng desperately tried to defend himself.

The golden handprint was unmatched, draining the surrounding spirit energy until a vast black void appeared.

“Pa!”

This time it was like muffled thunder splitting the sky.

Situ Feng’s resistance was useless, his entire body was smashed apart, sent flying.

“You…” The Ji Clan’s young powerhouse was furious, not expecting the other to kill in front of him.

He caught Situ Feng’s broken body, but as soon as he touched it, the corpse turned to ashes, body and soul destroyed.

“Who are you, to dare kill in front of me? Did you not hear my words just now?!” the Ji Clan’s young man demanded.

“Who do you think you are? You tell me to stop and I should stop? Is being from an Ancient Desolate Clan so great?” Ye Fan stood with his hands behind his back.