Shrouded Sky

Chapter 263 - The Secret Technique

In the dead of night, all was silent.

Above the clouds, the Ageless Chamber towered majestically. Time had carved traces upon it, and some parts were close to collapsing, yet it still hung suspended in the sky, showing no sign of sinking.

Many meteorites, some over ten meters wide, others as small as a palm, floated quietly around it, forming a natural stone forest, scattered in an orderly fashion.

Ye Fan stood upon a cloud, gazing at the Ageless Chamber from afar.

The Black Emperor stood on a magical artifact used for travel, for it could not fly on its own. This was a five-colored jade boat Ye Fan had taken after killing a disciple of the Ji family. The big black dog had reforged it, turning it pitch black like a turtle shell.

Upon the jade boat lay a pile of materials: starstones, mysterious ice jade, divine blood soil, and more. All were rare, unusual materials, not exceptionally precious, but each with unique uses.

“This particle world has two Supreme Giants, each comparable to the sacred lords of the major sects, and also some fearsome old monsters. If we make too much commotion and they sense us, we’ll surely die,” Ye Fan said calmly.

“If we can’t get the ancient scripture of the demon race’s great emperor, I won’t let you off. I’m taking too big a risk!” the big black dog said through gritted teeth.

By now, it was solemn and cautious. Even the slightest mistake could bring fatal disaster.

The big black dog circled the Ageless Chamber several times, unwilling to act hastily, pondering and calculating carefully.

Ye Fan didn’t urge it. Everything depended on the dog now. Without a foolproof method, it was better to wait than to take risks, for opportunities like this would not come again.

“It has to be done silently, without the slightest ripple…” the big black dog muttered to itself. It was extremely serious because this concerned their very lives.

Half an hour passed before the big black dog finished its calculations. It gritted its teeth and said, “I’ll risk it. I’m determined to get that ancient scripture!”

On each material in the jade boat were carved intricate Dao runes, complex like ghostly symbols, profound and difficult to comprehend.

The big black dog sent out a piece of divine blood soil. It sank soundlessly into the meteorite forest and fixed itself in place without moving.

It piloted the jade boat around the Ageless Chamber, swiftly inserting all eighty-one pieces of divine blood soil into the spaces among the meteorites.

Thus, the first material, the divine blood soil, was exhausted, spread all around the Ageless Chamber.

“No accidents so far. There shouldn’t be any mishaps ahead. My guess was right,” the big black dog exhaled in relief.

“What does this divine blood soil do?”

“This meteorite forest corresponds to the stars of the heavens, carved with extremely powerful Dao runes, forming a star domain force field. The divine blood soil can interfere with the field’s energy,” the big black dog replied.

“That powerful?!” Ye Fan was shocked.

“This meteorite forest is arranged to match the positions of the major stars of the heavens. Once triggered, it will unleash boundless killing intent. Even a Supreme Giant caught within would likely die,” the big black dog said gravely.

Ye Fan drew in a cold breath, finally understanding why no one guarded this place, because there was no need.

Afterward, the big black dog sent out mysterious turtle shells engraved with even more complex Dao runes, fifty in total. However, it placed only forty-nine, each in a very particular location.

The last one it left on the jade boat, carved with a single straight-line Dao rune, looking somewhat unusual.

“What are these mysterious turtle shells for?” Ye Fan asked humbly.

“They’re to overturn the particle world formed by this meteorite forest.”

“Why leave one behind? And the rune on it is different,” Ye Fan asked, puzzled.

“There’s a lot of theory behind it. The number of Heaven is fifty, but one is unused, that one is the breath of Heaven itself. So we use forty-nine,” the big black dog replied casually before moving on to the next step.

Ye Fan sighed inwardly. The study of Dao runes was vast and profound, involving heavenly mysteries, and difficult to master. For now, he could not delve into it deeply.

The third material the big black dog used was mysterious ice jade, hundred and eight pieces in total, each engraved with dense, intricate Dao runes.

“Actually, the ideal material is Black-Gold Stone, used to evolve a particle world and mask the meteorite forest. But that stuff is far too rare to find.”

“So what now? Can mysterious ice jade be used instead?” Ye Fan didn’t want any mistakes.

“Luckily, you have the cauldron forged from primal mother energy. Once we’re inside, you’ll take it out and wear it above your head, it can suppress everything,” the big black dog said.

“You planned this from the start, didn’t you?” Ye Fan asked.

“If you didn’t have the source of primal motherly energy, I’d never dare break the Dao runes here. Black-Gold Stone is the top material for breaking the meteorite forest.”

Though the big black dog was sly and devious, in this critical moment it was meticulous and serious, with no trace of carelessness, after all, their lives were on the line.

Half an hour later, twenty-eight types of materials had been placed, twenty-seven already used, with only the starstones remaining.

At this point, the Black Emperor began inserting source stones engraved with Dao runes into the meteorite forest.

In the jade boat was half a square of source, over eight hundred kilos of it, glistening brightly. Due to time constraints, Ye Fan had collected only twenty-eight materials in the Demon City; the rest had to be substituted with source.

To save Pang Bo, he was willing to offer all his source, but the big black dog still had some conscience, claiming half a square was enough.

Even so, the consumption was astonishing. The entire eight hundred kilos of source was sent into the meteorite forest in the blink of an eye.

Finally, the big black dog sent out 365 starstones, evenly distributing them throughout the forest.

“Alright, it’s done. With my Great Art of Stealing Heaven and Swapping Sun, I’ve temporarily replaced the meteorites with starstones,” the big black dog exhaled.

“Are you sure you’ve disabled the meteorite forest representing the main stars of the heavens?” Ye Fan’s heart surged, he was about to see Pang Bo.

“It’s not exactly destroyed, just temporarily disabled the star domain force field.”

“Can we go in now?” Ye Fan’s heart was unsettled.

“Yes. Bring out your cauldron,” the big black dog reminded solemnly.

A tiny inch-tall cauldron flew out, rapidly expanding to a meter high, floating above Ye Fan’s head. Threads of primal motherly energy streamed down, with streams of golden light circulating.

“A sacred artifact exclusive to an ancient emperor, unseen for hundreds of generations, and it ended up in your hands…” the big black dog muttered resentfully, as if wanting to pounce on it.

“What does that tell you? I’m destined to become a Grand Emperor.”

“How many emperors have there been in history? They represent the apex of the human race, and you…” the big black dog curled its lip.

The Ageless Chamber stood above the clouds, surrounded by the silent meteorite forest.

Ye Fan, with the ancient cauldron above his head, stepped forward on the clouds. The big black dog piloted the jade boat behind him, drawing closer to the palace.

All was still around them. The meteorite forest emitted no killing intent, everything was quiet as they advanced.

“You really cracked it…”

“Of course!” the big black dog said proudly.

Half a mile from the Ageless Chamber, they stopped speaking aloud, switching to voice transmission.

“Are you certain that the possessing entity inside is near death?”

“I’m certain,” Ye Fan confirmed.

“Good. I’ll use the meteorite forest to temporarily seal this place, so any commotion inside the palace won’t leak out,” the big black dog said, repositioning the divine blood soil, mysterious ice jade, starstones, and other materials.

Meanwhile, Ye Fan also prepared, taking out the stone armor he had worn while exploring Purple Mountain.

This was Godsource Shell, able to block all auras, including divine sense. Based on the big black dog’s deduction, the coming battle would be a clash of divine senses, this was the best defensive battle armor.

The big black dog also prepared, planting over a hundred small flags on the jade boat, all specially crafted as protective gear for a divine sense battle.

The cauldron above Ye Fan’s head floated and sank, exuding a devouring force, pulling the big black dog and the jade boat inside. Then Ye Fan entered the cauldron himself.

“Our divine senses combined should be enough to suppress a wandering soul trying to possess someone. My only worry is if your judgment is wrong,” the big black dog said within the cauldron.

“A few years ago he was already close to death, why else would he borrow the Azure Flood Dragon Monarch’s Ageless Chamber, if not to extend his lifespan?” Ye Fan replied.

“Then let’s go in!” the big black dog said through clenched teeth.

The great cauldron moved forward silently. The Ageless Chamber was completely still, its doors tightly shut.

“Something’s strange,” Ye Fan sensed.

The grand ancient hall didn’t seem built brick by brick, but carved out from a single stone mountain. Indeed, it looked like an entire stone mountain had been hollowed out, not constructed by ordinary means.

The palace’s stone tiles were all connected, unless one looked closely, it was impossible to tell. This was one whole piece, not assembled.

“This was really carved from a stone mountain?” Ye Fan was astonished. It seemed unnecessary to go to such lengths.

After a brief pause, he guided the cauldron forward. A slight tremor of primal mother energy pushed the palace’s stone doors open without a sound.

This eternal, floating structure had existed for so long that it exuded the weight of history.

“Pang Bo, I’m here to save you!” Ye Fan thought to himself.

The Ageless Chamber was vast and magnificent, its interior pitch black.

“No one’s here,” the big black dog transmitted.

“The palace has several chambers. He should be in the ones at the back,” Ye Fan’s heart was restless.

“Wait, don’t rush. The palace is engraved with mysterious Dao runes,” the big black dog said.

This ancient hall could slow the loss of a cultivator’s lifespan, earning it the name “Ageless Chamber.” It was closely tied to the Dao runes carved within.

The Black Emperor observed for a long time but could not find where the runes were carved, nor could it learn anything useful.

But at that moment, Ye Fan made a discovery that shocked him.

“This is a source mountain!”

The palace was carved from a stone mountain that, on the outside, looked like ordinary bluestone. But inside, Ye Fan was stunned to see, it was made of source ore.

It must have been an entire source stone mountain carved into a palace. If smashed apart, it might yield source stones.

“No… wait!” After closer inspection, Ye Fan was even more shocked.

This palace was not simple, or rather, the source vein itself was unusual, containing something extraordinary!

“Kid, what did you find?” the big black dog asked.

“Don’t distract me. Let me take a closer look,” Ye Fan said, scanning the palace carefully.

He could no longer judge from the terrain, since the source stone mountain had been carved into a hall. He could only deduce from the material itself.

“I have a very bad feeling… this place…” Ye Fan’s heart trembled.

“What is it?”

“This should be a deathtrap. How could it be called the Ageless Chamber?” A chill ran down Ye Fan’s spine, something felt very wrong.

“What exactly do you see?” the Black Emperor asked.

“I’m not yet certain. Let’s check the second hall.” Ye Fan guided the cauldron into the second, empty chamber.

After a careful look, he was shocked and confirmed his guess.

“This is a death ground!” Ye Fan cursed in his heart. This was a place of death, how could it possibly extend one’s life?

“Kid, what’s the meaning of this?”

“Have you heard of places like the Flame Dragon Grave or the Dragonblood Spill, where Godsource is buried?”

The Black Emperor shuddered. “Of course I’ve heard of them.”

“This place is called the Yellow Springs Mound. It’s ranked alongside those deadly lands. It’s carved from a source mountain, and the Yellow Springs Mound is right inside this palace!” Ye Fan said in a deep voice.