Shrouded Sky

Chapter 361 - Capturing The Saintess Alive

Ye Fan charged forward, his golden fist sweeping up a storm that tore the land apart. The power of that punch was like an ancient star falling from the heavens, slamming into the earth and lighting up the entire icy plain.

No one could truly say how immense that force was, the entire ice field was shaking violently. Cracks burst open beneath Ye Fan’s feet, each half a meter wide, spreading in all directions like a spiderweb across the frozen world.

His entire body shone gold, dazzling and fierce, like an ancient golden war god pressing down upon the void itself.

“The Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique of the fifth stage of the Dao Palace Realm!” For the first time, ripples of emotion appeared in the Purple Mansion Saintess’ calm eyes. She hadn’t expected Ye Fan to reach this height by himself, something once thought only possible within the great sacred grounds.

The scroll unfurled with a rustling sound. The Diagram of Mountains and Rivers trembled, and the world within it materialized fully, merging with the heavens and earth, sheltering the Saintess at its heart.

The mountains and rivers were as vivid as a painting; the woman within it as radiant as a blossom, beauty and landscape intertwined in one living image.

Ye Fan’s golden fist, no matter how powerful, could not shatter this Diagram of Mountains and Rivers, a sacred relic left behind by the Purple Mansion Sacred Ground’s deceased Sacred Lord.

Golden light erupted in ten thousand beams, tearing the firmament apart. It was as though countless stars were falling, crashing into the land below. Stones shot through the air, snow swirled like storms, and the earth was riddled with fissures. Ye Fan had nearly razed the entire region, yet still could not breach the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers.

When calm finally returned, the world within the scroll was as breathtaking as ever: grand peaks, flowing celestial rivers, and ethereal beauty.

The Purple Mansion Saintess stood upon an immortal cliff within that painted realm, mist swirling around her, aloof and transcendent, the most enchanting sight within the entire painting.

Pang Bo shouted loudly, unleashing the Demon Emperor's Nine Slashes. His eyes radiated twin beams of silver that shot into the scroll, locking onto the peerless woman standing on the cliff.

The Saintess remained motionless, letting the dragon-shaped silver beams enter the painting. The Dao rune between her brows glowed with purple light, surging up to meet the attack.

It was a duel of divine arts, the Demon Emperor’s secret technique clashing with the Purple Mansion’s sacred scripture.

Pang Bo’s power was overwhelming. His black hair was wild, his eyes blazing. The Demon Emperor’s Nine Slashes radiated invincible sharpness, carrying the majesty of one who would bow to no one.

The Saintess, in contrast, was one with the Dao. Her soul merged with heaven and earth, drawing upon their boundless power as her own.

The Diagram of Mountains and Rivers was like a pure realm beyond the world. She stood at its center, a divine mark glowing on her brow, purple radiance surrounding her. She seemed no longer of this mortal plane.

Swish!

At last, the silver beams in Pang Bo’s eyes faded. His strike failed to harm the serene beauty within the scroll. She remained calm and collected, untouched, clearly still holding power in reserve, unlike Pang Bo, who had exhausted himself unleashing that strike.

The Demon Emperor's Nine Slashes, a technique of such status that it could shake the heavens, was the most powerful divine art of the demon race, created by an ancient Demon Emperor himself.

The group’s expressions hardened. The Purple Mansion Saintess was far stronger than they had imagined, her strength terrifying, beyond the reach of any ordinary saintess.

“She’s on par with the Radiant Light Saint,” Tu Fei murmured, still shaken. He’d nearly lost his life in their very first clash.

“I don’t believe she’s stronger than me!” Pang Bo growled, striding forward, ready to attack again.

“I understand now, she’s an Innate Dao Embryo!” the Black Dog Emperor barked suddenly.

“What?!” The others were stunned. They didn’t fully understand what that meant, but the name alone was awe-inspiring.

The Saintess remained indifferent, serene and detached, as though worldly matters could not stir her heart.

“Is that kind of physique really that powerful?” Tu Fei asked.

“You all saw it,” the Black Dog said. “She’s born close to the Dao itself, her essence nearly merges with heaven and earth. Every movement carries the imprint of the Grand Dao.”

The group fell silent, awe spreading among them. The Saintess not only wielded her own strength but also drew upon the power of the Dao itself, almost unbeatable by nature.

The Black Dog Emperor’s voice rose with excitement. “I thought she was merely Dao-attuned, but she’s truly an Innate Dao Embryo! Once such a person reaches the level of a Sacred Lord, body and Dao as one, no peer in her generation could stand against her!”

Ye Fan, Pang Bo, and Tu Fei all sucked in a breath. The realization chilled them to the core, such a physique was monstrous beyond measure.

Still, the Saintess remained utterly calm, her nature attuned to the Dao, unmoved by anything that transpired around her.

“I’ve never even heard of such a physique,” Tu Fei muttered.

“Because it’s too rare,” the Black Dog replied. “Almost no one’s seen it. But I can give you one example, one of the ancient emperors was an Innate Dao Physique.”

“What? Which emperor?” Even Ye Fan was startled.

“The Western Emperor of Jade Pool Sacred Ground,” said the Black Dog.

“Brothers, what are you waiting for? She could be the next female emperor, let’s capture her alive as a bride!” Tu Fei roared.

“This emperor is willing to take you as my disciple instead, no need to be my pet! What do you say?” the Black Dog shouted shamelessly.

Boom!

Pang Bo attacked again, unleashing another of the Demon Emperor's Nine Slashes, the Sever Spirit strike. Its divine power was unmatched, the brilliance blinding. His goal was to tear the Saintess out of the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers. The world turned to white light.

For the first time, pressure flickered in the Saintess' eyes. Though in near unity with heaven and earth, she felt danger closing in and had to summon her full Dao power to resist.

The fact that Pang Bo could contend with an Innate Dao Embryo proved his terrifying strength, he could stand proudly among the younger generation.

At the same time, Tu Fei unleashed the Heaven-Devouring Jar, and the Black Dog rang his golden bell, both pressing down on the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers.

The map was wondrous beyond measure, its power unfathomable, but even so, under the assault of multiple sacred weapons, cracks began to appear.

Clang!

Ye Fan hurled out his Diamond Bracelet. It transformed into a bolt of silver lightning that tore across the sky, almost piercing the firmament itself.

The Diagram of Mountains and Rivers twisted its internal space, evading the devastating blow.

Clang!

A surge of green light filled the heavens, the world turned verdant as Pang Bo’s divine lotus struck the map, briefly freezing it in place.

At last, a hint of strain appeared on the Saintess' perfect face. The four of them wielded sacred weapons, far beyond her expectations.

“Innate Dao Embryo, take my strike!” Tu Fei bellowed, his Heaven-Devouring Jar spewing dark mist that condensed into a demonic mountain, crashing down.

Dong!

The Black Dog’s golden bell rang, its deep sound echoing through heaven and earth, resounding inside the map.

At the same moment, Ye Fan’s silver bracelet expanded to the size of a millstone, roaring into the small world within.

Boom!

The painted world collapsed. Mountains crumbled, the ground shattered, and waves of debris rose like oceans. A thousand-meter wide pit opened in the earth, bottomless and dark.

The Diamond Bracelet, glowing silver, destroyed everything in its path, then shot toward the cliff where the Saintess stood.

In flashes of light, Ye Fan, Pang Bo, Tu Fei, and the Black Dog Emperor all entered the map together, determined to destroy it from within and capture the Innate Dao Physique.

The Saintess frowned slightly. She had intended to retreat long ago, but ever since entering this region, she had realized she was trapped within the ice field by hidden formations. Clearly, they had planned this for some time.

Now, facing four peerless opponents at once, even she could not stand her ground.

“Demon Emperor’s Nine Slashes, Soul Sever!” Pang Bo shouted. His divine art targeted the spirit itself, shaking the Saintess' unity with the Dao.

Tu Fei and the Black Dog pressed forward, sacred artifacts blazing. The Saintess struggled, her strength divided, her Diagram of Mountains and Rivers suppressed by both the Heaven-Devouring Jar and the golden bell.

Boom!

The millstone-sized Diamond Bracelet crashed down, shattering the immortal cliff, nearly striking the Saintess herself.

At that instant, Ye Fan lunged forward, his golden fist swinging down, while his left hand wielded the God-Smiting Whip.

Now they were in close combat. The Saintess' expression changed slightly, for she knew the might of the Primeval Desolate Sacred Physique’s flesh, said to rival divine weapons.

Boom!

While resisting the three others, she merged herself into the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers, using its Dao imprint to suppress Ye Fan.

That was the power of the Innate Dao Embryo, when her own strength fell short, she could borrow the Dao itself, fusing body and heaven to unleash supreme might.

The world exploded with light, gold and violet colliding as the God-Smiting Whip shattered a Dao Seal in the sky.

Ye Fan’s golden fist struck near the Saintess, his power overwhelming.

His aura was terrifying, his body alone enough to shake the heavens. The Dao Seal could not suppress him. His golden fist crashed forward, unstoppable. The Saintess' purple sleeve disintegrated, revealing a flawless, snow-white arm.

Though still within the Dao Palace Realm, Ye Fan’s sacred body was unparalleled, peerless among his generation.

He was only a hair’s breadth away; had his fingers struck her arm, even an Innate Dao Embryo would have suffered broken bones.

As the purple mist scattered, Ye Fan finally saw her true face, a beauty so perfect it took his breath away.

But the chance passed in an instant. The Saintess became a streak of violet light, her body merging with the Dao, breaking free of their encirclement.

The Black Dog Emperor howled, “First time I’ve ever seen a Sacred Physique clash with an Innate Dao Embryo! Boy, I’m rooting for you, reach the Four Pillars Realm soon and fight her again!”

“Don’t let her escape!” Tu Fei yelled. “If she becomes a Sacred Lord someday, she’ll be unstoppable, body and Dao as one!”

Pang Bo, fearless, surged forward, wielding his divine lotus, giving chase.

Ye Fan followed alongside him, the Motherly Energy Cauldron above his head, Diamond Bracelet in his left hand, God-Smiting Whip in his right, a golden flash of speed.

Swish!

But at that moment, space itself warped. They were thrown out of the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers, landing back upon the ice field.

The sacred map shrank into a scroll, merging with the Saintess once more, mountains like paintings, beauty like flowers.

The Dao mark between her brows flared as she sought the weakness in the surrounding formation to escape.

“Not good! This Dao Embryo is no ordinary foe, she’s using the Dao itself to read the runes!” the Black Dog shouted, throwing down starstones to strengthen the array.

“This time she can’t escape. I don’t believe she can crack my formation,” the dog said confidently.

The Saintess' brow furrowed slightly. Then, with a calm expression, her body began to blur, merging with the void. At the same time, the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers erupted with radiant light.

“Stop her! That scroll carries spatial laws!” Tu Fei yelled.

All four struck at once, the Diamond Bracelet, the Divine Lotus, the Heaven-Devouring Jar, and the Golden Bell, tearing through the sky.

But their combined strike hit nothing.

The Saintess spat a mouthful of blood, using it to activate the map’s deepest power, beyond her current realm. The scroll transformed into a gate of space, glowing brilliantly, and in a flash, she vanished.

This wasn’t a stable void traversal through an array, it was a brute-force passage torn open by divine treasure, far more difficult and costly.

“Fuck! My formation’s useless, it didn’t even activate!” the Black Dog cursed.

Tu Fei shouted, “The Diagram of Mountains and Rivers was left by the Purple Mansion Sacred Lord! Even if she can’t truly control it, it can’t carry her too far. The distance will be limited!”

“Then chase her! She must be gravely wounded from that forced teleportation!”

The Black Dog, an expert in formations and void travel, instantly sensed the right direction from the lingering spatial ripples.

Ye Fan, Pang Bo, Tu Fei, and the Black Dog split up, circling around to intercept.

As soon as they rose into the air, they saw a flash of light several miles ahead, the Saintess had reappeared. They shot forward like lightning.

Pang Bo, nearly matching her in strength, closed the distance quickly. Ye Fan, now at the fifth stage of the Dao Palace Realm, was even faster, few in his generation could rival him.

The Purple Mansion Saintess was indeed gravely wounded. Forcing open a spatial gate with the map had nearly drained her. Though she could still borrow Dao power, her body was faltering.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo closed in. The Diamond Bracelet expanded once more, striking like thunder at the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers.

Boom!

Heaven and earth quaked, the stars seemed ready to fall. The silver ring struck the scroll as Pang Bo’s Divine Lotus flared and the Nine Slashes roared again.

Tu Fei and the Black Dog arrived moments later, the Heaven-Devouring Jar and Golden Bell descending together.

The Saintess' calm finally broke. Her expression wavered, this was no longer the untouchable Dao state.

Swish!

In a flash of light, she retreated into the Diagram of Mountains and Rivers. The artifact’s glow flared, then dimmed, drifting gently to the ground.

“What happened?” Pang Bo asked.

“She hid inside the treasure to avoid destruction,” Tu Fei said.

Ye Fan stepped forward, the Motherly Energy Cauldron guarding him. He lifted the scroll with the God-Smiting Whip.

The sacred map now looked plain and ancient. Within its painted world, a mist-shrouded woman stood deep among the mountains and rivers.

Tu Fei frowned. “It’s said the old Purple Mansion Holy Lord once hid inside this very map when pursued by enemies. They seized the treasure but couldn’t touch him, he eventually escaped.”

“So you’re saying we can’t break it open?” Ye Fan asked in surprise.

Pang Bo laughed. “Why worry? We’ve captured her all the same. You think we’ll give her the chance to escape again?”

“The future female emperor of the Purple Mansion, captured alive by us.” Tu Fei grinned, clearly pleased with the outcome.

The Black Dog barked shamelessly, “Boy, you’re a Sacred Physique, she’s an Innate Dao Embryo. Ever thought about having a child together? A Sacred Dao Embryo! I’d even consider taking that little monster as a disciple, and pass on the Beginningless Scripture!”