Shrouded Sky

Long ago, Ye Fan had once dreamed of returning to the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Realm, hoping to seize a heaven-defying opportunity.

No matter the race, human or otherwise, no powerful being dared to enter that Forbidden Burial Ground. Inside, the vegetation thrived, spiritual herbs were abundant, and after endless years of tempering, many of them had nearly transformed into god-medicines. That forbidden land was a priceless sacred ground.

Having once consumed a Sacred Fruit and divine spring water, Ye Fan believed he could probably survive in that deadly place for some time. His plan had always been to return once he reached a certain cultivation level.

"I'm still weak. Now really isn't the right time to go there… but I've been pushed to the brink," he muttered, forced to gamble with his life.

"ROAR, !"

From deep within the mountains, a deafening beast's roar shook the heavens, as if thunder itself had split the sky. Leaves flew wildly through the forest. Ye Fan's expression changed, it was still far from the Forbidden Realm, yet terrifying beasts already appeared in its outer regions. Traversing this terrain now seemed nearly impossible.

But if he didn't move forward, how could he escape that relentless soldier? He was caught between two deadly choices.

"Jiang Yichen… just wait. Even if you are a child of the Jiang Clan, I'll kill you one day!" Ye Fan had never hated someone this much. Jiang Yichen had coveted his treasure, acted ruthlessly, and sought to eliminate him without mercy.

Suddenly, Ye Fan sensed danger, the soldier seemed to be approaching again. He quickly hid.

A streak of green shadow appeared in the sky, the powerful Jiang Clan soldier had returned. But suddenly, the beast beneath him panicked as if struck by terror and dove madly toward the ground, trembling all over after landing.

Not far away, Ye Fan watched everything clearly and was stunned. How could such a powerful beast become so frightened? The soldier was also shocked, turning into a wisp of light and hiding in a pile of rubble.

Just then, the entire forest darkened. A fierce wind howled past, snapping trees and shrubs, and a massive shadow loomed across the land.

In the sky, a gigantic bird blotted out the sun, soaring overhead. Its entire body glowed with golden light, like it had been cast from molten gold. Its size was jaw-dropping, like a golden cloud streaking through the sky, blocking out the sun and dimming the heavens.

"A Golden Roc!" Ye Fan was deeply shaken.

The legendary bird's oppressive presence silenced the entire mountain range. All beastly roars vanished. The stillness lasted long after it flew away.

The Jiang Clan soldier remounted his beast and flew off into the sky, even someone as powerful as him could only retreat.

Ye Fan grew anxious. If he continued on foot, who knew how many ferocious birds and desolate beasts he might run into? Could he truly reach the Forbidden Realm?

"The Forbidden Realm holds nine sacred mountains, linked together, forming an endless abyss. It's said that each mountain contains a unique Sacred Fruit and divine spring…" Ye Fan recited these words to motivate himself.

"I only consumed one Sacred Fruit and drank from one divine spring, yet my entire being transformed. What if I reached the other eight mountains…" Though he kept encouraging himself, deep down, he was still uneasy. Moving forward seemed likely to lead to death.

His plan fell apart just one day later. He discovered three powerful soldiers circling in the skies ahead, having already sealed off the path in the primeval mountain range.

"They really want me dead… to think they sent this many powerful soldiers!"

"ROAR!"

A deafening roar echoed from the distant mountains. Instantly, the three soldiers in the sky fled. Ye Fan then saw a desolate beast with nine snake heads soar through the clouds into the sky.

It was as large as a hill and radiated immense pressure. Black mist swirled around its body, revealing glimpses of a massive, vaguely qilin-shaped figure. However, it had nine enormous snake heads, grotesque and terrifying.

With one roar, the beast frightened off the three Jiang Clan soldiers. Even its distant presence radiated an oppressive force that made Ye Fan's heart pound.

His heart sank. He hadn't even reached the Forbidden Realm, and so many terrifying beasts had already emerged. What else awaited ahead? Without the ability to fly, there was no way to cross this primeval terrain. No wonder the soldiers only guarded specific areas.

Ye Fan carefully moved for another day, only to discover that all relatively safe regions had been sealed off by the three soldiers. There was no way through.

"I'm trying to guess their intentions, and they're likely predicting my escape route too. They know I'll try to approach the Forbidden Realm to shake them off…"

Hiding in dense forest, Ye Fan thought hard. He couldn't keep heading forward, he would surely die.

"If I can't fly, I can't approach the Forbidden Realm…" Without looking back, Ye Fan quietly retreated along his original path. Before the soldiers could react, he hoped to escape the primeval mountains and hide among the vast population.

When he reached the edge of the range, he saw another powerful soldier circling overhead on a beast covered in glistening black scales.

"The fifth soldier…" Ye Fan stared at the sky, murmuring, "Were all of them sent by Jiang Yichen?"

"They brought over a dozen soldiers. Now they've dispatched five. Don't tell me Jiang Yifei and Jiang Caixuan haven't noticed? That's impossible."

"Could it be they allowed this to happen?"

"Or… maybe they sent someone too…"

Ye Fan felt a chill.

Jiang Yifei, white-robed, elegant, like a scholar from a painting, was handsome and refined. Jiang Caixuan was graceful and charming, cool and beautiful. Though she seemed proud, she had shown kindness to little Tingting and left a good impression on Ye Fan.

But now, he couldn't be sure. He didn't know what roles they played in this. Maybe his assumptions were right, maybe wrong. Human nature was complicated, hard to read.

"I hope they're not involved. If they are… then Tingting, growing up in a clan like that… who knows if that's a blessing or a curse…" Ye Fan felt uneasy for little Tingting and Old Uncle Jiang.

That night, Ye Fan quietly snuck back to the old man's little inn. From afar, he could even see two flying beasts patrolling the mountains outside town. But sometimes the most dangerous place was the safest. He relaxed for the first time and slept through the night.

Only when the second night came did Ye Fan sneak out again and flee far away.

Three days later, while resting in the wilderness, he saw a Jiang Clan soldier on a flying beast shoot past overhead, heading into the distance. His heart tightened. They were already catching up? How had they tracked him down so quickly?

"These ancient desolate clans are terrifying… I can't enter the Forbidden Realm, but how else can I shake them off?" Ye Fan was deeply worried.

Eventually, he reached a massive city in the State of Yan. He figured only in the vast sea of people could he truly hide.

This was the second largest city in Yan, after the capital. With a population of nearly a million, it was bustling. Broad streets were filled with wagons and foot traffic. Shops lined both sides. Merchants and hawkers shouted nonstop.

After so many days on the run, Ye Fan was utterly exhausted. Only upon entering the city did he finally exhale in relief. The Jiang Clan couldn't exactly ride beasts through city streets… could they?

It was now noon. Ye Fan's stomach was growling, but when he reached into his clothes, he could only force a bitter smile, not a single coin. After this life-and-death flight, he had been reduced to such a miserable state.

"First, I need to eat. I can't let myself collapse. I still need strength to survive." He had no interest in exploring the bustling city. He just wanted food.

Suddenly, his expression froze, he had spotted a familiar figure.

Li Xiaoman!

Her appearance hadn't aged. She had regained her youthful looks. Around 170 cm tall, she stood gracefully. Dressed in a white gown fluttering in the breeze, she exuded an ethereal aura.

Whether in the past or now, Li Xiaoman was extremely beautiful. Her features were delicate and elegant. Perhaps due to cultivation, her skin radiated a crystalline glow, snowy, flawless, like fine jade.

Her white dress swayed. Her long black hair framed her glowing skin. Her eyes were large, her lashes long, and she looked full of spirit. Her neck was slender like a swan's. Her waist could be held in one hand. Her legs were long and straight. Her figure was flawless and graceful.

Compared to before, she had shed her youthful flamboyance and gained a graceful serenity, like an immortal maiden descended from the moon, untouched by the mortal world.

Ye Fan never imagined he'd run into her here. Unavoidable memories rushed back, some sweet, others bitter and heart-wrenching. He turned away, not wanting to meet her under these circumstances.

Li Xiaoman clearly hadn't noticed him. Among the crowd, she stood out like a crane among chickens, elegant and otherworldly. Her beauty drew many stares. Naturally, she wouldn't notice a dusty, haggard youth in the distance.

Ye Fan turned to leave, but in his haste, he bumped into someone.

"Watch where you're going, you little beggar! The street is so wide, and you just had to crash into me?" The one he bumped into was a beautiful young woman. Her face showed displeasure.

"I'm sorry!" Ye Fan quickly apologized.

"Junior sister, check if anything's missing. Some beggars purposely do this to steal." A young man beside her warned and blocked Ye Fan from leaving.

After days of fleeing, Ye Fan's clothes were filthy and torn, his face grimy, he really did look like a beggar.

"Senior brother, senior sister…" At that moment, Li Xiaoman approached. Though the street was crowded, people instinctively parted to let her through, stunned by her beauty. She quickly arrived.

"Let him go. I didn't lose anything," said the woman Ye Fan had bumped into, frowning.

Ye Fan tried to leave, but it was too late. Li Xiaoman had already seen him.

"It's you!"

Ye Fan froze. In the end, they had still crossed paths.

"You know this little beggar?" The young men and women around her all looked shocked.

At this moment, Ye Fan's clothes were in tatters. His entire body was covered in dust. He looked completely worn out. After days of flight and exhaustion, combined with his ragged appearance, he looked like the lowest of society's outcasts.