Best Young Master

Eighteen!

This is a special and mysterious number!

Due to the prophecy of the Elder of Heavenly Secrets and Divine Calculations, the Eighteen Cities have become a place where storm clouds gather, dragons coil, and tigers crouch.

Ye Fan is also very much looking forward to the Eighteen Cities!

Along the way, he heard too many rumors about the Eighteen Cities.

Some say that this was the place where a Great Emperor of ancient times proved the Dao!

Others say it was the place where an elder Great Emperor ultimately achieved Transformation.

However, among the many discussions, Ye Fan leans more towards two alternative theories.

The Eighteen Cities can’t possibly be the place where a Great Emperor proved the Dao, because that is just a Heroic Pass on the Xing Kong Gu Road, an Ancient City, not a place on the Life Origin Star.

As for the place of Transformation, that’s even more unlikely!

A Great Emperor achieving Transformation is a cosmic event that shakes the entire cosmic starry sky, and it’s absolutely impossible that there would be no record of it!

Moreover, if a Great Emperor chose to undergo Transformation in this Ancient City, then the entire Ancient City would probably no longer exist.

What could possibly remain intact under the power of a Great Emperor’s Transformation?

Ye Fan believes that the most likely explanation is that eighteen is a mysterious number corresponding to what Buddhism refers to as the Eighteen Realms inherent in a person.

Buddhism says there are six faculties, six realms, and six consciousnesses, which together make up the Eighteen Realms.

While Taoism calls eighteen a small cycle (small Zhou Tian), although mysterious and difficult to understand, as someone who came from Earth, Ye Fan has a unique perspective on the number eighteen.

Buddhism has the Eighteen Arhats, the netherworld has the Eighteen Nili, or the Eighteen Layers of Hell!

These legends shroud the number eighteen in a layer of mystery.

And the Eighteen Cities are likely related to these legends.

Of course, since this is not Earth, Ye Fan is also inclined to believe it is related to the Great Emperors, just not as a place of proving the Dao or Transformation.

The Eighteen Cities are located in a resplendent area of Xing River, carved and sculpted from a massive meteor, adorned with mysterious runes and array patterns.

Starlight like water nourishes this mysterious Ancient City Heroic Pass, causing it to radiate a dense Essence Qi fluctuation.

The entire Ancient City seems like a living being, absorbing the Essence of Primordial Qi from the vast starry sky to sustain its operation.

Having been nourished long-term by Essence Qi, even the ordinary people in the city rarely fall ill and have long lifespans.

Walking on the city’s streets, powerful trialists can be seen hurrying by, exuding a sharp aura.

The entire Ancient City is filled with a tense atmosphere, sword drawn, bow bent, and seems particularly oppressive!

A legendary fortuitous encounter could appear at any moment, and everyone is waiting!

After wandering the streets for a long time, Ye Fan awkwardly found that all the inns were fully booked, and even some taverns and teahouses had been reserved.

In the end, Ye Fan found a place with an ordinary resident in a very remote alley, and only after paying a Heaven Grade Spirit Stone did he manage to stay there.

"Little brother, don’t think we’re being too greedy; you can ask around at other inns. Without two Heaven Grade Spirit Stones, don’t even think about staying anywhere. Ours is already very cheap," explained the middle-aged man who owned the house with a sheepish smile to Ye Fan.

"I know!" Ye Fan said exasperatedly. He was well aware that outside, those inns were shockingly expensive, and even so, there was no availability; it was impossible to find accommodation even with Spirit Stones.

After eating a little something, Ye Fan went to rest in the room he had prepared for himself. The legendary fortuitous encounter had not yet appeared, and he needed to conserve his strength.

Once the legendary fortuitous encounter occurs, it will inevitably be a fierce battle, and he must keep himself in the peak state to cope with the battle that might come at any moment.

Although this farmhouse courtyard was a bit expensive, it was worth it. It was situated in a quiet environment, with a small garden in the backyard, artificial hills with flowing water, green pines, and bamboo, and a small pond, all elegant and fresh, a pleasant environment.

While the legendary fortuitous encounter hasn’t appeared, other geniuses have already arrived, subconsciously keeping their distance and dominating their respective areas.

In a tavern, Ba Cangtian with disheveled black hair occupied a table alone, drinking alone, exuding a dangerous aura that kept others at bay.

"The competition for the Emperor Road is destined to be a game for the few!"

A young trialist shook his head and sighed, believing the Emperor Road had nothing to do with him; only a few Young Supremes had the qualification to compete for that singular Emperor Road.

"Isn’t that our lucky break!"

Another trialist mused, believing that the Emperor Road was too cruel, and not being qualified to compete was also a kind of luck, at least avoiding the cruelest competition and battle.

In another Tian Que, Xiao Peng Emperor likewise occupied a table by the window alone, drinking and gazing outside, emanating a domineering Divine Light like a divine being.

Similar scenes were playing out elsewhere in this mysterious Ancient City as well, involving figures like the Divine Prince, Yue Haoyu, the Martial Immortal, Yue Chuan...

One dazzling Heavenly Pride after another gathered, making it safe to say that the Eighteen Cities now concentrated the strongest trialists on the Xing Kong Gu Road.

While other trialists didn’t possess the strength of these Young Supremes, they also wanted to try their luck, hoping to gain something.

Ye Fan naturally knew that Yue Haoyu and the others had already arrived, but he chose not to meet them.

A night passed without incident!

The next day, a piece of news shocked the entire city, a Saint Lord Level strong person had fallen, killed mercilessly in his own residence.

"What’s going on, who did it?"

Numerous soldiers surrounded the residence, with the City Lord and Law Enforcers present, prepared for a formidable enemy.

After some investigation, it was believed to be the work of Ye Fan, as the death aura at the scene was exceedingly thick. Previously, a Formation had been set up to prevent the Death Qi from leaking out, thus it had not been noticed in time.

"The Demon Clan spy with the surname Ye has infiltrated the Ancient City. Everyone must be cautious. If attacked, sound the alarm immediately," announced the City Lord and Law Enforcers with grim expressions.

Despite hours of turmoil, the culprit was not found, resulting in significant dissatisfaction among the Trialists.

"It might not necessarily be the Demon Clan spy. There have always been unsolved cases that eventually remain unresolved; it’s just that you were unaware," revealed an original inhabitant of the city.

"How could this be, doesn’t this mean our safety is not guaranteed?" Many expressed their discontent.

"There’s nothing to be done. Of those who embark on this path, seven or eight out of ten cannot leave alive. You should be prepared for death," said an original inhabitant of the city.

After this incident, the Cultivators in the city became more cautious, wary of one another, trusting no one.

The deceased strong person was only forty years old and had already become a Saint, definitely ranking within the top hundred in the entire Xing Kong Gu Road, yet died inexplicably.

An undercurrent was surging, murderous intent lurked everywhere; people realized that similar events might occur again.

Ye Fan grew more furious; he personally went to the scene and inspected it, finding the Death Aura very faint, within a normal range.

This indicated that the matter wasn’t his doing, nor anyone from the Demon Clan, but rather strong people from the Human Race or Demon Clan assassinating competitors, framing him.

Regardless, now he was a label across the entire Xing Kong Gu Road; any inexplicable death could be attributed to him, as he dared not stand forth to argue.

"I will definitely capture you all!"

Standing at the window, Ye Fan stared into the night outside, secretly vowing to kill Tu Sihai and the others.

Regarding those impersonating him to assassinate competitors, he could only feel deep sadness, unable to prevent them.

"Ye Fan has appeared!"

At midnight, a startled cry awoke many. Countless Trialists rushed in all directions toward the source of the sound.

A young man, shrouded in black mist, was fleeing desperately, and not far behind him, a small courtyard had collapsed into ruins. A young Trialist lay on the ground, covered in blood, his life or death unknown.

Soon, with everyone’s combined effort, the young man shrouded in black mist was captured.

However...

To their disappointment, he was merely a Cultivator in the Half-step Venerable Realm, with no trace of Death Qi on him, only dense Demonic Qi.

In some Ancient Lands of life, indeed there were such Cultivators, with the Great Demon being the outstanding amongst them.

How could such a Cultivator in the Half-step Venerable Realm possibly kill a true Saint Lord Level strong person?

Soon the Law Enforcers arrived, directly revealing the memory within his Divine Soul to the public.

Indeed, he was neither the murderer of the Saint Lord Level strong person nor Ye Fan!

Naturally, it couldn’t be Ye Fan, for at this moment he was among the crowd, witnessing all of it.

The occurrence made others more anxious, everyone on edge, wary of one another. If all the heroes emulated the method of assassination, great chaos would ensue!

With such events happening, the atmosphere in the Eighteen Cities grew even more tense, even the air was filled with a sense of volatility.

Before dawn, Ye Fan suddenly sensed a fluctuation from the Bone Mirror; someone was contacting him.

Strictly speaking, they were contacting Su Po, whose Divine Soul was sealed within the Curse Jar and unable to respond.

"Have you arrived? If so, come to Xu’s Old Store in the Southwest of the city to find us. The Human Race is too powerful, we must act jointly," read the message from the Bone Mirror, brief yet full of significant information, greatly delighting Ye Fan!

He had been searching for Tu Sihai and the others but couldn’t find them; they had hidden deeply, and now they offered themselves up.

"I’ll be there soon!" Ye Fan transmitted a fluctuation to calm them first.

"Xu’s Old Store, huh..." Ye Fan smiled silently, the bright eyes flickering with sharp killing intent.

Indeed, it was a heaven-sent opportunity; there was still some time before dawn; he should be able to kill them during this chance.

After three days of recuperation, Ye Fan was fully at Peak state, confident enough to capture Tu Sihai and the others in one fell swoop.

"Swish!"

Like a specter, he left the small courtyard, heading toward the Southwest direction of the Ancient City.

He lived in the Northeast corner of the Ancient City, while Tu Sihai and the others resided in the Southwest corner, spanning the entire Ancient City, no wonder they couldn’t be sensed!

Rumble...

Just as he reached a spot not far from the city center, suddenly a terrifying thunder rang out in the sky, causing the entire Ancient City to tremble!

"Buzz!"

In an instant, the sky seemed to brighten, a massive sun appeared overhead of the Ancient City. From this enormous sun, a rainbow descended, like an Immortal bridge, connecting the Ancient City and the sun.

PS: First update of the day, wishing all brothers and sisters a happy New Year.