145: Chapter 145 Ye Fan Arrives at the Other Shore

He took the second step.

The third step.

The fourth step.

He no longer built any Divine Bridge, no longer pursued any Other Shore; he simply walked forward, step by step, upon the golden Bitter Sea.

With every step he took, the golden waves beneath his feet parted gently, only to close again behind him. It felt as effortless and natural as strolling in his own courtyard.

"My path is right beneath my feet."

Ye Fan murmured softly.

"Wherever I walk, that is the Other Shore."

"Why would I need any Divine Bridge?"

His voice was soft, yet it echoed throughout this golden world.

The golden waves began to change.

The once surging waves gradually calmed. Faint patterns began to appear on the golden sea surface, extending into the distance, as if guiding him toward something.

Ye Fan continued to walk forward.

One step.

Ten steps.

A hundred steps.

A thousand steps.

He did not know how long he had been walking.

In this golden world, time had lost its meaning.

Perhaps it was a day, perhaps a month, perhaps a year.

He only knew that he kept walking.

The golden sea beneath his feet became increasingly calm, and the path ahead became clearer. Those faint patterns gradually converged into a bright trail, extending into the distance beneath his feet.

Finally—he stopped.

Ahead, there were no longer golden waves.

It was a brand-new world.

It was a vast land with rolling mountains and winding rivers. A golden sun hung in the sky, casting warm light. On the ground, one could vaguely see the outlines of some buildings and some flickering figures.

The Other Shore.

It was not an ethereal, elusive destination. It was the place he had reached, step by step, through his own efforts.

Ye Fan stood at the edge of that land, looking at everything before him, a brilliant smile on his face.

"I have arrived."

He said softly.

"My Other Shore."

In the outside world, inside the thatched cottage, Ye Fan, who had kept his eyes closed for a month, suddenly opened them.

In that instant, a vast aura erupted from within him!

That aura was no longer that of the Life Spring realm, nor the Divine Bridge realm—it was the Other Shore realm!

Golden light surged from his body, illuminating the entire thatched cottage, even shining through the windows to light up the courtyard outside. Within that light, one could vaguely see a golden world evolving, with rolling mountains and winding rivers.

That was his Other Shore.

The Other Shore he had reached with his own feet.

Ye Fan stood up and let out a long roar toward the sky.

"Hahahaha—!"

"I succeeded!"

His laughter was filled with joy, relief, and uncontrollable excitement.

A month.

A whole month.

He had tried countless methods and experienced countless failures, finally finding his own path.

He did not need a Divine Bridge, did not need external force, he only needed—to walk forward firmly.

The path beneath his feet was the Other Shore.

On the large tree outside the courtyard, Xiao Nannan watched the figure roaring toward the sky inside the thatched cottage, her eyes slightly reddening.

"Big Brother..."

She murmured, her voice choked with emotion, but filled more with pride and joy.

Big Brother had succeeded.

He had not followed the paths of his predecessors but had walked out his own path.

This was her Big Brother.

This was the Big Brother who had taken her wandering since they were young, who would rather go hungry himself just to save food for her, and who, to buy her time, had not hesitated to "die" before her.

No matter how many times he underwent Reincarnation, no matter what he became—Big Brother would always be Big Brother.

Chu Tianjiao stood beside her, watching that figure roaring toward the sky, his eyes full of gratification.

"Very good."

He said softly.

"Extremely good."

He had seen too many Prodigies, too many brilliant figures. But those who could break convention and walk their own path while still in the Wheel Sea Realm were few and far between.

Ye Fan had done it.

It was not because of how high his talent was, nor how strong his Physique was, but because of his heart.

That determination, that persistence, that belief that "Wherever I walk, that is the Other Shore."

This was the most precious thing.

It was also what he had seen in Xiao Shitou back in Qingshi Town.

Now, this quality still remained in Ye Fan.

A gratified smile tugged at the corners of Chu Tianjiao's mouth.

"Let's go."

He said softly, patting Xiao Nannan on the shoulder.

Xiao Nannan looked up at him.

"Teacher?"

Chu Tianjiao smiled.

"Let him be happy for a while. We shall return; when he truly needs us, we will come again."

Xiao Nannan nodded, taking one last look at the cheering figure inside the thatched cottage.

Ye Fan was dancing with joy in the room, muttering things like "I'm truly a Genius" or "I actually thought of this." He looked silly, but it made one unable to help but laugh.

Xiao Nannan laughed.

The smile was gentle and brilliant.

Then, she turned and followed Chu Tianjiao, disappearing into the Void Realm.

Inside the thatched cottage, Ye Fan finally calmed down.

He stood in the center of the room, looking down at his hands, feeling the brand-new power within his body.

The Other Shore realm.

He had achieved a Breakthrough.

And he had done it in his own way, breaking the shackles of his predecessors.

"Divine Bridge..."

He murmured, a smile appearing on his lips.

"Who decreed that one must build a bridge? If I just walk across, isn't it the same?"

He shook his head and didn't think about it anymore.

Regardless, he had succeeded, so what did the method matter?

He walked to the bedside, pulled a Storage Pouch from under the bed, took out a Source Stone, and held it in his hand.

After the Other Shore realm, there was the Dao Palace Realm, the Four Poles, the Dragon Transformation Realm, and the Sendai Realm—the road was still long.

He needed to continue working hard.

Ye Fan sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to refine the Source Stone in his hand.

The sunlight from outside the window poured in, falling upon him and gilding him with a faint golden hue.

He sat there like a young deity in the making.

In the Void Realm, Chu Tianjiao and Xiao Nannan walked side by side.

Xiao Nannan looked back in the direction of the Lingxu Cave-Heaven, her eyes full of reluctance, but even more so of satisfaction.

"Teacher."

She spoke softly.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Chu Tianjiao looked at her.

Xiao Nannan smiled.

"Thank you for accompanying me, and thank you for letting me see all this."

Chu Tianjiao did not speak, only reached out and gently rubbed her head.

Xiao Nannan leaned on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

The two of them continued to move slowly through the Void Realm, heading toward the direction of the Undying Mountain.

Soon, Chu Tianjiao took Xiao Nannan's hand and returned to the forbidden zone they had guarded for countless years.

A faint smile still lingered on Xiao Nannan's face.

For the past month, she had been able to see Big Brother every day, watching him walk all the way from the Life Spring realm to the Other Shore, watching him walk out his own path. That sense of satisfaction made her even happier than her own Breakthrough.

"Teacher, how long do you think it will take for Big Brother to achieve a Breakthrough to the Dao Palace Realm?" she asked softly.

Chu Tianjiao thought for a moment: "Given his Heart-Nature, combined with those Source Stones, it shouldn't take too long. Although the Sacred Body consumes a lot, his Comprehension Ability is sufficient, and he has his own Dao; the Dao Palace Realm will not be able to stop him."

Xiao Nannan nodded, her eyes full of anticipation.

The two crossed the courtyard and were just about to return to their respective rooms when they simultaneously sensed something.

In the direction of the Willow Deity's dwelling, an aura was slowly reviving.