161: Chapter 161 Ye Fan's Transformation

Beneath the ancient tea tree of enlightenment, only Chu Tianjiao, Xiao Nannan, and Willow Deity remained.

The night breeze blew, the enlightenment tea leaves swayed gently, scattering bits of Dao rhythm.

Xiao Nannan leaned on Chu Tianjiao's shoulder, looking in the direction where Ancient Kirin Emperor had disappeared, remaining silent for a moment.

Then, she spoke softly.

"Teacher."

"Hmm?"

"Will Brother... be alright?"

Chu Tianjiao looked down at her, his eyes full of tenderness.

"Of course."

He said softly.

"With the baptism of Ancient Kirin Emperor's Qilin essence blood, the nourishment of Willow Deity's life essence, and our own essence blood as a base—once this kid wakes up, he will only be stronger."

He paused, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Moreover, this battle is of great significance to him. He has proven himself and found his own path. The Ancient Desolate Saint Body was never some Mortal Body. He just needed time, needed tempering, and needed someone to tell him—he can do it."

Xiao Nannan listened, her eyes slightly red.

"Teacher... thank you."

Chu Tianjiao smiled and rubbed her head.

"What are you thanking me for? He is my brother-in-law; if I don't help him, who would I help?"

Xiao Nannan was amused by him, buried her face in his arms, and said no more.

Willow Deity sat quietly to the side, watching this scene, a faint smile also appearing on the corner of her mouth.

She didn't say anything, just raised her hand, and a verdant green light flew from her fingertips, disappearing into the depths of Undying Mountain—that was for Ancient Kirin Emperor, to let him add a little more life essence when he baptized Ye Fan.

Chu Tianjiao saw it but said nothing.

He just smiled and held Xiao Nannan tighter.

The night breeze brushed by, and the enlightenment tea leaves rustled.

The human emperor banner scattered golden light rain, which was exceptionally gentle under the moonlight.

In Undying Mountain, everything was peaceful.

And not far away, Ancient Kirin Emperor was taking Ye Fan towards a spiritual pool in the depths of Undying Mountain.

The water in that spiritual pool was the purest spiritual liquid between heaven and earth, containing life force to the extreme. Ancient Kirin Emperor placed Ye Fan into the pool, then infused the four drops of essence blood and life essence into the pool water one by one.

In an instant, the spiritual pool boiled.

Golden Saint blood, Chaos-colored Immortal King blood, emerald green life essence, and Ancient Kirin Emperor's Qilin essence blood—the four forces intertwined and fused in the pool water, turning into a vast and gentle energy that slowly poured into Ye Fan's body.

Ye Fan's body began to glow.

His wounds were healing, his bones were restructuring, his Meridians were expanding, and his bitter sea was surging. Those four forces rampaged within his body, tempering his Physical Body again and again, strengthening it again and again.

Ancient Kirin Emperor stood by the pool, watching this scene, his eyes full of emotion.

"Kid, in your past life, you gave your all for this world. In this life, just enjoy it."

He muttered, then turned and left.

In the spiritual pool, Ye Fan was still unconscious.

But the aura on his body was getting stronger bit by bit.

Those forces, those gifts, that Karma from past and present lives, were slowly fusing within him.

Three days.

Ye Fan slept in that spiritual pool for three full days.

In those three days, the water in the spiritual pool was changed again and again; each time it was dyed golden by the power surging from his body, and then slowly became clear again.

The four forces—Ancient Kirin Emperor's Qilin essence blood, Willow Deity's life essence, Xiao Nannan's Saint Body essence blood, and Chu Tianjiao's Immortal King essence blood—intertwined, fused, and tempered within him, reshaping him from the inside out.

On the first day, the wounds on his body all healed, the broken bones were reconnected, and the shattered Meridians were replaced by stronger, newborn Meridians.

The hidden injuries left behind when fighting Ji Haoyue, and the hidden dangers accumulated when cultivating in Lingxu Cave-Heaven, were all cleared away. His Physical Body, washed by this force, became purer and stronger.

On the second day, his cultivation began to Breakthrough.

Dao Palace Second Heaven, Third Heaven, Fourth Heaven—each Realm's Breakthrough was as natural as water flowing, without any obstacles.

The power contained in those essence bloods was too vast and too pure; there was no need for him to deliberately guide it, as it naturally merged into every cell, every inch of flesh and blood, and every strand of his Divine Soul.

On the third day, his cultivation stabilized at the Dao Palace Fifth Heaven.

Perfection.

From Dao Palace First Heaven to Fifth Heaven, he only used three days.

The water in the spiritual pool finally calmed down completely. Ye Fan opened his eyes and found himself lying in a simple stone room, with a dried-up pool beneath him.

He sat up and looked down at his hands—there was not a trace of injury on the skin, and it was even more lustrous than before, with faint brilliance flowing within.

He clenched his fist, and an unprecedented power surged from his body. That power was so abundant and strong that it even gave him the illusion that he could shatter a mountain with one punch.

"This... this is..."

Ye Fan was stunned. He felt the surging power like the sea within his body and his Dao Palace Fifth Heaven Perfection cultivation, and he was completely bewildered.

Three days ago, he was still at Dao Palace First Heaven.

In that battle with Ji Haoyue, he had been beaten until covered in wounds and fainted from exhaustion. He thought he would need at least a month of recuperation to recover, but now—

Not only were his wounds healed, but his cultivation had also surged by four minor Realms?

What exactly was going on?

Ye Fan looked around; the stone room was empty and simple, without any decoration. He stood up and moved his body, discovering that his movements were smoother than before, his reactions were more agile than before, and even his perception had become sharper.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded behind him.

"Awake?"

Ye Fan turned around abruptly.

A middle-aged man was standing at the entrance of the stone room, hands behind his back, with a steady demeanor.

He was wearing a simple robe, with a handsome face and a sense of composure born of having experienced the vicissitudes of life between his brows. He just looked at Ye Fan quietly, with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

Ye Fan instinctively became vigilant, but he quickly realized that there was no hostility from this middle-aged man. On the contrary, he felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy—just like... just like the mirror that had always been silently helping him.

"You are..." Ye Fan spoke.

Ancient Kirin Emperor looked at him, a flash of approval in his eyes.

"Not bad. Dao Palace Fifth Heaven Perfection, solid Foundation, and the Physical Body has been tempered well. Better than I expected."

He did not answer Ye Fan's question, just looked him over and nodded with satisfaction.

Ye Fan felt a bit uncomfortable being looked at, but he still bowed respectfully.

"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life."

Ancient Kirin Emperor waved his hand.

"Saving your life is not quite the word. You were originally just exhausted and not in any life-threatening danger. We just helped you recover faster and added some things for you along the way."

Ye Fan was stunned.

"Added some things?"

Ancient Kirin Emperor nodded.

"You now have the essence blood of several great figures in your body. Those essence bloods will remain in your body, helping you temper your Physical Body, stabilize your Foundation, and improve your talent on your future cultivation path. They will be helpful to you all the way to the Quasi-Emperor Realm."

Ye Fan's eyes widened.

Helpful all the way to the Quasi-Emperor Realm?

What kind of concept was that?

Quasi-Emperor, that was an existence standing at the Peak of humanity. In the entire Big Dipper Star Domain, the Quasi-Emperors on the surface could be counted on one hand. And this Senior said that those essence bloods could help him all the way to the Quasi-Emperor Realm?

"Most importantly," Ancient Kirin Emperor's tone became serious, "those essence bloods can save your life at your most dangerous moments."

Ye Fan was completely stunned.

Save his life?

"Of course," Ancient Kirin Emperor added, "how to become an Emperor, that depends on yourself. No one can help you walk to that step. The path, after all, must be walked by yourself."

Ye Fan was silent for a moment, then bowed deeply.

"Senior's great kindness, Ye Fan will keep it in his heart."

Ancient Kirin Emperor smiled and shook his head.

"No need to thank me. I am just an errand runner. The one who truly gave you these things is someone else."

Ye Fan felt a chill in his heart.

Someone else?

He wanted to ask more, but Ancient Kirin Emperor had already turned and walked outside.