Shrouding the Heavens-Chapter 192 - 196 No Beginning Scripture

An empty grand hall, resembling a square and spanning several hundred zhang, was somewhat dim. A solitary pile of white bones rested quietly there, its body bearing shocking finger holes.

Not far away, on the purple rock ground, were some scattered pieces of stone clothes, tattered and ragged, far beyond recognition.

"Zhang Jiye!"

Ye Fan strode over. Indeed, the stone garment fragments on the ground were of the same material as the stone clothes he wore, belonging to the old skin of Divine Sources.

This skeleton had multiple fractures. Having suffered such heavy injuries and managing to reach here, its life force must have been extremely enduring.

Beside it was the Silver Book, crafted from metal. It contained a hundred pages, felt unusually heavy in hand, and was inscribed with three ancient characters: Heavenly Source Book.

Silver hooks and iron strokes, powerful penmanship; the writing was profound, resembling three Azure Dragons lying prostrate.

*"It’s truly the Heavenly Source Book!"*

Trembling with excitement, Ye Fan had entered the purple mountain searching for it. He had been ready to give up, not expecting to obtain it at such a critical moment.

In the northern region, after millennia of excessive Source mining, the Source Veins had nearly dried up, making Source increasingly precious.

Ye Fan’s special physique required a massive amount of Source, which had been extremely challenging to obtain. However, things were different now. If he mastered this book and became a Heavenly Source Master, obtaining a considerable amount of Source—even finding Divine Sources—wouldn’t be impossible.

"HAHA..." He couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

With every step forward in his cultivation, he needed ten times the Source. The first realm of the Dao Palace alone already demanded more than a small sect could bear. The astronomical amounts required beyond that were nearly suffocating.

*"Everything can be solved now..."*

Ye Fan opened the Heavenly Source Book. Beams of silver brilliance shot out, dazzling and radiant, like a cascade of shining diamonds.

This was indeed a treasure. Not to mention its contents, its material alone was rare and indestructible, comparable to the golden paper on which the Dao Scripture was recorded.

*"This is a secret treasure,"* he thought. *"No wonder it can break open the purple mountain. Even someone with a limited cultivation base can wield it."*

Within, the ancient characters shone like glistening stars, captivating at first glance and making one loath to part with the book.

The opening was straightforward: this was not just a sacred book for finding Source, but it also explained heaven, earth, and humanity, illustrating how to use Source to approach the Dao, ultimately aiming to achieve a state where heaven and man are together.

"Look up to observe celestial phenomena, look down to observe earthly laws, studiously observe the patterns of birds and beasts in relation to the earth’s terrains..."

"Inner qi is born, outer qi takes shape; inner and outer complement each other..."

"Qi disperses with the wind and halts at the edges of water. The ancients gathered it to prevent dispersal and directed it to provide stops..."

Ye Fan kept flipping through the pages, continually encountering such accounts. It was indeed a profoundly deep field of study.

He flipped further. The silver, iron-like pages flowed with an unusual light, his expression growing increasingly solemn. It was truly an extraordinary book; its techniques were almost akin to the Dao.

It didn’t discuss cultivation methods but approached Dao law. It encompassed a wide scope, emphasizing the observation of mountain terrains, geological structures, and celestial changes. It involved Yin Yang and the Five Elements, and even contained Heavenly Human Sensing techniques, all of which were mysterious and difficult to comprehend.

"Above, it reflects the constellations; below, it presents the geographical map. Heaven and earth generate, and the trigrams operate to bring stability..." Ye Fan read for a while, then silently pondered. *It’s too complex,* he thought, *a deeply sophisticated scripture involving too much.*

*"No wonder,"* Ye Fan mused, *"throughout history, only five Heavenly Source Masters have emerged. And yet, only the progenitor of the Zhang family’s lineage mastered this extraordinary book."*

Ye Fan sighed. It was exceedingly hard to become a Heavenly Source Master. The Heavenly Source Book recorded complexities requiring immense effort to comprehend; it was impossible to master overnight.

As he flipped to the latter section, he became increasingly amazed by its contents, which described abilities like moving mountains and seas, sensing the stars, and achieving unity between humans and heaven...

*"No wonder Heavenly Source Masters can rival the peerless experts from the Sacred Lands."*

Upon reaching the final few pages, Ye Fan suddenly noticed small characters beneath each line of the main text. These were distinct from the Heavenly Source Book’s primary script and seemed to have been added by later generations.

"The center of the valley has no valley; it is formless and shadowless, without reversal or opposition. It remains rooted in humility without movement, maintaining stillness without decline. The valley is formed by it, yet its form is unseen..."

This was a cultivation method, decidedly not part of the Heavenly Source Book’s primary scriptures. It was incredibly surprising. This was the Five Gods Technique: the heart method for cultivating within the Dao Palace, a secret for extending life.

When Ye Fan initially embarked on the path of cultivation, Senior Wu Qingfeng had mentioned that for many who stepped beyond Paramita, the pursuit was longevity.

He later understood that cultivating the Dao Palace and nourishing five gods was a secret method for life extension, as well as the fundamental practice for cultivating the power of the Dao.

*"This is clearly a life-extending technique..."* Ye Fan murmured. The scriptures, spanning several pages, were recorded rather vaguely, though they seemed sufficient for increasing lifespan.

The more he read, the more astonished he became. After reading several pages, he found himself somewhat immersed.

*"This truly is the cultivation heart method of the Dao Palace secret realm. Although incomplete and seemingly an abstract summation, it’s very profound. Cultivating it should yield extraordinary achievements..."*

*What mystical arts was this?* Its depth was on par with the Dao Scripture; it was clearly a supreme secret art.

Suddenly, a vague idea arose in his mind. *Might this be a remnant heart method from Jade Lake?* He considered it a distinct possibility.

In those days, the Yaochi Saintess was the confidante of Heavenly Source Master Zhang Lin. Upon discovering his disappearance late in his life, she had entered the Demon Mountain to search for him, ignoring her own life. This evidenced their extraordinary bond.

*"Perhaps it’s true,"* Ye Fan speculated. *"The Yaochi Saintess gave him part of her heart method to nourish his life and increase his lifespan..."*

The silver Heavenly Book Fruit was indeed a secret treasure. Ye Fan stored it within his body, where it unexpectedly aligned with the pages of the Golden Dao Scripture. They floated simultaneously—one gold, one silver—flashing with an extremely eye-catching metallic luster.

He dug a hole in the ground, buried Zhang Jiye’s remains, erected a memorial stone, bowed deeply, and said, "Rest here in peace."

The empty grand hall contained nothing else. Ye Fan searched for quite a while but did not find the Extreme Dao weapon—the Bell.

*"It seems the Great Emperor’s weapon is not easily obtainable,"* he thought. *"Perhaps it was left here to suppress something."* He shook his head, abandoning his search.

Now that he had obtained the Heavenly Source Book, he desired nothing else. It was time to return.

However, once he left the grand hall, he feared he would encounter those ancient creatures again; the path of retreat was already cut off.

*"What to do?"* Ye Fan furrowed his brows. The purple mountain was not a benevolent land. If he lingered for too long, no one could predict what might happen.

Even the formidable Eastern Wastelands Divine King had been trapped here for four thousand years and was about to turn to dust. If Ye Fan couldn’t find an exit, he certainly wouldn’t hold out for many years.

Ye Fan summoned his Cauldron, suspending it overhead. Threads of Xuanhuan Origin Qi hang down, protecting his body. Then, he tentatively headed towards the hall’s exit.

However, soon after he stepped out, piercing cries rang out. Seven or eight ancient creatures appeared simultaneously, all fierce and distinct in appearance, encircling him.

Some resembled birds, some were like crocodiles, and several were akin to humans. Their roars caused the ancient mines around them to tremble.

The six-armed creature was not even among the strongest; a more terrifying presence was striding forth, its steps causing the very space beneath it to collapse.

With each stride, all directions were thrown into upheaval, as if by an emperor!

The creature resembled a human male but was three-headed and nine-armed. It was clad in Armor, and its flowing purple hair seemed to slice through space.

*"This isn’t a creature from a Supreme Divine Source, so how is it already so strong!"*

Ye Fan was shocked to his core. Such an existence was immeasurable in its terror. There were probably few human race powerhouses in the Mortal World who could suppress it.

Without hesitation, he rushed into the Cauldron and shot backward.

A bone-chilling cold snort echoed as the purple-haired man descended like a heavenly god outside the great hall. His eyes, deep as the ocean, seemed to capture one’s very Heart Demon.

Its three heads and nine arms moved simultaneously, unleashing a suffocating wave of power. The surrounding ancient mines silently collapsed, and the other ancient creatures retreated in terror, with several even dropping to their knees.

Without a doubt, the purple-haired man was a Supreme among the ancient creatures. The void around him cracked as nine large hands reached into the great hall. They presented a power like that of an immovable wisdom king, confining everything.

Ye Fan felt his Cauldron being pulled backward. The opponent was actually trying to extract him! The terrifying pressure made him feel as if his very soul would shatter.

Inside the Cauldron, he shouted, circulating the Taoist Scripture Heart Method and exhibiting the nine secret arts. His body trembled like a god of battle, divine energy surging all around him as he resisted the retreat of the Origin Qi Cauldron.

DANG!

A mellow and distant bell toll sounded. The purple-haired man with three heads and nine arms let out a muffled grunt. He glanced reluctantly into the great hall before taking a step and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The terrifying and unsettling fluctuations withdrew like a receding tide, and the other ancient creatures also vanished without a trace in an instant.

Ye Fan was alarmed. That purple-haired man was too terrifying; his divine might astonished the world. If he were released, he would surely cause boundless chaos.

*"Three heads and nine arms,"* he thought. *"Why does it remind me of some gods..."*

However, there was no time for more thoughts. Finding a way to escape was the top priority.

*"This bell sound... this great hall..."*

Ye Fan was shocked to realize that the entire great hall might very well be the Big Bell from ancient times. This was the Extreme Dao weapon of the Great Emperor from hundreds of thousands of years ago.

*"It’s too massive! How could it possibly be collected..."* Ye Fan tried, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree; the strongest Restrictions must have been laid here. Although the Great Emperor was no longer present, this Big Bell still wielded incredible power, vast divine energy circulating within it.

"Why have you... wandered aimlessly..." Suddenly, the voice of Divine King Jiang Taixu echoed, still desperately weak.

"Senior, you are unharmed! That’s wonderful!" Ye Fan heard his telepathic voice, his heart filled with joy.

"They... have awoken. You... cannot leave anymore." Jiang Taixu’s divine scan was weaker than before, but his ability to find Ye Fan within the purple mountain demonstrated the terrifying might of the Divine King.

"Senior, if we join forces, we can surely break out! I have a Divine Spring here, which can help you recover your divine energy."

"If you had come ten years earlier, perhaps... there might have been a glimmer of hope." Divine King Jiang stated intermittently that he was already at the end of his tether. He couldn’t escape this trap, no matter what. Even if Ye Fan brought him a sacred fruit, it would be of no use, as he couldn’t reach it.

At the same time, Ye Fan received some extremely bad news.

Even without any ancient creatures, once one entered the purple mountain, it was nearly impossible to leave. It was a Desolate Land. The Great Emperor from hundreds of thousands of years ago had possessed god-like means, creating a realm of its own here—one you could enter but not exit.

"*One of the nine secret arts... I have passed it on... No matter what... it has not been severed in my hands...*," Jiang Taixu said very weakly.

Ye Fan instantly understood his intention. This supreme secret art, known only to Jiang Taixu in all the world, wasn’t part of the Jiang Family’s ancient scriptures. He wanted to pass it down to someone to fulfill a wish.

"Senior, rest assured! If I escape, I will certainly notify the Jiang Family to come rescue you!"

"Absolutely not!" Jiang Taixu replied urgently. "I am about to perish. There’s no need for others to come and die. Do not tell them about this place."

"What exactly is this place?" Ye Fan asked.

But after saying those words, Jiang Taixu fell silent, offering no more response.

This place was shrouded in mystery. Ancient creatures dominated the nine dragon veins guarding the purple mountain, and each dragon vein possessed Supreme Divine Sources. What had the purple mountain been in the primeval era?

The Great Emperor from hundreds of thousands of years ago was a latecomer. What did he do here?

Ye Fan sighed. *To understand all of this,* he realized, *I might have to thoroughly comprehend the Heavenly Source Book. Only then will I know.*

The way back was cut off. Since he couldn’t venture outwards, Ye Fan gritted his teeth and headed deeper into the purple mountain.

Shortly after leaving the great hall, he sensed the power of a demonic allure. It almost lifted him off the ground, drawing him directly forward.

*"No wonder even a Divine King was trapped and died here. This kind of demonic nature..."* Ye Fan’s body trembled, utterly involuntarily; his soul felt as if it were about to detach.

One could imagine that in those days, a Divine King of a generation who reigned supreme in the Eastern Wastelands, proud by nature, must have probed for answers here, only to be ultimately defeated...

*"Is it the being from the nine blocks of Supreme Divine Source?"*

Ye Fan couldn’t bear the summons of this power and retreated. At this moment, he suddenly discovered a massive Stone Book a mile away.

Indeed, the area ahead was very open. A single glance revealed a Stone Book standing on the ground, over ten meters long and one or two meters thick.

An object on his person began to emit a dazzling light. It was the jade pendant he had obtained from Bandit Chen Da—the Emperor Jade.

*"This is..."* Ye Fan stepped forward cautiously, enduring the danger that felt like his soul could fly apart at any moment, slowly approaching the Stone Book.

The distance was less than a mile, yet Ye Fan took a full six hours to cover it. He left a trail of deep footprints, sweat poured down his body, and his bones felt as if they were on the brink of shattering.

His ears were buzzing, his mind somewhat muddled, and the demonic summons had become unbearable, but he eventually reached the Stone Book.

Here, things were somewhat better. The demonic force had weakened, allowing his mind to clear significantly.

HISS!

He drew in a cold breath. Behind the Stone Book, vines flourished, lush and green. The ancient mines were overgrown with these plants, which spread their demonic power.

*"Probably just a few more miles, and I’ll reach the center of the purple mountain!"* Ye Fan murmured to himself.

At this moment, he noticed that the Emperor Jade he carried became increasingly brilliant, while the thick Stone Book also began to emit a gentle radiance.

Ye Fan moved closer, blowing away the dust left by the ages, revealing three large characters: No Beginning Scripture!

*"This is..."* His heart trembled. *To dare use the word ’Scripture,’ it must be a Supreme Divine Book!*

Naturally, he immediately associated it with the Great Emperor from hundreds of thousands of years ago. It was most likely the ancient scripture he had left behind.

Ye Fan’s heart couldn’t help but be stirred. In the Eastern Wastelands, there were only a few ancient scriptures. Now, here was a supreme classic that had never surfaced—how could he not be excited?

*"Why can’t it be opened?!"* He tried to flip the ancient scripture with force but found it didn’t move even slightly; the Stone Book was heavier than a mountain.

The No Beginning Scripture was like the root of heaven and earth, utterly unshakable, unable to be opened.

He wielded the jade pendant, scratching against the Stone Scripture, to no avail. The ancient scripture only became hazy and showed no sign of being opened.

*"That’s it, this jade pendant is incomplete..."* Ye Fan was filled with regret. *If this ancient jade were complete,* he thought, *I might have been able to obtain an ancient scripture of earthshaking magnitude.*

*"The ’No Beginning Scripture’... Just hearing the name makes my heart restless, but unfortunately, it’s beyond reach..."* He sat on the Stone Scripture, making countless efforts, but it was utterly futile.