One month later.
On the main peak of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect, Zhang Fan, Nan Zun, Dong Ji Zhen Xian, and Liu Mu stood on the edge of a cliff, chatting and discussing their next plans.
"After this battle, I will personally destroy the Giant Spirit Hall, and then head to the Purple Cloud Starfield for trials in the Starry Sky Battlefield," Zhang Fan stated.
"Starry Sky Battlefield?" Dong Ji Zhen Xian was taken aback. He hadn't expected Zhang Fan to be so audacious. The Starry Sky Battlefield was far more perilous than their current skirmishes. Even powerful cultivators at the Void Return realm risked annihilation there.
"Within this star expanse, the Nine Abyss Starfield and the Purple Cloud Starfield engaged in a massive war hundreds of thousands of years ago, which has yet to truly end. Although the scale of combat has significantly diminished, and Void Return realm powerhouses rarely appear on the Starry Sky Battlefield, there are still many cultivators at the Soul Transformation stage. Fellow Daoist Zhang Fan, you must be extremely careful," Dong Ji Zhen Xian earnestly advised.
"In the Starry Sky Battlefield, the more dazzling a presence is, the more likely they are to be targeted. Fellow Daoist Zhang Fan, you must conceal your trump cards as much as possible. Otherwise, if it attracts the covetous gaze of cultivators at the Soul Transformation stage, it will spell trouble."
Although Dong Ji Zhen Xian did not explicitly state it, everyone understood he was referring to Zhang Fan's Grand Dao Secret Treasure. If Zhang Fan were to use this treasure on the Starry Sky Battlefield, it would likely draw the attention and attack of numerous Soul Transformation stage experts.
Zhang Fan nodded. He naturally understood Dong Ji Zhen Xian's concerns. He had never considered himself invincible. In his previous life, he had cultivated to the Mahayana Immortal Emperor realm, yet he was still besieged and ultimately perished.
In this life, the Lord of the Great Luo Realm, a being at the Dao Origin realm and at the apex of the Void Return stage, could sweep through numerous Void Return powerhouses on the Starry Sky Battlefield, shining brilliantly, yet he too ultimately fell.
Therefore, within Zhang Fan's heart, no matter what realm he cultivated to, he always held reverence for the universe. Throughout history, every era had its invincible figures, but they all gradually faded into the river of time.
"They're here!"
A divine light flickered within Zhang Fan's eyes. At this moment, his pupils became incredibly deep, like two dark planets revolving in the boundless cosmos.
This was precisely Zhang Fan's divine-grade innate ability, the Candle Dragon's Eye.
Building upon the foundation laid by his Thunder Fire Divine Eye, Zhang Fan had cultivated this ability to the minor accomplishment stage in just over a month.
With the Candle Dragon's Eye, his eyes were now comparable to a magical treasure. They could bewilder the soul, obliterate spirits, see through illusions, and even perceive the void. The range his eyes could see far surpassed that which a Soul Transformation stage cultivator could sense with their spiritual consciousness.
"They're here?" Nan Zun, Dong Ji Zhen Xian, and Liu Mu were all slightly surprised, as they had not detected anything.
After a few breaths, they finally felt a subtle spatial fluctuation. They inwardly marveled at Zhang Fan's perception, able to sense disturbances in the dark space even within the vast Myriad Domain Starfield.
A massive spatial rift appeared a thousand miles away from the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect. Three imposing figures emerged from the rift. Leading them was a middle-aged man clad in a purple robe, flanked by Han Fei Zhen Xian and Qin Yun.
"Senior Brother Zi Yue, although that Zhang Fan's strength is only at the early Soul Refining stage, his Grand Dao Secret Treasure is truly formidable. Junior Brother Kuang Wu was suppressed with no chance to resist. You must be cautious." Even though Zi Yue Zhen Xian was making the move, logic dictated that Zhang Fan had no hope of turning the tables. Yet, Qin Yun's heart was still shadowed by fear.
"No matter how powerful a Grand Dao Secret Treasure is, it requires a cultivator to activate it to unleash its full might. The more profound the treasure, the more mysterious the Grand Dao contained within. He is merely at the early Soul Refining stage; how much Grand Dao power can he comprehend? Suppressing Kuang Wu with the Grand Dao Secret Treasure is likely his absolute limit," Zi Yue Zhen Xian stated calmly, paying no mind to Qin Yun's words.
"They're finally here. You've kept me waiting," Zhang Fan said with a smile as he flew to the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect, facing the three figures.
As he had predicted, Qin Yun had invited a cultivator at the peak of the Soul Refining stage. Moreover, Zhang Fan could sense that this individual was also a dual cultivator, proficient in both body refinement and energy cultivation, reaching the peak of the Soul Refining stage in both disciplines.
"You are quite confident. Do you believe that with your early Soul Refining stage strength, relying on a Grand Dao Secret Treasure, you can suppress a cultivator at the peak of the Soul Refining stage?" Zi Yue Zhen Xian gazed at Zhang Fan with curiosity, wondering where his confidence stemmed from. After suppressing two Soul Transformation stage cultivators from the Boundless Dynasty, he still dared to remain here instead of fleeing.
"We'll know if we try," Zhang Fan said, raising the Myriad Beast Cauldron with one hand and tossing it gently. In an instant, the palm-sized Myriad Beast Cauldron transformed into a colossal cauldron tens of kilometers in diameter, looming over Zi Yue Zhen Xian and the other two.
Qin Yun immediately felt a powerful suppressive force bearing down on him. This force permeated every inch of space, making even the slightest movement incredibly difficult. Qin Yun's expression changed, and he inwardly lamented his carelessness.
"Senior Brother Zi Yue should be able to withstand it, right?" Qin Yun cast his gaze towards the man in the purple robe before him. The reason he dared to confront Zhang Fan in front of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect was precisely the confidence Zi Yue Zhen Xian instilled in him.
However, facing this overwhelming suppressive force that rendered him immobile, Zi Yue Zhen Xian remained remarkably calm. He looked at Zhang Fan with a placid gaze and said, "Is this all you have? This force alone cannot suppress Junior Brother Kuang Wu. Unleash your strongest technique."
"My strongest technique?" Zhang Fan chuckled. "Since you wish to witness it, so be it. However, I, Zhang Fan, do not kill the unknown. State your name before you die."
"Boundless Dynasty, Zi Yue Zhen Xian!"
"Good!" Zhang Fan shouted, swiftly forming hand seals. As his seals were cast, the lifelike beast carvings on the Myriad Beast Cauldron seemed to awaken. Over a thousand phantom beasts surged forth from the cauldron, forming a colossal battle formation.
The space was suppressed, and Zi Yue Zhen Xian and his two companions were completely encircled within the formation. As for Qin Yun, with his mid-stage Nascent Soul realm cultivation, Zhang Fan could easily suppress him by activating the Myriad Beast Cauldron, rendering the battle formation unnecessary.
Facing the Myriad Beast Battle Formation, Han Fei Zhen Xian's eyes, as cold as a frigid pool, rippled with shock. He finally understood why Kuang Wu Zhen Xian had been so easily suppressed.
The thousand phantom beasts were not entirely illusory; they were controlled by wisps of pure spiritual energy. This left Han Fei Zhen Xian in utter astonishment, for he could clearly sense the dao rhythm contained within each wisp of spiritual energy. These were the spirits of demonic beasts at the Soul Transformation stage.
"To merge the souls of tens of thousands of Soul Transformation stage demonic beasts into one cauldron… is this truly just a Grand Dao Secret Treasure?" Han Fei Zhen Xian murmured. Although he had never possessed a Grand Dao Secret Treasure, he had been fortunate enough to witness their power. The might of the Myriad Beast Cauldron seemed to transcend the level of a Grand Dao Secret Treasure.