Chapter 99 Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Ye Fan wasn’t that worried. The mysterious green copper was silent within his Sea of Bitterness. So far no one had been able to identify it, so there shouldn’t be anyone looking to find trouble with him because of it.

“Maybe the Central States will cooperate with the Eastern Wastelands. Maybe both sides’ precious treasures are within the deep pool’s Yin Grave.”

“According to legend, the Desolate PaG.o.da is capable of suppressing Immortals to death. If it were to appear again, it would definitely be enough to lock down the Demon Emperor’s tomb.”

“But the Desolate PaG.o.da is within the Demon Emperor’s Yin Grave. That method won’t work to open the Yin Grave.”

“Just what is this extremely precious treasure of the Central States? How could it land within our Eastern Wastelands?”

“The Central States are ancient and mysterious. It’s said that their most precious treasure was formed along with the world, and it’s not something people of our level can know about.”

“It seemed that what landed within the Eastern Wastelands was just a piece of it. As for what its main body is, n.o.body knows.”

The cultivators chatted while eating, giving Ye Fan quite a bit of information.

“Over these two years, the ruins have become a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. I really can’t imagine how many people will die before this matter is resolved. Now that I think about, maybe it’s us free cultivators who have it best. If we were within a large sect, they might send us there. If we even approach that deep pool, most of us will probably die.”

“The various sects seemed to have listened to some of the great figures’ ideas. They want to sacrifice endless life force in order to forcefully open that deep pool. I have a feeling that as long as the Desolate PaG.o.da doesn’t appear, the Eastern Wastelands will never be able to achieve peace. That place is destined to become a blood-stained devilish land. The demon race’s Great Emperor is too frightening. One disaster truly gives rise to countless more.”

“Yeah, even many Sacred Lands and Ancient Desolation n.o.ble Families treat the Desolate PaG.o.da as a must-have to obtain. They don’t dare to prematurely give up.”

Ye Fan felt very relaxed. He had obtained the Central States’ green copper and simply didn’t have any opinions on the Desolate PaG.o.da. That wasn’t something he would be able to obtain. The mysterious green copper was enough for the current him. What he was now thinking about was how he should enter the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land. He definitely wouldn’t partic.i.p.ate in the matter of s.n.a.t.c.hing the treasure, so he would have to hide far away from it.

Just as he was about to leave, Ye Fan heard a last piece of important information. He didn’t bat an eye, once more sitting down.

“Several of the Sacred Lands and Ancient Desolation n.o.ble Families’ powerful figures are now at death’s door. It’s said that they plan to open up the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land.”

“That should be impossible. There are still people who dare to barge in there? Since ancient times, the number of people who went exploring there is countless, but as expected, they were annihilated. That immortal sect Sacred Land reached the absolute greatest peak any sect had ever been at, ama.s.sing all of their strength to collect thousands of powerful cultivators to enter there, and yet they were all exterminated. That place is a true purgatory.”

“The only reason that the Sacred Land was destroyed was because they were too conceited. They wanted to reach the absolute depths of the abyss. But this time, the Sacred Lands and Ancient Desolation n.o.ble Families have no choice but to be more restrained. With some of their powerful members on death’s door, they want to go pluck the nine sacred mountain’s divine medicine to save their lives. This means they won’t be entering into that abyss.”

“My guess is that everyone who goes in will die. That area is forbidden to life; it’s definitely even more terrifying than the Demon Emperor’s tomb!”

“That might not be so. Since ancient times there were also a portion of people who succeeded in plucking the sacred medicine. Of course, what kind of price they had to pay is unknown. Those Sacred Lands and Ancient Desolation n.o.ble Families must have much deeper information. Since they have such intentions, they must have made preparations to allow their chances of success to increase.”

“This is also a shocking affair of the Eastern Wastelands. The Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land is one of the Eastern Wastelands’ seven areas forbidden to life. Now after countless years, there are finally more people trying to enter there.”

“When are those Sacred Lands and Ancient Desolation n.o.ble Families moving out? Maybe we should go with them in the ruckus. While they climb up the nine sacred mountains and pluck the sacred medicines, we’ll just stay a bit behind them and collect a few ordinary spiritual medicines. It shouldn’t be that big of a problem.”

“I think there’s still some time. Right now is the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land’s most dangerous period…”

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In the end, Ye Fan left the small town, mulling over what he had just learned from those cultivators. 

That area forbidden to life must be much more dangerous than I thought. The main reason we survived back then must have been because of the nine dragon corpses or the huge bronze coffin.

Ye Fan didn’t fly, simply walking along to Yan’s capital. This city was extremely grand, taking up a very large swathe of land. The city walls were unbroken, as huge as the Great Wall of China.

Yan’s capital was very bustling. The streets were busy with streams of people. Ye Fan was somewhat disturbed, as after cultivating alone for two years deep within the mountains, he was already used to that kind of quiet. But the contrast between that and this noisy city made him feel like he had entered a new world.

Spending everyday staring at the forests, stone cliffs, or streams, and then suddenly returning to such a bustling capital city, he somehow felt very familiar with this world.

“Honey covered dates, large and sweet!”

“Crispy fried chicken wings, if you don’t like it, no charge!”

“Zhang Zhiguan’s steamed dumplings! Thin skin, thick filling, extremely tasty! Quickly come sample it!”

“Candy on a stick, one skewer for just one copper!”

All kinds of advertising shouts continuously rang out. On the corner of the street were also all kinds of people showing off various fun skills. There were many adults and children around. Each store had enthusiastic shop a.s.sistants trying to pull in customers, their tongues very eloquent. 

“Cultivation is so bitter, but the mortal world is so delightful…” Ye Fan sighed. Everything was very lively and friendly. Compared to the bitterness of cultivating, this kind of mundane lifestyle gave him a sense of longing. 

But he couldn’t be swayed off his cultivation path. He wanted to return home, return to his real life where he grew up.

Ye Fan had spent three years in this world. His bitter cultivation was temporarily paused for the moment as he returned to the world of mortals. Within his many thoughts, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking back to his home.

“Time pa.s.ses quickly. After these three years, I wonder how my other old cla.s.smates are doing…” Ye Fan first thought of Pang Bo, and was still very worried for him. He then thought of Liu Yiyi, Zhang Ziling, Lin Jia, w.a.n.g Ziwen, Zhou Yi, and the others. 

“Maybe I should go see my old cla.s.smates one more time before entering the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land.” He wanted to go see how Liu Yiyi and Zhang Ziling were doing now after these three years.

“Big brother…I’m hungry. Please, buy me a bun, I’m very hungry.” Just at this moment, a pitiful little girl completely covered in dirt was looking up at Ye Fan, her clothes tattered, and her face covered in smudges such that only her two eyes could clearly be seen.

The thing Ye Fan most could not bear to see was this. He would always have a sour feeling when he saw such things. He bought a couple buns from the shop beside him, as well as some dumplings which he wrapped in oiled paper, giving them to the pitiful little girl. He then also fished out all the money he had on him and carefully stuffed it into her robes without letting any pa.s.sersbys see.

Even when he had completely disappeared from the road, that little girl continued to just stand there in a daze. 

Ye Fan left the city. Finding that the Jade Cauldron Paradise was the closest at under two hundred kilometers, and remembering that Liu Yiyi had become one of their disciples, he decided he should go there first.

The nation of Yan was a thousand kilometers north to south and one thousand five hundred kilometers east to west. The Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land was located at the very center of the nation, surrounding by countless great mountains. The Spirit Ruins Paradise, the Jade Cauldron Paradise and all the other of the six Blessed Paradises all surrounded different regions of that primal area.

The Jade Cauldron Paradise was located within an immortal mountain range. Mists and clouds constantly lingered, making it difficult to see from the distance, as if it were some holy land outside this world.

Ye Fan arrived at the main gate, feeling a natural and peaceful air. Here, the mountains and valleys were green, springs and waterfalls splashed, plants thrived, and animals almost seemed spiritual, making this world almost seem like it came from a painting.

A ferocious beast around eight meters long was guarding the mountain gate. It had an ox’s body with a qilin’s head. Lying down within a pool, its huge eyes which had been scanning the area were now locked on Ye Fan hostilely. 

“Who are you? Why did you come to my Jade Cauldron Paradise?” The guards on the mountain gate now also noticed him.

“I came to visit some friends.” When Ye Fan mentioned Liu Yiyi’s name, the disciples guarding the gate immediately lightened up quite a bit, sending someone to tell her.

Half an hour later, Liu Yiyi still hadn’t appeared. But a young man whose hair was slightly graying on the sides immediately shouted when he saw Ye Fan. “Ye Fan, it really is you!”

Ye Fan started before becoming happy, saying, “So you were also at the Jade Cauldron Paradise cultivating.”

This was his old cla.s.smate Zhang Wenchang. Whether it was while studying or after graduating, he had always been a very ordinary and average person, his natural disposition simply being rather wooden and not that talkative. When many people were around, it was very easy to forget his existence.

Ye Fan walked forward and waved, saying, “Congrats on recovering your youth!”

Zhang Wenchang smiled slightly bitterly, saying, “It’s just my wrinkles that disappeared. Look, the hair on my temples is still turning white.”

“It’s still many times better than when we parted. You were so old and decrepit back then, but now you’re a youth again, just one who grays earlier.”

“I really envy you, to actually once more experience your time as a youngster.” The wooden Zhang Wenchang had also learned how to joke.

The two of them laughed together. Old friends who met each other would all feel a heartfelt joy.

At the beginning, the six Blessed Paradises had each chosen two people, with only Ye Fan as an exception.[1]

Zhang Wenchang and Liu Yiyi had been taken by the Jade Cauldron Paradise, and had thus spent the last three years here cultivating.

“Yiyi is one of the favorite disciples of one of the sect’s Elders. Her potential is very great and so she had already gone into seclusion training. They say that she will be able to rise to the Spring of Life realm within half a year to a year at most. This cultivation speed is very frightening.”

“You’re not bad either. Looks like you’re doing well.”

“I can’t compare to Yiyi at all. My talent can only count as a lower middle level amongst the sect. The reason my appearance could recover is because Yiyi asked one of the Grand Elders to help.”

Zhang Wenchang led Ye Fan into the Jade Cauldron Paradise. It was extremely beautiful and elegant inside. Verdant immortal mountains like green jade s.h.i.+ned, immortal mist lingered, light sparkled, and waterfalls splashed, creating a white spray that looked like starlight. 

Clouds enshrouded some of the mountain peaks, and a few temple halls could faintly be seen, appearing very much like an immortal scene.

And what was most amazing was that that a tall, snow white mountain was sitting in the center of those mountains. Its whole ma.s.s was like jade, lacking even a single blade of gra.s.s, it shone brightly, its shape that of a huge circular cauldron. 

“Having been apart for three years, we definitely have to properly drink,” Zhang Wenchang was very moved and cheerful.

“You immortal sect has wine and meat?” During Ye Fan’s time at the Spirit Ruins Paradise, he and Pang Bo were basically vegetarians. Those days felt like a kind of torture.

“Don’t worry, there’s plently of meat and wine. Currently, I can be counted to have officially stepped onto the immortal path so I no longer have to be like those disciples who had just entered the sect and have to have restricted diets to temper their hearts.”

The Jade Cauldron Paradise was quite vast. Pa.s.sing several mountain ranges, Zhang Wenchang brought Ye Fan to a peach blossom forest. Beside it were several small pubs, looking very picturesque.

“Cultivators are also human and need to relax,” Zhang Wenchang laughed and explained. “Of course, there’s no way they can be as over the top and greedy as the mortal world with all their crazy fine wines. There are only some small simple drinks here as well as some fine food.”

“This is pretty good.” Ye Fan nodded, laughing, “Otherwise I would really have thought that cultivators had to get rid of all their desires.”

The two of them sat down at a small pub. The pear wood tables and peach wood chairs had a charming and aged feeling. Arranged in front of the peach blossom forest, they felt like they were in a painting. The other pubs were also like this, each placing their tables and chairs outside to face the peach blossoms. 

They ordered some food and drinks, they two of them really beginning to talk. Having arrived at a strange new world and once again being able to reunite with an old cla.s.smate, the two of them were both very deeply moved and had too many things to say to each other.

“After arriving in this unfamiliar world, there were many nights I couldn’t fall asleep. Even in my dreams I would think of returning. I miss my friends and family…” The formerly wooden Zhang Wenchang had many words to say. All his inner thoughts poured out of him as if he were speaking to a close relative.

Li Xiaoman was indifferent and cold, but Zhang Wenchang was friendly and pa.s.sionate. These two contrasts caused Ye Fan to sigh.

“Maybe we might be able to return later,” said Ye Fan.

“Return…I no longer harbor such a fantasy.” Zhang Wenchang bitterly shook his head. “How have you been these three years? Are you living within the Spirit Ruins Paradise or the mortal world? And I heard that Pang Bo disappeared?”

Seeing his old cla.s.smate, Ye Fan truly wished to speak the truth, but he still held himself back. What he had gone through was very complicated, and if he were to tell them it would bring both of them trouble. All he could do was nod, saying, “Pang Bo did disappear and it’s very worrisome. I left the Spirit Ruins Paradise a long time ago. Now I’m just roaming this land.”

“Ah, it really isn’t easy. Mortals have their troubles, but cultivators aren’t as free as I thought. It’s very dry and dull, and later I might have to go through various life and death tribulations.”

“Be careful. Spend more time cultivating and less time going out,” advised Ye Fan.

Zhang Wenchang nodded, then bitterly smiled and said, “I guess I’ve realized that no matter where I am, I’ll be nothing more than ordinary. I don’t excel anywhere. Maybe one day I’ll leave here and join the mortal world, open a small pub and quietly live out the rest of my years.”

“Don’t be so pessimistic…,” Ye Fan consoled.

“You don’t know, but the cultivation world is very cruel. If I can’t get away from it, there will definitely come a day when I die to others’ hands. At that time, I’ll die completely silent, like an ordinary flower being swept down by a river’s wave; no one will know, no one will cry, and only I will know that I am no longer in this world.”

Ye Fan sighed when he heard this. He himself had not truly entered the cultivation world yet. It now seemed that it really was cruel.

Zhang Wenchang lamented, “I heard that Lin Jia, Zhou Yi, w.a.n.g Ziwen, and Li Xiaoman are all heavily favored by their sects’ masters. It seems like some people will always s.h.i.+ne no matter where you put them.”

The two of them drank and talked, chatting about past events and current predicaments. In the end, Zhang Wenchang became completely drunk, lying on the table and unexpectedly crying. “I really want to go back. I don’t want to stay in this strange world. When we were sent here, my wife was already pregnant and our child was just about to be born. When she needed me most, I disappeared, only to arrive in this place…”

He couldn’t keep control of his emotions and was now bitterly crying like a child.

“I really want to return…my child should now be three years old. When I dream I can see him, hold him, love him…”

Seeing w.a.n.g Ziwen bawling so bitterly, Ye Fan’s heart rippled and he unceasingly comforted him.

“I wondered just who it was that was crying. So it was actually this useless trash old man.” A sneering voice came from not far. A couple young people were walking over there with hardly concealed contempt.

“A useless trash whose hair has already whitened still has the face to cry.”

“It really is laughable!”

These people were all ini their twenties, each not giving the slightest face as they mocked Zhang Wenchang.

Ye Fan sighed. He finally learned that Zhang Wenchang was not doing that well in the Jade Cauldron Paradise. His eyes emitted divine light as he looked at the few people, saying, “Try to leave some room for kindness in your mouth.”

“Who are you? Even meddlers should first consider what kind of status they have before speaking.”

“How laughable, it’s like you think you’re a Spring of Life realm expert!”

“How could the friend of a trash be an expert…”

“Don’t say that. If Liu Yiyi finds out she might go tell on us again.”

“It’s you!” Just at this moment, one of the youngsters’ eyes widened, becoming infuriated as he glared at Ye Fan.

“Junior brother Han, do you recognize him?” asked the others.

That youngster’s eyes spit out flames, clenching his teeth and saying, “Of course I know him. He’s not part of your Jade Cauldron Paradise. He once stayed at my Spirit Ruins Paradise. He is a true piece of tras.h.!.+”

Ye Fan secretly sighed, feeling as the world was sometimes very small. He hadn’t expected to meet Han Feiyu here.

“Oh? So he’s a trash. Looks like birds of a feather flock together. A trash old man’s friend is also a trash.” The group of young people all started to laugh without the slightest scruples. 

[1] The author wrote here that Pang Bo was treated as one portion (meaning he counted as two people), but previously it said someone else was also selected with him and Ye Fan as there were thirteen remaining people at that time. I left it out since I a.s.sume it is an error.

Translator notes:

Peach blossom trees are similar to cherry blossom trees in case you didn’t know (which I didn’t before looking it up). As for the pear wood (梨木) tables, I tried to look up whether that was a thing, but the term doesn’t seem very common and there’s also someone famous by that name who dominates search results so all I could go with is pear wood. 八仙桌 has appeared before. By character it says eight immortal table, but it actually is an old-fas.h.i.+oned square table that can seat 8 people and I just don’t have a way to convey that whole thing so it’s just translated as table/square table. The chairs are said to have four legs, which I could not find any other meaning, but I a.s.sume there is some connotation of them being old. In English however it is just superfluous detail that clunks down the paragraph.