Chapter 563: Chapter 562: Unyielding Will
"Fine, we’ll give Brother Mu some face!"
The atmosphere grew slightly solemn as Duan Tianya finally put away his Spirit Fan.
"Brother Duan!" Ximen Hengcheng immediately called out, but Duan Tianya stopped him.
"Young Master Mu makes a good point, Brother Ximen. We need to follow the rules!" Duan Tianya said. He gave Ximen Hengcheng a pointed look, and Ximen Hengcheng reluctantly backed down. He felt a bitter resentment; even here, he was being suppressed by the Red Sand Family.
At that moment, a smirk played on Mu Chen Dong’s lips as he watched Ye Fan’s slow advance. Ye Fan was now less than ten meters from the Divine Dragon Essence Blood, an impressive distance. The others had been left in the dust, even with their various techniques. Some had even exploded from pushing themselves too far.
Clearly, Duan Tianya and Ximen Hengcheng had no intention of making a move either. They already knew the outcome, so there was no need to waste their strength and endure the suffering. Once Ye Fan snatched the essence blood, it wouldn’t just be them after his life—it would be everyone present. Therefore, like Mu Chen Dong, they chose to conserve their energy. They planned to become the ultimate winners by reaping the rewards without lifting a finger.
Ye Fan stared at the Divine Dragon Essence Blood not far ahead. His face was deathly pale, his back drenched in sweat. Even after unleashing all his Pure Yang Divine Power, he couldn’t escape the overwhelming pressure. Without a doubt, he was on the verge of collapse. His body was creaking alarmingly. The closer he got, the greater the pressure—that was the rule of this place.
"Damn it, am I really going to miss out on the Divine Dragon Essence Blood?" Ye Fan muttered, unwilling to accept defeat. He had come here specifically for the Divine Dragon Essence Blood. No matter the cost, he had to obtain it.
After persisting for a short while longer, everyone but Ye Fan had given up, including even the strongest among them, Gui Hai Yidao. Gui Hai Yidao knew he couldn’t reach it on his own. His powerful body had nearly been crushed just moments ago, so he abandoned all effort. He, too, prepared to enjoy the fruits of another’s labor. Precisely because they all understood how difficult the struggle was, they secretly hoped Ye Fan would succeed.
Of course, their hope for Ye Fan’s success was no genuine blessing. The moment he obtained the essence blood, they would move to kill him without hesitation. To most of them, Ye Fan was just a pawn. In their eyes, all his efforts were merely paving the way for them.
But it remained to be seen who was truly paving the way for whom. It was still too early to tell. Mu Chen Dong kept his eyes fixed on Ye Fan.
At this moment, Ye Fan strained to move forward.
CRACK!
Ye Fan looked down and saw that his body had begun to split open. He knew he couldn’t go any further. If he did, the consequences would be unimaginable; his body might shatter in an instant. Such was the harsh reality. Obtaining the Divine Dragon Essence Blood required an immense price—perhaps even his life.
He looked ahead and saw that he was still three meters from the Divine Dragon Essence Blood. But those three meters were an eternal divide—the distance between life and death. It was a line so perilous that no one dared attempt to cross it lightly.
Ye Fan decided he could go no further. But to give up on the Divine Dragon Essence Blood now... he was truly unwilling. His Pure Yang Divine Power would never reach completion. The techniques derived from it, the Azure Sky Dragon Claw and the Wanxiang Divine Shield, would also fail to improve significantly.
"Ye, you can’t go any further!"
Mu Keqing had arrived at some point. Seeing Ye Fan alive, she breathed a sigh of relief, but her worry immediately returned. His current condition was clearly more than his body could handle. She glared fiercely at Duan Tianya and Ximen Hengcheng. The two looked guilty, but they were skilled actors and showed no other expression, clearly intending to keep the matter hidden.
Ye Fan paid no attention to Mu Keqing, his mind focused entirely on how to obtain the Divine Dragon Essence Blood. Countless times, for his conviction to slay gods, he had dared anything and sacrificed much. He could have lived a calm and stable life. But for the belief in his heart, for the Human Clan of the Mortal World, he had already given up far too much. To retreat so easily now would be a devastating blow. With the impending arrival of the Divine Race, the Human Clan’s secular world was doomed to destruction.
For this reason, Ye Fan’s resolve hardened. "I will never give up on this belief, even if it means death!"
He suddenly lurched forward, taking a single step.
His body began to crack at an accelerated rate!
"Ah!" Ye Fan couldn’t help but cry out in pain.
"Ye, don’t do it!" Mu Keqing shouted, on the verge of tears.
Mu Chen Dong had an ominous premonition. Damn it, has Keqing truly fallen for this boy? What will become of the Red Sand Family’s reputation? What does their sappy drama have to do with him? He was worried about his own sister! For all he knew, Ye Fan might have already taken advantage of her back in the mystic realm.
For this reason, he said to Mu Keqing, "Keqing, stop shouting! You can’t break his focus right now!"
"But he’s going to die!" Mu Keqing sobbed.
"Don’t worry," Mu Chen Dong said. "He must have a plan. Besides, his mind is made up. You can’t sway him."
Mu Keqing wept, but she had to agree with Mu Chen Dong. Ye Fan was incredibly stubborn; she knew she couldn’t sway him.
PFFT!
Ye Fan spat out a mouthful of blood. He truly couldn’t move another inch. Even the martial artists watching from behind felt a cold sweat break out for him. They prayed in their hearts for Ye Fan to survive the crisis and successfully obtain the Divine Dragon Essence Blood—so they could then begin the scramble to seize it from him.
His blood sprayed onto the Divine Dragon Essence Blood. In that instant, the previously dormant essence blood burst forth with a brilliant light. As the intense light radiated outward, everyone saw the image of a roaring, coiling dragon within it.
Then, the Divine Dragon Essence Blood stirred and flew into Ye Fan’s hands.
The crowd erupted. Greed was etched onto every face as they slowly began to close in on Ye Fan.
Mu Keqing and Mu Chen Dong exchanged a look, then moved to block the encroaching crowd.
"Young Master Mu, you can’t stop us! The Divine Dragon Essence Blood is a supreme treasure of this world, and everyone has a right to it! He’s just the one who paved the way!"
"The Divine Dragon Essence Blood doesn’t have to stay with him! Make him hand it over!"
The Divine Domain Martial Artists cried out in a frenzy. No one was willing to give up. After all, the Divine Dragon Essence Blood could create a Sovereign God, a being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Red Sand Main God. If they backed down now, it would be a regret that would haunt them for a lifetime.
Thus, even with Mu Chen Dong blocking their path, they were not deterred.
