Shrouding the Heavens: Starting by joining the Holy Land of Yao Guang

Chapter 166 Unyielding Faith

"What is that? Such terrifying battle aura!"

The third bandit, Xu Tianxiong, knelt on both knees, his hands bracing against the ground, his head desperately raised, resisting the urge to avoid prostrating himself on the ground.

"That's the battle aura of the Fighting Saint Emperor, residing in his son's body." On the other side, the Holy Master of the Jiang family knelt on one knee, his hands also supporting him on the ground.

"So what if he's the Fighting Saint Emperor? The Void lineage is no less powerful than anyone else!" The Ji family's Holy Lord roared, kneeling on one knee, relying on his ancestor's beliefs to resist the Fighting Saint Emperor's battle aura.

The old Taoist priest, Chilong, remained silent, resisting the Holy Emperor's battle aura.

This fighting spirit was pure and simple, without containing any great power. But just that fighting aura was like that of an emperor reigning over the heavens and the earth, making it impossible for anyone to even think of resisting.

Li Yao plummeted from the sky, his feet landing instantly on the ground. His knees buckled, and he wanted to kneel down. His mind was suppressed, causing his body to become like a rootless duckweed, submitting to the Holy Emperor's battle aura.

"what……"

He roared loudly, his black hair dancing wildly, his blood surging, suppressing the urge to kneel down, but he was still in a precarious situation, his body trembling, and he could be crushed to the ground at any moment.

A man's knees are worth gold; apart from his parents, he has never thought of kneeling before anyone else in his life, not even heaven and earth, let alone anyone else.

Li Yao immediately wanted to summon the Dragon Pattern Cauldron to resist the overwhelming battle aura, but he quickly abandoned the idea.

While using the Dragon Pattern Cauldron can certainly resist the battle aura of the Fighting Saint Emperor, it's not something one can do on their own.

He must rely on his own will to withstand the battle aura of the Fighting Saint Emperor, thereby forging a flawless Dao heart that fears nothing.

This is an opportunity. If one is forced to kneel down by the fighting spirit of the Fighting Saint Emperor, one's mental state will likely develop a crack. However, if one can withstand it, one's Dao heart will become clear and bright, like a pearl that has been wiped clean of dust, shining without flaw.

In the sky, the golden-haired man exuded a terrifying battle aura, helping the Holy Prince to understand the Dao and emerge from the shadow of defeat.

The love of the parents is far-reaching.

The old emperor may have already known that his youngest son might suffer a defeat, leaving behind a single hair that could help him escape his inner confusion.

The Holy Prince kept his eyes tightly closed, his body trembling uncontrollably, as if he had fallen into a quagmire and was struggling incessantly.

At this moment, the powerful battle aura washed over the Holy Prince's Dao heart, and the few wisps of battle aura that dissipated caused many people to prostrate themselves in awe.

Only a few remained kneeling on one knee to resist the Holy Emperor's battle aura; the rest were almost all kneeling or prone.

Among the crowd, Ye Fan was the only one besides Li Yao who did not kneel down. Fortunately, no one was paying attention to him at the moment, so no one noticed his unusual behavior.

"Brother Dao truly lives up to his reputation as the number one among the younger generation, managing to stand tall and proud even under the battle aura of the Fighting Saint Emperor." Ye Fan was somewhat shocked.

He was able to withstand the battle aura of the Fighting Saint Emperor because the green copper within his body suddenly unleashed its power for some reason, and a terrifying will surged out, helping him to withstand it for a while.

Ye Fan reacted quickly, immediately taking out the Bodhi Seed to calm his mind and barely manage to stand firm in the battle qi by using this clever method.

Li Yao, on the other hand, relied entirely on his own strength. Under the battle aura of the Fighting Saint Emperor, he stood tall and proud, even looking directly at the sky, as if challenging an emperor.

At this moment, he didn't think about anything else, relying solely on an indomitable will in his heart to desperately block the terrifying Holy Emperor's battle aura.

Time seemed to pass very slowly; every second felt like torture. The phrase "each day felt like a year" was no longer an adjective.

At some point, even the third-largest bandit, Xu Tianxiong, along with the Holy Lord of the Ji family, the Holy Lord of the Jiang family, and the Red Dragon Old Daoist, had all knelt on both knees, their heads still desperately raised upwards, a testament to their fighting spirit.

Although they couldn't withstand the Holy Emperor's battle aura, they were far superior to those who were pinned to the ground and dared not even move.

Li Yao persisted, though he had become somewhat numb, relying entirely on willpower to keep his spine straight, like a proud spear.

Now, he has completely forgotten about tempering his mind and honing his will. All he knows is that he cannot kneel, not even in the face of a true ancient emperor!
"I'd rather die than surrender!"

This was a belief that grew stronger and stronger, like a piece of steel being constantly forged and imprinted firmly in his heart.

Now, Li Yao finally possesses a grand spirit, an indomitable belief, and a determination to never retreat, even in the face of death!

Along the way, thanks to the Heavenly Book, cultivation has become an evolution with little difficulty. Li Yao himself knows that his invincibility is based on his powerful cultivation, rather than being forged through tempering.

If things continue like this, he will certainly not suffer any setbacks, after all, he will be on a winning streak and there will be no rivals. However, he will not be able to make the same choice as Ye Fan, who, as a mere Great Sage, dared to block the Supreme Being and quell the turmoil.

This is a true invincible spirit, the most unique aspect of Ye Fan, and the key to his continued success.

Other prodigies, even those on the verge of enlightenment like the Emperor, would have to retreat before the Dark Supreme, because they lack Ye Fan's invincible spirit and his belief in sacrificing himself for righteousness.

The Emperor initially had such an invincible spirit, but when faced with setbacks, his mindset was shattered. As a result, he went from being a stunning cultivator on the verge of enlightenment, a powerful figure who should have been able to rival the old woodcutter, to someone who could be dealt with in just a few strokes.

If the Emperor's mental state is strong enough to break free from the shadow of the Supreme Being, then he can break through and establish anew, and his achievements will definitely rise to a higher level. It is an alternative path to enlightenment, which is not impossible.

This is the role of an invincible mind in future cultivation, and it is also what Li Yao lacks most.

He may triumph all the way, but he will eventually encounter setbacks. After all, the universe of "Covering the Sky" is just a broken universe, and there is a much wider world outside.

Gradually, Li Yao's gaze became increasingly intense, and his mind and martial will became clearer. He underwent a transformation of his state of mind, and his body and mind reached their peak at this moment, beginning to resonate with each other.

The Heavenly Book created a flawless Dao body, with perfect magic power and primordial spirit. Coupled with various extraordinary secret techniques, whoever inhabits this body can unleash the strongest combat power.

However, the Heavenly Book is not omnipotent; it can create a flawless Dao body, but it cannot cultivate a flawless Dao heart.

This is something Li Yao needs to do himself. If he ultimately fails to cultivate a flawless Dao heart, his future achievements will be limited.

A mismatch between mind and body will prevent one from ever reaching the pinnacle. One may be able to rampage in the realm of humanity, but in the realm of immortality, one will gradually weaken and become a mere Immortal King version of Du Mu.

Both Huang and Ye possessed flawless minds. Having reached that level, they had already stood at the pinnacle of the Great Dao. To transcend, only their own hearts and will could break through everything and escape their shackles.

Li Yao calmed down and looked calmly at the sky. The Holy Emperor's battle aura no longer bothered him.

At this moment, he felt completely relaxed, and a belief within him even influenced his body, making him different from the inside out.

"boom!"

Finally, the shackles that bound him disappeared, and he stepped into the realm of divine restrictions. Without using any divine magic or relying on the Four-Colored Immortal Furnace to enhance his state, he broke through the restrictions of the Eight Forbidden Zones on his own.

"What a stroke of luck!"

Looking at himself, Li Yao felt a great sense of freedom. No matter how vast the world was, it was not as vast as the heart he felt at that moment.

"I see. The conditions for permanently residing in the Divine Forbidden Zone, besides one's own combat strength, also include one's mind."

"The shackles that bind us are never external things, but our own hearts."

He stepped into the divine forbidden zone and did not retreat, for a breath, two breaths...

A full quarter of an hour passed, and Li Yao remained in the Forbidden Domain until he felt his body and mind were exhausted and he was no longer at his peak, at which point he fell out of the Forbidden Domain.

"Roar!" At this moment, a high-pitched battle roar resounded in the sky. A fighting holy ape stood between heaven and earth, its surging battle intent condensing into a Dharma Heaven and Earth Form, roaring across the heavens and earth.

"I'm still missing an iron rod!" Li Yao thought to himself.

The Fighting Ape Clan is indestructible and possesses immense strength. With every gesture, they wield divine power, making them naturally suited to wielding heavy staffs as weapons.

This is the way of the tribe: with an iron rod in hand, one surpasses any divine magic in the world.

The Holy Emperor's battle aura vanished without a trace, and the golden hair turned into smoke and dissipated, as if it had never existed.

Everything returned to calm. If it weren't for his transformed state of mind and the people still lying on the ground, Li Yao would probably have thought that nothing had happened.

"Hey!"

High in the sky, the Holy Prince transformed into golden light and vanished, speeding towards the Holy City.

"Oh no, the Ancient King!" someone exclaimed in surprise.

But no one chased after them, nor did they dare to.

"Who knows what the Holy Emperor might have left behind? If it were to erupt, whoever goes would die." The wise people were filled with doubt and apprehension.

If it weren't for the Holy Emperor's Battle Qi, they might still be greedy, but the Holy Emperor's Battle Qi has only just appeared, and everyone is afraid that the Holy Prince might suddenly have a life-saving hair fly out from behind his head.

It should be noted that under such a fighting spirit, even powerful figures such as the Holy Lord of the Ji Family, the Holy Lord of the Jiang Family, Xu Tianxiong, the third largest bandit in the Northern Region, and the Old Daoist Chilong could only kneel down.

The Holy Prince himself possessed formidable combat power. With the enhancement of that fighting spirit, killing a supreme Holy Lord was as easy as killing a chicken. Who would dare to gamble their own life on whether the other party still had a hair's breadth of life left?

Li Yao could pursue him; he wasn't afraid of the Holy Emperor's battle aura, but there was no need. He admired that monkey, and even disregarding the Victorious Fighting Buddha, he wouldn't stop him just because he was the Holy Emperor's son.

"Thank you!"

A divine thought traveled across thousands of miles; it was the Holy Prince's divine thought. He knew very well that if Li Yao wanted to pursue him, he would never be able to do so so easily.

"You monkey, I'm not done with you yet!"

"Monkey, you owe me a huge debt!"

"Monkey, you have a terrible karmic debt with me!"

Ye Fan was nearly driven to despair. He had guessed the Holy Prince's plan, and at this moment he could only jump up and down in frustration, looking utterly dejected.

A divine source capable of enveloping the human body is a truly astonishing treasure, undoubtedly worth astronomical sums.

At the same time, he also had a question: why did his blood rush when facing the Fighting Saint Ape? Several times stronger than when facing the Divine Body?
Li Heishui was also furious, but he also had an urge to laugh. He said, "You're always the one who tricks others, but today you've been tricked by a monkey. This monkey is such a bastard. We should find an iron chain to tie it up and make fun of it."

On the other side, Nangong Qi and his group walked over, pointed at Ye Fan, and sneered.

Ye Fan was already furious and snapped, "What are you pointing at me for?"

"The monkey you cut out stole my world-shaking divine treasure—the goddess, the murderous weapon, such a large piece of divine source… nothing is left. Can you afford to compensate me?" Nangong Qi questioned.

Upon hearing this, Li Heishui flew into a rage and retorted, "We cut out the monkey, which is equivalent to winning the jade gambling war. Everything is ours. In fact, this is our loss. What does it have to do with you?!"

“What do you know, kid? Although you cut out a monkey, I also cut out a goddess, and I also got an unparalleled weapon, which is much more valuable!” Nangong Qi said coldly.

The great battle is over, but new conflicts have arisen, concerning the outcome of this renowned battle of source arts that shook the Holy City.

Ye Fan looked at him calmly and said, "The rare treasures I cut are more valuable than yours."

"Far from it. What I cut out was a divine treasure, many times more precious than yours." Nangong Qi shook his head repeatedly, his hands behind his back.

"Although you have cut out some extraordinary treasures, you are still far inferior to Grandpa Nangong!"

Several young disciples from the Yuanshu Ancient Family chimed in, all wearing cold smiles.

"You lost the battle of source techniques, you have to accept the defeat!"

"Yuan Shu is no match for Grandpa Nangong, are you going to deny it?"

Upon hearing this, Li Heishui laughed in fury and said, "You're lying through your teeth, turning black into white. What makes you think you can compare to us? What we cut out were living members of the ancient royal family. Can you even compare?"

"Although you cut out a monkey, we also cut out a goddess and an extra peerless weapon. What do you have to compare with us?" the Yuanshu Ancient Family retorted, sneering repeatedly.

"Alright, have you no shame? He's the son of an ancient emperor, possessing the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Technique and the Holy Emperor Scripture. When he grows up, he'll be able to rule the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. What do you have to compare with him?" Li Yao couldn't stand it anymore and thought these people were really shameless, so he directly rebuked them.

This is a fair statement. In terms of value alone, the Holy Prince's value is undoubtedly higher than that of the Divine Silkworm Princess.

After all, one is a lively and energetic ancient prince, while the other is an ancient king on the verge of death who needs a divine medicine to save him; their values ​​are worlds apart.

Many people showed surprise, including An Miaoyi, Yao Yuekong, Jiang Yifei, and the various holy sons.

They never expected that the high and mighty Dong Yaoguang, the ruler of the Yaoguang Holy Land, would actually step down to speak for a junior. This was somewhat unexpected for everyone.

Nangong Qi and the others turned pale, completely stunned. Their arrogance and unreasonableness were only met by those weaker than them. In front of the Holy Lord of Yaoguang, they dared not put up the slightest resistance.

"We accept our defeat." Nangong Qi bowed his head and admitted defeat.

When the Holy Lord of Yaoguang steps forward, who dares to disobey? Even if he has no reason to stand up, he still has to submit.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist!" Ye Fan stepped forward to greet him. He knew that Li Yao must have recognized him, otherwise he would not have stood up for him.

After all, these masters of source arts have good relationships with the various holy lands and would not be easily offended.

"Young Master Gu Feng, you defeated the Grandmaster of Source Arts and became famous overnight, winning millions of catties of Source. You must treat us to a meal!" An Miaoyi secretly transmitted her voice, her eyes sparkling.

Even though the holy sons and daughters were proud and arrogant, they all had their own thoughts. The other party might very well become a source master in the future, so they had to befriend him.

Moreover, judging from this situation, it seems that Gu Feng knows Yao Guang Saint Lord. In that case, who would dare to mess with Gu Feng?

Moreover, Ye Fan's Origin Techniques are astonishing, and many major sects have long wanted to win him over, so now they dare not neglect him.

"Cultivate diligently. As you know, only by overcoming that insurmountable barrier can you go further," Li Yao said meaningfully.

Apart from Li Heishui, no one present understood what he was saying.

"No, Ye Hei, you actually know the Holy Lord Yao Guang!" Li Heishui transmitted his voice in shock, his pupils widening.

"Brother Dao, you saved my life and are an upright and honorable person," Ye Fan replied in his mind.

This is why he chose Yaoguang Stone Workshop: he wanted to gain its protection and also help Yaoguang Stone Workshop select some rare treasures to cut open. After winning the bet, he would return all the treasures to Yaoguang Holy Land.

(End of this chapter)