The Qin Mountain Range was no less than a million miles in circumference and could be said to be boundlessly vast. But relatively speaking, it was only a small corner of the western region of the Central Prefecture.
This was a mysterious ancient land. It was very difficult for the outside world to understand it. There were many legends about experts who were extremely powerful, yet not many people knew about them.
Some said that in the past, there was an ancient saint who was unrivalled under the heavens. He roamed through the five great regions and in the end, he was beaten to the ground by an old man who was herding sheep.
Even in the recent ancient times, a similar thing happened twenty thousand years ago. Eight supreme experts came to the Qin Mountain Range in search of the ancient past and were all thrown into the lake by a fisherman.
This was an ancient land with its own unique inheritance. To the people of the outside world, it was very mysterious and shrouded in a layer of fog.
The Qin Mountain Range spanned a million miles and there were many mountain ranges everywhere. There was once someone who excavated the tombs of twelve ancient emperors within half a year.
This land was extraordinary. After some emperors died, they would always think of ways to bury themselves in the Qin Mountain Range, causing people to be puzzled.
Some said that this was a land connected to immortality. According to the legends, there were people who once ascended to immortality.
There were even some who said that this was an incomprehensible land with many tombs underground. There were people cultivating there, seeking to verify their Daos, unknown to the outside world.
There were too many secrets regarding the Qin Mountain Range. There were even people who claimed that the Azure Emperor was born in the Qin Mountain Range and only left for the Eastern Barren Lands after that.
There was a legend saying that there was an Immortal Transformation Pool in the Qin Mountain Range. Thirty thousand years ago, an azure lotus gained sentience and transformed into a human form. After that, it grew step by step and eventually became the world-shaking Azure Emperor Physique.
"There are many hidden experts in the Qin Mountain Range, and there are many tombs underground …" This was the conclusion Ye Fan came to after a period of time.
Although he saw Li Xiaoman, it was impossible for him to acknowledge her. Hence, he chose to stay behind and roam this ancient land, silently observing, wanting to find traces of Hua Yunfei.
The declining small sect occupied four small mountains and had a total of only twenty people. It could be said to be pitifully small. Li Xiaoman was a disciple of one of the mountains.
Ye Fan had observed them from afar and felt that something was strange. The cultivation bases of these people were all uneven. The weakest was only at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm, while the strongest was at the first level of immortal-foundation.
"That's not right. How could such a small declining sect have a Grand Elder of the Holy Land …"
Moreover, he discovered that there were two or three disciples who were extremely powerful. Their cultivation had reached the Dragon Transformation Realm, and they were not any weaker than the young experts of the Qishi Manor. This was really strange.
These people were all concealing their cultivation, and ordinary people would not be able to see through them at all. Only Ye Fan, who had cultivated the Divine Eyes of Origin, could see through the falsehood and see through the source of their cultivation.
"It's not simple at all. There must be a reason behind it. I have to be careful." Ye Fan stayed and understood everything in detail. He learned that this declining small sect was called the Qin Sect. This place was only a branch, and could also be considered an outer sect.
"Such a small outer sect actually has a first-level immortal-foundation expert …" He felt that this was inconceivable.
The Qin Sect wasn't very large, with only a little over a hundred members. There were four branches in the North, South, East, and West, which were the so-called Outer Sect.
The main sect was located in the center of this mountainous region, and it was only twenty to thirty li away from the North, South, East, and West branches.
In this region, there were some scattered villages, and all of them were ordinary commoners. There were some naughty children who would often run up the mountain to play, and no one cared about them.
One could say that this declining small sect with only a hundred members didn't have any strict rules. It looked very relaxed, and didn't seem like a secret sect at all.
"The Nine Secrets is in this small sect?"
In the Qin Sect, the Sect Leader's bloodline had the surname Qin, and they seemed to have no connection with the Cai Clan.
The only thing that made people suspicious was that this declining small sect actually had a history of several thousand years. Compared to the mortal world, it was unknown how many dynasties had passed through.
The nearby villages had no idea how long the Qin Sect could be traced back. Because it was too ancient, it was as though it had existed since the era of their ancestors.
"Not because of the Cai surname, but a small sect with such a long history …"
Ye Fan was very cautious. During these few days, he had been observing. Other than Li Xiaoman's southern branch, the eastern, western, and northern branches were similar. There were experts at the first layer of immortal-foundation, and there were one or two disciples from the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm.
This exceeded common sense. Even for a peak-level sect, it was only at this level. With so few people, how could the number of young disciples be so high?
Finally, he stealthily approached the main peak, wanting to see the strength of the main sect.
Although it was called the main peak, it was actually only over a thousand meters tall. It was two to three hundred meters taller compared to the surrounding mountains. It didn't exude a majestic aura, nor did it exude any majestic aura. It was extremely ordinary and ordinary.
In fact, it was somewhat similar to the small Daoist temple where the old Sage was. It looked ordinary and ordinary, but there was a hint of returning to one's natural state.
Not long after, Ye Fan's heart pounded. He discovered a supreme existence meditating in front of the main peak, not moving at all.
"Is this really a small sect? I just arrived at the main peak and I already saw a supreme existence! "
He was astonished. There was a stretch of buildings on this small mountain. Could there be even more powerful characters, or even a few supreme existences?
Ye Fan didn't take a step closer. This kind of character's spiritual sense was extraordinary, and he would be sensed if he wasn't careful. If it wasn't for the golden lake between his brows being baptized by the thunder tribulation, and his extremely powerful divine sense, as well as the Heavenly God Technique, he would've been discovered long ago.
"This is a hidden sect!"
Now, he could already confirm that this seemingly declining small sect was extraordinary and had an unknown secret. Even though it wasn't surnamed Cai, it was most likely worth stopping here.
In the next few days, Ye Fan carefully read the county and prefecture annals of this area. He discovered that there was a famous surname in this area in the past — Cai.
Unfortunately, this surname had moved away in an unknown era, and its whereabouts were unknown.
"The old land of the Cai Clan …"
Not long after, Ye Fan inadvertently discovered an ancient book in the library of a local prominent clan, and he learned even more from it.
In an extremely ancient era, there was only one major surname in this area, which was the Cai Clan. For some unknown reason, the entire clan had moved away 30,000 years ago, and since then, they had disappeared.
"30,000 years ago, wasn't that the time when the legendary Azure Emperor took human form and attained dao?"
The Cai Clan had lived in the Qinling Mountains in the past, and there was a rumor that the Azure Emperor had also come from this area, originating from the Immortal Transformation Pool.
"There's an eighty to ninety percent chance that the Qin Sect is from the Cai Clan. They've returned to their homeland, but they've changed their appearance. However, the Azure Emperor passed away in meditation 10,000 years ago. What are they afraid of? "
Ye Fan didn't discover any traces of Hua Yunfei, but he believed that he should be nearby, or even within the Qin Sect.
"He most likely has a secret treasure on him that can isolate his aura. Even my Heavenly God Eyes can't see through him. This is very troublesome."
Ye Fan considered it over and over again. He felt that he could only join the Qin Sect and slowly search for the Nine Secrets. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to approach openly.
The Southern Mountain Range where Li Xiaoman was located should be avoided. If not, if she discovered any traces of him, the consequences would be dire.
The few branches were only tens of miles apart, and there would definitely be times when they would meet. But as long as he didn't reveal his old habits, there shouldn't be any problems with the Heaven and Earth Transformation Art he learned from the Heavenly Origin Book.
In the Eastern Mountain Range of the Qin Sect, there were three short mountains. There were four elders and fifteen disciples, as well as several hundred chickens, ducks and geese.
Ye Fan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. There was clearly a first-layer immortal-foundation expert guarding this place, yet there were several hundred animals being reared. It was like the mortal world.
As to why he chose this place, it was because the Eastern Mountain Range was about to accept disciples. Coincidentally, this was an opportunity, and he wanted to fish in troubled waters.
"Doggy child, after you ascend the mountain, you have to cultivate well. Don't steal goose eggs anymore. This is your sect now." A hunter stared at his child.
Ye Fan was somewhat speechless. There were four snot-nosed children who followed him up the mountain, and they were all children from the village at the foot of the mountain. When they had nothing better to do, they actually ran up the mountain to play. And now, they were actually going to become disciples.
The Qin Sect was simply too unscrupulous when it came to accepting disciples. He really didn't know what to say. They were all children from the vicinity, and there was no such thing as picking on their roots.
"A hidden sect can't be judged by common sense …" Qin Wentian could only mutter to himself. The snot-nosed children were only six to seven years old, and they were all staring at him with curiosity.
Ye Fan truly felt a little uneasy. He was about to become fellow apprentice brothers with a bunch of little kids. Luckily, not long after, two more people ascended the mountain, and they also wanted to take him as their master.
One of them was around eighteen or nineteen years old, and had a refined and scholarly appearance. He was dressed like a scholar, and exuded a scholarly aura. The other person was over fifty years old, and his hair was sparse. He was emaciated, and had a sickly appearance. Even his beard had turned white, and he actually came here to cultivate.
The Eastern Qin Sect did not reject anyone, and all of them were accepted. The four snot-nosed children, in addition to Ye Fan's group of three, made up a total of seven disciples.
Faintly, Ye Fan felt that the scholar and the sickly old man were not simple. However, in front of others, he didn't want to casually use the Heaven Origin Divine Eyes to probe them.
"This hidden sect is completely unafraid of these people, and they dare to accept anyone who comes. This is enough to prove their confidence."
This was what Qin Wentian truly felt after staying on the mountain for a few days. That scholar was an expert from the Dragon Transformation Realm, and that sickly old man was actually a unique cultivator who only cultivated in a single secret realm. This was the first time he saw such a person, and his strength was not easy to estimate.
Ye Fan was speechless. The small Eastern Qin Sect only had three short mountains, and a total of over twenty people. Apart from the scholar and sickly old man, there were also two other young cultivators from the Dragon Transformation Realm.
"If word of this got out, it would scare people to death. This hidden sect, with a few branches added together, the quality of their disciples could almost be compared to a sacred ground."
There were only over a hundred people in total, and yet they had such achievements. It was like a fantasy, and no one would believe it if word of this got out.
"These people are most likely the same as me, and found the Qi of the Nine Secrets through some kind of clue …"
After Ye Fan understood in detail, he felt that there were many hidden dragons and crouching tigers in this small place, and it was hard to guess who the most outstanding inheritors of the supreme sects were.
"Boom!"
Not far away, smoke and dust soared into the sky, and immediately after, chickens flew and dogs jumped. A snot-nosed child ran out from the chicken coop, crying.
"Senior Brother, save me …"
"What's wrong, doggy?" Ye Fan asked with a smile.
"Little Shitou and the rest fell into a cave, and there is a vermillion coffin inside …" The four snot-nosed children were as mischievous as before. They ran to steal the egg, and in the end, the ground inexplicably cracked, and they fell into the cave.
Many people on the mountain were alarmed, and they rushed over. When they saw the scene, they were all shocked. There was actually an underground ancient tomb in the open.
Ye Fan couldn't help but to sigh in admiration. Indeed, there were many ancient tombs in the Qin Mountain Range, and there was even one in the middle of the mountain. How strange.
"I pay my respects to Senior Uncle …" Before the dust settled, a beautiful silhouette descended from the sky. Li Xiaoman came to the Eastern Qin Sect, and she paid her respects to the Mountain Lord of the first-layer immortal-foundation layer.
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