Gaze and you will become stronger: starting from Doupo

A drop of blood hung above the immortal tomb, crystal clear, yet seemingly containing the mysteries of the entire universe. It swirled gently, refracting countless lights and shadows, as if reflecting endless scenes from the past, present, and future. Each light and shadow was an independent fragment, depicting the primordial wilderness, the golden age of immortals in the Middle Ages, the raging wars of the modern era, and the unknown mists of the future, dazzling the eyes and stirring the soul.

It was like a world unto itself, filled with the deafening shouts of battle and the incessant clash of swords and spears, as if a vast army were waging war within it. Upon closer inspection, the figures in battle were all incredibly powerful, unimaginable figures: there were angels with wings on their backs, demons with horns on their heads, celestial generals riding divine dragons, and sorcerers wielding bone staffs. Each clash between them unleashed a world-destroying force, causing this small world to tremble violently, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.

Around the immortal tomb, countless cultivators stared unblinkingly at the drop of blood, or more precisely, at the man behind it. Their breathing quickened, their eyes filled with awe, curiosity, and shock, as if afraid to miss a single detail.

The man's figure remained indistinct, shrouded in a thick mist, his face obscured. Yet, his towering stature stood proudly between heaven and earth, exuding an aura of supreme authority. Above his head hung an ancient cauldron, its surface engraved with patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and vegetation, radiating a vast and ancient aura. Wisps of primordial energy cascaded from the cauldron, subtly resonating with the primordial energy of all things within Jiang Han's sea of ​​consciousness. Simultaneously, it shimmered with the brilliance of nine kinds of immortal metals: gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, jade, stone, crystal, and amber—each dazzling and radiating a powerful pressure.

Just as everyone was marveling at him, he moved. He slowly lowered his head, casting his gaze upon the little one. That gaze seemed to pierce through the barriers of time and space, traversing the endless river of years, carrying an indescribable weight and vicissitude. His eyes were incredibly deep, like two starry skies containing countless secrets, or like two ancient wells connecting the past and the future, as if conveying to the little one unspeakable mysterious information and ancient traditions.

However, the little boy was still young and his cultivation was low, so he couldn't perceive the deeper meaning in that gaze, nor could he fathom what message the other person wanted to convey. He only felt that the gaze was warm, like a long-lost relative looking at him, but it also carried a hint of heaviness that he couldn't understand.

"Master, is he talking to me?" The little boy stretched out his fair little hand, pointed at the illusory man, and looked up at Jiang Han, his eyes filled with deep confusion. He had a strong feeling that the other party seemed to have something very important to him, but he felt as if he were separated by a thick layer of glass, unable to understand it at all.

"Separated by the long river of time, not belonging to this place, it cannot be explained..."

Just then, all the cultivators seemed to hear thunder from the heavens above, accompanied by the roar of the supreme immortal tribulation. A faint, ethereal voice came from the phantom man's mouth and entered everyone's ears.

"Did he...did he speak?" A cultivator rubbed his ears, asking incredulously, fearing he was hallucinating.

“That’s right, he spoke! Across the vast river of time, what… what does this mean! Could it be that he’s not from this era?” another cultivator interjected, his face filled with shock and confusion.

Countless cultivators were shocked by these words. They stared intently at the illusory man, their ears perked up, holding their breath, wanting to hear clearly and eager to know more secrets.

However, bathed in the sky full of lightning, the man's expression became complicated. His brows furrowed, as if he were resisting some terrifying power, and a look of pain appeared on his face. He then fell silent. The celestial tribulation surrounding him grew increasingly violent, as if it wanted to completely obliterate this phantom.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the illusory man seemed to have made up his mind. He waved his hands in the air, and countless mysterious runes flowed from his fingertips, creating a breathtaking scene in the air.

The scene depicted a horrific battlefield. The sky was gray, the earth cracked, and the air thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder. The corpses of gods and demons lay scattered haphazardly, some decapitated, some reduced to minced meat, some their very souls annihilated, leaving only broken magical artifacts and weapons flickering faintly. Blood stained the heavens and the earth, even turning the flowing rivers crimson; the sight was so terrifying it sent chills down one's spine.

Above the battlefield, several figures stood proudly, fighting against a group of enemies of various shapes and exuding an aura of destruction.

One of them held a massive bronze bell, its long, resonant tolling through the river of time. With each chime, countless enemies were reduced to ashes in the turbulent currents of time. He was casting spells in battle, his form shifting unpredictably, sometimes appearing in the past, sometimes leaping into the future. Fragments of spacetime rained down like raindrops, seemingly capable of influencing everything from the past to the present.

The other was a peerless empress, clad in a seven-colored fairy dress, possessing unparalleled beauty and a cold, aloof demeanor. She wielded a strange celestial artifact, capable of freely changing form: sometimes a sharp longsword cleaving the heavens; sometimes a dazzling halo protecting against countless attacks; sometimes a mysterious mask concealing her face, preventing enemies from discerning her true nature. Each of her attacks was accompanied by the radiance of the Great Dao, displaying boundless power.

There was another man, a plump Taoist priest, wearing a faded robe. His round belly gave him a憨态可掬 (endearing but simple-minded) appearance, yet he was incredibly agile. Surprisingly, his face bore a striking resemblance to the chubby boy Cao Yusheng, especially their squinting eyes and the identical smile. He held a whisk, and with each wave, countless golden rays flew out, vanquishing demons and monsters with formidable power.

The fourth person was a man wielding a large cauldron; he was the same illusory figure from before. Now, his features were clearer—it was Ye Fan! He was like an invincible celestial emperor, looking down upon his enemies. The large cauldron in his hand continuously unleashed devastating attacks, each strike reducing large numbers of enemies to dust. With each step, a massive spiral fruit behind him resonated with him, releasing terrifying lightning power. This lightning power was even more terrifying than Jiang Han's Rumble-Rumble Fruit, carrying an aura of destruction and purification, turning all evil to ashes.

……

What exactly is he trying to tell us?

"Where is the battlefield he created? And why is it so devastating!"

"Could it be in the borderlands? Only in the borderlands would there be a battle of this scale!"

"What level of battle is this?! So many powerful figures have fallen!"

……

Watching the scene unfold before their eyes, everyone was utterly astonished, their faces filled with fear and shock. The battle depicted was terrifying, like the end of the world, making them feel their own insignificance and powerlessness. "Father...Master..."

If anyone experienced the most dramatic emotional shift, it was Ye Qingxian. The moment the drop of blood appeared, her beautiful eyes reddened, her heart filled with a strange tremor. Especially when the illusory man appeared and the battle unfolded, she could no longer hold back, choking back sobs, her voice trembling, large tears uncontrollably sliding down her cheeks, dripping onto the ground and splashing tiny droplets. She sensed a familiar aura emanating from that figure—the unique aura of her father, Ye Tiandi. She hadn't expected to "see" her father in this way, nor had she imagined he was experiencing such a terrifying battle.

Above the immortal tomb, the illusory figure of Ye Fan seemed to sense Ye Qingxian's emotions, his gaze towards her filled with deep pity and profound apology. He seemed to want to say something to comfort his daughter, but in the end, it only turned into a silent sigh, his eyes filled with helplessness. He knew that his own situation was also difficult, and he was unable to offer his daughter any substantial help.

The illusory Ye Fan shifted his gaze from Ye Qingxian and when it landed on Jiang Han, his figure visibly trembled, and his eyes revealed excitement, awe, and a trace of guilt.

"Master..."

Despite enduring the erosion of the Supreme Immortal Tribulation, the illusory Ye Fan once again uttered faint syllables, his voice hoarse and strained. Then he bowed deeply to Jiang Han to express his respect.

Boom!

The illusory Ye Fan seemed to want to say something, but the Immortal Tribulation Light was too terrifying, relentlessly eroding his phantom like a bone-deep infection. Moreover, this was merely a manifestation of a drop of his blood, its power limited, and he could no longer utter the remaining words. His figure began to blur, and the light grew dimmer, as if it would completely dissipate at any moment.

"Little Ye, I know what you want to say. This is your tribulation, your destiny. When the moment of no return arrives, I will intervene." Jiang Han looked at the illusory Ye Fan, feigning composure, and spoke in an extremely calm tone. But only he knew that seeing Ye Fan's illusory form in the Perfect World still shocked him immensely. Judging from the Thunder Fruit manifested behind Ye Fan, Ye Fan had clearly developed it to its full potential, even incorporating his own Dao. In terms of power, it far surpassed the level he had initially developed to 100%. Obviously, Ye Fan at this moment came from countless years in the future, and he had become indescribably powerful, probably reaching the realm of Immortal King or even higher.

"Did you hear that? That woman is actually his daughter!"

"He actually called Hongjun Ancestor Master! So Hongjun Ancestor really is his master!"

"My God, all these complicated relationships! My head is spinning!"

"No wonder Ancestor Hongjun is so powerful. Even Emperor Ye is his disciple. Just how terrifying must his strength be!"

……

Not only the cultivators, but even the five overlords, including the Gluttonous King and the Old Celestial, were somewhat bewildered, their faces filled with disbelief. They never expected that these legendary figures would have such a close connection; it completely overturned their understanding.

"Master, so he... he's my senior brother Ye Fan!" The little boy was stunned for a moment, carefully examining the illusory face of Ye Fan. Remembering Jiang Han's earlier introduction, he finally came to his senses. His mouth gaped open, his eyes wide, staring at the illusory man in astonishment, his heart filled with shock. He hadn't expected his senior brother to be so powerful, practically like a legendary deity.

The illusory Ye Fan's gaze returned to the little one. He shook his head, seemingly sighing over something. After a long sigh, his figure finally gave way, turning into starlight and disappearing. Then, a drop of blood slowly floated up, as if guided, and gradually disappeared into the little one's body.

"Master, this...this..." Little Dot exclaimed in surprise, feeling a warm and powerful force surge into his body, flowing through his limbs and bones, making him feel warm all over. His tense mood relaxed, but he was still a little worried, wondering what effect this drop of blood would have on him.

"Don't worry, your Senior Brother Ye Fan won't harm you. This drop of essence blood contains a portion of his original power and insights, which will greatly benefit your growth and help you lay a more solid foundation." Jiang Han smiled and pinched the little one's cheek, his eyes filled with satisfaction. He could feel that the drop of essence blood was nourishing the little one's body and soul, further stimulating his potential.

"Don't cry, you'll both be alright. It won't be long before you're reunited with Xiao Yezi. That day isn't far off." Jiang Han turned around and comforted Ye Qingxian, whose eyes were red and tears were streaming down her face. He knew Ye Qingxian was worried about her father's safety, so he reassured her with a reassuring tone, giving her a glimmer of hope.

Ye Qingxian raised her head and looked at Jiang Han, her eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty: "Grandmaster, is it true?"

Jiang Han nodded: "Of course it's true. Your father is my good disciple. He won't fall down so easily. Besides, there's Little One. When he grows up, he will definitely become your father's capable assistant and help him overcome difficulties."

Hearing Jiang Han's words, Ye Qingxian calmed down a little. She wiped away her tears, nodded, and looked at the little boy with a determined gaze. She knew that she had to protect her junior uncle and ensure his healthy growth.

Rumble rumble rumble—!
Just as all the cultivators present were still focused on Jiang Han and his group, deeply shocked by what had just happened, a loud and urgent horn suddenly sounded from the end of the long river. This horn sound was different from the ones before; it carried an unprecedented sense of urgency and crisis, as if summoning all the powerful warriors to their deaths.

"That voice... it's a summons from the frontier!" (End of Chapter)