The Yamata no Orochi, an exotic beast from the Island of Sakura, was brought to the Nine Provinces in secret, and initially, no one paid it any mind.
Especially in the northeastern region, due to the ongoing warfare, the Yamata no Orochi caused the demise of an entire village without anyone noticing. It wasn't until a cultivator, passing through a large mountain range to cultivate, discovered the Yamata no Orochi devouring a group of people.
Upon seeing the Yamata no Orochi, the cultivator was shocked. He prepared to alert other cultivators, but he was detected by the beast.
Despite the scarcity of spiritual energy, human lives served as nourishment for the Yamata no Orochi, allowing it to cultivate and break through its limits at an astonishing pace. The cultivator and the Yamata no Orochi clashed in the forest for seven days and seven nights. In the end, the cultivator was cornered by the Yamata no Orochi. He expended all his remaining strength in a desperate battle, ultimately perishing from exhaustion.
With his last ounce of energy, he used his jade token to transmit news of the Yamata no Orochi to his sect.
Upon learning of the Yamata no Orochi, the cultivator's sect spread the word across several minor cultivation worlds. Within half a month, a group of cultivators had assembled and departed to hunt down and slay the beast.
However, the Yamata no Orochi was already incredibly powerful at that time. Though it possessed eight heads and one body, each head functioned as an independent entity, with the weakest being at the late Foundation Establishment stage and the strongest at the middle Core Formation stage.
When this group of cultivators arrived, they expected to hunt the Yamata no Orochi, but instead, they became prey. All of them were consumed by the beast, their essence becoming fuel for its advancement.
All cultivators agreed that allowing the Yamata no Orochi to grow unchecked was a grave threat. Consequently, many cultivators convened once more, and this time, the ranks included powerful individuals at the Core Formation stage.
Yet, among the forces gathered in the Nine Provinces, a traitor emerged. This individual relayed information about their plans to the Island of Sakura. The cultivators from the Island of Sakura then used the Yamata no Orochi as bait to set a trap, marking the beginning of a brutal conflict.
The people of the Island of Sakura launched a coordinated assault on the cultivators of the Nine Provinces, resulting in devastating losses for their side.
After more than a month of intense fighting within the mountains, with cultivators' bodies scattered across the landscape, the Yamata no Orochi continuously devoured these fallen warriors, absorbing their vital energy. This surge of power allowed the beast to break through to the late Core Formation stage.
Finally, reinforcements from the Core Formation stage arrived and engaged in a fierce battle with the cultivators from the Island of Sakura. The Yamata no Orochi, now at the late Core Formation stage, possessed a hide as impenetrable as a Earth-grade defensive artifact, rendering ordinary attacks ineffective.
The cultivators from both the Island of Sakura and the Nine Provinces, who were at the Core Formation stage, dwindled in number. Eventually, all the cultivators from the Island of Sakura perished.
The remaining nine Core Formation stage cultivators, none of whom had reached the late stage, faced immense pressure from the Yamata no Orochi.
"Our fortune lay in the fact that one of the cultivators at the time carried an item—the Dragon Emperor Token," Ye Qingyi explained. "It is said that the Dragon Emperor Token contains the essence of the ancestral dragon of the Nine Provinces. As one of the progenitors of all beasts, it held a practically overwhelming advantage against the Yamata no Orochi."
As she spoke, Ye Qingyi's expression darkened.
"Did something else happen?" Ye Bufan inquired.
"The one who previously tipped off the people of the Island of Sakura was one of those remaining nine," Ye Qingyi revealed.
Under the traitor's sneak attack, the remaining eight cultivators were severely wounded. However, they could not afford to let the Yamata no Orochi continue its growth, lest the entire Nine Provinces fall.
In the end, the eight cultivators collectively sacrificed their lives, fully activating the Dragon Emperor Token. The energy contained within the token not only eliminated the traitor but also severed the heads of the Yamata no Orochi.
Unfortunately, by the time their life force was completely expended, not all of its heads had been severed.
Ye Qingyi's story concluded, but Ye Bufan noticed a significant inconsistency.
Ye Qingyi had stated she was present at the scene back then. If those eight cultivators perished from exhaustion, how was the Yamata no Orochi sealed? And by whom?
Sensing Ye Bufan's discovery of the discrepancy, Ye Qingyi dismissed everyone else, asking Ye Bufan to stay.
"I know you've found a problem," Ye Qingyi said. "However, this matter is a secret. When the time is right, I will tell you exactly what happened."
Ye Bufan nodded. It was evident that the sealing of the Yamata no Orochi likely involved Ye Qingyi in some capacity.
Afterward, Ye Qingyi reverted to her usual cheerful demeanor. "Don't rush, Ye Ge. Qingcheng and I are also heading there. You can accompany us. Also, see if there's anything you need. I'll instruct them to prepare it for you."
Ye Bufan shook his head. The items he required were mostly within his spatial artifact.
After spending a day at the City Lord's mansion, Ye Bufan, accompanied by Ye Qingyi and Ye Qingcheng, departed from the underground city.
This time, Ye Qingcheng guided everyone through a different exit from the underground city. There, they were greeted by a very large private jet.
Ye Bufan blinked in surprise. Ye Qingcheng chuckled and said, "This is one of our City Lord's assets. With this, traveling anywhere in the country is incredibly convenient. If my sister hadn't confined me, I would have flown off somewhere interesting by now."
And so, Ye Bufan boarded the plane belonging to the Ye sisters and was transported to the city indicated by Ji Feiyang.
Upon arrival, the Ye sisters arranged for an off-road vehicle, and they sped towards the location of the Yamata no Orochi without delay.
"Roar—"
As they approached the outer perimeter of the mountain range, a faint roar echoed from its depths.
Ye Bufan, Ye Qingyi, and Ye Qingcheng exchanged glances. Ye Qingcheng spoke, "It seems the Yamata no Orochi is growing impatient."
"After the battle back then, it was already severely wounded. Even with the sacrifice of eighty-one Yin-attuned individuals, its strength could not have fully recovered. Back then, we faced eight serpent heads with varying levels of power. This time, we only need to deal with one. Regardless of its current strength, it's not what it was in the past," Ye Qingyi stated.
...
Deep within the mountain, on the outskirts of a bottomless sinkhole, countless explosive charges were strategically placed.
Ji Feiyang watched the fiery explosions within the sinkhole. This was their thirty-seventh detonation, and bombs were now being dropped into the sinkhole at regular intervals, their purpose being to buy time.
Earlier, when they encountered the people from the Island of Sakura, a major battle had erupted. Fortunately, the Nine Provinces had a Grand Martial Saint among them, otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.