Tian Fan felt no fear as he k!lled Jian Hongming right in front of the Yin-Yang Sect Master, causing quite a stir.
Although it was common to k!ll opponents in the martial competition, Tian Fan’s audacity in striking down his foe despite the Yin-Yang Sect Masterâs intervention shocked everyone.
âYou really dare to strike!â
The Yin-Yang Sect Master was enraged, his k!lling intent radiating as a massive hand reached out toward Tian Fan, blotting out the sky. The very space around it rippled, seemingly on the verge of shattering. Such was the power of a master from the Hunyuan Realmâa single casual move carried immense force.
âHmph, old man!â
Tian Fan scoffed, unfazed, and threw a counter punch against the enormous hand.
Bang!
The punch was incredibly powerful, with silvery light flowing around his fist, emanating the aura of the five elements. It blocked the Yin-Yang Sect Masterâs hand, and a single drop of blood fell from the sky. Though it was just one drop, it was enough to astonish everyone.
âMy god, how strong is his physical body?â
âA human-shaped divine weapon!â
Someone muttered in awe.
The Yin-Yang Sect Master was stunned, his face dark. He had actually suffered a setback, wounded by Tian Fanâs punch. He began channeling his divine power, preparing to launch another attack.
âYin Wuyue, youâve gone too far!â
Sun Shennan, enraged, produced a yellow talisman that shielded Tian Fan from the Yin-Yang Sect Master’s power. At the same time, the heads of the Fist Emperor Sect and the Flying Sword Sect appeared in flashes.
âYin-Yang Sect Master, youâre crossing the line!â
The Fist Emperor Sect Master, clad in majestic blue-gold robes, frowned and spoke with a calm yet unyielding tone.
âYou really intend to stop me from k!lling him?!â
The Yin-Yang Sect Masterâs face darkened.
âIn the Four Sect Martial Competition, life and death are left to fate; no one else is to blame. Please, cease your actions.â
The Fist Emperor Sect Masterâs voice was calm but carried an irrefutable tone.
The Flying Sword Sect Master shook his head, making it clear that no further fighting would be allowed.
As for Sun Shennan, he was ready to attack at the first sign of aggression from the Yin-Yang Sect Master.
âFine, very well! I will not let this go! Weâre leaving!â
The Yin-Yang Sect Masterâs face was dark as he glared at Tian Fan. After a harsh look at the three other Masters, he stormed off with a flick of his sleeve. With their top disciple dead and others gravely injured, the Yin-Yang Sect no longer stood a chance at winning the competition.
The Fist Emperor Sect Master watched the Yin-Yang Sect leave, gave Tian Fan a meaningful look, then vanished.
The Flying Sword Sect Master, appearing around forty, with flowing hair and clad in blue, gave Tian Fan a slight smile and nod before leaving, leaving Tian Fan somewhat bewildered.
When Tian Fan turned around, he felt a shiver of discomfort.
Sun Shennan was staring at him with gleaming eyes, nearly drooling with excitement. With a laugh, Sun Shennan rushed forward, hugging Tian Fan as he exclaimed: âHaha! What a treasure! We really struck gold this time! HahahaâŚâ
Everyone was speechless. What was the previous head of the Great Sealing Sect thinking, appointing such a character as the head?
âLet go, old man!â
Tian Fan, disgusted, shoved Sun Shennan away. Damn, he wasnât some beauty; why was this old man hugging him like that?
âHehe, got a little too excitedâŚâ
Sun Shennan laughed sheepishly, rubbing his hands together, leaving Tian Fan exasperated by his lack of dignity.
âXiao Fan!â
Li Yunyang approached and gave Tian Fan a hearty slap on the shoulder.
âCongratulations, Junior Brother, for reaching the Cloud Heaven stage. From here, the skyâs the limit, and your future is bright.â
Li Yunhua smiled sincerely, offering his heartfelt congratulations.
Sun Yueying, Zi Ying, and Di Fu stood by without saying anything but were equally happy for Tian Fan.
âThank you, thank you all!â
Tian Fan felt a surge of gratitude. He could feel that they genuinely regarded him as a member of the Great Sealing Sectâs family.
That evening, they held a celebration in Tian Fanâs room, complete with plenty of wine. Remembering his last drunken escapade, he was more controlled this time, enjoying the gathering.
Zi Ying, however, ended up drinking too much and clamored for Tian Fan to teach her the âDesire Without Traceâ technique, looking so adorable that Tian Fan had no choice but to let Sun Yueying drag her away with a dark expression.
***
Time passed quickly, and they had been at the Fist Emperor Sect for nearly a month.
The Four Sect Martial Competition continued with relentless intensity.
Di Fu, unlucky in his draw, faced the Fist Emperor Sectâs top expert after defeating a Flying Sword Sect disciple and ultimately lost after a fierce battle.
Li Yunyang was also eliminated, while Tian Fan continued to triumph, easily defeating his opponents, the strongest of whom were at the peak of the Spirit Condensation Realm, barely a match for his immense strength.
As for Li Yunhua, though he seemed gentle and refined, his ferocity in battle was startling, and he had yet to be eliminated.
The performance of the Great Sealing Sect astonished everyone. Among the remaining four contestants, two were from their sect, a leap from their former bottom position.
Sun Shennan was overjoyed, constantly eyeing Tian Fan and Li Yunhua with shining eyes, as if he were about to claim them as his grandsons.
âAll right, three days from now, Tian Fan will face the Flying Sword Sectâs top disciple, Duan Tianya. Be careful; though Duan Tianya looks like a scholar with an air of elegance, his strength is formidable, having reached the mid-stage of Cloud Heaven.â
In Tian Fanâs room, Sun Shennan spoke casually while looking at him, then turned to Li Yunhua. âSeven days from now, Yunhua, youâll face Xiang Yufei from the Fist Emperor Sect. Itâs said that heâs close to reaching the peak of Cloud Heaven, and heâs recognized as the best of the four sects, so be extremely cautious.â
After speaking, Sun Shennan suddenly grew serious, his gaze firm as he addressed them:
âOne more thing. If things get too intense, just concede or withdraw. I donât want anyone seriously injured or worse. No matter how important the sectâs honor is, your safety comes first! Understood?â
In that moment, Sun Shennanâs grave tone created a tense atmosphere, but it also moved everyone deeply. This was the true Master of the Great Sealing Sect. Though he lacked the decorum of a typical sect master, he genuinely cared for every disciple like his own child.
âThank you, Sect Master. But as a disciple of the Great Sealing Sect, I will not back down!â
Li Yunyang said earnestly, his voice full of conviction as he looked at Sun Shennan.
âDonât worry, old man. I wonât lose.â
Tian Fan rubbed his nose casually.
âGood. Do your best; Iâll be here to support you.â
Sun Shennan nodded at them, a harmonious aura filling the room. The young Zi Ying was visibly touched, moved by the warmth of this familial bond.
Another night passed on the mountains behind the Fist Emperor Sect. Tian Fan sat quietly in meditation, his eyes half-closed. The recent battles had deepened his understanding, stabilizing his cultivation at the Cloud Heaven stage.
Silver and golden auras alternated around him, sometimes dim, sometimes radiant, as the Divine Celestial Heart Technique and the Five Elements Art circulated within him.
A silver lotus platform rose beneath him, lifting him into the air. He seemed almost like a deity, exuding a holy and awe-inspiring presence. Golden light shone between his brows, and his spiritual sense expanded, covering the entire Fist Emperor Sect.
Through his spiritual sense, he saw Li Yunyang clutching a pillow in deep sleep, drooling slightly. Di Fu was polishing his sword with fanatical focus, like a martial arts fanatic. When Tian Fanâs spiritual sense passed to the next room, he blushed and quickly withdrew, slightly embarrassed.
âHuh, thatâs odd. Why did I feel like someone was watching me just now?â
In her room, Zi Ying, who was taking a bath, scrunched her nose, murmuring in confusion.
In another room, the Flying Sword Sect Master was reading a book. Suddenly, he raised his head in surprise and looked in Tian Fanâs direction with a slight smile, leaving Tian Fan stunned. As expected of a sect master, his spiritual perception was remarkable.
Observing the entire Fist Emperor Sect felt strange, though the large-scale release of spiritual sense was also mentally taxing. Retracting his vast spiritual energy into his brow, Tian Fan rose to his feet, wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, and began to descend the mountain.
Little did he know that, not far away, a pair of eyes had been watching him all along, never wavering.
Sponsor Chapters at the Patreon Shop: Along with BuymeaCoffee where you can use your local currency, the Shop section on Patreon can be used as a way to make a one-time-payment. I will be creating products in the Shop section with the title of the webnovels. It will only have an image as the product, but it will count as the payment for the Sponsored Chapters.
For example: You will buy the product with the title “Flower Stealing Master” to sponsor a chapter for the novel. As far as I know, you can buy the same product multiple times, so you should be able to sponsor as many chapters you want. I hope it was easy to understand.
Introducing CN WN Bundle ($15) for those who prefer to read only CN webnovels. This bundle gives you access to all the advance chapters of the Chinese Webnovels on Goblinslate immediately, and will stay ahead of the regular release for the month! Get it on Patreon!
That means, you get:
FSM â Four Advance Chapters! ($10)
DCFD â Two Advance Chapters! ($5)
AM â Two Advance Chapters! ($5)
IDT â Two Advance Chapters! ($5)