Nearly six days had passed since the final battle ended, yet Tian Fan remained unconscious, in a deep coma. The last move he used against Xiang Yufei was indeed terrifying, but it had taken a tremendous toll on him, leaving his True Qi nearly depleted.
The members of the Great Sealing Sect were all extremely anxious. After careful observation, Sun Shennan reassured them that Tian Fan was not in critical condition. His True Qi was merely exhausted, and he would awaken in eight or nine days at the earliest or half a month at the latest. This brought a collective sigh of relief, especially from Minmin and Yiyi, who had shed countless tears over him.
After the relief came boundless joy. For so long, the Great Sealing Sect had always been ranked last among the Four Sects, but this time, thanks to Tian Fan, they had risen to the top—something they had never dared to dream of before!
As the saying goes, some rejoice while others grieve. While the Great Sealing Sect celebrated, others found it hard to share their happiness.
“Ah, Brother Hua, you’re so generous! So, when will those 3,000 Gold taels be delivered?”
Sun Shennan grinned slyly, rubbing his hands as he looked at Hua Tianyu, the sect master of the Flying Sword Sect.
“You’ll get them! I’ll have them sent to you right away, and may they crush you!”
The usually calm and composed Hua Tianyu now wore a dark expression, glaring venomously at Sun Shennan. The disciples of the Flying Sword Sect standing behind him stifled their laughter, not daring to make a sound.
“Ah, Brother Hua, take care! I’ll be waiting for you to come over for tea!”
Sun Shennan waved at Hua Tianyu’s retreating back, further infuriating him. Gritting his teeth, Hua Tianyu muttered curses under his breath. Losing those 3,000 Gold taels stung, especially since he had been confident that Xiang Yufei would defeat Tian Fan. Now, all he could feel was despair. If the ancient elders of his sect learned the truth, they would surely skin him alive.
Three days later, Tian Fan finally woke from his coma. The first thing he felt was an overwhelming hunger. He quickly got dressed, but the moment he opened the door, a figure collided with him, sending his still-weak body tumbling to the ground.
“Huh? So soft…”
Zi Ying muttered in confusion. Then, upon seeing the person beneath him, he nervously glanced around, his guilty expression betraying him. Tian Fan lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes spinning in little circles.
“Hey, slow down when you eat! No one’s going to snatch it from you!”
In the kitchen of the Fist Emperor Sect, Zi Ying propped her chin on her hand, watching Tian Fan voraciously devour the roasted chicken and goose in front of him. Her playful demeanor made her look especially endearing.
“Mmph… Mm?… Mmph!!”
Tian Fan, with a chicken leg in one hand and a duck neck in the other, grunted in response while stuffing his mouth. Suddenly, he noticed Xiao Hua gnawing on a roasted lamb leg nearby. Infuriated, he pointed at the gluttonous tiger, shouting in protest.
Xiao Hua glanced at him nonchalantly before resuming its “honorable” task of clearing the table.
The two junior disciples in charge of the kitchen were on the verge of tears. The sheer amount this human-and-tiger duo ate was overwhelming, leaving them struggling to keep up.
“Burp…”
Finally, Tian Fan let out a satisfied belch and patted his now-rounded belly contentedly.
“Xiao Fan… you really can eat!”
When Li Yunyang arrived in the kitchen and saw the scene, he was utterly dumbfounded.
“Hehe, just average…”
Tian Fan scratched his head sheepishly. He had single-handedly devoured enough food for twenty people.
“Ha! No worries! The Fist Emperor Sect is rich. Eat as much as you like, and if you can’t finish, take it with you!”
Li Yunyang laughed heartily, grabbing a chicken leg from the table. His action earned a fierce glare from Xiao Hua, while the kitchen disciples nearly stumbled, barely stopping themselves from overturning the large iron pot onto his head.
Thanks to Zi Ying’s transmission, everyone in the Great Sealing Sect learned of Tian Fan’s recovery. The twin sisters, Minmin and Yiyi, were especially overjoyed, circling Tian Fan with endless chatter.
Hearing the news, Sun Shennan instructed them to prepare for departure. They had lingered at the Fist Emperor Sect for three months due to the Four Sects Martial Gathering, and it was time to return. Who knew what kind of mess those brats back at the sect might have caused?
“Safe travels…”
The next day, the Fist Emperor Sect Master personally came to see them off.
“No need to send us off.”
Sun Shennan replied plainly. At their level of cultivation, words were few, and partings were simple. The group chatted briefly as they descended the mountain. Minmin and Yiyi were the happiest of all, excited about heading to the place that would become their new home.
“Hm?…”
At the mountain path’s entrance stood a man clad in gold, his head bandaged. His cold, resolute face turned toward Tian Fan as he spoke.
“Next time we meet, I won’t lose to you!”
It seemed he had been waiting for Tian Fan. He stepped forward, meeting Tian Fan’s gaze with a low, determined tone.
“You’re strong, but I won’t lose to you either!”
Tian Fan smiled faintly, his voice calm yet firm as he looked at Xiang Yufei’s stoic face.
Xiang Yufei gave him a deep, penetrating look before turning and heading toward the depths of the Fist Emperor Sect.
“What’s with that guy? Xiao Fan, just how strong is he?”
Li Yunyang placed a hand on Tian Fan’s shoulder, curiosity brimming in his question.
“Very strong. Exceptionally strong!”
Tian Fan replied.
“Strong? But he still lost to you!”
Li Yunyang spoke casually, and the others nodded in agreement.
“No, he’s stronger than me. If I don’t go all out, I stand no chance of winning against him!”
Looking at Li Yunyang, Tian Fan, uncharacteristically serious, spoke in a solemn tone.
“What? That last move of yours was going all out?”
Li Yunyang’s words were filled with surprise, and the others were even more shocked. Even Sun Shennan turned his curious gaze toward Tian Fan.
“What do you think? Otherwise, why do you think I was unconscious for so many days?”
Tian Fan rolled his eyes, wondering if this guy thought he was somehow controlling the heavenly tribulation to attack Xiang Yufei.
“Hehe, well, that’s nothing. But, hehe, you better be mentally prepared when we return this time!”
Li Yunyang chuckled mischievously. The other members of the Great Sealing Sect smiled, while Tian Fan, Zi Ying, and Minmin displayed puzzled expressions.
“You’ll find out when we get there!”
Li Yunyang gave a mysterious smile, and the group began their journey back.
When Tian Fan returned to the Great Sealing Sect, he finally understood what Li Yunyang meant by “mental preparation.” Ahead, a massive crowd had gathered, with all the disciples of the Great Sealing Sect standing before the main hall. As they caught sight of the group’s return, they swarmed forward like a tidal wave.
“Our hero! The hero has returned!”
Before Tian Fan could process what was happening, a large group of disciples surrounded him, lifting him high into the air.
“Hero…”
The atmosphere on the Great Sealing Sect’s plaza was filled with joy. Everyone gathered around Tian Fan, tossing him into the air repeatedly. Their enthusiasm even made Sun Shennan sweat; as the sect leader, he had never received such treatment. Of course, seeing his disciples so united made him genuinely happy.
That evening, the Great Sealing Sect held a grand celebration. Torches blazed, wine flowed, and delicacies abounded. During the festivities, several female disciples openly expressed their admiration for Tian Fan, leaving him flustered and at a loss for words.
“Oh my, little Tian Tian, hurry up! While your fame is still fresh, find yourself a girl to marry. Otherwise, no one will want you later!”
Zi Ying teased while holding Yi Yi in her arms. Even Little Tiger and Little Flower nodded their furry heads in agreement, making Tian Fan roll his eyes.
Li Yunyang and the others were also warmly received by the sect’s disciples, though not as enthusiastically as Tian Fan.
Meanwhile, the entire northern region of the Divine Martial Continent was in turmoil. The Four Sects Martial Tournament’s champion had been decided, causing a massive uproar in the area.
“What? The Fist Emperor Sect lost? How is that possible?”
“Xiang Yufei was defeated? The champion is Tian Fan? Who is this person? I’ve never heard of him before!”
“The Great Sealing Sect won the championship? They’re now the leader of the Four Sects?”
Throughout the northern region of the Divine Martial Continent, tea houses and inns buzzed with discussions about the Four Sects Martial Tournament. Overnight, the name “Tian Fan” spread to every corner of the region.
“Did you hear? Xiang Yufei from the Fist Emperor Sect was defeated by someone named Tian Fan!”
A man wielding a large blade spoke as he drank with a companion.
“What? Impossible! You must be joking. Xiang Yufei is so powerful—who among the four major sects could defeat him?”
His companion was shocked and found it hard to believe.
“It’s true! If you don’t believe me, go ask around on the streets. Everyone knows by now!”
The blade-wielding man spoke earnestly.
“This is unbelievable!”
Seeing the man’s serious demeanor and after consulting a nearby elder daoist, the skeptic finally accepted the truth.
“Damn it! That little bastard is so strong he even defeated Xiang Yufei!”
In an opulent room within the Yin Yang Sect, Yin Shitian was enjoying a leisurely life with women in his arms. Hearing the news, he pushed the women aside in anger, smashing a nearby lacquered table with one slap. The two female cultivators from the Yin Yang Sect trembled in fear, their faces pale.
At the heart of the northern region of the Divine Martial Continent, an area filled with ancient trees, endless mountain ranges, and converging spiritual veins, lay an incomparably majestic palace. Purple mist coiled around the area, and the spiritual energy was a hundred times stronger than the outside world.
At the center of the boundless immortal veins, the palace housed countless sacred fruits and spiritual herbs, including the rare “Nine-turn Immortal Ganoderma,” which was abundant here. The golden glow from the ganoderma even imbued the surrounding ancient trees with an aura of spirituality. (G: Ganoderma is a genus of polypore fungi.)
This was a paradise that countless cultivators dreamed of!
In a room deep within the palace, a young man with flowing hair sat cross-legged on the ground. He appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a faint divine radiance surrounding him. It was clear he possessed profound cultivation, having reached the mid-stage of the Yun Tian realm, and far stronger than others at the same level.
Suddenly, a scroll descended from the sky, emanating a soft golden light. The young man immediately opened his eyes and knelt on one knee with reverence.
Amidst the golden radiance in the sky, a faint figure appeared, stepping out of the scroll. It was an elderly man with white hair. Though merely a projection, his overwhelming aura left the young man breathless with awe.
“Great Sealing Sect. Tian Fan. Bring him back.”
The elder’s words were brief. After speaking, his golden projection vanished, along with the radiance in the sky. A scroll emitting a faint purple glow descended and landed in the young man’s hand, its aura dissipating entirely.
“Tian Fan?”
The young man stood up, furrowing his brow as he muttered the name. Then, his figure vanished on the spot…
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