After the Four Sect Martial Competition ended, Tian Fan truly integrated into life at the Great Sealing Sect. He got along well with the disciples and was often taken by Li Yunyang and the others to admire “beautiful scenery.”
Once, they were caught by Sun Yueying and starved for three days. In the end, Zi Ying secretly tossed them some wild fruits, which moved Tian Fan deeply. Staring at Zi Ying’s peerless beauty, he was speechless, his tearful eyes full of gratitude, almost ready to pledge his life to her.
The tiger, Xiao Hua, had become a real troublemaker, frequently wreaking havoc in the Great Sealing Sect’s kitchen. Over time, Tian Fan often found tiger fur in his meals, while Xiao Hua, the mischievous culprit, had grown visibly plumper. Every time Tian Fan saw it, he had the urge to turn it into stew.
What surprised everyone the most was Minmin and Yiyi.
At first, Sun Yueying only taught the two little girls some basic cultivation methods, but their rapid progress left her astonished. Even Sun Shennan was alerted. After a thorough examination, he found that their talents were exceptionally rare, making them born for cultivation. Sun Shennan cherished them greatly, and because the two were so well-behaved and adorable, the entire sect doted on them.
âStupid tiger, stop right there! Give me back the spirit pill!â
Sun Shennan dashed out of his study, chasing after a mottled tiger, his face twisted in anger.
Ahead, Xiao Hua darted away fearfully, clutching a gray pill in its mouth, refusing to let go. Just as Sun Shennanâs large hand was about to grab it, Xiao Hua panicked and swallowed the pill. Instantly, its body glowed with intense white light. The tiger’s body began to shrink and grow alternately, changing repeatedly until it finally became the size of a small cat.
âYou…! Who told you to swallow it?! Spit it out!â
Sun Shennan, acting like a child, grabbed the now cat-sized Xiao Hua and shook it vigorously. Xiao Hua’s tongue dangled from its mouth, flopping limply as it was shaken.
âXiao Hua?! Oh my god, youâve become so tiny! Youâre… youâre so… so cute! Hey, old man, let go!â
Zi Ying emerged from the crowd. When she saw how small Xiao Hua had become, she was first stunned, then overjoyed. It was now much more convenient to carry it around. She quickly snatched Xiao Hua from Sun Shennan and held it in her arms.
When Zi Ying learned what had happened, her charming eyes curved into crescent moons as she laughed and said, âXiao Hua, youâre so lucky!â
Sun Shennan rolled his eyes. As expected, like master, like pet. The mischievous tiger had sneaked into the Great Sealing Sectâs medicine vault and stolen a spirit pill that had taken years to refine. And yet, Zi Ying called it âluck.â
Sun Shennan was on the verge of tearsâthis pill was almost as valuable as the “Heavenly Fragrance Jade Soul Pill!”
âUgh…â
When Xiao Hua realized how tiny it had become, it was horrified. How fragile could it be now?! It jumped out of Zi Ying’s arms and stuck a paw into its mouth, trying to vomit up the pill it had swallowed.
âYou dumb tiger! Whatâs with that look?! My… my sect leader personally refined that spirit pill, which is better than the âHeavenly Fragrance Jade Soul Pill.â Donât you dare act ungrateful!â
Seeing Xiao Huaâs reaction, Sun Shennan was beyond frustrated. He wanted to yell at it but held back as the crowd of onlookers grew. Though he wanted nothing more than to deal with the troublesome tiger, he grudgingly left after threatening to stew it if it messed with the kitchen again.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Great Sealing Sect, Li Yunyang’s elusive master, who had been absent for some time, reappeared. The old man carried a gourd of wine, sipping contentedly as he looked at Tian Fan and laughed.
âHahaha! As expected of my disciple, winning the Four Sect Martial Competition! Hahaha!â
Across from him, Tian Fanâs mouth twitched.
âOld fraud, youâve got some nerve! Since when did I become your disciple?!â
Tian Fan was at a loss for words when dealing with this con artist. Ever since the man had tricked him into joining the Great Sealing Sect, he had vanished without a trace. Now he was going around claiming Tian Fan as his disciple, leaving Tian Fan no chance to explain himself.
âOh, what a fine day! Anyway, my dear disciple, I wonât disturb your cultivation. Iâm off!â
With that, the old fraud disappeared without a ripple, leaving Tian Fan astonished. This old guy was far more powerful than he had let on.
The stars in the night sky shone brightly, casting a faint glow. Tian Fan sat cross-legged in a bamboo grove within the Great Sealing Sect. Golden divine thoughts surged between his brows, like the roaring waters of the Yellow River.
After undergoing the heavenly tribulation, his Divine Celestial Heart Sutra ran even more smoothly. A new realization emerged in his mind, transforming into streams of golden light that flowed through his body, nourishing and refining every inch of his flesh.
As the night deepened, Tian Fanâs heart grew tranquil. Two supreme mystical techniques circulated faster within him. For the first time, he earnestly cultivated these profound methods. He had to constantly improve his strengthâafter all, in this world, power was everything.
The Divine Celestial Heart Sutra was awe-inspiring, not only making his physical body incredibly powerful but also containing numerous lethal secret techniques. For example, âDesire Without Traceâ could analyze an opponentâs divine power trajectory during battle and launch devastating attacks, catching the enemy completely off guard.
The Five Elements Method was profound and holy, with the Five Elements Sword Technique boasting unparalleled versatility and destructive power, while the Five Elements Seal could seal anything. Tian Fan felt that if he mastered the technique completely, he could create a supreme divine formation capable of annihilating and sealing everything.
The next morning, Tian Fan stood up. Though his cultivation hadnât advanced significantly overnight, his understanding of the two techniques had deepened, and he had mastered several powerful killing moves.
âHuh? Junior Brother, you seem to have improved again. How about a spar?â
Seeing Tian Fan, Li Yunhua looked surprised, twirling a folding fan in his hand as he spoke.
“Alright!”
Tian Fan readily agreed, seeing it as a perfect opportunity to test the insights he had gained the day before.
“Junior Brother, be careful.”
At the Great Sealing Sect’s martial arena, Li Yunhuaâs sword spun skillfully, tracing a delicate arc. A faint red glow flickered along its edge as the blade thrust directly through Tian Fanâs body. Li Yunhuaâs heart skipped a beat. How had he struck so easily? But his alarm eased the moment he realized that the figure he had pierced was merely an afterimage! Astonished, he marveled at the sheer speed displayed.
The red glow shimmered as Li Yunhuaâs sword danced rapidly, sending waves of sword Qi in all directions. Yet Tian Fanâs movements were mystical, weaving effortlessly through the storm of light. Dozens of afterimages flickered across the arena, and not a single streak of sword Qi could touch him.
Everyone watching was stunned. Li Yunhua, the top expert of the Great Sealing Sect, had unleashed an unrelenting barrage of attacks, yet none landed on Tian Fan. His footwork was too enigmatic, too profound.
This was the mysterious step Tian Fan had comprehended during a night of meditationâthe divine footwork known as “Divine Cloud Step” from the Divine Celestial Heart Sutra.
Eventually, both combatants stopped. Li Yunhua, awed by Tian Fanâs movement technique, declared it far superior to the “Hundred Illusions” of the Flying Sword Sect. Tian Fan, however, responded with a modest smile.
The two then headed outside, where Li Yunyang awaited them, inviting the group to enjoy some “scenery.” With a flourish of his folding fan, Li Yunhua eagerly joined.
Meanwhile, in another part of the sect, the grand hall of the Great Sealing Sect was filled with surprise.
Sun Shennan, the sect leader, stood before a visitorâa long-haired young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six. His mid-stage Cloud Heaven cultivation far surpassed that of the sectâs top expert. But what truly shocked Sun Shennan was not the manâs cultivation but his identityâhe was a disciple of the Sword Immortal Sect, one of the prestigious cultivation sects of the Divine Martial Continent.
“So, it’s a nephew from the Sword Immortal Sect! Forgive me for not welcoming you sooner. May I ask what brings you here today?” Sun Shennan asked with a polite smile, addressing the young man seated below.
“Nothing major,” the golden-robed youth replied indifferently. “Iâve heard that the Great Sealing Sect has produced a champion of the Four Sects. On my master’s orders, Iâve come bearing the ‘Sword Immortal Decree’ to bring this person to the Sword Immortal Sect for true cultivation.”
“Ha! Nephew, your words seem a bit off. Are you suggesting that cultivating here at the Great Sealing Sect isnât true cultivation?” Sun Shennan replied, his smile not reaching his eyes.
“This place?” The youth chuckled lightly. “Sect Master Sun, surely you jest. How could such a small sect count as a place for true cultivation? Any random disciple from my sect could easily outmatch anyone here. How can this even be considered proper training?”
The youthâs tone was casual, but his words were sharper than direct insults. He exuded an air of arrogance, his demeanor radiating the confidence of one born to greatness.
“Youâ!”
Behind Sun Shennan, Sun Yueying nearly exploded with anger and was about to step forward when Sun Shennan held her back. Though he also found the youth insufferable and longed to teach him a lesson, the visitor carried the “Sword Immortal Decree.”
In the Northern Territory, this decree commanded absolute authority. Even the two divine empires and the major ancient martial families would tread carefully around it. The Sword Immortal Sect was simply too powerful and mysterious, akin to the legendary Heaven and Earth Sect of the past.
“Though the Sword Immortal Sect is formidable, not everyone under my sectâs banner would be willing to leave. I trust your sect wouldnât resort to coercion, would it?” Sun Shennan said coldly.
“Of course not. We wonât force anyone. However, Iâm confident Tian Fan would be more than eager to join usâunless heâs a fool,” the golden-robed youth replied arrogantly. He took a sip of tea and added casually, “Sect Master Sun, summon this Tian Fan already. Iâm busy and have no time to waste. Once heâs here, Iâll depart immediately with him.”
“Yueying, fetch Tian Fan!”
Suppressing his anger, Sun Shennan issued the command. Sun Yueying stormed off to carry out the order. After her departure, Sun Shennan refused to exchange another word with the youth. The hall fell into a tense silence.
Moments later, Sun Yueying returned with Tian Fan, trailed by Li Yunyang, Li Yunhua, and a few others. The group appeared somewhat sheepishâthis was the second time the sect’s mischievous young lady had interrupted their “sightseeing.”
“Itâs you!”
The moment Tian Fan appeared in the hall, the golden-robed youth sprang to his feet, his expression one of utter astonishment.
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