The Northern Region was in complete upheaval.
A single person—just one person—had dared to declare war on the Yin-Yang Sect, which had endured for thousands of years. How much audacity would such an act require?!
That very day, a shocking piece of news spread across the Northern Region. Three mid-Cloud Heaven realm elders, ten peak Spirit Condensation realm experts, and over twenty mid-Spirit Condensation realm disciples of the Yin-Yang Sect were completely annihilated. Their bodies were found in an ancient forest a hundred miles away from the Great Sealing Sect, setting off another wave of chaos.
“Killing three mid-Cloud Heaven realm experts and dozens of others above the mid-Spirit Condensation realm? That must be fake! How could someone be that strong?”
“It’s true. The bodies have already been found, and that person has only just stepped into the Cloud Heaven realm!”
A nearby man wielding a machete spoke up, claiming he had personally seen the c0rpse of an elder who was on the verge of reaching the Cloud Heaven Peak. His arms had been severed, his head removed, sending chills through everyone who heard it.
“No way… Seriously, that powerful?”
Countless cultivators across the Northern Region were shaken. Such a powerful figure made many feel fearful.
“Serves them right! Those shameless b*stards!”
In the Great Sealing Sect, Li Yunyang kicked a bench into pieces and shouted loudly.
“The situation is grim. The Yin-Yang Sect won’t let this go, and the Sword Immortal Sect will certainly send their elite. Junior Brother Fan is in a precarious position right now!”
Li Yunhua frowned and analyzed the situation, his expression darkening with concern. The worry spread across everyone’s faces.
Zi Ying, meanwhile, gently stroked the Xiao Hua in her arms, her eyes glinting with a crafty light.
The next day, the Northern Region was shaken once more.
The Yin-Yang Sect declared that anyone who could kill Tian Fan would be rewarded with a forbidden technique from the Yin-Yang Secret Manual. This immediately caused a massive uproar. The Yin-Yang Secret Manual was already considered an extremely high-level mystical art in the Divine Martial Continent, and a forbidden technique was undoubtedly its essence—mastering even a single move could benefit one for a lifetime.
Many powerful rogue cultivators became eager. They had no established cultivation methods, so obtaining this forbidden technique would undoubtedly raise their strength by a level. Even heirs of small clans began sharpening their swords, eager for action.
The following day, another piece of news spread.
The Sword Immortal Sect dispatched ten prodigies, all of whom were at the Cloud Heaven Realm. Among them, three had already stepped halfway into the Cloud Heaven peak, sending waves of terror through the region.
As expected of the continent’s foremost immortal sect, other major sects could only boast one or two Cloud Heaven realm youths at most—and even that was considered exceptional. Yet the Sword Immortal Sect had sent ten, including three at mid-Cloud Heaven realm, showcasing their truly terrifying strength.
Rumors also swirled that each Sword Immortal Sect disciple could fight three opponents of the same level, their strength far surpassing other cultivators. Such a force could dominate the entire younger generation of the Divine Martial Continent. Even many older generation experts would have to avoid them. Now, they were being dispatched merely to kill a single early-Cloud Heaven realm individual, which left people speechless and swallowing nervously.
While countless cultivators discussed these matters, the person at the center of the storm was busying himself with trivial tasks in a clothing shop.
“Damn it! Those Yin-Yang Sect b*stards forced me into becoming a thief. Hell with it!”
At this moment, Tian Fan was crouching on a rooftop, carefully scanning his surroundings with a wary expression, afraid of being discovered.
In his hands was a set of white clothes. His original clothes were already bl00dstained and tattered beyond repair, but he had no money on him. So, well… he had no choice but to “borrow” a set.
“Wow, Little Tian Tian! You’re stealing!”
Suddenly, a voice came from another direction, startling Tian Fan so much that he fell off the rooftop.
At the base of the wall, Tian Fan stood up, grimacing and rubbing his sore head. When he looked back at the rooftop, he was dumbfounded.
A girl in purple sat there gracefully, her little feet dangling playfully. She radiated a celestial charm, her pure, beautiful eyes blinking mischievously. Her unparalleled beauty was adorned with a sly, teasing smile—naughty and adorable.
“You… you…”
Tian Fan pointed at the girl above, unable to speak.
“What do you mean ‘you’? Don’t I have a name?”
The girl in purple jumped down from the wall and looked at Tian Fan, pouting her cherry lips in displeasure. On her shoulder, a white-and-gray kitten lazily sprawled.
“Uh, hehe… How did you get here? How did you find me?”
Tian Fan awkwardly scratched his head, looking at the lively girl before him.
“Hey, I heard someone’s in danger, so I came out to help. I’m so kind, aren’t I? Hee hee…”
The girl’s large eyes curved into crescents as she giggled.
“Zi Ying…”
Looking at the playful and adorable girl in front of him, Tian Fan felt deeply moved. His eyes glistened with tears, as though he was about to cry and blow his nose. He stretched out his arms and lunged forward, the result of which was…
Bang!
Zi Ying extended her jade-like leg without hesitation, sending Tian Fan flying for the second time. He crashed into the wall ahead, clutching his chest and grimacing in pain.
“Oops! Reflex—sorry, Little Tian Tian!”
Looking at Tian Fan, whom she had kicked away, Zi Ying gently covered her mouth with her right hand, looking apologetic.
Xiao Hua on her shoulder was startled awake, letting out a snorting sound, clearly mocking Tian Fan.
“It’s… it’s fine. But seriously, Zi Ying, what have you been eating to grow so strong!?”
Tian Fan stood up from the ground, gently rubbing his chest. After all, his physical body was already so tough that it was beyond comprehension—under the Primordial Unity realm, there was almost no one who could compare to him. Yet Zi Ying’s kick still hurt.
“What do you mean by that? You jerk!”
Hearing Tian Fan’s words, Zi Ying put her slender hands on her waist, pouting in dissatisfaction.
“Hehe, it’s nothing, nothing…”
Grrrrrrr…
Suddenly, a sound echoed through the small alley.
“Hm? What’s that sound?”
Zi Ying raised her head and asked in confusion.
“Uh, well…”
Tian Fan felt very embarrassed. He had been trapped in the ancient forest for three days and nights, surviving only on a few wild fruits and some dry rations. Now, his stomach was loudly protesting in dissatisfaction.
“Oh…”
Seeing Tian Fan’s awkward expression, Zi Ying carefully listened and finally identified the source of the sound. She dragged out a long “Oh” and stared intently at Tian Fan’s stomach.
“Zi Ying, don’t look at me like that. Sure, I’m very handsome, but I can’t exactly be your meal…”
Tian Fan spoke with a serious tone, staring at Zi Ying’s pretty face.
“Pfft! Who’s looking at you? Shameless…”
Zi Ying’s cheeks flushed slightly as she muttered softly.
Xiao Hua on her shoulder acted in a very human-like manner, tugging at a strand of Zi Ying’s hair and glancing at Tian Fan with narrowed eyes, snorting disdainfully.
“I swear…!”
Tian Fan swore to himself that he really wanted to stew this darn tiger—it actually dared to look down on him!
*****
In a private room at a restaurant, Tian Fan was currently focused on one thing: devouring food. He buried his head into the dishes, stuffing food into his mouth with both hands.
Across the table, a small cat-sized creature stood, tearing into a roast duck in front of it, fiercely competing with Tian Fan for food.
“Grrrrr…”
Not long after, the large table full of food had been completely wiped clean.
Xiao Hua’s eyes glowed coldly as it stared at the last remaining chicken leg on the table.
“You stupid tiger, don’t fight me for it!”
On the other side, Tian Fan showed no intention of backing down. As he reached for the chicken leg, he remained on guard, ready to avoid any bites.
Boom!
Suddenly, both Tian Fan and the small tiger lunged for the chicken leg at the same time. A flurry of crashing sounds erupted as they tangled with each other, dishes and food scraps flying everywhere. In the end, each of them managed to grab half and happily gobbled it down.
“Seriously! You’re so small—how can you eat so much!?”
Looking at the Xiao Hua, which was no bigger than a cat yet had devoured three roast ducks, four steamed fish, and two lamb legs, Tian Fan was indignant.
“Grrrrr…”
The Xiao Hua leaped onto Zi Ying’s shoulder and growled at Tian Fan.
“Little Tian Tian, what’s your plan now? A lot of people are after you.”
In the guest room, Zi Ying rested her chin in her hand, while the Xiao Hua on her shoulder dozed off after eating its fill. A bubble of air grew and shrank adorably at the tip of its tiny nose.
“I don’t want trouble, but I’m not afraid of it either. If they come, I’ll just k!ll them all…”
Tian Fan turned his gaze toward the skies outside, his eyes cold and sharp, his voice chilling.
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Check out my other projects: Flower Stealing Master, Ask the Mirror, Dual Cultivation with a Fox Demon, The Way of Restraint