"Junior Brother!"
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes walked out of the house to greet them, with Jia Le and Lin Fan following behind.
Seeing that a guest had arrived, Master Yixiu followed along as well.
"Senior Brother."
Daoist Priest Qian He smiled faintly and saluted Daoist Priest Four-Eyes with clasped hands.
"Junior Brother."
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes returned the salute and nodded.
"Martial Uncle."
Lin Fan and Jia Le greeted him in unison, not forgetting to lower their clasped hands slightly.
Daoist Priest Qian He's eyes suddenly lit up. "It's been so long, little Martial Nephew Lin Fan."
"I didn't expect to run into you here. Southeast, Northwest, hurry up and come greet him."
"Senior Disciple Brother."
"Senior Disciple Brother, long time no see."
Voices rang out from all around.
There were four disciples standing behind Daoist Priest Qian He.
All of them saluted Lin Fan with clasped hands in unison.
"Long time no see, A Dong, A Xi, A Nan, A Bei."
Lin Fan replied politely.
"Daoist Priest Qian He, it's been a long time."
Master Yixiu suddenly squeezed through the crowd and greeted him with a smile.
"Ah, Master Yixiu. Long time no see, long time no see."
"Hey, hey, hey. Why are you stopping here? Don't you need to keep moving?"
Before Master Yixiu could respond, a sharp reprimand rang out.
"Attendant Wu, we've run out of glutinous rice. I need to borrow some from my senior brother in case we need it later."
Daoist Priest Qian He called toward the back after hearing that.
The little boy in the sedan spoke up. "Attendant Wu, everyone's tired too. Let's rest here for a while."
As soon as he finished speaking, Attendant Wu lowered his head as if obeying an absolute command.
"Of course, Seventy-One Prince. Then everyone can rest for a while."
Attendant Wu answered obsequiously.
Immediately, everyone set down what they were carrying.
They stopped to rest nearby.
"Jia Le, hurry back and bring out some glutinous rice for your Martial Uncle."
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes waved his hand and ordered him.
Upon hearing that, Jia Le immediately headed inside.
"Junior Brother, what is it that you have in there?"
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes asked in confusion, his face filled with puzzlement.
"That's right, it's..."
Before Daoist Priest Qian He could answer,
a shout came from not far away.
"Martial Uncle, the glutinous rice is here."
Jia Le came running over with the glutinous rice, interrupting the two senior brothers' conversation.
Jia Le hurried forward and handed over the glutinous rice.
Just as Daoist Priest Qian He took it,
his face showed a hint of delight, and he smiled. "Congratulations, Senior Brother."
"I didn't expect Jia Le to have already reached the Houtian Eighth Level."
"That's truly worth celebrating. Congratulations, congratulations."
Jia Le looked a little embarrassed and scratched his head.
Then he gathered his courage and said proudly, "Martial Uncle, it's nothing. Just a small matter, a small matter."
As soon as he finished speaking,
Jia Le was smacked right on the forehead.
Comparing people only made one feel inferior.
Comparing goods only made one want to throw them away.
When would he ever make me proud?
Even if he couldn't amount to anything, he could at least learn to read the situation!
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes scolded him, looking like a teacher frustrated by an unworthy student. "You, you... I really don't know whether to call you stupid."
"Or should I say you're simple-minded? Didn't you notice A Dong?"
"He's already broken through to the Xiantian First Heaven."
After he finished speaking, Jia Le raised his head.
His eyes suddenly filled with astonishment.
How were these people all so formidable?
One was at the Xiantian First Heaven,
another was at the Houtian Ninth Level, and there was even one more outrageous than that.
Was life really this difficult in this world?
He alone was the only useless one left.
"Hahaha. Master, stop teasing Senior Brother."
A proud, delighted laugh came from A Dong, A Nan, A Xi, and A Bei behind them.
"Jia Le, don't make such a fuss."
"It's only the Xiantian First Heaven. Work a little harder, and you'll reach it soon enough."
Daoist Priest Qian He gave Jia Le an encouraging look.
Then he patted Jia Le on the shoulder.
"What's there to be surprised about? I might have been startled before."
"But yesterday I was scared half to death. What else could possibly frighten me?"
Jia Le curled his lips and muttered unhappily.
A Dong, standing beside him, had excellent hearing.
Hearing Jia Le's muttering and disdainful tone, he felt somewhat displeased.
He immediately teased him, "Master is right. Senior Brother Jia Le has good talent."
"If you work harder, you might really... well, perhaps you might actually catch up!"
A Dong deliberately emphasized his final words.
After saying that,
he quickly returned Jia Le's two disdainful looks.
Jia Le refused to be outdone.
"Tch! Do you really think reaching the Xiantian First Heaven"
"is some incredible achievement? You clearly haven't seen the world."
Jia Le replied defiantly.
He suddenly reached out and pulled Lin Fan directly in front of them.
Pointing at him, he continued, "Now, Senior Disciple Brother is the most formidable."
"You're far behind him, understand? This is what talent looks like."
"This is what hard work looks like. This is the fact that you couldn't catch up even if you rode a horse."
As soon as he finished speaking,
everyone suddenly looked at Lin Fan in confusion.
Daoist Priest Qian He focused his gaze on him.
He sensed Lin Fan's aura.
A vast aura firmly enveloped his body.
One moment, it was like a savage flood or beast.
The next, it was as gentle as a flowing stream.
After taking this unexpected turn, Daoist Priest Qian He's eyes grew sharp.
Could this boy have already broken through that barrier?
Otherwise, how could his aura have become so pure?
"I don't feel anything. Senior Disciple Brother's aura seems about the same as mine."
A Dong spoke calmly.
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes looked as if he had just seen an ignorant fool.
That made sense. If A Dong could see it, that would be the real ghost.
After all, he was only at the Xiantian First Heaven. How could he possibly see anything?
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes stepped forward and extended a hand.
Then he patted Lin Fan on the shoulder.
He smiled and said, "You boys should learn from this."
"Your Senior Disciple Brother Lin Fan is already at the Xiantian Fourth Heaven."
"If you could sense it, that would be the real ghost."
As soon as he finished speaking,
everyone stared at Lin Fan in shock.
Their eyes widened until they were round.
They fixed their gazes on him, their faces filled with disbelief.
A Dong was even so shocked that he felt dizzy.
He couldn't stop the terror rising in his heart.
At Maoshan, he was already considered extremely talented.
Among the younger generation of the sect, everyone looked up to him.
He had always been the example others learned from.
He was also his master's pride.
All his martial uncles and martial aunts praised him highly.
But the person before him—
this Senior Disciple Brother he had not seen in so long—
how could he be so terrifying? The Xiantian Fourth Heaven?
That was a realm he had never even dared to imagine.
What year was this?
"Master, Senior Disciple Brother Lin Fan really... reached the Xiantian Fourth Heaven?"
A Bei asked Daoist Priest Qian He in disbelief, at a loss for words.
Daoist Priest Qian He sighed, shook his head, and stepped forward.
He addressed everyone. "Wrong. Senior Brother, you misjudged him too."
"Little Martial Nephew Lin Fan isn't at the Xiantian Fourth Heaven."
"Oh, come on. I'm his senior brother."
"How could I misjudge him? I tested him just yesterday!"
Daoist Priest Four-Eyes looked ready to start a fight.
He rolled up both sleeves and strode forward.
He looked as though he intended to teach Daoist Priest Qian He a lesson.
"Wait, let me finish."
"Little Martial Nephew Lin Fan has already broken through that threshold."
"He should be at the Xiantian Fifth Heaven now."
Daoist Priest Qian He spoke with certainty.
Before you continue