Cultivation Method Obtained

Yan Min's swift defeat caught everyone present off guard. The Black Tiger Sect disciples behind him all took a step back, trembling as they stared at the back that was far from imposing.

"This—how is this possible? How could the sect leader lose like this?"

"No, it can't be. This is all an illusion. The sect leader won't fail!"

"No, don't—he's a demon. Run!"

The disciples with weaker mental fortitude were on the verge of collapse. Seeing Yan Min's shattered limbs, none of them could suppress their terror.

Though Yan Min wasn't dead yet, his gruesome state was enough to terrify the crowd.

Zhang Feng, an Innate Martial Artist, felt a chill run through his entire body. His teeth chattered uncontrollably, and with all his strength, he could only shout, "You beast! Give me back my Big Brother's life!"

Shen Fan looked over expressionlessly, his ghostly figure moving once more. Zhang Feng's heart jolted, but before he could react, it was too late.

A sharp pain exploded in his chest. He couldn't hold back the mouthful of blood that sprayed out. His body flew backward, smashing through a solid stone wall.

As the dust settled, Zhang Feng had completely lost his combat ability.

And this was only because Shen Fan had held back. Otherwise, one strike would have been enough to kill him.

Liu Yunfeng, watching from the shadows, swallowed hard. He had never seen anyone so terrifying.

At that moment, he seemed to understand the true meaning of the phrase, "Anyone below the Innate Realm can be killed."

"This Big Brother... it's not just those below the Innate Realm. Even an ordinary True Condensation Realm martial artist probably doesn't have strength this terrifying, right?"

Liu Yunfeng silently marked Shen Fan as someone not to be provoked.

What followed was a one-sided massacre. Against these disciples, who were only at the Qi and Blood Great Realm, Shen Fan was an unbeatable force. They could only flee in panic.

But Shen Fan couldn't let them escape. He let out a few light coughs.

Liu Yunfeng, understanding the signal from the shadows, whistled. A large group of Black Wind Bandits surrounded the elite disciples who had come.

Shen Fan killed a few Viscera Refining disciples and left the rest to Liu Yunfeng. He knew Liu Yunfeng would handle the rest.

Sure enough, after Shen Fan left, screams rose and fell one after another. That night, the spring water flowing through the mountain stream was completely stained red.

After returning, Shen Fan first enjoyed a good night's sleep, then went to find Liu Yunfeng.

"How did it go?"

Liu Yunfeng understood immediately and handed over two Secret Manuals. They were precisely the Cultivation Methods that Yan Min and Zhang Feng had practiced.

"Rest assured, sir. These Secret Manuals are genuine, and no one has made a second copy."

"The only pity is that those two couldn't withstand the torture and died." Liu Yunfeng lowered his head, calmly reporting the results of the previous day.

Shen Fan glanced at the manuals, whose ink hadn't fully dried yet, and nodded. "You did well this time. Focus on building a solid foundation. I can see you have the potential to become an Innate Martial Artist."

Shen Fan painted a rosy picture for Liu Yunfeng.

Hearing this, Liu Yunfeng immediately knelt in excitement. "Rest assured, sir. I will train hard during this time and strive to lay a good foundation!"

"No need to rush. Take it slow. We have plenty of time."

Shen Fan's words carried a deeper meaning. Indeed, the wealth they had obtained this time was enough to cover the Black Wind Bandits' expenses for several years.

What they needed to do now was train hard and strengthen their own power.

Understanding Shen Fan's intent, Liu Yunfeng immediately promised to push everyone to train diligently over the next few months, aiming for at least the Muscle Refining Realm.

After that, Shen Fan had no further instructions. He took the two Secret Manuals and left.

The place where Shen Fan lived was quite remote, which was his own request. Martial training required quiet, so he had chosen such a location.

Over the next three months, Shen Fan once again immersed himself in secluded cultivation. Across the Black Wind Bandits, a wave of training fervor swept through.

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Meanwhile, in Nine Lions City, the Black Tiger Sect, which had lost its sect leader, Elders, and a large number of elites in one fell swoop, collapsed almost overnight. The remaining disciples either died or fled with large portions of the sect's assets to join other factions.

No one cared what had happened to the Black Tiger Sect. No one was concerned whether Yan Min and the others were alive or dead. All anyone cared about was how much they could carve off from this fat piece of meat.

Within just one month, all of the Black Tiger Sect's assets had been divided. The Thirteen Protectors of Nine Lions City gained the most.

The Thirteen Protectors were now the most powerful force in Nine Lions City, composed of thirteen Innate Martial Artists. The other major factions could barely hold their ground against them.

If Yan Min were still alive, the Thirteen Protectors wouldn't have gone this far. But since he had clearly met with an accident, they couldn't be blamed.

In fact, after acquiring the Black Tiger Sect's legacy, the Thirteen Protectors' power swelled even further, gradually taking the lead in Nine Lions City's Martial Path circles.

This made the other factions in the city wary.

For a time, a tense atmosphere hung over Nine Lions City.

But at the same time, a major event shook the Martial Path world of Lanzhou. The Qingcheng Sect in northern Lanzhou had offended King Lanling and was ordered to be wiped out.

Overnight, the once-great Qingcheng Sect was nearly annihilated.

The Qingcheng Sect had been a renowned sect in Lanzhou, passed down for over a hundred years, always with a True Condensation Realm martial artist at its helm. Such a force was among the most notable in the civilian world of Lanzhou.

Yet even a sect with such a long heritage was wiped clean. It showed just how terrifying King Lanling's power was.

News of this incident spread across Lanzhou in no time, even reaching the factions in Nine Lions City.

Of course, the news spread so quickly not just because of how tragic the Qingcheng Sect's fall was, but because of rumors that a Core Disciple of the Qingcheng Sect had managed to escape.

Moreover, they might carry the Qingcheng Sect's core inheritance!

This news was what truly excited the Martial Path world of Lanzhou.

A True Condensation-level inheritance was a rarity across Lanzhou; unless one belonged to a superpower, any Martial Artist would want to seize it.

Thus, a city-wide manhunt swept through Lanzhou.

In truth, the rumor spreading through Lanzhou wasn't wrong. Although the Qingcheng Sect had been wiped out for offending King Lanling, the Martial Artists sent to annihilate them were also at the True Condensation Realm.

Under the desperate resistance of the Qingcheng Sect's True Condensation experts, two Core Disciples managed to escape.

Liu Yucheng and Xiao Yuxian were the two who had narrowly survived. They carried the Qingcheng Sect's core inheritance—the Azure Dragon Transformation!

This Azure Dragon Transformation was a powerful Martial Art that could be cultivated to True Condensation Peak, drawing the attention of countless minor factions.

However, because Liu Yucheng and Xiao Yuxian had been cautious along the way, relying on the sect's accumulated contingencies, the two miraculously fled from northern Lanzhou all the way to the south, heading toward Nine Lions City.

Everything seemed deliberate.

On a rugged mountain path, two young people were galloping on horseback—a man and a woman, looking like a pair of celestial lovers.

These two were Liu Yucheng and Xiao Yuxian, fleeing all the way.

"Senior Brother, how much longer? That Nine Lions City?" Xiao Yuxian, with her delicate features and slender figure, couldn't help complaining.

They had nearly crossed all of Lanzhou, traveling hard for over ten days without proper rest. As the pampered young lady of the Qingcheng Sect, Xiao Yuxian had never endured such hardship, so she grumbled incessantly along the way.

Fortunately, Liu Yucheng was mature and steady, always soothing Xiao Yuxian.

This time was no different.

"Junior Sister, don't worry. We're almost there. Once we find the Snow Mountain Elder, we'll be safe!"

"If you're truly exhausted, we can rest a while at the inn ahead!"

Liu Yucheng spoke cautiously, afraid of angering his spoiled Junior Sister.

Xiao Yuxian glanced at the modest inn, reluctant, but considering their situation, she held back.

"Fine, Senior Brother. Let's rest at that inn ahead! I can take a bath anyway!"

Liu Yucheng, travel-worn himself, only gave a bitter smile and didn't object.