A Lesson

Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng had just walked out of the Inner Court when they saw Chen Fan standing together with Nalan Yun and the others. At first, Chen Jingjing thought Chen Fan had gone to provoke Nalan Yun again, but when she saw his indifferent expression from afar, she suddenly felt relieved.

The next second, however, they saw a young man thrust a paper fan toward Chen Fan.

They recognized that young man too—he was Nalan Yun's distant relative, Zhang Lin. Though called a distant relative, everyone knew he was also one of Nalan Yun's followers. His talent was not ordinary; his cultivation had already reached Qi Refining Layer 3, just one step away from the Inner Court.

Chen Jingjing didn't think Chen Fan, at Qi Refining Layer 2 and knowing nothing, could be a match for Zhang Lin, especially since Zhang Lin had struck suddenly. Even she, Chen Jingjing, might suffer a minor loss in such a situation.

But Chen Fan faced this sneak attack with calm composure, his expression indifferent. He merely shifted his body slightly to the side—it seemed like a very advanced movement technique, yet it looked utterly ordinary—and he dodged it with ease.

Zhang Lin's thrust missed, and he nearly stumbled forward from the momentum. But as a cultivator at Qi Refining Layer 3, he wasn't foolish enough to fall flat on his face.

He steadied himself, a faint smug smile curling at the corners of his mouth. But the next moment, as he turned around, he was stunned speechless.

The paper fan in his hand had somehow ended up in Chen Fan's grasp, and now that very fan was pointed at his own throat.

"You... you... don't do anything rash. This is Heavy Sword Peak." Facing Chen Fan's cold eyes, Zhang Lin choked back the curses he had been about to hurl several times. He knew that a sharp blade was hidden inside this paper fan, and he believed Chen Fan must have noticed it too—otherwise, he wouldn't have snatched the fan and aimed it at his neck.

But in truth, Chen Fan had no idea about the fan's hidden mechanism. In his eyes, every blade of grass and every tree could be a sword, let alone a fan.

"Chen Fan." Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng finally snapped out of it and quickened their pace to run over. This situation was something they could never have imagined.

A cultivator at Qi Refining Layer 2 had effortlessly...

Wait, Qi Refining Layer 4?

Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng almost stopped in their tracks at the same time, frozen in place once again.

Was this still Chen Fan? In just half a day, he had jumped from Qi Refining Layer 2 to Layer 4—how was that possible?

"Ch-Chen Fan, you... don't do anything rash. Heavy Sword Peak's rules are very strict." The Yellow-Robed Woman was clearly startled too, stammering.

Nalan Yun's face was also full of shock. She too had noticed Chen Fan's cultivation level, and a flicker of strangeness passed through her enchanting eyes.

"Chen Fan, did you have some kind of lucky encounter in Demon King Valley? Can you tell me secretly?" She put on a sweet and affectionate look, speaking to Chen Fan.

Back then, this was how she had made the original Chen Fan willingly risk his life to venture into Demon King Valley alone.

Unfortunately, the Chen Fan of now was the sword cultivator Chen Fan, his soul that of a Foundation Establishment Realm expert.

"Chen Fan, don't say a word." Before Chen Fan could speak, Chen Jingjing's voice rang out, and she hurried over with Zhang Rumeng in a fluster.

Nalan Yun's words made Chen Jingjing snap to attention. She absolutely would not allow Chen Fan to be deceived by Nalan Yun again.

"Nalan Yun, don't push your luck." Zhang Rumeng also disliked people like Nalan Yun, frowning as she scolded.

But Nalan Yun ignored them, continuing to put on a pitiful expression as she looked at Chen Fan. "Chen Fan, they're so mean. Let's find a place where no one else is, just you and me."

Her words were extremely suggestive, even Zhang Lin showed a look of displeasure as he stared at Chen Fan.

"No time." Chen Fan didn't even glance at her, directly spitting out two words coldly.

Not only was Nalan Yun frozen in place, but Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng were also so surprised that their mouths fell open slightly.

"Can't kill people here?" Chen Fan looked at Chen Jingjing and asked.

"No." Chen Jingjing shook her little head.

"What about hitting people?"

"You can't..." Chen Jingjing was about to say no, but Zhang Rumeng's eyes lit up, and she prompted:

"You can act in self-defense."

Chen Fan nodded at this, then suddenly swung the paper fan in his hand.

"Slap!" A crisp sound rang out.

A red mark instantly appeared on Zhang Lin's cheek.

"You... you hit me?" Zhang Lin looked utterly incredulous.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!" Three more sharp cracks followed, and Zhang Lin was completely stunned.

"Chen Fan, you..." The Yellow-Robed Woman couldn't stand it anymore and stepped forward to speak, but was met with a "slap."

Chen Fan directly flicked the fan onto her mouth, then looked indifferently at Chen Jingjing and the others, spitting out two words: "Let's go!"

With that, he turned and strode toward the mountain gate, never once glancing back at Nalan Yun.

Chen Jingjing looked dazed as well, following behind Chen Fan as they left.

Zhang Rumeng, however, reacted quickly. She shot Nalan Yun a gloating smirk before hurrying after Chen Jingjing.

Watching the three figures gradually disappear into the night, Nalan Yun's expression grew darker and darker. Chen Fan's behavior had brought her immense humiliation.

"Chen Fan, just you wait." A hint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes.

As for Zhang Lin and the Yellow-Robed Woman, they covered their faces, unable to utter a single word. Chen Fan had struck with considerable force.

"Chen Fan, how did you... in just one afternoon, reach Qi Refining Layer 4?" Zhang Rumeng still felt it was like a dream, but she asked anyway.

"Focus on cultivation." Chen Fan's reply was brief.

"Uh..." Zhang Rumeng was momentarily at a loss for words. Today, they had witnessed two miracles in a row.

One was the Heavenly Soldier Ranking in the Heavenly Court, and the other was Chen Fan's cross-tier breakthrough.

But no matter how unbelievable it was, neither Chen Jingjing nor Zhang Rumeng had ever tried to connect Chen Fan with the person on the Heavenly Soldier Ranking.

At this moment, Chen Jingjing also thought she was dreaming, but her nails dug deep into her palm, and she clearly felt a sharp pain.

This wasn't a dream! It really wasn't a dream!

Father, Chen Fan had finally woken up!

The Chen Clan finally had hope.

Chen Jingjing's eyes welled up. This time, she didn't force herself to hold back, letting the tears stream down her face.

"Jingjing, why are you crying?" Zhang Rumeng noticed Chen Jingjing's distress and asked anxiously.

Hearing this, Chen Fan also stopped walking and turned to look at her.

"I'm fine. I'm just... I'm just so happy. I thought this was a dream, but I never expected the dream... to come true." Chen Jingjing laughed and cried at the same time.

"Don't cry, don't cry..." Zhang Rumeng understood. Chen Jingjing was crying tears of joy after seeing Chen Fan like this. She knew that her good friend had been carrying too much burden and pressure for so long.

But tonight, everything could be let go. She really deserved a good cry.

"Since everyone's so happy, how about I cook tonight?" Zhang Rumeng suddenly felt inspired and said with a smile.

Hearing this, Chen Jingjing immediately stopped crying and stared at her in shock.

"Maybe... maybe not. I'll do it."

"It's fine. You've always been the one cooking. Let me take over this time. I've been reading a lot of cookbooks lately."

"No... no way. You should go home and try it yourself first."

Chen Fan quietly watched the two of them. From the expression on Chen Jingjing's face, he seemed to sense something—as if Zhang Rumeng's cooking skills were quite... lethal.