Four Symbols Secret Talisman

Qingyue's expression flickered uncertainly as she stared at the increasingly clear figure. With her spiritual sense, she had already detected that Chen Fan was now at Qi Refining Layer 6.

She had never seen Chen Fan before, but she had heard Mu Yunshui mention that he was merely at Qi Refining Layer 4, albeit a few times stronger than an ordinary cultivator at that level. Yet she could not fathom what could possibly elevate a youth from Qi Refining Layer 4 to Layer 6 in just a few short days.

A Demon Core!

Qingyue suddenly thought of a Demon Core, but immediately dismissed the notion. At least a Monster Beast at Qi Refining Seventh Layer or above was needed to condense a Demon Core. With Chen Fan at Qi Refining Layer 4, it was simply impossible.

At the same time, Li Tieniu and the many Earth Ghost Sect disciples standing on the other side were equally stunned, their mouths agape with disbelief.

Among everyone present, none knew Chen Fan's cultivation level better than Li Tieniu and a few Earth Ghost Sect disciples. Although Chen Fan had killed two Earth Ghost Sect disciples a few nights ago, displaying extraordinary ability and catching Li Tieniu's attention, Li Tieniu still subconsciously believed that Chen Fan was ultimately only at Qi Refining Layer 4. Even when Qin Xian'er said he might not be a match for Chen Fan, he felt unconvinced.

But now, in just two short days, this youth had risen to Qi Refining Layer 6, and his entire body exuded a mysterious spiritual energy.

"Marrow Cleansing Pill!" Li Tieniu immediately thought of the stolen pill, but his mind was filled with shouts, and the only word shouted was "impossible."

The medicinal properties of the Marrow Cleansing Pill were extremely fierce and violent. If taken by someone in the Qi Refining Realm, the meridians in their body simply could not withstand the impact of those properties. Thus, this Marrow Cleansing Pill could only be taken by those in the Foundation Establishment Realm, serving both to enhance the True Essence Power within and provide a slight marrow-cleansing effect.

So Li Tieniu was utterly incredulous that Chen Fan had taken the Marrow Cleansing Pill, but with the undeniable reality of Qi Refining Layer 6 before him, he had to believe it.

Chen Fan, however, had his own secret method to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill, allowing it to truly cleanse his marrow. Unfortunately, this secret method had long been lost in this world.

Thus, he took in the stunned expressions of Li Tieniu and Qingyue without paying them much heed.

On the contrary, he found it slightly strange that Mu Yunshui was nowhere to be seen, but after connecting Li Tieniu to Qin Xian'er, he seemed to guess something.

Although he did not understand why Qin Xian'er had helped him time and again, having lived two lives, he had no reason not to realize that Qin Xian'er seemed to be plotting something.

"Qi Refining Layer 6, and you dare to kill a disciple of my Immortal Sect? According to the sect's rules, this person is to be executed on the spot." Qingyue's eyes could not hide her killing intent as she stared venomously at Chen Fan.

"But Senior Martial Sister said to take him alive..." a young disciple beside her hesitated.

"Do you think the sect rules are greater, or Senior Martial Sister? Kill him. I will explain this matter to Senior Martial Sister myself." Qingyue said coldly.

The few Immortal Sect disciples still hesitated, exchanging glances before finally raising their swords and charging at Chen Fan. Among them were some who excelled in the path of Talismans, their cultivation reaching Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

Li Tieniu's face darkened. Qin Xian'er had instructed him to hold off the Immortal Sect disciples after Chen Fan came out, allowing Chen Fan to retreat.

"Qingyue, you cannot touch this man." Li Tieniu's face sank, and he suddenly bellowed: "Charge!!"

Behind him, a deafening roar of battle cries erupted. Amidst the earth-shaking shouts, the Earth Ghost Sect disciples brandished their weapons and surged forward like a raging tide, crashing into the Immortal Sect disciples ahead.

"Li Tieniu, I told you, as long as I am here, don't even think about playing any tricks." Qingyue sneered, clapping her hands together. Two massive Steel Bracelets materialized in her hands.

With a clang, Qingyue slammed the Steel Bracelets together, stomped her foot, and charged straight at Li Tieniu.

Li Tieniu roared in anger and met her head-on.

Chen Fan slowly walked out of Demon King Valley, his expression blank as he passed through the battlefield, completely ignoring the two sides locked in combat.

The wandering cultivators watching from afar had long since fled, only daring to watch from a distance, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.

When they saw a figure strolling through the battlefield as if no one else was there, their faces turned pale with fright. They muttered to themselves that the man was either blind or an idiot—couldn't he see the chaos? And yet he dared to walk right through.

But just then, they saw two Immortal Sect disciples suddenly swing their swords, sending two Sword Qis slashing toward Chen Fan. The crowd's expressions changed, thinking the man was about to meet a gruesome end here.

"This..."

The crowd's expressions suddenly froze.

Chen Fan's figure blurred in an instant. A phantom-like afterimage brushed past the two Sword Qis like a ghost, gliding between the two disciples, leaving two straight beams of sword light in his wake.

Thud! Thud!

The two disciples stood still for a moment before collapsing heavily, a thin line of blood slowly appearing on their necks.

"Killing two Qi Refining Layer 6 disciples with a single sword strike." When the young cultivator saw the two Immortal Sect disciples fall, he was dumbfounded, his heart feeling as if struck by a heavy hammer.

"What a terrifying sword cultivator." A female cultivator muttered to herself in a daze.

"So this is how powerful a sword cultivator can be. I really shouldn't have given up learning the sword back then and switched to the Dao." A middle-aged cultivator who had accomplished nothing shook his head in regret.

On the other side, several cultivators who had been about to enter Demon King Valley were also staring at this scene in shock.

"Isn't that Chen Fan from our Heavy Sword Peak? When... when did he become so strong?"

"Could it be a case of mistaken identity? This man is at Qi Refining Layer 6, but his strength rivals Qi Refining Eighth Layer. It can't be Chen Fan."

"How could it not be? I'd recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes. His strength is this terrifying—he was hiding it so deeply."

"Watch out!"

At this moment, the crowd burst into another uproar, breaking out in a cold sweat for Chen Fan.

Amidst a blinding golden light, an Immortal Sect disciple roared as he leaped down from the air, diving toward Chen Fan. A yellow Talisman in his hand suddenly ignited, transforming into a ball of golden flame that enveloped the disciple's entire palm. He descended like a heavy object falling from a great height, bringing with it a massive, scorching palm wind that made even the air itself feel blistering hot.

"That's... the legendary Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman, capable of burning a person's True Qi and soul." An old cultivator's murky eyes cleared as he spoke in shock.

"Even Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators have to be wary of that Talisman. This man is truly done for." The crowd could no longer bear to watch.

"Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman."

Chen Fan's heart jolted. This talisman was extraordinary—even its paper required mid-grade materials to craft. For it to appear on a Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator meant the Immortal Sect's foundations were indeed remarkable.

"No matter how unmatched your battle prowess, this is where it ends." The Immortal Sect disciple bellowed, the flames in his palm surging high, trailing a long tail as they fell from the sky like a golden ribbon!

"Watch out." Li Tieniu shouted in alarm.

"Hmph, worry about yourself." Qingyue snorted coldly, her massive Steel Bracelet crashing down toward Li Tieniu as if weighing a thousand jin, dragging a piercing howl through the air.

"Blazing Heaven Sword Qi!" Chen Fan's gaze sharpened as True Qi surged from his dantian, like a bursting river, vast and torrential, rampaging into his right arm before flooding into the longsword in his hand. The blade began to tremble uncontrollably at high speed, a crisp, humming sword cry ringing out, as if suffused with a blinding, brilliant white light!

In the next instant, he stomped forward heavily, formed a sword seal with his fingers, and let True Qi gush from his dantian like a breached levee, roaring into his left arm. His entire left hand seemed to glow with a dazzling white radiance, momentarily resembling a true Refined Iron longsword. Chen Fan roared, thrusting his sword fingers straight ahead. True Qi poured out violently, condensing between his two fingers into a slender, blinding white beam, like a meteor chasing the moon, a thunderclap from flat ground, shooting urgently toward the Immortal Sect disciple!

Amid the disciple's stunned expression, the white bolt pierced through his skull, a spray of red and white blood and brain matter erupting from the back of his head!

True Qi materialization—wasn't that something only Foundation Establishment Realm experts could do?

The Immortal Sect disciple's corpse plummeted, his hand wreathed in golden flames drooping limply, yet it happened to graze Chen Fan's left hand.

"Junior Brother Lin, how is this possible?" Qingyue's face was full of shock as she watched the disciple fall to the ground, lifeless.

Though the Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman had been weakened severalfold by his sword qi, it remained immensely powerful. The flames didn't harm his flesh directly but instead seeped through his pores, igniting his True Qi. A searing pain shot through his left palm.

A hint of urgency crept into Chen Fan's brow. Silently reciting the Blazing Heaven Sword Art, he swiftly sealed his acupoints, locking the kindled True Qi within his hand.

"Blazing Heaven Sword Qi." He pointed forward, and several flaming sword beams shot straight at Qingyue in succession.

"How dare you." Qingyue was already on guard. She twisted sharply, the flaming sword qi grazing past her chest. With an angry shout, she flipped her hand, and a yellow talisman suddenly appeared in her palm.

Li Tieniu's expression shifted dramatically as he retreated swiftly. He recognized it—the Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman.

"You little beast." Seeing Li Tieniu temporarily held back, Qingyue immediately turned her attack on Chen Fan.

Chen Fan had just forced the flames completely out of his body. As Qingyue approached with a cold sneer, he calmly stepped into the Formless Step, retreating swiftly while channeling True Qi from within, flooding it into the longsword in his hand.

Hum

The blade trembled uncontrollably at high speed, emitting a crisp sword cry.

Chen Fan's body suddenly halted. With a flick of his wrist, the longsword swept across, trailing a crescent-shaped blade shadow.

Clang!

Qingyue's Steel Bracelet and Chen Fan's longsword collided violently, sparking at the point of impact. A tremendous force transmitted through the bracelet, forcing even Qingyue to stumble back several steps.

"A mere Qi Refining Layer 6—I don't believe you can turn the tables." Qingyue steadied her chaotic True Qi, gritted her teeth, and flipped her hand, revealing four talismans at once.

"Go!" Qingyue roared, flinging her hand. The four talismans shot into the air, each taking a corner, and ignited with a hiss. The cinnabar on their surfaces seemed to glow faintly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A thunderous roar rolled in like crashing thunder. Above the four talismans, an invisible vortex seemed to spin, forcibly drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy, coalescing into an ocean-deep, boundless torrent of dense qi!!

"H-Heavens!!" The scattered cultivators watching from the outer perimeter were all dumbstruck, faces full of shock. One trembling voice cried out in terror: "Th-This is... the Four Symbols Secret Talisman!"

"Roar!"

"Howl!"

"Scream!"

"Moan!"

Four distinct, massive cries and howls suddenly erupted in midair, as if some terrifying ancient beasts had awakened.

"Four Symbols Secret Talisman." Chen Fan was taken aback. Even this legendary talisman had been crafted by someone.

Hiss!

Flames on the four talismans shot up high, engulfing them completely, then burst open!!

In a blinding golden light, four colossal, terrifying phantoms materialized!

The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—four ancient divine beasts—appeared overhead, forming a barrier of light that trapped Chen Fan.

"Heavens, the Four Symbols Divine Beasts!" The scattered cultivators watching from afar were already terrified out of their wits.

"Wake up—those are just illusions, formed from spiritual energy. They have the shape but not the substance, the appearance but not the reality." An old cultivator shouted, snapping the crowd back to their senses.

"Even just their outer form is enough to intimidate us. If real divine beasts descended, we'd probably be annihilated." The crowd felt a lingering dread.

"You little beast, I'll suppress your soul and make sure you never rise again." Qingyue's eyes were filled with venom.

Li Tieniu's face turned grim. He hadn't expected Qingyue to carry such a precious talisman with her—this was a treasure talisman bestowed by the Immortal Sect's Sect Master to Mu Yunshui, and now Qingyue was wasting it like this.

"Sect Master, the situation is dire. Return at once." Helpless against such an array, Li Tieniu could only use a secret technique to send a message to Qin Xian'er.

"Four Symbols. Do you even understand what the Four Symbols are? You've placed them in the wrong directions—it's a complete waste of a treasure." Chen Fan snorted coldly, flicking his longsword with a crisp ring. Then, with a light tap of his foot, he leaped high into the air, charging straight toward the four massive phantoms.