Four Symbols Secret Talisman

At that moment, Qingyue's expression shifted between light and dark as she stared fixedly at the figure growing clearer by the second. With her level of Divine Sense, she had already sensed that Chen Fan had reached Qi Refining Layer 6.

She had never met Chen Fan before, but she had heard Mu Yunshui mention him. He was supposedly only at Qi Refining Layer 4, yet several times stronger than an ordinary cultivator at that level. Still, no matter how she imagined it, she couldn't figure out what could let a young man at Qi Refining Layer 4 advance to Qi Refining Layer 6 in a mere few days.

Demon Core!

Qingyue suddenly thought of a Demon Core, but immediately dismissed the idea. Only Monster Beasts at Qi Refining Seventh Layer or above could possibly form Demon Cores. With Chen Fan at Qi Refining Layer 4, there was no way he could have done it.

The ones equally shaken were Li Tieniu, standing on the other side, and the many Earth Ghost Sect disciples. One after another, they gaped in disbelief.

Of everyone here, Li Tieniu and several Earth Ghost Sect disciples knew Chen Fan's cultivation level best. Although Chen Fan had killed two Earth Ghost Sect disciples on previous nights, displaying remarkable ability and attracting Li Tieniu's attention,

Li Tieniu had still subconsciously believed that Chen Fan was only at Qi Refining Layer 4. Even when Qin Xian'er said he might not be a match for Chen Fan, Li Tieniu had refused to accept it.

Yet now, in just two days, this young man had somehow climbed to Qi Refining Layer 6—and his entire body seemed suffused with a mysterious spiritual aura.

"Marrow Cleansing Pill!" Li Tieniu immediately thought of the pill that had been stolen, but a chorus of shouts rose in his mind, all repeating one thing: "Impossible!"

The medicinal properties of a Marrow Cleansing Pill were immensely powerful and violent. If a Qi Refining Realm cultivator took one, their meridians would be unable to withstand the impact. That was why only cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm could consume such pills: they could raise the True Essence Power within the body while also providing a slight marrow-cleansing effect.

Li Tieniu simply couldn't believe Chen Fan had taken a Marrow Cleansing Pill. But the undeniable fact that Chen Fan had reached Qi Refining Layer 6 stood right before him, and he had no choice but to believe it.

Chen Fan had a secret method for refining a Marrow Cleansing Pill and making it truly cleanse his marrow. Unfortunately, that method had long since been lost in this world.

Chen Fan took in the astonished expressions of Li Tieniu, Qingyue, and the others, but paid them little mind.

Instead, he found it a little strange that he couldn't see Mu Yunshui. Then, when he looked at Li Tieniu and thought of Qin Xian'er, he seemed to guess what had happened.

Although he didn't understand why Qin Xian'er had helped him time and again, as someone who had lived two lifetimes, he had no reason not to realize that Qin Xian'er seemed to be plotting something.

"Qi Refining Layer 6, and you still dare to kill a disciple of my Immortal Sect? According to our sect rules, he must be killed on the spot." Qingyue's eyes were full of murderous intent as she glared viciously at Chen Fan.

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

"Are the sect rules more important, or is Senior Martial Sister? Kill him. I'll explain it to Senior Martial Sister myself," Qingyue said coldly.

Several Immortal Sect disciples still hesitated. They exchanged glances, but in the end, they raised their swords and charged at Chen Fan. Among them were several outstanding Talisman practitioners, and some had already reached Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

Li Tieniu's expression darkened. Qin Xian'er had instructed him to hold off the Immortal Sect disciples once Chen Fan came out, so Chen Fan could escape.

"Qingyue, you can't touch him." Li Tieniu's face fell. He suddenly roared, "Get them!"

A deafening clamor of killing erupted behind him. Amid the earth-shaking shouts, the Earth Ghost Sect disciples brandished their weapons and charged at the Immortal Sect forces ahead, surging forward like a raging tide.

"Li Tieniu, I told you that as long as I'm here, you can forget about trying any tricks." Qingyue gave a cold laugh, clapped her hands, and two enormous Steel Bracelets appeared in them.

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

Li Tieniu roared and met her head-on.

Chen Fan, meanwhile, slowly walked out of Demon King Valley. His face expressionless, he passed through the middle of the battlefield, turning a blind eye to the two sides locked in combat.

The Rogue Cultivators watching from the sidelines had already fled. They only dared to observe from far away, afraid of being caught in the fight.

When they saw a figure walking through the battlefield as if no one else were there, their faces turned deathly pale. They thought the man must be blind or stupid. Couldn't he see the chaos around him? How could he dare to walk straight through it?

But just then, they saw two Immortal Sect disciples suddenly swing their swords. Two streaks of Sword Qi slashed toward Chen Fan, and everyone's expression changed. They thought he was about to die on the spot.

"This..."

The crowd's expressions suddenly froze.

Chen Fan's figure blurred in an instant. A phantom slipped past both streaks of Sword Qi like a ghost, gliding between the two disciples. Two straight rays of swordlight trailed behind him.

Thud! Thud!

The two disciples stood motionless for a moment before collapsing heavily to the ground. Fine lines of blood slowly appeared across their throats.

"He killed two Qi Refining Layer 6 disciples with one sword strike." When a young cultivator saw the two Immortal Sect disciples fall, he gaped, feeling as though he'd been struck by a heavy hammer.

"What a terrifying sword cultivator," a female cultivator murmured, stunned.

"So sword cultivators can be this powerful. I truly shouldn't have given up the sword and turned to Dao cultivation all those years ago." A mediocre middle-aged cultivator shook his head in regret.

On the other side, several cultivators who had been preparing to enter Demon King Valley stared at the scene, dumbfounded.

"Isn't that Chen Fan from Heavy Sword Peak? When did he become so powerful?"

"Are you sure you haven't mistaken him? He's already at Qi Refining Layer 6, but his strength rivals Qi Refining Eighth Layer. He can't be Chen Fan."

"How could I mistake him? I'd know him even if he'd turned to ash. With strength this terrifying, he must have been hiding it all along."

"Watch out!"

The crowd roared again, holding their breath for Chen Fan.

Amid a dazzling golden light, an Immortal Sect disciple leapt down from the air with a furious shout and pounced on Chen Fan. A yellow Talisman in his hand suddenly burst into flames, transforming into a ball of golden fire that wrapped around his entire palm. Like a weight crashing down from the sky, it brought with it a huge, blazing gust of palm wind. Even the air it stirred had grown scorching hot!

"That's... the legendary Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman. It can burn away a person's True Qi and soul," an old cultivator exclaimed, his clouded eyes suddenly clear with shock.

Even Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators had to be wary of that Talisman. That man was surely doomed. The crowd could no longer bear to watch.

"Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman."

Chen Fan was startled too. This was no ordinary Talisman. Even its paper had to be Mid-grade Talisman Paper, and yet one had appeared in the hands of a Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator. The Immortal Sect truly had deep foundations.

"No matter how unmatched your strength is, this is where it ends!" The Immortal Sect disciple roared. Flames surged high from his palm, trailing a long tail as he plunged from above, like a golden ribbon!

"Watch out!" Li Tieniu shouted when he saw it.

"Hmph, worry about yourself," Qingyue snorted. She brought her enormous Steel Bracelet crashing down on Li Tieniu's head, as heavy as a thousand jin, with a shrill whistling rush.

"Blazing Heaven Sword Qi!" Chen Fan's gaze sharpened. True Qi surged from his dantian like a river bursting its banks, roaring into his right arm before pouring into the long sword in his hand. The blade began vibrating uncontrollably at high speed. Amid a clear, humming sword ring, it seemed to shine with a dazzling white light!

He immediately took a forceful step forward and formed a Sword Art with his fingers. True Qi welled up from his dantian again, surging like a river bursting its banks into his left arm. His entire left hand seemed to blaze with dazzling white light. In a daze, it looked like a real sword of Refined Iron. With a thunderous shout, Chen Fan thrust out two fingers. True Qi poured forth, gathering between them into a slender, dazzling beam of white light. Like a shooting star chasing the moon, like thunder erupting on level ground, it shot toward the Immortal Sect disciple!

As the disciple stared in shock, the white beam pierced through his skull. A spray of red and white blood and brains burst from the back of his head!

Forming True Qi into a tangible shape—wasn't that something only Foundation Establishment Realm experts could do?

The Immortal Sect disciple's corpse fell. His hand, still wrapped in golden flames, went limp and brushed against Chen Fan's left hand.

"Junior Brother Lin, how could this be?" Qingyue stared in shock as the disciple fell to the ground, lifeless.

Although the Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman had been weakened somewhat by the impact of his Sword Qi, it remained immensely powerful. The flames hadn't harmed his flesh; instead, they had passed through his pores and burned his True Qi. A piercing pain stabbed through his left palm.

A tense look crossed Chen Fan's brow. He silently recited the Blazing Heaven Sword Art and swiftly sealed the acupoints in his left hand, trapping the ignited True Qi there.

"Blazing Heaven Sword Qi." He pointed forward, and several streaks of flaming Sword Qi shot straight toward Qingyue.

"Impudent!" Qingyue had been prepared. She quickly twisted aside, and the flaming Sword Qi swept past her chest. With an angry shout, she flipped her hand, and a yellow Talisman suddenly appeared in her palm.

Li Tieniu's expression changed drastically. He swiftly retreated, recognizing it as a Three Flavors Red Flame Talisman.

"You little beast." Seeing that Li Tieniu had been temporarily held at bay, Qingyue immediately attacked Chen Fan.

Chen Fan had just forced all the flames out of his body. As Qingyue approached with a chilly expression, he calmly used the Formless Step, retreating as he channeled the True Qi within him. It roared into the long sword in his hand.

"Hum."

The blade began vibrating uncontrollably at high speed, ringing out with a clear, crisp hum.

Chen Fan's figure suddenly stopped. He flicked his wrist, sweeping the long sword across and sending out a crescent-shaped arc of swordlight.

Clang!

Qingyue's Steel Bracelet slammed into Chen Fan's long sword, sparks flying. A tremendous force surged through the bracelet, driving Qingyue back several steps.

"You're only at Qi Refining Layer 6. I refuse to believe you can still turn the heavens upside down!" Qingyue steadied the turbulent True Qi in her body, gritted her teeth, and flipped her hand. Four Talismans appeared in her palm at once.

"Rise!" Qingyue roared and flicked her hand. The four Talismans flew into the air, each taking a different position. With a hiss, they burst into flames, and the cinnabar on their surfaces seemed to glow faintly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A rumble like rolling thunder swept over them. An invisible vortex seemed to whirl above the four Talismans, forcibly drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy until an immense, boundless sea of concentrated spiritual energy had formed!

"Good... heavens!" The watching Rogue Cultivators around the battlefield gaped in shock. One cultivator cried out in a trembling voice, "Th-this is... the Four Symbols Secret Talisman!"

"Roar!"

"Howl!"

"Shriek!"

"Uoo!"

Four enormous roars and cries, each different from the last, suddenly rang out in the air, as if some terrifying ancient beasts had appeared.

"The Four Symbols Secret Talisman." Chen Fan was startled. Someone had actually managed to craft this legendary Talisman.

Hiss!

Flames surged high from the four Talismans, engulfing them completely before they suddenly burst apart!

Amid a dazzling golden light, four enormous, terrifying phantoms appeared!

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

"My heavens, the Four Symbols Divine Beasts!" The Rogue Cultivators watching from afar were all terrified out of their wits.

"Wake up! Those are only illusions, formed from spiritual energy. They have the shape, but nothing more," an old cultivator shouted, jolting the crowd back to their senses.

"Just their appearance alone is enough to overawe us. If real divine beasts descended, we'd have been wiped out long ago." Everyone shuddered at the thought.

"Little beast, I'll suppress your soul and make sure you can never be reborn!" Qingyue's eyes were filled with viciousness.

Li Tieniu's expression was even more grim. He hadn't expected Qingyue to be carrying such precious Talismans. They were treasured Talismans the Immortal Sect's Sect Master had bestowed upon Mu Yunshui, and Qingyue had used them just like that.

"Sect Master, things have gone badly. Return at once." In the face of this formation, Li Tieniu was powerless. He could only use a secret method to send Qin Xian'er a message.

"Four Symbols? What do you know about the Four Symbols? You've even got the directions wrong. What a waste of a treasure." Chen Fan gave a cold snort and flicked his long sword, sending a clear ring through the air. Then he tapped his foot, soared high into the air, and charged straight toward the four enormous phantoms.