Fat Daoist

Chen Fan gave Chen Jingjing and the other girl a puzzled glance, then nodded.

The two girls' heads instantly rang...

"Was that One-Star Heavenly Soldier at Qi Refining Layer 2 you?" Chen Jingjing covered her little mouth, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Yes." This time, Chen Fan didn't nod again. He walked past them and headed for his room. He needed a bath to wash the smell of blood off himself.

Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly as Chen Fan entered his room.

"Rumeng, am I dreaming?"

"You mean we're having the same dream?"

After a long while, the two finally came to their senses and sat down on the sofa, still astonished.

That monstrous genius everyone had been talking about was actually Chen Fan!

"How can that guy be so calm? Doesn't he know that more than a dozen Foundation Establishment powerhouses have recently come to Lingxiao City for him?" Chen Jingjing stared at Chen Fan's door, itching to go knock until he came out.

"The person all those Foundation Establishment powerhouses are fighting to take as a personal disciple—oh my heavens, it's your brother, Jingjing! I want to go into the Heavenly Court right now and shout that I know your brother."

"No, don't let it get out yet. He must have his reasons for keeping it from people," Chen Jingjing said seriously.

Zhang Rumeng burst out laughing. She pinched Chen Jingjing's cheek and said, "Of course I know. Look at you right now—you're such a cute little sister."

"You dared to pinch me? You're dead!"

The two started play-wrestling again.

Meanwhile, after washing up, Chen Fan changed into a long robe and leaned back in a wooden chair. He slowly closed his eyes, as though resting.

But in truth, he was thinking. Although Qin Xian'er had temporarily held Mu Yunshui back, given her temperament, she surely wouldn't give up easily—especially since he had killed quite a few disciples of the Immortal Sect.

Chen Fan wasn't afraid of Mu Yunshui. He was worried about the two girls outside. Fortunately, they had both made progress and passed the First Layer of the Heavenly Court, raising their standing on Heavy Sword Peak. The Immortal Sect was powerful, but Heavy Sword Peak surely wouldn't let them run wild.

At that thought, Chen Fan gave a slight shake of his head. Perhaps his decision to travel far away would be good for Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng too. His path was destined to be paved with slaughter; having them by his side would only put them in greater danger.

Chen Fan took out the Heavenly Court Token and sent his Divine Sense outward. He hadn't entered for nearly ten days and wanted to take a look around.

Darkness flashed. When Chen Fan opened his eyes again, he was still outside the medicine garden of his Immortal Cave, but the Green-feathered Bird was nowhere to be seen.

He also discovered that this Heavenly Court body was still at Qi Refining Layer 4, now lower than his physical body's cultivation.

"Kid, you're finally awake. There's a charlatan at the entrance to your Immortal Cave." The Green-feathered Bird's nasal voice suddenly rang out.

Chen Fan rose and looked over. The Green-feathered Bird was standing at the entrance to the Immortal Cave. Beside it stood a plump Daoist with an immortal air, smiling at Chen Fan.

"Boundless Heavenly Venerable! Young man, I see that your bones are extraordinary and that you were born to follow the Dao. Why not become my disciple? You're sure to cultivate to perfection and attain immortality one day." The moment the Fat Daoist opened his mouth, all traces of his immortal air vanished. He was the spitting image of a charlatan.

But Chen Fan didn't dare underestimate him. The Daoist's cultivation ran deep, far surpassing Foundation Establishment. What's more, he had found this place in person without using a Teleportation Array. His mastery of the Dao was clearly profound.

"Dead charlatan, we don't have any Spirit Stones for you. Get lost," the Green-feathered Bird said with a look of disdain.

"Little bird, I see darkness between your brows—a disaster of blood and light is coming," the Fat Daoist said with a narrowed gaze and a smile.

"Bah! I'm an ancient ferocious bird. My brow shines bright. See this star? I could blind you in an instant!" The Green-feathered Bird's feathers puffed up as it glared furiously at the Fat Daoist.

"Don't believe me? Come out, then. Let this poor Daoist have a little match with you." The Fat Daoist flicked his horsetail whisk and challenged the Green-feathered Bird to a fight.

"Kid, I can't let that go." The Green-feathered Bird said this and started toward the exit.

"If you open the formation and go out, he'll come in," Chen Fan said with a frown. Being targeted by a powerhouse was no good thing.

At that, the Green-feathered Bird planted its foot and stopped short.

"Young man, you're overthinking it. This poor Daoist isn't that sort of person. I'm only here to take on a disciple." The Fat Daoist was still all smiles.

"I'm a sword cultivator. The Dao and I aren't fated to meet. Look elsewhere," Chen Fan said, shaking his head.

"A sword cultivator? That's good! As the saying goes, 'Sword and Dao are one; the sword itself is the Dao.' This poor Daoist also has a few top-grade Sword Arts. Which would you like to learn?" The Fat Daoist reached into his robes and pulled out several ancient-looking manuals, leaving Chen Fan momentarily stunned.

"Haotian Sword Art, Nine Palaces Sword Art, Wuji Sword Art, Tiangang Sword Art—what are these, you charlatan? I've never even heard of them," the Green-feathered Bird said disdainfully.

"That's because you're ignorant. These are top-tier Daoist Sword Arts. The Nine Palaces Sword Art and Tiangang Sword Art in particular are extraordinarily powerful," the Fat Daoist said, shaking his head.

Chen Fan nodded slightly. He had seen the names of the Tiangang Sword Art and Nine Palaces Sword Art in an ancient text. Both were top-grade Sword Arts of the formation type, and the text had described the Nine Palaces Sword Art in the greatest detail.

The Nine Palaces formed the foundation of the art of divination and strategic calculation, mysterious beyond compare. They said this Sword Art also contained a Nine Palaces movement technique. Its practitioners stepped through the Nine Palaces, laying out a Nine Palaces formation and moving with its configurations in seamless harmony.

"These two Sword Arts are indeed powerful, but the Sword Dao I cultivate clashes with formation-based Sword Arts. They go against my Sword Immortal Path," Chen Fan said, shaking his head. He didn't think they suited him.

"Young man, are you cultivating the Blazing Heaven Sword Art?" The Fat Daoist suddenly let his smile fade and narrowed his eyes.

Chen Fan's heart jolted, but he didn't let it show. With the Fat Daoist's profound cultivation, seeing through the True Qi in his body wouldn't be difficult. Still, it was rare for anyone to recognize the Blazing Heaven Sword Art, which surprised him.

"The Blazing Heaven Sword Art wins through speed, and the Sword Qi it cultivates is rather domineering. But once you reach Foundation Establishment, you'll have nearly exhausted what this Sword Art can teach you. Even if you find a similar Sword Art for the realms that follow, practicing it over the long term will damage your meridians. That's why the Nine Palaces Sword Art is the Sword Dao best suited to you." As he spoke, the Fat Daoist slipped the other manuals into his sleeve, leaving only the Nine Palaces Sword Art in his hand.

Chen Fan's expression changed. What the Fat Daoist had just used was Sleeve Universe.

Though this world had no shortage of spatial treasures—Qin Xian'er's storage bracelet, for instance, could hold a few personal belongings—the Fat Daoist's Sleeve Universe was a genuine spell. It created a small world inside his sleeve, able to contain all things under heaven.

"The Nine Palaces, the Five Elements, the numbers of the parameters—they flow in a cycle. With your sword, you can lay out a formation, command yin and yang, and summon the dragon and the elephant. Most importantly, as the formation's controller, you'll move through the Nine Palaces with Yu Steps, swift as the wind and lightning! This complements your Blazing Heaven Sword Art perfectly. Once you master it, you'll be able to reach the peak of Foundation Establishment." The Fat Daoist finished speaking and smiled again, his earlier air of authority gone.

"Is it really that powerful?" The Green-feathered Bird listened, dumbfounded.

The Fat Daoist nodded, his gaze still fixed on Chen Fan.

"What are you after?" Chen Fan knew nothing came free.

"Boundless Heavenly Venerable! This poor Daoist saw that you were handsome and dignified, a natural fit for our Daoist school... My throat's dry from talking. Why don't you let me in for a drink of water first?" the Fat Daoist said.

Only then did Chen Fan understand. After all that, the Fat Daoist just wanted to enter his Immortal Cave. What he was really after, though, was anyone's guess.

"Kid, it's fine. No one can hurt you inside your Immortal Cave," the Green-feathered Bird reminded him.

Chen Fan nodded and opened the entrance to the Immortal Cave. The Fat Daoist gave him a strange feeling, sometimes unfathomably profound, sometimes like a worldly charlatan. It was impossible to see his true nature.

The entrance flickered with light. The Fat Daoist chuckled and strode inside.

"May I ask your Daoist name?" Chen Fan asked, looking at the Fat Daoist.

"This poor Daoist's Daoist name is Tianliang..." The Fat Daoist's eyes suddenly lit up. He rushed toward the medicine garden. "Aha, I found it. It's right here."

After saying this, the Fat Daoist took a jade box from his sleeve, pressed his palm against the ground of the medicine garden, and muttered a few incantations.

Boom!

A muffled blast rang out. Chen Fan saw a gust of wind sweep across the medicine garden, centered on the Fat Daoist.

"Come out!" the Fat Daoist shouted gravely. His palm remained pressed firmly to the ground as he poured in his True Qi. The medicine garden began to tremble. Chen Fan barely felt it, but he could clearly see the sand and soil on the ground jumping.

"What's he doing?" Chen Fan frowned slightly. He guessed this was the real reason the Fat Daoist had come.

A few breaths passed, and the Fat Daoist's face began to turn purplish red, as if he were struggling against something.

With a pop, the Fat Daoist suddenly sprang to his feet. The palm that had been pressed against the ground now gripped a strange, heavily cracked stone.

"Whew, this poor Daoist is exhausted." The Fat Daoist carefully placed the stone in the jade box, then took out a Talisman and sealed the box completely.

"This... is this a Tortoise-patterned Medicinal Stone?" The Green-feathered Bird recognized the stone and stared in shock.

"Good eye. Don't worry, there's a share for everyone who sees it. This poor Daoist never breaks his word." The Fat Daoist smiled as he slipped the jade box into his sleeve. "Once I've gathered all the ingredients and refined a Nascent Soul Pill, I'll give you one."

"Nascent Soul Pill?" Chen Fan's heart jolted. It was an essential pill for forging a Nascent Soul Realm cultivation base, a realm still far beyond him.

At present, he was only at Qi Refining Layer 6. But from the looks of it, the Fat Daoist had at least reached the Golden Core Realm, and might even be on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm. Otherwise, he wouldn't be searching everywhere for ingredients to refine a Nascent Soul Pill.

"Here, kid. This is your Sword Art. This poor Daoist will take his leave." The Fat Daoist handed the Nine Palaces Sword Art to Chen Fan, then flicked his horsetail whisk. After chanting, "Boundless Heavenly Venerable," he headed for the entrance to the Immortal Cave.

"Charlatan, weren't you going to take on a disciple?" the Green-feathered Bird called after him.

"Boundless Heavenly Venerable! Taking on a disciple requires harmony between heaven, earth, and man, and the willingness of both parties. I see that today isn't an auspicious day. We can discuss it another time. Farewell." The Fat Daoist spoke with solemn dignity, then took a few mysterious steps and vanished from the Immortal Cave in an instant.

"Damn it, we got scammed!" the Green-feathered Bird said indignantly.

Chen Fan looked at the Nine Palaces Sword Art in his hand and smiled faintly. "At least the Sword Art is real."