Astonishing Guess

Chen Fan decided to visit Mo Bai in the wooden hut. In name, Mo Bai could be considered his savior, and this was a good chance to get acquainted with him—and see whether he could repay the debt someday.

Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng were both slightly taken aback when he volunteered to go to the hut, but neither asked why. After tidying up a little, they went out with him.

On the way to the hut, Chen Fan gradually learned the gist of what had happened from the two women.

Little Medicine Boy had been buying medicine at the shop. When he came out, he accidentally bumped into a young man. The boy seemed to come from an extraordinary background: he was strolling down the street with two exceptionally capable servants following behind him. After Little Medicine Boy apologized, the young man raised a hand to slap him across the mouth. Just then, Mo Bai happened to pass by and stopped him.

Mo Bai was a born do-gooder. He smiled, introduced himself, and apologized to the young man again on Little Medicine Boy's behalf. But the young man replied, "Everyone on Heavy Sword Peak is my subordinate. I can teach whoever I want a lesson."

Without another word, the two servants restrained Mo Bai. A dignified Qi Refining Realm cultivator like him was utterly powerless to fight back, and the young man humiliated him as he pleased.

"That young man must have come from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect," Chen Jingjing said gravely.

"The Ten Thousand Swords Sect?" Chen Fan had never heard of it and looked puzzled.

"It's no surprise you've forgotten. The Ten Thousand Swords Sect is thousands of miles from Heavy Sword City, and it's a major sect. Heavy Sword Peak split off from it over a decade ago, but we still belong to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. What's strange is, I remember the last time they sent someone here was three years ago. I think it was because a female disciple of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect eloped with a disciple of the Earth Ghost Sect, so the Ten Thousand Swords Sect sent people to capture them," Zhang Rumeng said with a frown.

"They fell in love despite being so far apart?" Chen Fan was surprised. But at the mention of the Earth Ghost Sect, the black-veiled woman, Qin Xian'er, surfaced in his mind.

"They met in the Heavenly Court. What a pity. The Ten Thousand Swords Sect later mobilized all of Heavy Sword Peak to search for them. In the end, they were found. The Ten Thousand Swords Sect took the female disciple back, but the male disciple disappeared."

"They wouldn't send someone without a reason. That means the Ten Thousand Swords Sect has come again because they want Heavy Sword Peak to do something for them," Zhang Rumeng said.

"Hmph! What kind of major sect acts like that? Does being from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect give them the right to bully people? That young man even said Heavy Sword Peak was his subordinate. It's outrageous." Chen Jingjing was furious.

Chen Fan remained silent, holding Little Medicine Boy as he made his way toward the hut.

As they neared the hut, a strong medicinal smell filled their noses. The area outside was crowded with Heavy Sword Peak disciples, all there to visit their Senior Brother, Mo Bai. It was clear he was well liked.

"This is outrageous. Senior Brother is such a good person, yet he was beaten for no reason," one disciple said indignantly.

"Alas, what can we do? Heavy Sword Peak is under someone else's thumb. Without the Ten Thousand Swords Sect supplying us with resources, we wouldn't have been able to cultivate so many incantations and sword techniques," another disciple said, shaking his head helplessly.

"Bah! Those inferior techniques are just the castoffs they no longer need."

"Well, at least we've borrowed the Ten Thousand Swords Sect's name all these years and enjoyed ten years of peace. The Demon Sect has hardly ever bothered us."

"What are you trying to say? That we should let Senior Brother's injuries go unpunished?" a disciple protested.

"Senior Brother is the strongest of our generation. Seeking justice? Are you going to do it?" another disciple mocked.

"He's right. If even Senior Brother ended up like this, what can the rest of us do? The Elders certainly won't get involved." Everyone shook their heads and sighed.

By then, Chen Fan and the others had arrived. Little Medicine Boy opened his swollen, red eyes and called out loudly, "Greetings, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters!"

"Little Medicine Boy, you're here?" Several female disciples doted on him, and a few male disciples smiled at him too.

But when everyone saw Chen Fan, they were still taken aback, their expressions turning strange.

Clearly, many still weren't used to seeing someone once mocked by countless people suddenly inch toward being called a genius. Reaching Qi Refining Layer 4 and killing a cultivator at Qi Refining Layer 6 was unprecedented on Heavy Sword Peak.

Most of the people here hadn't actually seen Chen Fan kill Zhang Ting. They had only heard about it and assumed Zhang Ting had let his guard down, allowing Chen Fan to get the better of him.

"Why is he here? Didn't I hear he went to Demon King Valley again?" A female disciple shot Chen Fan a disgusted look.

"Could this guy really have gone into Demon King Valley alone again? Still, Senior Brother once saved his life. Coming to visit him shows he has a conscience." A male disciple nodded slightly.

"You've got to be kidding. Him, going into Demon King Valley alone? He got lucky last time and was rescued by Senior Brother. I don't believe he'd dare go back."

"Didn't Heavy Sword Peak organize a team to go to Demon King Valley a couple of days ago? When they get back, we can ask if they ran into some young hero who went in alone. Ha ha!"

"I think they're supposed to be back today."

Chen Fan paid no attention to their chatter. He set Little Medicine Boy down and slowly walked toward the hut.

This was the place he'd first seen when he opened his eyes after being reborn. When he reached the door and was about to push it open, a muscular arm suddenly shot out and blocked his way.

"What do you think you're doing?" The disciple was tall and burly. He stared at Chen Fan as he spoke.

"Mo Hu, Chen Fan came to see your brother. What's with that look?" Zhang Rumeng said, clearly displeased.

"See my brother? There are plenty of disciples waiting to see him. What makes him think he can just cut in? Who does he think he is?" Mo Hu looked down on Chen Fan. He had heard Chen Fan won a Life and Death Match against a Qi Refining Layer 6 cultivator, but Mo Hu was at the same level himself. He was sure Zhang Ting wouldn't have been a match for him either; given Zhang Ting's character, it was no surprise he'd lost after letting his guard down.

"Mo Hu, don't push it," Chen Jingjing said, her face darkening.

"Push it? I can push it even—"

"Whoosh!"

Before Mo Hu could finish, the sharp sword in Chen Fan's hand left its scabbard. Its gleaming blade was already at Mo Hu's throat.

Feeling the chill of the blade, Mo Hu swallowed involuntarily. It suddenly occurred to him that perhaps Chen Fan hadn't killed Zhang Ting on luck alone.

"Qi Refining Layer 6!" a disciple exclaimed, sensing Chen Fan's aura.

The sudden turn of events, along with the disciple's cry, left everyone present unable to react. Even Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng were greatly surprised. Chen Fan had changed. He was decisive and to the point, no longer wasting time on empty words.

"You... don't do anything reckless," Mo Hu stammered. The disciple's exclamation had made him fully realize Chen Fan's cultivation level. They were both at Qi Refining Layer 6, yet Mo Hu felt he couldn't resist Chen Fan at all.

"Mo Bai is your brother?" Chen Fan asked coldly.

"Yes." Mo Hu nodded slightly, afraid to make any sudden movement in case the sharp sword point pierced his throat.

"You don't deserve to be his brother."

Chen Fan sheathed his sword. Ignoring Mo Hu, who was frozen in place, he pushed open the wooden door and went inside.

Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng hurried in after him, leaving the many disciples outside staring in a daze.

"He only just broke through to Qi Refining Layer 4 a few days ago, and now he's already at Qi Refining Layer 6? That talent is terrifying!"

"More than that, don't you think the Sword Art he just used was terrifying? I don't think I could've blocked that move. It was so fast." A Qi Refining Layer 6 disciple shook his head, his expression grave.

"Now I admit it: he's a genius. He's practically a different person from the Chen Fan we knew before."

"If Nalan Yun finds out, won't she regret it to death?"

"Nalan Yun's talent is ordinary too. She's just got a pretty face—gold on the outside, rot within. I don't understand why Chen Fan used to be so obsessed with her."

Inside the hut, Chen Fan breathed in the familiar medicinal smell and walked over to the bed.

The unconscious man lying there had a square face, thick brows, and a broad nose. He gave off a kind, approachable air.

"His injuries are so severe even I have a bit of a headache," Little Medicine Boy's master said, stroking his white beard with a troubled expression. It was hard to imagine that he was an Old Apothecary who secretly kept Virility Pills.

Mo Hu came in from outside just then, and his expression stiffened when he heard the Old Apothecary's words.

"If we had Mid-grade Talisman Paper, we could save him." Chen Fan frowned slightly. He remembered the Three Flowers Gathering at Crown Talisman he had just learned. It would be just the thing for Mo Bai's severe injuries.

"You can save my brother?" Mo Hu's ears perked up. At Chen Fan's words, he immediately turned around.

Chen Fan ignored him, continuing to think.

"Chen Fan, I apologize for what I did and said just now. I truly don't deserve to be my brother's brother. But you know what kind of person he is. If you can help, I hope you'll save him." When Mo Hu finished, he lowered his head toward Chen Fan to show his remorse.

Chen Fan's expression suddenly changed, as if he had thought of something.

"Don't move him yet. I'll be right back." Chen Fan hurried out of the hut and, to the astonishment of the people outside, headed toward his own place.

Chen Fan had just remembered: since he could absorb spiritual energy from the Heavenly Court, could he also bring physical objects from the Heavenly Court into this world?

If it was possible, that would be astonishing news for him.

After all, although several centuries of cultivation had passed since the Age of Dharma Decline in this world, precious medicinal herbs and resources remained pitifully scarce. The Heavenly Court, however, was like a pocket-sized immortal realm, rich not only in spiritual energy but also in medicinal herbs and other resources.

The Tortoise-patterned Medicinal Stone the Fat Daoist had dug up in his Immortal Cave might be so rare that even if they dug up the whole Earth, they might not find more than two.

At the thought, Chen Fan quickened his pace. His Heavenly Court Token was sitting on the wooden table in his room.