Heavenly Court Token

In the former host's memories, there was pitifully little information about the Heavenly Court!

He basically only knew its origins and its general purpose.

He had only a vague idea of what it looked like inside or what kinds of rewards it offered!

But roughly speaking, the Heavenly Court had practically become a second cultivation world for cultivators. They had long since grown accustomed to this way of cultivation: they pursued physical strength in the real world, then entered the Heavenly Court to improve their Divine Souls.

It was precisely because of this that countless cultivators had avoided one of the great difficulties on the path of cultivation—bottlenecks!

With the Heavenly Court, they no longer needed to fret over comprehending the Great Dao. They only had to calmly cultivate their Divine Souls and bodies to the utmost, and everything would naturally fall into place.

It seemed like some kind of high-tech product, yet it wasn't high-tech.

Fortunately, the residents of this Cultivation World were all descendants of modern humans from several hundred years ago. They still had some understanding of what the world had been like back then, and certain modern technologies had survived in some corners. However, under the divine power of cultivators, many technological devices had become useless and been phased out.

In the Heavenly Court, this vast world, all kinds of resources were far more abundant than in the Earth Cultivation World. Some materials that were rare on Earth appeared there frequently. Moreover, the Teleportation Arrays established single-handedly by the White Cloud Palace Master had further strengthened the connections between cultivators.

Many young prodigies had also shone in the Heavenly Court, becoming the rising stars of a new generation and the subject of idle gossip among ordinary cultivators.

Those who were handsome and powerful had, as a result, become the objects of admiration for many young cultivators. They were fawned over in all sorts of ways, much like celebrities several hundred years ago.

The young Foundation Establishment prodigy Xiao Munan was one such person, with an enormous number of admirers.

To enter the Heavenly Court, one needed a Heavenly Court Token. It allowed one's Divine Soul to enter, where one could challenge various trials and earn rewards.

As far as he knew, those rewards could do a great deal to improve one's cultivation.

So before he had the ability to venture into Demon King Valley, Chen Fan was eager to visit the Heavenly Court. If he could raise his cultivation in a short time, he could make an early trip to Demon King Valley!

But... the Heavenly Court Token belonging to the original owner of this body had long ago been lost in Demon King Valley. If he wanted to enter the Heavenly Court, he would have to find another one!

Besides, each Heavenly Court Token was bound to its host's Divine Soul. Even if the original token were still around, it probably wouldn't work, since the Divine Soul in this body had been replaced!

"Brother Chen Fan, it's time to change your medicine!" Little Medicine Boy came over with a pile of medicine and looked at him expectantly.

"Mm! Thanks for your hard work, Xiao Tian!" Chen Fan nodded.

His injuries were healing quickly, but with these medicines helping him and the Blazing Heaven Sword Art circulating through his body, he would probably be completely healed by tomorrow!

"It's no trouble, Brother Chen Fan. Lie down!" Little Medicine Boy said with a cheerful grin.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye!

Chen Fan was alone in the little stone house.

In just two short days, his dantian had recovered, and his cultivation had advanced naturally to the second layer of the Qi Refining Realm!

At that moment, he sat cross-legged on the bed, still circulating the Blazing Heaven Sword Art and converting all the True Qi in his body into Sword Qi!

In his previous life, he had cultivated the Blazing Heaven Sword Art, reached Foundation Establishment, and become a sword cultivator. He had even cultivated Sword Qi that could be released outside his body.

So now, what he had to do was refine the True Qi already in this body into Blazing Heaven True Qi.

As the Blazing Heaven Sword Art circulated, the True Qi in Chen Fan's body slowly began to stir. It traveled along his meridians, moving through the Lesser Celestial Circuit and then the Greater Celestial Circuit.

"True Qi will determine the path I take from now on. In this life, I'll still choose the path of the sword. I'll keep walking the path of the sword immortal." His resolve firm, he kept his eyes tightly shut.

"Whoosh!"

A moment later, a faint streak of yellow light shot from his finger.

"Bang!"

The wooden table in front of him suddenly snapped and crashed to the ground. Its legs had been severed cleanly, and a deep furrow had been carved into the floor.

Chen Fan frowned slightly at the sight. "Still too slow. Without a massive amount of spiritual energy, this Sword Qi can't yet reach minor mastery!"

After pondering for a moment, he shook his head. "Forget it. I should go get a Heavenly Court Token first and see what the Heavenly Court is like!"

With that, he got off the bed, changed his clothes, and prepared to leave!

To obtain a Heavenly Court Token, he had to return to Heavy Sword Peak. Every disciple of the sect was entitled to one.

"Creak!"

Just then, the door suddenly swung open!

Chen Jingjing had returned, carrying a basket of food.

Seeing Chen Fan dressed and ready to leave, she couldn't help staring in surprise. "Where are you going? Wait, your injuries..."

"I'm almost recovered. I should go back to Heavy Sword Peak and cultivate," Chen Fan replied calmly.

Only then did Chen Jingjing look him over in amazement. Seeing that he really did look much better, she murmured, "Looks like those medicines were quite useful."

But the next moment, she was startled again. "What did you just say? You're going back to Heavy Sword Peak to cultivate?"

"Mm." Chen Fan nodded again.

At that moment, Chen Jingjing once again felt that Chen Fan had changed.

Before, he would have used his injuries as an excuse to laze around at home for ten days or half a month, maybe even a whole month, to avoid cultivation and the daily tasks at Heavy Sword Peak.

But now, Chen Fan was the one insisting on going back.

Chen Jingjing found it unbelievable and asked him again, just to be sure. "Are you certain?"

"Yes." Chen Fan nodded again.

Chen Jingjing gave him a puzzled look and muttered to herself, "Could he really have decided to mend his ways? Who knows how long he'll stick with it. I just hope he doesn't fall back into his old habits too soon."

Soon, the two of them left the stone house.

For the first time, Chen Fan saw Heavy Sword City with his own eyes. It was almost just like a city in ancient times; not a trace of the reinforced concrete from several hundred years ago could be seen.

The houses were built mostly of wood and stone, and the city walls still rose high into the sky, with soldiers standing guard above.

The city was also far more densely populated than Chen Fan had imagined. It was practically as crowded as a bustling marketplace.

From the moment he left home and headed toward Heavy Sword Peak, he was surrounded by people. The crowds stretched as far as the eye could see...

Several hundred years ago, a population of this size wouldn't have seemed so astonishing. But now, countless Monster Beasts had appeared on Earth, and they shared the land with human cultivators.

As a result, the places where humanity could live had shrunk considerably, forcing so many people to gather in an ordinary little city.

There wasn't much room on Heavy Sword Peak either, so most of the disciples lived in Heavy Sword City. Every day they traveled from home to the sect to cultivate, then returned together at night.

"Chen Fan, I hope you can keep this up and cultivate in peace. Once you reach Qi Refining Layer 6, you can go to Elder Li and retrieve the Chen Clan Treasure our father entrusted to him. Father always hoped you would make the Chen Clan prosper. Don't let him down, even from beyond the grave." Halfway there, Chen Jingjing spoke up, her voice full of hope.

"Mm." Chen Fan nodded again.

He did remember what Chen Jingjing had told him.

Chen Fan's father had once been a powerful cultivator at Qi Refining Eighth Layer and a sworn brother to Elder Li of Heavy Sword Peak. He had later died in battle.

Before his death, Chen Fan and Chen Jingjing had only just reached Qi Refining Layer 1. Afraid that the Chen Clan's legacy would bring disaster upon the siblings, he entrusted it to his sworn brother, Elder Li of Heavy Sword Peak. He also told Chen Fan to retrieve it once he reached Qi Refining Layer 6 and could protect himself.

Qi Refining Layer 6?

Chen Fan shook his head faintly. That was no problem for him. His goal was to return to Foundation Establishment and achieve even greater things.

"Also, if you want Nalan Yun to become your partner, you'll have to cultivate even harder. Once you become powerful, she'll naturally take a liking to you. Since you're coming back to Heavy Sword Peak with me, I hope you won't cause trouble again, and don't go looking for that woman. Understand?" Chen Jingjing continued, offering him a few words of warning.

"Mm." Chen Fan answered readily. He had practically gotten into the habit of nodding by now.

Nalan Yun? He had no memory of that woman at all, and had no intention of paying her any mind!

Soon, the two of them continued up the mountain, one in front of the other.

When several ancient buildings towered into the clouds and came into view, Chen Fan suddenly froze!

This place was far too familiar. It was where he had died all those years ago.

This mountain had once been the tallest nearby, and the villas on it had been reserved for the wealthy. He hadn't expected that, several hundred years later, people would have restored them and turned the place into sect grounds.

If that's true, then the things I lost back then... Chen Fan pondered.

"You're only at Qi Refining Layer 1, so you can't enter the Inner Court yet. We're headed in different directions, so I won't walk you over. Remember, don't cause trouble." After saying that, Chen Jingjing headed toward a larger building. Above its entrance, Chen Fan could make out the words "Inner Court."

He frowned slightly, then looked around. Only then did he notice that the Outer Court was directly opposite the Inner Court. Judging by how well the buildings had been restored, the Outer Court had clearly received less attention.

As soon as Chen Fan entered the Outer Court, a whistle came from the second-floor walkway. He looked up and saw that it was packed with people. A moment later, the whole building erupted into an uproar.

"Look, the Outer Court's number-one hero is back! The powerhouse who ventured into Demon King Valley alone at Qi Refining Layer 2!"

"Haha, don't mock him. He barely escaped with his life. I wish I had luck like that!"

"I think it would've been better if he'd died. Dying for love—what a grand way to go. Better than being such a loser that a Monster Beast gobbles him up on the battlefield!"

"Good point. Speaking of which, Miss Nalan's been spending a lot of time with some prodigy lately..."

Chen Fan paid little attention to their taunts and gossip. By now, he had already learned what kind of person the original owner of this body had been: timid and fearful, yet vain—a man who wouldn't give up until he saw the coffin.

So he found their reaction pointless. The path of cultivation was long. Why waste time and energy on something like this?

Seeing that Chen Fan didn't talk back, the people upstairs were all surprised. "Is this kid trying to act mysterious?"

"Maybe. They say people change completely after going through a near-death experience."

"So what? If he stops causing trouble, he might lose the last bit of attention he gets."

"All right, enough. Get back to cultivating. Once you reach Qi Refining Layer 4, you can enter the Inner Court. Then you'll have a shot at challenging the First Layer of the Heavenly Court. If you stay in the Outer Court, you'll never get anywhere."

"Exactly. Take Miss Nalan, for example. She's only sixteen, yet she's already at Qi Refining Layer 4. I hear she's planning to challenge the First Layer of the Heavenly Court today and claim the title of One-Star Heavenly Soldier."

"Alas, the First Layer of the Heavenly Court is still too far away for me. I wonder when I'll be able to enter the Inner Court."

Chen Fan ignored their chatter and slowly walked upstairs. He suddenly noticed four words written above a tightly shut wooden door: "Heavenly Court Token."

He stopped in his tracks, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "Here we are!"