Immortal Sect's Arrival

"Brother, you cleared the challenge?" Seeing Chen Fan emerge from the room, Chen Jingjing exclaimed in surprise. 😲🏆  ☝🐨

Chen Fan noticed Zhang Rumeng had also come, nodded slightly to her, then said, "Just succeeded. Get ready, we'll head up Heavy Sword Peak soon."

"Is it about the inheritance?" Chen Jingjing asked.

"Mm." Chen Fan nodded.

"Alright, I'll go change clothes." Chen Jingjing said, immediately beaming as she ran toward her room—a far cry from the Chen Jingjing they'd first met.

As an outsider, both Chen Fan and Zhang Rumeng could naturally sense the change in Chen Jingjing. It was a good thing, but also a bad one. Chen Jingjing was starting to rely on Chen Fan, her elder brother. Yet the path of immortal cultivation had always been walked alone, relying on oneself to cultivate toward longevity—a solitary road.

But Zhang Rumeng didn't think as far ahead as Chen Fan. She felt that the current Chen Jingjing was the happiest she'd ever been.

Chen Fan's pitch-black eyes glimmered faintly with a trace of light, as if lost in thought.

A moment later, Chen Jingjing emerged from her room, having changed into a gauzy robe of blue and white, looking pure and beautiful. Zhang Rumeng immediately teased, "The great beauty Jingjing, are you heading up Heavy Sword Peak to find your perfect match?"

"Shut up, Rumeng, you're the one looking for a perfect match." Chen Jingjing's face flushed red as she chased Zhang Rumeng, tickling her.

The two fooled around for a good while before finally calling a truce and heading up Heavy Sword Peak with Chen Fan.

When they reached the mountainside of Heavy Sword Peak, Chen Fan and the others encountered several disciples in succession. Upon seeing Chen Fan, each disciple wore a look of reverence and called out, "Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Chen!"

At first, Chen Fan felt a bit unaccustomed to it, but he soon simply nodded in response. Still, he was somewhat puzzled. Even if he had saved Mo Bai's life, these disciples shouldn't hold him in such high regard, should they?

"Chen Fan, did you notice? They suddenly revere you so much." Zhang Rumeng said excitedly.

"Right, brother, that look in their eyes is like they're looking at an idol. Did you do something?" Chen Jingjing also asked in surprise. Neither of them had been up Heavy Sword Peak for a few days, so they didn't know what had happened.

"Let's head up the mountain first." Chen Fan shook his head, indicating he didn't know either.

"Maybe it's because they know Chen Fan saved the senior disciple," Zhang Rumeng guessed. Chen Jingjing nodded at that, thinking it over—it seemed the only major event recently.

The three continued up the mountain, encountering more and more disciples, most of whom showed great reverence for Chen Fan. He nodded back to each one in turn.

When they finally entered the mountain gate, two familiar figures approached—none other than the brothers Mo Bai and Mo Hu.

"Senior Disciple." Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng smiled slightly upon seeing Mo Bai.

Mo Bai smiled back with a light nod, then looked at Chen Fan and said, "Chen Fan, I'll remember this life-saving grace."

"Senior Disciple, you're too kind. That day, you also saved me from Demon King Valley. If not for your intervention, perhaps the Chen Fan of today wouldn't exist." Chen Fan said earnestly. If Mo Bai hadn't pulled him back from the brink of life and death, he might never have been reborn into this body.

Mo Bai smiled and nodded, patting Chen Fan on the shoulder. "With such extraordinary talent, you're bound to have a great immortal path ahead."

"Chen Fan, I was impulsive that day in the cabin. I apologize again here. If you ever need anything from me, Mo Hu, just say the word. Even if it means walking through fire or treading on blades, I won't blink an eye." Mo Hu stepped forward, his gaze firm as he looked at Chen Fan. Given his nature, he truly meant what he said.

"You're too serious. Let the past be past." Chen Fan said calmly, having never taken such a trivial matter to heart.

"But Chen Fan's reputation has really grown since saving the senior disciple. On the way up the mountain just now, many disciples looked at him with reverence and called him Senior Martial Brother Chen." Zhang Rumeng recounted what they'd seen along the way.

Unexpectedly, Mo Bai and Mo Hu were taken aback, then both let out a light laugh.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Zhang Rumeng asked, puzzled.

"Of course not. Chen Fan's standing on Heavy Sword Peak now might even surpass mine." Mo Bai shook his head with a smile.

"Then what's the reason? Senior Disciple, don't keep us in suspense—tell us quickly." Zhang Rumeng and Chen Jingjing urged anxiously.

Chen Fan was also curious. He didn't recall doing anything related to Heavy Sword Peak. Where did this reputation come from?

As he thought this, a flash of white light crossed his mind.

"Could it be that news from Demon King Valley has spread?" Chen Fan guessed inwardly.

Sure enough, Mo Bai didn't drag it out. He smiled directly and said, "You haven't been up the mountain these past few days, so naturally you wouldn't know. A few disciples from Heavy Sword Peak went to Demon King Valley a few days ago and happened to run into Chen Fan. If they hadn't recognized him, we might never have known how strong this kid has become. No wonder even the Young Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect couldn't do anything to Chen Fan that day."

"Demon King Valley? What major event happened there?" Zhang Rumeng asked, puzzled.

"Those disciples saw with their own eyes Chen Fan walk out calmly under the watch of several Qi Refining Layer 6 experts, and even cut down a Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator with a single sword strike." Mo Bai gave Chen Fan a deep look and said with a smile, "Moreover, single-handedly, he killed a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator."

"What?" Zhang Rumeng exclaimed.

"Qi Refining Ninth Layer?" Chen Jingjing also stared at Chen Fan in shock. Seeing that he didn't shake his head to deny it, her heart pounded like a heavy hammer.

"With Chen Fan's current strength, I'm probably no match for him anymore." Mo Bai sighed with a hint of emotion, but there was no jealousy in his eyes as he looked at Chen Fan—only deep delight.

He was the senior disciple of Heavy Sword Peak, the elder brother to all its disciples. In his eyes, Chen Fan had always been like a younger brother, and that hadn't changed.

Zhang Rumeng and Chen Jingjing's mouths hung open, momentarily at a loss for words.

Mo Hu chuckled at the sight. He'd had the same expression when he heard the news two days ago.

"By the way, Chen Fan, those disciples left in a hurry that day and didn't find out who the other party was. How did you end up fighting them in Demon King Valley?" Mo Bai suddenly thought of something and asked.

Chen Fan was about to answer when a disciple suddenly rushed in through the mountain gate, panting heavily as he grabbed Mo Bai and said, "Senior... Senior Disciple, they're... they're here."

The disciple pointed at the sky beyond the mountain gate, his expression tense as he gasped for breath.

"Xiao Bai, take it easy. Catch your breath first. Who's here?" Mo Bai patted his back and said slowly.

"The Immortal Sect. People from the Immortal Sect have come, and there's a Golden Core Realm expert. They're riding a Magic Tool." The disciple took a slight breath and pointed at a black speck in the sky.

"What? The Immortal Sect?" Mo Hu exclaimed. Around here, who didn't know the Immortal Sect's reputation? Within thousands of miles, it was the number one righteous sect, on par with the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

"The Immortal Sect and our sect have never had much interaction, yet now they personally come to our Heavy Sword Peak, and with a Golden Core Realm cultivator in tow?" Mo Bai furrowed his brow, then his expression turned grave as he turned to the disciple and said, "Xiao Bai, go inform Elder Lin and the others."

The disciple nodded at that, turned, and ran back toward the Inner Court.

Chen Fan, meanwhile, stared darkly at the sky, where a black dot was rapidly growing larger. He could vaguely make out several male and female cultivators riding atop a large gourd, flying straight toward them.

"Chen Fan, what's wrong?" Zhang Rumeng noticed the shift in Chen Fan's expression and immediately asked.

Mo Bai and the others turned to look at Chen Fan as well upon hearing this.

"Outside Demon King Valley, the ones I killed were from the Immortal Sect," Chen Fan said flatly.

"What? You... you killed... people from the Immortal Sect?" Chen Jingjing's face went pale, and she spoke in terror. Thinking of the Golden Core Realm expert on that gourd, she nearly blacked out and fainted on the spot. Though her constitution wasn't weak, her lips still trembled white with fear.

Mo Bai was stunned as well. Seeing Chen Jingjing's state, he quickly patted her shoulder and said, "No need to worry. Behind Heavy Sword Peak stands the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. This involves face—I doubt they'll dare go too far."

Then he looked at Chen Fan and said, "Chen Fan, come with me to the secret chamber and lie low. The elders don't know you've been here, and the other disciples probably won't talk."

Chen Fan, however, shook his head and said, "No need to hide. Since they've come, I'll face them."

"Chen Fan..."

"Brother..."

Zhang Rumeng and Chen Jingjing spoke with concern, but seeing Chen Fan's resolute expression, they knew further words would be useless. Chen Fan's character now was set in stone—once he said something, he meant it. Both Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng knew this well.

A moment later, the Inner Court's Vice Peak Master Yang Feng, along with Elder Lin and several other elders, hurried out. Chen Fan frowned slightly—he didn't see Elder Li among the crowd.

"What's going on?" Yang Feng asked, seeing Mo Bai and the others standing there.

Mo Bai shook his head, because there was no need for him to explain further. The gourd in the sky let out a whoosh as it flew over their heads and landed in the middle of the large plaza.

On top of the gourd were three men and two women. Among them, a White-Robed Woman was all too familiar to Chen Fan—the Immortal Sect's Senior Martial Sister, Mu Yunshui. The other was an old crone, her cultivation at the early Golden Core Realm. This gourd was her personal Magic Tool, immensely powerful.

The three young male disciples all wore cold expressions, their eyes carrying arrogance and disdain as they swept their gazes over the crowd.

"Where is the Peak Master of this peak?" The old crone stepped down from the Treasure Gourd, her questioning voice carrying a hint of oppressive pressure that made everyone present's eardrums ache. Even the powerful Yang Feng and the elders had to circulate their True Qi to withstand it, while the other disciples turned pale. Some Outer Court disciples nearly spat blood from their mouths.

"Our Peak Master has left the mountain on a distant journey. This Humble One is Yang Feng, Vice Peak Master of Heavy Sword Peak. May I ask what business the Immortal Sect's senior has here?" Yang Feng, though displeased by her aggressive tone, had no choice but to respond politely—after all, her sect was a major power on par with the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

"Where is your peak's disciple Chen Fan? Tell him to roll out here," the old crone said coldly, sweeping her gaze over Yang Feng as she barked out the order.