Humiliation

Chen Jingjing's face went pale at his words, and she swayed unsteadily. Zhang Rumeng caught her, her expression full of concern as she looked at Chen Fan.🐯☹  🎁♣

Golden Core Realm—that was the Golden Core Realm, a lofty existence. How could Chen Fan have offended people from the Immortal Sect?

Yang Feng and the others sucked in a breath. They turned to look at Chen Fan, standing with Mo Bai and the others, but didn't immediately call him forward. Instead, they looked back at the old woman and smiled. "May I ask what business you have with my peak's disciple, Senior? He's only a Qi Refining Realm kid. Why trouble yourself over him?"

Yang Feng still had some confidence. After all, Heavy Sword Peak was an affiliated sect of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. If someone could simply take away one of their disciples, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect would lose face too. So he figured the Immortal Sect wouldn't dare go too far.

"While I'm speaking civilly, don't fail to appreciate it." The old woman glared coldly at Yang Feng as the pressure of her Divine Sense slowly spread.

"Chen Fan, are you still not coming out?" Mu Yunshui emerged in flowing white robes, as ethereal as a celestial maiden. Her appearance left the many disciples of Heavy Sword Peak rooted to the spot in shock. Even Yang Feng and the others nearly lost themselves in the sight.

Chen Fan's face was expressionless, but his eyes held a trace of gravity. The Golden Core Realm was indeed beyond what he could fight at present.

"Brother, don't go," Chen Jingjing pleaded anxiously.

"Don't worry." Chen Fan shook his head and spoke two low, solemn words before walking toward the main square.

"What do you want with me?" He stood before them, neither servile nor overbearing, and looked coldly at Mu Yunshui.

The old woman looked at Chen Fan, a trace of chill flashing through her eyes. She let out a cold laugh. "So you're the little beast."

With that, she swept out a hand, sending a vast surge of energy straight at Chen Fan's face.

Chen Fan hastily gathered his strength to resist, but he was utterly powerless against it. It felt as though a great mountain had slammed into him. His blood and qi shuddered, and he was sent flying dozens of meters before crashing hard into the mountainside, a thread of blood spilling from his mouth.

"Cough, cough..." Chen Fan's body was embedded in the rock. His blood and qi churned inside him, and he coughed up several more mouthfuls of blood. One blow from a Golden Core cultivator had nearly taken his life. The gap between the Golden Core and Qi Refining Realms was simply too great.

"Brother..."

"Chen Fan..."

Everyone cried out and rushed toward him.

Yang Feng and the others stared in shock. They hadn't expected the old woman to strike so decisively, without the slightest regard for the dignity of Heavy Sword Peak.

"Peak Master Yang, should we call the Young Sect Master?" Elder Lin leaned close to Yang Feng, keeping his eyes on the old woman as he asked in a low voice.

"Would he even show up? Forget it. Chen Fan made him lose face at the little wooden hut last time. I think he'd only kick us while we're down if he came." Yang Feng furrowed his brow slightly, then shook his head.

"So you're still alive?" The old woman laughed coldly, barely concealing her murderous intent. She raised her hand, about to strike again, but a white-robed figure stepped between her and Chen Fan.

"Elder Han, you promised me you'd only come to retrieve the sword," Mu Yunshui said quietly, standing before the old woman.

"This little beast killed several of my Immortal Sect disciples. How can I let this matter pass so easily?" the old woman replied coldly.

Mu Yunshui furrowed her brows at this but said nothing more. She stood silently before the old woman, meeting her gaze.

"Fine. We'll retrieve the sword." The old woman finally relented, but her eyes remained fixed on Chen Fan, murderous intent brimming in them.

Chen Fan had already pulled himself out of the mountainside. He knew that several of his ribs were broken. He was too weak—still far too weak. He looked coldly at the old woman.

"Chen Fan, are you all right?" Zhang Rumeng asked anxiously.

"Brother, I'll take you to the little wooden hut to see Little Medicine Boy's master." Chen Jingjing grabbed Chen Fan's arm.

"I'm fine." The Blazing Heaven Sword Qi circulated through Chen Fan's body, rapidly healing his injuries.

Just then, Mu Yunshui and three male disciples walked over slowly. Frost covered their faces, yet she still carried herself like a lofty celestial maiden as she looked at Chen Fan. "Return the sword to me, and we won't take your life."

"Take my life? You can't." Chen Fan laughed coldly and shook his head. His eyes, dark as ink, held a murderous gleam. He could risk everything to use the Nine Palaces Sword Technique. Even if he couldn't defeat the old woman, he could still easily take Mu Yunshui and the others' lives.

"Chen Fan, is that your name? Don't get too presumptuous. If Senior Martial Sister hadn't pleaded for you, our Elder Han would have killed you just now." One of the male disciples looked at Chen Fan with scorn.

"Taking your life would be as easy as turning over our hand. Don't think that just because you once killed one of our fellow disciples, you're invincible. Take my advice: this matter won't be over. Senior Martial Sister pleaded for you, but that doesn't mean the other disciples will let you off. You'd better not set foot outside Heavy Sword City again." Another male disciple glared at Chen Fan coldly.

"That's enough, Chang Yue, Chang Xing." Mu Yunshui stopped them with a stern voice, then turned back to Chen Fan and said coldly, "This isn't the time to trade barbs. Hand over that sword. It means a great deal to my sect."

"That sword means even more to me," Chen Fan replied indifferently.

"If you keep being so stubborn, no one will be able to save you. Remember, you also killed several of my junior brothers and sisters. If you don't hand over the sword, it may not be just you who gets dragged into this. This matter is already close to slipping beyond my control." Mu Yunshui frowned in displeasure, her gaze briefly sweeping over Chen Jingjing and the others.

Chen Fan's face darkened. He understood the unspoken threat in Mu Yunshui's words. If he didn't hand over the sword, Chen Jingjing and the others would be implicated as well.

That wasn't what he wanted to see. As for that sword...

Mu Yunshui took a step forward and lowered her voice. "If you weren't my junior sister's disciple, I would have killed you long ago. This is my final warning: if you hesitate any longer, I'll wash my hands of the matter."

"Senior Martial Sister, there's no need to waste words on him. Let us kill him here and avenge Senior Sister Qingyue." Chang Xing gripped his sword, looking ready to spring into action.

"Dare you?" Mo Bai stepped forward and glared at Chang Xing, his expression murderous. "Heavy Sword Peak may be small, but it's not a place where people can bully us at will."

His words made the many onlookers' blood surge. It seemed that if Mo Bai gave the word, they would rush in at once. Beside him, Mo Hu was already brimming with battle lust.

"Mo Bai, don't meddle." Elder Lin's voice drifted over, cool as water poured over the crowd's boiling blood.

"Elder Lin?" Mo Bai looked at him in shock and confusion.

"This person has already left Heavy Sword Peak. This matter has nothing to do with us," Elder Lin said gravely.

A trace of hesitation crossed Yang Feng's face, but in the end he said nothing. Offending the Immortal Sect over one disciple wasn't a wise choice. After seeing what the Golden Core cultivator was capable of, they no longer cared about saving face.

Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng clenched their little hands. Elder Lin's words and Peak Master Yang's silence both chilled them to the heart.

"Elder Lin, my brother was only speaking in anger that day..." Chen Jingjing pleaded.

"Jingjing." Chen Fan stopped her and shook his head. "Remember, no matter where you are or when, never beg others for anything. This is a world where strength reigns supreme. You have to grow stronger to live the life you want." As he finished, Chen Fan suddenly reached out and stroked her head.

"Especially don't beg the weak for anything." Chen Fan swept his cold gaze across Elder Lin and the others, before finally settling it on Mu Yunshui and her companions.

Elder Lin met Chen Fan's gaze coldly. In his eyes, there was no point in having remarkable talent if you offended the Immortal Sect. A genius cut down in the cradle was worth less than an ordinary person.

"Chen Fan, what do you mean by that?" Chang Xing heard Chen Fan's words and saw him look over, and immediately shouted in anger.

"Chang Xing, there's no need to waste words on him." Chang Yue curled his lips in mockery and glanced sidelong at Chen Fan. "If a dog bites us, there's no need to bite it back."

"Buzz!"

A sharp sword cry rang out. Chen Fan's figure blurred and vanished from where he stood...

A streak of cold light flashed in front of Chang Yue. The sword blade was as swift as lightning, about to slash across Chang Yue's throat, when a white figure struck.

"Clang!" A piercing clash of metal rang out. A sword had appeared in Mu Yunshui's hand at some point, blocking Chen Fan's strike.

Only then did Chang Yue react, his face full of shock. Cold sweat covered him in an instant, and his eyes were filled with lingering fear. Looking at Chen Fan's dark, ink-black eyes, he swallowed hard.

"A dog's mouth can't spit out an ivory tusk." Chen Fan spun the sword in his hand and slid it back into its sheath.

"Chen Fan, this is my final limit." Mu Yunshui knitted her brows and looked at him with irritation.

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes slightly. If Chen Jingjing weren't here, he would have dared to slaughter them all. But now...

He looked at the old woman, whose killing intent burned fiercely nearby. In the end, he took the sword strapped across his back and pushed it toward them, tossing the whole sword into Chang Yue's arms.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Chang Yue caught the sword but couldn't keep his footing. Chen Fan's strength sent him staggering backward several steps.

"You made a replica of this sword. Now I'm returning it to you," Chen Fan said indifferently, his eyes sweeping over Mu Yunshui again. "But when I form my Nascent Soul, I'll go to the Immortal Sect and take the sword—the real one."

Chen Fan's voice was ice-cold, laced with thick killing intent. No one present had ever heard him speak with such force—not Chen Jingjing or Zhang Rumeng either. Yet they could all clearly feel the anger burning fiercely in Chen Fan's heart.

"Your real sword? Chen Fan, this sword was forged before your father was even born." Chang Xing dismissed his words, thinking he was boasting.

"I've heard about your conduct at Heavy Sword Peak. Though it doesn't quite match the person you are now, one thing is certainly true: you like to show off and save face. Given your talent, I'll offer you this advice: don't let vanity blind you, or you'll only bring harm to yourself and others." After finishing coldly, Mu Yunshui turned toward the old woman. Chang Xing, Chang Yue, and the other male disciple hurried after her.

"Elder Han, we've retrieved the sword. We should return and report to the Sect Master," Mu Yunshui said calmly to the old woman.

The old woman gave Mu Yunshui a long look, then summoned her Magic Tool, the Treasure Gourd. The group climbed aboard, and the gourd shot into the sky.

Mu Yunshui stood at one end of the Treasure Gourd with her hands behind her back, her expression cold as she gazed straight ahead. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she rose into the sky and departed.

"This humiliation today is because I'm not strong enough. What does the Foundation Establishment Realm even matter? When I form my Golden Core and condense my Nascent Soul, I'll repay this debt many times over."

Watching the Immortal Sect party recede into the distance, Chen Fan swore to himself. His clenched fists slowly relaxed, and a trace of coldness flickered in his eyes. "Immortal Sect, just you wait!"