Qin Xian'er

The wind howled past his ears as Elder Li, his face ashen, was carried by Chen Fan, speeding along. He never dreamed that Lin Shang, a dignified Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator, would be no match for this Qi Refining Eighth Layer brat.

He was deeply unwilling. He had been so close to success. If only he could have stayed hidden on Heavy Sword Peak for a few more years, waiting for the Heaven Ghost Sect to grow strong enough to coordinate with him from within and wipe out Heavy Sword Peak in one fell swoop, he could have returned to the Heaven Ghost Sect openly as its Deputy Sect Master, broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, and enjoyed a life of ease.

But now everything was shattered. All his efforts over the past decade had come to nothing tonight.

Thinking of this, a hint of ferocity crept onto Elder Li's face. He twisted his head and glared at Chen Fan, who held him by the collar, and said, "Chen Fan, if you kill me, Heavy Sword Peak won't let you off, and the Heaven Ghost Sect will never forgive you."

Chen Fan's expression was cold. He paid no attention, his eyes fixed ahead as the forest on both sides blurred past.

"Chen Fan, you have no idea how high my standing is in Heavy Sword Peak and the Heaven Ghost Sect. If you dare to kill me, no one will be able to save you and your sister." Elder Li refused to give up, still threatening him.

But Chen Fan ignored him completely, quickening his pace until they reached a small grove. There, Chen Fan used the momentum to hurl Elder Li against a tree trunk.

Boom!

A loud crash rang out. An old tree shuddered violently, leaves scattering everywhere as Elder Li slid down the trunk.

The fall not only left him seeing stars but also broke several of his ribs.

Chen Fan turned into a black shadow and caught up at an unbelievable speed. Before Elder Li could fully hit the ground, Chen Fan stomped him down.

"You..." Elder Li was in agony, unable to even speak.

"Where is the Chen Clan's inheritance?" Chen Fan asked coldly.

Hearing this, the pain on Elder Li's face froze. He paused blankly for a few breaths, then suddenly burst into laughter while lying on the ground.

"Hahaha, Chen Fan, so you still want the inheritance..." Elder Li momentarily forgot the searing pain in his body. A glimmer of light flashed in his eyes—he had found a way to survive.

"If you want the inheritance, show me some respect, or you'll never know its secret." Elder Li sneered.

"The secret of the inheritance? What about that Treasure Seeking Disk?" Chen Fan showed no courtesy, still keeping him pinned underfoot.

"So you know about that jade disk. Want to know where it is? Then take your foot off, help me up, and kneel to kowtow until I tell you to stop." Elder Li almost roared, venting all the fear in his heart.

"Enough noise!"

A flicker of cold light passed through Chen Fan's eyes. He lifted his foot from Elder Li's body and stared at him with an icy expression.

"Enough noise? You still dare to be rude to me?" Seeing Chen Fan move his foot, Elder Li's face lit up with joy. He leaned against the tree trunk and struggled to his feet.

"Kowtow. Kowtow to me..." Elder Li sneered as he glared at Chen Fan and shouted, but before he could finish, Chen Fan's large palm slammed onto his head. A bone-chilling cold instantly poured into his mind.

"Soul... Soul Searching Technique?" The smile on Elder Li's face froze. The fear that had just appeared in his eyes slowly receded, and the light in his gaze dimmed, turning vacant.

Chen Fan watched Elder Li expressionlessly. He naturally didn't know any Soul Searching Technique. This was a form of spiritual pressure, suppressing Elder Li's consciousness, leaving him dazed and defenseless, forced to answer all his questions.

"What's your name?" Chen Fan tested.

"Li Kai." Elder Li replied blankly, muttering.

"Where did the Chen Clan's inheritance go?" Chen Fan asked coldly.

"Some of the low-grade spiritual herbs, I took them myself. The remaining Spirit Stones and the Six Paths Jade Disk are all with Sect Master Su." Elder Li said dully.

"Six Paths Jade Disk?" Chen Fan was startled. So that Treasure Seeking Disk was called the Six Paths Jade Disk. But he remembered a legend about a Dharma Treasure called the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. He wondered what the connection was.

Elder Li answered every question: "Yes. That jade disk has a needle on it that points to places where treasures rich in spiritual energy are located. Above it are four ancient characters carved—Six Paths Jade Disk."

"What is your relationship with the Heaven Ghost Sect's Sect Master?"

"He once saved my life and provided me with miraculous pills and medicines, which allowed me to achieve what I have today."

"Besides the Sect Masters of the Heaven Ghost Sect and the Earth Ghost Sect, who else knows about your ambush on my sister and me?" Chen Fan frowned slightly.

"No one else."

"Then you can disappear."

As Chen Fan's words fell, he withdrew his spiritual sense into his body. At the same time, a flash of his sword cut across Elder Li's neck. By the time Chen Fan turned to leave, blood was only just beginning to spurt from the wound.

After finishing off Elder Li, Chen Fan didn't linger. He slowly made his way back toward Heavy Sword City, frowning as he pondered everything along the way.

The Heaven Ghost Sect's Sect Master, whom Elder Li and the others called Sect Master Su, was said to have already reached Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. For Chen Fan now, that was still an insurmountable opponent.

Sect Master Su possessed the Six Paths Jade Disk and had broken through to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage in just half a year. He had likely also mastered many Daoist techniques to a high degree. This kind of strength was nothing like Lin Shang's half-baked Foundation Establishment Realm. The gap between them was too vast for a direct fight.

Chen Fan knew he needed to keep improving his cultivation, or he wouldn't be able to face what lay ahead. With Lin Shang and Elder Li both gone missing, even a fool like Sect Master Su would sense something wrong and take action. He might even come personally, and then the one in the most danger would be Chen Jingjing.

"It's time to let that girl improve her strength," Chen Fan thought to himself. At the same time, his figure blurred, turning into a black shadow as he sped up...

Only when he could clearly see the torches on the walls of Heavy Sword City did Chen Fan slow down and stop. Two people were waiting for him ahead.

"My good disciple, you're back?" Qin Xian'er pursed her lips and smiled seductively at Chen Fan.

Chen Fan frowned slightly, ignored her, and continued walking toward Heavy Sword City.

"You've offended the Immortal Sect, and now you've stirred up the Heaven Ghost Sect. I'm afraid you'll have plenty of trouble ahead." Qin Xian'er smiled as she watched Chen Fan.

"None of your business," Chen Fan said coldly, not slowing his pace.

"I can help you deal with the Heaven Ghost Sect, and even the Immortal Sect people. You don't have to think about yourself, but what about your sister? And that beautiful girl, Zhang Rumeng, right?" Qin Xian'er shook her head and narrowed her eyes with a smile.

"I can handle it." Chen Fan happened to pass by Qin Xian'er's side, but he suddenly paused and stopped.

He turned his head and stared coldly at Qin Xian'er, saying in a low voice, "If you lay a finger on them, I will kill you."

"Chen Fan, watch your tone when you speak to her." Li Tieniu glared at him.

Chen Fan ignored her and walked away directly. His warning was serious.

"Chen Fan, our goal is both the Immortal Sect. Don't you want to cooperate with me? Don't you want to reclaim that sword?" Qin Xian'er's seductive, honeyed voice came through again.

"Do you know where that sword is?" Chen Fan paused in his steps once more.

"In a place you'd never imagine. If you don't cooperate with me, I'm afraid you'll scour the entire Immortal Sect and still never find that sword." Qin Xian'er slowly turned around, looking at Chen Fan.

"Back in Demon King Valley, you didn't know about that sword." Chen Fan shook his head.

"I couldn't recall it then. When I was a child, I stumbled into a hidden place by accident and saw that sword locked away there. I've said my piece. Choose for yourself."

"What are the terms?" Chen Fan frowned. He knew this demoness wouldn't go through all this trouble just for a fair partnership.

"Guess?" Qin Xian'er's demonic nature surfaced again, smiling at Chen Fan like a mischievous yet alluring cat.

Chen Fan's pupils contracted slightly. He turned and walked away without hesitation.

"Stop!" Qin Xian'er finally dropped her playfulness, crossing her arms over her chest, inadvertently pressing against her full, jade-like peaks. She leaned forward slightly, her expression turning serious, and said, "The terms are: you must... call... me... master."

The last four words, Qin Xian'er enunciated heavily, one by one, as if to make clear she wasn't joking.

"You?" Chen Fan glanced at her and shook his head slightly. "You're not good enough."

"Not good enough?" Qin Xian'er was momentarily stunned, then as if she'd heard something hilarious, she laughed. Her eyes turned cold as she looked at Chen Fan and asked, "Why am I not good enough?"

Chen Fan said nothing. This time, he simply walked away, leaving Qin Xian'er and Li Tieniu with his back.

A few breaths later, Qin Xian'er heard a distant remark drift back: "You're too weak."

Chen Fan meant it seriously. Foundation Establishment Realm—he had already reached it in his past life, and this threshold was no longer his lifelong goal but merely his first step. Moreover, with his current level of strength, if he used every trick up his sleeve, Qin Xian'er was not unbeatable. Wanting to be his master—she really was too weak.

But Qin Xian'er didn't see it that way. Li Tieniu stared blankly as Chen Fan walked away. He knew Qin Xian'er's temperament well. This girl, though more talented in cultivation than him, was always like a little sister in his eyes. After being insulted like this, it would be strange if she didn't lose it. In the past, at times like this, Qin Xian'er would have drawn her sword and chopped Chen Fan into a thousand pieces.

Yet after a few breaths, Li Tieniu noticed that Qin Xian'er made no move at all. She stood rooted to the spot, her face covered in frost.

"Sect Master?" Li Tieniu called out tentatively.

The frost on Qin Xian'er's face didn't lessen; instead, it grew even colder. Then, a hint of a smile curled at the corners of her lips—she was every bit a demoness descended into the world.

Li Tieniu shuddered, silently thinking that Chen Fan was doomed.

By the time Chen Fan returned to Heavy Sword City, the sun had slowly begun to rise, and a hint of brightness touched the horizon.

The disciples of Heavy Sword Peak were also rising early and heading up the mountain. Along the way, many saw Chen Fan. Most acted as if they hadn't seen him, a stark contrast to the reverence they had shown just a few days ago.

They believed Chen Fan had offended the Immortal Sect and had little time left. On Heavy Sword Peak, he had even been beaten until he spat blood, and the peak itself had done nothing, officially drawing a line between them and Chen Fan. This made most disciples think Chen Fan was a flash in the pan, soon to wither away. Why waste their efforts trying to please him?

Of course, a small number of disciples still looked at him with respect, addressing him as Senior Martial Brother Chen. Chen Fan nodded and smiled at each one, keeping these few in his heart.

Having lived two lives, he had long seen through such fickle changes in people's attitudes, so his mood was never affected. Now, as he walked home, he pondered how to improve Chen Jingjing's strength. Once the matter of the inheritance was settled, he would have to travel far for some training.