The two sword cultivators from the Immortal Sect swiftly retreated, raising their swords before them as True Essence Power radiated from their bodies.
Boom!
A muffled crash rang out. The spiritual energy surrounding the cocoon of light burst apart, sending ripples of spiritual power sweeping outward with tremendous force!
"Not good." Nalan Tian's pupils abruptly contracted, and he hastily retreated.
Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng went pale. They were still rooted to the spot, unable to escape!
Just then, a dark figure suddenly flashed past like a ghost. He moved so fast that the naked eye could barely follow. In an instant, he appeared in front of Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng.
Hum!
A familiar sword chime rang out. Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng hadn't even had time to react before the ripples reached them, only to be forcibly blocked by a dazzling cluster of sword blossoms.
"Brother!"
"Chen Fan!"
Looking at the figure before them, the two cried out in unison, their faces lighting up with delight.
The ripples continued sweeping across the area. Nalan Tian seized Nalan Yun and pulled her away, but the other disciples weren't so lucky. They were knocked down once more by the rippling force. This time, however, they felt as if a mountain had smashed into them, leaving their minds reeling. Some even coughed up a trickle of blood.
"Qi Refining Ninth Layer." Nalan Tian evaded the ripples and fixed his cold gaze on Chen Fan.
"How is that possible? He was only at Qi Refining Layer 6 a few days ago." Nalan Yun's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Seems he absorbed that ball of spiritual energy just now. That must be why his cultivation advanced so quickly. What a pity. Such precious spiritual energy, wasted on a man about to die." Nalan Tian shook his head regretfully.
The two sword cultivators had already withdrawn to the side, watching Chen Fan's every move. They were both greatly shocked.
"His speed is terrifying. He actually caught up to the ripples and blocked them," one of the sword cultivators said gravely.
"No wonder Elder Han sent all four of us together. At that speed, the two of us probably can't take him down. We'll need to call Junior Sister Bai and Senior Brother Liu back. The Thunder Sound Golden Wheel is with Junior Sister Bai, too," the other replied calmly.
"Very well. Send a message to Senior Brother Liu, and let's see how he handles Nalan Tian of Heavy Sword Peak. That'll give us a better idea of what we're dealing with." The sword cultivator nodded, intending to let Nalan Tian serve as their test subject.
So the two stood in the distance and made no further rash moves, leaving Nalan Tian and the others momentarily bewildered.
Thump! Thump!
Two muffled sounds rang out. Chen Fan cut through the muddy hands beneath Chen Jingjing and Zhang Rumeng with a single sword strike, then pulled them free of the mire.
"Brother, you succeeded?" Chen Jingjing asked delightedly, looking at Chen Fan's Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivation.
"Mm." Chen Fan nodded casually, then asked, "Which hand did he use to touch you just now?"
"Hm?" Chen Jingjing's eyes widened. For a moment, she didn't understand. She hadn't expected Chen Fan to know what had happened outside while he was inside the cocoon of light.
"Forgot? No matter. I'll cut off both his hands for you." Chen Fan spoke slowly, then turned to look coldly at the black-robed man, Nalan Tian.
Hearing Chen Fan's words, Nalan Tian laughed scornfully, as if he'd heard a ridiculous joke. He shook his head and looked at Chen Jingjing with pity. "So this is the brother you rely on? Just like the rumors say: he loves to show off and make grand claims!"
"Chen Fan, weren't you so mighty a while back? How does it feel now that death's at your doorstep?" Nalan Yun sneered repeatedly.
Only then did Chen Fan glance at her. His brow furrowed slightly, and a trace of confusion crossed his face. "Who are you?"
Nalan Yun froze, then flushed as red as liver. Pointing at Chen Fan in furious exasperation, she cried, "Chen Fan, stop pretending you don't know me! You good-for-nothing! Today I'll see how my brother slaughters you!"
She didn't believe Chen Fan had actually forgotten her. She thought he was deliberately humiliating her to save face.
Zhang Rumeng, however, covered her stomach and laughed, secretly admiring how convincingly Chen Fan played along.
But her laughter only stirred Nalan Yun's hatred.
"Bitch, what are you laughing at?" Nalan Yun flung out a Talisman. With a sharp hiss, it transformed into a sword ray that shot viciously toward Zhang Rumeng.
Zhang Rumeng merely shook her head and swept her sword across. With a clang, the sword ray was instantly knocked aside.
With one casual sweep, she'd shattered the Talisman Nalan Yun considered her strongest.
"Nalan Yun, what gives you the right to mock us? And what gives you the right to mock Chen Fan?" Zhang Rumeng rebuked her coldly.
Nalan Yun erupted with rage. She glared viciously at Zhang Rumeng and snarled, "Brother, kill them!"
Nalan Tian chuckled and shook his head. "Killing one is enough."
His gaze was fixed on Chen Fan. Then he turned to glance at the two Immortal Sect cultivators standing at a distance and asked in confusion, "Fellow Daoists, didn't you come here to kill this good-for-nothing?"
The two sword cultivators from the Immortal Sect frowned slightly at Nalan Tian's words, but remained silent, not deigning to answer him. A Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator without even the slightest discernment was far beneath them.
When Nalan Tian saw they were ignoring him, he felt his face burn. A cold glint flashed through his narrowed eyes, but he held back. He knew all too well the gap between the Immortal Sect and Heavy Sword Peak.
At a time like this, the only way he could save face was to kill Chen Fan swiftly and decisively.
But he hadn't expected Chen Fan to show no expression at all as he slowly stepped forward. With a sharp swish, his sword was already pointed at Nalan Tian, its blade glinting coldly.
"Will you put out your own hands and kneel to apologize, or should I come over and kill you?"
Nalan Tian froze at Chen Fan's words, then laughed angrily. He looked at Chen Fan and said, "Who gave you the courage to act so brazenly in front of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator?"
With that, Nalan Tian shouted, "Water Bullet Technique!"
True Essence Power surged within him. Several water spheres suddenly appeared before him, bearing a vast killing intent as they hurtled toward Chen Fan.
Chen Fan stood calmly, slowly drawing a perfect circle with his sword. Then his figure flickered, and he appeared like a ghost at Nalan Tian's front left.
Hum!
A sword chime roared out. Chen Fan became a streak of black lightning, his sword wreathed in Heaven-Burning Sword Qi. He swept through the several water spheres, then lightly tapped the ground with his toe, turned his blade, and lunged at Nalan Tian.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Only after he turned did all the water spheres finally explode behind him, leaving him completely unharmed.
Chen Fan's Heaven-Burning Sword ray was already right before Nalan Tian's eyes.
"Ha!" Nalan Tian bellowed and retreated swiftly. True Essence Power gathered in his hand, and a huge curtain of flowing water suddenly appeared before him.
Chen Fan's sword tip struck the water curtain, sending ripples across its surface, but he couldn't break through.
"You're dreaming! The Water Heaven Wall is one of the strongest defensive water-element techniques. You think a mere Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator like you can break through it?" Nalan Tian roared with laughter. He formed a massive water sphere in his hand and hurled it heavily at Chen Fan.
Chen Fan's thoughts stirred. Heaven-Burning Sword Qi was countered by water-element True Essence Power. The gap between their cultivation realms could only be made up for by using the Nine Palaces Sword Art.
"The Heavenly Yi spirit dwells in its palace; the general should strike where the opposing force converges!" He silently recited the Nine Palaces Mental Method. True Qi surged from within him and flowed into his blade. Wherever the sword went, it stirred a faint disturbance in the world around him.
"This is..." Nalan Tian's pupils suddenly contracted in shock.
"How is that possible?" The two Immortal Sect sword cultivators in the distance were equally stunned. A Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator shouldn't have been capable of this.
"Nine Sons Oblique Alignment!"
Three Wonders and Six Rituals, Supreme Li Nine Palaces!
Chen Fan turned his sword, then slashed forward at the Water Heaven Wall.
Bang!
A muffled crash rang out. The entire curtain of water shattered and vanished into nothingness. The enormous water sphere Nalan Tian had formed was struck by Chen Fan's sword tip and instantly detonated.
Hum! Chen Fan's sword vibrated rapidly once more, its piercing chime hurting everyone's ears.
Nalan Tian's expression changed. No longer underestimating Chen Fan, he shouted, "Water Heaven Wall!" and swept out his hand. Three consecutive layers of water curtains appeared before him.
"Chen Fan, you do have some skill. But a Qi Refining cultivator is still a Qi Refining cultivator. I'll show you just how terrifying the Foundation Establishment Realm is—far beyond anything you can imagine."
As Nalan Tian spoke, his hands formed a seal. True Essence Power poured into it without pause, and the spiritual energy around the seal trembled faintly as a vast force gathered.
Chen Fan didn't stop. He continued using the Nine Palaces Sword Art, repeatedly striking the three layers of Water Heaven Wall with his sword tip. After several ripples spread across them, all three water curtains shattered and vanished.
By then, Nalan Tian had completed his seal, and half the True Essence Power in his body had been drained.
"Water Heaven Prison!" Nalan Tian shouted. The spiritual energy all around Chen Fan's position suddenly began to tremble.
Then, with a splash, the spiritual energy transformed into flowing water, forming a hemispherical curtain that flipped upside down and enclosed Chen Fan within it.
"Not good!" Chen Jingjing's face turned pale at the sight.
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