The Little Girl

The darkness slowly receded, and a ray of sunlight shone between heaven and earth, tinged with faint purple, like a grand celebration about to begin, brimming with new life and vigor.

In a tranquil patch of pure land, a small figure lay on a black platform by the shore, facing a crystalline lake.

Perhaps because that little figure often lay there, the surface of the black stone platform had become so "glossy and gleaming" that it could reflect a person's image.

A passage of writing could also faintly be seen carved into the black stone platform. It was neither runes nor the common script in use, but Blue Star script-This emperor, Lin Fan, was here!

"Ah, I'm so bored... Pretty Big Sister isn't here today." Seven-year-old Lin Fan muttered to himself, staring blankly at the blue sky and white clouds.

He had been at the Heaven Mending Sect for almost a year, yet he had never gone anywhere beyond this place, and Qing Yao was the only person he had seen.

Every day, he either cultivated or slept. There was nothing else to do.

Beautiful women and scenery might be lovely, but seeing them too often could still tire the eye. That was especially true for Lin Fan, whose body housed a soul from the twenty-first century. His heart refused to settle down.

Without the internet or other entertainment, living cut off from the world in the same place was no different from being in prison.

"Ah... I really miss those days with the old man. At least I could occasionally visit the Heavenly Immortal Academy to have some fun and see..." Lin Fan grinned foolishly, as though something pleasant had come to mind.

But Qing Yao had told him that he could not leave until he reached Spirit Transformation. The outside world was not as peaceful as he imagined, and even the Heaven Mending Sect was no exception.

Wherever there were people, there was strife. Besides assassinations from outside, there was competition within as well.

For instance, the Heaven Mending Sect was riddled with factions. After growing powerful, some elders had even moved their entire families near the sect.

This not only made it easier for their descendants to join, but also helped them obtain more cultivation resources and a greater say within the sect.

After all, in a world where strength reigned supreme, no matter how gifted someone was, only a genius who survived and grew into their potential was truly a genius. Otherwise, everything came to nothing.

Milk Baby's mother was one example. A lofty holy maiden of the Immortal Mountain in the Upper Realm, she had nearly died in a power struggle among her own clansmen and had been forced to hide in the lower realm.

The same was true of Milk Baby. His Supreme Bone had been dug out because his own clansmen had coveted it.

If things were like that within a single clan, how much worse would they be in a great sect filled with factions like the Heaven Mending Sect? Its internal struggles had to be terrifying. In the end, someone might die without even knowing how it had happened.

"Looks like I won't be getting out for at least two years..." Lin Fan closed his eyes, letting his mind drift through the Purple Bamboo Forest as though he had fallen asleep.

But he failed to notice that, at some unknown point, another pair of eyes had appeared deep in the Purple Bamboo Forest and was staring fixedly at him.

The owner of those eyes moved swiftly, with light, silent steps, creeping toward him like a shadow.

This was strange and far from ordinary. In principle, no one else should have appeared here. Even the sect master needed permission from Qing Yao, the owner of this small world, to enter.

A great formation guarded the entrance as well. An ordinary person would not only fail to break in, but would also alert those inside.

Yet an exception had appeared this time. The little white figure had completely ignored the formation outside and slipped into the Purple Bamboo Forest.

A thousand feet, nine hundred feet... five hundred feet... two hundred feet, a hundred feet...

Finally, the figure stopped roughly fifty feet away. After observing for a moment, she suddenly leaped up and chopped a palm down at Lin Fan, who lay on the black stone platform.

Her speed was jaw-dropping.

And that descending palm was no ordinary strike. A golden symbol condensed in its center, carrying awe-inspiring divine power, dazzling and brilliant.

"Who's there?!"

Lin Fan instantly snapped awake, his eyes widening and flashing with a piercing light.

He reacted at once, rolling over on the black stone platform and retreating several steps to evade the palm.

The stone platform he usually lay on, however, was not so lucky. A deep palm print remained on its surface, and it had nearly shattered into pieces.

After all, it was merely a rock slightly harder than ordinary stone. It could not withstand such a powerful attack.

At that moment, Lin Fan grew furious. The stone platform had served as both his bed and cultivation dais for almost a year, and he had developed some affection for it. Yet now someone had smashed it just like that.

"You..." Lin Fan glared at her.

The intruder was a little girl of eight or nine, delicate and rosy as carved jade. Dressed in white and wearing little leather boots, she had skin fairer than moonlight and more crystalline than snow.

Her hair was jet-black, and her large, gemlike eyes were lively and lovely, sparkling brilliantly. There was also a resolve in them that did not belong to someone her age.

Though the little girl was young, unripe and childlike, her utterly flawless little face made it clear that she would one day become a peerless beauty capable of bringing kingdoms to ruin.

Even now, she was an exquisite, adorable little girl who made one itch to rough her up.

Strike her once, and she would whimper for ages; strike her again and again-what splendid fun! Then cry out: this girl is so very delicate!

"Ahem... My thoughts went too far!"

Coming back to his senses, Lin Fan frowned and stared intently at the little girl before him. "Who are you? How did you get in here? Why did you ambush me?"

"Beat me, and I'll tell you!" the little girl cried, her voice sweet, crisp, and pleasant to the ear.

The next moment, she attacked decisively and without hesitation, striking with another palm. The powerful wind from her blow sent ripples across the lake.

Lin Fan was irritated. Why did this adorable little girl start fighting at the drop of a hat? Her temper was far too explosive. Did she really think he had no temper of his own?

Facing the little girl charging toward him, he neither ducked nor dodged. The blood and qi throughout his body erupted, and he threw a punch. Runes spread outward, and his fist seemed to become an iron hammer that had suddenly swelled in size.

Boom!

Fist and palm collided, producing a metallic clang and sparks. It was nothing like flesh striking flesh, but rather two pieces of divine iron smashing together.

"Break!" Lin Fan roared. Golden light flashed, and terrifying divine power surged from his hand, unleashing even greater force and driving the little girl back.

The little girl retreated several steps, then flicked her hand to dissipate the force before finally steadying herself. She stared at Lin Fan in astonishment, as though looking at a vicious beast in human form.

"What terrifying physical strength!" she exclaimed. Her arm had gone numb from the impact and had nearly been dislocated.

Lin Fan was somewhat surprised as well. This little girl is no ordinary opponent...

In that clash of physical strength, her bones had not broken. She had emerged completely intact.

He was frequently soaked in golden body liquid, and with his constitution, he had far surpassed the utmost limit of the Blood Moving Realm. An ordinary person could not withstand a blow from his physical body unscathed.

"Again!" the little girl shouted. The void trembled, and Three Heavenly Passages appeared behind her. Vital essence surged as they drew in and released spiritual energy, supplying her with an endless stream of divine power and nourishing her body.

At that moment, she resembled a deity, dazzling and radiant. A shower of light swirled around her, making her seem ever more sacred and otherworldly.

"Heh, you think you're the only one with Heavenly Passages?" Lin Fan sneered.

An even stronger aura immediately erupted from him. Heavenly Passages like volcanic craters lit up around his body, one after another. There were three of them as well, brilliant and intimidating.

The little girl was shaken. Ripples stirred in her tranquil heart, and her expression changed as she sucked in a breath of cold air. "You've opened Three Heavenly Passages too!"