The middle-aged man was alarmed. This little fellow was no ordinary child. Not only was his own strength formidable, but his treasures were extraordinary as well.
One look at that Crimson Feather fan told him it had been fashioned from the feathers of some powerful divine bird. The bird itself had probably attained godhood-and become a True God at that.
Even the head of their Sikong Family was only a peak True God.
Thus, the middle-aged man swallowed his anger and asked patiently, "Young master, might I ask how our Sikong Family has offended you, for you to force your way into our residence like this?"
"I already told you, I'm here for Sikong Ming. He dared slander my senior sister behind her back, so he's courting death!" Lin Fan was small, but his voice rang out loudly enough to make the surroundings tremble.
"Exactly. He actually dared say I'm inferior to the witch. Naturally, we had to come pay him a visit." Yue Chan approached, all smiles, delighted by her junior brother's actions.
"You're... the Heaven Mending Sect's holy maiden!" The middle-aged man froze as he recognized the newcomer. Among the great sects of the Three Thousand Provinces, she belonged to the very highest tier.
Moreover, throughout the surrounding provinces, her status was extraordinary. She was not someone to provoke. Only a handful of people could stand against her without fearing the Heaven Mending Sect.
The middle-aged man's brows twitched. Sensing that something disastrous was about to happen, he absolutely dared not let Sikong Ming come out. He politely refused, "Our Ming is in secluded cultivation. He cannot receive guests right now."
Yet the moment he finished speaking, a golden fist the size of a millstone came hurtling toward him, tearing through the air with swift, tyrannical force.
With a boom, the middle-aged man raised his hands to block, only to be sent flying. His chest caved in, who knew how many bones shattered, and bloody froth spilled from his mouth.
"Since he won't show himself and wants to hide like a turtle with its head tucked into its shell, I'll flatten the Sikong Family's sanctuary in the Heavenly Passage Realm first." Lin Fan regarded him coldly and planted a foot on his head with utter brutality.
"You... the Heaven Mending Sect has gone too far!" The middle-aged man struggled to speak, his eyeballs nearly squeezed out of their sockets.
"So what if we bully you? Our Heaven Mending Sect stands proud above the Three Thousand Provinces and sweeps all before it in this realm. Anyone who dares slander my senior sister will be killed without mercy!" Lin Fan's murderous intent surged to the heavens. He pressed down with his foot, ending the man's suffering.
"Yes, yes, yes! That's exactly right." Watching this scene, Yue Chan's heart blossomed with joy. She was in a wonderful mood.
Lin Fan's words had spoken straight to her heart, filling her with excitement and pride.
For the first time, she felt her junior brother was so wonderful, so pleasing to the eye. He utterly eclipsed all those bootli-pah, followers!
If only he could keep this up. It would spare her so much worry. Why would she need to socialize with anyone else?
As the saying went, with a junior brother in hand, the world was hers!
"Halt! You brazen villain! How dare you invade my home and kill my clan uncle!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out. A boy of twelve or thirteen emerged from the palace, dressed in brocade robes and carrying an imposing air.
His eyes were especially striking, bright and piercing. As they opened and closed, purple lightning appeared within them, rumbling and radiating an unfathomable pressure that made people afraid to meet his gaze.
"Look! The Sikong Family's young master, Sikong Ming, has come out! They call him the most gifted person in his clan's entire history. That True God ancestor has placed great hopes on him. He has a chance of attaining the rank of Heavenly God!" cried someone who had rushed over from the city to watch the commotion.
Although Sikong Ming was young, he already rivaled the young of pure-blooded ferocious beasts. He was a true favored son of heaven.
He had opened eight heavenly passages a year ago and had since been striving for a ninth, or even more. His talent was frightening and astonishing.
"You're Sikong Ming? The one who said my senior sister is a wolf in sheep's clothing, that she's rotten inside and not even as pretty as the witch?" Lin Fan turned and sized up the boy.
"That's me." Sikong Ming looked over and spotted Yue Chan behind him as well. His eyes suddenly widened, but he quickly regained his composure.
The Sikong Family had secretly aligned itself with the Heaven Severing Sect long ago, giving him some confidence. He did not particularly fear the Heaven Mending Sect, which was why he dared slander Yue Chan in public.
Of course, the most crucial point was that an influential figure in the Heaven Severing Sect valued Sikong Ming's talent. His own strength was considerable too, so he had nothing to fear.
"In that case, you can die!" Lin Fan said coolly. With a single step, he split a long trench through the ground. Divine light surged up from beneath the earth and rushed toward Sikong Ming.
"Hmph! Do you really think I'm someone you can slaughter at will?" Sikong Ming's expression turned icy, his gaze dark. He likewise took a step and neutralized the attack.
"Not bad. You have some strength. Looks like this won't be too boring." Lin Fan smiled and strode forward, making heaven and earth tremble. The vibrations sent blood and vital energy churning through everyone's bodies, threatening to shatter their flesh.
Sikong Ming was startled, but remained composed. Pointing at them, he said, "You two have wreaked havoc at our gates today. Even if you are successors of the Heaven Mending Sect, you'll have to pay a price before you leave."
As he spoke, nine volcano-like heavenly passages manifested behind him. The vital essence within them was so dense it seemed impossible to disperse. They resembled nine blessed paradises, sacred and magnificent.
"Nine heavenly passages! Sikong Ming really has opened nine heavenly passages!" someone shouted, their voice filled with astonishment.
"Doesn't that mean he's invincible in the Heavenly Passage Realm, as long as no one with ten heavenly passages or a First Generation appears?" someone said.
They believed he was an absolutely terrifying boy with world-shaking potential. Once he matured, he would be able to look down upon countless prodigies.
Hearing this, Lin Fan gave a scornful smile, confident and unhurried. "Who dares claim to be undefeated? Who dares call themselves invincible? None has been seen since ancient times."
As he walked, he released heavenly passage after heavenly passage behind him, their dazzling brilliance striking awe into every heart!
"This child has nine too? No... those are ten heavenly passages!"
In an instant, silence fell over the place. Everyone stared, dumbstruck, all their earlier chatter gone.
Someone even stronger, someone who had reached the heavenly passage extreme realm, had appeared-and it was a child not yet nine years old. It was simply unbelievable.
At that moment, everyone's gaze toward Lin Fan changed. He resembled a little Heavenly God, wreathed in golden radiance stretching ten thousand feet, his bearing solemn and sacred as he overshadowed everything.
Merely by standing there, the light of his ten heavenly passages blazed brighter than the sun. He seemed the sole existence between heaven and earth, like an invincible supreme being.
"You've actually reached the heavenly passage extreme realm?!" Sikong Ming's expression finally changed. He could no longer remain calm.
For him, nine heavenly passages were already his limit. Taking another step was far too difficult. Without a sufficient fortuitous opportunity, even risking his life to break through might not be enough.
Thus, after being stuck for a long time, he had decided to give up and advance to the next realm.
Yet he had never expected to see ten heavenly passages today in someone several years younger than himself. The blow was simply too crushing.
"What, want to admit defeat? Unfortunately, you offended my senior sister. Even if you beg for mercy today, I won't spare you."
Lin Fan rolled his wrists. The cracking sounded like a demonic god growling, like the final toll in the countdown to someone's death.
"Stop looking down on me! Nine heavenly passages may still overcome ten. Besides cultivation realms, there's also the contest of Precious Arts."
Sikong Ming's brows knitted tightly. Runes flickered across his body, and purple lightning coiled around him. He unleashed his strongest means right from the start.
With a rumble, lightning flashed and thunder roared. Countless strands of electric light spread across the entire square, scorching the surroundings black.
Standing amid the lightning, Sikong Ming resembled a thunder god descended into the world, wielding heaven's punishment. He commanded the crushing bolts and attacked Lin Fan before him.
Boom!
It was a heaven-shaking strike. A terrifying aura swept in all directions, and those standing nearby were struck by the shock waves until black smoke rose from them. They nearly died.
Yet, astonishingly, the nine-year-old Lin Fan neither dodged nor evaded the blow. His flesh shone as he weathered the lightning head-on, completely unharmed.
"What a powerful body! Is he even a living creature?" Everyone was utterly shocked, their eyes wide and tongues tied, dazzled beyond measure.
Before you continue