The elders of the Wang Clan sat around in the council hall, their faces growing increasingly grim. Some had cracked their teacups, while others were emanating an aura that they could hardly contain.
"That damned little bastard... he's actually grown up to this extent."
An elderly elder with white hair spoke in a deep voice, his words seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. " Sage King Realm reversed the situation and defeated Quasi-Emperor, even managing to condense a wisp of Immortal Qi... Looking across the Three Thousand Provinces, I'm afraid no one can stop him now."
"Shut up."
The Wang Clan family patriarch finally spoke, his voice low and cold. His gaze swept over everyone in the hall, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips. "He killed the Jin Clan's Quasi-Emperor. This matter is far more interesting than we imagined."
"Master, what do you mean?"
The head of the Wang Clan family stood up, walked to the entrance of the main hall, and looked at the gray sky in the distance. "Have you heard of that prodigy from the Jin Clan?"
The atmosphere in the hall paused slightly.
An elder whispered, "Could it be Jin Clan Jin Xuan family? It's said that he's the strongest genius of this generation in the Jin Clan, having cultivated a Immortal Qi of immortal energy at the Quasi-Emperor Realm. He 'Emperor Pass, and I heard he's in seclusion refining his second Immortal Qi!"
"It is said that the prodigy was invincible among his peers in the Emperor Pass back then!"
"He once defeated a veteran peak Early Quasi-Emperor Realm- Peak Quasi-Emperor Realm, demonstrating strength far beyond that of his peers!"
He seems very protective of his own.
The Wang Clan family patriarch's lips curled into a smile, " The Golden Armor Quasi-Emperor is his cousin. Now that his cousin is dead, what do you think he will do?"
The hall fell silent for a moment, then the eyes of several elders lit up simultaneously.
An elder said, "Does the patriarch mean... to use the Jin Clan family's prodigy to get rid of that little beast?"
"Using a borrowed knife to kill someone, and borrowing the sharpest knife from the Emperor Pass."
The head of the Wang Clan family stood with his hands behind his back, his voice calm yet carrying a hint of certainty. " Lin Fan has offended the Jin Clan, and the Jin Clan will not let this go easily. Especially that Qilin prodigy, he also possesses Immortal Qi, and I've heard he once slew a Great Emperor. Given his temperament..."
"At that time, we just need to watch."
The elders exchanged glances, their faces turning cold.
The night breeze was slightly cool at the Lin Clan.
When Lin Fan stepped into that familiar courtyard, the old locust tree was still there, with a dim yellow soul lamp hanging from its branches. The flame swayed gently in the wind, as if guarding this empty house for him.
He glanced towards the main hall; the door was ajar, and no one was inside.
He called out, "Eighth Elder?"
A moment later, a figure strode over from the other end of the corridor. It was the Eighth Elder, with white hair and beard, and a trace of ink still stuck to his sleeve, as if he had just been called from his desk.
"Your Highness, you're back."
The Eighth Elder bowed respectfully, his tone tinged with satisfaction, but a hint of unease lingered in his expression.
Lin Fan keenly sensed the unusual activity and asked directly, "Where are my parents?"
The Eighth Elder paused for a moment, then answered truthfully, "There have been some unusual developments at the Emperor Pass. The Patriarch and Madam received the news and set off for the Emperor Pass five days ago."
"Unusual activity at the Emperor Pass?"
Lin Fan raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"
The Eighth Elder shook his head. "I'm not entirely clear on the specifics. I only know that the news came from within the Emperor Pass, saying that the aura of some kind of dark creature has been frequently appearing in the border area, and all the families are sending people to investigate."
Lin Fan didn't immediately press the matter. He glanced at the Eighth Elder and asked again, "What about my grandfather?"
The Eighth Elder said, "The old patriarch... also went out some time ago, saying he was going to a forbidden area for seclusion. He didn't leave an address, but only told someone to tell the Imperial Prince not to worry, as he has his own plans."
Lin Fan leaned against a pillar and gently tapped his brow with his fingers.
My parents went to the Emperor Pass.
Grandpa went to the forbidden area.
The family of three left the Lin Clan shortly after he returned.
Something just doesn't feel right.
He pondered for a moment, then turned and walked towards the back mountain. "Where is the ancestor?"
The Eighth Elder paused for a moment. " The Drunkard Ancestor... the same old place, the pavilion on the back mountain. He said the night breeze is nice there."
"Um."
Lin Fan didn't say anything more and started walking away.
With his parents gone, the only thing he could find out was from his ancestor!
The moonlight was like frost on the pavilion behind the mountain.
The Drunkard Ancestor was sprawled out on a bamboo chair, clutching a half-empty gourd of wine in his hand, snoring so loudly that the tiles on the roof of the pavilion trembled slightly.
Lin Fan sat down next to him, took out a jar of aged wine from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion from his storage ring, heated it with Chaos Qi for a moment, and then broke the mud seal. A rich and mellow aroma of wine immediately burst in the night breeze, even making the moonlight feel warmer.
The Drunkard Ancestor's snoring suddenly stopped.
His eyes were closed, but his nose twitched, like an old fox that had caught the scent of its prey.
He didn't get up, but simply reached out and groped around, grabbing the wine jar and pulling it close to his chest. "This wine's been around for ages, you sure know how to pick your time."
Like holding a precious baby.
Lin Fan wasn't in a hurry. After taking a sip of wine, he slowly spoke, "Ancestor, you know my parents went to the Emperor Pass, right?"
"Know."
The Drunkard Ancestor smacked his lips. "That place is unsafe; they've come at the right time."
Lin Fan looked at him, "Will you go?"
The Drunkard Ancestor put down his wine jar and finally opened his hazy, intoxicated eyes. Moonlight fell into the depths of his pupils, reflecting a clarity quite different from his usual drunken state. " Fan'er, do you know what the Emperor Pass is?"
Lin Fan should know this by now!
Lin Fan shook his head. "All I know is that beyond the No Man's Land's lands of the Three Thousand Provinces lies the Emperor Pass. The laws of the Emperor Pass are more complete than those of the Three Thousand Provinces, and the geniuses of the Emperor Pass have always looked down on the people of the Three Thousand Provinces."
"Look down on them? That's because they don't understand."
The Drunkard Ancestor tilted his head back and took another gulp of wine, his voice deepening. " The Emperor Pass is the last line of defense left to the mortal realm after the collapse of the Immortal Ancient Era. The Foreign Domain and darkness also reside at the Emperor Pass; this ancient pass, standing on this boundary line, is the Emperor Pass itself."
Lin Fan did not interrupt.
The Drunkard Ancestor, unusually serious, continued, "Back in the ancient war of the Immortal Realm, the Immortal Domain was shattered. The Three Thousand Provinces and the Emperor Pass were all fragments torn off from the Immortal Domain."
"The fragments of the Immortal Domain have transformed into the present-day Three Thousand Provinces of the Desolate Ancient Land!"
"The laws are incomplete, the Spiritual Qi is scarce; cultivators are born drinking from a leaky bowl."
" The Emperor Pass is the largest fragment, which was forged by powerful immortal Immortal Dao of that time into a boundary pass spanning between the Foreign Domain and the Three Thousand Provinces."
"The reason why the laws of the Three Thousand Provinces are incomplete is that when the Immortal Domain was shattered, most of the Great Dao's origin was sealed at the Emperor Pass. The laws of the Emperor Pass are more complete than those of the Three Thousand Provinces, capable of giving birth to Great Emperor, or even higher beings."
Lin Fan's pupils contracted slightly. "A higher existence? An immortal?"