The moment Chen Fan appeared, he drew the attention of many disciples.
"Look! Who is that?"
"Doesn't he know flying is forbidden here?"
"He looks so unfamiliar. Probably a new disciple who doesn't know the rules."
"He's done for! Elder Chen is charging over at full gallop..."
They spared a second of sympathy for the boy and observed a moment of silence. The outer sect elders handled disciplinary matters, and disciples who did not know the rules would be punished.
Chen Xuandao was on duty today.
Everyone started talking.
Chen Fan paid them no mind.
Actually.
There was a little personal grievance behind his coming here so openly.
After all, he had once asked to join the Divine Dao Holy Land.
This place lay on the edge of Burning Province, very close to White Emperor Province.
The outcome was obvious: he had returned with his feathers clipped. The talks had fallen apart.
First, he already had a master, so taking another would be inappropriate. He could only study here as a guest in his lineage's name.
The Divine Dao Holy Land had refused. After all, the Chen Lineage no longer possessed its former prestige.
Second, there had been no one left in his lineage back then, and he had made the decision alone. The words of a junior clearly carried too little weight.
Moreover, his aptitude was insufficient. Even if he counted as fairly talented in the current Chen Lineage, that was only relative. He was not qualified to join a top sect.
The weak were meat for the strong.
As for his master, Great Emperor Xuanji, rounding things off, hadn't the Chen Lineage essentially emptied its coffers to buy her services?
That was the only way to put it.
Of course, at his present level, such past events could not stir his state of mind in the slightest. He did not care.
It definitely wasn't that I'd made it and gotten full of myself~
"Which branch's disciple are you? State your name at once!"
Just then, a young disciple with sword-sharp brows and eyes blocked Chen Fan's path, his expression utterly solemn.
"It's a senior brother under Elder Chen. Looks like he's going to patrol and enforce the rules on Elder Chen's behalf," a disciple on the ground exclaimed.
Chen Fan merely glanced at him. As though plunged into an ice cellar, the disciple fell straight to the ground, his soul dazed, and hurriedly shook his head.
The sight left the disciples utterly dumbfounded.
At the same time, Chen Fan released his presence.
He was here to find someone, but he still had to go through the motions. After all, this was the faction his master belonged to in this life.
For a moment.
A terrifying pressure swept over them. The disciples below immediately prostrated themselves, unable to rise. None dared speak loudly.
It was not that they lacked backbone. They truly did not dare raise their heads and could not resist.
They did not even know what had happened.
Sensing this presence.
The powerful cultivators in hall after hall opened their eyes.
"Who dares trespass upon our Divine Dao Holy Land!"
The true old monsters-the inner sect elders, supreme elders, and others-streamed out.
The intruder seemed to be deliberately drawing them out.
But until they knew whether he was friend or foe, they could not be careless.
At that moment.
Inside the Holy Maiden's Hall of the Divine Dao Holy Land.
Ling Qingcheng's beautiful eyes were vacant.
She seemingly could not even notice that her eyes were turning blood-red and her soul was slipping out of control.
Before her, a Soul-Guiding Demonic Banner swayed back and forth.
It released a beam of interwoven red and black light, devouring and drawing in her will.
Granny Luo operated it with her hands, continuously pouring power into the Soul-Guiding Demonic Banner.
Her lips ceaselessly muttered some inhuman language.
Her gaze gradually turned crazed and excited, then utterly fervent and vicious.
She then looked at Ling Qingcheng, who had lost her independent consciousness, and revealed a cold smile.
"Holy Maiden, you let your guard down. Hehe, this Soul-Guiding Demonic Banner can send people into Qi deviation."
"With your will weakened, no matter how strong you are, how can you stop me from possessing you?"
Ling Qingcheng was still too green, fresh out of the thatched cottage, allowing her to succeed so easily.
Qi deviation was a process that drew out inner demons. She only needed to possess Ling Qingcheng when her will was weakest, then erase the newly sprouted inner demons once she succeeded.
Riches and honor were sought amid danger.
"Kekekeke~"
Granny Luo laughed unrestrainedly, making the entire Holy Maiden's Hall seem incomparably eerie and terrifying.
"Even if the Holy King returns, what can he do to me..."
"Soon, very soon!" Her voice brimmed with a certain thrill.
With a bang, the door flew open.
"You damned old hag! What are you doing to the Holy Maiden!" Chen Xuandao roared.
He had come looking for the Holy Maiden, only to discover that someone outside seemed to have invaded the sect. He had agonized for a long time over whether to poach her or fulfill his duty to protect the sect.
In the end, hearing the commotion inside, he chose poaching!
The sight before him enraged him even further, and he attacked at once.
"You witch! Your intentions deserve death!" As he said this, he himself felt fucking guilty for a second, as a token of respect.
But never mind the details. Saving her mattered most.
Granny Luo's laughter froze on the spot.
"Elder Chen, do you intend to stop me?" Damn it, I was so close. Why did someone barge in?
"Get lost." Chen Xuandao pressed forward without hesitation, spiritual power surging wildly in his hands.
"For daring to attack the Holy Maiden, you must die! How could the Holy Land ever forgive you!"
Save the Holy Maiden! This was great. After saving her, perhaps, just maybe, there'd probably be a good chance of poaching her?
As for whether the Holy Land would forgive me... those were separate matters.
Granny Luo inwardly cursed.
Chen Xuandao would not be easy to deal with.
Yet just then, an unusual movement from the Soul-Guiding Demonic Banner instantly filled her with excitement.
"I can possess her now!"
Without the slightest hesitation, she stirred her soul, attempting to enter Ling Qingcheng's consciousness, abandoning her fleshly shell to seize another's nest like a cuckoo.
As long as she succeeded, no one could stop her!
Chen Xuandao's gaze flickered, and he immediately withdrew his attack. They were too close; he could not hurt the Holy Maiden.
He could only blame himself for being too weak.
Looking at Ling Qingcheng right before her, Granny Luo's arrogant voice rang out. "Unfortunately, Elder Chen, you're a step too late."
"Once I completely possess the Holy Maiden's body, even the Holy Land won't do anything to me!"
"Kekeke~"
"Is that so?"
Ling Qingcheng's voice suddenly rang out. Not only was Granny Luo startled, but Chen Xuandao's eyes also widened.
Then Ling Qingcheng casually reached out and caught Granny Luo's soul, right before her, in her palm.
Outside.
"Who dares trespass upon our Divine Dao Holy Land!"
Several Saint Realm experts appeared in quick succession.
They surrounded Chen Fan, raising their guard.
Only then did the disciples below realize that Chen Fan was not a disciple of their Divine Dao Holy Land. He was an intruder!
They were deeply shocked, admiring the young man's sheer audacity.
He was done for again!
Chen Fan's expression remained unchanged as he swept his gaze over them.
"Elders, it's been a while..."
Hearing this, the experts were somewhat puzzled.
Looking at Chen Fan's face, they found him so young, yet the contours of his features seemed somewhat familiar.
"Are you that young master of the Chen Lineage?" the chief supreme elder asked tentatively.
That could not be right. That boy from the Chen Lineage had come before, but they had driven him away. How long had it been? Could he already have reached such a realm?
Impossible. It certainly was not him.
Yet Chen Fan nodded.
"That's right. I'm Chen Fan."
At once, not even a crow or sparrow could be heard.
The elders could hardly believe it. He really was that boy from the Chen Lineage!
They exchanged looks.
Considering Chen Fan's age, how strong could he possibly be? They could not concern themselves with anything strange about him now, or they would lose face and struggle to command the disciples' respect.
The chief supreme elder then snorted coldly, his bearing that of a superior who tolerated no defiance, his imposing dignity impossible to conceal.
His gaze blazing like torches, he pressured Chen Fan. "Whatever you came for, a nation has its laws, and a family has its rules! Trespassing upon our Divine Dao Holy Land is an act of provocation!"
He immediately stood with his hands behind his back, then extended his right hand and pointed a finger.
The phantom finger grew without limit. He had to teach this boy a lesson!
After all, their Divine Dao Holy Land had no fear whatsoever of the present Chen Lineage! No, they had never thought anything of even the Chen Lineage at its peak.
However.
With a casual wave from Chen Fan, the might of that peak Saint Realm expert's finger shattered instantly.
At the same time, imperial might poured out, vast as a surging river.
It pressed down upon the elders.
The next instant.
With a boom.
Several Saint Realm experts were all hurled backward uncontrollably, their eyes filled with utter terror.
Even top experts could be reduced to such a miserable state.
"G-G-Great Emperor!"
Chen Fan stood with his hands behind his back. "Everyone, I'm here to find someone..."
Just as his words fell.
A tremendous crash rang out somewhere, and everyone instinctively looked over.
They saw the hunched figure of an old woman shoot into the sky like a cannonball.
Close behind her, a breathtakingly beautiful figure of peerless grace rose into the air.
With another palm strike, she slammed the old woman back to the ground.
Seemingly noticing the disturbance in the Holy Land, Ling Qingcheng turned her face and met Chen Fan's gaze.
Hmm? Even the supreme elders had been beaten up?