Chapter 504: Chapter 504

The remaining disciples of the Thief Sword Pavilion were shocked, finding the scene before them hard to believe.

What did they just witness?

The other party unleashed their Thief Sword Pavilion Divine Skills and even severed the elder’s arm.

From their perspective,

this behavior was a bit excessive.

Using their Divine Skills and harming their elder—could you be any more shameless?

"Mastering your Thief Sword Pavilion’s Divine Skills is supposed to be something to brag about? I only had to glance at it to learn it. Too easy. Whoever came up with this technique doesn’t seem so great after all." Lin Fan, an expert at blatant nonsense, claimed he had learned the skill with just one look, despite having just unleashed it moments ago.

He was doing this to provoke them.

The disciples of the Thief Sword Pavilion turned livid.

That was the face of fury.

They couldn’t stand someone belittling their Divine Skills, let alone claiming to have learned it at a mere glance—this was outright bullsh*t!

Zhang Zhixian’s face was dark and filled with unease. He couldn’t remain here; the opponent’s strength was far too formidable.

"Run, all of you, run quickly."

He shouted, transforming into a beam of sword light that shot toward the distance.

His speed was astonishing as he melded into his sword, tearing through the Void with all his might, darting away swiftly.

"Impressive piglet. Can’t let you off the hook."

Lin Fan extended a hand, breaking through the Void. In the distance, a colossal palm covered the sky and blocked out the sun, its massive shadow enveloping Zhang Zhixian.

Zhang Zhixian’s expression changed drastically. He hadn’t expected such ruthlessness; the opponent clearly had no intention of letting him escape. His disciples were fleeing frantically, yet Lin Fan showed no interest in pursuing them. He rallied his strength to fight back.

Sword Intents streaked through the air.

The sharp, clear sounds were rather melodious.

Each Sword Intent carried enough power to level mountains, yet when they struck that hand, there wasn’t even a scratch—no reaction whatsoever. Not even the skin was broken. Can you believe it?

He knew this wouldn’t work.

At the top of his lungs, he roared:

"Disciples—form ranks!"

In the past, some would have obeyed his orders, as he was the elder and they were disciples, duty-bound to comply.

Why bother listening?

Survival comes first; fleeing is paramount. This place is far too dangerous.

Even their hearts trembled in fear. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel⟡fire.net

Zhang Zhixian didn’t want to die. He was living well, with a promising future ahead. He longed for the end of the Immortal Path. Initially, he’d hoped the disciples’ ranks would buy him time to escape, but little did he expect them to outright ignore him.

He abruptly changed direction, mixing in with the disciples at high speed.

Now his plan was to blend in and run alongside the crowd. If Lin Fan wanted him, fine, but with so many disciples around, there was no way Lin Fan could focus solely on him.

"Didn’t you hear me?"

"All of you, form ranks! I’ll use Divine Skills to repel him!"

Zhang Zhixian spouted nonsense, hoping his disciples would buy it. As long as someone took him seriously, it could set a favorable precedent.

But alas, to his disappointment...

The disciples flat-out refused to heed his words.

"Elder, the opponent’s strength is overwhelming. Even the Demon-slaying Sword Formation couldn’t hold him back. Is there any formation that could stop him?" a disciple blurted.

He understood exactly what the elder’s words implied—essentially, Zhang Zhixian wanted them to be cannon fodder to shield him from Lin Fan.

That statement couldn’t be voiced aloud, of course, but everyone grasped the true meaning.

He was the elder; they were mere disciples.

Zhang Zhixian realized something was off.

His cultivation level was high, and his speed exceptional. Logically, Lin Fan should be suppressing the disciples first—hardly a concern for Zhang Zhixian.

Yet the situation was different.

Lin Fan ignored the fleeing disciples entirely, focusing his suppression solely on Zhang Zhixian.

Why is he fixated on me alone?

There are so many people here! He could target anyone else, yet he insists on me? We have no grudges, no real animosity. Why is he doing this?

The massive descending palm penetrated the sky, forcibly capturing Zhang Zhixian and pulling him back from the distance.

I’ll let you run a hundred meters first.

Then obediently come back.

Lin Fan wasn’t particularly interested in the weaker ones who had fled. While it would have been satisfying to suppress them all, he decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.

The spoils from this encounter were decent, his mood uplifted. Feeling generous, he hoped these weaklings would come to understand the terrors of the world, strive harder, and cultivate earnestly to become stronger.

Perhaps then he’d even give them the courtesy of a proper glance.

"Fellow Daoist, we bear no grudges. What happened earlier was merely a misunderstanding caused by the customs of the Thief Sword Pavilion. Maybe you weren’t aware, or perhaps it was our tone that offended you. I’d like to apologize."

"I hope you can accept my apology and consider building a favorable relationship. What do you say?"

Zhang Zhixian didn’t dare speak threats. Throwing around tough words now would be exceedingly unwise. He hoped sincerity would move Lin Fan.

He wanted Lin Fan to understand:

I harbor no real malice.

What happened before was purely a misunderstanding.

Surely we can resolve this amicably.

Qin Yang laughed mockingly: "Man, you really have no shame. You’re already suppressed, yet you’re saying things only an idiot would say. If you ask me, you should act tougher. Show us some backbone! After all, you’re an elder, right? Your disciples may have bolted, but at least keep some shred of dignity."

These words hit the nail on the head.

Xiang Fei even felt Qin Yang’s point was spot on.

No one could guess what Zhang Zhixian was thinking.

From the playful expression Lin Fan directed at him, Zhang Zhixian knew his words were useless.

"Why are you so obsessed with targeting me?" His greatest grievance was this—sure, he had instigated the conflict, but with so many present, why single him out?

Lin Fan chuckled: "Because you’re the strongest. Your talent is outstanding. That’s why I’m fixated on you."

Zhang Zhixian stared dumbfoundedly, utterly baffled by Lin Fan’s reasoning.

Was that supposed to be praise?

Should he laugh or cry?

It was a question worth pondering.

"What are you doing?"

Zhang Zhixian shouted loudly as Lin Fan began rifling through his belongings. Flushing red, he yelled, "Kill me if you must! But if you intend to disgrace my body, you’re dreaming!"

"Chilling." Lin Fan observed Zhang Zhixian’s stiff posture and felt slightly uneasy. What a vivid imagination! He was merely implementing a "three-light policy"—taking everything Zhang Zhixian had.

The pig farm Lin Fan ran had certain standards.

Not every piglet qualified for entry.

Amid Zhang Zhixian’s roars, Lin Fan placed him into the Universe Tripod.

"The spoils here are decent. The Southern Ridge is a promising place, though we should tread carefully; we’ve already provoked our first wave of enemies," Lin Fan remarked.

They were taking refuge in the Southern Ridge.

Even in hiding, they couldn’t afford to endure hardship.

The Immortal Veins here were sufficient for cultivation for a while.

If they considered selling the Immortal Veins, Lin Fan doubted anyone would be bold enough to buy them, for it might lead to malicious schemes and attempts to seize their resources.

While passing through, they found an empty house. After scanning the surroundings to ensure no one was nearby, they settled for a short rest.

"Little girl, do you know how profitable our visit to the Southern Ridge has been?" Lin Fan initiated a conversation with the girl, who was naturally quiet. She barely liked talking.

Engaging her in conversation was a rare endeavor; a single word in response was a gift.

Lin Fan divided the Immortal Veins into three shares, splitting them evenly among their group for cultivation. Good treasures were meant to be shared.

Inside the Universe Tripod.

The gathered piglets exchanged conversations.

Transitioning from strangers to acquaintances and now sharing a common enemy brought them closer.

Lin Fan distributed the Emperor Scriptures to them. After battling the Immortal Emperor Corpse, he realized the might of the Nirvana Immortal Body. If paired with the Five Elements Nirvana Emperor Scripture, its power would be astonishing.

Qin Yang sat by the fire and commented, "Brother Lin, do you think the Qin Family is tearing the Northern Desolation Domain apart looking for us?"

"We can pivot the blame. I think they’re primarily after you," Lin Fan replied.

"What!" Qin Yang exclaimed. "Brother Lin, that’s harsh. I’m sticking with you, no matter what. If I get caught, I’m doomed!"

Lin Fan chuckled, "Relax, I’m just joking. We’ve fled to the Southern Ridge, crossing an entire Heavenly Court. It’ll take them a while to trace us."

"Until then, focus on cultivation. Raise your realm sufficiently, and all problems will be nonexistent by then."

He admitted feeling helpless about the current situation.

The Immortal Realm was vast.

And who knew where True Immortals from the cultivation world ascended to? Surely, they weren’t just left bloodied and discarded.

Perhaps they were annihilated entirely.

Even the Taiwu Immortal Sect had been eradicated; the idea alone was terrifying.

No need to overthink it for now.

Take care of what’s in front of you—that’s what matters.

In the Heavenly Court...

The affairs surrounding the Heavenly Secret Realm finally erupted.

Dozens of prodigies died within the realm.

Major factions demanded answers from the Heavenly Court, insisting they couldn’t let this slide without consequences.

Typically, such scenarios would have left the Heavenly Court in a bind against the Sacred Lands and dominant factions.

But now, most prodigies emerged with significant gains, brimming with joy.

This silenced the factions.

The Heavenly Court’s stance was clear:

Look—so many prodigies gained immensely from the realm. Surely you wouldn’t trouble us over the deaths of a few dozen prodigies?

Their argument suggested the deceased were likely killed in internal clashes or rivalries. If so, it couldn’t be blamed on anyone.

The fault lies with their lack of skill.

Luo Fairy considered bringing up the matter but eventually decided against it, realizing that doing so might implicate others.