Chapter 505: Chapter 505

The mountain within the Heavenly Secret Realm.

In the end, only five of them came out.

In the Heavenly Secret Realm, the Immortal Venerable Family’s Noble Young Master Xiao Sheng was forced to kneel by Lin Fan. After coming out, his first intention was to seek revenge on Lin Fan.

He even summoned experts from his family.

Luo Fairy’s thoughts were simple: to avoid any unnecessary complications, she decided to act as if she knew nothing.

She suspected that the events within the Secret Realm were undoubtedly known to the Heavenly Court and were even connected to it, yet without evidence, she could say nothing more.

The little girl lay sound asleep in Lin Fan’s embrace, a small caterpillar curled up against her chest. The fire crackled and burned, the wood emitting occasional pops.

Outside, the fierce wind struck the leaves, creating a rustling sound.

The Immortal Veins empowered them greatly.

Xiang Fei summoned a Holy Weapon and began refining it with closed eyes. Among the three of them, he was the furthest along in refining the Holy Weapon, having been refining it bit by bit since he first obtained it. If he fully refined the Holy Weapon, its power would be utterly terrifying.

Not to say it had the power to destroy heaven and earth.

But it would unquestionably render him invincible among his peers.

After all, who else could use such an abundance of Immortal Veins to accelerate the refinement of a Holy Weapon?

Even for a direct descendant of the Immortal Venerable Family.

Even with focused cultivation, such treatment was unheard of.

Or rather, it would have been improbable to pour all the critical resources needed to sustain a family onto a single individual.

In the pitch-black night, someone coughed. At the same time, footsteps sounded faintly, as if something were rubbing against the ground.

Xiang Fei retracted his Holy Weapon and stared at the wooden door. Who else would visit at such a late hour?

"Could it be people from Thief Sword Pavilion coming after us?" Qin Yang asked.

As for the possibility that someone just passed by by chance—truth be told, he didn’t really believe it. Yet, coincidences have their peculiarities, forcing him to consider the possibility.

The wooden door was pushed open, a chill streamed in, and the flames in the fire pit flickered a few times.

His silver hair gleamed with a peculiar luster under the firelight.

Seeing people inside the cabin, the old man expressed mild astonishment, saying, "Ah, there are people here. I wonder if I could borrow the shelter of this place for the night."

"Shh!" Lin Fan pressed his finger to his lips, then gestured toward the sleeping little girl, indicating clearly: Quiet, say no more nonsense—if you want to come in, just do it.

The old man noticed the girl in Lin Fan’s arms, seemed to understand, and quietly walked in, closed the wooden door, and sat in a corner.

Xiang Fei kept his eyes fixed on the old man. There was something dangerous about him—a vague yet distinct feeling.

Noticing Xiang Fei’s stare, the old man gave a faint smile.

Xiang Fei, still wary, leaned toward Qin Yang, whispering, "Be careful; there’s something off about this old man."

"Hmm." Qin Yang nodded. He felt the old man gave off an odd vibe too—as though he wasn’t passing by but had deliberately sought them out.

The surroundings quieted once more.

"Friend, where are you from, and where are you heading?" the old man asked Lin Fan, seemingly trying to spark conversation and forge a connection.

Quiet, she’s asleep; don’t disturb her."

Lin Fan signaled for the old man to lower his voice, pointing out that the child was asleep. This much was obvious—how could someone his age fail to understand such a simple principle?

The old man’s expression shifted subtly.

It was clear he hadn’t anticipated such a reaction. In this situation, could he truly discern anything suspicious?

If that’s the case, this old man will sit here and see where this leads.

Sunlight streamed through the cabin windows.

The little girl opened her eyes and stretched lazily; she had slept so well in the warm embrace, feeling safe.

"Awake?" Lin Fan asked with a smile.

She nodded, then noticed the elderly man in the room. A trace of wariness crossed her face, her gaze suddenly sharp—she instinctively regarded strangers as threats.

Lin Fan stroked her head and turned to the old man. "Friend, you held back your words all night; surely it was difficult to restrain yourself. Speak now—we can have a proper discussion, perhaps even an insightful exchange."

He was well aware: those who came uninvited at odd hours rarely had pure intentions.

He had read countless stories painting such encounters as heralds of trouble—big trouble.

Had the old man acted immediately, Lin Fan would have been less concerned.

Weak foes are often too impulsive; their murderous intent is glaringly obvious to all.

But those who are truly capable—the genuinely threatening—are usually composed and wholly unpredictable. That, indeed, is far more intriguing.

"Very well. I am curious—where are you from, and where are you headed?" the old man asked softly.

Lin Fan replied with a serious tone, "From the Eastern Tang dynasty, heading to Western Bliss." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ n0velfire.net

The old man paused briefly, seemingly lost in thought, but quickly composed himself.

"Friend, surely you jest?"

Lin Fan chuckled, "Indeed, I jest. Seeing the mood so somber, I thought a bit of humor might lighten it. Friend, did you find it amusing?"

"Somewhat," the old man replied, noting how different Lin Fan was from the other young people he had encountered before.

"Amusement is good," Lin Fan remarked. "You found safe shelter here last night; morning is now upon us. If Friend has no pressing matters, it would be wise to depart." He added, having carefully examined the other party’s silhouette, that the traces resembled techniques from Thief Sword Pavilion.

Surprisingly accurate.

For someone to locate them so quickly—even after they’d left early—speaks volumes about their tracking skills. Quite impressive.

The old man froze once more.

Things weren’t unfolding as he had imagined.

Shouldn’t the conversation have progressed slowly and naturally? Why rush the plot, asking him to leave right away after just one night?

Weren’t they supposed to communicate?

Why end the discourse so abruptly?

"Oh?" Lin Fan looked at him quizzically. "Friend, do you wish to remain? Or perhaps you didn’t accidentally stumble upon this place last night but came here intentionally to meet someone?"

"Given your age and cultivation level, you’re likely not an insignificant figure. To appear deliberately in the wilderness suggests purpose. If there’s something to discuss, feel free to say it—no need to keep it bottled up."

Although he didn’t address the situation directly.

It didn’t take much thought to deduce that the visitor was here regarding Zhang Zhixian.

Zhang Zhixian, however, was Lin Fan’s captive. The chance of releasing him was virtually nil. If the old man didn’t bring up the subject, they could simply pretend it never happened.

"Haha," the old man laughed, stroking his beard. "Good, good. Friend, you certainly speak your mind. Since that’s the case, I won’t hide my intentions. I am Yi Sword Venerable of Thief Sword Pavilion. After hearing my disciples’ account of what transpired, I sought out you to offer an apology."

"Regardless of circumstances, it was Thief Sword Pavilion’s fault to begin with."

He placed a bottle of Elixir on the floor before him. "This may not be a miraculous pill, but it’s a secret treasure of Thief Sword Pavilion. Consider it a peace offering to all of you."

"Ah, misunderstandings are ultimately just misunderstandings. Apologies suffice—why go so far as to offer a gift?" Lin Fan replied diplomatically while smoothly pocketing the bottle without hesitation. "Then, I’ll graciously accept. Thank you, Friend."

Qin Yang and Xiang Fei remained expressionless.

They were more than accustomed to such situations.

Yi Sword Venerable had prepared persuasive words for if they declined the gift but stood dumbfounded as Lin Fan’s actions contradict his polite words. It left the venerable speechless.

Didn’t he just say he didn’t want it?

Then what’s the meaning of this?

To Lin Fan, the elixir was valuable—not groundbreaking—but still beneficial enough to sharpen his sword aura and enhance his Divine Skills.

Lin Fan continued, "Friend, rest assured—we haven’t held a grudge over past incidents. As cultivators, our hearts must be expansive. It wouldn’t do to linger on such misunderstandings."

Yi Sword Venerable replied with a smile, "Friend, your magnanimity is admirable. I greatly respect you."

He hadn’t come to fight. Squabbles and violence are unseemly habits—best abandoned if possible.

The air grew still again.

Lin Fan started chatting with the little girl, asking her if she was hungry—if she was, he’d prepare some food to fill her stomach.

He noticed Yi Sword Venerable hadn’t left and asked in confusion, "Friend, do you still have matters to discuss? I’ve made it clear we bear no resentment, so you shouldn’t feel burdened. Though I initially misunderstood Thief Sword Pavilion, your explanations have dispelled that misconception."

"If everything is settled, you may wish to depart. And if the opportunity arises, we’ll gladly visit Thief Sword Pavilion for further dialogue."

Qin Yang lowered his head, stifling laughter.

Brother Lin, I thought myself shameless enough, yet it turns out you surpass me!

Xiang Fei maintained a solemn demeanor—no trace of emotion could be discerned from his face. He appeared indifferent, fully aware of Yi Sword Venerable’s intentions, yet said nothing.

Yi Sword Venerable, though smiling outwardly, cursed inwardly.

He had spoken courteously and offered elixirs.

The message was clear.

It was evident he wanted forgiveness for Thief Sword Pavilion.

But his purpose for coming was concise and straightforward—could they hand over Zhang Zhixian? He hadn’t mentioned it directly to avoid appearing too demanding.

Most people would dissolve grievances with a smile, release the captive, and perhaps offer reprimands, resolving everything gracefully.

Things were hard to articulate.