In the Sword Dao Holy Land, the Linglong Sword Pavilion is situated among the northern mountains. Many aspire to join the Linglong Sword Pavilion, but its location is so perilous that only those with great determination and fortune can reach it.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A series of deep bell chimes echoed through the Linglong Sword Pavilion, drawing the attention of numerous disciples, who looked around, puzzled by the commotion.
"Master, come quickly! Senior Sister is in grave danger!" A group of disciples, looking anxious, landed hurriedly in the courtyard and called out toward the main hall.
The Linglong Sword Pavilion, known for its strict rules, generally does not allow disciples to barge into the main hall. However, the current situation was dire, and the disciples couldn't afford to adhere to formalities.
For the past two days, they had traveled day and night without rest, trying to reach the pavilion as quickly as possible. Senior Sister's condition was worsening; her life was hanging by a thread, sustained only by the effects of the pills they had given her.
At that moment, the space within the main hall trembled slightly, and a figure appeared inside.
It was difficult to determine whether the figure was male or female based solely on their appearance, as their facial features were obscured, like murky water.
"Master, Senior Sister..."
"Supreme Sword Intent, what exactly happened? Go and summon the elders from each peak immediately," ordered the Pavilion Master of the Linglong Sword Pavilion. She spoke tersely, her expression grave, clearly recognizing the severity of the situation. She then pulled Ni Mantian into a void and vanished from the hall.
The disciples exchanged worried glances, quickly heading off to inform the elders from each peak.
...
Meanwhile, Lin Fan was blissfully unaware of the trouble he had caused. He continued his journey north, feeling as though he were on a vacation.
Along the way, Lin Fan marveled at the wonders of nature, encountering many strange plants.
What impressed Lin Fan the most, however, was the abundance of fierce beasts in the area.
Wait!
There are people up ahead.
Lin Fan halted his steps, noticing voices coming from the direction ahead. During his journey, he had seen many human-like footprints, suggesting that he was close to the Great Yan Dynasty.
Hiding in the shadows, Lin Fan observed a group of people working together to slay a fierce beast. Lin Fan had fought one of these beasts before; it was quite formidable. Nevertheless, the beast was eventually taken down by this group, who seemed somewhat skilled to Lin Fan.
There were five men and three women, all at the second stage of the Innate Realm. Had they fought the second-stage Golden Horned Beast one-on-one, they would have been slaughtered.
After killing the beast, the group rested, carving up the Golden Horned Beast and storing its horn in a bag. They set up camp, preparing to roast the beast, seemingly intending to eat it.
"Hi there, everyone!" Lin Fan, seeing that the group consisted only of second-stage Innate Realm cultivators, felt no fear. Besides, he was a bit hungry himself. He thought it would be nice to join them for a meal and perhaps tag along on their journey, blending in with the group. Judging by their matching outfits, they all seemed to belong to the same place, making it less likely for him to draw attention.
Food and a way to his destination—this seemed like a perfect plan.
"Who goes there?" The eight people, just settling down to rest, jumped in surprise at the sudden voice. They quickly drew their weapons, warily watching the newcomer.
Seeing that there was only one person, they relaxed a little, but they still didn't let down their guard. In the Sunset Forest, you could encounter all sorts of people, and one had to be cautious of those with ill intentions.
Lin Fan smiled at the group's tense demeanor. "No need to be so nervous. I'm not a bad guy."
"Hmph, bad guys don't usually announce they're bad guys," said a young woman in a red dress, holding a sword and eyeing Lin Fan suspiciously.
"Brother, we're not welcoming strangers here. Please leave," said a young man, addressing Lin Fan.
Glancing at the young man, Lin Fan noticed that the others were looking at him as well, indicating that he held some authority among them.
Lin Fan smiled and said, "May I ask if the Great Yan Dynasty is in this direction?"
"Thirty miles further ahead, and you'll reach the Great Yan Dynasty," the young man replied, still wary of Lin Fan. They were a bit uneasy seeing someone without weapons appearing so casually in the dangerous Sunset Forest—it suggested he was not an ordinary person.
Their group had come to this forest to hunt the Scarlet Flame Beast, and after the successful hunt, they planned to enjoy a meal before leaving. The Scarlet Flame Beast's meat was quite delicious, after all.
"Thank you. But I'm hungry, and it looks like you guys are cooking something tasty. I hope you don't mind if I join you," Lin Fan said, stepping forward nonchalantly.
"Stop right there, or don't blame me for being rude," the young man called Zang Tianhao said, raising his voice.
"Why so selfish? We should help each other out when we're away from home," Lin Fan replied.
"Zang, there's no point talking to him. He looks suspicious; let's capture him first," the young woman in red, Han Mengmeng, said as she launched her attack. Her sword aimed straight for Lin Fan's arm.
"City-Captivating Sword!"
Han Mengmeng was a second-stage Innate Realm cultivator with decent swordsmanship. Her sword was enveloped in True Yuan, emitting a red glow with a sharp aura.
Lin Fan felt slightly offended. How could she say he looked suspicious when he believed he had such a pure and kind face?
"Clang..."
"You know, young ladies shouldn't resort to violence so quickly," Lin Fan said, standing still, holding Han Mengmeng's True Yuan-imbued sword with his bare hand, seemingly unaffected.
"This..."
Zang Tianhao and the others stared in disbelief. This person had stopped Han Mengmeng's sword with his bare hand—wasn't that supposed to be impossible?
"Senior, please show mercy," Zang Tianhao shouted, alarmed.
"Returning Nine Turns!"
Han Mengmeng, angered by Lin Fan's casual hold on her sword, twisted her body, attempting to use the force to break Lin Fan's grip.
Lin Fan gently shook his head.
Well, this is as good a time as any to test my new technique, "Petal Plucking Finger."
At that moment, Lin Fan released the sword and flicked his fingers along the blade, as if plucking petals from a flower.
With a crisp sound, Han Mengmeng's sword shattered into pieces, falling to the ground.
"Ding, congratulations! 'Petal Plucking Finger' has gained 10 experience points."
"My Floating Sword..." Han Mengmeng looked at the broken pieces on the ground, her expression changing. Her eyes reddened as if she were about to cry.
"Senior, please forgive us. We did not recognize your greatness. Please don't take offense," Zang Tianhao quickly said, realizing that they were in no position to challenge someone of Lin Fan's level.
"When you encounter someone stronger than yourself, it's best to avoid conflict," he added, turning to the others.
Han Mengmeng glanced at Lin Fan and then at her broken sword, finally muttering reluctantly, "I'm sorry."
...
"It's alright. It's fate that we met. Whoever's cooking the meat, get on with it. Let's eat and then continue our journey," Lin Fan said casually, sitting on a rock nearby and motioning for the others to resume their preparations.
Lin Fan felt quite pleased with himself at the moment. Not only had he managed to rob two powerful cultivators after leaving his sect, but he had also played the role of a senior figure in front of this group.
It seemed that stepping out into the world had brought many unexpected joys.
Zang Tianhao breathed a sigh of relief and then sat down beside Han Mengmeng. Although the situation was temporarily calm, he still felt uneasy about this stranger.
"Hey, what's with the horse over there?" Lin Fan asked, noticing a horse grazing under a tree.
"Senior, that's a Yinxing Horse, a unique breed. It releases a scent that can attract solitary male beasts. If the beast is too dangerous, we can hide while it approaches," Zang Tianhao explained.
"Oh, so it's a promiscuous horse," Lin Fan remarked, intrigued.
"Yes, they are quite common and not particularly valuable," Zang Tianhao confirmed.
"A remarkable creature indeed. If there's no food around, you could always butcher it for meat," Lin Fan suggested, still intrigued by the horse.
"Senior, this horse isn't edible. Its flesh is tainted with the scent, even beasts find it inedible," Zang Tianhao explained.
"Oh, so even animals find it distasteful," Lin Fan mused.
"Senior, the meat is ready."
...