The day of the duel arrived.
Senior Brother Qin Ye arrived as promised, descending upon the Desolate Ancient Plains like an exiled immortal. His bearing was elegant, his demeanor extraordinary. Anyone who saw him would be captivated by his grace.
"Strange, how did it become like this?"
He frowned, completely unaware of what had transpired. He didn't dwell on it, however. The Desolate Ancient Plains were inherently perilous; who knew what could have happened?
After a long while, a crowd of onlookers gathered. Such a grand duel couldn't be without an audience. Moreover, all those present were renowned figures, eager to witness which of these two young talents would emerge victorious.
Qin Ye, the Senior Brother of the Qian Yuan Sect.
Ye Jun, the Young Palace Master of the Heavenly Fire Palace.
Both were acknowledged prodigies, possessing formidable strength and exceptional talent, their future achievements limitless. Contests among the younger generation were commonplace; learning from each other and progressing together were essential to advancing further on the path of cultivation.
"Hmm! Why does this Desolate Ancient Plain look like it's been through a major battle?"
"Could we be late?"
"That shouldn't be possible."
They were all somewhat incredulous.
Although the area was ravaged, perhaps something had happened earlier. It seemed unlikely that the battle would have concluded so quickly.
However…soon…
They saw Qin Ye standing motionless, gazing at the deep crater before him as if he had witnessed something terrifying, lost in thought.
"Qin Ye is here, so where is Ye Jun?"
"Who knows? He should be around here somewhere."
"Let's go and see what's happening."
"Alright, let's have a good exchange with the Qian Yuan Sect prodigy and build some goodwill."
Anyone with immense potential was worth befriending. After all, who knew what kind of formidable being they might become? Take Qin Ye, for instance; they already regarded him as the next Sect Master of the Qian Yuan Sect.
Establishing a connection with him was definitely not a bad move.
Soon, they reached Qin Ye's side and followed his gaze towards the crater.
With this look, trouble began.
"Ah!"
"That's Ye Jun!"
"How could this be?"
"Qin Ye killed Ye Jun!"
These onlookers were seasoned veterans of the cultivation world. Witnessing this scene, they were utterly stunned, as if they had seen something horrifying unfold.
It was as if the sky had fallen.
Snapping out of his shock, Qin Ye noticed the people around him and hurriedly explained, "I didn't do it!"
He couldn't admit to this.
Otherwise, a major incident would undoubtedly ensue.
Ye Jun was the Young Palace Master of the Heavenly Fire Palace, a figure of high status. Being defeated was one thing, but being killed was an entirely different matter.
The onlookers stared at Qin Ye, nodding dumbly, as if to say, "We believe what you're saying, but we believe what we see with our own eyes even more."
Still saying you didn't do it?
Qin Ye defended himself, "It was already like this when I arrived. Ye Jun was killed by someone else. I, Qin Ye, am not someone who would do something and not admit to it."
He knew that explaining to these people was futile.
He fled immediately.
A major incident was brewing back at the sect. If it wasn't handled properly, he feared he would be targeted by the Heavenly Fire Palace, making his future path incredibly difficult.
The next day!
The world was in an uproar.
Rumors spread everywhere that Qin Ye of the Qian Yuan Sect had slain Ye Jun in the Desolate Ancient Plains. Ye Jun's death was gruesome; his body was nowhere to be found, only his head lay there, alone.
Naturally, this news reached the Qian Yuan Sect.
Countless disciples cheered excitedly.
"Senior Brother Qin is invincible!"
Initially, when they learned that their Senior Brother was going to compete with Ye Jun, although they believed in their Senior Brother's victory, they also knew that Ye Jun wasn't a pushover. They never expected their Senior Brother to be so domineering, actually killing Ye Jun on the spot.
The number one young talent, who else could it be?
In the Qian Yuan Sect cemetery…
"Wang Kai, I've avenged you. Rest in peace. I'll burn paper money for you every year, so don't worry about not having money to buy food down there." Lin Fan stood before an ordinary grave mound, speaking softly.
Then he turned and left.
For him, as long as the Scripture Library remained intact, nothing could stop him.
In the sect's main hall…
"You say you didn't kill Ye Jun?"
Sect Master Liu Shanyue inquired. When he learned of this matter, he was also shocked. Sparring between disciples of two major powers was normal, but taking a life was a breach of martial ethics. The Heavenly Fire Palace was also a major power. If such a thing truly happened, would the Heavenly Fire Palace Master spare Qin Ye?
Qin Ye said, "Sect Master, I agreed to fight Ye Jun in the Desolate Ancient Plains. But when I arrived, it was already like that."
"Sigh!" Liu Shanyue sighed. "I believe what you're saying, but the outside world won't."
Qin Ye lowered his head, wanting to curse that scoundrel to death. Who the hell are you, daring to do something but not admit to it, making me take the blame for no reason? Do you know this blame could be fatal?
Suddenly, Liu Shanyue looked outside and sighed, "What's coming is still coming."
At this moment, the Qian Yuan Sect disciples looked up at the distant sky, ablaze with crimson flames. The towering inferno scorched the heavens, a startling phenomenon beyond the capabilities of ordinary experts.
"Qian Yuan Sect, hand over Qin Ye to this Lord!"
The roar arrived before the person.
Upon learning of his son's death, the Heavenly Fire Palace Master was enraged. Although he had many children, Ye Jun was the one he valued most.
His personality was very similar to his own.
His talent was also exceptional.
He was the perfect successor in his mind, but he never expected such a thing to happen. Therefore, no matter what, he would make the Qian Yuan Sect pay the price.
Lin Fan stood outside, looking at the distant sky, muttering to himself:
"Wife, Lao Zhang, if you were here, you would be able to see the sunset. Such a beautiful sunset."
He looked up for a long time. It was truly beautiful, breathtakingly so. Even calling it a paradise on earth wouldn't be an exaggeration.
His calmness contrasted sharply with the expressions of the surrounding disciples.
Those disciples were filled with fear, unease, and anger.
Lin Fan watched for a while, then returned to his room, no longer paying attention to the matter. Nothing could stop him from finishing all the books in the Scripture Library.
Much later, he learned that the events of that day were quite troublesome. The Heavenly Fire Palace Master and Liu Shanyue had a great battle. Neither could defeat the other. Finally, as he was leaving, the Heavenly Fire Palace Master pointed at Qin Ye and said darkly:
"You'll spend the rest of your life waiting for this Lord's endless pursuit."
Such domineering words.
Qin Ye's face paled instantly. For him, this was a blockade of all his paths. Thinking about it carefully, he understood. As soon as he left the sect, he would be targeted. With his cultivation level, how could he be a match for the Heavenly Fire Palace Master?
He might die without even knowing how.
Time flew by.
The Qian Yuan Sect still stood tall.
Lin Fan continued to frequent the Scripture Library and his residence, his life unchanging. Every year, he would visit Wang Kai's grave to burn paper money and tell him about the changes here.
The surrounding disciples rarely noticed this peculiar fellow disciple.
It wasn't that they didn't want to notice him.
But Lin Fan was elusive. No one knew when he would go out. Ordinary disciples, as long as they cultivated diligently, would become outer disciples within three or four years, moving away from this place and onto a grander stage. Naturally, they wouldn't pay attention to the place where they were once down and out.
Much less notice…
That there was a peculiar fellow disciple here.
In the blink of an eye, seventy years passed.
The Qian Yuan Sect remained as vibrant as ever, its disciples diligently cultivating, all hoping to make great progress on their cultivation path.
During this time, the Qian Yuan Sect welcomed a new Sect Master.
It wasn't Qin Ye, nor the young man who had declared, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, just you wait!" It was Wu Zhi, who had steadily progressed step by step.
The vicissitudes of time, all but a laughing matter.
The prodigies constantly spoken of by people didn't make it to the final step.
Qin Ye was confined to the sect for several years. These years were a torment for him. Watching his prodigious Junior Brother continuously gain experience and fortuitous encounters outside, he finally couldn't bear it. If this continued, he would be completely surpassed.
Thus, with a hardened heart, he left the sect to venture into the outside world. Not long after, tragic news arrived. Qin Ye, while outside, encountered the Heavenly Fire Palace Master himself. He was killed on the spot, his blood staining the sky, his head crushed into fragments.
Upon hearing the tragic news, Sect Master Liu Shanyue was disheartened and ultimately engaged in a great battle with the Heavenly Fire Palace Master. This battle lasted for three days and three nights. In the end, no one knew the outcome. They only knew that when both sides returned, they each went into seclusion.
The "Thirty Years" prodigy was ecstatic. He cursed at Qin Ye's grave for a whole day and left in high spirits. However, his good fortune didn't last. While seeking a future opportunity in a forbidden zone, he was killed by an indescribable, taboo being within.
He became one of the countless lost souls within that forbidden zone.
Within just a few decades, two prodigies had fallen one after another. For any sect, this was an unbearable disaster. Just when everyone thought the Qian Yuan Sect was about to decline, the inconspicuous, almost unknown Wu Zhi stepped forward.
In just a few decades, he cultivated to the peak of the Void Piercing Realm, shocking the higher-ups of the Qian Yuan Sect. More than shock, it was excitement.
They hadn't expected that their Qian Yuan Sect still had a prodigy.
Thus, they nurtured him carefully. Wu Zhi's talent wasn't outstanding, but his will was strong, and his luck was exceptional. His cultivation progressed rapidly. Receiving their attention, he had as many resources as he needed.
Finally, seventy years later, today, he successfully broke through to the Great Numinous Realm. With the Sect Master's approval, he was preparing for the ceremony to inherit the position of Sect Master.
This day was very lively.
The entire sect celebrated.
Countless disciples rushed towards the main hall.
Some older disciples sighed.
"I never thought that in the end, it would be Wu Zhi, a once inconspicuous disciple, who would succeed as Sect Master."
"Indeed, I never would have imagined it."
"So many prodigies, so many brilliant Senior Brothers, all fell along the way. Such a pity, truly a pity. If they were all still here, what kind of golden age would our Qian Yuan Sect be experiencing?"
Some younger disciples were puzzled and very confused.
The older disciples explained with a smile.
"Decades ago, our sect had two brilliant prodigies."
"One of them was our Senior Brother Qin Ye. He dominated the world, once slaying the Young Palace Master Ye Jun of the Heavenly Fire Palace in the Desolate Ancient Plains. It's a pity that the old rogue, the Heavenly Fire Palace Master, disregarded martial ethics and bullied the younger generation, killing our Senior Brother outside."
"What about the other one?"
"The other one was even more extraordinary, his talent even better than Senior Brother Qin Ye's. However, his luck wasn't good. He entered a forbidden zone and was killed by a terrifying creature within."
"Sigh…"
"The unpredictability of life."