One day, Shu Han was studying talismans in his small hut when he suddenly saw a golden streak shoot up into the sky from the front mountain.
Shu Han stared blankly at the brilliant beam, recognizing at once that the Heaven-Reaching Stone had lit up to signal that another Dragon Profound Sect disciple had met the entry requirements for the Heavenly Proven Gate. His heart skipped a beat as he calculated who among the current disciples under twenty was closest to the sixth layer of Qi Condensation.
Could it be…
Sure enough, the next morning, Goudan and Erdan appeared at the valley entrance.
The two boys from years past had grown into young men.
Erdan was especially radiant, Spiritual Qi drifting about his every movement. He cut the figure of a true immortal-path youth, entirely stripped of the rustic air he had carried out of the mountain village.
The pair hauled wine jars and set out a modest feast right there at the threshold of the valley.
Seeing this, Shu Han understood instantly.
That golden light from the night before belonged to Erdan.
Shu Han felt a genuine surge of joy for his friend, though it was inevitably tinged with a quiet sense of loss.
Confined to the valley, he rarely interacted with the other disciples; only Erdan and Goudan routinely came to visit. Goudan had long since shed his irritating village habits, but in Shu Han’s heart, Erdan remained his closest brother.
Now that his brother was leaving, there was no telling when they might meet again.
This vast sect would soon feel empty indeed.
Erdan, his white sleeves fluttering, raised a bowl of wine and offered it to Shu Han with a smile. “Big-Head Brother, I’ve reached the sixth layer of Qi Condensation and will soon depart for the Heavenly Profound Gate. Mountains high and roads long, who knows when we’ll cross paths again. I toast this cup to you.”
Shu Han took the bowl and drained it alongside his two brothers.
“We’ve been here in the Dragon Profound Sect for five years now. I wonder how things are back home.”
Erdan smiled and waved a hand. “Don’t you worry, Big-Head Brother. The Headmaster said he can let me stop by Shu Village on the way. If you or Goudan have any letters or items, you can entrust them to me. I’ll also have someone look out for your uncle and aunt. You two just focus on cultivating here and strive to reach the Heavenly Profound Gate to join me soon enough!”
Goudan let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Big-Head Brother and I don’t have your heaven-defying talent. You hit the sixth layer in five years, while I’m still lingering around the third. Who knows if I’ll even sniff the sixth layer before I turn twenty.”
Erdan offered reassurance. “It’ll be fine. The Headmaster mentioned that once I’m gone, sect resources will be directed toward you instead. You’ll reach the sixth layer before you know it. Once I’m settled at the Heavenly Profound Gate, I’ll find a way to send some pills back for you. You’d better hurry up and get there so I’m not lonely on the other side.”
“Look at you boasting!”
Hahahahaha!
Three days later, the time came for Erdan to depart.
Shu Han handed him a letter addressed to his family, along with three bottles of longevity-extending pills.
At the very last second, he covertly slipped a talisman into Erdan’s pocket.
Erdan blinked in surprise. “Big-Head Brother… what is this?”
Shu Han kept his voice low. “It’s a Fire God Talisman Master gave me. Unleashed directly, it can withstand the full-force strike of a cultivator at the twelfth layer of Qi Condensation. This journey is long and fraught with peril. Keep it on you just in case.”
Erdan tried to refuse, but Shu Han cut him off. “I’m safe enough right here in the Dragon Profound Sect under Master’s Four-Pole Heavenly Sword Formation; I have no use for it. Take it and stop arguing-don’t think just because you’re heading to the Heavenly Profound Gate that you can ignore your big brother’s orders!” Read this novel at novelping . com for the best experience.
Erdan swallowed hard, pulled Shu Han into a fierce bear hug, and then hurried off toward the main gate to wait for the Headmaster.
And just like that, Erdan left the Dragon Profound Sect.
That night, Shu Han had no stomach for talisman research. He picked up his sword instead, stepping into the courtyard to run through the Chaotian Sword Art.
Suddenly, a flash of fire erupted deep within the Yandang Rear Mountain.
The burst was violent and sudden, sounding as though dozens of cultivators were casting the Fireball Technique all at once.
Shu Han frowned. A cold intuition told him that flare bore the exact signature of a Fire God Talisman.
Yet the only Fire God Talisman in the valley was supposed to be in Erdan’s pocket on his way out of the sect!
Troubled by doubt, Shu Han slipped out of the valley and pressed into the gloom toward the source of the blast.
Years of rigorous martial practice had honed his Wandering Cloud Steps to a point of near-perfection; he moved with astonishing speed and absolute silence.
Before long, he left the familiar patrol routes of the Dragon Profound Sect behind and entered a tract of ancient, towering forest.
The overhead canopy was thick and tangled, blocking out the moonlight entirely and plunging the earth below into pitch darkness.
Shu Han crouched, brushed his fingers against the dirt, and frowned.
The soil fertility here was thoroughly ordinary. How had it managed to sustain such an immense expanse of overgrown timber?
Guiing his instincts through the dim thicket, he finally stumbled upon a patch of scorched earth.
The blast zone looked like the site of a severe explosion. A wide crater had been carved from the center, and the surrounding tree trunks were charred black, many still crackling and smoking. Shu Han took cover in the shadows, holding his breath as he surveyed the area for a long moment. Only when he confirmed nothing stirred did he step out.
He crept along the perimeter of the scorched ring until his eye caught a small shard of porcelain lying in the dirt.
He scooped it up for a closer look, and his heart nearly stopped.
“This…”
Before he could process the thought, a searing prickle of Divine Sense lashed across his mind.
In an instant, it dragged him back five years to the night the Seven Great Factions had assaulted the mountain.
Shu Han didn’t hesitate, casting the Wind-Riding Technique upon himself while driving the Wandering Cloud Steps to their absolute limit.
Enhanced by wind spiritual arts, his speed spiked, carrying him dozens of meters away in a blink.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of spiritual light striking the exact spot he had occupied a heartbeat prior.
Cold sweat drenched his back. Had he been even a fraction of a second slower, he would have been left dead on the ground. Get faster updates on g.com.
Run!
That single thought dominated his mind.
Yet a chilling voice transmission cut through the air, turning his heart to ash.
“You cannot escape.”
Abruptly, countless spectral figures seemed to crawl from the scorched earth, filling the dark corners of the forest with wretched wails as they closed in like a pack of wolves.
Concealing his cultivation was no longer an option. If he didn’t clear this place immediately, he was going to die!
He channeled his Spiritual Power to drive the Wind-Riding Technique at full force, preparing to vault into the sky and flee the accursed forest.
But the moment his feet left the ground, a pair of icy hands locked around his ankles.
Frost shot up from his heels straight to the top of his skull.
Was this where he died?
Suddenly, his chest flared with light, projecting the phantom of a talisman before him. A second later, four points of brilliance ignited back in the direction of the Medicine-Refining Valley.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Four flying swords, the components of the Four-Pole Heavenly Sword Formation, screamed through the air to his side, their razor-sharp golden light tearing through the surrounding gloom.
“The Four-Pole Heavenly…”
A figure finally emerged slowly from the shadows.
Shu Han strained his eyes and felt his breath catch. It was the Headmaster himself!
Daoist Dragon Profound’s gaze was sharp as a blade. He stared coldly at Shu Han, who was sheltered within the sword formation, and let out a cold huff. “You are Second Elder’s disciple, Shu Han?”
Shu Han dropped hastily to his knees, kowtowing. “Reporting to Headmaster, this disciple is indeed Shu Han!”
“Do you know that this is the forbidden ground of the Dragon Profound Sect? Trespassers die!”
Shu Han forced down his terror and replied quickly, “This disciple had no idea! I saw fire leaping into the sky and feared enemy intruders were attacking the sect, so I came out to investigate! I never meant to violate the forbidden ground. Please, Headmaster, spare me!”
It was a logical explanation, leaving Daoist Dragon Profound little immediate ground for execution, especially with his eyes locked on the hovering Four-Pole Heavenly Sword Formation. His expression shifted through a dark spectrum of emotions before he finally spoke. “Since the Second Elder even handed you the protective token for the Four-Pole Heavenly Sword Formation, I suppose you’ve been taken in as his Final Disciple.”
“Reporting to Headmaster, that is true. Seeing that I possessed some aptitude for alchemy, Master made an exception and passed down his teachings.”
“Very well!”
Daoist Dragon Profound flicked his sleeve with a cold glare. “I’ll spare you today for the Second Elder’s sake! Let there not be a next time. Get out of here immediately!”