Tick, tick. In the deathly silence of darkness, the sound of dripping water could faintly be heard. Following the sound with one’s gaze, one could spot a dim light source. Within the space illuminated by this light was an area enclosed by decaying wooden bars and earthen walls—a space known as a prison.
There were actually many such dark spaces, but only this one was truly fulfilling the purpose for which it had been designed.
Right now, Li Tan was sitting inside, eyes closed in cultivation. Everything around him could not affect him in the slightest.
However, as footsteps grew louder and a disagreeable voice approached, he was forced to open his eyes.
“Li Tan, how does this place feel?”
Elder Su stood triumphantly outside the bars, his earlier pretense of anger completely vanished.
Li Tan slightly opened his lips, “Was the Justice Department this quick?”
“You really aren’t afraid at all? Don’t tell me you have such faith that Miss Zhang will save you?
Injuring a fellow disciple, the crime you committed is more serious than you think. I’ll just tell you straight— even if Miss Zhang wants to help you, the sect leader will never agree.”
Elder Su looked at Li Tan, as if expecting something.
Li Tan, however, completely ignored what he had said and impatiently replied, “You came here not just to say such nonsense, right? Get to the point. If not, then leave.”
Elder Su’s eyes flashed with anger—this time, it was genuine. “Fine then, I’ll satisfy you. Do you know what you did wrong?”
Li Tan showed no reaction.
Elder Su continued, “You shouldn’t have tried to seduce Miss Zhang. She isn’t someone you—a wretch—can ever possess. A toad is only fit to eat stinkbugs. As for swan meat? Hmph, you shouldn’t even think about it.”
“I see. So you dared to target me because you had someone backing you up?”
Li Tan looked at Elder Su indifferently. “Tell me, who sent you?”
“Tsk. You still dare to act so arrogantly even now? Truly, you won’t stop until you see the coffin.”
Elder Su used the key to unlock the copper lock, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. “That lord asked me to teach you a lesson.”
Li Tan remained seated cross-legged, showing no intention of rising. He sneered, “Afraid the Justice Department can’t do anything to me, so you sent your henchmen ahead? How despicable.”
The word “henchmen” was particularly grating. Elder Su coldly laughed, “Enjoy your laughter while you can. You won’t be laughing soon.”
Elder Su suddenly swung his hand fiercely toward Li Tan’s face.
But, before his eyes, a shadow flickered. His hand suddenly felt a massive inward force, completely beyond his control, and was pushed backward in the opposite direction.
Crack! With a crisp sound, Elder Su, completely unprepared, felt intense pain in his face. Blood and teeth flew from his mouth.
“Get out!”
Li Tan coldly shouted at him.
“You—you’re at the Innate level! No, impossible! It must be that I was just careless!”
Elder Su was utterly shocked. With a furious roar, crimson true energy swirled around his hand as he lunged forward, unleashing his most formidable martial technique toward Li Tan.
This strike, if it landed, would be enough to trouble even an innate expert.
But the Li Tan who had just been within his sights had mysteriously vanished. This fierce punch struck nothing but air.
At that moment, faint footsteps sounded from behind him.
“Eh?” Elder Su turned his head in terror, but before he could even see what was behind him, a large palm came straight toward his face.
He was struck senseless, flying forward and crashing directly onto the ground.
“In a place like this, if someone dies and the body is disposed of properly, no one will ever know. You should know this all too well, shouldn’t you?”
Li Tan’s icy voice rang out again. “I have limited patience. One last time—get out!”
Elder Su wasn’t stupid. After what had just happened, how could he not guess Li Tan’s true cultivation level?
At this moment, he felt as if the heavens were about to collapse. An innate expert actually came to the outer sect to become a servant disciple! His worldview was utterly shattered.
He scrambled to his feet, not daring to look up, and fled for his life.
Only after he had completely disappeared into the darkness did Li Tan sigh helplessly and sit back down.
He closed his eyes to cultivate again, but moments later, he opened them once more, his lips twitching. “Damn, I forgot to ask who was behind that guy. Oh well, next time.”
After he finished speaking, he closed his eyes again. The dungeon returned to its usual deathly silence.
After a while, footsteps once again echoed in the dungeon, but this time, they weren’t alone—three people were approaching.
“Big Brother Li!”
That was Qiu Jue’s voice.
“Big Brother Li should be over there!”
That was Xue Ying’s voice.
Soon, the three appeared outside Li Tan’s cell. Gripping the bars in excitement were Qiu Jue and Xue Ying, while standing behind them with a furious expression was Zhang Zhenshan.
“I’ll get you out right away. Damn it, I’ll kill that bastard later.”
Zhang Zhenshan angrily clenched his fists and moved to open the door, only to discover the lock already lying on the ground.
Li Tan stood up and explained while walking out, “Elder Su already came by.”
Zhang Zhenshan immediately grew more concerned, “What did he come for?
Are you alright?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Zhenshan realized how stupid his words sounded. Judging from Li Tan’s current appearance, he clearly wasn’t hurt.
Li Tan pushed the door open and walked outside. “I’m fine. I just gave him a little lesson. Let’s go.”
“That guy Su should be at the peak of the Houtian level, right?”
Zhang Zhenshan looked at the cell, which showed no signs of a fight, feeling somewhat puzzled. But he quickly understood.
Wasn’t that obvious?
If Li Tan could concoct third-grade pills, his cultivation level must be above the Xiantian realm!
The four left the dungeon together. Zhang Zhenshan directly sent Qiu Jue and Xue Ying away before whispering, “You don’t need to worry about this matter. I’ll have Cheng Huan handle it. Also, I’m going to retreat for a few days of closed-door cultivation. As for those chores, you don’t need to bother with them anymore.”
Li Tan casually nodded. “That’s best. How’s the medicine working?”
Zhang Zhenshan gratefully replied, “After using it just twice, the illness has been completely suppressed. Your medicine is truly miraculous!”
“Hehe, don’t flatter me. I just followed the instructions in the book.”
“Haha, there’s no need to be modest. A prodigy with innate talent and a two-star pill master under the age of twenty—such an individual is truly rare even across all of Jiuzhou.”
“There are plenty of people more talented than me throughout Jiuzhou. You’re going to retreat to the inner sect, right? Then I won’t see you off.”
The two stopped at the mountain path entrance as Zhang Zhenshan slowly walked away.
“Little friend, I’d like to ask you something. Of course, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
“Just ask.”
“Is your background not ordinary?”
Under twenty, at the innate level, a second-star pill master—ordinary places could never cultivate such a prodigy, and Zhang Zhenshan knew this all too well.
His respect for Li Tan wasn’t just because Li Tan had cured his madness, but also because he feared the terrifying presence behind Li Tan.
Li Tan nodded. “You’re wondering why I joined Tianlang Sect, right?”
Zhang Zhenshan awkwardly nodded. “Precisely.”
Li Tan wasn’t surprised. He had expected Zhang Zhenshan to ask this question. It would have been strange if he hadn’t. He repeated the usual explanation, “As I mentioned before, I once had a master, but he left on a journey and abandoned me. I originally had no intention of joining a sect. However, I happened to meet Zhang Chenghuan, and since they were so insistent, and I myself needed a quiet place to cultivate, I joined.”
Zhang Zhenshan, with his vast experience in reading people, found no sign of nervousness on Li Tan’s face. After a moment of silence, he accepted this explanation.
But he seemed somewhat dispirited, as if recalling something.
“Sigh, our Tianlang Sect is too small. I’m afraid we won’t be able to keep you for long.” Normally, such words would imply that one was not welcome, but at this moment, Zhang Zhenshan was merely expressing the literal meaning.
Indeed, Tianlang Sect was too small to retain Li Tan.
Now that Li Tan had already reached the initial stage of Xiantian, in a few years he would advance to the intermediate stage, then reach the peak, and inevitably depart to pursue a broader world.
Li Tan remained silent for a moment before saying, “I’m someone who values old ties. Tianlang Sect will always be remembered by me.”
The words were short and simple, but Zhang Zhenshan’s melancholy vanished instantly.
By saying this, Li Tan had, in a subtle way, given him a promise.
Tianlang Sect is my master’s sect. Therefore, if Tianlang Sect encounters difficulties in the future, I will not stand idly by!
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