“Nine Heavens Sect, we’ve arrived…”
Lin Fan gazed ahead at the majestic and awe-inspiring sect, sprawling across an area of ten thousand feet in every direction—the greatest sect in the western lands, the Nine Heavens Sect.
As a righteous sect, Nine Heavens should have had the fortune of a dragon, thriving like the midday sun. Yet now, as Lin Fan’s cultivation deepened and his perception sharpened, he could see that the dragon of Nine Heavens’ fortune was now shattered and on the brink of collapse. If this continued, the sect’s destruction and the annihilation of its disciples were not far off.
How terrifying.
To reduce such a grand sect to this state was truly horrifying. If given more time, the Nine Heavens Sect would surely become a mere memory of history.
“Who goes there?” A disciple patrolling outside the sect’s mountain gate noticed Lin Fan’s presence and immediately stepped forward to question him.
Lin Fan looked at the disciple. Though his complexion was ruddy, his vitality and spirit were weak.
“Saint Sect, Lin Fan,” Lin Fan replied calmly, his deep gaze fixed ahead as he sighed softly, “Nine Heavens Sect… a great calamity is upon it.”
Upon hearing this, the disciple, who had been about to scold him, suddenly froze. Lin Fan? That name sounded so familiar. He quickly asked, his tone changing.
“Are you the Saint Sect’s Lin Fan, the top genius who won the Heaven’s Pride Battle? Senior Brother Lin?” the disciple asked eagerly.
Lin Fan smiled faintly. “What? Do you think there’s another Lin Fan from the Saint Sect in this world?”
Receiving Lin Fan’s confirmation, the disciple’s expression changed instantly, and the previous wariness vanished. “Senior Brother Lin, please don’t take offense. I’ve heard of your great reputation, but we’ve never had the chance to meet.”
Lin Fan smiled inwardly, not expecting his reputation to have spread this far. It seemed that everyone in Nine Heavens Sect now knew his name.
“Ever since the Heaven’s Pride Battle ended, Senior Brother Xin Feng has been back here at the sect, talking about your character. All the disciples here deeply respect you.”
“Junior Brother, what’s your name?” Lin Fan asked.
“Senior Brother Lin, my name is Zhang Kui,” Zhang Kui replied.
“Junior Brother Zhang, where is my Senior Brother Xin Feng now?” Lin Fan asked.
Zhang Kui lowered his head, his expression darkening. “Senior Brother Lin, Senior Brother Xin Feng has been imprisoned in the sect’s dungeon by the sect leader and others.”
“Boom… boom…”
At that moment, a loud rumbling came from the Nine Heavens Sect, startling Lin Fan.
“No good, something’s happened at the sect!” Zhang Kui’s face changed. “Senior Brother Lin, please excuse me. I must return immediately.”
“Alright, I’ll go with you.”
…
Outside the main hall of Nine Heavens Sect.
“Will you truly continue down this path of error?” At that moment, Xin Feng, covered in blood and with a sorrowful expression, shouted desperately. Looking at the once harmonious sect now reduced to this state, his heart ached.
The surrounding disciples exchanged glances. Some wore expressions of grief, but upon seeing the figures standing in the distance, fear gripped their hearts.
“I never thought those old men would actually transfer their cultivation powers to you,” one figure among the crowd stepped forward, his tone filled with disdain.
Middle-aged in appearance, his entire body radiated a murderous aura, his eyes filled with cold ruthlessness.
This person was once a disciple of Nine Heavens Sect who had committed grave crimes, but now had been released by the sect leader and was in control of the entire scene.
Gu Tianhao was ruthless and brutal, having slaughtered countless fellow disciples, his murderous aura causing the surrounding disciples to tremble with fear.
In the hearts of the Nine Heavens disciples, they lived in terror.
“Gu Tianhao, you who murdered fellow disciples, how dare you stand here in the sect hall so brazenly? You are a disgrace to our sect!” Xin Feng roared in fury.
The senior elders had poured their cultivation into him, breaking his chains. But his body could only contain so much power, leaving him unable to fully utilize it.
After being released, Xin Feng, blinded by anger, did not flee but instead came to the front of the main hall, hoping to awaken the disciples and stop them from continuing down this wrong path.
But he never expected that the sect leader had lost his way, handing over the Nine Heavens Sect to a disciple who had once slaughtered his own fellow disciples.
“Haha… Xin Feng, you disappoint me. I bet those old men didn’t expect you to come here seeking your own death. If they had known, maybe they would have changed their minds. Kill him!” Gu Tianhao waved his hand dismissively, not taking this desperate resistance seriously at all.
Several other disciples who had committed grave sins also smiled cruelly and prepared to attack, but Gu Tianhao stopped them. “Let them try. Let’s see how it feels to kill their beloved senior brother.”
Gu Tianhao was sinister. The several disciples behind him also smiled, imagining how delightful that feeling might be.
The disciples surrounding Xin Feng exchanged glances, hesitating to act, their hearts filled with reluctance.
“Hey, do you all want to die?” Seeing the situation, Gu Tianhao’s expression darkened with displeasure.
“Senior Elder Gu, he’s our senior brother. We can’t do this… we can’t…” One disciple, his mind in chaos, shook his head repeatedly.
Senior Brother Xin Feng had always been kind to them. They weren’t fools—they knew what the sect was facing now. They didn’t understand why the sect leader had changed so drastically. The Nine Heavens Sect they now lived in was no heavenly paradise, but a living hell.
“Hmph, you pathetic weakling…” At that moment, Gu Tianhao’s eyes flashed with killing intent. He flicked his finger, a beam of light flashing, and the disciple’s head was instantly severed.
The head tumbled through the air and landed at Xin Feng’s feet.
The dead disciple, eyes wide open in disbelief, mouthed silently, “Senior Brother…”
This single act sent a wave of fear through the surrounding disciples. They hadn’t expected Senior Elder Gu to kill without hesitation.
“Gu Tianhao, I’ll kill you!” Xin Feng, eyes bloodshot, roared and charged forward.
“Hmph, you pathetic fool…” Gu Tianhao looked at the charging Xin Feng with disdain, his lips curling into a sneer. In an instant, his figure vanished and reappeared before Xin Feng, delivering a punch that shattered the space around him.
“Bang!”
“You’re a useless fool. There’s no place for you in Nine Heavens anymore.” Gu Tianhao looked down at the fallen Xin Feng and coldly commanded the surrounding disciples, “Listen well—kill him, or you all die.”
The disciples trembled violently, their hands gripping their weapons, shaking uncontrollably.
“Senior Brother…” Some disciples looked at Xin Feng, who was struggling to rise from the ground, and cried out in sorrow.
“You bastard, you dare bully my senior brother? I’ll take your life!” At that moment, one disciple roared furiously, charging fearlessly toward Gu Tianhao.
“Xiao Liu…” Xin Feng looked at the figure. This disciple had been saved by him three years ago from a beast’s jaws and then brought into the sect.
“The Nine Heavens Sect, we’ve arrived…”
Lin Fan gazed at the majestic and imposing sect ahead, which spanned a radius of ten thousand zhang. It was the largest sect in the far west, the Nine Heavens Sect.
As the leading sect of the orthodox path, the Nine Heavens Sect should have been flourishing, its fortune as robust as a dragon, soaring to its zenith. However, as Lin Fan’s cultivation continued to rise and his insights deepened, he could now see that the sect’s fortune was shattered, on the brink of collapse. It seemed that the day of the sect’s destruction and the death of its members was not far off.
It was terrifying.
To think that such a grand and righteous sect could be reduced to this state. If given more time, the Nine Heavens Sect would likely become a mere footnote in history.
“Who goes there?” A disciple patrolling outside the sect’s gates noticed Lin Fan’s presence and immediately stepped forward to question him.
Lin Fan observed the disciple. Though his complexion was ruddy, there was a certain lethargy in his spirit and energy.
“Lin Fan of the Sacred Sect,” Lin Fan replied calmly, his deep eyes fixed ahead, letting out a slight sigh. “The Nine Heavens Sect is facing a great calamity…”
Upon hearing this, the disciple of the Nine Heavens Sect, who had initially intended to reprimand Lin Fan, suddenly paused. Lin Fan? The name sounded familiar. He quickly asked, “Are you Lin Fan, the champion of the Sacred Sect’s strongest prodigy battle, Senior Brother Lin?”
Lin Fan smiled faintly. “Indeed. Is there another Lin Fan of the Sacred Sect in this world?”
Receiving Lin Fan’s confirmation, the disciple’s expression changed, and his earlier wariness dissipated. “Senior Brother Lin, please forgive my earlier rudeness. I have heard of your great name but have never had the chance to meet you.”
Lin Fan chuckled inwardly. It seemed his reputation was indeed widespread, and it appeared that everyone in the Nine Heavens Sect knew of him.
“Ever since the prodigy battle ended, Senior Brother Xin Feng has been speaking highly of you upon his return. All the brothers and sisters in the sect hold you in great esteem.”
“Junior Brother, what is your name?” Lin Fan asked.
“Senior Brother Lin, I am Zhang Kui,” the disciple replied.
“Junior Brother Zhang, where is my friend Xin Feng now?” Lin Fan inquired.
Zhang Kui lowered his head with a troubled expression. “Senior Brother Lin, Senior Brother Xin Feng has been imprisoned in the dungeon by the sect leader and the elders.”
“Boom…”
At that moment, a thunderous roar echoed from the direction of the Nine Heavens Sect, startling Lin Fan.
“Something’s wrong. The sect is in trouble,” Zhang Kui’s face paled. “Senior Brother Lin, I must apologize, but I need to return to the sect immediately.”
“Very well, I’ll accompany you.”
…
Outside the main hall of the Nine Heavens Sect.
“Are you all truly going to continue down this path of error?” Xin Feng, bloodied and in a wretched state, roared in anguish. Seeing the once harmonious Nine Heavens Sect reduced to this state, his heart ached.
The surrounding disciples exchanged uneasy glances. Some wore expressions of sorrow, but when they looked at the figures standing in the distance, fear gripped their hearts.
“Who would have thought? Who would have thought that those old men would pour all their cultivation into you,” one of the figures stepped forward, his tone dripping with disdain.
He was a middle-aged man, his entire body radiating a murderous aura, his eyes filled with malice.
This man was once a disciple of the Nine Heavens Sect who had committed grave crimes. But now, he had been released by the sect leader and was in control of the situation.
Gu Tianhao was ruthless and highly skilled in combat, having slaughtered countless fellow disciples. His overwhelming murderous aura sent chills down the spines of the surrounding disciples.
In the hearts of the Nine Heavens Sect disciples, they lived in constant fear.
“Gu Tianhao, you who have slaughtered your fellow disciples, how dare you stand so shamelessly in the sect’s main hall? You are a disgrace to the sect!” Xin Feng shouted in fury.
The Grand Elders had poured their life’s cultivation into him, breaking the chains that bound him. But his body could only contain so much, and he was unable to unleash the full extent of that immense power.
Now that he was free, Xin Feng was blinded by rage. Instead of fleeing, he had come to the main hall, hoping to awaken the disciples and prevent them from continuing down this path of destruction.
But he had never imagined that the sect leader would lose his way, handing over the Nine Heavens Sect to the very disciple who had once slaughtered his fellow sect members.
“Hahaha… Xin Feng, you are truly disappointing. I doubt those old men ever imagined you would seek your own death. If they had known, perhaps they would have reconsidered. Kill him!” Gu Tianhao waved his hand, showing no concern for Xin Feng’s desperate struggle.
The disciples behind him, who had also committed grave crimes, grinned cruelly and prepared to strike, but Gu Tianhao stopped them. “Let them do it. Let them experience what it feels like to kill their beloved senior brother.”
Gu Tianhao’s expression was dark, and the disciples behind him chuckled, imagining how delightful that experience would be.
The disciples surrounding Xin Feng exchanged uneasy glances, unable to bring themselves to act. Their hearts were unwilling.
“Hmm? Do you all wish to die?” Gu Tianhao’s face darkened as he coldly snorted at the scene before him.
“Elder Gu, that’s our senior brother. We can’t do it, we can’t…” One disciple, his mind in chaos, shook his head repeatedly.
Senior Brother Xin Feng had always been kind to them. They were not fools; they knew what the sect was facing. They couldn’t understand why the sect leader had changed so drastically. The Nine Heavens Sect, which once felt like a paradise, now resembled hell.
“Useless trash…” At that moment, a flash of killing intent appeared in Gu Tianhao’s eyes. With a flick of his finger, a beam of light shot out, and the disciple’s head was severed.
The head tumbled through the air before landing at Xin Feng’s feet.
The lifeless eyes of the disciple stared blankly at Xin Feng, his lips slightly moving as he whispered, “Senior Brother…”
This act instantly caused the surrounding disciples to retreat in fear. They had never expected Elder Gu to kill so casually.
“Gu Tianhao, I’ll fight you to the death!” Xin Feng’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared and charged forward.
“Useless trash…” Gu Tianhao looked at the charging Xin Feng with disdain. His figure vanished, reappearing in front of Xin Feng in an instant. With a punch that seemed to shatter the void, he struck.
“Boom…”
“You worthless fool, the Nine Heavens Sect has no place for you anymore,” Gu Tianhao sneered as he looked at Xin Feng, who lay on the ground, unable to rise. He then coldly addressed the surrounding disciples, “Listen up, all of you. Go and kill him. Anyone who doesn’t will die.”
The disciples trembled violently, their hands gripping their weapons shaking uncontrollably.
“Senior Brother…” Some disciples looked at Xin Feng, who was struggling to get up, and cried out in sorrow.
“Bastard, how dare you bully our senior brother! I’ll kill you!” At that moment, a disciple roared, charging at Gu Tianhao without fear.
“Xiao Liu…” Xin Feng looked at the figure. This disciple was one he had saved from the jaws of a ferocious beast three years ago and brought into the sect.
“Hmph, a mere innate realm cultivator dares to act so recklessly? You’re courting death,” Gu Tianhao sneered, not even bothering to move. A crushing pressure descended from the sky, instantly reducing the disciple to a bloody pulp.
“You have three breaths to kill him, or you will all die,” Gu Tianhao barked at the disciples.
The disciples of the Nine Heavens Sect were subjected to immense mental torment at that moment.
Xin Feng slowly stood up. “Junior Brothers, do it.”
“Senior Brother…” The disciples looked at Xin Feng, their eyes filled with conflict.
Clang…
As the disciples drew their weapons, Gu Tianhao’s lips curled into a cold smile. But in the next instant, his expression changed, becoming extremely unpleasant.
“Senior Brother, run. It’s our turn to protect you now.” At that moment, the disciples outside the main hall fearlessly pointed their weapons at Gu Tianhao.
The shattered fortune dragon of the Nine Heavens Sect showed signs of recovery at that moment.
“Evil demons, the Nine Heavens Sect is not yours to dominate!” The disciples shouted in unison. The fortune dragon, empowered by the disciples, formed a wall of heaven and earth, its aura overwhelming.
“Senior Brother, run. We’ll hold them off.”
“You all…” Xin Feng looked at his junior brothers, his body trembling violently. His pale hands clenched tightly, filled with unwillingness.
“Fine, fine. If you want to die, then I’ll grant your wish,” Gu Tianhao’s eyes were filled with killing intent. “Kill them all.”
The disciples behind Gu Tianhao also revealed their murderous gazes, leaping into the air and charging at the group of disciples.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still.
The disciples of the Nine Heavens Sect were filled with fear, but their expressions were resolute. They knew they would die, but they were not afraid.
Xin Feng looked at his junior brothers, his heart filled with pain.
And at that moment, a thunderous voice echoed from the void.
“Enough!”
An overwhelming aura descended from the sky. The disciples who had just leapt into the air suddenly felt an immense pressure.
A massive hand, large enough to blot out the sky, descended from above, slamming them into the ground.
“Brother Xin, I’m late…”
At that moment, everyone turned their gaze to the void.
Hearing the voice, Xin Feng trembled, his face filled with disbelief.
“I’ll give you three heartbeats. Kill him, or you all die.” Gu Tianhao glared at the disciples and thundered.
At this moment, the disciples of Nine Heavens Sect were undergoing immense inner turmoil.
Xin Feng slowly rose to his feet. “Junior Brothers, do it.”
“Senior Brother…” The disciples of Nine Heavens Sect looked at Xin Feng, their eyes filled with inner struggle.
Clang!
As the disciples drew their weapons, Gu Tianhao’s lips curled into a cold smile. But in an instant, his expression changed drastically, turning extremely grim.
“Senior Brother, you run. It’s our turn to protect you now.” At that moment, the disciples of Nine Heavens Sect outside the hall fearlessly turned their weapons toward Gu Tianhao.
The broken dragon of fortune, at this moment, showed signs of recovery.
“Evil heretic! The Nine Heavens Sect is not yours to desecrate!” In unison, the disciples roared, the dragon of fortune empowering them like a wall of heaven and earth, their momentum surging to the heavens.
“Senior Brother, hurry and escape. We’ll hold them off.”
“You…” Xin Feng looked at his junior brothers, his body trembling violently, his pale hands clenched tightly, filled with anguish.
“Fine, fine. If you want to die, I’ll oblige.” Gu Tianhao, eyes filled with killing intent, commanded coldly, “Kill them all!”
The figures behind Gu Tianhao also revealed murderous glints in their eyes as they leapt into the air, rushing toward the group of disciples.
At this moment, it seemed as if time itself had frozen.
The disciples of Nine Heavens Sect were filled with fear, yet their expressions were resolute. They knew they would die—but they were unafraid.
Xin Feng looked at his junior brothers, his heart filled with pain.
And at that moment, a thunderous voice echoed from the void.
“Reckless!”
A colossal pressure descended from the heavens. The few disciples who had just leapt into the air suddenly felt an immense force.
A giant hand descended from the sky, vast as the heavens, crushing them down to the ground with a deafening impact.
“Senior Brother Xin Feng, I’ve come late to your rescue…”
At that moment, everyone turned their gaze toward the void.
Upon hearing that voice, Xin Feng’s body trembled violently, his expression one of utter disbelief.
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