Chapter 379: Lost in the Mysterious Land

“Huh? Where the heck is this place?” At this moment, within a mysterious space, Lin Fan looked left and right, but couldn’t figure out where he was.

The surroundings were pitch black, yet numerous glowing points zipped past him in the blink of an eye.

Lin Fan tried to reach out and grab them, but these seemingly within-reach lights felt distant, impossible to grasp no matter how hard he tried.

“What the hell? What kind of weird place is this? How come I ended up here just by pushing open a stone door?” Lin Fan was utterly confused, unable to comprehend what was happening.

Lin Fan felt as though something ahead was calling him. He wanted to move his feet, but discovered he couldn’t move at all, forced to stand there silently watching.

“Come on, what kind of messed-up place is this? Let this young master leave quickly! Young master was only pretending to be dead, you know! Once the sacrificial Heaven Statue is completed, young master should revive. Don’t let me get stuck here forever, unable to wake up!” Lin Fan felt this place was very strange.

Though something mysterious ahead seemed to summon him, he couldn’t even move a muscle.

It was as if something blocked everything, obstructing his path.

…

Ten days later.

A sacrificial Heaven Statue dozens of zhang tall was completed.

This Heaven Statue stood outside the Holy Sect’s grand hall, towering and majestic.

The top sects, as agreed, delivered one-third of their treasures, all of which were embedded into the Heaven Statue.

It could be said this was the Heaven Statue that consumed the most treasures in Dongling Continent’s history.

The Heaven Statue was lifelike, identical to Lin Fan without the slightest difference. The statue wore a radiant smile, as if welcoming the arrival of a new world.

On the statue’s shoulder, a chicken stood lifelike, gazing into the distance, as if anticipating something.

The little chicken had been playing dead for a while, but upon realizing his senior brother still hadn’t awakened, it became confused and eventually entered a deep state, seemingly pursuing hidden secrets within its bloodline.

The Holy Devil Sect members had accepted the reality, but their moods remained heavy.

“Offering to Heaven!”

Looking at the Heaven Statue, Sect Leader Yan’s eyes revealed sadness. Then, raising the sacrificial items high, he shouted loudly, leading members of various sects in performing the ceremony.

“Raise the Spirit!”

A loud shout echoed as a crystal coffin floated upward, continuously rising until it stopped above the statue’s head.

A beam of light enveloped the crystal coffin, as if ensuring the corpse inside would never decay.

“Dad…” A voice sounded strange. To others, this person might seem like a troublemaker, but the man was crying tears like rain, his cries striking a chord deep within everyone’s hearts.

Liu Lingfeng clung desperately to the Heaven Statue’s leg, sobbing uncontrollably.

If Lin Fan were to awaken now, he would surely spit out a mouthful of old blood.

He never expected to gain a cheap son to attend his funeral.

Xuanyun Xian was supported by a disciple at her side, her heart filled with sorrow.

When she first heard the news, she couldn’t believe it was true. But upon seeing the figure lying cold within the crystal coffin, her heart shattered completely.

“Boss, we’re here for our final farewell. Rest assured, we won’t tarnish your reputation. We will definitely promote the path of robbery, making it resound throughout the entire world!” The Fourteenth Bandit of the Desert knelt before the Heaven Statue, silently vowing.

“Boss, we’ve brought the apprentice you accepted.”

You Jiuling knelt there, bowing her head.

“Master, although you never taught me anything, a teacher for one day is a father for life. You will always be my master, forever. The senior apprentice has agreed to let me stay at the Holy Devil Sect. Rest assured, I will definitely cultivate diligently and won’t disappoint you.”

The ceremony ended.

“Xian, let’s go back,” the leader of Xuanyun Sect compassionately said to his disciple.

Xuanyun Xian looked at her master, then knelt before him, “Master, I’m sorry for disappointing you.”

“What are you doing?” The sect leader was taken aback.

“Master, as the saying goes, ‘marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog.’ I am now his person, and I want to stay here, guarding him, keeping him company, and not letting him feel lonely,” Xuanyun Xian said.

“Xuanyun, you…” The sect leader never expected things to turn out this way.

“Master, please grant my wish. I cannot continue as the leader of Xuanyun Sect. I entrust the leadership to my juniors. From now on, it will be their responsibility to take care of the sect,” Xuanyun Xian said while kowtowing.

“Mother, please go back. The sect leader never wanted to burden anyone while he was alive. He definitely wouldn’t want you to fall into despair because of him. He must be able to feel your devotion. Xuanyun Sect needs you, and if the sect leader were still alive, he wouldn’t want you to be like this,” Zhang Erdou looked at the tall Heaven Statue, a smile appearing on his face, as if the sect leader were right in front of him.

“Xuanyun, he’s right. You shouldn’t fall into despair like this. If you miss him in the future, you can come visit often,” the sect leader gratefully looked at Zhang Erdou.

“Yes, senior sister, you can come visit often in the future,” the disciples of Xuanyun Sect also persuaded her.

Xuanyun Xian fell silent. “Master, let me stay here for a month. After a month, I will return.”

“Alright… alright,” the sect leader nodded, as long as she returned to take up the leadership, everything would be fine.

Xuanyun Xian looked at the Heaven Statue, silently murmuring in her heart, “Soon, don’t worry. Once the new candidate is cultivated, I will come back to accompany you forever, never to separate again.”

Within that endless void, the woman whom Lin Fan had once recognized as the Queen of Heaven quietly watched the Heaven Statue, eventually letting out a helpless sigh before vanishing into the void.

“Never thought you would perish…”

“You are a person worthy of respect who saved Dongling Continent… I Ni Feixue will remember you forever. But the crisis will never end.”

…

Time is the best medicine for healing wounds.

A month later.

Xuanyun Xian reluctantly left.

The holy sect returned to calm, but every disciple who passed the Heaven Statue would respectfully gaze at it; it was the pride of the holy sect, the most revered person.

Wuming Peak was immersed in sorrow.

Although a month had passed, Wuming Peak still lacked vitality, and no one had truly emerged from their grief.

But a month later, Xinfeng, the current leader of Jiuxiao Sect, arrived, carrying a heavy heart, quietly coming.

Zhang Erdou came to greet him, but Xinfeng did not speak, simply sitting there silently. After a night of white hair, a month later, he quietly left, and no one knew what was going through his mind at that time.

Two months… three months…

The people of Wuming Peak gradually emerged from their sadness. They no longer grieved; they were determined to fulfill the sect leader’s last wishes.

To strengthen the Holy Devil Sect.

As the eldest apprentice of the Holy Devil Sect, Zhang Erdou took on this heavy responsibility. Although his cultivation wasn’t the highest, everyone worked together with one heart and one mind.

From that day on, Mie Qiong entered a state of retreat. He knew he was the strongest in the Holy Devil Sect, and to ensure the sect wouldn’t be bullied by outsiders in the future, he had to become even stronger, possessing the formidable power to protect the Holy Devil Sect.

Zhang Erdou knew that his junior apprentice, Mie, was under great pressure, but he didn’t know what to say. Every time he passed by Mie Qiong’s retreat place, Zhang Erdou would stand there silently, lost in thought.

And when difficulties arose, Zhang Erdou would also come before the Heaven Statue. Often, he would stand there for a whole day and night, then silently leave, pouring his energy into building up the sect.