Chapter 679: Mastery of the Craft

Lin Fan observed the five people in front of him, but to those five, Lin Fan himself was not even worth their attention.

Even Mu Manfeng, whom Lin Fan had high hopes for, only glanced at him for a second before shifting his gaze away.

“This secret realm…” Nangong Huang wanted to explain the situation inside, but was interrupted by Yu Liutian.

Yu Liutian’s eyes changed slightly, signaling the others while subtly conveying his intent to kill the two outsiders present, silently asking if they should take action.

Mu Manfeng looked at the group with a hint of disdain in his eyes, stepped forward, and with a respectful bow, asked, “Master, you seem to possess strong Buddhist nature—are you from the Buddha race?”

To Mu Manfeng, although Yu Liutian and the other three were quite powerful, they were not impressive enough to earn his respect. However, one of the two unknown individuals, a figure hidden beneath a long robe—Sakyamuni—caught his attention.

“Believer, you can sense the Buddhist nature?” Sakyamuni, his head hidden beneath the robe, was slightly taken aback, then showed a flicker of interest.

Buddhist nature was elusive and intangible; normally, only those of the Buddha race could sense it.

“By chance, I once studied Buddhist techniques,” Mu Manfeng replied with a faint smile, though he didn’t mention discovering a treasure left behind by a powerful Buddha being during an adventure.

When Sakyamuni looked up at Mu Manfeng, he nodded in surprise. “Unexpectedly, the Buddhist techniques you cultivate are so profound. They must be from the lineage of the Great Freedom Buddha.”

Sakyamuni, being of the Buddha race, had studied extensively in Buddhist scriptures and was well-versed in the various sects of the Buddha race.

However, what puzzled Sakyamuni was that the lineage of the Great Freedom Buddha had perished long ago. He never expected to encounter someone today who practiced their techniques.

Mu Manfeng hadn’t expected the monk’s insight to be so sharp. Just a single thread of Buddhist nature he emitted was enough for the monk to deduce the source of his cultivation. This was something Mu Manfeng hadn’t anticipated.

“May I ask for the master’s dharma name?” Mu Manfeng felt that this monk was definitely no ordinary figure.

“This humble monk…” Although these individuals were all outstanding disciples from various sects, to Sakyamuni, revealing his identity would definitely cause a stir.

However, just as Sakyamuni was about to reveal his name, Lin Fan stood up and walked deeper into the secret realm.

“Oh no, Master, where are you going? Wait for this humble monk,” Sakyamuni hurried after Lin Fan. He couldn’t afford to stay behind—he had finally found him, and if he let him escape again, where would he find him?

“Into the secret realm.”

…

“Who exactly are those two?” Seeing how seriously Mu Manfeng regarded the monk, Nangong Huang couldn’t help but grow serious.

“Hmph, no matter their background, if they dare block our path, we’ll send them straight to the Western Paradise,” Yu Liutian coldly replied, his eyes flashing with menace.

“Better to be cautious. This monk is no ordinary man,” Mu Manfeng said gravely.

His instincts had never failed him—he had risen from nothing, through countless battles.

“Hmph, you’re just a coward. Since those two entered the secret realm first, let them go ahead and scout the way. This place is full of dangers, and there might be others entering too,” Yu Liutian scoffed, casting a disdainful glance at Mu Manfeng.

“Yu Liutian, Mu Manfeng is my friend and our teammate. I hope you can watch your words,” Nangong Huang frowned.

Was Yu Liutian in a bad mood today? He was being unusually hostile toward the people Nangong had brought.

“Hmph.” Yu Liutian snorted.

Xing Wangu and Jia Yongye exchanged silent smirks. They were unsure of Mu Manfeng’s true strength, but they were eager to see what he was capable of if Yu Liutian continued to provoke him.

“Yu Liutian, I’ve been tolerating you out of respect for Nangong, but now you’ve provoked me repeatedly. Today, I’ll test your abilities and see what you’re really made of,” Mu Manfeng’s expression darkened, and he silently resolved to kill Yu Liutian.

“Brother Mu!” Nangong Huang was taken aback by the sudden escalation.

“Brother Nangong, I suggest you don’t interfere. Let him fight Yu Liutian and see if he’s worthy of joining our team,” Xing Wangu said.

“Exactly,” Jia Yongye nodded in agreement.

…

“Master, why the sudden departure?” Sakyamuni asked helplessly.

“What, were you about to start showing off?” Lin Fan glanced at him.

He could see right through what Sakyamuni was planning.

“Believer, how can you speak of this humble monk like that?” Sakyamuni replied sorrowfully. He hadn’t expected to meet someone who understood him so well.

As the saying goes, kindred spirits recognize each other. Sakyamuni realized that this human emperor before him was also a seasoned master of pretentiousness, deeply versed in the art.

“Believer, the aura within this secret realm feels off, and so many geniuses have gathered here. It must be extremely dangerous inside. Perhaps we should retreat now,” Sakyamuni said with concern.

“If you’re scared, then leave,” Lin Fan replied calmly.

The Primordial Wood was essential—he had to obtain it at all costs. He wondered if there might be other treasures inside besides the wood.

But considering how many powerful figures had gathered here, it was clear that the Primordial Wood alone couldn’t be the reason. There must be something else of great value.

“Believer, it’s not that I’m afraid. As the saying goes, if I don’t go to hell, who will…”

“Alright, alright, stop blabbering. If you want to follow, follow, but don’t even think about betraying me, or I’ll make sure you regret it,” Lin Fan continued walking forward but suddenly noticed the monk had stopped. His heart leapt with joy—could it be that the monk was finally scared and planning to leave?

“Believer, you may insult this humble monk, but you cannot defile me. I would never do anything so dishonorable as to betray you for wealth,” Sakyamuni declared solemnly.

Lin Fan helplessly shook his head. This monk was truly something else. He’d have to see if he could scare him off later.

At that moment, as Lin Fan moved through the forest, the tree spirits were discussing among themselves.

“What should we do now? More powerful beings have arrived. Should we still try to devour them?”

“The Tree King said no more devouring—just keep quiet. Each of these beings could wipe us out.”

“What’s going on here? This secret realm rarely sees any life, yet so many beings have come recently.”

“Who knows? If we’re lucky, we might scavenge some remains.”

“I like scavenging—no effort needed, just wait like a rabbit.”