Lin Fan departed, leaving the Fuyao Sect in ruins.
Yet, they dared not resent him; in fact, they were relieved to have escaped unscathed.
In the cultivation world, any ancient cultivator who survived was a shrewd individual. Faced with a powerful being, they knew best when to yield.
Moreover, the concept of the strong preying on the weak, and strength being paramount, was deeply ingrained in their minds.
When facing overwhelming power, one had to accept misfortune, even self-deceive to avoid harboring resentment, lest they displease the powerful being and face annihilation.
Lin Fan was gone, but the mess had to be cleaned up.
Following this great calamity, the Grand Elder and the Sect Master of the Fuyao Sect immediately announced a sect lockdown.
Instantly, decrees to recall disciples spread in all directions, ordering those away from the sect to return immediately.
The order was issued, shaking the four corners.
At this moment.
Within the sect's main hall.
The Sect Master and the Grand Elder of the Fuyao Sect sat facing each other.
"Master, it's fortunate you didn't act, or the consequences would have been dire," the Sect Master of the Fuyao Sect said, her brows slightly furrowed.
She had been accompanying Lin Yu and his group and happened to pass by the sect, so she came to take a look out of curiosity. She never expected the Ten Great Elders to have stirred up such immense trouble, nearly leading to the sect's destruction. The thought of this made her feel no sorrow for the Ten Great Elders' demise.
Having witnessed the events at the Demon Sword Sect, she understood Lin Yu's power. This mysterious person, who bore a striking resemblance to Lin Yu, must have an inextricable connection with him, and was likely equally powerful, possibly also at the Mahayana stage.
Such an existence, and they dared to mock and even attempt to attack him. Their deaths were well-deserved, and there was no cause for pity.
The Grand Elder asked, puzzled, "Who exactly were they?"
In this short half-day, he felt as though he had walked through the gates of hell, and his heart still pounded with lingering fear.
Only after the other party had left did he finally relax, but a host of new questions arose.
"Master, the Demon Sword Master was killed by someone who looks strikingly similar to this person..."
The Sect Master of the Fuyao Sect recounted everything they had encountered along the way.
"Hiss!" The Grand Elder gasped, "They must be the legendary Mahayana realm cultivators, or perhaps... even stronger than Mahayana!"
Although he had never witnessed a Mahayana cultivator in action, the information he had gathered from various channels indicated that Mahayana cultivators were not this powerful.
"Master, are they perhaps Immortals?" the Sect Master of the Fuyao Sect exclaimed in alarm.
Immortals had never appeared in their world. While many Immortal Artifacts had surfaced, they all originated from other realms and had lost their core. Though powerful, they were far from true Immortal Artifacts.
"No! Immortals cannot descend to our world! They are likely Quasi-Immortals," he sighed.
Quasi-Immortals were beings caught between the mortal and immortal realms, possessing a trace of immortal power due to a failed attempt to break through to the immortal realm. Their power level was comparable to that of pseudo-gods.
The Sect Master of the Fuyao Sect nodded. She knew of Quasi-Immortals, but she wasn't shocked, as Lin Yu was already an invincible powerhouse in her heart.
Even if told that Lin Yu was an Immortal now, she wouldn't be too surprised.
"Master, we've locked down the sect for now. What are your plans afterward?" she asked.
The Grand Elder wore a look of bewilderment and sighed, "Your master doesn't know either. For now, let's keep the sect sealed and purge those who are a disgrace, lest we accidentally offend another mysterious powerhouse. As for what happens next, you arrange it!"
"Then Master, you..."
"I'm going into secluded cultivation. I sense a change in the world, perhaps a great era, an opportunity to break through to the Mahayana realm."
With that, he left, leaving the Sect Master of the Fuyao Sect standing alone.
She murmured to herself, "The world is changing, and the center of this change lies with those two individuals. Right, they are going to the Forbidden Land, the Forest of Ten Thousand Poisons. I should go and see too, hoping to gain some fortuitous encounters."
Glancing back at the location where the Grand Elder had gone into seclusion, she stepped onto a stream of light and departed the sect.
...
Lin Fan had left the Fuyao Sect.
He drifted about, seated on the back of a blue dragon.
Beside him stood Li Qin, looking apprehensive and casting glances at Lin Fan.
After a long while, Lin Fan chuckled, "Disciple, come here, let your master examine your body."
His somewhat flippant demeanor surprised Li Qin. After all, in Li Qin's eyes, Lin Fan was an unfathomable and mysterious powerhouse. His sudden shift to a casual attitude was unsettling.
However, he obediently walked over and stood beside Lin Fan, awaiting Lin Fan's examination.
Lin Fan smiled and gently flicked his index finger, causing streams of light to appear.
"Extremely minuscule insects! Investigate!"
He whispered, and a stream of light entered Li Qin's body.
Li Qin felt nothing, neither pain nor discomfort. But in Lin Fan's eyes, it was a different scene.
This was his newly awakened innate ability. He could create microscopic creatures hundreds of times smaller than nanometers. These creatures had no offensive power, but they were excellent at investigation, especially at the microscopic level.
At this moment, his eyes perceived the situation within Li Qin's body.
"Hmm? This lad's meridians are quite interesting. All of them are blocked!"
"No! What's blocking these meridians isn't impurities, but solidified spiritual energy!"
"So that's how it is. This lad's physique is quite special. He naturally absorbs spiritual energy at an extremely high rate, but when he was young, he couldn't cultivate. Large amounts of spiritual energy accumulated in his body, blocking his meridians, thus preventing him from cultivating even when he grew older."
Lin Fan smiled upon seeing this. He had found a good prospect.
"Master, why are you smiling? Is it because I cannot cultivate?" Li Qin asked cautiously.
Lin Fan shook his head. "You, my boy, are a good prospect. Not only can you cultivate, but you are also a genius!"
The word "genius" sounded unreal to Li Qin's ears.
He froze. "Master, please don't mock me. I know how poor my talent is."
Lin Fan chuckled, and with a slight thought, he manipulated the puppet insects to break open the blockages in his meridians.
The next moment, Li Qin's body swayed slightly, his vision blurring.
"Don't move, your master is helping you!"
"Yes!" he gritted out.
Despite the discomfort, nausea, and headache, he endured it all.
He could only trust his master now.
"Open!" Lin Fan roared.
The next instant.
All of Li Qin's meridians were opened. Instantly, the spiritual energy crystals that had blocked his meridians began to flow rapidly within them.
Seeing this, Lin Fan tapped Li Qin's forehead with his index finger, and a cultivation technique merged into his mind.
"Cultivate this technique!"
Li Qin immediately began to cultivate. As he did, he felt countless energies filling his body.
Boom, boom, boom!!
With three consecutive sounds, he directly broke through three major realms.
"Continue cultivating!"
Lin Fan's voice echoed in his ears.