Unrivaled Martial Emperor

Chapter 365 - Return to Sect

Chen Fan remained at the Chen Clan for two weeks, overseeing and guarding the clan.

“Xiao Fan.” Chen Zhengqing walked over with a hint of excitement on his face and said, “The scout we dispatched to the imperial city has returned with news."

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes and asked, “What did they find?”

Although Nangong Baxiong had said that he would deal with Zhao Dong, Chen Fan still had some concerns. So, he had sent a scout to investigate the matter.

“The Zhao Clan has fallen apart overnight!” Chen Zhengqing couldn't contain his grin.

Chen Fan also let out a sigh of relief. The overnight collapse of the Zhao Clan indicated that Nangong Baxiong had likely fulfilled his promise to intercept and kill Zhao Dong.

“That’s good, then. With the Zhao Clan gone, our Chen Clan won't face any future threats."

“Exactly.”

“Alright, Father. I’ll stay in the clan for another half a month before returning to the sect.”

With the Zhao Clan matter resolved, Chen Fan saw no reason to prolong his stay at the clan.

Moreover, it had been quite some time since he last visited the Spring Autumn Sect. It was about time he made his way back.

“Alright, now no threats are looming over our Chen Clan. Everyone saw you kill an Illusory Core realm expert, so the other clans would not dare to do anything to us. You can leave without any worries.”

Another fortnight slipped by, and the day of Chen Fan's departure arrived.

“Father, Grandfather, I’m leaving.”

“Go on, no need to worry about the clan. Cultivate well in the sect.”

“See you, Big Brother Chen Fan.”

Chen Zhengqing, Chen Tianxiong, Chen Qingqing, and the others waved their farewells. Chen Fan didn't linger—it wasn't the style of a martial artist.

With his Wings of Rain Dragon unfurled, he blurred into motion, soaring into the sky with lightning speed, leaving behind the worries of the clan and flying off toward the Spring Autumn Sect.

High up in the air, fast as lightning, Chen Fan streaked across the blue sky like a roc as his mind kept racing.

"My next step is to fully focus on advancing into the Core Formation realm."

The numerous battles he had experienced benefitted him greatly. His primeval force was stable, his cultivation pure. Even when he returned to the sect, he could openly display his strength; he no longer had to conceal it like he did in the past.

Even Duan Jingtian would think twice before challenging him now.

During the journey back, Chen Fan bitterly practiced his martial skills, going through Prairie Fire Hundred Strikes, Northern Star Reaper Hand, and even Great Brahma Sacred Palm repeatedly. He was refining his overall strength at every moment.

Three days later, he flew into the vicinity of the Spring Autumn Sect. He landed silently and walked toward the mountain entrance.

As soon as he returned to the sect, Chen Fan overheard the disciples discussing the Fountain of Life incident as they bustled about.

“Haaa, the sect has already confirmed that Lei Tao, Chu Tiange, and the others are dead. Not even their corpses were left behind.”

“Seriously? Who could have killed them? Lei Tao went to the Fiendish Corpse Mountain Range to retrieve the Fountain of Life on Senior Brother Duan Jingtian’s orders. Now that they’re all dead, doesn’t that mean the Fountain of Life is also gone?”

“Hoho, it’s not just gone. Word is, Senior Brother Duan Jingtian went to the Fiendish Corpse Mountains and found that Lei Tao's group had already fetched the water from the Fountain's source. Someone must've crossed paths with them, killed them, and stolen Senior Brother Duan Jingtian's Fountain of Life.”

“What nerve they have! To even dare steal from Senior Brother Duan Jingtian. They must be tired of living!”

“True, but at the Fiendish Corpse Mountain Range, it's a free-for-all. No one would even know if they took it. There’s no way to start investigating, either.”

“Since the Fountain of Life is lost, does that mean Senior Brother Duan Jingtian won't reach the ninth level of the Core Formation realm anytime soon?!”

"Yeah, heard he was furious when he got back."

“......”

Walking on the path, Chen Fan grinned gleefully inside when he heard the discussion.

It had already been over half a year since he killed Lei Tao’s group. He didn’t expect Duan Jingtian to find out about their deaths only now.

Such sluggishness in information retrieval was disappointing.

However, as he imagined Duan Jingtian throwing a fit after losing the liquid from the Fountain of Life, a sense of pleasure washed over his heart.

“Eh? Look, it’s Chen Fan. He’s returned.”

"He's been gone for over half a year."

"Well, what other choice does he have? It's tough for him to move around the sect, so he had to train outside. I wonder what level he's reached now."

“Who cares what his cultivation is? This guy is destined to die. He’ll only stay alive for another year; he’s no different from a corpse. Oh, right, the Four Sects Martial Arts Competition is in a month.”

Some glanced at Chen Fan before shifting their attention to the upcoming competition.

“That's right, the competition happens every three years. This time, it’s our Spring Autumn Sect’s turn to be the host.”

“I wonder who will come out on top this time?”

“We can forget about it. It always turns into a playground for the Illusory Core realm experts. The prize for the winner is an elixir that can help someone in the Illusory Core realm advance to the Core Formation realm. It’s not something we can think about.”

"Yeah, we'll be lucky to earn more contribution points."

“......”

Chen Fan’s eyes flickered with interest when he overheard these people’s conversation.

“Four Sects Martial Arts Competition?”

Shaking his head, he came to Wei Buyu’s residence.

“Master.”

“You’re back.” Wei Buyu's gaze landed on Chen Fan, a glimmer of admiration shining in his eyes. “Not bad, you’ve reached the ninth level. Impressive. Truly impressive. Now, I'm beginning to believe you can indeed challenge Duan Jingtian within a year."

Chen Fan smiled at Wei Buyu’s words and said, “Did you lack confidence in me before?"

"To be frank, yes," Wei Buyu confessed candidly. "Given the vast gap between your cultivations, I had my doubts. Catching up to him in three years seemed nearly impossible.

“But now that you’ve broken through to the ninth level in such a short time, I’m gaining some confidence in you. It seems you've encountered significant opportunities during your training outside."

If Chen Fan had not come across some huge opportunity, it would have been impossible for him to grow to this extent so quickly.