Unrivaled Martial Emperor

Chapter 424 - Duan Jingtian Astounded

A group exuding powerful auras soared through the clouds. They were all holy disciples and their cultivation levels were remarkably high.

“What do you guys think?”

“It’s a little unbelievable. He entered the Core Formation realm three months ago, and I sensed he was at the third level now. That’s just... too fast. I can’t believe it," remarked a disciple clad in white, his tone laden with astonishment.

They were all veteran holy disciples promoted a decade or two ago. Yet, they were only at the third or fourth level, so they understood all too well the challenges of advancing in the Core Formation realm.

But then there was Chen Fan.

He had made astonishing progress, advancing from the first level to the third level. Such a feat could simply cause someone to die from the shock.

“It should be because of the Divine Stone of Life. You all heard what he said earlier,” said another holy disciple.

A disciple surrounded by crackling lightning and thunder interjected, “But we all know about that contaminated stone. It’s tainted with evil qi. Even we are helpless about it. Just how did he remove the evil qi?”

“Perhaps the high elder helped him?” Someone threw in a guess.

“It’s possible. He's a pawn the senior elder plans to use against Duan Jingtian. Duan Jingtian’s cultivation is also progressing rapidly. If Chen Fan doesn’t come across some kind of fortuitous encounter, catching up to Duan Jingtian would be nearly impossible," another disciple said.

“Forget it. Whether it's Duan Jingtian or Chen Fan, they both have a Divine Nascent realm powerhouse supporting them. Comparing ourselves to them is futile," remarked the holy disciple skilled in lightning cultivation, his expression somber.

The Spring Autumn Sect had two Divine Nascent realm experts. One of them supported Duan Jingtian, while the other supported Chen Fan. With such formidable figures behind them, these holy disciples stood no chance in comparison.

“Duan Jingtian is facing a wall as punishment, but Chen Fan has become a holy disciple. This must be a really heavy blow to the alliance, no? But it’s also good news to us.”

“Even if Heaven's Alliance suffers setbacks, as long as Duan Jingtian is alive, his organization will always be insufferably arrogant.” The lightning-attributed holy disciple frowned and said, “I'm certain Duan Jingtian will explode onto the scene in a year or two. I know him very well. Once he advances to the Divine Nascent realm, he'll dominate, unrivaled under the heavens. We won't stand a chance against him. It'll be submission or death.”

“Then what should we do?”

“Maybe we should ally ourselves with Chen Fan?”

“Let’s wait and observe a bit longer. He has the high elder backing him, after all. We'll gauge his progress in the coming months.” The lightning-attributed holy disciple waved his hand and continued, “Of course, we can probe him secretly and see how he reacts. How about congratulating him on his promotion?”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

......

Meanwhile, Chen Fan and Wei Buyu had already arrived at the Heavenly Vein Mountains.

“Chen Fan, did you sustain any injuries during this mission?”

Chen Fan had decided not to tell Wei Buyu about the spy. “Rest assured, Master. I’m fine.”

“That’s good, then. You’re now an officially recorded holy disciple. Your status is comparable to a grand elder, but don’t get complacent. Duan Jingtian will be out in seven months. He’ll definitely launch a quick blow at you then.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll cultivate well in these seven months. I’ll give him a huge surprise when he comes out,” Chen Fan said, sounding very confident.

He had the Divine Stone of Life and the Daoist Corpse Spirit’s divine energy. If he refined them, his cultivation would skyrocket to an unimaginable level quickly.

Thus, he wasn’t afraid of Duan Jingtian. On the contrary, he eagerly anticipated their inevitable confrontation and regretted not being able to face him sooner.

Chen Fan picked out a mountain peak as his private land. He didn’t need to build a residence here; one had already been built on every mountain peak. With daily upkeep taken care of by attendants, he could settle in without delay.

Yet, despite the convenience, solitude gnawed at his heart. Shaking his head, Chen Fan focused on the tasks ahead.

Given his strength, he could fight a fifth-level expert, but none would be weaklings. Everyone had their own means; defeating or even killing them would not be easy.

“I can now cultivate in peace. With so many cultivation resources, I would be trash if I can’t raise my cultivation!”

A sharp light shot out from Chen Fan’s eyes. Suddenly, he waved his hand, and a large amount of primeval stones flew out.

Arranged in a precise formation, the stones emanated powerful qi, taking on shapes reminiscent of humans, dragons, tigers, and more. Chen Fan had placed these primeval stones according to the principles of a formation. As the powerful primeval qi enveloped him, he experienced a serene, almost dreamy sensation.

Cultivation was also a kind of pleasure, a very powerful one at that. It could easily intoxicate cultivators, rendering them unable to break free.

Driven by Chen Fan, all the primeval qi merged into his meridians, generating fiery sparks as they rubbed against his true primeval essence, refining his flesh and blood.

Advancing a single level in the Core Formation realm proved immensely challenging, especially true for Chen Fan, as he practiced an unparalleled divine art. The energy contained within ten thousand primeval stones merely equated to a drop in the ocean, barely making a ripple.

Thankfully, Chen Fan didn’t lack primeval stones. He used them up in batches of a hundred thousand, which would shock anyone if they found out about it.

......

At the Black Wind Cliff, Duan Jingtian sat cross-legged on the ground, facing the vast sea of clouds. He was also cultivating, circulating his qi inside him.

Swish.

Suddenly, a wind-breaking noise rang out, and a figure descended.

After a while, Duan Jingtian withdrew his cultivation, opened his eyes, and glanced at the visitor. “What brings you here, Feng Tianxia? To poke fun at the situation I’m in?”

The visitor was Tianxia Society’s leader, Feng Tianxia.

Feng Tianxia said indifferently, “You’re overthinking things. I’m sure you’re unaware of the recent developments. Allow me to enlighten you. Chen Fan is now in the Core Formation realm, has completed his holy disciple mission, and is now a holy disciple, personally appointed by the sect leader in front of everyone.”

Duan Jingtian’s expression remained the same, but an unusual look flashed deep in his eyes. He said, “That’s no big deal! He took first place at the martial arts competition and obtained the Extreme Profound Elixir. If he used all that, becoming a holy disciple is nothing surprising.”

Feng Tianxia smiled and said, “Of course, that is indeed nothing to freak out over, but what if I told you that he’s already at the third level? What do you think of it now?”

“What!” Duan Jingtian’s expression finally changed.