Chapter 76

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Chapter 76: The Long Gun

In the artifact crafting room, Xu Fan was crafting a second treasure for his second disciple, Xu Yuexian—a weapon capable of striking enemies from over ten miles away.

This was an extended version of a sniper rifle, a familiar concept from his past life, tailored specifically for Xu Yuexian. Paired with treasure-grade bullets, it could even handle Golden Core Stage beasts without hesitation.

Assassins and sniper rifles were a match made in heaven.

As a disciple of a master skilled in both alchemy and artifact crafting, Xu Yuexian enjoyed the finest resources: custom-made treasures, personalized techniques, and top-tier pills.

On top of that, she received elite combat training. Yet, Xu Fan couldn’t figure out why she remained stuck at second-grade Foundation Establishment. Was it really a matter of luck?

“Ah, well. No point overthinking it. Plenty have achieved immortality at second-grade Foundation Establishment. The path ahead isn’t closed.”

Xu Fan carefully placed the 2-meter-long sniper rifle and its treasure-grade bullets into a sleek black-and-gold case. A fine weapon deserved an equally fine case.

The thought of taking out an enemy from over ten miles away with a single shot—no, a single blast—was thrilling. It felt even more satisfying than pulling off a five-kill streak at the start of a match.

“Yuexian can use this one first. I’ll make another for myself later,” Xu Fan said, admiring the long-handled case.

Xu Fan envisioned Xu Yuexian as a nimble cultivator, and this massive sniper rifle was the perfect complement to her style.

After completing the rifle, Xu Fan turned his attention to crafting a soul illusion world for his third disciple. The heart sword path, central to swordsmanship, demanded an unyielding heart.

Within the soul illusion realm, Xu Fan designed countless intriguing challenges for his cherished disciple.

On the little hill, while Xu Fan worked on the soul illusion, Wang Xiangchi was busy teaching Li Xingci the fundamentals of the modified Five Elements Technique—Xu Fan’s go-to method for Foundation Establishment.

“Third Senior Brother, are you Uncle Wang’s son?” Li Xingci asked, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

“You know my dad?” Wang Xiangchi replied, glancing at his youngest junior brother.

That morning, Wang Xiangchi had been tasked by their master to guide Li Xingci while continuing his own heart cultivation. Initially, he’d been reluctant—teaching a junior brother felt like a distraction from his pursuit of the supreme sword path.

But after meeting Li Xingci, he felt an unexpected bond and took it upon himself to guide the boy through meals and practice.

“Uncle Wang was a friend of my mother. Before she passed, she asked him to look after me,” Li Xingci said, his expression darkening slightly at the mention of his late family.

Wang Xiangchi, usually stoic, softened his tone. “Since we’re both under Master’s guidance, we’re family now. From this day on, I’m not just your senior brother—I’m your big brother.”

His words were a little awkward; comforting others wasn’t something he was used to.

“Okay, Third Senior Brother,” Li Xingci replied. As a child who’d been adopted for two years, he could already sense genuine kindness.

“Now, let’s continue with the first layer of the Five Elements Technique…”

From the courtyard, Xu Fan watched the scene with a satisfied smile. The bond of blood was undeniable. He couldn’t help but wonder how the two would react when they eventually discovered their true connection. It would be quite the spectacle.

Just then, the protective barrier chimed, and Wang Yulun entered with Murong Qianer, carrying a food box.

“Big Brother Xu, we’re here to see Xiangchi,” Murong Qianer said warmly, her face lighting up at the thought of reuniting with her son after half a month apart.

“Go ahead. Xiangchi’s teaching his junior brother. You can head straight over,” Xu Fan replied, giving Wang Yulun a knowing look.

“Bold move, playing under the radar like this. You must not realize how sharp a woman’s intuition can be.”

Wang Yulun simply shrugged, unfazed. Bloodline sensing only became possible at the Nascent Soul Stage, and besides, he had his precautions in place.

Meanwhile, Wang Xiangchi, usually composed, couldn’t hide his exasperation when he spotted his parents approaching during his lesson with Li Xingci.

“Ah, my little Chichi, I’ve missed you so much!”

Murong Qianer pulled Wang Xiangchi into a tight embrace, much to his chagrin.

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you while you were gone.”

“You didn’t even come to visit me,” Murong Qianer said, her eyes reddening as tears began to form.

“Mother, I just wanted to focus on my cultivation so I could protect you in the future.”

“Xiangchi has grown up now. It’s his duty to protect me from being bullied,” Wang Xiangchi said, gently patting his mother’s back to comfort her.

Hearing her son speak such heartfelt words, Murong Qianer felt her heart melt. She thought to herself that having a son like him made her the happiest woman in the world.

Just then, Wang Xiangchi stepped out of Murong Qianer’s embrace and pulled over Li Xingci, who had been standing nearby, looking envious. “Mother, this is my junior brother.”

Murong Qianer looked at Li Xingci and felt an odd sense of familiarity.

“This is the child of a friend who went through life and death with me.”

“Before his mother passed away, she entrusted him to me. I saw his potential and recommended him to Big Brother Xu,” Wang Yulun quickly explained.

“So, you’re Li Xingci! I’ve heard about you. You’re welcome to come over for dinner with Xiangchi anytime,” Murong Qianer said warmly.

She immediately took a liking to the well-mannered little boy.

“Hello, Uncle Wang, hello, Auntie Wang,” Li Xingci said politely, bowing respectfully.

Seeing how courteous her son’s junior brother was, Murong Qianer’s attitude softened even more.

After spending some time chatting with her son, Murong Qianer reluctantly left with Wang Yulun, who seemed a bit uneasy.

As Wang Xiangchi watched his parents fly away, he let out a sigh of relief. Finally, they were gone.

Just then, Xu Fan walked in. He had overheard the beginning of their conversation and couldn’t help but wonder how his usually cold and detached disciple had suddenly become so emotionally intelligent. Was this really the same sword-obsessed disciple he knew?

“Xiangchi, well done! Those words you said to your mother were spot on,” Xu Fan praised. He never hesitated to compliment his disciples, especially during critical moments.

“My dad taught me those lines. He said to use them when I wanted to make mother happy,” the cool-headed boy replied lightly.

“Did your dad teach you anything that could make *me* happy?” Xu Fan asked with a curious expression. The method was unconventional, but it seemed to work wonders.

“If the heavens had not created my master, the path to immortality would be shrouded in eternal darkness.”

“Commanding the universe, ruling through all ages.”

“Among the three thousand paths to immortality, my master walks freely.”

“………………….”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Xu Fan quickly interrupted. While he enjoyed hearing such praise, he knew it could cause trouble if word got out.

Still, he couldn’t deny that the words were quite pleasing to hear.

“Save those lines for later. We’ll have plenty of time to discuss them,” Xu Fan said with a smile.