Chapter 96
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Chapter 96: 30 Minutes and Returning
Feeling himself under control, Xu Fan was so furious he almost passed out on the spot.
"Do you know how precious my time is? Do you understand the sacrifices I’ve made to use up this time?"
“Master, please don’t blame me.”
Xu Yuexian held the spirit crystal containing the wood essence, determined to force it into Xu Fan’s mouth.
“This is the path I’ve chosen. You’ll only harm me by doing this,” Xu Fan said, looking at Xu Yuexian’s determined eyes, feeling deeply moved. The fact that she would risk revealing such a dangerous treasure showed her genuine care.
“I don’t care about your path. I just want you to live,” Xu Yuexian insisted, as she was about to pour the wood essence into Xu Fan’s mouth. The thick life energy had already formed a light mist, flowing toward him.
“Ah, do you think just because I’m old, you can defy me?”
At that moment, two powerful auras of peak Golden Core cultivators erupted into the sky. Two heavy armor puppets, each three meters tall, appeared beside Xu Fan, instantly intimidating everyone present.
“Yuexian, take it back. I appreciate your kindness, but this isn’t necessary,” Xu Fan said.
Feeling he had one month of life left, Xu Fan continued, “Give me one more month. If I can’t break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage by then, I’ll drink your wood essence willingly.”
Xu Fan then turned to Wang Yulun and Murong Qianer, saying, “I hope both of you will keep the matter of my treasure confidential.”
“What are you implying? I would never harm Yuexian,” Wang Yulun shot back, knowing Xu Fan’s words were meant for Qianer.
“Haha, I was just saying,” Xu Fan replied with a chuckle.
Xu Fan looked at his four disciples still kneeling on the ground and felt a deep sense of pride.
“Everyone, get up. You know what your master is capable of. I wouldn’t take risks if I weren’t confident.”
The four disciples remained silent but resolved to stay by his side for the month, waiting for him to advance to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Over the next month, Xu Fan was treated like royalty.
Every day, Xu Gang and Wang Xiangchi would rush to various merchant guilds to gather the freshest ingredients and Spiritual Fruits, while Xu Yuexian prepared lavish meals.
Li Xingci stayed by Xu Fan’s side, using the light shadow technique to recreate stunning landscapes for Xu Fan to enjoy, drawing from the sights he had witnessed over the years.
After advancing to the Foundation Establishment Stage, Li Xingci had developed a passion for travel. Over the past fifty years, he had seen countless wonders and encountered many people and beasts.
Now, he shared everything he had seen with Xu Fan through the light shadow technique.
After showing a fierce battle between two Nascent Soul stage beasts, Li Xingci displayed the breathtaking scenery from the depths of the Endless Sea, which he had visited a few times thanks to Wang Yulun’s connections with the Floating Sky Ship.
“These are all the places you’ve seen over the years?” Xu Fan asked. Although he was still at the peak of the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refinement, his spiritual energy had dropped to the level of the first stage of Qi Refinement.
“Yes, Master. These are the places I’ve been,” Li Xingci replied softly.
“You’ve seen the sights, the beasts, and the people.”
“But have you seen the hearts of people?” Xu Fan asked with a smile. “If I hadn’t chosen my disciples wisely, they’d probably be fighting over my inheritance by now.”
“I’ve seen the hearts of people,” Li Xingci said slowly. “They are the most unpredictable and colorful things I’ve encountered.”
“The path you’re on is harder than what your senior brothers and sisters have faced.”
“The things you’ll see can be dark. I fear you might lose your way.”
“Desire is the easiest path to madness,” Xu Fan said, looking at his youngest disciple with a hint of regret for teaching him the secret technique of desire.
“With you here, Master, I won’t lose myself,” Li Xingci replied, his expression calm and steady.
“Alright, let’s get down to business. Show me the peerless beauties you’ve seen, and let’s see which one might be a good match for you,” Xu Fan joked.
“Sure. Over the years, I’ve visited the Orchid Sect, the Yaochi Sacred Ground, the Xiyue Sect, the Moon Shadow Gate, and the Tianyin Sacred Ground.”
“Which sect should we start with, Master?” Li Xingci asked with a smile, pleased that Xu Fan was still in the mood to joke around.
“Let’s start with the Yaochi Sacred Ground. I’m quite curious about that place,” Xu Fan said, his expression a bit odd, as if the sect seemed out of place somehow.
“Alright.”
Li Xingci waved his hand, and a breathtaking scene unfolded before Xu Fan.
On the final day of the deadline, outside Xu Fan’s cultivation room, his four disciples stood anxiously at the door.
“Yuexian, if something goes wrong, we rush into the cultivation room immediately and feed Master the wood essence.”
“Xingci, you’re in charge of using illusions to knock Master out.”
“Xiangchi and I will handle Master’s puppets.”
“We need to act fast—no more than half a breath,” Xu Gang instructed.
“Understood,” the other three replied in unison.
As time ticked away, the four kept their eyes glued to the door of the cultivation room.
Xu Fan, too, felt a pang of nervousness. What if this useless system failed him?
The system Xu Fan had could only help him hide from the probing eyes of great beings; beyond that, it was utterly useless.
“System, don’t let me down now.”
As soon as Xu Fan spoke, a virtual screen appeared before him.
It read: *30 minutes remaining until the deadline. Prepare yourself, Host.*
Looking at the countdown, Xu Fan’s anxious heart began to settle.
“It hasn’t been easy, but I’m finally about to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage. If this keeps up, I won’t be able to keep my disciples in line,” Xu Fan said with a hint of joy. Though his life force was dwindling, he felt no panic.
“I hope the system changes a bit after I advance. It’d be great if there were more features, like a marketplace or a lottery,” Xu Fan said weakly, too exhausted to even lift his hand. He could only sit there, helpless.
His body was just that of a mortal, devoid of any magical power. No spirit pills could help him now, and he dared not try any longevity pills or treasures.
Meanwhile, in the Demon Spirit Realm, Ye Xiaoyao gazed at the ruined teleportation formation with a mix of emotions. He was finally going home.
“After more than 60 years, I can finally return,” Ye Xiaoyao said, still dressed in the attire of the wolf clan.
“Kid, are you sure you don’t want to stay?”
“Your standing in the beast race is rising. When the time comes, whether it’s the human race or you becoming the leader of the beast race, you could turn the tables on them. Then you’d be a hero to the human race,” Old Sword suggested.
“Your advice is sound, but I still have unfinished business in the Human Realm.”
“If I stay in the demon race, who knows how long it’ll take?”
“I need to return Junior Brother Xu’s belongings, my parents are waiting for me, and I still haven’t settled the score for that broken engagement. I can’t wait any longer,” Ye Xiaoyao said, shaking his head. Even if it meant facing a war between the two races, he wanted to become a hero, respected and admired by all.
