Deep within the Luoxian Mountain Range lay a sprawling palace complex stretching for hundreds of miles, the very seat of the Feixian Mansion sect.
At this moment, over ten thousand cultivators of Feixian Mansion were gathered atop the main peak, their faces etched with despair. They never imagined that the once prosperous Feixian Mansion would fall victim to such a catastrophe.
By the time Zhang Fan and his entourage arrived before the gates of Feixian Mansion, an elder clad in white, a peak cultivator at the Half-step Nascent Soul realm, was already waiting. He was the sole Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator left behind in the sect, and he had been filled with anticipation for news of their triumphant return. Little did he know, what awaited him was the harbinger of doom.
Not a single participant from Feixian Mansion who had gone to battle had returned alive. Even the esteemed Venerable Shangyang’s intervention had failed to alter the outcome; he had instead become mere medicinal ingredients for their enemy. Upon hearing this news, even the elder, with his Half-step Nascent Soul cultivation, stood stunned for a considerable time.
This blow was undoubtedly fatal to Feixian Mansion. That very day, numerous cultivators attempted to flee. Feixian Mansion was on the brink of annihilation, and many whose loyalty to the sect was not unwavering naturally refused to await their doom passively.
However, without exception, every fleeing cultivator was struck down on the spot by the white-robed elder, who was at the Half-step Nascent Soul realm.
In Feixian Mansion’s darkest hour, he wished to preserve its last shred of dignity.
"Feixian Mansion's gates are wide open. Are you preparing to surrender?" the Blood Demon Flood Dragon raised its colossal head, its voice booming like thunder as it addressed the white-robed elder below.
"They've finally arrived," atop the main peak, countless Feixian Mansion cultivators looked up at Zhang Fan and his group. The immense pressure they exuded made every cultivator feel suffocated. Facing death, some showed despair and bitter resentment, while others bore expressions of resolute defiance. Though the disparity in strength was vast, they were willing to fight to the last moment for their sect.
"Esteemed sirs, since ancient times, the victor is king and the loser is a bandit. Feixian Mansion has fallen, and I have nothing to say. I only hope you will spare the lives of Feixian Mansion's ten thousand cultivators. From this day forward, Feixian Mansion swears never to oppose the Six King's Mansion again," the Half-step Nascent Soul expert looked up at Zhang Fan's group and pleaded.
"I once vowed to flatten Feixian Mansion. From now on, on Wu Shan Star Domain, anyone who dares to call themselves a disciple of Feixian Mansion will be killed without mercy!" Hearing Zhang Fan's words, a flicker of despair appeared in the eyes of the Half-step Nascent Soul expert.
"Disciples of Feixian Mansion, heed my command! Activate the mountain protection formation and fight to the very last moment!"
*Boom!*
Columns of light shot skyward, piercing the clouds and enveloping Feixian Mansion's main peak. Ten thousand cultivators simultaneously unleashed their cultivation, bolstering the final line of defense.
However, despite Feixian Mansion's vast number of disciples, most of its top-tier combatants had already been refined to death by Zhang Fan. The vast majority of those remaining were at the Golden Core stage and lower-level Nascent Soul stage cultivators.
"Your courage is commendable, but alas!" Zhang Fan summoned the Myriad Beasts Cauldron and directly slammed it against the mountain protection formation. With a single strike, the formation, which was said to withstand the attacks of dozens of Half-step Nascent Soul cultivators, shattered. A large number of Feixian Mansion cultivators fell to the ground, severely injured, while some had their nascent souls directly pulverized and died on the spot.
"Kill!" The white-robed elder at the Half-step Nascent Soul realm spat out a mouthful of blood, his face etched with despair. Unwilling to die just like that, he roared and charged towards the Six King's Mansion group, intending to self-detonate his nascent soul.
Even in his final moments, he did not wish for his enemies to have an easy victory.
Seeing this, Zhang Fan shook his head slightly and once again summoned the Myriad Beasts Cauldron. Facing such a divine weapon, how could a mere Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator resist? He was suppressed and absorbed into the Myriad Beasts Cauldron without any power to resist.
With one strike to break the formation and another to eliminate Feixian Mansion's last Half-step Nascent Soul expert, the rest were like fish on a chopping block, at the mercy of their predators. Zhang Fan did not even need to lift a finger.
For a time, curses and roars filled the air, but the cultivators of the Six King's Mansion showed no mercy. They knew that if Zhang Fan had not returned in time and Panlong Mountain Range had been breached, their fate would not have been any better than Feixian Mansion's.
The world of cultivation was indeed that cruel.
Xiao Yi, along with several Nascent Soul stage cultivators, remained to clean up the battlefield and plunder Feixian Mansion's treasury. Zhang Fan, leading the cultivators of the Six King's Mansion, then set off towards the sect of Black Sand Grotto-Heaven.
A day later, without any surprises, the sect grounds of Black Sand Grotto-Heaven also became a ruin. After leaving Mo Yan and several Nascent Soul stage cultivators behind, Zhang Fan, with the cultivators of the Six King's Mansion, pressed on towards the sect's location in Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven.
Upon arriving before the gates of Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven, Zhang Fan did not resort to a frontal assault as before. He stood in mid-air, looking down at the cultivators of Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven and called out, "Where is Immortal Master Lei Hong?"
His voice, imbued with boundless Dao intent, clearly reached the ears of every cultivator in Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven.
"Elder Lei Hong?"
"Why is he looking for Elder Lei Hong?"
Amidst the crowd, a middle-aged man clad in purple robes heard this and couldn't help but be slightly startled. He soared into the sky from atop the mountain peak and entered the void, seeing Zhang Fan.
Beside Immortal Master Lei Hong stood an elder shrouded in grey robes, the sole remaining Half-step Nascent Soul cultivator of Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven.
"I never thought it would truly be you," Immortal Master Lei Hong looked at the young man before him, a wry smile appearing on his face.
Zhang Fan's deeds had already spread throughout the entire Wu Shan Star Domain. When he had first heard news of Zhang Fan, he had mentioned it to Fu Sisi and Fu Mengtian. Upon hearing that Zhang Fan was being pursued by two top forces, Fu Sisi and Fu Mengtian, among others, had been extremely worried. At the same time, they felt some guilt, as Zhang Fan's enmity with Black Sand Grotto-Heaven had originated because of their Fu family.
Yet, little did they expect that after Zhang Fan emerged from the Great Luo Realm, everything would change. Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven, which had initially remained uninvolved, had also joined in the hunt for Zhang Fan. This left Fu Mengtian and Fu Sisi with incredibly complex emotions.
Although they were both cultivators of Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven, their words carried little weight.
Immortal Master Lei Hong was currently only a cultivator at the late stage of the Four Tribulations realm and served as an Enforcement Elder within Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven. His influence was too weak. Even when Fu Sisi had asked him to intercede, how would he dare?
After all, among the cultivators Zhang Fan had slain in the Great Luo Realm, who wasn't of greater importance than Lei Hong himself?
To plead for Zhang Fan in such circumstances would likely result in the enraged Sect Master crushing him with a single palm.
Moreover, some disciples of Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven, upon learning that Fu Mengtian and Fu Sisi knew Zhang Fan, subjected them to relentless mockery. If not for Immortal Master Lei Hong's protection, someone might have already taken action against the Fu family.
"How are the Fu family members of Fu Liu City in Da Yan Star?" Zhang Fan asked Immortal Master Lei Hong.
Facing Zhang Fan's inquiry, Immortal Master Lei Hong did not know how to answer.
"Bring them to see me!"
Hearing this, Immortal Master Lei Hong cast his gaze towards the grey-robed elder beside him.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry and invite them," the grey-robed elder said quickly, a flicker of hope flashing in the depths of his eyes. Perhaps this was the only chance of survival for their Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven.
Even a powerful figure like Venerable Shangyang had perished at Zhang Fan's hands. How could they resist?
Although nearly ten days had passed since the news of the battle at Luoxian Valley had spread, none of the three top forces had abandoned their sect headquarters and fled.
After all, with their Nascent Soul cultivation, even if they wanted to escape, they couldn't get beyond the Wu Shan Star Domain. Even if they fled without fighting and saved their lives today, they would have to live like rats, hiding for the rest of their days, constantly pursued if they ever showed their faces. This was something the three top forces of Wu Shan Star Domain could not accept.
With legacies spanning hundreds of thousands of years, their sects possessed their own pride. To abandon their sect and live without dignity was worse than dying a glorious death.
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