Ailerbela's Blood Moon Demon King body had reached a minor level of accomplishment, her combat power comparable to the peak of the Divine Realm. She had initially thought that upon returning to the lake island, she could flaunt her achievements before Lin Haotian. However, she never expected Lin Haotian's strength to improve even more astonishingly.
Before she could even boast, Lin Haotian grew impatient and, with a single punch, sent Ailerbela flying, showing no hint of chivalry.
"Heh, you dare to act cocky in front of me with just this much strength," Lin Haotian said to Ailerbela with immense arrogance, dealing a devastating blow to her proud heart.
"Hmph! So what if you cultivate the Sacred Body? The stronger your physical techniques, the harder it is to progress in the later stages. When my Blood Moon Demon King body reaches great accomplishment, I will definitely beat you into a pig's head!"
Ailerbela clenched her slender jade fingers into fists, saying resentfully.
"I'll be waiting!" Lin Haotian replied nonchalantly.
...
"You brat, your mom and I were planning a trip abroad. Why did you suddenly call us back?"
Everyone gathered on the beach of the lake island. Zhang Xing'an glared at Zhang Fan with displeasure.
Qin Luoshui, Su Yun, Ailerbela, and the others also looked at Zhang Fan with a hint of confusion. It was the first time in a long while that Zhang Fan had gathered everyone here.
"I've called everyone here today to tell you something. It's a matter of grave importance concerning the survival of Earth!" Zhang Fan's expression was calm, but his words startled everyone.
Only Xue Jing and Wu Chen Jian Xian already knew, so they remained relatively composed.
"A matter of grave importance concerning the survival of Earth? Could it be that a nuclear war is about to erupt, and Earth will be destroyed?" Yi Feicheng asked, glancing at Zhang Fan with confusion.
"It's more serious than that!" Zhang Fan shook his head and said softly.
With his current strength, his Divine Body had reached near minor accomplishment, making his power comparable to a peak second-grade Golden Core cultivator. The explosion of Earth's most powerful nuclear weapon could only be compared to the full might of a third-grade Golden Core cultivator's attack. Even if a nuclear war were to break out, he could stop it single-handedly.
"More serious than that?"
Seeing that Zhang Fan wasn't joking, everyone's hearts sank. If even Zhang Fan, with his current strength, found it serious, then it must be unimaginably dire.
"Could it be an alien invasion?" Zhang Xing'an suddenly blurted out, causing everyone to ponder.
Alien invasion seemed to exist only in science fiction movies, and it felt somewhat absurd to say it out loud. However, upon deeper consideration, this possibility seemed very high.
Moreover, they knew from Zhang Fan that the universe was unimaginably vast, and there were many powerful cultivators in the depths of space. If they invaded Earth...
Everyone turned their gaze to Zhang Fan, awaiting his answer.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhang Fan slowly nodded and then recounted the events that transpired in the Holy See. As they listened, everyone marveled, and a heavy sense of dread filled them.
According to Zhang Fan, the Golden Core realm cultivators who came to Earth seeking opportunities were all incredibly powerful. Among those present, perhaps only Zhang Fan and Xue Jing could resist them to some extent.
Furthermore, a planet like Earth, existing in an era of declining magic, was considered an ant-like planet in the eyes of those powerful Golden Core cultivators. The humans living on Earth were also like ants to them, to be killed at will without any trace of mercy.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy. They had never imagined that during their lifetime, there would truly be a day of alien invasion.
"You brat, you're telling us all this. It's not like you want us to know that our death is imminent and just wait for it, right?" Zhang Xing'an asked.
"Actually, you don't need to feel despair. Although there are immensely powerful beings in the myriad realms of the cosmos, due to the restrictions left by Zi Wu, the strongest cultivators who can enter the Milky Way are only at the Golden Core realm."
"The reason I'm telling you this is to make you aware that the world we live in is not absolutely safe. Only through continuous cultivation and strengthening our own power can we have a chance to resist when a crisis arrives."
Currently, Zhang Fan felt he had few opponents on Earth. Therefore, he worried that his parents, his disciples, and his followers might become complacent, relying on him as a pillar of support.
Only by creating pressure could he make them constantly improve. He did not want to become an obstacle on their path of cultivation.
Everyone understood. Zhang Xing'an cast a deep look at his son, comprehending his good intentions.
Indeed, although his cultivation speed wasn't slow, having reached the Saint Domain level now, he was considered a powerful figure in the world. Moreover, with a son who was arguably invincible, he had indeed become somewhat lax in his cultivation.
After everyone dispersed, Qin Luoshui approached Zhang Fan alone, and they walked hand in hand along the beach, chatting about recent events.
"Brother Zhang Fan, tell me honestly, this matter you mentioned earlier, it's not as simple as you say, is it?" Qin Luoshui asked, her eyes gentle as water, gazing at Zhang Fan.
Zhang Fan gazed deeply at Qin Luoshui, and involuntarily, the memory of his past life surfaced – the face he saw at the end before falling into Kunlong Valley.
He turned and embraced Qin Luoshui, feeling grateful for all he had now. A powerful resolve surged within him: no matter what, he would not allow any accidents to occur!
"Don't worry, your husband can handle it all!" Zhang Fan softly exhaled, whispering into Qin Luoshui's ear.
"We're not married yet," Qin Luoshui pouted her cherry lips in response.
"After I finish this period of seclusion, I will go to the Qin family to propose!"
"Mm."
...
Although Zhang Fan had recently been in seclusion for a year, the circumstances forced him to accelerate his progress. Only by rapidly improving his strength could he face the unknown crisis.
Concurrently, besides enhancing his own power, he devised a cultivation plan for everyone, intending to use the resources he currently possessed to quickly elevate their strength.
Among their group, besides Zhang Fan, Xue Jing possessed the strongest power, making him a key focus of Zhang Fan's cultivation plans. Wu Chen Jian Xian, Lin Haotian, the Blood Demon Flood Dragon, and the three princes of the Blood Clan belonged to the second tier. If they could advance another step to reach the Golden Core realm, it would be quite beneficial in facing future crises.
As for Zhang Fan's parents, Qin Luoshui, Ailerbela, and Yi Feicheng, their strength was at the Saint Domain and Divine Realm levels. Even with significant improvement in a short period, they would still be no match for Golden Core realm cultivators. Therefore, Zhang Fan did not set special requirements for their cultivation.
...