The onlookers were all greatly shocked upon hearing Bai Tianyi’s cry. They had never expected the White family’s old ancestor to truly appear, and the method of his appearance was as mysterious and unusual as the ancient legends of primordial spirit escaping the body.
The white-robed elder stood in mid-air, his flickering eyes scanning the crowd before finally settling on Zhang Fan.
Countless wriggling worms seemed to crawl within his ethereal eyes. Merely meeting his gaze sent shivers down one’s spine and made their scalp tingle, as if haunted by a nightmare.
Zhang Fan, witnessing this, merely let out a cold chuckle and said, "It's merely a wisp of a divine sense remnant, not even a divine sense clone. Yet you dare to appear before me!"
Upon hearing this, the white-robed elder was not angered. He smiled slightly and said, "Fellow Daoist, with your stature, why bother with a junior? Why not, for my sake, let this matter pass?"
"You hold no sway with me. You could withstand my finger strike, but I wonder if you can withstand my palm strike?" Zhang Fan sneered.
"Heaven-Turning Palm!" Zhang Fan flipped his right hand. A stream of pure magical power condensed in his palm, which then slammed down fiercely towards the spectral figure.
The white-robed elder’s expression changed. He hadn’t expected Zhang Fan to act so decisively, showing him no respect.
Facing Zhang Fan's palm strike, he offered no resistance, for he knew he was incapable of doing so.
After all, this was merely a sliver of divine sense remnant he had left within his descendant, not even a proper divine sense clone. Its combat power was not strong, at most capable of contending with a peak Saint Domain expert.
The White family ancestor had left this wisp of divine sense remnant on Bai Tianyi not for combat. His intention was that merely by this divine sense remnant appearing, even a common God Realm expert would show him respect.
However, he had not anticipated encountering an uncommon God Realm expert!
"You dare to kill my White family descendant, Bai will surely avenge this in the future!" The white-robed elder's eyes instantly turned icy, fixing Zhang Fan with a stare as if to engrave him in his memory. As soon as the words fell, he was dispersed by the palm strike!
"No!" Seeing his ancestor's divine sense shattered, Bai Tianyi fell into despair.
One moment in heaven, the next plunged into hell. Even his greatest reliance was useless. It seemed he was destined to die today…
Zhang Fan, unfazed, possessed the strength to face even the White family ancestor’s true form without fear, let alone a mere divine sense remnant that wasn't even a divine sense clone.
In the past, when his strength was far inferior to the Pope of the Holy See, he could still make the Pope’s divine sense clone flee in disarray.
Zhang Fan glanced at Bai Tianyi and, having no interest in further pleasantries, directly killed him with a palm strike!
As Bai Tianyi lay dying, he stared intently at Zhang Fan, his heart filled with a regret so profound that all the water in the five lakes and four seas could not wash it away.
The onlookers in the manor were all struck silent, inwardly marveling at the domineering presence of Saint Master Zhang, who had shown no respect even to the White family ancestor’s apparition and had acted decisively.
It was foreseeable that with the White family ancestor's parting words, a great battle might erupt between them soon.
Thinking of this, many people's hearts gradually grew fervent. That was a battle of God Realm experts. Previously, lacking understanding of martial arts, they hadn’t felt much.
But having witnessed the divine might of martial arts today, they were naturally immensely curious about a God Realm battle, wishing they could witness it firsthand.
"Thank you, Saint Master Zhang, for saving my life. I have no way to repay this kindness in this lifetime." At this moment, Qin Tuyi's voice rang out, though it sounded hoarse and aged compared to before.
Hearing this, the crowd finally noticed Qin Tuyi's presence. As they looked, they were taken aback.
Qin Tuyi, who had appeared to be a man in his forties, now looked remarkably old, comparable even to Wei Xian, who was past seventy.
"Grandpa," Qin Luoshui said, a flicker of heartache and worry crossing her eyes. Although Qin Tuyi's actions before had deeply disappointed her, she would never forget the affection and care her grandfather had once shown her.
"Luoshui, I was blinded by greed this time. Just consider it my just deserts. You don't need to worry too much about me." Seeing Qin Luoshui’s concern, Qin Tuyi’s aged face was filled with shame.
He had been momentarily blinded by greed, and although Bai Tianyi had played a part in his delusion, the final decision had been his own. After experiencing all this today, he had finally awakened, his heart filled with regret.
"Brother Qin, you truly aimed for the distant and ignored the near. Didn't you know that Saint Master Zhang is not only a God Realm expert but also a Grandmaster Alchemist?"
"With Saint Master Zhang's alchemy skills, a single spirit pill he crafts would be far more effective than the White family's so-called 'Longevity Gu'." Wei Xian looked at Qin Tuyi’s sorry state with a sigh, but still offered a reminder.
Qin Tuyi froze upon hearing this. Carefully considering his own laughable decision, his regret intensified, perhaps no less than Bai Tianyi's.
However, despite his thick skin, he couldn't bring himself to ask Zhang Fan for medicine. He merely shook his head lightly and turned to walk back into the villa, leaving behind a solitary, dejected figure.
"Old Man Qin," Zhang Fan called out, glancing at Qin Luoshui.
Qin Tuyi turned around and looked at Zhang Fan, a hint of confusion, mixed with a trace of anticipation in his eyes.
"Could it be..."
Zhang Fan flicked his finger. A streak of black light flashed and landed steadily in Qin Tuyi's hand.
"This pill, while it won't make you young again, will nourish your depleted body. Living to a hundred years old will not be difficult," Zhang Fan stated calmly.
Upon hearing this and looking at the black, dragon-eye-sized spirit pill in his hand, Qin Tuyi became immensely excited. If he hadn't suppressed himself, he would have wept tears of joy on the spot.
This black spirit pill was a Great Vitality Pill refined by Zhang Fan. Its medicinal properties were extremely gentle, causing no issues even for an ordinary person like Qin Tuyi, who had never cultivated before.
In the past, such a spirit pill would have been extremely precious, and Zhang Fan would not have given it away so easily.
But now, having mastered the method of mass-cultivating advanced spirit herbs, such spirit pills were readily available to Zhang Fan. However, he did not give them away casually.
He gave one to Qin Tuyi primarily because he was Qin Luoshui's grandfather.
Although he found the old man quite disagreeable, he was still Qin Luoshui's grandfather. If he hadn't given the spirit pill, Qin Luoshui would have understood, but it might have caused a slight rift between the Qin family and Qin Luoshui in the future, which Zhang Fan did not wish to see.
"Thank you, Saint Master Zhang." Carefully storing the spirit pill, he bowed solemnly to Zhang Fan. His sincere words moved the listeners and made them envious.
After Qin Tuyi entered the villa, Qin Zhengming took charge of the proceedings. However, with the events that had transpired and the birthday celebrant having left, the banquet had taken on a different flavor.
The heads of various prominent families present lined up, one after another, to pay their respects to Zhang Fan, hoping for a chance to converse. Perhaps if Saint Master Zhang was pleased, he might bestow a spirit pill, which would be a tremendous gain.
Zhang Fan, however, had no interest in these worldly affairs. After dismissing them with a few words, he bid farewell to Qin Luoshui.
...