"What kind of demon is this? Why is his divine sense power even stronger than mine!" the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart lamented inwardly, regretting his divine sense attack on Zhang Fan.
The Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart was born with immense divine sense power and was incredibly talented, having personally created many secret divine sense attack techniques.
In the earliest stages of his cultivation, divine sense attacks were his primary means of offense. As his strength grew, the effect of divine sense attacks gradually diminished, but he never abandoned this method.
To this day, even after forming a second-grade Golden Core, his divine sense attack techniques still played a significant supporting role in battles.
He had initially believed that Zhang Fan, not yet having formed a Golden Core, wouldn't possess a particularly strong divine sense. With Li Yangzi assisting, disrupting Zhang Fan's mind, and coupled with the tragic deaths of his subordinates, he was filled with murderous intent towards Zhang Fan.
Therefore, this time, when attacking Zhang Fan's divine sense, he directly split off a powerful strand of divine sense power from his spiritual consciousness space, intending to invade Zhang Fan's Sea of Consciousness and directly destroy his spiritual consciousness space.
However, he never expected that this cultivator, who had not yet formed a Golden Core, possessed a spiritual consciousness space far vaster than his own. The divine sense power that had converged into a sea within it made the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart feel extremely ashamed.
"With such formidable divine念 power, if he can form a first-grade Golden Core and break through to the Nascent Soul stage, he will undoubtedly be able to generate念 force!"
Although the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart had never witnessed a cultivator who had achieved念 force, his innate talent in the realm of divine sense fostered a persistent yearning for it, leading him to consult numerous related texts.
To manifest念 force, one not only needed to form a first-grade Golden Core but also possess an exceptionally powerful divine sense. Only then would there be a high probability of generating念 force during the shattering of the core and the formation of the soul.
After annihilating the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart's divine sense attack, Zhang Fan suddenly unleashed a punch!
Clang!
An incredibly crisp sound echoed. The colossal furnace, which had been spewing endless flames and descending upon Zhang Fan, was sent flying by his single punch!
"Failed!"
Dao Zun, who was locked in combat with Xue Jing, couldn't help but sigh inwardly upon witnessing this, filled with regret and disappointment.
In fact, from the moment Zhang Fan displayed his overwhelming strength by severing three Golden Core realm cultivators with a single sword strike, Dao Zun knew their plan was virtually impossible to achieve.
However, due to his trust in the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart's divine sense attack methods, he still held onto a sliver of hope. What if this Saint Master Zhang's divine sense power was very weak?
But reality had taught them that even if powerful individuals like Zhang Fan had weaknesses, they were beyond their comprehension.
Not only did the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart's divine sense attack methods fail to inflict any damage on Zhang Fan, but they were also backfired, inflicting considerable trauma to his own divine sense.
Bai Zhen, having escaped the calamity due to the sudden intervention of the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart and others, flew to the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart's side, his eyes fixed on Zhang Fan with grave solemnity and full of vigilance.
The four third-grade Golden Core cultivators, who had survived by concealing their presence, stood behind the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart. Gazing at Zhang Fan in the distance, who resembled a killing god, their hearts were filled with dread, wishing they could leave this place immediately.
Originally, their plan was for the four of them and Li Yangzi to jointly suppress Zhang Fan. However, after witnessing Zhang Fan kill three third-grade Golden Core cultivators with a single sword strike, they felt that going forward would be akin to offering themselves up as sacrifices, and thus they did not act.
The sudden emergence of someone from the void to attack Zhang Fan startled Xue Jing and Lin Yun, among others. If something were to happen to Zhang Fan, it was likely no one would be able to stop this group of extraterrestrial cultivators.
But fortunately, Zhang Fan's power far exceeded everyone's expectations. The sudden assault by two second-grade Golden Core experts inflicted no harm on Zhang Fan whatsoever.
"Haha, I thought you guys would keep hiding. Looks like you can't hold back any longer!"
Zhang Fan looked at the few people opposite him, his face alight with irrepressible joy. So many Golden Cores – how many Golden Scale Breaking Yuan Pills could be refined from them?
Just the thought made him somewhat excited.
At this moment, Xue Jing also retreated due to the sudden intervention in the battle. Standing behind Zhang Fan, he looked at the eight Golden Core realm cultivators opposite him. Xue Jing's handsome face couldn't help but sink slightly.
Dao Zun, Li Yangzi, the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart, Bai Zhen – four second-grade Golden Core experts, plus four third-grade Golden Core experts. Even having witnessed Zhang Fan's formidable strength, Xue Jing still felt a sense of pressure.
After all, no matter how one looked at it, their side ultimately had only two powerhouses at the second-grade Golden Core level.
The Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart noticed Zhang Fan's gaze, which was somewhat strange, as if he were looking at extremely delicious food. This made the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart feel very uneasy.
"Could this Saint Master Zhang also be a powerhouse of the Undying Blood Race?" the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart speculated.
"Saint Master Zhang had already discovered us?"
Li Yangzi couldn't help but ask.
"No, I just thought that the guy who lost an arm and still likes to show off in front of Guan Gong wouldn't be so foolish as to bring such a weak second-grade Golden Core and three people to deliver medicine and come looking for trouble," Zhang Fan said with a chuckle.
Xue Jing, listening from the side, also couldn't help but want to laugh. However, upon closer thought, Zhang Fan was indeed speaking the truth.
"My Dao name is Dao Zun!"
The one-armed Dao Zun snorted through his nostrils, frowning.
If it weren't for Zhang Fan's immense strength, he would have already charged forward to fight Zhang Fan to the death.
Bai Zhen, however, felt belittled for the first time. But considering that he couldn't even withstand one move from Zhang Fan, he abandoned any thought of retort.
Zhang Fan smiled dismissively, not dwelling on the name of the swordsman. He casually stretched, looked at the eight Golden Core realm cultivators opposite him, and said, "How should we fight this time? How about I give you all a chance? Come at me together?"
Dao Zun and the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart exchanged glances. Zhang Fan's strength left them utterly perplexed. In one or two moves, he had made Bai Zhen, who had cultivated a mid-grade second-grade Golden Core and reached the late stage, cry for help. Such strength was something even Dao Zun felt inferior to.
Dao Zun pondered. Continuing the fight offered them no chance of victory; instead, they risked losing one or two people, especially considering Zhang Fan's monstrous physique.
"Could it be that Saint Master Zhang has already obtained the fortuitous encounter?" Dao Zun asked.
"No," Zhang Fan replied truthfully.
"We don't believe it. Without obtaining the fortuitous encounter left by the True Immortal Zhiwu, how could Saint Master Zhang possess such formidable power at the Golden Core stage? Unless you swear a life-bound oath with the Heavenly Dao as witness, we will never believe it."
Dao Zun said very seriously.
Zhang Fan chuckled, finding this Dao Zun quite amusing.
He was looking for an excuse to escape.
"Since Saint Master Zhang is unwilling to swear a life-bound oath, it proves that Saint Master Zhang has obtained the fortuitous encounter. Our purpose in coming to Earth was to find fortuitous encounters. Since the fortuitous encounter has already been taken by Saint Master Zhang, and given Saint Master Zhang's strength, he is indeed worthy. We shall not disturb you further."
With that, Dao Zun prepared to take his leave.
"You've come all this way, and you think you can leave without leaving behind a few Golden Cores?"
Zhang Fan moved like lightning, suddenly streaking forward, passing through the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart and the others.
"Sword One!"
A verdant rainbow traced a mystical arc. To the horrified gazes of the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart and the others, four heads were tossed high into the air, their blood painting the sky.
Zhang Fan used the power of his domain to retrieve four Golden Cores, holding them in his hand, and looked at the Gate Master of the Inquiry Heart with a half-smile.
...
ps: Second update of the day! Two more updates to go! I estimate I can manage one and a half more, depending on fate...