“Grand Master Chen Beixuan, why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”
A shadowy grey figure strolled down to the ground from the sky. Every step he took covered at least half a dozen meters. He covered the few hundred-meter long distance in a snap of a finger. When the figure was close, everyone finally saw that he was an old man in a dark green Daoist robe
Despite the white hair that covered his head, his face was glowing with life. His skin was as smooth as a baby’s that underscored his otherworldliness: a quality of a Celestial Immortal.
“Sect Master.” Members of the Medicine God Valley Sect cried at their Sect Master.
The man was the Sect Master of the Medicine God Valley Sect, the King of Elixirs. He was a Perfected cultivator.
The Medicine God Valley Sect had never seen so many casualties ever since its conception. The True Martial’s Dharmic Blade could cut through anything, let it be a Alchemists or a talented Martial artist, all it took for Chen Fan was one sweep of his blade to do away with them.
Zhu Yuntao could only stare. He found it hard to reconcile the godly power of Chen Fan with the image of a rich playboy that traveled with him. Zhu Ruohan hid behind her brother, only poking her head out to watch the development in fear.
“When Qi Zhenyan led a group of people to gang up on me, he thought that I was just a helpless kid, but he didn’t care either. Why should I?” Chen Fan said lightly.
“Zhenyan is already dead, why can’t you just let it go and call it off?” The King of Elixirs said in a deep voice.
“Sure, I can call it off, but will you? Will your sect members call it off?” Chen Fan cracked a smile sarcastically.
He traced a sign in the air with two fingers and murmured a spell. Suddenly, two loud voices carrying out a conversation came up somewhere in the valley. The voices sounded hollow as if it was a replay of a recording.
“We are wasting our time. We still have so many Dao-Reaching Level cultivators and Internal Force martial artists, we should be able to bring him down!”
“It’s impossible to capture Chen Beixuan with an army. The Grandmasters are true dragons, and they have the ability to escape any situation at will. However, if the Sect Master could call upon a couple of Grandmasters and perfected cultivators, and carry out the plan in secrecy, they might trap Chen Beixuan and capture him.”
Hearing the two voices, members of the Medicine God Valley Sect’s faces darkened. They lowered their heads, fearing to meet Chen Fan’s gaze.
These voices were easily recognizable, they belonged to Fifth Elder and the Grand Elder. Somehow, Chen Fan had recorded their conversation while the group of elders were discussing ways to deal with Chen Fan.
The recording justified Chen Fan’s severe punishment to the sect. There is no need to show mercy to somehow who wanted to harm a Grandmaster.
“How’s the Art of Illusive Sound? I’m open to criticism.” Chen Fan cracked a sarcastic smirk.
Ever since he was let into the valley, his Immortal Will had reached straight into the Medicine God Hall.
Thanks to the energy in the golden figurine, he could extend his Immortal Will over a few hundred meters out now. It just so happened that the elders were discussing methods of killing Chen Fan when Chen Fan probed the main hall.
Grand Elder and Fifth Elder’s faces flushed red. The other members of the sect also lowered their heads in shame. They were caught red-handed while conspiring a murder. They were at fault from the outset and brought down the wrath of a Grandmaster by themselves.
The Medicine God Valley Sect Master remained calm. “Excellent skills, Grandmaster Chen Fan. I have never seen such a spell in action before. It appears that everyone had underestimated you. You are not only a Grandmaster Martial artist but also a Perfected cultivator who had reached Dharma Cultivation.”
He paused a second and then said with furrowed brows: “As far as I know, only the Wu Dang Sect practiced Martial-Dharma Dual Cultivation. Do you happen to come from the Wu Dang Sect as well?”
“You would have never heard of the name of my sect, and neither is it for your ear.” Chen Fan said readily. “I need all the thousand-year-old herbs in your sect, and I will leave as soon as I get what I want and will never return again.”
“Hehe, Chen Beixuan, you are an arrogant fool!” King of Elixirs scowled. “If we met anywhere else, I might have to think twice before I confronted you, but this is my turf, and my predecessors had settled here for centuries to build it up. I would not allow you to do whatever you want in here.”
So saying, he fished out a turtle shell, and shouted: “Array, Arise!”
Suddenly, a plume of seven-colored smoke billowed up from the ground. It started with a thin wisp of smoke, and quickly grew into the size of a forest fire and covered the entire valley. Looking up at the smoke from below, it was as if a colorful blanket had fallen over the sky above the valley.
“Seven Malice Poison Array!”
The Grand Elder exclaimed.
This was the most powerful array of the Medicine God Valley Sect. It was cast here by a powerful figure who came to ask for help over a few centuries ago. The powerful cultivator was said to have reached beyond the Dharma Cultivation. The array had only limited use and therefore, over the few hundred years, it had only been activated three times.
Realization gleamed in Grand Elders eyes. The Sect Master was not refining an artifact in seclusion, he was preparing the array formation.
A shred of hope lit up on the faces of other members of the sect.
The Seven Malice Poison Array had always been the stuff of legend. Everyone had heard of it but none had seen it in action. Legend had it that a demon beast used to invade the sect a few hundred years ago. The beast had reached the Dharma Cultivation level and was more powerful than even the Sect Master at that time. In the end, the sect members activated the array and finally killed the beast.
“Dharma Array? Interesting.”
Chen Fan looked at the colorful cloud with great interest.
The Medicine God Valley Sect’s array was quite different than the Misty Mountain Array or the Yin Dragon Pond array. The latter two were less advanced and could only be used once. However, Chen Fan noticed that the array was barely holding up after a few hundred years of use. This might as well be the last time it would be activated.
“They buried Artifacts in the choke points of the valley to draw out the poisonous mists and Malice Qi from underground. To activate the array, the center artifact needs to be turned on. These poisonous mists had been gaining potency over the centuries, and even a Grandmaster would perish if he so much as touched it.” Chen Fan said.
“You have good eyes.” King of Elixirs praised. Then he pulled a taut face and asked: “Chen Beixuan since you know the power of the array, why don’t you just surrender? Are you planning to test the godly power of this array with your mortal coil?”
Compared to the power of an ordinary cultivator, the energy inside the array was directly from nature. It wasn’t an overstatement to call it the godly power of Heaven and Earth since no Grandmasters or Perfected cultivator could rival its power.
Zhu Yuntao and many other onlookers were stupified by the development.
He was stunned by the confrontation between Chen Fan and the elders. However, the terrifying, yet irresistibly mesmerizing sight of the array truly amazing.
“What a shame… I bet you didn’t cast this array yourself, worse, the array is on its last leg. It will fall apart after this usage.” Chen Fan shook his head and lamented: “Do you really think that this Dharma Array can harm me?”
“You are right! This array was cast by the Great Magus from the Dark Witch Sect in Miao’s Land. The Dark Witch Sect was the most powerful sect that uses the Gu Poison Curse. They excelled at using Gu Worm and Poison Mist. The Great Magus had reached beyond Transcendent State and reached the God Reining State. No one would be able to cast such a powerful array other than him.” King of Elixirs said proudly: “Chen Beixuan, you have keen observation, however, you are just too arrogant to see the truth. Even if this is the last time the array will be in use, it should be enough to kill you.”
Zhou Jin Yi said with a trembling voice: “Chen Beixuan, you are just a mortal and are no match against such godly power. Surrender now, the Sect Master will show you mercy.”
“Listen to Jin Yi, young man. It would be a shame for me to kill a brilliant young lad like you. If you surrender, I can guarantee you a seat among the elders.” King of Elixirs chimed in.
However, he didn’t mention his plan to curse Chen Fan with the “Gu of Solidarity” should the boy decide to surrender.
The Sect Master’s offer slipped off Chen Fan’s mind like a drop of water on oiled canvas. He knew that the Medicine God Valley Sect had many spells and curses under their sleeves that could control his mind.
He let out a half smile and said: “What makes you think you will win?”
“Sounds like you won’t give up.” King of Elixirs heaved a sigh and shook his head. He wagged the turtle shell in his hand as he channeled energy into it.
Lights started to glow in the countless cracks of the turtle shell. In a blink, the shell was suffused with a creamy white glow that seemed to attract the colorful mist in the sky. The smoke started to bubble as they were siphoned into the turtle shell, creating a twisty whirlwind. It’s long tail writhed downward and reached the turtle shell.
King of Elixirs held the turtle shell high above his head. The shell had become the base of a misty tornado. The old man shouted as if commanding the spirit of the wind.
“Chen Beixuan, do you wish to live or die?”
Many onlookers lay flat on the ground, scarcely dare to look up. The godly power of the array formation had far exceeded their wildest imagination. Many outsiders who came to ask for a cure kneeled on the ground and prayed for their lives.
Many ordinary residences of the valley started to feel the air getting thicker as their faces turned dark green. The Seven Color Poison Mist had been gaining potency underground for more than a few centuries, and therefore was extremely deadly. Even the slightest amount that got into a human’s system would cause death. By then, only a few martial artists and Dao-Reaching Level cultivators were still able to hold up.
“I wager that this mist tornado is all you can do.” Chen Fan said lightly. He was not at all frightened by the deadly mist.
“Hehe, this should be enough for you.” King of Elixirs pulled a taut face and then sneered.” Even if you are a Grandmaster who had reached Union of Dharma Spell and Martial Arts, you are no match against the godly power of Heaven and Earth!
“Stop wasting my time, are you going to fight me or not?”
“Sigh… Do you really think this pathetic Dharma Array can stop me?” Chen Fan Shook his head and heaved a sigh.
“How arrogant!” King of Elixirs’s patience finally wore off. He swept one of his arms in the air.
“Boom!”
The whirlwind came at Chen Fan like a misty dragon. Everything in its path, be it houses, or humans were lifted up and shredded into pieces. The tail of the tornado touched the ground and ground at the pavement creating a long deep gash all the way from King of Elixirs to Chen Fan’s feet.
“Careful!” Zhou Jin Yi squirmed.
Fifth Elder and the other onlookers sneered at Chen Fan.”Asshole, this will teach you a lesson about the power of the Medicine God Valley Sect!”
Zhou Ziyu kept her silence as she shot a glare at her sister Zhou Jin Yi. She noticed that her sister had changed a lot. Her sister cared so much for anyone outside of the sect.
Life drained away from Zhu Ruohan’s face. Her legs were about to give in as her body trembled in fear.
The Power of Heaven and Earth wrapped tightly in that twisting whirlwind was beyond anyone’s imagination, so much so, it made people feel their insignificance in the world as if they stood facing an apocalyptical tsunami.
Before the misty dragon, Chen Fan stood alone. He raised the golden blade slowly above his head.
Suddenly, countless inscriptions surfaced on the long blade as the golden blade increased its size. In a blink, it had grown to over ten meters long as golden lights flickered on its surface. Chen Fan swung the blade unhurriedly as he uttered under his breath: “Mountain River Cut!”
For a brief second, all that one could see was a thin golden line appear out of nowhere as the rest of the world turned into a wash of white. The golden line seemed to go one forever, slicing the empty world into two. It was as if a Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning had swung his ax and cracked open the egg that contained the primordial emptiness.
“True Martial Thirty-Six Forms, the seventh form: Mountain River Cut!”