The elder in a Taoist robe with loose sleeves floated in the air, letting wind toss his long white beard up until it brushed against his high cheekbone. He was the elder from the Wu Dang Sect who drank tea with Chen just a few days before.
“I am Li Changsheng, it’s an honor to meet you, Immortal Master Chen.”
Li Changsheng bowed to Chen Fan slightly.
Li Changsheng didn’t possess the same nonchalance as he did last time. Instead, he looked impassive and aloof.
“Hehe, Changsheng, doesn’t it mean Longevity? That’s all you mortals care about, isn’t it?”
Chen Fan shook his head.
He had expected this day to come since the moment he confessed to Li Changsheng that he was an Immortal Cultivator, although he didn’t expect it to be that soon. It was evident that the temptation of Immortal Cultivation was too great for these mortals to resist. They wanted it even if it meant death.
Li Changsheng cracked a smile and didn’t say a thing. He then turned around and said, “Immortal Master, I am sure you are familiar with some of them, like Heavenly Master Yao, but please allow me to introduce the other three.”
Yao Daoyi wore a cream yellow robe and stood in the sky while holding a Thunder Seal in one hand. His body was surrounded by crackling electric energy. Watanabe wore wooden sandals and a samurai outfit from the edo period. He pressed one hand on his sword and greeted Chen Fan with an icy gaze. Dharma-rāja Sakya folded his hands together, and hung a kind and benevolent expression on his face.
Chen Fan knew those three men very well.
Although Chen Fan didn’t know the other three, he sensed that they were no less powerful than Yao Daoyi.
“This is Miss Zhantai Qinxuan. She was invited to China from the Mystic Sect by the founding father of modern China, Dr. Sun Zhongshan. We don’t know much about her, except that she is extremely powerful. Ye Qincang has tried and failed to bring her down three times.”
Li Changsheng pointed to a woman in a white outfit.
“Nice to meet you, Immortal Master Chen.”
Zhantai Qinxuan wore a white shirt and a white veil over her face. She floated in the air, toes pointing down. The energy inside of her was vague; its true nature was hard to predict. It could be of buddhism origin or it could originate from Taoism. Nonetheless, she had an uplifting aura that was the product of great enlightenment.
Her voice was clear, with a pleasant and musical timbre to it.
Li Changsheng continued, “And this one is Guru Rama. He’s one of the most famous Gurus in India. As a First Order Brahmin, he has dominated South Asia and ranks number seven on the Divine Roll. He has impressive raw power and is able to stop a speeding vehicle with his body.”
Guru Rama was a scrawny Sadhu: a religious ascetic who had renounced worldly life. His breathing was even and steady, and his body was wiry, lean and extremely tough. He lowered his head and was reciting sutra under his breath. The terrifying power inside of him was evident at a glance. Chen Fan wagered that he had achieved a higher level of attainment in terms of Body Tempering cultivation.
“Last but not the least is Mr. Damon. You might not have heard of his name, but I am sure you are familiar with his other name: The Blood Fiend.”
Li Changsheng pointed to the last person.
Damon had well defined facial features, with high cheekbones and deep set eyes. He looked like a mix of Asian and Caucasian. He wore a wrinkless tuxedo and was shrouded in a wash of darkness, revealing very little of his power.
Chen Fan furrowed brows and said, “The same Blood Fiend Damon who ranked number three on the Divine Roll a hundred years ago?”
“I didn’t expect you to know of me. I am honored.”
An unnatural smile was etched onto Damon’s face.
Blood Fiend Damon ranked number three on the Divine Roll a hundred years back, just below Ye Qincang and the Divine Arbiter from the Christian Church. He was raised in a tibetan temple as a child and awakened his Bloodline Power at a very young age. He went on a killing rampage in Asia, Eastern Europe and Northern Africa, drenching his hands in the blood of tens of thousands of victims.
What made him so deadly was his ability to combine the best of the arts from the eastern and the western worlds.
“Li Changsheng, Yao Daoyi, Watanabe, Dharma-rāja Sakya, Tantai Qingxuan, Guru Rama and Romon?”
Chen Fan cracked a smile.
“Five of the top ten warriors on the Divine Roll are here at the same time. I am honored.”
Of the seven warriors, only Li Changsheng and Tantai Qingxuan were not on the Divine Roll’s top ten list. Along with Ye Qincang and the late Lin Shuming, they represented the combined force of all Eastern Immortal State Warriors.
Among the seven Immortal State Warriors, Li Changsheng had already reached the Mortal Deity level.
That group of deadly cultivators was much more powerful than the seven warriors that Ye Qincang had to deal with. When united, they could even defeat Lin Shuming with ease.
The sight of the seven warriors made Jiang Churan shake in fear.
Although she had never heard of them, their ability to float in the air, and their dramatic entrances with the dark energy and lightning, all of it spoke loudly about their ungodly power.
Yao Daoyi raised the Thunder Seal and spoke in a deep booming voice, “Let’s cut to the chase. Chen Beixuan, hand over your Immortal Cultivation Art and we will spare you.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Chen Fan shook his head and gave Li Changsheng a long glance. “Why don’t you find those visitors if the Gate of Heaven is open again?”
“Finding the Gate of Heaven is a long shot. We don’t even know if it really exists. Plus, what if you lied to us about the Snow God Palace?”
Li Changsheng smirked.
Most Immortal State Warriors were even unsure about the existence of the Earth Level Deities, much less the Gate of Heaven. Li Changsheng was a shrewd old fox and he would not easily believe Chen Fan’s words.
Li Changsheng fixed his gaze on Chen Fan and said with a heavy expression, “On the other hand, your power is real. Many of your traits match exactly with the ancient records about visitors from the Gate of Heaven.”
“But I admit that we don’t know a lot about you. You could be a Curmudgeon’s reincarnation, or you could be a real Immortal. Regardless of who you are we would leave you in peace right now if you are willing to share the location of the Gate of Heaven.”
“Hehe”
Chen Fan snorted and lamented, “Li Changsheng, you are a coward. You told me that you wouldn’t dare to cross me while you were by yourself. I guess your friends had finally lent you some balls.”
“Indeed I told you so. I have lived a hundred and forty years and mastered both martial arts and Dharma Cultivation; however, my strength was worthless in front of you. That being said, the opportunity is too good to pass up. Plus, there are seven of us now, and no one knows for sure who would be the last one standing,” Li Changsheng said as the fire in his eyes burned brighter.
“Just the seven of you?”
Chen Fan scanned the crowd derisively.
He had gained the Azure Thearch Longevity Body and reached the mid-stage of the Divine Sea. Lin Shuming had reached the Mortal Deity level but still failed to defeat Chen Fan. What good was their numbers while most of them were only at the Immortal State.
Yao Daoyi snorted a reply, “There is only one way to find out.”
Dharma-rāja Sakya said, “Chen Beixuan, please hand over your secrets and I promise we will leave you in peace. ”
“It is just that, we don’t want bad blood between us, we only seek immortality. Lin Shuming was more talented than any one of us, yet even he has failed after sixty years of cultivation. We don’t want to turn into dust and perish just like everyone else,” Tantai Qingxuan said.
“Hand over your secrets!” Watanabe said directly.
“Mr. Chen, we can still be friends if you’re willing to help us out. There’s no need for violence. Don’t forget about the bigger threats for all of us: Ye Qincang and the United States of America. We don’t want to give our enemy what they want the most, do we?” Damon the Blood Fiend said knowingly.
“Hehe”
Chen Fan shot a sneering glance at him.
Chen Fan wouldn’t expose his identity if he was wary of people such as Li Changsheng. Their combined force might even be able to bring down Ye Qincang or Lin Shuming, but they were weak and powerless in Chen Fan’s eyes.
He had ruled the universe with an iron fist as the North Mystic Celestial Lord; never once did he care to calculate the intentions of others. If anyone dared to rise against him, he would be crushed by his overwhelming power.
“Save your breath, fist first, talk later.”
Yao Daoyi was the most brusque and impatient. He shouted and then started an art.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning zigzagged across the sky toward Chen Fan. The blaring thunder sounded like a titan brandishing his divine pear, stirring up the heavenly lords.
Jiang Churan’s face paled.
She was an ordinary girl, and had never witnessed such a terrifying scene. In her memory, only gods in legends could summon lightning. Were they gods? The clamor stirred the residence around Yun Wu Mountain; many people opened their windows to see what was going on.
“Why is there thunder while there’s a clear sky and sunshine out here?”
“Pathetic.”
Chen Fan stood unflappably with his hands linked behind his back as powerful Protective True Essence poured out from his system. Those energies turned into an azure screen that covered the entire mansion.
“Boom!”
A lightning bolt the size of a grown man’s arm landed squarely on the azure screen. The screen shimmered a little and remained intact.
Both Guru Rama and Damon were alerted after seeing the ineffectiveness of the thunderbolt against the screen.
The other warriors had seen Chen Fan in action before, so they were not caught off guard. However, since they would fight Chen Fan face to face, his power felt more real than ever.
Chen Fan said in an icy tone, “Leave now, and I will spare your lives. Otherwise, I will kill all of you and all of your diciples.”
“KILL!”
Yao Daoyi doubled down on his art and channeled energy into the Thunder Seal.
“Boom!”
An even thicker purple thunder bolt bore down onto Chen Fan from the sky. The attack packed so much force that it even shocked the other Immortal State Warriors.
“The Thunder Seal of the Heavenly Master Sect really lives up to its reputation as the most powerful Dharma Treasure in the world.”
The other Immortal State Warriors looked at the Thunder Seal with jealousy. Yao Daoyi had commanded the power worthy of a Mortal Deity while he was still an Immortal State Warrior. No wonder the Heavenly Master Sect was able to lord over the world for such a long time.
“Stubborn fool.” Chen Fan snorted as his battle intent surged.
“I shall spill your blood over the entire Yun Wu Mountain. From here on, there will be no more Immortal State Warriors in the East.”
After he said that, a ray of golden light shot out from his waist and soared into the sky.