Chapter 3: Chu Zhongtian’s Confidence?

Half an hour later, Chu Zhongtian slowly rose, disheartened, and left the Lingxiao Sect.

Gradually, the grand wedding scene began to thin out. The sect leader of Lingxiao Sect, Ye Wumian, stepped forward and patted Ye Fan’s shoulder, his face full of relief as he sighed, “Son, you’ve finally grown up and realized that kind of scoundrel isn’t worth it! But your cultivation…”

Ye Fan took a deep breath and was about to speak when he noticed many disciples around him were subtly staring his way.

His heart suddenly skipped a beat—if the patriarch met with trouble outside, there must be a traitor within the sect!

He quickly brushed it off, “I don’t know how I suddenly broke through… Also, Father, I feel emptiness inside my body now; I want to go to the Medicinal Cuisine Pavilion to replenish myself.”

“Replenish?!” Ye Wumian’s face was full of suspicion. Though he sensed something was off, he thought Ye Fan had at least brought honor to Lingxiao Sect today, so he didn’t press further. “Alright, just tell the elders directly what herbs you need and say it’s my order…”

Inside the Medicinal Cuisine Pavilion, in a secret chamber, Ye Fan sat cross-legged on a central mat.

Before him lay an array of spiritual treasures and divine herbs: the flesh and blood of the Golden-winged Great Kun bird’s bloodline, Jade Blood Spirit Ginseng, Scarlet Profound Fragrant Orchid, and more. Any one of these precious items would be fiercely contested by major sects. Forget the already extinct Golden-winged Great Kun bird’s bloodline flesh—the Jade Blood Spirit Ginseng alone could control life and death, flesh and bones!

Ye Fan rubbed his hands eagerly, about to eat when several elders guarding the pavilion warned repeatedly.

“Young Sect Leader, though you have the sect leader’s order, listen to this old man: these rare spiritual delicacies have been accumulated over hundreds of years by Lingxiao Palace. They must not be wasted like this…”

“Even a single bite of these herbs is enough for ordinary cultivators; eating more risks body rupture. Please be cautious, young sect leader!”

However, before the elders could finish, Ye Fan tore off a piece of Kun leg meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

One bite of Kun meat, one bite of spiritual ginseng, occasionally sipping on spiritual marrow liquid… Ye Fan ate greedily, his mouth watering.

His spiritual power surged within him, sweeping through his limbs and bones, and his realm rapidly ascended from early Foundation Establishment.

Early Foundation Establishment… mid Foundation Establishment… By the time he swallowed the last piece of Kun meat, Ye Fan felt his realm stabilize at late Foundation Establishment!

Ye Fan closed his eyes, taking a breath. A mist enveloped the surroundings as a phantom azure dragon emerged and soared up and down.

The elders’ eyes widened, disbelief etched clearly on their faces.

This was unmistakable proof of late Foundation Establishment: the sign of a hidden dragon emerging from the body, about to enter the Nascent Soul stage.

How could the young sect leader break through a realm that usually takes ordinary cultivators over ten years, all in the time it took to eat a meal?

At that moment, Ye Fan reopened his eyes, his gaze burning like a torch. He already felt the immense power contained within him.

He looked hopefully at the elders of the Medicinal Cuisine Pavilion and smiled, “Are there any more divine herbs of such caliber like the ones just now?”

“No… no more!” The elders shook their heads repeatedly. “Really! Not a drop left!”

Ye Fan stood slowly, his enthusiasm fading. He then turned his gaze toward the north, where the Linghan Sect was located, murmuring, “Looks like I’ll have to bleed you dry after all!”

Now, he was just one step away from breaking into the Nascent Soul realm, where divine abilities awaited.

***

At dawn, in the northwest region, Linghan Sect.

Sect leader Chu Zhongtian sat on the main seat with a furious expression, nearly breaking the armrest in his anger.

Beside him, Chu Linger’s eyes were red with tears as she bowed her head, quietly sobbing, the red handprint on her cheek still visible.

She had just returned to the sect this morning when her father furiously slapped her.

Hearing her sobs, Chu Zhongtian grew even more irritated.

He slammed the armrest, shouting, “Crying? How dare you cry! Your usual willfulness is one thing, but after what happened yesterday, do you still see me as your father? What are you standing there for? Hurry up and come apologize to the young sect leader with me!”

Chu Zhongtian rubbed his throbbing temple, fully aware of the current state of Linghan Sect.

When the old patriarch of Linghan Sect was still alive, Linghan could rely on his lingering prestige to hold its ground in the region.

But now, with the patriarch gone and no powerhouse at the Divine Spirit stage to guard the sect, its influence had steadily diminished.

Moreover, many cultivation resources gifted as dowry from Lingxiao Sect had been consumed by Chu Zhongtian himself to break through.

Yet even with his barely Nascent Soul strength, it wasn’t enough to wrest back the territory lost by Linghan Sect.

When news of the marriage alliance between Linghan and Lingxiao broke, many powers flattered Linghan, returning lands and resources and sending lavish gifts.

But who could have imagined Chu Linger not only fled the wedding publicly but stayed out all night with that wild kid? If that got out, it would be a disaster!

Seeing his daughter’s tears, Chu Zhongtian’s anger softened somewhat as she pleaded, “Father! Senior Brother Lin Yi may lack background, but his cultivation talent is top-notch! Besides, even without Lingxiao Sect’s support, with your aptitude and the secret scriptures passed down from our great-grandfather, Linghan Sect will still become the top force in the northwest region!”

Hearing his daughter’s flattery, Chu Zhongtian’s fury abated.

As the head of Linghan Sect, he knew the importance of hedging bets.

Though the alliance with Lingxiao had failed, his elder daughter Chu Xuan’er had proven more promising. After years of traveling, she had secured a relationship with the young sect leader of Xuandan Sect, one of the foremost cultivation sects in Central Continent.

“Your sister Chu Xuan’er just sent a letter saying she’s already on her way back with the young master of Xuandan Sect!” Chu Zhongtian said, looking around at the sect elders who kept their heads low, the atmosphere tense, offering a glimmer of hope.

“Xuandan Sect? Which one?”

“The Xuandan Sect of Central Continent! Though not the absolute top sect there, it’s incomparable to a small sect like Lingxiao!”

“Exactly. You should know Xuandan Sect isn’t just any cultivation family—they’re famous for alchemy!”

“…”

The elders buzzed excitedly; the others listened with shining eyes.

As an alchemy sect, even a fraction of their resources and connections could elevate Linghan from a minor sect to a powerful one.

The northwest domain was resource-scarce, with deserts symbolizing desolation.

By contrast, Central Continent was vast, its area equal to the other seven domains combined.

Not only was spiritual energy abundant, but rare herbs were plentiful, fostering a booming alchemical industry.

The importance of pills to cultivation was self-evident; just the name Xuandan Sect alone overshadowed Lingxiao Sect immensely.

Everyone praised Chu Zhongtian’s foresight.

“Sect leader, your vision is truly far-reaching! Remarkable, truly remarkable!”

“With such an enlightened leader, how could Linghan Sect not thrive?”

“If it were others, they’d have long submitted to Lingxiao’s tyranny, but Lingxiao never expected us to tie ourselves to a powerful Central Continent family. Soon, it’ll be them begging us!”

“…”

Amid the flattering, Chu Zhongtian’s heart blossomed like spring. He took a sip of tea, calmly setting down the cup as he feigned composure.

“Indeed, now that we have ties to Xuandan Sect, Lingxiao Sect is nothing to fear!”

“Alchemy sects are highly sought after on the continent. I bet Ye Fan will soon be begging us to connect with Xuandan Sect!”

“When that brat Ye Fan arrives later, I’ll give him a good scolding to teach him some respect for his elders! As for Lingxiao’s dowry, hmm, let’s just say it’s his tuition fee!”

***

Chu Zhongtian’s words triggered hearty laughter throughout the hall.

Just as the joyous atmosphere filled the Linghan Sect’s main hall, a cold voice suddenly came from outside, shattering the merriment.

“Oh? Then should I be forever grateful to you when the time comes?”

Everyone turned toward the voice, but upon seeing the visitor’s face, their smiles froze and faded.

Ye Fan strode in arrogantly with a middle-aged man clad in a brocade robe. He casually sat in an empty seat nearby and reminded, “Sect Leader Chu, remember what I said yesterday? Since the engagement is broken, the dowry must be returned!”

“I know you have many official duties and little time to handle such wealth, so I specially brought an appraiser to evaluate the internal resources of Linghan Sect.”

“Though our Lingxiao Sect isn’t first-rate, we have good teeth and appetite—we accept all spiritual beasts, treasures, rare pills, and cultivation manuals. Don’t worry, everything will be paid at market price…”

As Ye Fan spoke, he chuckled silently. It was said Linghan Sect’s lands abounded with heavenly herbs; today, he intended to squeeze every resource from them.

Chu Zhongtian’s face darkened instantly. Rising with displeasure, he scolded in an elder’s tone.

“Boy, you barged into Linghan Sect without waiting for my men to report, with no respect for seniority or hierarchy. You should address me as uncle or elder, yet you act so disrespectfully! Is that the upbringing Lingxiao Sect teaches?”

“You yourself proposed breaking off the engagement yesterday! How have you spared Linghan Sect any face in public?”

“Since the break was your idea, the rules state only half the dowry must be returned—and that half is compensation for the damage to our sect’s reputation!”

Ye Fan narrowed his eyes, a flash of icy light crossing them. He hadn’t expected Chu Zhongtian to shamelessly turn the tables and demand the dowry as ransom!

“So, Sect Leader Chu, you’re unwilling to return the dowry?”

Ye Fan’s tone turned dark and menacing, causing the temperature in the hall to drop noticeably.

“No return? What then?!” Chu Zhongtian narrowed his eyes, his stance unyielding.

Now backed by new allies, he wasn’t afraid to face off against Ye Fan. With ties to Xuandan Sect, if necessary, they could relocate the entire sect to Central Continent for development. Supported by the alchemy sect, Linghan could rise swiftly.

“You dared to break off the engagement and insult Linghan in public, then barge in like this today. I must teach you a lesson on manners!”

“According to our sect’s rules, trespassers die!”

“But for Lingxiao Sect’s sake, I won’t kill you—though punishment you shall not escape!”

With that, Chu Zhongtian’s aura erupted like a tidal wave. As a Nascent Soul powerhouse, his spiritual force surged like a mighty river, making everyone present feel breathless.

Just as the brocade-clad man accompanying Ye Fan was about to act, a brazen voice rang from outside.

“Sect Leader Chu, this ignorant little clown is no match for me—I’ll handle him for you!”

A man and woman, leaning on each other, entered through the main gate behind Ye Fan.

The man was imposing but bore a disdainful air, exuding a strong spoiled noble aura. The woman bore a faint resemblance to Chu Linger but was far more enchanting.

Seeing this, Ye Fan had a vague understanding.

The Linghan Sect members recognized Chu Xuan’er and realized the man beside her was likely the young master of Xuandan Sect they had discussed.

Everyone stood in unison, perfectly aligned.

Chu Zhongtian’s aged face broke into a warm smile, folding with wrinkles as he approached to exchange pleasantries.

Xuandan Sect’s young master, Li Huamao, cast a hostile glance at Ye Fan, then said pointedly, “Uncle Chu, after the formalities, I know Linghan’s situation from Xuan’er. With me backing you, no one will dare bully Linghan Sect!”

Before arriving, he had thoroughly investigated Lingxiao Sect. Though it was a top sect in the northwest domain, in his eyes, it only had slightly more internal powerhouses than Xuandan Sect. In terms of connections and resources, it was far inferior.

“Good, good!” Chu Zhongtian smiled broadly, gripping Li Huamao’s hand excitedly. “I wish all young people today had your manners!”

Watching this old and young pair in perfect harmony, Ye Fan instantly understood why Chu Zhongtian dared to refuse returning the dowry. Clearly, he had powerful backing now!