Days later, after lingering in Stone Village, Lin Fan finally resolved to depart.
"Little brother, leaving so soon? Why not stay a bit longer?" Shi Yunfeng clasped his hand, his reluctance plain.
The entire village—men, women, young, and old—gathered at the entrance to bid farewell to Lin Fan and Yue Chan. In their eyes, the two had become part of the village, bound by deep ties of affection.
"I've been away long enough. If I don't return soon, the sect might think something's happened and start searching," Lin Fan said with a smile.
His two months in Stone Village had gifted him a warmth he hadn't felt in ages—a sense of home. The villagers' simplicity, free of strife, made this place a true haven, a peach blossom paradise hidden from the world.
No wonder Xiao Nai Hao never forgets this place, he thought. No matter how far he roams, he'll always return to the village that raised him.
"Village Chief, I'm leaving this Five-Colored Luan Bird with Stone Village," Lin Fan said, gesturing to the creature修炼 beneath the willow tree.
Though it looked no larger than a common fowl, when roused, its wings could span over ten meters, its form as imposing as a mountain peak. With Luan Phoenix blood in its veins, it was a formidable legacy beast, surpassing the guardian spirits of many wilderness villages. Still growing, it held the potential to become a regional overlord.
"Little brother, you should take it with you. A fierce beast like this, without someone to subdue it, could bring trouble…" Shi Yunfeng fretted.
Unlike a beast cub, this creature had an independent will, hard to tame and unlikely to feel loyalty to the village. The Green Scaled Eagle was an exception. To control such a beast required overwhelming force, something Stone Village currently lacked, risking it turning the tables on them.
"No need to worry. I've warned it not to cause trouble, and it will protect the village," Lin Fan said, glancing at the Luan Bird.
The creature nodded rapidly, like a chick pecking at grain, its gaze gentle, devoid of ferocity—a seemingly docile bird.
In truth, it wouldn't leave even if driven away. Stationed beneath the willow tree, it had a chance to purify its bloodline, potentially rivaling its archaic Luan Phoenix ancestors.
"That's right! Xiao Qing is a good bird and won't harm us. Grandpa Village Chief, don't worry," Xiao Budian added, his large eyes sparkling as he vouched for it.
The Five-Colored Luan Bird shot him a withering look, clearly displeased with the name "Xiao Qing," but soon calmed, flapping a wing at Xiao Budian in gratitude for his support.
"Hahaha!"
The villagers burst into laughter, their concerns dispelled. They accepted the bird as a benevolent legacy beast, harboring no ill will toward Stone Village.
"Mother Liu, I'll come back to visit!" Lin Fan called out to the charred willow, his thick skin on full display as he casually claimed her as his mother.
To everyone's astonishment, Liu Shen responded, her divine thought soft but clear: "Very well."
Lin Fan grinned, warmth flooding his heart. The big shot's accepted me as her son. My ticket to immortality is secured! Even if I slack off or drop dead, I'll still rise to become an ancestor. Death itself can't stop me.
Crack!
With a flourish, Lin Fan activated a magical artifact, opening a spatial passage that cut across the vast wilderness, sparing them the trek through dense jungles.
"Brother Xiao Fan, Yue Chan Jie, come back to play soon!" Xiao Budian called, his clear eyes bright, waving his small hand.
Lin Fan nodded, then stepped with Yue Chan into the glowing portal. With a whoosh, they vanished.
Their journey would span millions of li, crossing into the Fire Nation to rendezvous with their two protectors. From there, a cross-domain teleportation array would return them to the Heaven Mending Sect.
The passage's endpoint was only vaguely known, its exact location uncertain. As they raced through the tunnel, scenery blurred past like fragmented shards—mountains and rivers inverting, countless peaks, streams, and deserts flashing by, as if they were flowing through the river of time.
Boom!
Suddenly, as they passed a certain region, an immense pressure surged, destabilizing the passage. It trembled violently, warping under the strain.
In that moment, they glimpsed a colossal creature. A single claw, as vast as a mountain, emerged from the earth, shrouded in swirling mist, its form indistinct. Its appearance collapsed several peaks, splitting the ground and birthing an endless abyss. The clank of chains echoed, clatter clatter…
In an instant, the mountain range turned lifeless, the sound like ghostly wails from the underworld. Chaotic qi surged, chillingly terrifying.
"Heavens! What is that creature?" Yue Chan gasped, her hair standing on end, her body icy with dread.
Faced with a being far beyond her, her soul quaked instinctively—a primal fear, not cowardice born of experience.
That's… Lin Fan, equally shaken, felt his hair rise, cold sweat drenching him.
Without hesitation, he equipped every treasure he had. Divine armor clad his body, a Black Turtle Shield guarded his side, a Heavenly Deity Forbidden Artifact hovered, and a remarkable Glazed Treasure Pagoda floated above his head.
He even clutched a Boundary-Breaking Divine Talisman, ready to flee at a moment's notice.
"You…" Yue Chan shot him a stunned glance, a pang of disparity hitting her.
Glancing down at her lone defensive artifact, she felt woefully underprepared compared to Lin Fan's arsenal. Without thinking, she grabbed his arm tightly, ensuring he wouldn't abandon her to escape alone.
Bang!
The azure claw crushed several mountains, mist rolling like an ocean, dust soaring to the heavens—a scene of apocalyptic ruin.
It was unthinkable that such a behemoth lurked in the wilderness. A single swipe could likely kill a Divine Flame Realm cultivator, capable of annihilating any Lower Realm faction.
Fortunately, its aura was restrained, not unleashing its divine might, or the wilderness would have been obliterated.
Though its form was unclear, Lin Fan and Yue Chan discerned it resembled an ancient turtle, bound by crimson-gold chains. Its claws, dulled by time, bore a layer of "rust," as if it had been sealed for eons, only now stirring.
It didn't fully emerge, most of its body still buried, but its sheer size was staggering—large enough to host a sect's mountain gate.
Thud!
At last, the creature sank back into the earth, dust billowing as it vanished. The forest returned to stillness, the chains' clatter fading, the mist dissipating, leaving only a vast crater and haunting remnants.
Huff…
After a long while, confirming no further danger, Lin Fan and Yue Chan exhaled in relief, though their minds remained rattled.
Only after a good while did they exchange a glance, stowing their treasures and wiping sweat from their brows.
"How are there so many hidden powerhouses in the Desolate Domain?" Yue Chan said, heart still racing, patting her chest.
First, a mysterious willow in nirvana in a small village, now this colossal creature—each an unimaginable entity.
"Terrifying! Isn't the Desolate Domain supposed to have sparse spiritual qi, the least suited for cultivation? Why are all the powerhouses gathered here?" she wondered.
Rumors were clearly false. This domain wasn't as weak as believed; its top-tier forces were among the strongest.
"Let's move on. Don't speak of what we saw—it'll cause an uproar," Lin Fan warned, his mind already piecing together a guess about the creature.
Pursuing it, however, was unwise—not with his current strength.
"You know what it is?" Yue Chan asked.
"The Supreme Divine Cache, something countless Upper Realm titans are seeking," Lin Fan replied, glancing ahead. Thankfully, the passage remained intact, sparing them the effort of rebuilding it.
Yue Chan froze, her eyes widening, then sparkling with joy and excitement.
She'd heard of the Supreme Divine Cache—a legendary trove said to hold supreme divine techniques, secret treasures, and the key to immortality, coveted by Upper Realm sect masters.
"We're not going after it?" she asked, the prospect of such a monumental opportunity making her restless, urging her to seize it.
"Go if you want to die. I'm not joining you," Lin Fan scoffed coldly, sprinting through the passage without looking back.
"Uh…" Yue Chan stood stunned, unprepared for his blunt refusal. But reflecting on the creature's terrifying presence, she shivered.
After a moment's hesitation, she hurried after him, abandoning thoughts of the Supreme Divine Cache.
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