At this moment, Yun Fan held the Raging Fire Divine Needle, which had now become an ordinary needle, in his hand.
"Finally refined!"
He breathed a sigh of relief.
"How is that possible?"
Zhao Lingyue's expression was one of shock. She hadn't expected that Yun Fan would not only resist the devouring power of the Raging Fire Divine Needle but also refine it.
One had to know that this was a divine artifact, though not truly divine, it was far superior to ordinary materials.
If it were anyone else, they would have already been dead.
"I've broken through!"
Yun Fan dropped another bombshell of news.
"You've reached the peak?"
Zhao Lingyue's expression was one of disbelief.
Yun Fan nodded, "A blessing in disguise, a fortunate breakthrough!"
Well, Zhao Lingyue didn't know what to say anymore. Should she say that all disciples of the Ghost Valley Sect were monsters?
Her sister was a monster, and now Yun Fan was also a monster. No, he was even more of a monster.
At this moment, Yun Fan said, "What's so surprising? It's just basic operation!"
Alright! Zhao Lingyue was completely convinced.
At this moment, Zhao Lingyue said, "Wang Taixu won't let this go. Since you've broken through, I think we should take the initiative now!"
It could be said that she had witnessed Yun Fan's transformation from a passive recipient to an active aggressor. One had to know that the peak of Xiantian was already the apex in the secular world.
Even in the hidden sects, it was considered an uncommon master.
Many sect leaders of second-rate sects were only at the peak of Xiantian.
"No!"
Yun Fan said, "Since he won't let it go, I think we should stay here and wait for him to deliver himself to our doorstep!"
"Then what should we do now?"
Zhao Lingyue asked, bewildered.
"Eat hot pot!"
...
After a day and night of torment, Wang Taixu finally managed to expel the cold poison from his body.
It had to be said that this night was his ordeal. At this moment, he was wrapped in a blanket, with the air conditioning set to thirty degrees, and he barely felt any better.
After all, the chill from the Cold Light was no joke.
At this moment, his face was filled with anger because he realized he had likely been tricked.
He had been injured in last night's situation, yet Yun Fan and Zhao Lingyue hadn't pursued him.
Therefore, he drew the conclusion that Yun Fan was also injured, and not just ordinarily so.
He had definitely been hit by his Raging Fire Divine Needle, so Yun Fan should be in a worse condition than him.
He had been struck by the Cold Light, and he could recover so quickly because he had life-saving means. After all, the heritage of the hidden sects was no joke.
Conversely, Yun Fan hadn't been so lucky. Being hit by the Raging Fire Divine Needle, the only fate awaiting Yun Fan was death.
Therefore, in his opinion, Yun Fan, even if not dead, was hovering on the brink of death.
"Zhao Lingyue, just you wait until I deal with you!"
Wang Taixu revealed a cold smile, deciding to take the initiative. After all, with Yun Fan crippled, he knew his only opponent was Zhao Lingyue.
To him, Yun Fan was now a free kill, a golden opportunity he wouldn't miss.
Thus, after swallowing another pill, his complexion completely improved, and he eagerly set off.
About an hour later, he arrived at the courtyard where Yun Fan and Zhao Lingyue were staying.
"Wang Taixu, you dare to come back?"
Zhao Lingyue looked coldly at the uninvited guest, Wang Taixu.
Wang Taixu smiled and said, "Zhao Lingyue, I hope you've been well. You are no match for me now!"
"So you intend to have me surrender?"
Zhao Lingyue asked coldly.
"Before, I was afraid of offending your sister, so I never intended to kill you!"
Wang Taixu said playfully, "But now I've changed my mind. Not only will I kill you, but I will also report this to the Alliance Leader. Then, your Zhao family will be kicked out of the hidden sects!"
This was his ultimate goal. Although there were many sects in the hidden sects, resources were scarce. The limited resources were controlled by a few powerful factions.
Especially the Zhao family, who controlled too many resources, arousing the envy of others. If he could use this to bring down the Zhao family, their resources would fall into the hands of his sect.
Then, he would have rendered a great service.
Hearing this, Zhao Lingyue said disdainfully, "Let's not even mention if my sister will let you off. With you alone, do you think you can take on two people?"
"Two against one?"
Wang Taixu sneered, "I don't think so! If I'm not mistaken, that kid Yun Fan is probably dead by now!"
"Then you've really guessed wrong. Not only am I not dead, but I'm doing very well!"
Suddenly, Yun Fan emerged from the room, looking at Wang Taixu as if he were an idiot.
"Impossible!"
Wang Taixu was shocked. "How can you be unharmed? You know, you were hit by my Raging Fire Divine Needle!"
"To be honest, the Raging Fire Divine Needle is nothing special!"
Yun Fan said calmly, "Don't be surprised. Killing you will end this catastrophe!"
Wang Taixu said in disbelief, "You're just pretending. You're already terminally ill!"
Alright! Now Yun Fan was truly convinced. Why was this guy so imaginative?
So, he said to Wang Taixu, "Since you're here, I'll have a one-on-one duel with you!"
"Good!"
Wang Taixu said mockingly, "Let's see how many moves you can last under my hand?"
At this moment, Zhao Lingyue retreated far away, because she knew that in such a decisive battle, she wouldn't need to intervene.
Wang Taixu breathed a sigh of relief after confirming Zhao Lingyue wouldn't interfere. He wasn't Xiao Shanke; he wouldn't underestimate his opponent.
Besides, he had placed a new batch of Raging Fire Divine Needles inside his folding fan, ready to be deployed at any time.
He had initially thought Yun Fan would use the Cold Light, but then he realized he was overthinking. Yun Fan intended to fight him bare-handed.
To Wang Taixu, this was a great insult.
"Kid, you've angered me!"
Wang Taixu furiously attacked Yun Fan, activating his folding fan.
"Bang!"
Yun Fan casually threw a punch, knocking him back.
"What?"
Wang Taixu's eyes widened in horror because, in just a simple move, the gap between them was like night and day.
They were polar opposites.
"How did you become so strong?"
Wang Taixu was shocked. In yesterday's battle, Yun Fan's strength was at most comparable to theirs.
Who would have thought that after just one night, Yun Fan had improved so much?
"I have to thank your Raging Fire Divine Needle. After refining it, my strength increased!"
Yun Fan said calmly.
"You refined a divine artifact?"
At this moment, Wang Taixu's inner shock was beyond words.
"Just lucky!"
Yun Fan said, "Come on! Don't waste my time!"
Seeing this, Wang Taixu dared not linger. Although he didn't know if Yun Fan was telling the truth, Yun Fan's strength had undeniably increased.
Therefore, without any hesitation, he turned and fled.
Unfortunately, in front of Yun Fan, who was at the peak of Xiantian, where could he escape?
In the blink of an eye, Yun Fan caught up to him.
"Remember, don't provoke me in your next life!"
As soon as the words fell, the terrified Wang Taixu fell to the ground, lifeless.
"Too fragile!"
Yun Fan revealed a hint of disappointment. Reaching the peak of Xiantian, it was easy to develop the illusion that everyone else was garbage except oneself.
Even he was like this now.
However, he breathed a sigh of relief. The geniuses from the hidden sects were almost wiped out.
Even if not completely wiped out, the remaining ones were not to be feared, and they wouldn't dare to come and kill him.
He had finally fulfilled his master's instructions, but the Ye family matter was difficult to explain.
However, after this period of experience, he finally understood his master's intentions. His master wanted him to reclaim everything, not just for the Ye family.
But to reclaim the truth that belonged to him, and to avenge himself one day, as there had been too many twists and turns in his parents' lives.
However, he knew that with his current strength, it was impossible to reclaim everything.
Yes, even the peak of Xiantian was not enough. After breaking through to the peak of Xiantian, he realized that this realm was not the end.
To control his destiny, he would likely need to surpass Xiantian.
But how difficult that was. At least now, he had no signs of breaking through. In reality, he was thinking too naively.
Since ancient times, how many people had surpassed Xiantian? Reaching the peak of Xiantian was already a blessing from heaven.
...
In the Heavenly Emperor Hall, the Heavenly Emperor had just finished his official duties and was about to leave when he heard someone report that a stranger had appeared in Ronghua's courtyard.
You must know that Ronghua had become a taboo, so no one would mention her. Her courtyard had naturally been preserved.
Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor knew that he had arrived, not only arrived but was also waiting for him.
So, he immediately said, "Don't make a sound! I'll go and see myself!"
"Yes!"
Then, he went to Ronghua's courtyard. Sure enough, there was a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit, holding a photo of Ronghua and lost in thought.
It was evident that he was deeply saddened and disappointed.
The Heavenly Emperor walked over and said to him, "I knew you would come!"
At this moment, their eyes met, and the air fell into an unusual silence.
" Aren't you afraid of death?"
He asked the Heavenly Emperor.
The Heavenly Emperor calmly said, "What's there to fear about death? What's to fear is something more painful than death!"
Hearing this, the other person said, "You know I will kill you!"
"Of course, I know!"
The Heavenly Emperor said calmly, "Zhan Qingcang, you've come too late after all!"
"Yes, I didn't expect that she would rather die in the secular world than return!"
He said to the Heavenly Emperor, "With your magnanimity, I know you wouldn't kill her. After all, you were the one who made the mistake!"
The Heavenly Emperor said, "That's right, I didn't kill her. I let her go back, but in the end, she still didn't choose to go back!"
"Because she deeply loved you, a heartless man!"
Zhan Qingcang's voice was somewhat agitated. "I waited for her for so many years, and I didn't get her to change her mind, only to receive the news of her death!"
"Twenty years. I still haven't won back her heart. If I could, I would rather it be me who died instead of her!"
At this moment, the Heavenly Emperor said, "Life is like this. Even at our level, there are many things we cannot choose!"
"What am I inferior to you for? Why did she love you so much that she couldn't extricate herself? Even in death, she wanted to die in the secular world with you, yet she never looked at me!"
Zhan Qingcang said unwillingly.
He knew that he was just a substitute, but even as a substitute, he had only loved Ronghua in his life.
Perhaps, this was the greatest tragedy of a substitute: not only did the person he loved die, but his son also died at the hands of another.
The Heavenly Emperor said, "I know you didn't come out for this, but to avenge her. Then I advise you to go back. After all, the agreement has not been lifted!"
"Hahahaha!"
Zhan Qingcang roared with laughter. "If you're not afraid of death, why should I be afraid? I came out for revenge for her and our son. I'm not afraid of death, let alone the old Heavenly Master of Ghost Valley!"
"And the revenge starts with you!"
He pointed at the Heavenly Emperor.
"Good!"
The Heavenly Emperor nodded.
Thus, the two who were just talking were instantly locked in a standoff.
Zhan Qingcang made his move. His strength was formidable, at least at the peak of Xiantian. Similarly, the Heavenly Emperor was also at that level.
As soon as they started fighting, the wind and clouds surged, and their powerful auras erupted. If they hadn't deliberately suppressed their strength,
this courtyard would have been destroyed. The Heavenly Emperor didn't want to destroy it, and neither did Zhan Qingcang.
Therefore, despite their powerful strength, their battle did not attract the attention of others.
"Fight!"
When Zhan Qingcang attacked, the power that erupted was like a raging flood, surging towards the Heavenly Emperor.
The Heavenly Emperor decisively dissolved this raging flood and then actively attacked Zhan Qingcang. This was a conflict born of the grudges and affections between two men.
Their grudges were all channeled into the battle at this moment. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of blows.
But in the end, the Heavenly Emperor was no match for him and was defeated by Zhan Qingcang.
"Why didn't you kill me?"
The Heavenly Emperor asked weakly. He was already severely injured, and killing him would have been effortless for Zhan Qingcang.
"I have wanted to kill you every moment, but I fear Rong'er would be heartbroken if she knew!"
Zhan Qingcang said coldly. In the hidden sects, he was a powerful figure. He had loved Ronghua since childhood.
But unfortunately, Ronghua loved the Heavenly Emperor from the secular world. Back then, he had wanted to kill the Heavenly Emperor countless times, but he loved Ronghua too much.
If the Heavenly Emperor died, Ronghua would likely be heartbroken and would hate him for life, so he didn't do it.
Until one day, Ronghua returned and had a moment of intimacy with him, and he knew that the Heavenly Emperor had hurt Ronghua.
He must have thought that Ronghua's heart had died, and she wouldn't leave him afterward. But in the end, he was wrong.
Ronghua left him not long after. Since then, he had waited for Ronghua in the hidden sects for twenty years, even knowing that Ronghua had his son.
But unfortunately, he dared not acknowledge him because Ronghua did not agree, and he had been waiting ever since.
Even if he waited until the end of time, he firmly believed that one day Ronghua would know his feelings.
Unfortunately, they were now separated by life and death.
"You are the culprit behind Ronghua's death. I won't kill you. For fairness, I will kill your loved ones and make you suffer for a lifetime!"
He said to the Heavenly Emperor with a cold laugh.
"You dare!"
The Heavenly Emperor looked at him in fury.
However, Zhan Qingcang continued to laugh coldly, "If I'm not mistaken, you have another daughter. Don't worry, I'll make sure she dies without suffering!"
"But you don't have to worry too much. After all, you still have a few days to reunite. Before that, I'll deal with Ghost Valley's Yun Fan first! Because he killed my son!"
Zhan Qingcang's face contorted with rage. The Crown Prince was his son, whom he hadn't had a chance to acknowledge before he died at Yun Fan's hands.
It could be said that he hated Yun Fan to the bone. As for the crimes the Crown Prince had committed, they were completely ignored.
After all, he wasn't a savior like the Ghost Valley Sect. He didn't care about right or wrong, only about family ties.
"If you kill him, the old Heavenly Master won't stand by and do nothing!"
The Heavenly Emperor threatened coldly.
He knew that even though Yun Fan had entered Xiantian, he was no match for a renowned powerhouse like Zhan Qingcang.
He couldn't watch Zhu Que die, nor could he watch Yun Fan die.
Zhan Qingcang said, "So what? If I'm not afraid of death, do you think I'll be afraid of the old Heavenly Master of Ghost Valley? At worst, it'll be a life for a life! Very fair!"
"It's not that simple!"
The Heavenly Emperor reminded him, "Don't forget, you are the head of the Zhan family. If you kill Yun Fan, the old Heavenly Master will surely destroy your Zhan family!"
Although the old Heavenly Master was just an old man in Yun Fan's eyes, to outsiders, he was a nightmare.
Never underestimate this old man. In the past, many troublemakers in the hidden sects had met their end at his hands.
For the hidden sects, the old Heavenly Master was their nightmare.
Hearing this, Zhan Qingcang said calmly, "They have lived in wealth and prosperity under my protection for decades. If the old Heavenly Master destroys them, it will be considered them repaying my kindness!"
"You truly are a monster!"
The Heavenly Emperor cursed in anger.
"You should get a good night's sleep! When you wake up, the suffering will begin!"
With that, he struck the Heavenly Emperor with a palm.
Instantly, the Heavenly Emperor fainted amidst his unwillingness.
Then, Zhan Qingcang did not linger. He glanced at the courtyard and said, "Rong'er, I will return. I will personally avenge our enemy!"
When he reappeared, he had already arrived at Yun Fan's residence.
However, Yun Fan was not present, only Zhao Lingyue was there.
Upon seeing Zhan Qingcang, Zhao Lingyue's expression instantly turned grim. She hadn't expected the hidden sects to disregard martial ethics.
As soon as the junior failed, the senior was now dispatched.
"Patriarch Zhan, what are you here for?"
Zhao Lingyue asked coldly.
Zhan Qingcang said, "It seems the news is correct. You have betrayed the hidden sects and defected to the Ghost Valley Sect. Just as foolish as your sister was back then!"
"Hmph!"
Zhao Lingyue snorted coldly. "I don't need you to judge my actions. As for you, as an elder, coming to deal with a junior like Yun Fan, don't you feel ashamed?"
"I am not here on behalf of the hidden sects! There is no shame!"
Zhan Qingcang said, "I am here solely for revenge. Therefore, Yun Fan must die, and you, a traitor, will also be executed!"
"Aren't you afraid of my sister?"
Zhao Lingyue brought up her sister.
Zhan Qingcang said disdainfully, "At this point, even your sister is in trouble. Will she care about you?"
With that, he directly attacked Zhao Lingyue.
Zhao Lingyue was immediately startled, as she was only at the middle stage of Xiantian and could not possibly be Zhan Qingcang's opponent.
In just one move, she was repelled.
"Die!"
Zhao Lingyue, filled with rage, attacked Zhan Qingcang again, but was sent flying by a palm strike. The gap between them was too vast.
"Pfft!"
Zhao Lingyue spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Alright, you can die now!"
Zhan Qingcang approached Zhao Lingyue and was about to deliver a killing blow when, suddenly, a force pierced through the air.
Zhan Qingcang immediately reacted, blocking this force. The one who had arrived was Yun Fan, who was returning from buying groceries.
At this moment, Yun Fan was extremely furious, but he did not attack Zhan Qingcang further. Instead, he helped Zhao Lingyue up.
"Are you alright?"
"Don't worry about me, hurry and leave!"
Zhao Lingyue quickly warned Yun Fan.
Her warning was not without reason. After all, Zhan Qingcang was a powerful expert who had reached the peak many years ago, while Yun Fan had only just reached the peak.
He was no match for Zhan Qingcang.
"Neither of you can leave!"
Zhan Qingcang said to Yun Fan, "I didn't expect you to have broken through to the peak. It's truly surprising, but you're still far from my level!"
With that, he struck Yun Fan with a palm. After all, Yun Fan had killed his son. He used his full strength against this enemy.
"Hmph!"
Yun Fan snorted coldly and attacked Zhan Qingcang simultaneously.
In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of blows, but the gap was still evident. Yun Fan's strength was not as profound as his opponent's.
However, if he were given another six months, he could blow this opponent away.
As for now, reality was cruel. After dozens of moves, Yun Fan was at a disadvantage.
He was beaten by Zhan Qingcang to the point of being unable to retaliate.
At this moment, Zhan Qingcang forced Yun Fan back.
"It seems my gamble was right. If you were allowed to grow any further, Ghost Valley would have another old Heavenly Master!"
Zhan Qingcang felt a sense of dread in his heart. One old Heavenly Master had almost wiped out the hidden sects. If another one appeared, would the hidden sects still have any hope?
The answer was obvious: no.
"Old man, if we were to fight to the death, do you think I couldn't take you with me?"
Yun Fan looked at his opponent coldly.
If pushed to the brink, he would fight to the death. Even with the gap in strength, the forbidden techniques of Ghost Valley were enough for him to take Zhan Qingcang with him.
"Ridiculous!"
Zhan Qingcang sneered, "Since I dared to come out, I never planned on going back alive. If you can truly take me with you, then so be it!"
Hearing this, Yun Fan's expression changed. As the saying goes, the barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes. He hadn't expected this guy to be a complete madman.
At this moment, he said to Yun Fan, "It's getting late, and I still need to rush back to accompany my Rong'er. So, I'll send you on your way first!"
With that, he unleashed his full peak power and delivered a devastating blow towards Yun Fan.
Yun Fan's expression changed, because with his current strength, he could not withstand this attack. It seemed he would have to fight to the death.
Just as he was about to unleash his forbidden technique, a formless power descended, directly neutralizing Zhan Qingcang's attack.
Not only that, but the attacker then delivered a swift blow to Zhan Qingcang's body.
"Pfft!"
This time, it was Zhan Qingcang's turn to spit blood. His eyes were filled with horror. He hadn't expected that after being at the peak for so many years,
he would be so vulnerable in the eyes of the other party.
Yes, the arrival was Ye Ji.
"So it's you!"
Zhan Qingcang hadn't expected that after so many years, the other party's strength had become so formidable. He could be sure that Ye Ji had already surpassed Xiantian.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to severely injure him with a single move.
However, Ye Ji ignored him and asked Yun Fan, "Little brother, are you alright?"
"Sister..."
Yun Fan immediately changed his address, "Patriarch Ye, I'm fine!"
"It's only been a few days, and you're already so cold to me. You used to call me 'sister' all the time!"
Ye Ji was angry. It had to be said that few people would ever get to see her like this.
"Alright, sister, stop talking!"
Yun Fan's blood churned, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Hmph! I never thought the dignified Ye Meiren would have such a decadent day!"
Zhan Qingcang mocked disdainfully.
As soon as his words fell, Ye Ji strode forward.
Slap, slap, slap!
Three slaps landed on his face, knocking out several teeth. For Zhan Qingcang, this was an unmitigated humiliation!
At this moment, it was more unbearable than killing him.
Ye Ji then said to Yun Fan, "Little brother, if you say the word, I'll tear him to shreds immediately!"
"No need!"
Yun Fan quickly said, "He's avenging his son. He's bullying me because I'm young. Ask him if he dares to wait a few more days for me to have a decisive battle with him!"
"Little brother, don't be reckless!"
Ye Ji quickly warned Yun Fan.
After all, Yun Fan had only just reached the peak, and the gap was not something that could be bridged in a short time.
Zhao Lingyue also didn't understand why Yun Fan would make such a request. For them, it would be better for Zhan Qingcang to be killed by Ye Ji.
"It's fine, I have my reasons!"
Yun Fan said resolutely.
"Good! That's what you said!"
Zhan Qingcang said coldly, "Don't let her interfere then!"
Honestly, although he was a madman who didn't care about his life, he was still very afraid of Ye Ji.
"Of course not!"
Yun Fan warned, "Old man, I hope you won't play any tricks within these seven days, or I'll make your life worse than death!"
"Arrogant!"
Zhan Qingcang didn't take Yun Fan's warning seriously. After all, he still had to deal with Zhu Que.
However, when he saw Ye Ji's murderous gaze, Zhan Qingcang chickened out again. There was nothing he could do.
Because if he played any tricks, Ye Ji would kill him in one move. It was better to wait seven days to kill Yun Fan and then deal with Zhu Que.
What he didn't expect was that he and Ye Ji were both from hidden sects. He thought Ye Ji would give him some face, but he didn't expect that from beginning to end, Ye Ji didn't give him any face at all. He had lost face today.
At this moment, Ye Ji said coldly, "Get lost!"
Zhan Qingcang wanted to leave a harsh word, but he decided against it. If he were really killed by Ye Ji's palm, how would he get his revenge?
So, at this moment, he could only leave dejectedly.
However, he had already made his plans. Ye Ji would soon become a laughingstock in the hidden sects. A woman that even the Alliance Leader couldn't obtain, yet she was engaging in an affair with a much younger man.
Wasn't this a joke? He planned to spread this news to take revenge for the humiliation he had just suffered.
Of course, Ye Ji didn't know his intentions, or she would have killed him on the spot.
"Yun Fan, you're too reckless!"
Zhao Lingyue complained to Yun Fan.
Yun Fan smiled and said, "You don't understand. He's my best stepping stone. Let him fulfill my path to the peak."
Of course, Yun Fan's reason for doing this was not just to treat Zhan Qingcang as a stepping stone. There was something even more important: the matter of Ghost Valley must be resolved by Ghost Valley itself, especially since Zhan Qingcang had broken the rules of the past. Then it was up to him to resolve it.