Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Elder Huo’s Invitation

COUGH... COUGH...! After the members of the Three Great Sects left the stage, Shen Haoran’s taut nerves finally relaxed. The internal injuries he had suppressed suddenly erupted, making him cough up several mouthfuls of blood. His body swayed, and he began to topple backward.

"Brother Haoran!" Ji Lingxuan leaped onto the stage, flashing behind Shen Haoran to support him. Seeing his weakened state, a furious rage welled up inside her. She even felt the urge to annihilate the entire Spirit Crane Sect!

Sensing her concern, Shen Haoran gently squeezed her hand and said, "I’m fine."

It was true. Although he looked pale and incredibly weak, the meridians torn apart by the Heaven-Dominating Tribulation were slowly beginning to recover, nourished by the scruffy old man’s warm Spiritual Power. Aside from some weakness and pain, his life was no longer in danger.

"Thank you for saving my life, sir!" Shen Haoran said gratefully to the scruffy old man. ’If it weren’t for him today, I really might have died here.’

The scruffy old man looked at Shen Haoran, a sharp glint in his eyes. "It’s nothing, it’s nothing," he said. "A mere trifle!"

Seeing the scruffy old man’s strange behavior, Shen Haoran was full of confusion. "Sir, you..."

"Hey, none of that ’sir’ business. Just call me Elder Huo!" he interrupted before Shen Haoran could finish. "You’re one heck of a kid, taking on a Spirit General as a Tier Seven Spirit Pupil. Even an old man like me is impressed!"

"Not at all. It was just a crooked path, pure luck," Shen Haoran said, shaking his head. He wasn’t wrong. ’Without a Secret Technique like the Heaven-Dominating Tribulation, how could I have possibly been Zuo Chuan’s match? If my luck hadn’t held, I’d probably be a cold corpse right now.’

Hearing this, Elder Huo snorted. "What’s this about a crooked path? In a world where power reigns supreme, as long as that power is yours to command, that’s all that matters! Who cares where it comes from? The bigger the fist, the more weight your words carry!"

Shen Haoran had to agree with Elder Huo’s sentiment. In this world, strength was everything.

"Still, not crippling Zuo Chuan today is going to be a problem down the line," Elder Huo said meaningfully.

Shen Haoran’s brow furrowed at his words. ’He’s right. Not eliminating Zuo Chuan is a huge potential threat to both me and the Shen Family. But with He Yiming protecting him, there’s no opportunity to kill him. Maybe if I called on Elder Yan, we’d have a chance, but that would expose him, which is even more unacceptable to me.’

"Sigh, that’s a real headache," Shen Haoran said with a bitter smile, pressing a hand to his forehead.

"Why don’t you join our Sect? With our protection, the Shen Family will be perfectly safe. The Spirit Crane Sect wouldn’t dare to touch anyone under the watch of our Five Elements Sect!" Elder Huo’s gaze was intense as he waited for Shen Haoran’s reply.

Looking at Elder Huo’s expectant face, Shen Haoran had a realization. ’So that’s it. The old man was after me all along!’

"Well..." Shen Haoran hesitated. ’I don’t really want to join any sect. Anything I could gain from a sect, Elder Yan can provide. Joining one would just mean being tied down, and I hate the feeling of being restrained.’

"Elder Huo, can you give me some time to think about it?" Shen Haoran hedged. ’After all, he saved my life. It would be too heartless to refuse him outright.’

Seeing that Shen Haoran had no intention of agreeing, a flash of disappointment crossed Elder Huo’s eyes, but he could only reply, "Fine. In that case, I’ll be staying with the Shen Family for a while!" ’Hmph, if you don’t agree, then I’m not leaving!’

Looking at the shamelessly persistent Elder Huo, Shen Haoran could only give a bitter smile and let him have his way. ’It’s not like I have the power to kick out a Spirit Aspect Powerhouse!’

And so the little episode came to a close. Shen Haoran had achieved a resounding victory in the two-year pact. Surrounded by his family members, he returned to the Shen Family estate to recuperate. Meanwhile, Elder Huo of the Five Elements Sect took up residence at the estate as well, making a trip to Shen Haoran’s courtyard every single day, only to be blocked by Ji Lingxuan each time.

On one occasion, he tried to force his way in, only to be caught completely off guard by Ji Lingxuan. It was only then that he realized the little lass who was always trailing after Shen Haoran was an even more monstrous genius than Haoran himself! So, Elder Huo shifted his target. He began visiting daily to "work on" Ji Lingxuan’s thinking instead, much to her exasperation.

One day, Elder Huo arrived at Shen Haoran’s courtyard right on schedule and began his daily attempt to persuade Ji Lingxuan. Midway through his speech, a loud BOOM erupted from Shen Haoran’s room. A massive Spiritual Power Vortex formed above the roof, instantly creating a Spiritual Power vacuum in a one-mile radius. A tidal wave of Spiritual Power flooded the room, and a formidable aura burst forth from within.

Elder Huo stared at the spectacular scene, too shocked to speak. ’From the looks of it, Shen Haoran must be breaking through. But is this really the kind of disturbance a Spirit Pupil’s breakthrough causes? This is even bigger than when I broke through!’

After a moment of shock, Elder Huo finally came to his senses. By then, the Spiritual Power Vortex was slowly subsiding, and in a short while, it vanished completely.

"CREAK..." With a soft sound, the door opened and Shen Haoran stepped out. He had benefited immensely from this battle. Not only had he broken through to become a Tier Eight Spirit Pupil, but his affinity with the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian had also grown stronger. It was truly a blessing in disguise.

"Brother Haoran, congratulations on your breakthrough!" Ji Lingxuan said with a sweet smile, immediately hopping in front of him as he emerged from his seclusion.

Shen Haoran affectionately tapped Ji Lingxuan on the nose before turning his gaze to Elder Huo. "Elder Huo," he said, "you’re still here!"

Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, Elder Huo snorted. "Hmph, so you were hoping I’d be gone, were you? How could I possibly leave before I’ve convinced you? It’s been days. Have you made up your mind?"

"Well... Elder Huo, to be honest, I really have no intention of joining any sect," Shen Haoran said apologetically.

"You stubborn kid! Why are you so thick-headed? What’s so bad about joining a Sect? A Sect offers healthy competition and countless resources! Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you possess the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian, one of the Five Elements Spirits. There are plenty of geniuses like you on this continent. Your true potential can only be fully realized within a Sect. Why can’t you get that through your head!" Elder Huo said in exasperation.

Shen Haoran’s heart skipped a beat. ’Besides Elder Yan and Ji Lingxuan, no one else knows I possess the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian. How could Elder Huo possibly know?’

"Hmph. I have an Extreme Attribute Physique. If I couldn’t even sense the aura of a Fire Spirit Black Obsidian, I might as well just drop dead!" Elder Huo explained, seemingly reading Shen Haoran’s mind.

"So, you see? Joining a Sect has only upsides for you, no downsides!"

Seeing Shen Haoran still hesitating, an idea struck Elder Huo. "Alright, how about this? We’ll make a bet. If I lose, I’ll leave immediately and stop forcing you to join the Sect. But if you lose, you have to come with me. What do you say?"

"A bet?"