Chapter 401: Chapter 144: A New Status Shakes the Gang; Rapid Progress to the Third Heaven of the Spirit Awakening Realm

When she finished speaking, her eyes landed on Chu Fan, and they held a surprising hint of tension.

Cao Feng and several of the Li Clan Elders exchanged glances, knowing smiles touching their lips.

Chu Fan felt her warmth, and his heart swelled. He nodded. "Thank you, Senior Sister. I’ll stay with the gang for now. It won’t be too late to report to the Demon Suppression Bureau in a few days."

He paused, his expression growing more serious. "I came to Qing Province on the orders of Lord Yue Mankong to investigate the Zhang Family. My next steps will depend on the Demon Suppression Bureau’s arrangements."

At his words, the cheerful atmosphere in the hall instantly froze.

The faces of Cao Feng, Chen Xuan, Wang Kaishan, and the others grew dark and solemn.

Only after arriving in Qing Province did they truly understand how terrifying the Zhang Family was.

The Zhang Family was one of Qing Province’s true Big Three.

Their power was deeply entrenched, their clan was filled with masters as numerous as the clouds, and their foundation was unfathomably deep. They were a true behemoth.

For Demon Suppression Envoy Yue Mankong to have a single Demon Suppression Guard like Chu Fan investigate the Zhang Family was tantamount to sending a lamb to the slaughter. It was impossible not to be worried.

Qing Province City had its own Demon Suppression Bureau branch. Yue Mankong only had to send a message and someone would have investigated the Zhang Family. Why make a mere Demon Suppression Guard take the lead?

Obviously, Yue Mankong was scheming again.

A Li Clan Elder stroked his beard, his face etched with worry. "Fan, you may not know this, but ever since word of your deeds in Cyan Yang Ancient City spread, everyone in the streets and alleys of Qing Province City has been talking about how you single-handedly turned the tide and foiled the Moon Worship Sect’s plot..."

"Your name has become a household word. Even three-year-olds know that Cyan Yang City’s Seven Stars Gang has an incredible young hero named Chu Fan."

"I refuse to believe the Demon Suppression Bureau isn’t fanning the flames behind the scenes. What is their intention in pushing you into the eye of the storm like this?"

Chu Fan’s expression remained exceptionally calm upon hearing this. ’He had already figured out the crux of the matter.’

"I understand your concerns, Elders. I’m also mostly aware of the Demon Suppression Bureau’s intentions. But you don’t need to be overly concerned."

His gaze swept across the crowd, his voice steady and firm. "I’m not alone. I have the Seven Stars Gang behind me, and even more so, the Demon Suppression Bureau."

"The ones who are truly going to deal with the Zhang Family are the Demon Suppression Bureau, not me."

"Perhaps my role is simply to be a tool for Lord Yue to stir the murky waters of Qing Province."

"Stir the murky waters of Qing Province?" Cao Feng’s brow furrowed.

Even with the Demon Suppression Bureau’s backing, he still felt the pressure on Chu Fan was far too great.

This was Qing Province, not Cyan Yang Ancient City!

Even those in the Divine Power Realm didn’t amount to much here.

...

「After the welcome banquet concluded.」

Chu Fan followed Zhao Tianxing, Fatty, and the others back to the New Seven Stars Gang’s residence.

Just as Li Qingxue had said, the new residence was in an excellent location, several times more spacious and luxurious than their place in Cyan Yang Ancient City.

To Chu Fan’s pleasant surprise, the courtyard even came with a large, attached training ground.

The area was not only filled with numerous Profound Iron Giant Stones for strength testing but also had countless wooden dummies for practicing Body Training Techniques and Arrow Towers for archery practice.

Every possible facility had been thoughtfully provided.

Chu Fan briefly caught up with his friends, Zhao Tianxing and Fatty. Without even taking a moment to look closely at his new surroundings, he returned to his room alone.

He sat down cross-legged and centered his mind.

’Investigating the Zhang Family is something I clearly can’t take the lead on with my current strength.’

’No matter how strong I am, I’m ultimately just in the Spirit Awakening Realm.’

’Even if I have a Bottom Card that can contend with a mid-to-late stage Divine Power Realm expert, I’m still insignificant before a behemoth like the Zhang Family.’

’The ones who actually make a move will undoubtedly be the experts from the Qing Province Demon Suppression Bureau.’

’I’m just a stone Yue Mankong has cast to test the waters—a pawn to break the existing balance in Qing Province and lure the snakes from their holes.’

Chu Fan was well aware of his role in this.

The main reason he was willing to play the part of this pawn was that he possessed the Demon Suppression Stele.

To this day, he still didn’t know why the Moon Worship Sect referred to the Demon Suppression Stele as "the key."

’If it was a key, there must be a door.’

’And according to the information I’ve gathered recently, that door is most likely somewhere in the Qing Province region!’

A sharp glint flashed in Chu Fan’s eyes.

’Right now, the outside world is buzzing with rumors about my presence in Qing Province.’

’I don’t care if they’re true or false.’

’And I don’t care how wild they become.’

’In fact, these rumors suit my purposes perfectly.’

’Now, everyone on the street, from the elderly to children, knows that I, the one from Cyan Yang Ancient City, am at the Spirit Awakening Realm.’

’They all think that for someone at my level—the Spirit Awakening Realm—to defeat an expert in the Divine Power Realm was a matter of luck, with some clandestine help from Yue Mankong.’

’This is the best possible camouflage for me.’

’Hiding my strength, cultivating discreetly... that’s how I’ll be able to land a fatal blow on my enemies at the critical moment!’

’A huge part of the reason I could repeatedly kill enemies above my own realm back in Cyan Yang Ancient City was that my opponents underestimated me, saw me as nothing more than an ant!’

But facing an entity like the Zhang Family of Qing Province, the pressure on him was undeniably immense.

’To survive this game of chess, let alone gain any advantages, the only way is to continuously improve my strength!’

’With the Map of Mountains and Rivers panel, all I need now is time... and hard work!’

Casting aside all distracting thoughts, Chu Fan immersed his consciousness within his body.

The sheer dominance of the Demon Dragon Celestial Spirit Scripture, the profound mysteries of the Nine Heavens Wind Mastery Scripture—both required him to spend immense amounts of time in comprehension and cultivation.

Inside the room, the Spiritual Mechanism slowly began to converge.

Chu Fan’s eyes were gently closed, his breaths long and even.

He hadn’t even had a chance to examine the room’s furnishings, nor did he have any inclination to familiarize himself with the grounds outside the courtyard.

An urgent yearning for strength compelled him to immediately immerse himself in his cultivation.

After successfully opening up the Dantian Qi Sea in the Spirit Awakening Realm, the subsequent cultivation was rather monotonous and tedious.

The core of cultivation in the Spirit Awakening Realm boiled down to three things.

First, opening the meridians that connect the Qi Sea to the various acupoints throughout the body.

Second, continuously expanding and reinforcing the Dantian Qi Sea.