Translator: CinderTL

Song Wen’s body trembled slightly. He instinctively rubbed the storage ring on his finger, his gaze darting away, completely unable to meet Fan Kang’s eyes.

In his heart, he was thinking, Bai Wei hasn’t shown up yet; she’s probably still in the Turbid Spirit Realm.

But Jian Xiao hasn’t appeared either. He’s likely still there as well.

For Song Wen, this was both good and bad.

"Reporting to Senior Fan," Song Wen said cautiously, "the storage ring contains only my personal belongings. There’s really nothing worth seeing..."

"What? Afraid to let this old man inspect it?" Fan Kang smiled, as if he had seen through Song Wen’s clumsy trick. He looked completely confident.

Under Fan Kang’s pressure, Song Wen hesitated for a long time before finally removing the storage ring. He respectfully handed it over, having already removed the restriction on it.

After a thorough examination, Fan Kang produced two jade boxes.

"If I’m not mistaken, these two Seventh-Rank Spirit Medicines must have come from the Turbid Spirit Realm, right?"

Song Wen’s face paled slightly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He looked utterly panicked and helpless.

"Junior was momentarily blinded by greed. I beg Senior Fan’s forgiveness."

Fan Kang ignored Song Wen’s terrified demeanor, raising the storage ring in his hand.

"Gou Jun, this storage ring contains tens of thousands of high-grade spirit stones, three low-grade Spirit Treasures, and some common spirit grasses and medicinal pills. But... this can’t be your only storage ring, can it?"

Song Wen bowed deeply, clasped his hands, and immediately replied, "Please, Senior, see for yourself. This is the only storage ring I possess."

"Do you think you can fool me with two insignificant Seventh-Rank Spirit Medicines, deliberately creating an opening? Do you take me for a three-year-old child?"

Fan Kang barked, abruptly unleashing his divine sense. It swept over Song Wen’s entire body like a raging storm, searching without restraint.

After a moment, his brow furrowed slightly, and his expression darkened. Clearly, he had found nothing.

His gaze shifted, settling on the native standing beside the mountain valley below.

"What about this person? Could your storage ring be hidden on him?"

"Senior is joking," Song Wen said. "He’s just a native I captured in the Turbid Spirit Realm, a mere ant without even a spirit root. How could he possibly have a storage ring? If Senior doesn’t believe me, feel free to search him. I wouldn’t dare utter a single lie."

Fan Kang’s divine sense meticulously scanned the native from head to toe, but found nothing. He turned his gaze back to Song Wen.

His eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flickering within them.

Initially, he had been absolutely certain that Gou Jun possessed another storage ring.

In his view, rogue cultivators like Gou Jun were inherently greedy and materialistic. If he hadn’t found anything of value, he would never have left the Turbid Spirit Realm so early.

But the fruitless search had shaken his conviction.

"Oh ho—"

A mocking chuckle suddenly cut through the air.

"Fellow Daoist Fan Kang, what’s the matter? Could it be that one of your sect’s disciples dared to deceive you? Shall I help you search?"

Fan Kang turned to see Zhao Ce of the Profound Sky Sect, a smug grin plastered across his face.

His expression darkened further.

"Zhao Ce, the affairs of the Spirit Jade Palace do not require your interference!"

"Perhaps I have meddled too much. However, I do know a method for concealing a storage ring. Simply wrap the ring in a spiritual object that can disrupt divine sense perception, then hide it somewhere within your body. Outsiders would find it extremely difficult to detect. Fellow Daoist Fan, why not cut this man open to see if he’s hiding a storage ring?" Zhao Ce said with a sinister grin.

Upon hearing this, Song Wen’s expression turned utterly terrified. His already pale face drained of all color, becoming as white as a sheet of paper.

"Senior Fan, please show mercy! This junior has nothing to hide. Please spare me from being cut open."

Fan Kang replied, "Fellow Daoist Zhao Ce’s words hold some merit. Gou Jun, to prove your innocence, you must cut open your own chest. As a Void Refinement Stage cultivator, such a minor injury will not harm you. Furthermore, if you truly have no storage ring hidden within you, I will compensate you afterward. Once you join the Spirit Jade Palace, I will take you as my disciple and grant you the position of Deputy Peak Lord."

In the Spirit Jade Palace, a Peak Lord held a position of immense respect, second only to Body Integration Stage elders and Great Ascension Stage Grand Elders.

Therefore, Fan Kang’s promise carried considerable weight.

"This..."

Song Wen seemed tempted, but hesitated.

"Fellow Daoist Gou Jun," Hong Yi suddenly interjected, "Elder Fan’s request may seem a bit unreasonable, but he has only ever taken one disciple. If you could become his disciple, it would be a heaven-sent opportunity for you."

Song Wen turned to Hong Yi. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Hong."

By this point, all traces of fear had vanished from Song Wen’s face, replaced by a look of gratitude.

"I hope Senior Fan won’t go back on his word."

With that, he activated the storage ring still in Fan Kang’s possession, summoning a three-foot-long flying sword.

Holding the sword, Song Wen twisted his wrist, causing the tip to reverse and point directly at his own chest.

As he channeled his spiritual power into the sword, it began to emit a blinding cold light.

Just as the sword was about to pierce his chest, its tip suddenly swerved, striking at Fan Kang’s head with lightning speed.

"Fan Kang, you old traitor, die!"

Fan Kang’s expression changed instantly, and a terrifying murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

How dare a mere Void Refinement Stage cultivator be so arrogant before him!

"How dare you!"

Fan Kang’s robes billowed violently as a suffocating pressure, like a raging sea, surged forth.

Before this overwhelming force, Song Wen seemed utterly defenseless. His longsword immediately flew from his grasp, soaring backward.

Song Wen himself felt as though a mountain ten thousand feet tall had crashed down upon him. His face flushed crimson, as if blood were about to burst forth.

Boom!

Unable to withstand the pressure, Song Wen’s physical body suddenly exploded, transforming into a violent energy shockwave that swept outward in all directions.

But this energy was instantly dispersed by the oppressive aura emanating from Fan Kang.

Fan Kang’s expression faltered for a moment, but his rage quickly flared again.

The body of ’Gou Jun’ that had exploded left no trace of blood. Instead, it was a pile of wood shavings, with no divine soul or fragments of a divine soul to be seen.

This explosion had been merely an Incarnation!

The true body of ’Gou Jun’ was nowhere to be found.

Fan Kang’s gaze swept across the area, searching for Gou Jun’s true form.

Suddenly, he realized that the native cultivator standing among the dense forest atop the mountain peak below had vanished without a trace, leaving only a few fragments of silver talismans behind.

(End of the Chapter)

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