Chapter 43

"Ah, it's Fellow Daoist Zhou Yanyun." The middle-aged beauty bowed slightly, and even the burly man Zhao Shanling, who stood silently, clasped his hands, his expression showing a hint of wariness.

Meng Hao watched the storm of events unfolding in the sky, his heart pounding wildly. This was the first time he had seen such powerful figures and so many sects, especially the three major sects that appeared later, clearly from the vast Southern Domain that Senior Brother Chen Fan had mentioned.

"Southern Domain..." Meng Hao took a deep breath. Xu Qing, standing beside him, had a calm expression, revealing no inner thoughts.

Inside the grand hall, Chen Fan's face was pale as he retreated to the statue of the Mountain Support Ancestor. His right hand quietly rose and gently pressed a certain spot on the statue.

With this press, the entrance to the Mountain Support Ancestor's seclusion was immediately and silently hidden. Due to the special nature of the statue, no one inside or outside the Mountain Support Sect noticed, including Zhou Yanyun and the other two.

"Ancestor, your disciple Chen Fan will ensure your safety and prevent anyone from disturbing your seclusion." Chen Fan, with a righteous demeanor and unwavering loyalty to the sect, had taken a great risk to complete his plan. He sighed with relief, feeling no regret.

At this moment, in the underground palace beneath the Mountain Support Sect, in a secret room, the Mountain Support Ancestor was smugly and excitedly waiting.

"They will soon find the entrance to my seclusion. When a group of people break in and blast open my secret room, I will be free." The Mountain Support Ancestor was excitedly muttering to himself when his expression suddenly changed.

"This... this... damn it, you... what are you doing!!" The Mountain Support Ancestor watched Chen Fan's careful actions and was stunned, helplessly watching as the entrance to his seclusion silently closed, leaving no trace, which he found hard to accept.

This arrangement was made by him years ago as a precaution. He had instructed that if a powerful enemy came during his seclusion, they should take this action. He passed the method down to future generations, the hall guardians, to prevent outsiders from entering his seclusion place.

Once this arrangement was activated, unless a true Spirit Severing expert came, no one could discover the location of the Mountain Support Ancestor's seclusion. He had been very proud of this, believing it to be foolproof.

But he never expected that after so many years, he had forgotten about it, yet someone still remembered to do this.

"Damn, I should have left a message not to take in people with strong moral principles, not to take in righteous disciples, not to take in good people. You, you, you..." The Mountain Support Ancestor sat there in a daze, muttering to himself, with a look of despair, thinking about the stone tablet that this person had stopped, his hard-earned plan, and the essence blood he had spat out for it, all being ruined by the same person, who had acted out of good intentions and loyalty to the sect.

Almost at the same time as the Mountain Support Ancestor's despair, in the sky outside the Mountain Support Sect, Zhou Yanyun of the One Sword Sect glanced calmly at the ground. His divine sense instantly spread, covering the entire Mountain Support Sect. At the same time, the middle-aged beauty of the Green Silk Sect and the burly man Zhao Shanling of the Cold Gold Sect also did the same. Their powerful divine senses quickly covered the Mountain Support Sect, searching meticulously.

The powerful figures from the Zhao Kingdom, though startled, were not willing to give up and also swept their divine senses.

After a while, Zhou Yanyun of the One Sword Sect frowned. He clearly sensed the aura of the Great Spirit Scripture here, and felt that the aura was within the mountain, not on the disciples of the Mountain Support Sect, but he could not find it.

Not only he, but the middle-aged beauty and Zhao Shanling also frowned and immediately descended to search personally.

The powerful figures from the Zhao Kingdom, unwilling to give up, also did the same. For a time, the Mountain Support Sect was filled with people, and even Meng Hao and the others were forced out of the grand hall. The grand hall was almost turned upside down, but by dusk, the strange phenomena in the sky gradually dissipated, and no one found any clues.

Even the underground areas were searched, but still nothing was found.

They could only watch as the strange phenomena gradually dissipated, turning into a beam of crystal light and disappearing. With the disappearance of the phenomena, the aura of the Great Spirit Scripture also vanished, as if it had only appeared due to the phenomena.

The Mountain Support Sect returned to its ordinary state, showing no signs of any great treasure. The Yinglong Cave in the Black Mountain was also searched, but the bodies inside had already been taken away by Wang Tengfei, leaving it empty.

At dusk, the search ended. The people from the three major sects of the Southern Domain in the sky all had somewhat unhappy expressions. They had spent spirit stones to teleport here but found nothing, feeling it was not worth it.

"This young man is quite good. Are you willing to join the One Sword Sect and follow me to the Southern Domain?" Zhou Yanyun, standing on a large sword in the sky, glanced at the ground and focused on Chen Fan. When searching for the Great Spirit Scripture, he had already evaluated Chen Fan's potential and approved of him, especially his righteous demeanor, which suited the cultivation methods of the One Sword Sect.

As he spoke, he raised his right hand and pointed downward. Immediately, Chen Fan's body floated up, appearing in front of Zhou Yanyun, under the gazes of Meng Hao, Xu Qing, and the other outer sect disciples.

The powerful figures from the Zhao Kingdom immediately showed envious expressions, understanding that this was the young man's fortune. He Luohua and Elder Ouyang were silent, with complex feelings, but they also knew that the Mountain Support Sect was too small, and if an inner sect disciple had a better future, they would ultimately be happy for him.

"Disciple..." Chen Fan's expression was somewhat complex. He looked down at the Mountain Support Sect, at He Luohua and Elder Ouyang nodding and smiling, and at Xu Qing and Meng Hao. After a long moment, his expression showed determination.

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior, but I am a disciple of the Mountain Support Sect and will never join another sect in my life." Chen Fan looked up at Zhou Yanyun and spoke decisively. He understood that if he agreed, he would have a better future, and he was also eager to go to the Southern Domain, but as a man, there were some things he did not want to do. He would only have one sect in his life.

As these words were spoken, the powerful figures from the Zhao Kingdom were immediately moved. For a sect, such a disciple was more valuable than a treasure! But their eyes mostly showed regret, understanding that by refusing the One Sword Sect, this young man would likely not escape death today.

He Luohua was silent, looking at Chen Fan with even more complex thoughts, sighing lightly, wondering why this child was so stubborn and why this was necessary.

Zhou Yanyun's eyes flashed as he looked at Chen Fan for a long time, then spoke calmly.

"Do you know what the name 'One Sword Sect' represents in the Southern Domain?"

Chen Fan was silent for a moment, then nodded. He was well-versed in the classics and knew that the One Sword Sect was the first sect in the Southern Domain.

"Do you know what kind of status Zhou Yanyun has in the One Sword Sect?" Zhou Yanyun's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with a hint of killing intent, making the sky around him suddenly darken as if it were about to be torn apart by his无形 aura.

"Knowing the One Sword Sect, no one does not know Senior Zhou. Senior is the current Guardian Elder of the One Sword Sect, with profound cultivation and a renowned reputation in the Southern Domain." Chen Fan spoke softly.

"Since you know about Zhou Yanyun, you also know what you are giving up." Zhou Yanyun's voice grew colder, making the surrounding cold air even more intense.

"The One Sword Sect has a history of tens of thousands of years, a holy place for cultivation, where many powerful figures have emerged. Those who join can advance rapidly. I know this, Senior." Chen Fan raised his head, not retreating in the slightest, his eyes clear and unrepentant.

Zhou Yanyun looked at Chen Fan and suddenly burst into laughter.

"I originally planned to make you an ordinary outer sect disciple, but with such a character, good, good, good... You will be my personal disciple!" Zhou Yanyun's laughter was filled with strong admiration. He waved his sleeve and, without regard for Chen Fan's feelings, took him away with the large sword.

At the same time, the middle-aged beauty of the Green Silk Sect, seeing the One Sword Sect's actions, knew that this trip was in vain. If she could take a good disciple back, it would still be a gain. She pointed at Xu Qing.

"This girl is also quite good. I will take her to the Green Silk Sect."

She had noticed Xu Qing earlier, admiring her beauty and cold demeanor. Without waiting for Xu Qing to speak, she took her away with the compass, turning into a rainbow amidst the envious gazes of the surrounding people.

Only the little fatty was grinding his teeth, realizing that after the sect disbanded, he would be free. He couldn't help but feel excited, thinking that it hadn't been many years since he left, and when he returned to Yunjie County, his father's arranged wife would still be a widow. He could enjoy the happiness of having a wife.

"Pity I can't see Meng Hao anymore, but it doesn't matter. I will repay the silver he owes to Zhou Yanyun as a brother. And when I return, I will take over the properties of the wealthy families in the surrounding counties, and then the entire Zhao Kingdom. Ha ha, I, Li Fugui, will become the greatest landlord." The little fatty grew more excited as he thought, grinding his teeth and looking forward to it even more.

At this moment, the burly man Zhao Shanling of the Cold Gold Sect frowned. He was a step late, seeing that two of the three inner sect disciples of this small sect had been taken away. His gaze swept over the crowd of outer sect disciples, suddenly pausing on the little fatty, especially his teeth. Watching the little fatty use a flying sword to grind his teeth, his eyes gradually lit up, ignoring the faint demonic aura on Meng Hao.

"How did this little fatty cultivate such a set of spiritual teeth? These are spiritual teeth! With these teeth, he can cultivate the Absolute Spirit Great Technique, which has been lost for eight hundred years in the sect!

That technique can only be cultivated by biting through spirit stones. This trip was not in vain. Taking this young man back, the old fellows in the sect will surely treat him as a treasure!" Zhao Shanling's eyes shone even brighter. He raised his right hand and, when the little fatty was stunned, grabbed him.

"Boy, from now on, you are an inner sect disciple of the Cold Gold Sect." As the little fatty was stunned, Zhao Shanling threw him into a gray small bag, and faint cries of pain could be heard.

Zhao Shanling turned and led his followers, tearing through the void, while Zhou Yanyun and the middle-aged beauty of the Green Silk Sect were also about to leave.

But at this moment, Zhao Shanling suddenly remembered the previous feeling and turned to look at the Mountain Support Sect again, his divine sense suddenly spreading and focusing on Meng Hao.

This glance made the burly man suddenly pause, and his body stopped. The middle-aged beauty of the Green Silk Sect and Zhou Yanyun were also surprised and paused.

Meng Hao's body trembled, feeling as if his entire body was being seen through by this burly man. Even the demonic core in his Dan Lake was revealed at this moment.

"This is..." The burly man's eyes suddenly narrowed, revealing a sharp light. He had been focused on the little fatty and ignored these weak little cultivators. Now, discovering something, he turned and rushed toward Meng Hao.

"I want this young man too!" His voice echoed, and Meng Hao's face turned pale, his body feeling as if it were about to shatter. The Dan Lake trembled, and the demonic core was being drawn out by an invisible force, trying to break through his body.

Pain spread throughout Meng Hao's body, and cold sweat poured down. The feeling of being at the mercy of others once again filled his heart, making his hands clench tightly, but it was of no use.

But at this moment, a deafening boom suddenly echoed from within the Mountain Support Sect. The sound was so loud that Zhou Yanyun, the middle-aged beauty, and the burly man who was about to take Meng Hao all changed expressions, turning back with eyes full of shock.

"My Mountain Support Sect has only him left. Who dares to touch him!"