Chapter 68: The Whining and Barking Old Dog

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Whining and Barking Old Dog

Chu Fan had actually arrived at the Celestial Derivation Sect long ago.

Security at the Celestial Derivation Sect today was lax on the surface but tight underneath. In addition to the guards in plain sight, many more were hidden in the shadows.

But with his current Level 20 Spiritual Power, silently avoiding those guards and hiding somewhere was a simple matter. Never mind the guards—even if Shui Zetian himself passed by his hiding spot, he wouldn’t be discovered.

Yuan Muchun’s sudden arrival had indeed disrupted Chu Fan’s plans.

It was only because he couldn’t defeat Yuan Muchun without taking the Earth Spirit Pill; otherwise, he would have appeared long ago and killed the men from the Red Blood Mansion on the spot.

His senior brothers had died fighting for the sect, yet the Lingyun Sect had done nothing. They hadn’t even gone to collect their remains.

That the Lingyun Sect and the Celestial Derivation Sect could endure such provocation from the Red Blood Mansion today without lifting a finger only deepened Chu Fan’s contempt for them.

But now that he had seen his senior brothers’ heads, how could he remain indifferent?

How could he cower in his shell and let two women be the ones to retrieve his senior brothers’ heads?

When he saw Yun Xi step forward, he was moved. ’She is truly worthy of my devotion.’

At the same time, his hatred for the others from the Lingyun Sect grew.

Before, it was just resentment—resentment for how the Lingyun Sect had cast him aside after he was no longer useful, resentment for their spinelessness. Now, it was true hatred—hatred for their cold indifference.

He was also moved when he saw Yan Ying step forward. ’Even for a friend, to do something like this is truly rare and precious.’

As he himself had said, his senior brothers couldn’t even rest in peace after death. How could he, their most beloved junior brother, allow others to retrieve their heads for him?

So, he stepped out.

The moment his voice rang out, many people sighed at how this wedding feast had taken yet another dramatic turn.

But the instant they turned and saw Chu Fan, the scene erupted into a clamor.

Those who had heard that Chu Fan was dead felt as if they were seeing a ghost.

The guests who hadn’t heard of his death all looked on with a mixture of confusion, pity, and deep emotion.

They were confused as to how he had appeared. How could he have slipped past the eyes of the Celestial Derivation Sect’s guards? Or had the sect’s people let him in? Wasn’t he already a cripple?

They pitied him because the former number one prodigy of the Eastern Domain had become a cripple, forced to watch the woman he loved marry another.

They were emotional seeing how the people of the Lingyun Sect could be so tolerant, while only this one "cripple" refused to bend his back. They were moved by Chu Fan’s courage, awed by his audacity, and even more so, they lamented what fate surely had in store for him.

Chu Fan walked toward the ceremonial stage at a steady pace. At first, no one stopped him. Some guests even moved aside to clear a path as he passed.

Shui Zebo, however, was a bit stunned. For one, Chu Fan wasn’t dead. For another, how did he dare cause a scene at the Celestial Derivation Sect’s wedding?

When Yun Keji saw Chu Fan, his brow furrowed. He then turned his gaze to his daughter. Perhaps in that moment, he understood why she hadn’t cried or protested these past few months and had been willing to marry into the Celestial Derivation Sect!

’But does my foolish daughter really think Chu Fan can take her away?’

As for the groom, Shui Yuntian, his expression turned manic the moment he saw Chu Fan. He didn’t think Chu Fan could do anything today, even though he had known since that day on Cuiyun Peak that Chu Fan had recovered some of his cultivation.

’So what if he’s recovered all his cultivation? What can a mere Golden Core Realm cultivator do?’

In fact, Shui Yuntian felt a perverse sense of satisfaction. ’So what if you’re not dead? Perhaps I should invite you to stand by the bed tonight and watch how I, the Saint Heir, consummate my marriage?’

Yan Ying, who had trembled upon first hearing Chu Fan’s voice, now silently returned to her seat and sat down. She didn’t look at Chu Fan again, but her Spiritual Power remained fixed on him.

She too was intensely curious. What exactly was Chu Fan’s plan? How was he going to get Yun Xi out of a place filled with a third of the Eastern Domain’s greatest experts?

What Chu Fan hadn’t expected was that from the moment he appeared until he was halfway to the stage, not a single person from the Celestial Derivation Sect had tried to stop him. The first to block his path was, of all people, the Lingyun Sect’s Sixth Elder, Li Mosheng.

"Chu Fan, today is the Saint Heir of the Celestial Derivation Sect’s wedding. This is no place for you to cause a disturbance. Stand down at once."

Li Mosheng ordered imperiously.

Chu Fan did not stop. His cold, stern face was a mask of boundless killing intent.

"And who do you think you are?"

"You—! Even if you no longer acknowledge yourself as a disciple of the Lingyun Sect, this wedding is a matter of utmost importance to our sect! I will not allow anyone to disrupt it," Li Mosheng rebuked angrily.

"Heh!" Chu Fan sneered and shot back, "You won’t allow it? Then why didn’t I see you stop Yuan Muchun and his men when they came to make trouble? Whose heads are those five on the ceremonial stage? Why did they die? Did they perform a service for your Lingyun Sect, or did they commit a crime?"

"Chu Fan, are you forcing this old man’s hand?"

"You, Li Mosheng, have some nerve! In front of so many fellow cultivators from the Eastern Domain, you’re not just losing your own face. The people from the Celestial Derivation Sect haven’t even said a word, yet here you are, an old dog, yapping away! What a joke!" As he finished, Chu Fan was practically roaring.

Even Chu Fan himself hadn’t expected to have unintentionally infused that roar with his Spiritual Power.

Because the two of them were already very close, the roar exploded in Li Mosheng’s mind. He immediately clutched his head, screaming in agony as he writhed on the ground.

Many watched this scene in utter disbelief.

’What kind of technique is that?’

Then again, many of the guests present truly did feel nothing but contempt for Li Mosheng.

After a brief moment of surprise, Chu Fan realized what had happened. He paid no mind to Li Mosheng, who was still writhing on the ground clutching his head, and walked straight toward the ceremonial stage.

A few disciples from the Lingyun Sect came up and carried Li Mosheng away. Chu Fan did not stop them.

"Stop!" Shui Zebo finally spoke, his voice a sharp command.

"What? Is Sect Leader Shui afraid? I’m merely here to collect my senior brothers’ heads. Surely the Sect Leader isn’t going to stop me?" Chu Fan asked with a cold smile.

He met Shui Zebo’s murderous gaze without flinching.

Stared down by his gaze, Shui Zebo ultimately just nodded.

Chu Fan walked onto the ceremonial stage and gently knelt before the heads of his five senior brothers. He took out several new, unworn sets of clothes from his ring and softly, tenderly wrapped each head in a garment.

As he did, he whispered, "Senior Brothers, please wait a little longer. When your junior brother is strong enough, I will retrieve your bodies as well, and we will bury you together. I swear by my blood: before you are laid to rest, not even a chicken or a dog will be left alive in the entire Red Blood Mansion."

His voice was quiet, but those close enough to hear felt a chill run down their spines.

He wrapped each head one by one, then waved his hand and placed them into his ring. He also collected his five senior brothers’ swords.

Then, he took out the Earth Spirit Pill and popped it into his mouth before slowly rising to his feet.

Only then did he turn his gaze to Yun Xi. It was the only warm look he had given since he appeared.

He nodded at Yun Xi, then his gaze hardened once more as he turned to face the guests.

He announced in a clear voice, "Nearly everyone here is a fellow cultivator from the Eastern Domain. Some of you may not know me, but you have likely heard my name. I am Chu Fan. I came here today for one purpose: to leave with the woman I love. No one can force her to marry someone she doesn’t love."

BOOM!

"Holy shit!"