55. I'm The Only One Possible

"No... No, I'm not."

Lin Dong quickly shook his head in denial.

Feeling guilty, afraid to admit it?

Chen Xuan sneered inwardly, then commented, "Your training method is impressive! Training with two Manifestation Realm beasts."

"Uh..." Lin Dong's expression froze, as if he'd tasted something unpleasant.

He wished he could train with the beasts, but they weren't interested.

"Huh? Brother Lin Dong, were you really training just now?" Lin Qingtan asked, confused.

Could I have seen it wrong?

She distinctly remembered seeing her brother Lin Dong dodging the two giant apes, barely escaping as they chased him around.

Nearly got crushed! And now he's saying it was training?

Did I suffer Chen Xuan's teasing for nothing?

Hearing her, Lin Dong forced a laugh. "Yeah...yeah, pressure breeds motivation, right?"

Chen Xuan nearly burst out laughing at this bold response.

"Alright, fine! Just wait!" he thought, already planning to raise the intensity of Lin Dong's 'training' with those apes.

Smiling slyly, Chen Xuan said, "If only I had your resilience back then, I'd have done great."

Resilience?

Lin Dong hesitated. Could it be… was he, by some stroke of luck, on the right training path?

Now he wasn't so sure. Over time, those two beasts had indeed only trapped him, not killed him. It was almost as if they were training him too!

Maybe, just maybe, someone was looking out for him?

At that thought, Lin Dong looked at Chen Xuan differently, finding him more likable—even considering becoming sworn brothers with him.

Suddenly, he shifted the topic. "Why are you with Qingtan?"

Even the little marten warned him Chen Xuan was dangerous. So why would Qingtan be with him?

"Oh, Qingtan has become my apprentice, and I'm guiding her training," Chen Xuan replied, looking entirely serious.

Lin Dong blinked, turning to Qingtan. "When did you take a master?"

"Not long after you left," she admitted truthfully.

Lin Dong asked, "Do our parents know?"

Qingtan hesitated, then nodded. "They do."

Ordinarily, he might object. But for Chen Xuan, he felt oddly reassured.

Anyone willing to bring his sister before him surely had a good heart, right?

Lin Dong smiled at Chen Xuan, saying, "Brother Chen Xuan, I'll be counting on you to look after Qingtan."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her. And I'll personally oversee her training!" Chen Xuan replied, adding emphasis to "care" and "oversee."

Qingtan understood his insinuation, blushing deeply. Yes, he was taking good care of her… just perhaps a bit too thoroughly.

Unaware of any undertones, Lin Dong clasped his hands gratefully to Chen Xuan. "Many thanks, then."

However, Chen Xuan had no intention of letting Lin Dong off easily. He leaned closer and whispered, "Can we speak privately?"

"Alright." Lin Dong nodded.

Once they were alone, Lin Dong asked, "What is it?"

Feigning concern, Chen Xuan replied, "From what I hear, Qingtan will soon be forced into marriage at the Lin clan gathering."

This wasn't to warn him, but rather to further unsettle him.

And with the apes constantly pestering him, Lin Dong's peace of mind would shatter completely.

Indeed, upon hearing Chen Xuan's words, Lin Dong's face darkened. "How come I didn't know?"

What could you do even if you did know?

If he didn't still want to toy with Lin Dong, Chen Xuan could easily end him now.

Chen Xuan steadied himself, continuing, "It's recent news. And the person is strong—someone I know, about as powerful as me."

"As powerful as you?" Lin Dong clenched his fists, feeling an immense pressure.

But alas, he was trapped here, unable to move freely and hounded by the two apes.

Just then, Chen Xuan noticed the ancestral symbol book collection guide glowing, signaling the presence of the Devouring Ancestral Symbol and Dark Ancestral Symbol.

Was this the result of sensing the ancestral stones or something else?

For now, Chen Xuan ignored it and said, "With the clan gathering soon, you should continue training. We won't disturb you."

"Wait a moment…" Lin Dong hesitated, just about to say something, but Chen Xuan vanished with Qingtan before he could finish.

Lin Dong was speechless.

Couldn't he have just taken me with him?

As if reading his thoughts, the little marten appeared, scolding, "Kid, are you dumb? That was a perfect escape chance, and you wasted it!"

"How is this my fault?" Lin Dong retorted.

"If it's not your fault, then whose? You just had to pretend you were 'training.' Foolish!"

Lin Dong, too, felt a wave of regret. If only he could turn back time. But with Chen Xuan gone, the two apes stirred once more, now fiercer than before.

Lin Dong, pale-faced and determined, muttered, "Qingtan, don't worry. If you don't want this, nobody can make you do it. I'll handle it—I swear I won't be stuck here forever!"

Soon, news of Chen Xuan slaying a master at the Samsara Realm spread like wildfire across the great sects of Eastern Xuan Region, leaving them all in shock.

In the Dao Sect

Atop the mountain where the sect leader resided, the masters of the Halls of Sky, Flood, Desolate and Earth gathered once again to see Ying Xuanzi.

Sky Hall's Qi Lei spoke up, "Sect Leader, didn't I warn you? We've just received word—Chen Xuan actually killed a Samsara Realm master!"

"What? A Nirvana Realm cultivator killed a Samsara Realm master? Impossible!" Ying Xuanzi was in disbelief.

Earth Hall's Xia Yan interrupted, "Why not? The news has even reached the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace!"

"Old Xia, quit exaggerating!" Ying Xuanzi was about to agree with Zhu Shan.

Then Zhu Shan continued, "Sect Leader, it's not just Nine Heavens Supreme Supreme Palace. The word has spread across every major sect!"

"Sect Leader, I volunteer to recruit him personally!" Desolate Hall's Chen Zhen spoke immediately.

Qi Lei shook his head. "Chen Zhen, your Dust Hall is too weak. Sky Hall is the better choice!"

Xia Yan disagreed, "No, no, no. Desolate Hall already has Ying Xiaoxiao. According to protocol, Chen Xuan should come to Earth Hall!"

Before Zhu Shan could interject, Chen Zhen said, "My Desolate Hall has the Great Desolation Scripture. Do you?"

Qi Lei scoffed, "Old Chen, the Great Desolation Scripture isn't for just anyone to cultivate!"

Xia Yan chimed in, "Exactly. Our Earth Hall's martial arts techniques have lower entry barriers, and anyone can learn them."

Zhu Shan joked, "Lower barriers? You're just admitting they aren't strong enough. Don't mislead others!"

The hall masters were arguing fiercely over Chen Xuan, even more heatedly than last time, to the point they seemed ready to start fighting.

Ying Xuanzi rubbed his temples in frustration. "Enough! Why all this bickering?"

"Sect Leader, this young man's talent is extraordinary; we can't waste any more time!" Chen Zhen urged.

The others shared the sentiment.

Ying Xuanzi thought for a moment, frowning, "Any moves from Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace?"

Qi Lei replied seriously, "Sect Leader, Ling Qingzhu has already left him, and Shen Qing hasn't said a word. How could she still think of going after him?"

Chen Zhen nodded, "Qi Lei's right." Xia Yan and Zhu Shan agreed too.

If it were them in Chen Xuan's place, not even Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace's prestige would make them go back.

Ying Xuanzi nodded, "Alright, Desolate Hall will approach him first. If they fail, the others will step in."

"Thank you, Sect Leader!" Chen Zhen was delighted.

The other hall masters, though dissatisfied, had to concede temporarily.

Meanwhile, the other great sects in Eastern Xuan Region also received the news and quickly prepared elders to visit the Great Yan Dynasty, hoping to recruit this once-promising disciple of Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace into their ranks.

In Yuan Gate, high on a mountain peak, Chen Quan hurried back and immediately found the great elder, Lu Feng.

"Great Elder, something terrible has happened!"

"Be composed! Tell me, what's happened?"

Lu Feng was preparing to retreat into cultivation, aiming to reach the Profound Death Realm.

Chen Quan rushed in. "Great Elder, latest news—Chen Xuan killed a Samsara Realm master!"

"Which Chen Xuan?" Lu Feng asked, stunned.

"Chen Xuan from Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace—the renowned prodigy!"

"What? He killed a Samsara Realm?" Lu Feng's voice raised in astonishment.

The last he heard of Chen Xuan was months ago. Back then, he'd just broken through to Nirvana Realm and reached the Fourth Yuan Nirvana Stage. Yuan Gate had even held an elder's meeting over it.

Lu Feng suddenly remembered, "Chen Quan, months ago, I ordered you to kill him. Why is he still alive?"

"Um… Great Elder, Eastern Xuan Region is vast. I needed time to find him. By the time I did, he had already killed a Samsara Realm Master!"

Chen Quan quickly explained, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Lu Feng's frown deepened. In mere months, Chen Xuan, prodigious as he was, could not have reached the Samsara Realm alone—he must have used some secret technique.

If he could acquire it, he could become Yuan Gate's fourth sect leader.

Lu Feng's frown relaxed, and a smile appeared.

"Chen Quan, have you told anyone else about this?"

"No, Great Elder. I came straight to you."

Pleased, Lu Feng calmly placed a hand on Chen Quan's shoulder, "Good work. For your timely report, I'll reward you by…"

Without warning, Lu Feng's expression turned sinister. "I'll personally send you to the afterlife!"

"Great Elder, I—ah!" Before he could finish, Lu Feng struck, killing him instantly.

Chen Quan's eagerness to flatter cost him his life—a fitting end.

"Sorry, but I can't risk the news leaking," Lu Feng muttered as he cleaned up, eyes gleaming with greed.

In Northern Xuan Region, at a mountain-lake convergence, lay an immense black city, headquarters of the Palace Of Darkness—a mighty presence for eons.

In the city's heart, a sprawling black stone plaza held towering black stones.

Only for rare occasions did they open this place, now packed with thousands looking at a black altar at its center.

An elder spoke, "Everyone, our fourth palace master was recently slain!"

Shock rippled through the plaza.

"And the Dark Ancestral Symbol and Dark Sacred Scythe were taken!"

What? Both the palace's ancestral treasures, kept by every Palace master for eons, had been stolen?

And the fourth palace master, at the Samsara Realm with both treasures, was defeated? How could this happen?

"Elder, who took our sacred items?" someone asked.

"No one knows," he said coldly. "The master was traveling across the continent to find a successor when it happened."

"What are we here for, then?"

"To choose a new master?"

"Retrieving our sacred items is more pressing than electing a new leader."

The elder paused, then ordered, "Spread the word: anyone providing information on the Dark Ancestral Symbol and Dark Sacred Scythe may choose any of our Palace Of Darkness' martial techniques."

The crowd erupted. Soon, they dispersed across the continent, determined to find both the sacred artifacts and seize the Palace of Darkness's leadership.

In Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace, in Shen Qing's courtyard, Lin Qingzhu clenched her fists, biting her lip. "Master, please, let me go see him," she pleaded, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

Shen Qing, surprised by Lin Qingzhu's uncharacteristic gentleness, sighed, "Qingzhu, your relationship with Chen Xuan is widely known. It's not wise to leave the palace right now."

Lin Qingzhu tightened her fists, hesitant but resolute. "But, Master, I'm the only one who could possibly reconcile with him…"

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