CHAPTER 369: CHAPTER 0366: I INDEED COULDN’T HOLD BACK

"Hey!"

"Is anyone here?"

Lin Fan shouted into the surroundings. Before long, an echo returned, but the area was eerily silent, completely devoid of life—clearly, not even a ghost was present.

Desolate and dilapidated, yet from the traces left behind, one could infer that, in the distant past, this place might have been a thriving land of prosperity.

There was no way he could’ve ascended to the wrong place.

Though, admittedly, most of his divine skills were burst out from others.

Still, he’d spent enough time in the Taiwu Immortal Sect.

The sect’s fortune had long since attached itself to him.

So ascending to the wrong realm was impossible.

"Damn it! The people of the Taiwu Immortal Sect in the Immortal Realm are way too negligent! How could they leave such an important occasion in shambles? It’s utterly humiliating."

"Clearly, they could use someone as capable as me to straighten things out."

He’d only just arrived in the Immortal Realm and faced these frustrations already. It couldn’t be denied—he was someone with grand ambitions.

Unleashing his innate divine ability, Lonely Ghost.

Hoping to see if there were any ghosts around to inquire about the situation here.

But the place was barren, not a shadow in sight, so he had no choice but to give up.

He then started walking toward the distant horizon.

Gradually.

His figure vanished into the dense forest ahead.

Taiwu Immortal Sect.

Several days after Lin Fan’s departure, the sect leaders of various major immortal sects gathered here. They came because of Lin Fan, but upon learning that he’d already ascended to the Immortal Realm, their reactions varied—some breathed a sigh of relief, while others were visibly disgruntled. Among them, the most dissatisfied one was the sect leader of Dongyuan Immortal Mountain, who’d had an arm severed by Lin Fan.

But there was nothing he could do.

The man was gone.

What else could he say?

Luo Baiying sighed, saying, "Since he’s already left, let’s consider the matter settled. Mortal martial arts must not be left behind; we should step in and erase their memories of the Martial Arts Stele, returning peace to the mortal world."

"Even after he leaves, this brat still manages to leave behind a mess. Truly..."

He spoke quickly, but as soon as he noticed Wei You’s unsettling glare—one filled with the threat of tearing his mouth apart if he dared to continue—he abruptly shut up.

Luo Baiying practiced an evil technique, deeply concealed from others. Lin Fan hadn’t exposed it, allowing him to live in peace all this time.

Thus, when he learned of Lin Fan’s departure from the Taiwu Immortal Sect, he was the most relieved.

...

The Immortal Realm.

Swoosh!

Swoosh!

Several figures dashed through the dense forest.

Handsome men and beautiful women, radiating a faint glow of immortal energy.

One of the women said, "Up ahead is Yellow Dragon’s territory. Everyone, be cautious."

"Mm."

"Understood."

Just then.

The ground trembled.

It felt as though a terrifying creature was moving swiftly beneath the earth.

Soon after, the ground cracked open, and a Yellow Dragon roared as it emerged, swallowing a man whole in one swift move.

"Careful—"

But before long.

The man, gripping a weapon, burst out from the Sand Dragon’s mouth.

Looking serious, he warned, "Something’s off about this Yellow Dragon. Its strength seems to have increased."

Yellow Dragon hovered in the air, its eyes—large as lanterns—filled with rage. With a thunderous roar, it dove straight into attack.

"It’s desolate here—feels a bit lonely."

Lin Fan looked around, utterly perplexed.

In an unfamiliar Immortal Realm, he had no idea where to go. If he could call any place familiar, it would have to be the Taiwu Immortal Sect.

But seriously.

The place where he’d been guided was so barren and devoid of shadows that it was unnervingly bleak.

He had no clue who to approach.

All of a sudden.

He saw movement up ahead.

His eyes lit up, hope flickering within. Movement meant people, and encountering others meant he could finally figure out where he was.

In a flash.

He transformed into a streak of light, shooting toward the disturbance.

Before long.

He arrived at the scene, and sure enough, they were living people—finally! It was incredibly gratifying.

And most importantly.

These were the first actual, breathing individuals he encountered since entering the Immortal Realm.

He steadied his excited heart.

Everything must remain calm, composed.

"Huh! They’re fighting a demon beast."

Lin Fan took a moment to survey the situation.

[Yellow Dragon: A one-level Earth Immortal of the Immortal Path.]

[Potential drops: Yellow Dragon bloodline, Ninth Grade Earth Spirit Root, fourteen-thousand-years mana, Yellow Dragon True Scripture, Heaven-Shaking Earth-Turning (Great Divine Power)...]

He shifted his gaze to the group attacking Yellow Dragon.

Their cultivation levels were all at the Earth Immortal Realm, their mana comparable to Yellow Dragon’s, though slightly inferior.

It seemed that for some Immortal Realm individuals, their mana upon ascending befit the immortal threshold directly.

Lin Fan quietly observed.

He didn’t step in to help.

After all, they were complete strangers, and a sudden intervention might lead to misunderstandings.

Best to watch their performance first.

If they were unable to keep up, he’d gladly lend a hand.

Not long after.

With a loud crash!

Yellow Dragon collapsed onto the ground, its blood dyeing the dirt crimson. It was spent, cursing in its heart: Damn these immortals! If you have guts, fight me one-on-one! Ganging up on this pitiful dragon—where’s your immortal chivalry?

"It’s finished! Kill it!" someone called out.

Lin Fan stared at Yellow Dragon, eager with anticipation.

He truly wanted to wait for the battle to be over; however, how could he allow such a prize to slip away right before his eyes? This was the first trophy he’d encountered since arriving in the Immortal Realm.

Damn it!

This was bad!

His hands acted on their own—he simply had to make a move.

Swoosh!

A beam of light split through the space, slashing toward Yellow Dragon. Unable to resist, his hands forcefully cast Flying Immortal Ninefold Art.

Splat!

Yellow Dragon’s eyes widened as its head rolled across the ground.

Prepared for a desperate fight against its original attackers, it hadn’t anticipated a sneaky outsider taking its life in an instant—what a disgrace!

"Who?"

The group targeting Yellow Dragon shifted their guarded gaze toward the newcomer. The Immortal Realm was dangerous, especially in this area, where stolen prey incidents were commonplace. Careless moments could result in being slaughtered by competitors.

[Obtained fourteen-thousand-years mana.]

[Obtained Great Divine Power: Heaven-Shaking Earth-Turning.]

Ha! What a haul.

If no one were around, he’d probably jump for joy, shouting to the heavens about his stroke of luck—what a stunning first kill!

It felt indescribably satisfying.

Still.

Now was the time to remain modest and composed.

"Greetings, fellow cultivators! Please do not fret—I mean no harm. Having just ascended from the mortal world and passing by, I witnessed your struggle against the wicked dragon and simply lent a hand."

Lin Fan approached at a relaxed pace, wearing a harmless expression, working hard to appear likable and trustworthy, with no ulterior motives.

They exchanged glances.

Somewhat reassured.

"So, Daoist Friend has freshly ascended to the Immortal Realm," a calm-looking woman spoke.

Lin Fan replied, "Indeed, I have just arrived and find myself unfamiliar with the land. If it’s not too bothersome, I would appreciate it if you could guide me to a populated area."

He desperately needed to visit busier places to gather information.

From the brief interaction earlier, he deduced that these Immortal Realm people were relatively pleasant and easy to converse with.

Subsequently, Lin Fan asked probing questions along the way.

He learned that this was the Eastern Desolate Domain of the Immortal Realm, a tiny and inconspicuous region—a mere speck of dust.

The woman who conversed with Lin Fan was named Li Xiuer, the offspring of an influential Immortal Realm family.

She happened to be the one with the highest family standing among the group, and this outing was intended to gather birthday gifts for her family’s elder.

Lin Fan asked, "By chance, do any of you know of the Taiwu Immortal Sect? Upon ascending, I arrived at the Guiding Monument, but the place was frighteningly desolate—not a trace of people anywhere."

Li Xiuer responded, "Taiwu Immortal Sect? Never heard of it. There are countless sects in the Immortal Realm, large and small. If it were a major power, I would surely know of it, but Taiwu Immortal Sect doesn’t ring any bells—it must be relatively inconsequential."

"As for the desolation you speak of at the Guiding Monument."

"It’s likely because that sect no longer exists."

"This happens quite often in the Immortal Realm. For all we know, several small sects have become obsolete just in the time we’ve been chatting."

Lin Fan listened to her words, feeling somewhat dazed.

Gone?

That... is kind of hard to believe.

The blow was significant.

Then again, it wasn’t entirely impossible. After all, if they hadn’t been wiped out, someone would have come to greet him!

Li Xiuer said, "The Immortal Realm is complicated—many people ascend from the lower realms and eventually join new sects, so you needn’t worry excessively."

Lin Fan mulled over her comments.

Soon.

The group arrived at a city—an Immortal city. It bore striking resemblance to the ones in the cultivation realm.

By observing the people within,

it was clear they all carried cultivation within them.

Though some had quite low levels of cultivation.

It seemed not everyone in the Immortal Realm had fully ascended, yet overall, their abilities far exceeded those in the cultivation realm.

Li Mansion.

"Miss is back."

The guards at the entrance greeted her respectfully.

Li Xiuer nodded slightly as she made her way inside. Soon, a middle-aged man resembling a housekeeper approached, "Miss."

"This is Daoist Lin, whom we encountered while traveling. He’s recently ascended to the Immortal Realm. Please prepare accommodations for him," Li Xiuer instructed.

The housekeeper smiled warmly, "Yes, Miss."

"Daoist Lin, I have some matters to attend to, so I cannot accompany you further. Should you need anything, feel free to seek out Housekeeper Li. However, I must warn you—our household has many rules, so I hope you can understand and refrain from wandering about." Li Xiuer reminded him.

Lin Fan smiled back, "Thank you, Daoist Li."

Housekeeper Li said, "Please, follow me."

Lin Fan followed Housekeeper Li deeper into the mansion. The doors of the rooms they passed were all tightly shut.

Lin Fan’s eyes glimmered subtly.

His cultivation had reached a point where he could perceive things invisible to the naked eye with absolute clarity.

A strange black aura coiled around these closed doors.

"Housekeeper Li, who resides inside those rooms?" Lin Fan asked.

Housekeeper Li replied, "Those are members of the residence, out during the day. Daoist Lin, you must be exhausted from your recent arrival in the Immortal Realm. I’ll have someone deliver refreshments to revitalize you. You may rest in your room until the evening banquet, at which time I’ll notify you."

Something felt off to Lin Fan.

But he couldn’t discern what exactly was amiss.

Even upon scrutinizing Housekeeper Li’s profile, every detail appeared completely normal.

Perhaps he was overthinking.

Maybe there truly was nothing unusual.

Soon.

Housekeeper Li brought him to a courtyard, unlocked its gates, and stepped aside.

"Daoist Lin, please make yourself comfortable."

"If nothing is required further, I shall take my leave."

Lin Fan cupped his hands, "Thank you."

As Housekeeper Li walked away, he glanced back at Lin Fan entering the room. The corners of his mouth curled into an eerie smile before he hurriedly departed.