CHAPTER 12: BY THE MANDATE OF HEAVENS, THE HEAVENLY MANDATE HALL

"Big Brother! Big Brother! Wait for me! Don't walk so fast!"

Barely half a day had passed, and Lu Chen was already regretting his decision to bring the boy along.

Nantian Yijian was a complete chatterbox. Every few steps, he would gasp in admiration at Lu Chen's graceful movements and bombard him with endless questions.

"Big Brother, Big Brother, what's your cultivation level? How are you so powerful?"

"Fifth level of the Qi Absorption Realm."

"Big Brother, how long did it take you to reach that stage?"

"Half a year."

"Half a year to reach the fifth level? That's insane! It took me five whole years, and I still can't even beat those beasts!"

"Big Bro—"

Before he could finish, Lu Chen cut him off. He knew the guy was just curious, but if he heard one more word, he was going to lose it. Still, Nantian Yijian wouldn't stop, loudly calling after him again and again.

Left with no choice, Lu Chen vented all his frustration on the demonic beasts. One, two, three... the more came, the more Lu Chen would cut down.

Suddenly, Nantian Yijian went silent. Lu Chen turned to look and saw him staring wide-eyed at something behind a large tree, utterly stunned.

Following his line of sight, he spotted a group of cultivators about a hundred meters ahead, surrounding an old man and a teenage boy. The old man looked ordinary and stood protectively in front of the boy. Judging by their appearance, the boy was likely a young master from some noble clan who had wandered out for a stroll, only to end up cornered here.

He wore a dark orange brocade robe patterned with beast motifs, and a green barbarian-style sash cinched around his waist. His jet-black hair glistened in the light, and his sharp, tiger-like eyes exuded a bold, heroic spirit.

Lu Chen was immediately drawn to him. That presence... he's not someone ordinary.

The boy showed no fear facing the group of cultivators. He pulled a black spear from his storage pouch, gently pushed the old man aside, and pointed the spear at the surrounding cultivators. "Do you even know who I am? And you still dare try to block my path?"

Despite his words, those surrounding him didn't back down. Instead, they burst out laughing. "Haha! You're exactly who we've been looking for. Jun Laoye, you still don't get it, do you? Your brother has already issued a bounty for your capture. As long as we hand you over, we'll be set for life. So tell me, do you think it matters whether we're aware of your status or not?"

Jun Laoye's expression darkened. He had thought revealing his identity would scare them off, but clearly, they had been after him from the start.

This was already the fourth group he'd run into since entering the Demonic Beast Forest. He was nearly out of strength and could only hope there would be no more groups after this, so he could finally catch a break.

Jun Laoye raised his black spear over his head and spun it into a flourish before charging straight at the enemy cultivators. The old man followed suit, wielding a spear of his own as the two engaged the enemy side by side.

Lu Chen watched closely. Jun Laoye's movements were precise, with every thrust clean, and every block efficient. That kind of skill only came from relentless, disciplined training.

But no matter how refined their skills were, two people couldn't hold out against an entire group. Before long, the tide began to turn, and both Jun Laoye and the old man started to falter.

To Lu Chen, this was an internal clan dispute, something he had no intention of getting involved in. Seeing that the outcome of the fight was already set, he was about to drag Nantian Yijian away.

Just then, Feng Tiancheng's voice echoed in his mind, "Little Lu, wait. Look at the boy's chest."

Lu Chen followed Feng Tiancheng's suggestion and turned his gaze toward Jun Laoye. The fabric over Jun Laoye's chest had already been torn, revealing a token underneath.

There wasn't anything remarkable about the token at first glance, but its style was the same as the one he had found on the leader of the group that had attacked his grandfather, even though the markings on it were slightly different.

As soon as Lu Chen saw that, he already knew he had to step in. The token was the only clue he had about his grandfather's whereabouts.

His aura changed, becoming sharper. To uncover the truth behind the connection, he had to save the master and servant first.

Nantian Yijian was stunned by Lu Chen's sudden change and couldn't help but ask, "Big brother, what are you doing?"

Lu Chen didn't answer. He simply activated Star-Serpent Cloud Concealment and charged forward.

Nantian Yijian watched him rush in. He wasn't sure if Lu Chen could handle all those cultivators alone, but if Lu Chen was charging in, then he would follow, no matter the cost.

He shouted as he followed behind, "So be it! Better to die and be reincarnated early!"

Jun Laoye and the old man were exhausted, slowly being forced into a corner. Just then, they sensed another group rushing over from afar. They couldn't tell if the newcomers were friend or foe, but the sudden shift gave them a sliver of hope. As long as they could catch their breath, these cultivators wouldn't pose a threat.

Lu Chen didn't spare the pair a glance. He charged straight into the remaining five cultivators, unleashing his full strength.

The Green Sovereign Divine Tree extended its vines, wildly lashing out at the enemies, and as he rushed in, Lu Chen used the Flood Dragon's Dive to summon three shadow clones to keep his opponents busy.

Silver Snake Emerges From Its Lair! Star-Serpent Cloud Concealment! Heaven-Splitting Six Yang Palms!

Lu Chen ignored any feeling of exhaustion. His only goal was to eliminate the enemies as fast as possible so he could ask Jun Laoye about that token.

Nantian Yijian also activated his enchanted artifact and became locked in a fierce battle with one of the cultivators.

Jun Laoye was surprised by what he saw and kept his eyes on Lu Chen's movements. At first, he had assumed Lu Chen was simply buying time until he recovered enough strength to join the fight and help take down the enemies. But now, he realized Lu Chen's combat strength was on par with his own, perhaps even superior in terms of technique.

When he saw Lu Chen summon vines from thin air without using any hand seals or incantations, his eyes widened in shock. "That's a divine ability... But why would someone with a divine ability show up here?"

Jun Laoye grew more curious about Lu Chen. He possessed a divine ability as well, so he understood just how rare it was. Only those with extraordinary talent could awaken one during a major breakthrough. The more gifted someone was, the more divine abilities they might unlock.

Under the combined assault of Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian, the remaining cultivators began to falter. Soon after, they were begging for mercy.

Lu Chen was just about to stop attacking and let them go when the voice of Feng Tiancheng echoed in his mind, "Kill them now, don't take any chances. In battle, never show mercy to your enemies."

But Lu Chen hesitated, and his movements slowed.

One of the cultivators seized the moment and swung his sword at him. Nantian Yijian reacted instantly, shoving Lu Chen aside and taking the blow himself. A deep gash tore across his thigh, and blood poured out.

Lu Chen's eyes turned red. He had already lost his family once, right before his eyes. Now, with a sworn brother finally by his side, seeing him hurt because of his hesitation made Lu Chen snap completely. He summoned the vines of the Green Sovereign Divine Tree and tore the attacking cultivator apart. Then he turned and slaughtered the rest without mercy.

He rushed to Nantian Yijian, overwhelmed with guilt, and quickly fed him a healing pill. Only then did the bleeding gradually stop.

In that moment, he finally understood why Feng Tiancheng had said that mercy had no place on the battlefield. Evil had to be eliminated at its roots. Mercy without the strength to protect those beside him was nothing short of irresponsibility. This was the second lesson on his path of cultivation.

Just then, Jun Laoye and the old man, his servant, walked over, cupped their fists, and expressed their gratitude.

Jun Laoye took out a pill and said, "Fellow Daoist, this is a Small Heaven Restoration Pill. It rapidly heals wounds. You can give it to your brother."

Lu Chen inspected the pill before feeding it to Nantian Yijian. Slowly, the wound began to close.

Jun Laoye introduced himself, "I am Jun Laoye, from Heavenly Rite—"

Before he could finish, his servant stepped forward and interrupted him. "We're from the Heavenly Mandate Hall. We were on our way back when we were ambushed."

As he spoke, he handed Lu Chen a token engraved with a spear. "Young friend, this is my identity token. If you ever need help in the future, come find me in the Heavenly Mandate Hall."

Lu Chen took the token. Judging from Jun Laoye's reaction, it was obvious his servant was lying. Nevertheless, Lu Chen didn't press the matter. All that mattered now was understanding the origin of this token. As for the rest, Lu Chen didn't care. Besides, he would eventually need a place to settle down, and this token came at just the right time.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist. If I ever come asking for help, I hope you won't find it troublesome."

"Not at all, not at all," Jun Laoye replied quickly.

Lu Chen put the token away and helped Nantian Yijian sit under a tree.

He then took out the token he had been trying to identify and asked the two if they recognized its origin. Both Jun Laoye and his servant shook their heads.

However, Jun Laoye said, "In two months, the Heavenly Mandate Hall will begin its annual disciple recruitment. With your strength, you'll definitely qualify for the inner sect. Once you're in, you'll be able to access the Inner Scripture Vault. It holds records about all the major sects and factions across the continent. By then, I'll also have my second uncle personally thank you."

Lu Chen nodded. "Once I make it out of the Demonic Beast Forest, I'll be sure to visit the Heavenly Mandate Hall."

Jun Laoye smiled, clearly pleased. "Please do."

With no new leads on the token, Lu Chen lost interest in further conversation. After a few more polite exchanges, the servant leaned in to whisper something to the young master, and the two quickly took their leave.

After they left, Nantian Yijian spoke up, voicing the doubts he had been holding back. But Lu Chen didn't want to burden him with his own hatred, so he didn't answer.

"Big Brother, didn't we agree that brothers face their enemies together and shoulder hardships side by side? Big Brother... do you not see me as your brother?"

Faced with Nantian Yijian's persistence, Lu Chen finally opened up. He told him about his grandfather being taken and the massacre of his village.

After hearing the story, Nantian Yijian felt his own hardships were nothing in comparison, and yet, Lu Chen still carried on with unwavering resolve.

Nantian Yijian went on to say, "Big Brother, don't worry. I'll train hard. One day, we'll rescue your grandfather together."

Lu Chen nodded. "But right now, the most important thing is finding a lead."

As he spoke, he began stripping the fallen cultivators of their weapons and valuables. He then walked over and began sorting through the loot with Nantian Yijian.

There was a lot, but only a few items were actually useful.

Lu Chen picked out a set of armor for himself and handed the rest of the gear to Nantian Yijian. Nantian Yijian accepted it without hesitation.

Then, he noticed that Nantian Yijian was still using a basic Heavenly Spirit-Gathering Disk. Since he had no use for one, Lu Chen reached into the Twin-Fish Medallion and took out the Heavenly Spirit-Gathering Disk that he had obtained back in the Green Emperor's secret realm. He handed it to Nantian Yijian.

Nantian Yijian felt deeply moved. He knew he had chosen the right person to follow.

Lu Chen didn't hoard anything or snatch from him. Instead, he gave him most of the loot and even gifted him a rare and powerful Heavenly Spirit-Gathering Disk.