CHAPTER 302: CHAPTER 297: THE TENTH SUCCESSOR?

Murong Gang gazed at Li Fan, thinking this young man truly possessed strong courage.

"Yang Qingshan, I have heard of your deeds, and there are different accounts about their right or wrong. Nonetheless, you indeed killed quite a few people on West Emperor Island, among them Nan Zhengchuan, a cultivator of the West Emperor Palace, and Song Xiang, a steward of the West Emperor Palace."

Beside Li Fan, Luo Qingyan and Meng Hong showed slight changes in their expressions, wondering if Murong Gang, the Great Elder of West Emperor Palace, intended to favor Nan Chen.

"However..."

Murong Gang continued, "On the day of the battle, you achieved commendable feats, slaying Fourth Realm demons without equal, boosting the morale of our cultivators on West Emperor Island. Regardless of the motives for your battle, the outcome was witnessed by all, and this remains an undeniable fact."

"Thus, merits and faults cancel each other out."

"I will not ask about the course of events, only the outcome. Since you have come to our West Emperor Palace to slay demons, you are considered a guest of the palace. From now on, past matters shall not be pursued by Nan Chen, and as for the Song Family, view them as having inadequate discipline. But for the calamity, the West Emperor Palace will also compensate accordingly, allowing Song Siyu to enter the top three floors of our Scripture Pavilion to select one Sword Scripture."

"Great Elder..." Song Siyu wished to speak further but saw Murong Gang gesturing to stop her. He said, "This matter is settled as such."

Song Siyu’s complexion turned pale, knowing that further words would be fruitless.

Since Great Elder Murong Gang has spoken so, the matter is determined.

West Emperor Palace does not move against Li Fan. She clearly recognizes the vast disparity between the parties during the Song Family battle. She cannot kill Li Fan for revenge, nor even Luo Qingyan beside him.

"Yes, Great Elder." Nan Chen bowed his head in response, his voice muffled, still carrying a trace of unwilling resentment.

"Yang Qingshan, are you satisfied with this?" Murong Gang asked Li Fan.

"Killing people of the Song Family and Nan Zhengchuan was an act of self-defense; I do not consider it a fault. Likewise, demon slaying is what we Sword Cultivators ought to do, and it shouldn’t count as merit."

Li Fan looked at Murong Gang and replied, "But since the Great Elder says merits and faults are offset, I accept it and thank the elder."

After speaking, Li Fan bowed slightly, remaining neither humble nor arrogant.

Merit, he had none; fault, he did not consider to have.

He was merely doing what he ought to.

"Quite the character." Murong Gang said with a smile, "Yang Qingshan, your talent in the Sword Dao is extraordinary; you defeated Condensed Pill while still in Foundation Establishment and now prevailing against Song Xiang in the Ning Dan Realm, showing your outstanding Sword Dao attainments. You’re presumably not a cultivator from the West Sea region, are you?"

"I came from inland." Li Fan replied.

"Oh?" Murong Gang continued asking, "I wonder which Sword Dao family or Sword Dao Sacred Land cultivated such a young Sword Cultivator?"

"All are demon slayers; why ask the origin." Li Fan replied, "Wherever I come from, it makes no difference."

"Good." Murong Gang nodded, "Since that’s the case, you may be a guest in our West Emperor Palace. We are currently summoning heroes worldwide to prepare for battle against demons. There are many like you, demon-slaying cultivators coming from different places. In the future, we shall fight side by side."

Li Fan nodded, speaking little.

The outcome was acceptable to him, not far from his expectations.

The West Emperor Palace couldn’t possibly punish him in front of the heroes of the world; otherwise, they would dishearten cultivators from various places.

"Arrange a resting place for Young Hero Yang." Murong Gang ordered, and someone stepped forward to receive him.

Li Fan followed the welcoming person, when suddenly someone called out, "Yang Qingshan."

Li Fan paused, looking towards the person. It was none other than the Sword Cultivator from West Flame Island, Yuwen Jing, who had slain a late-stage Fifth Realm Jiao Dragon, and had proven invincible against demons on that day.

Li Fan understood that the master of West Flame Island, Yuwen Jing’s mentor, must be a top-tier Great Sword Cultivator.

"I saw you wield the sword that day; it was incredibly swift, forming perfect foundations with dragon’s roar, indicating a prestigious lineage." Yuwen Jing said to Li Fan, "If you have time, feel free to discuss Swordsmanship with me."

Yuwen Jing, himself an elite Sword Cultivator, had been in seclusion on West Flame Island and was now emerging to slay demons. Seeing Li Fan, a fellow talented Sword Cultivator, he showed signs of enthusiasm.

Top-tier sword geniuses often delight in discussing sword techniques with other sword geniuses.

"Alright." Li Fan replied. If the opportunity arises, he could visit West Flame Island to see what level the Great Sword Cultivator there has reached.

"Yuwen’s Sword Dao talent is extraordinary, his Golden Brilliance Sword Intent unmatched in its dominance. If willing to offer some guidance to Brother Yang, it would indeed be a remarkable tale," someone beside Yuwen Jing said with a smile.

"Indeed, although Brother Yang hails from a prestigious lineage, Yuwen came from West Flame Island. Brother Yang should seize such a rare opportunity to discuss swordsmanship with a top-level Sword Cultivator; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

Someone else looked at Li Fan with a smile. Li Fan glanced at the person speaking, whose smile appeared genuinely harmless.

However, whether their intentions were genuine or a desire to stir chaos remained uncertain.

As a genius Sword Cultivator, Li Fan possessed sword cultivator integrity. Although Yuwen Jing was outstanding, Li Fan defeated Condensed Pill at Foundation Establishment and prevailed against Song Xiang upon entering Ning Dan; though he wasn’t as adept as Yuwen Jing who slew peak Fifth Realm Jiao Dragons, his realm was lower than Yuwen Jing’s. Who could affirm Yuwen Jing’s Sword Dao talent surpassed Li Fan’s?

The intentions of this person remained known only to themselves.

"Discussing swordsmanship with a top-level Sword Cultivator is undoubtedly a rare opportunity. If you have the chance, you might want to seize it and come discuss with my brother Qingshan. Perhaps he would be willing to offer you some guidance." Before Li Fan could respond, Luo Qingyan nearby responded, smiling with concealed sharpness.

Others didn’t know, but they watched Li Fan wield power unrestrained. They trusted Li Fan’s talent the most.

Regardless of West Flame Island’s Yuwen Jing.

Even though Li Fan’s combat prowess wasn’t as powerful, should they be in the same realm, Li Fan also entering the Mid Stage of Condensed Core, Luo Qingyan believed Yuwen Jing would not be a match.

Thus, any interaction between them could at best be considered equal and not an opportunity for instruction.

Moreover, Li Fan’s background might not necessarily be weaker than West Flame Island’s; although unknown, it could be assumed to be one of the nation’s renowned top-tier Great Sword Cultivators.

The smile on that person’s face vanished, looking embarrassed, they cast a cold gaze at Luo Qingyan.

Li Fan saw Luo Qingyan’s rebuke and didn’t speak further, choosing instead to depart; engaging in disputes was not his purpose at West Emperor Palace.

After Li Fan departed, the crowd watched his silhouette. The earlier person said, "This young man has quite a bold character. It seems in his eyes, there are no heroes in the world, not even the West Emperor Palace is of much concern to him."

Many glanced at him; this individual harbored quite malicious intentions.

Yet, his words weren’t far off. Li Fan indeed gave the impression of being audacious, even facing the West Emperor Palace with composed courage and no fear.

Seeming as such, he undoubtedly had substantial origins.

"Did anyone recognize the sword techniques used that day, and infer which Sword Dao faction they might belong to?" someone asked.

"The participants of that battle were mostly sea-region cultivators, so the understanding of inland Sword Cultivators is limited, making it difficult to discern."

"Could it be possible he’s a disciple of the top ten Sword Cultivators in the world?" someone speculated with a smile, "I heard that there is one such Sword Cultivator from inland residing in the West Sea region?"

The crowd pondered upon hearing this, one looking at Yuwen Jing, asking, "Brother Yuwen, do you know anything?"

Yuwen Jing revealed a thoughtful look, saying, "He visited West Flame Island years ago and discussed swordsmanship with my master."

"Oh?" Many became interested, asking, "How did the discussion go?"

They had never heard of it.

"I don’t know." Yuwen Jing shook his head, "He came and went quickly, and after the discussion, my master found enlightenment and entered seclusion. As for the outcome of the discussion, I don’t know."

"Could he indeed be his disciple?" someone guessed.

"Young master, they’re referring to Gu Jinghong, the tenth on the Da Li Sword Saint List," a cultivator beside Wenren Qiu murmured, "Years ago, Gu Jinghong came alone to the West Sea region seeking higher Sword Dao enlightenment. Since then, he vanished from sight and his stories are rarely heard. If he visited West Flame Island, he must still be somewhere in the West Sea. Could that Sword Cultivator be Gu Jinghong’s disciple?"

"No." Wenren Qiu replied decisively; that man was certainly not Gu Jinghong’s disciple, as they traveled on the same ship from Yazhou.

His master is not among the current top ten Sword Cultivators, but was once an astonishing Sword Cultivator famed throughout Da Li.

Now that demons are stirring storms in the West Sea, with events converging, many incidents are likely to unfold again.