অধ্যায় একশ পঁয়তাল্লিশ: একজন বেরোবে, একটা ঘা পড়বে
“What type of person are you?”
When Lin Fan emerged from the carcass of the abyss worm, the surrounding disciples who were busy collecting its tentacles let out a sudden, startled cry, almost scaring the wits out of them. Could anything be more terrifying than a living human climbing out from inside an abyss worm?
At this moment, he felt a wave of relief. Fortunately, he had died countless times prior and changed his clothes frequently—especially since his inner sect disciple token had been turned to ash under the heavenly tribulation. If it had still been hanging on him, this act would have been impossible to pull off.
There were quite a few of these Sun Glow Sect disciples, and among them were several formidable experts. A sidelong glance revealed the archaic, heavy stone gate embedded in the cliff face. It seemed this was the Ten Thousand Caves Gate he had heard about.
Now, it was unclear whose hands the key was in. It looked like he was going to have to put his wits to use.
Rumor had it that Sun Glow Sect disciples had short legs and low intelligence, though he didn't know if it was true. Regardless, he had to give it a try.
“My name is Maimaitijiqiege, a rogue cultivator of the Sun Glow Sect. I accidentally stumbled into the Ten Thousand Caves Abyss and was swallowed whole by an abyss worm. I thought I was surely done for inside the belly of the beast, but unexpectedly, I heard you all slaying the creature from outside. That is how I managed to survive against all odds.” Lin Fan wore a look of profound gratitude, cupping his fists once more to express his thanks with utmost solemnity.
The surrounding disciples suddenly let out breaths of relief, their backs straightening. They hadn't expected to have inadvertently saved a life, and the fact that this person was so deeply grateful felt rather pleasant.
“Maimaitijiqiege?” Ying Sheng walked over, eyeing Lin Fan with a guarded expression. However, when he sensed the aura Lin Fan deliberately emitted, a trace of disdain crept into his heart. At the third level of the Earth Gang Realm, this fellow was nothing more than an ant in his eyes.
With cultivation like that, he could easily pull out ten of them from among his own junior brothers, so his vigilance immediately dissolved.
“Senior Brother, does our Sun Glow Sect territory have a surname like this?” a disciple asked with a puzzled expression.
Ying Sheng had never heard of it either, but seeing the other's grave expression, it was clearly not an idle boast. With a flick of his sleeve, he declared, “Our Sun Glow Sect boasts vast lands and abundant resources; the number of surnames we have is something even the Yanhua Sect cannot match. I have seen such a surname in the sect's miscellaneous records—it certainly exists.”
The surrounding disciples nodded, feeling that their Senior Brother truly knew a great deal. His profound knowledge was deeply admirable.
Hearing this fellow's words, Lin Fan sneered inwardly. The Yanhua Sect's territory was a hundred times larger than the Sun Glow Sect's, yet this man had the audacity to boast about vast lands and abundant resources. Truly shameless.
Nevertheless, he maintained a solemn and courteous demeanor. “This Senior Brother is clearly a man of vast learning. I thank you all for saving my life. However, I just heard that you intend to enter the Ten Thousand Caves Gate. May I boldly ask if you would be so kind as to take me along? Of course, should any treasures be found within, I shall only keep ten percent, and the rest will belong entirely to you all as repayment for saving my life.”
When Ying Sheng heard the mention of the Ten Thousand Caves Gate, a hint of suspicion flashed in his mind, but the thought of the other's meager cultivation instantly erased all doubt.
“Impudent! We saved your life, and yet you expect us to bring you into a blessed land? Pure delusion!” A female disciple stepped forward, hurling a proud and haughty reprimand. Her gaze toward Lin Fan was filled with deep-seated contempt.
At the fourth level of the Earth Gang Realm, she had long since perceived that the man before her was merely at the third level. He wasn't even qualified to carry her shoes.
Presently, he actually dared to dream of entering the Ten Thousand Caves Gate with them—it was absolute madness.
“Junior Sister Lu is entirely correct, Senior Brother Ying. For this person to wish to enter the Ten Thousand Caves Gate with us is nothing short of wishful thinking. Furthermore, his cultivation is far too low, merely at the third level of the Earth Gang Realm. Bringing him inside would only drag us down,” a male disciple chimed in with a gloomy tone.
Junior Sister Lu looked at this Senior Brother with immense favor. Not only was this Senior Brother formidable in cultivation and friendly to others, but his exceptional skill in grooming hair had deeply won her heart.
“Senior Brother Wan speaks the truth. This person's cultivation is far too low. Though he is of the Sun Glow Sect, he is merely a rogue cultivator. He probably hasn't the slightest clue what the Ten Thousand Caves Gate represents, nor what kind of supreme fortune it is to enter it.”
Ying Sheng remained silent for a moment before turning his gaze to Lin Fan. “Very well, you may leave. Bear in mind that while you belong to the Sun Glow Sect, you are only a rogue cultivator. Even if you were to hand ninety percent over to us, that single remaining percent would be a fortune beyond your reach for a lifetime.”
“Junior brothers and sisters, let us go. Should he dare to take another step closer, execute him on the spot.”
As he uttered these words, an air of murderous intent enveloped the area. To an ant at the third level of the Earth Gang Realm, such words were suffused with a killing intent terrifying enough to frighten one out of their wits.
“Understood,” the others chorused, casting looks of absolute contempt toward Lin Fan. To think he actually wanted to enter the Ten Thousand Caves Gate with them without even measuring his own strength.
Although some of them might not be superior to Lin Fan in cultivation, they were followers and loyal supporters of Senior Brother Ying—how could a rogue like him compare?
The Ten Thousand Caves Gate was the largest secret realm within the Ten Thousand Caves Abyss. Rumor had it that the treasures inside were staggering in number. The path to immense wealth and prosperity lay right ahead; how could they possibly bring along an irrelevant nobody? It was sheer fantasy.
What a pity!
Lin Fan sighed inwardly. To think these fellows looked down on him—how terrifying! Where was the warmth and charity of the Yanhua Sect to be found here? If members of the Yanhua Sect had spoken to him like this, he certainly would have brought them along to lead the charge.
These people genuinely had defective intellects. Anyone with even a mildly functioning brain would have jumped at the offer.
He stood in place, watching the group approach the archaic stone gate. At that moment, Junior Sister Lu—who had just despised him—produced a talisman, instantly releasing a mystical, swirling aura from it.
The previously sealed stone gate abruptly split open a crack, and a beam of light engulfed the entire group.
Junior Sister Lu glanced back at Lin Fan, a cold sneer curling the corner of her lips. “Overestimating your capabilities, harboring delusional dreams. Hmph.”
In a flash, the group vanished, and the stone gate snapped shut once more.
“Heh! Heh!”
To think he had actually been looked down upon.
“You little pieces of trash, if I hadn't been unsure of who held the key to the Ten Thousand Caves Gate, and if I hadn't been afraid of you running off, did you really think you could escape from the hands of Maimaitijiqiege?” Lin Fan was thoroughly displeased. On the path of cultivation, besides boldness, one needed meticulous care.
He was no brute with nothing but brute strength and a vacant brain.
He walked up to the now-sealed Ten Thousand Caves Gate, running a finger lightly across its surface. He could feel the archaic aura radiating from the stone door, along with the weathered sense of passing time.
It was impossible to tell how long it had existed, nor what secrets lay buried within.
Those Sun Glow Sect disciples had somehow managed to find the key to the Ten Thousand Caves Gate; who knew what kind of blind luck they had run into.
However, being able to cross paths with these Sun Glow Sect disciples could also be considered supreme fortune. It seemed the heavens still cared deeply about him after all.
He retrieved the Three Sovereigns Sword and gave it a light wave. If these people were to pop back out later, a slash with this sword would probably yield decent results. However, precision was key; if he failed to kill them in a single strike, it would become rather troublesome.
After a moment of thought, he put the sword away and withdrew the spiked club instead. A single smash down with this—if it still failed to hammer them to death, then they could truly chalk it up to having great luck.
Having obtained the key to enter the secret realm, they hadn't even bothered to share it with him. Their stinginess had thoroughly angered him.
Go on and collect your treasures. If you manage to bring any good items out to enjoy, consider me the loser.
If you have the ability, stay in there for the rest of your lives.
Whenever one comes out, old master will smash one.
Author's Note: Thank you to boss Yisheng A Mogen for the tip of 10,000 Starting Point Coins. Thank you.
Author's Note: Thank you to book friend 20170708143200656 for the tip of over 10,000 Starting Point Coins. Many thanks.