Chapter 439: Chapter 422: Contempt
Fan Hong could only grit his teeth and endure. He didn’t have much courage or ambition, but he did have his pride. Even if he died here, he wouldn’t flee in disgrace. That was his bottom line.
Hann Yun, however, wore a look of disgust. Bu Qingyun remained expressionless, but upon seeing Fan Hong’s condition, his expression flickered slightly. ’It seems Sect Leader Fan has gone a bit too far. While it’s unlikely anything major will happen with the four Sect Leaders acting together, this is the Primordial Land. If a real disaster strikes, no one will have time to worry about Fan Hong.’
Song Yifan moved closer to Wang Meng and Fan Hong, bathing Fan Hong in a white light. Fan Hong instantly caught his breath. ’This light really works!’
Wang Meng’s method of protection worked, but Song Yifan’s Immortal Light was the perfect counter—an authentic Defense Magic from the Jiuling Sect.
"Thank you," Fan Hong said, blushing. In the past, no matter how he slacked off at the Cultivation Academy, he’d never felt ashamed. But today, he had truly and tangibly experienced his own inadequacy.
Song Yifan smiled faintly. ’I’m just easing the pressure on Wang Meng. This is only the beginning; it’s not good to expend too much energy so soon.’
"Of course."
Hann Yun glanced over, looking as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately held his tongue.
’Protecting one more person with that Immortal Light doubles its energy consumption. What a good-for-nothing.’
The party continued onward. As Wang Meng looked at the unconcerned Fan Ru, he had a realization. ’Fan Ru probably didn’t invite me just for the experience. He wanted me to look after Fan Hong. It seems there’s something in the Primordial Divine Hall that can help him.’
At this realization, Wang Meng felt a surge of motivation.
In the distance, a Copper Hall could be faintly seen shrouded in gray mist. The closer they got, the greater the pressure became, and the atmosphere grew heavier.
Suddenly, Lu Chenfeng stopped. The moment he reached out a hand, the world around them collapsed. The ground beneath their feet vanished, replaced by a ten-thousand-foot drop into a river of red magma. The world turned dark and gray as countless Fierce Ghosts burst forth, lunging at the group to tear away their souls.
Fan Hong was terrified by the sudden change. At that moment, the Wang Meng beside him suddenly sprouted horns, his face twisting grotesquely. He glanced to his other side and saw Song Yifan transform into a Fierce Ghost, opening her gaping, bloody maw to bite him. All the while, his own body was falling helplessly.
The four Sect Leaders also wore grave expressions; clearly, they were under attack too. Attacks from this kind of Heart Technique always targeted one’s personal weaknesses. The stronger the array, the more profound the attack.
This array was far more formidable than the puppets they had encountered earlier. It was a triggered trap and thus hadn’t degraded much over time.
Yi Fan and Hann Yun’s expressions changed as well. As disciples of a Saintly Orthodox Sect, they were best equipped to resist the invasion of Evil Demons and were mentally prepared for such an assault. They immediately began circulating their Heart Techniques to fend off the demons, completely ignoring the illusory attacks from their "comrades."
This was where Bu Qingyun’s superior strength became apparent. His expression remained unchanged. As the Young Sect Leader of the Cyan Cloud Sect and one of the foremost experts of the younger generation, Bu Qingyun was far more low-key than the Eight Emperors with their Holy Statues.
But he was surprised to find that Wang Meng was completely unaffected, just like him.
Their eyes met for an instant before looking away. Wang Meng suddenly grabbed the struggling Fan Hong, and his Divine Sense swept over the boy. Fan Hong felt as if the world was caving in, and the illusion shattered. It threatened to return, but he now knew it was fake. Calming himself slightly, he hastily circulated his own energy to resist. With help from Wang Meng and Song Yifan, he finally stabilized his Heart Spirit.
Just then, Mu Jiuling stepped forward. A book materialized between her hands. She opened it to a page, and it erupted with dazzling light.
"All other arts are base; only knowledge reigns supreme—Capture!"
The white light enveloped everyone, compressing the dreary gray glow into a single point. The gray radiance tried to retreat into the ground, but Mu Jiuling sneered. With a thrust of her palm, she blasted it back out. The book in her hands flew forward and snapped shut, trapping the gray light inside.
Only then did the pressure on the group vanish completely. Mu Jiuling recalled her Magical Artifact and opened it. A new entry had appeared on one of its pages: Purgatory Heart Erosion Array.
"These old tricks from the Primordial Chaos era are so predictable," Mu Jiuling said with a laugh.
"This is just the beginning," Lu Chenfeng said with a laugh. "Judging from these preliminary tests, this trip to the Primordial Divine Hall should be very interesting."
He glanced at the young cultivators behind him. "You all performed well. It’s commendable to keep your wits about you during a surprise attack like that."
The praise was lost on Fan Hong. He was soaked to the bone in a cold sweat, his face pale, and he knew he’d shown no resistance at all. ’If Wang Meng and Song Yifan hadn’t intervened, I’d probably be dead by now.’
Bu Qingyun and Yi Fan didn’t mock him, but Hann Yun’s disdainful presence was a constant, sharp reminder of his failure. Even worse were the looks of appreciation Yun Potian and Mu Jiuling gave the others; to Fan Hong, they felt like a naked-faced mockery. ’That praise has nothing to do with me.’
Perhaps emboldened by the Sect Leaders’ attitudes, Hann Yun finally couldn’t resist speaking up. "Fan Hong, you’re just dragging everyone down. I think you should go back."
Had the weak one been Song Yifan or Bu Qingyun, Hann Yun would have held his tongue out of respect for their Sect Leaders. But the Dharma Flower Sect was ranked far below his own. Even with Fan Ru present, Hann Yun wasn’t intimidated.
Yun Potian gave no reaction, and Mu Jiuling said nothing. In their view, Hann Yun had a point.
"He’s not dragging *you* down, at least. It’s not your place to flap your gums," Wang Meng snorted.
It was a bad idea to provoke Wang Meng. Push his buttons, and he wouldn’t care who you were.
"Wang Meng, what makes you think you’re qualified to be here?!" Hann Yun shot back angrily.
Wang Meng gave Hann Yun a dismissive glance. "Are *you* qualified to speak to me like that?"
Wang Meng deliberately gave him a look of utter contempt. ’Damn punk. I’m a member of the Star Alliance. Who the hell do you think you are?’
Hann Yun, of course, knew what Wang Meng was implying, and the flames of jealousy in his heart raged even hotter.
Fan Ru gave a dry cough. "Wang Meng, take good care of Fan Hong. Don’t let him drag everyone down."
"Don’t worry, Senior. Our Fan Xiaoniao isn’t that fragile," Wang Meng said proudly. "Braving the Primordial Secret Realm with less than Minor Perfection strength... anyone else would have turned tail and run long ago."
"Alright, let’s get back on the road," Lu Chenfeng said, putting an end to the argument. "We might not be able to look after you all later, so be careful."
He didn’t want the bickering to continue. He knew that Yun Potian and Mu Jiuling looked down on Fan Ru because of his sect’s low ranking. If he simply wanted to bolster his numbers, he could have chosen others. ’But they have no idea how formidable Fan Ru truly is.’ As the leader, however, he felt no need to explain or justify his decisions.
The path ahead was suddenly calm and uneventful, right up until they walked into a thick mist.
At first, they thought it was just ordinary mist. But upon entering, it felt as though they had each put on an incredibly heavy coat, making every step a struggle.
The group was forced to a halt. Even Lu Chenfeng and the other Sect Leaders frowned.
"This is getting tricky. I’m afraid the younger ones won’t be able to pass," Lu Chenfeng said. He hadn’t expected to encounter something this difficult.
"This Iron Mist Array is linked to the Primordial Divine Hall itself," Mu Jiuling said, nodding.
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