Chapter 404: Major Completion of the Death Profound Realm – Before Departure
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
Inside the Flame God Temple, within a quiet stone chamber.
Lin Fan sat cross-legged with his eyes shut. The aura around him had become several times more robust. Thick black mist circled his body—it was none other than the death aura only cultivators of the Death Profound Realm could wield!
Gradually, the death aura surrounding him retracted into his body, and the crimson hue of the stone chamber returned to normal.
At the center of the room, Lin Fan slowly opened his eyes as he sat atop a meditation mat. His gaze seemed a little sluggish for a moment, before regaining clarity and vitality.
"Hoo…"
He exhaled a long breath—one laced with the pungent scent of death aura.
"This Death Spirit Fruit really worked wonders. I've successfully broken through to Major Completion of the Death Profound Realm!"
Sensing the state of his body, Lin Fan nodded in satisfaction, murmuring to himself.
Half a month ago, Lin Fan had gone into seclusion to refine the reward he had drawn from Tang Xinlian—namely, the Death Spirit Fruit.
And it hadn't disappointed him.
Stretching slightly, Lin Fan stood and walked out of the chamber.
The moment he stepped outside, he spotted a stunning figure in a red dress standing tall and elegant—it was none other than the "Fire Fairy" Tang Xinlian.
"You're out!" Tang Xinlian's face lit up with delight as she saw Lin Fan emerge.
"Thanks for guarding me," Lin Fan said gently, reaching out to ruffle her hair.
The next second, the system's familiar voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! You patted Tang Xinlian and received a Gathering Yuan Mat! Note: Cultivating on this mat increases yuan energy cultivation efficiency!]
A pretty good treasure!
Hearing the reward, Lin Fan's heart stirred with joy.
Tang Xinlian brushed his hand away and huffed, "You did a great deal for the Flame God Temple, so this was just me showing our gratitude. Don't read too much into it."
Although her words were firm, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. Clearly, she wasn't used to Lin Fan's sudden intimacy. But she wasn't angry—just a little flustered.
Lin Fan smiled lightly. "I know. I didn't think too much."
"Hmph. Good," she said with a proud snort, though a strange unease welled up in her chest for reasons she couldn't explain.
"By the way, has Lin Dong come out of the Deathflame Spirit Pool yet?" Lin Fan asked, chuckling inwardly at her reaction and changing the subject.
Tang Xinlian shook her head. "I wouldn't know. I've been busy these days—haven't had time to check on anyone else."
After a pause, she added, "And don't get the wrong idea. I've been busy with matters of the Flame God Temple."
In truth, she had spent almost the entire half month standing guard outside his chamber, ensuring his safety.
After all, advancing in the Death Profound Realm meant dealing with death aura—an extremely risky process. A single misstep could lead to being devoured by that very aura.
She had been worried the entire time and barely left his side.
"Mhm, I won't overthink it," Lin Fan replied seriously, though he was barely holding back a smile.
"What are you smiling at?" Tang Xinlian asked, slightly annoyed.
"Smiling? Am I smiling?" Lin Fan touched his cheek. "This doesn't count as a smile, does it?"
"Heh, looks like we came at the wrong time. Didn't mean to interrupt." A teasing voice called out from nearby before Tang Xinlian could respond.
Turning toward the sound, they saw Qingzhi and Mo Luo approaching, both wearing mischievous smiles.
Behind them were Lin Dong, Mu Lingshan, Mu Lan, and Elder Chi Yun.
Lin Fan remained composed, his face calm and unreadable.
Tang Xinlian, however, blushed and shot Mo Luo a glare. "Make one more joke, and I'll go into seclusion myself. You can deal with all the temple matters on your own!"
That line was clearly a threat. Mo Luo's teasing grin vanished instantly, replaced by a serious expression. "Seems like your cultivation has improved again. Congratulations!"
"Thank you, Senior Mo Luo. Just a small breakthrough—still far behind you," Lin Fan responded with a light smile.
Lin Dong looked a little surprised as he listened to their exchange.
He had thought he'd finally caught up to Lin Fan after all this time. But now, Lin Fan had broken through again and left him in the dust.
And that was even after Lin Dong had the help of Qingzhi and the boost from the Deathflame Spirit Pool. Lin Fan, as far as he knew, had relied on no external aid.
Of course, that was just Lin Dong's perception.
Qingzhi's gaze lingered on both Lin Dong and Lin Fan for a moment before he asked, "So, what are your plans next?"
Lin Fan and Lin Dong exchanged a glance before Lin Fan answered, "We're planning to head to the Demon Domain."
"What for?" Tang Xinlian asked.
Lin Fan explained, "Back in the East Xuan Region, we had a conflict with three old monsters from Yuan Gate. To avoid sparking a full-blown war between Dao Sect and Yuan Gate, we agreed to a three-year pact and left the East Xuan Region temporarily."
"Lin Dong and I were transported to the Chaotic Demon Sea, while our other two brothers were sent to the Demon Domain. Now that our goal in this region is complete, we plan to head to the Demon Domain to reunite with them."
Qingzhi said, "Those three old coots really are too arrogant. When the day comes for you to march on Yuan Gate, if I have time, I'll go with you."
"I've heard about what happened too. You've done the Flame God Temple a great service. If the time comes and you need support, just have Xinlian lead a full force with you to level Yuan Gate!" Mo Luo added boldly, waving his hand with flair.
"Many thanks to you both," Lin Fan and Lin Dong said in unison, bowing respectfully.
Then Lin Fan added, "But I believe that when the three-year pact ends, we brothers will be strong enough to crush Yuan Gate with our own hands!"
"Haha! That's the kind of spirit I like to see!" Mo Luo burst into laughter, clearly approving.
"When do you plan to leave for the Demon Domain?" Qingzhi asked.
"Tomorrow," Lin Fan answered casually after pretending to think for a moment.
"In that case, wait three more days before setting off," Mo Luo said, waving his hand. "The Flame God Temple has some beast-race disciples who are familiar with the Demon Domain. I'll send someone with you—it should help you a lot in your search."
"Thank you very much, Senior Mo Luo," Lin Fan cupped his fists in gratitude. They knew nothing about the Demon Domain, so having a guide would save them a great deal of trouble.
"Then it's settled. Three days from now, Qingzhi and I will perform a spatial transfer and send you to the Demon Domain," Mo Luo added.
Qingzhi nodded in agreement.
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