Accidentally invincible!

The four Demon Emperors who had previously fought Lin Fan simultaneously felt the thick, malevolent source of this evil aura.

They realized it in their hearts.

The source had been unleashed.

"You're so adorable when you're asleep, so why are you so irritable once you wake up?"

Lin Fan looked down at the little sun in his arms, feeling rather helpless. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her face still bore a faint smile. Her skin was as white as snow, like a porcelain doll.

He swiftly sped off into the distance.

The passage connecting the Immortal Realm had disappeared, so he could only traverse the Northern Desolation and the boundless deep sea to return to the land of the cultivators.

Where exactly should he take her?

He briefly entertained the thought of sending the little sun to the Nine Heavens Immortal Sect, but the moment the idea crossed his mind, it was immediately dismissed.

Better not joke around.

If he were to leave the little sun at the Nine Heavens Immortal Sect, it wouldn't be long before the sect disappeared entirely from heaven and earth, leaving no trace.

After much deliberation,

he ultimately decided to take her back to the Taiwu Immortal Sect.

A vast expanse of ocean.

Lin Fan was a little dumbfounded—not because he encountered any trouble, but because the journey from the Northern Desolation back to the Taiwu Immortal Sect was far too long.

Had he known this sooner,

he should've asked that ancient Old Demon earlier whether he could open a passage for him to return faster.

Whimper~ Whimper~

The little sun, who had been sound asleep in his arms, opened her eyes.

The once-adorable expression vanished without a trace.

Her first action upon waking was to bite Lin Fan. However, her once-sharp teeth had been dulled and were no longer effective, unable to penetrate his defenses at all.

"Stop it. This kind of behavior isn't good. You need to be a good baby."

Lin Fan tried to patiently persuade her, but he found it incredibly challenging to guide the little girl onto the right path.

The little sun's expression was fierce. Even if she couldn't harm Lin Fan, she refused to let go, displaying remarkable determination. If not for her lack of cultivation, she might have truly turned the world upside down.

He decided not to intervene too much.

If she wanted to bite, then let her bite.

Such an adorable little thing.

At this moment,

amid the boundless deep sea, there was an island.

A man was sitting in meditation when, suddenly, his eyes snapped open, a look of astonishment on his face.

"This aura…"

He sensed an extremely malevolent energy, similar to the scent of Demons but far more potent and pure, like a concentrated essence.

Whoosh!

He vanished from his original spot in an instant.

Lin Fan carried the little sun as he traveled forward, keeping a vigilant eye on his surroundings. The sea beneath him was alternately tranquil and violently turbulent, as if terrifying creatures lurked in its depths, stirring up storms from the shadows.

Suddenly,

he came to an abrupt halt.

"Who's there? Show yourself; there's no need to hide. I've already discovered you," Lin Fan called out into the void.

Behind him lay the Northern Desolation, a land teeming with Demons. This area, even if dangerous, would most likely harbor only Sea Demons. Yet the sensation he received now was entirely different.

Soon enough,

a figure slowly emerged from the depths of the void, smiling faintly. "Greetings, young friend."

"And who might you be?" Lin Fan stared at the man intently.

The stranger appeared youthful and possessed dense mana, which he had already suppressed within himself. Yet, despite his efforts, a faint hint of malevolence continued to seep out.

"I am Qin Muyang, the Island Master of Crocodile God Island," the man introduced himself, his gaze fixed on the little sun cradled in Lin Fan's arms.

"Ah, so it's Daoist Qin. Might I ask why you're blocking my path?" Lin Fan inquired.

Qin Muyang replied, "You need not worry, young friend. I mean no harm. While cultivating on Crocodile God Island, I suddenly sensed an overwhelmingly violent energy and decided to investigate. If my guess is correct, that energy must have originated from this little one, hasn't it?"

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Daoist Qin, you are correct. The violent energy does emanate from my disciple, but there's no need for concern. I will handle it personally."

"Oh, and another thing, Daoist Qin—addressing me as 'young friend' feels rather odd, as though you're taking advantage of me. Please call me Daoist Lin instead."

Not just anyone could call him "young friend."

Unless, of course, they were absurdly strong, in which case, he'd acknowledge their superiority and let them call him whatever they liked.

Alternatively, they could be elders or close friends—then it didn't matter.

But this fellow who had popped up just now had suspicious origins. Living in a place like this and dabbling in Divine Skills—his techniques did include some Immortal Sect arts, but far too many leaned heavily into malevolent practices.

"Hahaha." Qin Muyang looked surprised for a moment, then laughed out loud. "My mistake. Since fate brought us together, would Daoist Lin do me the honor of visiting Crocodile God Island? Allow me to show you proper hospitality."

Is this guy trying to lure me in and deal with me at his leisure?

Interesting.

And coincidentally, I could really use some resources. If an invitation is extended, how could I possibly refuse?

"Very well! Since Daoist Qin has so kindly invited me, it would be impolite of me to refuse. I shall impose upon you," Lin Fan said with a smile, gently stroking the little sun's head and swapping the hand she was biting with the other one. She shouldn't chew on just one hand; a change is good every now and then.

"Please, this way."

Qin Muyang extended a warm invitation, maintaining a calm and amicable demeanor.

If Lin Fan didn't have keen insight into his true nature,

he might even have been fooled by Qin Muyang's courteous facade.

After examining the situation closely,

Lin Fan understood the real reason. Qin Muyang wasn't genuine; he was full of schemes and highly adept at putting on a righteous front.

At this moment,

Qin Muyang was deep in thought.

Though he appeared gracious toward Lin Fan, he was carefully scrutinizing him as well. He could tell the young man's cultivation was impressive but had no way of gauging its full extent.

But Lin Fan's youthful appearance suggested something peculiar.

Judging by the direction he came from, Lin Fan had emerged from the Northern Desolation. Yet the Northern Desolation was Demon territory—how could a Human Clan cultivator have been there?

"What's on Daoist Qin's mind? Why are you so lost in thought?" Lin Fan asked with a smile.

Really, there was no need to ponder.

The old fox was undoubtedly scheming, trying to figure out who I am and what I'm capable of.

Qin Muyang snapped out of his reverie and said, "Nothing much, just marveling at how a cultivator as young as Daoist Lin possesses such remarkable strength. But why were you in the Northern Desolation, a region crawling with Demons?"

Lin Fan sighed. "Ah, you may not know this, Daoist Qin, but the explanation is straightforward. The Demons broke through a passage connecting to the Immortal Realm. As a disciple of the Immortal Path, it was my duty to intervene."

"So, I charged into the passage, intent on driving the Demons back. But I ran into unforeseen trouble. The passage collapsed, and I was hunted by a True Immortal among the Demons. Unable to resist, I was forced to retreat."

Qin Muyang nodded, his gaze drifting to the little sun. "And this baby girl here?"

He quickly clarified, fearing Lin Fan might misunderstand.

"Daoist Lin, please don't take offense. I merely observe that the infant radiates a terrifyingly violent aura. To be frank, she seems to embody the root of malevolence. Mishandle her, and it could spell disaster."

Lin Fan internally ridiculed him.

This old fraud was shrewd, probing for information from every angle, as if he couldn't rest easy without uncovering all the details.

Very well, then. Let me give you what you're fishing for.

"Ah, I'm aware. I found her by chance in the Northern Desolation, where a powerful Demon had attacked her. Naturally, I couldn't stand by and watch, so I intervened to save her. That encounter led to a fierce battle with the Demon, but I was ultimately outmatched and had to flee."

"Now, my only wish is to take her back to safety, raise her properly, and hopefully guide her toward the righteous path."

As Lin Fan spoke, his expression was impeccable, radiating the earnestness of a principled, naïve Immortal Sect disciple—a true caricature of a goody-two-shoes. To others, he might have seemed like a fool, an easy mark.

"Ah, Daoist Lin, your righteousness is truly admirable," Qin Muyang praised, bowing his head. From then on, he ceased questioning and simply guided the way ahead.

Soon,

an island shaped like a crocodile appeared.

A dense fog surrounded the island, obscuring its true features. However, Lin Fan, a master of arrays, immediately discerned that the island was enveloped by a formidable Array.

"Daoist Lin, this is Crocodile God Island, my place of cultivation. Rest assured, no Demons would dare act recklessly within ten thousand miles of this place," Qin Muyang declared.

Lin Fan replied, "With a powerhouse like Daoist Qin here, any Demon bold enough to come would only be courting death."

"Haha, you flatter me. My abilities are limited, but I do my best," Qin Muyang responded humbly, his words brimming with self-effacing righteousness. It was as though he lived here to protect the area, with no ulterior motives to speak of.

Listen to him. Observe him. Does he not sound virtually saintly?

Lin Fan, however, simply listened without comment.

He'd never met someone so adept at singing their own praises.

If that's the game you want to play, let's see how far you'll take it.

When Lin Fan's feet landed on Crocodile God Island, he had an epiphany. The ground beneath him was lined with arrays. The entire island was covered in complicated formations, far from ordinary in design.

Rather than heading to the main hall, Qin Muyang led him to the highest point on Crocodile God Island.

The scenery was picturesque, providing a panoramic view of the island.

"Please, have a seat."

Lin Fan sat down, the little sun still latched onto his hand like a persistent kitten. While lightly stroking her head, he asked, "Daoist Qin, you must've been here for quite some time. What made you decide to come to this place?"

"For the sake of justice, I suppose. I hope to use my strength to protect the generations behind me," Qin Muyang answered righteously. Yet, within his mind, he was spinning another tale. Why had he come here?

It was, of course, to hide.

He had been cultivating for centuries. In the past, he had gone on killing sprees, offending countless people. Many sought his demise, forcing him to retreat here. He hoped to accumulate enough mana and Divine Skills to ascend to the Immortal Realm.

But now, he sought to take the girl from Lin Fan's hands and needed the young man to believe he was a good person.

His ability to play the role of a righteous man was second to none.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have deceived so many orthodox cultivators in the past, only to stab them in the back and steal their treasures when they let their guard down.

The two continued their casual conversation.

Lin Fan responded with random quips here and there.

Qin Muyang spared no effort in trying to win Lin Fan over, boasting about his past exploits to create a positive impression.

He wanted to implant one idea firmly in Lin Fan's mind: Qin Muyang was an upright, virtuous man.

Don't overthink it.

PS: The annual holiday event is over. Time to work on writing diligently. Got home late today—only arrived at 7 PM.