Accidentally invincible!

The disappearance of the mysterious elder restored everything to calm.

The Pavilion Master and others who had been hiding in the Void escaped unscathed, drenched in sweat. If they had been forcibly subjected to the celestial ascension tribulation, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Long Shangpo was also among the survivors.

Having retreated to the fringes early on, avoiding participation in the battle, she managed to dodge calamity.

Without saying a word, she fled hurriedly, directly leaving the Forbidden Land.

Having experienced such an ordeal, she vowed never to return.

It was simply too dangerous.

The terrifying creatures sighed in relief, then turned their gazes toward Lin Fan and Ao Wudi.

These two were outsiders.

Friend Bear stepped up to explain, "These two are here to help. They are my friends. Don't interpret their presence the wrong way."

The fiery red pig glanced at Lin Fan and clearly recognized him. Yet, instead of stopping Lin Fan to demand the Mixed Element Golden Gourd, it held off, perhaps out of some intention or disdain. After all, to Lord Pig, treasures like this were insignificant. It was better just to let Lin Fan have it.

Ao Wudi noticed the serious expression on Lin Fan's face and asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Why the grim expression? What are you thinking about?"

Lin Fan said, "I feel something's amiss, as though we've stumbled into a conspiracy."

"What do you mean?" Ao Wudi looked puzzled, not understanding the implication behind Lin Fan's words.

A conspiracy?

He couldn't see it.

There didn't seem to be any problems here.

Those individuals were simply unlucky. They didn't die; they merely ascended. That was all.

Lin Fan whispered, "That mysterious elder just now was a Demon—a Demon who has reached celestial ascension!"

Ao Wudi still couldn't quite grasp the significance.

The opponent was an ascended Demon; what did it matter?

Lin Fan pondered deeply, his mind racing.

Something was indeed wrong.

Terribly wrong.

On the surface, everything seemed fine, but the deeper he thought about it, the more chilling it became.

If it weren't for the fact that the elder was a Demon, he wouldn't harbor these suspicions.

Yet upon discovering the elder's true nature...

Lin Fan realized the gravity of the issue.

"Kid, what exactly did you figure out? Just tell me. There's no point in keeping it to yourself. It's better to share," Ao Wudi pressed, determined to understand the situation.

This kid's secretive attitude was really frustrating.

"That mysterious elder is a Demon."

"You've already said that. And? What difference does it make? After all, he acted for the sake of the Forbidden Land, and he hasn't harmed us."

"No, despite having the power to drive these mighty beings out of the Forbidden Land, he let them ascend instead. Most of the great powerhouses here are leaders of the Demon Path and Demon Clan, and they've all ascended. This means that the strength of the Demon Path and Demon Clan has been greatly diminished—most of their top figures are gone."

"You mean to say?"

"If I were a Demon, I would also provide a lifeline for my kind—a chance to turn the tide. The wind and water change course; it's impossible for the Demons to remain confined to the desolation of the Northern Desolation forever."

Lin Fan couldn't tell if his conjecture was wrong.

If it turned out to be wrong, that would be ideal.

But if he were correct, the challenges ahead would be significantly more complicated.

The mysterious elder didn't kill them—not because he didn't want to, but likely due to some restriction. If that were the case, no matter the reason, caution was warranted from here on.

Ao Wudi paused, reflecting silently. "It shouldn't be as serious as you say."

Lin Fan shrugged and spread his hands, "Who knows what the truth might be?"

Perhaps Lin Fan's words carried a sense of gravity, causing Ao Wudi to become extra serious for a moment before dismissing them. After all, Ao Wudi was a dragon from the Sky Dragon Clan; there was no need to overthink matters.

Friend Bear and Te Snake approached Lin Fan and Ao Wudi, expressing their gratitude. Without the two of them, Te Snake wouldn't have survived such heavy attacks from the gathered powerhouses.

Lin Fan asked Friend Bear about the identity of the mysterious elder.

But even Friend Bear didn't know.

All he knew was that the elder had lived in the Forbidden Land for a long time, and no one had ever seen him before—not even heard his voice.

If it weren't for the seal breaking...

The elder might never have appeared.

At this moment...

Lin Fan noticed something was off in the surroundings—it felt as though time had stopped. Ao Wudi and the others were frozen, holding the exact same postures as before.

"This..."

Lin Fan's heart raced. Something was clearly wrong. His first thought was of the mysterious elder.

Aside from a true Immortal, no one could achieve this.

Indeed.

The mysterious elder from earlier appeared before Lin Fan. His figure was blurry, obscured as though by some unseen force, and Lin Fan couldn't probe him with his Divine Sense—it was like hitting an impenetrable wall.

"What does Senior want from me?"

Lin Fan feigned composure, but inside, he was riddled with anxiety. They were merely dabbling in "beginner's village" battles, and all of a sudden, here came a max-level power player. How was this even fair?

The mysterious elder said, "You're quite unusual. From the moment I appeared, I've felt someone observing me. Have you discovered something?"

Lin Fan was utterly baffled. "What? Discovered what? I haven't noticed anything."

Right now, he was playing dumb.

Pretending to be oblivious.

Who knew what this guy was thinking?

Given the dangers of the Forbidden Land, it was obvious that anyone dwelling here couldn't be ordinary. If it came down to a fight, Lin Fan would be doomed.

The mysterious elder smiled but said nothing more.

"The cycles of the Heavenly Dao are inevitable. Prosperity leads to decline; the age has reached this point and cannot be stopped. Only by aligning with Heavenly Destiny can one walk further; to defy it is to invite calamity."

"Perhaps you understand, perhaps you don't. But you are wise, a bearer of great fortune, and sooner or later, this truth will dawn on you."

Lin Fan nodded silently, neither admitting to understanding nor denying it. He simply went along with the performance, keeping quiet. Maybe the elder was right, but Lin Fan had his own thoughts.

Just as he was about to ask the elder some questions...

The mysterious elder suddenly vanished without a trace.

Time in the surroundings resumed its normal flow.

Ao Wudi and the others continued their conversation, seemingly unaffected by the strange phenomenon, as though they hadn't noticed anything unusual.

"Everyone, I'll take my leave now. We'll meet again when the chance arises."

Lin Fan was busy—after all, with so many great powers of the Demon Path and Demon Clan ascended, he had to seize the opportunity and make a big gain, or he'd be wasting this once-in-a-lifetime event.

However, one minor disappointment was that someone like the Demon Ancestor hadn't taken the rest of the Red Dust Demon Sect's elite with him during ascension. If they had, it would've been a perfect scenario.

That particular regret lingered.

Ao Wudi reluctantly wanted Lin Fan to stay and join their group for more banter. But Lin Fan knew the situation was unfolding exactly as he had anticipated: the elder had indeed opened the back door for the Demons, granting them a lifeline.

Given the current developments...

The Demons were bound to leave the Northern Desolation and step into the Immortal Realm. While it might not lead to total domination, division into four realms seemed inevitable.

Taiwu Immortal Sect.

After leaving the Forbidden Land, Lin Fan returned to the sect immediately. His first destination was the Sect Leader.

"You reckless kid, what mischief have you been up to outside this time?"

The Sect Leader's impression of Lin Fan was straightforward—he was a troublemaker with unconventional ideas that most couldn't keep up with.

"Sect Leader, something big—very big—has happened!" Lin Fan exclaimed.

"Recently, I went to the Forbidden Land, where a group of Demon Path and Demon Clan powerhouses were seeking Divine Medicine. They clashed with the terrifying creatures inside, and then a mysterious elder appeared, forcing them to ascend."

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"I watched those guys ascend one after another right in front of me."

The Sect Leader was stunned, then chuckled, "That's good news! Ascension is wonderful. They become Immortals, and, constrained by the Immortal Realm, they'll likely mellow out after the carnage they've caused here."

But Lin Fan's next words left the Sect Leader completely dumbfounded.

"Yes, it sounds great. But the key issue is that the mysterious elder is a Demon. He's creating a path for the Demons to rise again, shifting the balance of the world—now is that still good news?" Lin Fan declared.

Years ago, it was the combined might of the Immortal Path, Demon Path, and Demon Clan that pushed the Demons into the Northern Desolation.

Now, with so many top powerhouses gone...

If the Demons invade, it's uncertain whether they can be repelled. Driving them back to the Northern Desolation feels like a pipe dream.

The Sect Leader stared at Lin Fan, mouth agape.

Suddenly, he bowed his head in contemplation, his expression shifting slightly.

"How many great powers?"

Lin Fan replied, "Not too many—around several dozen, maybe more. I didn't count precisely, but the most well-known figures from the Demon Path and Demon Clan were all there. Think about it, that says a lot. At least to me, it's good news; plenty of my enemies are now ascended. If they want to kill me, they'll have to wait until I ascend myself for the chance."

Wait!

He noticed the Sect Leader had gone silent.

When Lin Fan looked over, the Sect Leader was standing there, dazed.

"Are you sure?" the Sect Leader asked gravely.

If Lin Fan's account was true, the ramifications would be immense.

Lin Fan said, "Do I look like the kind of person who exaggerates? Everything I said is the truth. I advise you to prepare, just in case the Demons truly arrive."

The Sect Leader was momentarily bewildered by Lin Fan's words, struggling to process everything.

As he snapped out of it, he realized the boy was walking off into the distance. Hastily, he called after him.

"Where are you going now?"

Lin Fan waved without looking back. "I've got important matters to handle. You take care of your own tasks."

Ever since the elder's appearance in the Forbidden Land, Lin Fan knew this wasn't ordinary. Playing around in the beginner's zone was fun—until someone tore open the ceiling and raised the stakes beyond reason.

Thus...

No need for more words. Lin Fan was heading out to seek justice and adventure. Right now, someone, somewhere, was undoubtedly in trouble. If he showed up, he could not only save them but also harvest some rewards.

Thinking about it, this was bound to be a thrilling experience.

Meanwhile, the Sect Leader pondered over what else he wanted to say, but Lin Fan had left too quickly. Having just returned to the sect, he was already off again. Couldn't he slow down just a little?