Accidentally invincible!

The two men in red robes froze in place upon hearing these words.

They knew there were people in the world who enjoyed meddling in others' business.

But they'd never encountered one before.

Now that they had, it felt strange—a kind of unspeakable helplessness.

Lin Fan grabbed the two gourds. Both were Spiritual Artifacts, specially refined to contain Red Sand, which was akin to the Great Sun Wind Disaster, a type of Great Divine Power.

Ordinary cultivators certainly weren't a match for these two Spiritual Artifacts.

Judging by these two men's strength, they were only at the Golden Core Realm. To possess two Spiritual Artifacts, they must have some powerful backer or have stumbled into good fortune by chance.

"Thank you, brother, for stepping in to help."

The group of people Lin Fan rescued clasped their hands in gratitude.

Although they didn't know who Lin Fan was, to them, if he hadn't intervened, they would have definitely perished here.

They couldn't even imagine what would have happened if they had fallen into their enemies' hands.

But it certainly wouldn't have been anything good.

"Out in the world, it's only right to help each other—especially such a lovely young lady here. If something unfortunate had happened to her, it would've been such a waste."

Lin Fan's gaze fell on the young woman. Hmm, she was indeed quite attractive.

Of course.

He could swear that saving these people had nothing to do with the young woman's looks. He was truly acting out of a sense of justice.

Lin Fan turned his gaze back to the two men. "And now, it's your turn."

Perhaps they noticed the dangerous intent in Lin Fan's gaze.

The two men in red suddenly grew nervous, stepping back while tensing up. It was then that they remembered something very important.

And that was... this man seemed terrifyingly strong.

Earlier, they had yelled and cursed at this guy.

It seemed... like they were courting death.

"Uh..."

"Can we just let this slide? It was all his stupid idea! I told him that even though we got those Spiritual Artifacts, we shouldn't bully others, but he wouldn't listen. I really couldn't control him!"

The other man in red stared at his companion, stunned, pointing at him in disbelief. "You're so shameless! You're just dumping everything onto me!"

"You're the one who said that woman looked pretty and wanted to take her back as a Furnace Tripod!"

"What nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever say such a thing? Stop slandering me!"

And just like that.

The two began arguing—and it wasn't just a little spat. It escalated into a full-blown brawl. When shouting insults wasn't enough to vent their frustration, they dove at each other and started wrestling.

Lin Fan watched their performance as if he were attending a play.

The two of them were rolling on the ground, gripping and clawing at each other.

They rolled together like a ball, shouting and cursing, tumbling farther and farther away.

"I'll beat you to death! How dare you accuse me!"

"Who's accusing who? You're the one who thought she was pretty!"

"Damn it! I'll kill you!"

Gradually.

The scene seemed to take a strange turn. When the two had rolled far enough away and were about to disappear from sight, they unexpectedly released each other and took off running.

They had already realized that the situation was bleak.

So they resorted to their usual escape strategy.

The two exchanged a glance.

Both of their eyes held a glint of hope.

They hadn't expected this tactic to work again.

The last time they had escaped a crisis, they had used this exact method—boldly rolling away while their enemy was dumbfounded, and then vanishing entirely.

But just when they thought their escape had succeeded...

A mysterious force enveloped them, locking their bodies in place. They felt their legs stop obeying their commands, and with a scream, their bodies rose into the air and flew backward.

"No..."

Another anguished cry escaped them, revealing their utter despair.

"Clever. Resourceful."

Lin Fan gave them high praise for their actions. It was indeed impressive. If someone had been even slightly careless, they really might have let them get away.

But sadly...

If they had managed to escape him, Lin Fan truly wouldn't deserve his reputation.

"Come on, tell me who your backer is. That way, if one day your backer wants revenge, they'll know it was me who killed you. I'm a principled man; I'll make sure your deaths aren't in vain."

Lin Fan spoke casually. He sincerely hoped that these two had some influential background.

After all, the place he was in now fell squarely within Demon Sect territory, meaning most people he'd encounter would belong to the Demon Path. As for whether those he saved belonged to the Immortal Path, the Demon Path, or the Demon Clan, it didn't really matter to him.

The Immortal Path, Demon Path, and Demon Clan all coexisted in the cultivation world and weren't inherently enemies of one another.

The ones Lin Fan sought to eliminate were those who had wronged him.

Or someone like Xiang Junchen—such an encounter would certainly warrant decisive action.

Otherwise, he had little interest in involving himself.

"You... you want to kill us?"

The two men curled up in terror, staring at Lin Fan in panic. It had been fun bullying others with their Spiritual Artifacts, but now that the tables had turned, they were utterly petrified.

Lin Fan chuckled. "What do you think?"

The two men, realizing they were far from being Lin Fan's match, immediately pleaded, "You can't kill us! Our master is someone with serious clout. If you kill us, you'll bring disaster upon yourself too."

"We're not threatening you; we're just telling the truth. Our master is very powerful, very young, and extraordinarily talented. These two treasures were gifts from him."

Lin Fan asked, "Who is he?"

He was curious about their master. Anyone who could casually bestow two Spiritual Artifacts to subordinates likely wasn't an ordinary individual.

However, what displeased Lin Fan was their silence.

"Even now, you're still trying to hide things?"

The two men stammered, "Big Brother, it's not that we won't talk—it's just that we really don't know his name! We've seen him, yes, but we truly don't know our master's title."

"He saw how miserable we looked and decided to make us his dogs."

"When we first heard that, we were furious. Come on, we're Golden Core cultivators! But after he handed us these two treasures, well... we didn't have much to say. Being someone's dog isn't so bad sometimes."

Lin Fan squinted, feeling that something was off about these two.

Not that they were necessarily hiding things.

But their logic seemed... questionable.

Never mind.

Never mind.

Whether their minds were intact or not, keeping these two alive would only create trouble.

With a wave of his hand, the two were obliterated under Lin Fan's indifferent gaze.

Too weak.

They didn't pique his interest at all.

[Acquired Mana: 2,500 years.]

Huh!

Given his current cultivation level, defeating weaker opponents rarely yielded any gains. He'd hardly expected anything this time.

But to his surprise.

These Golden Core cultivators inexplicably granted him 2,500 years of Mana.

At this moment.

His total Mana surpassed 150,000 years.

Imposing.

Lin Fan turned to the group he had rescued and asked, "May I know which sect you belong to?"

Though they couldn't discern Lin Fan's cultivation level, his effortless destruction of the two men just now had left a powerful impression on them. Clearly, he was not someone they could contend with.

"Honored fellow cultivator, we are disciples of the Holy Palace," one man replied with cupped hands.

Lin Fan pondered briefly, then said, "The Holy Palace... a Demon Path sect."

As soon as he spoke, their expressions shifted drastically. They seemed to assume Lin Fan had a grudge against those of the Demon Path, and all of them tensed up. If he decided to eliminate them...

Their strength simply wouldn't stand a chance.

Lin Fan smiled. "You needn't be nervous. I hold no prejudice against the Demon Path."

"The only people I kill are great villains."

Looking at their apprehensive expressions, Lin Fan sighed internally. Despite a lifetime of honorable deeds, he still inspired fear.

This was simply because they didn't understand him.

Anyone who truly knew him would never feel this way.

Another man spoke up. "Honored cultivator, although we are disciples of the Demon Sect, we have never committed evil deeds. Thank you for saving our lives. Perhaps you'd be willing to visit the Holy Palace as our guest? We would like to properly express our gratitude."

"Sure. I've heard the Holy Palace has always been shrouded in mystery, rarely interacting with the outside world. I'd like to see it for myself," Lin Fan said.

The Holy Palace.

One of the major Demon Path sects, with a mysterious origin. It was rumored to have produced legendary figures of awe-inspiring prowess.

At this moment.

Within a grand, golden palace high in the heavens.

A woman of incomparable elegance, sacred and dignified, immune to all profanation, was writing with a brush in hand.

Her presence alone dimmed the brilliance of the sun and moon. Maidservants stood by her side, gazing at her with expressions of reverent awe.

Suddenly.

A distant aura approached.

Moments later, the Void split open. A corridor of light emerged from it, stretching all the way into the grand hall. A figure slowly walked through it.

"Who dares?" one maidservant shouted angrily.

The Holy Empress raised her hand. Her flawless features, capable of enchanting all who beheld her, overshadowed even her stern disposition. A single motion, a slight smile, could make the heavens and earth lose their luster. Even other women could not resist her allure.

Soon.

The figure entered the hall. Sheng Wushuang, graceful and striking with jade-like skin, opened his folding fan and smiled. "Sheng Wushuang, a junior, pays his respects to the Holy Empress. I trust I haven't intruded."

"Sheng Wushuang of the Sacred Land? You've achieved True Immortal status?" The Holy Empress's piercing eyes quickly discerned Sheng Wushuang's cultivation level. Though her face remained stoic, her mind was astonished. She knew that just a year ago, Sheng Wushuang had only been in the Void Realm. For him to ascend to such a level in this short time meant he must have gained an extraordinary immortal encounter.

Sheng Wushuang, brimming with pride but attempting to maintain a calm facade, replied, "An accidental stroke of fortune—nothing worth mentioning."

"What brings you to the Holy Palace? The Sacred Land and the Holy Palace have stayed out of each other's affairs for thousands of years. Did your father send you here?" the Holy Empress asked.

Sheng Wushuang's arrival made her feel as if something massive was about to unfold.

Or perhaps...

Was it related to the numerous major figures rising from the Demon Path and the Demon Clan, prompting the Sacred Land to emerge once more, with Sheng Wushuang leading the charge?

Sheng Wushuang declared confidently, "Holy Empress, you've misunderstood. My visit to the Holy Palace is entirely of my own accord. I have heard that Your Grace has an apprentice who is as beautiful as an Immortal and supremely talented. Thus, I humbly request Your Grace for her hand in marriage."

"Today, though I dare not boast excessively, I am confident in claiming to be the foremost prodigy in the world. None of the so-called geniuses from the various major sects can match me."

To Sheng Wushuang,

If he intended to make a move, it had to be grand. Winning over the Holy Empress's apprentice was the first step. A union of two exceptional talents—that was the ultimate power move.