Accidentally invincible!

Sheng Wushuang's greatest pride was his Kunpeng Immortal Physique.

Moreover, this kind of constitution had the power to defy the heavens.

But… wait a second.

Damn it!

He fled unwillingly, but then discovered that brat was actually tailing him.

How is that possible?

How could his speed be this fast? And judging by the casual demeanor, the smirk on the other guy's face made Sheng Wushuang utterly loathe him.

"Wushuang, my friend, why are you running? Can't we just sit down and have a nice chat?"

Lin Fan, calm as a still lake, smiled faintly. Seeing Sheng Wushuang, who used to vanish in the blink of an eye, now scurrying away frantically was quite entertaining.

"You…"

Sheng Wushuang wanted to roar with fury. Damn it all!

Just as he was overwhelmed by these thoughts, Lin Fan abruptly shot a punch toward him, startling him into a panic. He hastily shifted his body, narrowly dodging the blow. But just as he thought it was over…

The sharp whistle of projectiles piercing the air echoed in his ears.

A swarm of Hell Spears came hurtling through the air, completely engulfing him, sealing every escape. It was as if his death was certain, leaving him no room to turn the tides.

"Damn it! If I can just escape, I'll make you pay tenfold!"

His opponent pressed him relentlessly, and even a minor mistake would lead to eternal doom.

In fact, he could barely believe what was happening before his eyes.

Dammit to hell.

How could someone be this terrifying?

He had inherited the legacy of the Eternal Immortal Venerable, destined to be invincible, crushing every enemy in his path. Yet somehow, he was bested by this kid not once but twice. Could it be that this guy was the destined nemesis of his life?

No time to dwell on that now.

Survival is all that matters right now.

Splurt!

A Hell Spear pierced Sheng Wushuang's arm, and blood gushed uncontrollably. He turned his head back, glaring at Lin Fan with venomous hatred.

"Mark my words. This isn't over until one of us is dead."

In a flash.

Sheng Wushuang burned his essence blood, forcibly unleashing the Kunpeng Immortal Body. Gusts of wind howled, and the heavens and earth flipped upside down. An almost tangible Kunpeng soared skyward, its savage eyes locked onto Lin Fan before it finally transformed into a streak of light and disappeared entirely into the horizon.

"He still managed to get away," Lin Fan muttered.

Lin Fan had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, and the Boundless Traveler technique was undoubtedly a rare Great Divine Power. However, Sheng Wushuang's desperate deployment of a forbidden technique by burning his blood did leave him surprised.

Returning to the Holy Palace.

Lin Fan was in a great mood, utterly content. Despite not managing to suppress Sheng Wushuang, his acquisition of the Eternal Divine Furnace was a monumental gain.

Grudges like these are what make life interesting.

To extinguish this hatred? That would only happen when one of them dies. Such is the joy of life.

He toyed with the Eternal Divine Furnace in his hands.

[Eternal Divine Furnace: A treasure from the Eternal Immortal Venerable. Incomplete. The complete furnace contains the fully intact Eternal Skill and a wisp of the Eternal Immortal Venerable's will. Warning: Do not form too close a bond with the Eternal Divine Furnace. The Eternal Immortal Venerable has laid down a grand scheme—be wary of becoming a pawn.]

Son of a bitch!

Lin Fan cursed inwardly as he read this description.

Why do these bigshots all love pulling this same crap?

Can't they just hand over their treasure willingly, letting others enjoy it? What's the point of setting up all these schemes to lure people in?

Take, for instance, the 'Ancient Lamp Elder's Legacy' he had obtained before. That thing was the same story: accepting the inheritance meant forming a karmic link and becoming the other party's second physical body.

Then there was the Demon Ancestor's Treasure Map. Pretty much the same deal.

Damn it, couldn't any of them play fair just once?

But, on reflection, it made sense.

If it were him in that position—facing an unbeatable foe and certain death—how could he possibly let go willingly? He'd surely try every trick to leave behind a glimmer of hope for revival down the road.

The Eternal Immortal Venerable must have thought things through meticulously, allowing the Eternal Divine Furnace to flow into the mortal cultivation world. The Immortal Realm was too dangerous; it would be too easy for someone to see through the plan.

But the mortal world was a different story. Virtually no one could perceive the layout of such a grand scheme.

"Ah, it seems this Eternal Divine Furnace can't truly become my treasure unless I can wipe out that wisp of the Eternal Immortal Venerable's will."

Lin Fan sighed helplessly.

Though he hadn't been to the Immortal Realm, experiences like these had taught him one unshakable truth: Trust between people? It doesn't exist.

What you think is an immortal fate granted to you is really just someone exploiting your greed to reel you in slowly.

In no time.

He was lost in deep thought.

This needed some careful deliberation.

Still in the Holy Palace's territory, he stowed away the Eternal Divine Furnace. Looking far into the distance, he noticed a figure that seemed oddly familiar.

That beauty seemed familiar—not in the face, but in the figure.

"My lovely lady, have we met somewhere before?" Lin Fan smiled and asked, his mood light and exuberant after the battle. Naturally, the next step was to find a woman to chat with and calm his blood's fervor.

The Holy Empress heard his words but smiled instead of getting angry. Meanwhile, the Old Woman beside her looked coldly at Lin Fan. How dare he flirt with the Holy Empress of the Holy Palace? But surprisingly, the Holy Empress stopped her.

"Teacher, I know this man," the Holy Empress said.

The Old Woman was stunned but refrained from saying more.

The Holy Empress laughed. "It's been a year since we last met at the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. I didn't think you'd still remember me."

Lin Fan frowned.

Heavenly Treasure Pavilion?

Suddenly, he remembered who she was.

"Oh, it's you, woman! I didn't recognize you with your true face revealed. I always thought you hid your face back then because you were too ugly," Lin Fan teased.

"Watch your mouth, brat!"

The Old Woman could no longer hold back. Provoking the Holy Empress multiple times was nothing short of a direct challenge to the Holy Palace.

With a mild smile, Lin Fan replied, "Elderly grandma, why so much anger? This is a matter among us young people. Just stand by and listen quietly. Besides, I understand your plight now."

"When you were younger, I bet you were quite the beauty yourself. If you were younger, maybe I'd be interested in you, too."

The Holy Empress stared at Lin Fan in astonishment.

She never expected him to be this audacious. Disrespecting her was one thing, but now he dared to tease her teacher too?

"You impudent brat! You need a slap!"

The Old Woman erupted in fury, her anger reaching a boiling point. She was about to strike Lin Fan but was once again stopped by the Holy Empress. She knew provoking Lin Fan was not a wise choice, as her teacher was no match for him.

Lin Fan smirked, "Why get so worked up, granny? If I called you ugly and said the older you get, the uglier you are, wouldn't that be worse?"

"Forget it. There's no point in talking to you two. I'll take my leave."

Overall, his trip had been quite fruitful.

The Eternal Divine Furnace was undeniably a remarkable treasure. As long as he kept his interactions with it superficial, it posed no danger. Meanwhile, he also had his sights set on the other half of the Eternal Divine Furnace, which he sensed was in the Holy Palace.

When he acquired the Eternal Divine Furnace, he could already feel the faint connection between them.

"Wait."

The Holy Empress called out, her alluring tone carrying a playful charm. "What's the matter? Is my Holy Palace not worthy of your attention? Must you leave so soon? Why not stay a while and chat?"

Lin Fan faked a shiver, acting as if goosebumps covered his skin. "Holy Empress, I get the feeling you're into me. You're too much, really. Just like last time, I wanted to form a genuine connection, but you tried to freeload off me. Can you blame me for being wary?"

"But then again…"

"Now, with your true face revealed, I must admit you've caught my eye. Chatting with a beauty isn't bad at all. Just one thing: Please don't mention your age. I might not be able to handle it."

Lin Fan made no effort to lower his voice. Everyone nearby could hear him loud and clear.

The Holy Palace disciples stood frozen with mouths agape.

What style was this?!

They had never seen anyone dare to talk to their Holy Empress this way, and to walk away unscathed? Even more unbelievable, the Holy Empress still smiled.

Had they not witnessed it themselves, they wouldn't believe this even under threat of death.

The Holy Empress took a deep breath, silently reminding herself to hold back—don't get angry.

"Please," she said, inviting Lin Fan into the main hall.

Lin Fan, of course, entered fearlessly.

The disciples who had been saved by Lin Fan were all dumbfounded. They hadn't expected their savior to be so formidable and brazen. It was beyond their imagination.

In the great hall.

Lin Fan smiled, "Let's not beat around the bush. Tell me what you want. I'm very on edge here. That old granny's gaze feels like daggers, as if you're all plotting some dark scheme against me."

"I'm scared for my life here."

Lin Fan was entirely shameless now that the danger had passed, letting loose his true personality.

The Old Woman's suppressed anger burned hotter, but given Lin Fan's unique status, she had no choice but to endure his insolence.

The Holy Empress smiled faintly, "You jest. This is the Holy Palace. Do you think such shady things happen here? That said, there is indeed a matter I wish to discuss."

"Earlier, the Eternal Divine Furnace you obtained isn't complete. The Holy Palace has the other half. If…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Fan jumped in.

"Ah? The Holy Empress is willing to grant me the other half of the Eternal Divine Furnace out of the kindness of her heart? That's far too generous of you! But since this is your heartfelt wish, I suppose I'll reluctantly accept," Lin Fan said with a look of exaggerated reluctance.

Both the Holy Empress and the Old Woman were utterly dumbstruck.

How could there exist a person so shameless?

And so young, too. If he continued growing at this rate, just how shameless could he become? The thought was terrifying.

The Holy Empress smiled and said, "There seems to be a misunderstanding. What I meant was that Lin Daoyou, would you be interested in selling the Eternal Divine Furnace to the Holy Palace? Of course, you needn't worry—we would meet any condition you set."

Lin Fan nodded contentedly and said, "Now that's how you should've approached me. Think back to last time—you tried to freeload, which soured my impression of you. If you had used this approach back then, maybe I'd have given it to you already."

"As for selling you the Eternal Divine Furnace? That's not completely out of the question."

"How about… we seal the deal with a bang?"