Accidentally invincible!

A few days later!

Lin Fan had been staying in the Source Tribe for some time. During this period, the Clan Leader did not seek him out, nor did any tribal members appear before him. The only exception was the group leader of the children, who would occasionally come by to deliver some game meat.

But as soon as the delivery was made, the child would dash away as if afraid of being caught by someone.

"It seems the time has come to leave."

Lin Fan had already obtained the next steps of the Martial Arts Path through the group leader, so there was no need to remain any longer. However, the situation was complicated; after all, children were children—the Clan Leader might not have shared the core secrets with them.

Of course, this was merely his conjecture.

As for whether these secrets truly existed… that remained uncertain.

Meanwhile, the Demons were still wreaking havoc in the Immortal Realm. Lin Fan had no idea how things were progressing, though by all accounts, their development should be going smoothly—after all, the Demons were indeed very powerful.

Particularly in terms of their astonishingly terrifying numbers.

They also boasted countless mighty figures.

And the most critical factor was the presence of strong forces supporting the Demons from the shadows, orchestrating everything.

At the Clan Leader's dwelling.

"Clan Leader, this junior has lingered here for many days. I must no longer disturb you and have come specifically to bid farewell," Lin Fan said softly, standing outside the house.

Creak!

The Clan Leader pushed open the door and slowly walked out. "I'll have the tribal shaman escort you out. The Source Tribe desires nothing but to live quietly and peacefully here, away from worldly affairs. Regarding the Martial Arts Path, it belongs to the past and should not resurface. I hope you can understand, little friend."

"I understand. This junior understands well," Lin Fan replied with a smile.

He refrained from pressing further about Martial Arts matters. He already knew which direction to pursue. Even if the knowledge wasn't complete, it provided hope for countless mortals. As long as the Martial Arts Path continued, there remained a chance to ascend to godhood.

Shortly thereafter.

The tribal shaman arrived, showing no signs of change. It seemed that the words Lin Fan had exchanged with him earlier had left no lasting impact.

Though the discussions were somewhat distant, they were undoubtedly true.

Just like cultivating immortality—the broader one's heart, the farther their path could extend.

Could Lin Fan ever be the type to boast meaninglessly?

Certainly not.

Outside the tribe.

Lin Fan patted the group leader's head and handed him a jade stone. "This contains many stories I've told. During your leisure, you can listen to them. Perhaps one day you'll also become a hero like the ones in the tales."

The group leader of the children accepted the jade stone with great excitement, clutching it tightly.

"Don't worry! Someone like me will definitely become a hero!"

However, immediately after, the child's mood turned somber. "Will you return after leaving here?"

Lin Fan smiled and said, "I will. Perhaps someday, I'll come back to see you when the opportunity arises. By then, you might have already grown up."

Lin Fan was quite fond of the child.

Lively, but not unruly.

And he had a group of followers by his side.

Carrying himself with the demeanor of a leader.

Though in front of the tribal shaman, he still cowered quite a bit.

Lin Fan took another look at the child. This boy was indeed extraordinary—he possessed an unusual constitution, one that Lin Fan had never encountered before.

In the Immortal Realm, individuals with unique constitutions were exceedingly rare.

To this day, Lin Fan had only met a few people like that.

His disciple Huang Jiujiu, Sheng Wushuang, and of course, himself.

Moreover, Lin Fan's constitution had been artificially formed by consuming Divine Medicine, making it inferior to the innate Immortal Bodies of the others.

"Farewell, everyone. Until we meet again," Lin Fan cupped his fists in salute.

Then, in a streak of light, he vanished into the heavens, heading off to search for the underwater vortex.

After he left.

The Clan Leader reached out to pat the group leader's head. "Yuan Gu, why must you always disobey?"

The group leader slouched his shoulders but grinned cheekily. Carefully, he stashed the jade stone away. It would help him corral his followers—anyone disobedient wouldn't get to hear the stories.

A month later.

A blood-red Heavenly Vault appeared above the Source Tribe.

The Clan Leader led the tribal members in gazing upward, as an ancient aura permeated the surroundings.

Lightning streaked across the sky, tearing a vast fissure in the vault. A colossal stone-like hand descended amid roaring flames, lowering slowly.

"They've sensed us," murmured the Clan Leader, entirely unfazed.

The tribal shaman exclaimed urgently, "Clan Leader, please lead the tribe to safety! I'll stay here to hold them off."

The Clan Leader shook his head. "There's no need. When that little friend arrived here by chance, I already knew we'd been discovered. They've searched for so long to find us—everything was worth it."

"He…" The tribal shaman's expression shifted, then he continued anxiously, "Was it him who betrayed us?"

"No, it wasn't like that. His arrival was purely accidental. Go… Take Yuan Gu away. He is our future," said the Clan Leader.

Suddenly.

The Clan Leader's aura surged with sharp intensity. It wasn't a fluctuation of mana; instead, the treasures within his body had been unleashed. Radiant light enveloped his form, golden brilliance dazzling, and his blood surged into a rainbow that stretched across the Heavenly Vault.

His withered physique swelled with newfound vitality, seeming renewed.

"Hah!"

With a furious shout, the Clan Leader caused the earth to quake. Distant mountains shattered, as streaks of light emerged from within their depths.

A suit of armor, broken into pieces, received its command to reassemble and encase his form.

"Clan Leader…"

The tribal shaman stared in shock at the transformation before him; the Clan Leader's Martial Arts Realm climbed higher and higher, reaching unparalleled levels compared to before.

At this moment.

He realized just how terrifying the Clan Leader truly was. All this time, his Martial Arts cultivation had been sealed away, only to be fully awakened now in the face of a powerful foe.

"Clan Leader, who is it…" the shaman asked, looking at the colossal hand in the sky.

The Clan Leader answered, "An ancient being of the Immortal Realm. An unstoppable force. But you all have the chance to escape. The Immortal Realm is separated from the Immortal Path—it's incredible that he can even act at all."

Boom!

Soon.

The Source Tribe was engulfed in a horrific upheaval. Under this overwhelming force, the tribal members perished tragically.

Despite reaching the peak of his cultivation, the Clan Leader was unable to hold out for long.

He was pinned and slain by the unknown entity in a distant land.

The tribal shaman collapsed, unable to muster the strength to continue his search for Yuan Gu. Along the way, he encountered that terrible force, and though his own Martial Arts Realm was strong, against such horrifying power, he had no means to resist.

At this moment.

Yuan Gu, the group leader, hid in a corner, trembling as he watched the chaos unfold before his eyes. His face was filled with disbelief.

He couldn't comprehend how things had turned out like this.

Yet at that moment.

He spotted his companions, who were fleeing under the protection of some adults. But they were discovered.

The enormous hand hovering in the air transformed each of its fingers into towering giants that descended upon the tribe.

"Ah! Help!"

"Big Brother, save me!"

The terrified cries of his companions rang out.

Yuan Gu's legs trembled. He noticed a tribal member in the distance mouthing instructions to him: Run, you must escape.

He truly wanted to flee—he knew when to cut his losses so he could live to fight another day.

The tribe was facing calamity far beyond his ability to help.

Staying here would only cost him his life.

But when he saw his companions being captured, on the verge of meeting a grim fate, he couldn't stand by idly.

"Stop!"

"Let go of my followers!"

Yuan Gu rushed out, shouting furiously despite the overwhelming fear in his heart, pretending to remain calm.

"Big Brother…"

"Big Brother, run away!"

Those who followed Yuan Gu cried out for his help when he wasn't there, and now that he had stepped forward, they desperately begged him to escape.

The giants turned their gazes toward Yuan Gu.

After a brief moment.

The giants reverted to being the massive hand, which scooped Yuan Gu into its palm.

"Found him."

The owner of the massive hand had been searching for Yuan Gu specifically. After capturing him, the hand ignored the remaining people and withdrew into the fissure. Alongside the hand's departure, Yuan Gu disappeared as well.

"Big Brother…"

The crowd of companions called out mournfully.

Following that.

Surviving tribal members stared blankly at the scene, overwhelmed by the situation around them. Though many thoughts swirled within their minds, they were left speechless and dazed, unable to articulate anything.

In the Immortal Realm.

Lin Fan had returned. He successfully navigated the underwater vortex to come back, but after his exit, the vortex dissipated completely.

He was entirely unaware of the calamity that had befallen the Source Tribe.

At the Taiwu Immortal Sect.

After his return, Lin Fan approached the Sect Leader.

"Sect Leader, did the Immortal Path take no measures regarding the situation with the Demon Path?" Lin Fan asked directly.

If it were up to him.

He wouldn't allow this balance to be disrupted—such disturbances would lead to disaster. It wasn't that he mistrusted the Demons; it was just that they seemed thoroughly untrustworthy.

The Sect Leader seemed at a loss, faced with Lin Fan's soul-piercing questions, unsure of how to answer. Instead, he diverted the topic, asking:

"Where have you been this past month? Rumor has it you caused quite a stir among the Demons, only to end up being chased and disappearing without a trace."

"Keep in mind, I personally went looking for you but couldn't find you. So don't accuse me of sitting idly by," the Sect Leader added, as though anticipating Lin Fan's narrow-minded remarks.

"Sect Leader, those details aren't important. It's just a minor issue. But I learned among the Demons that the Immortal Path decided not to intervene. Why?" Lin Fan pressed.

"If the Demon Path falls to the Demons, don't think they'll peacefully remain where they are. They'll surely launch an assault against the Immortal Path."

Lin Fan found the idea of Demons attacking the Demon Path somewhat logical.

But he couldn't fathom why the Immortal Path agreed not to interfere—it was akin to raising wolves that would inevitably turn against their benefactors.

Moreover, in the mortal world.

Disciples from Immortal Sect factions often slew Demons to preserve peace. If Demons secured their footing in the Immortal Realm, the consequences would be disastrous—a fact anyone could deduce.

The Sect Leader observed Lin Fan, feeling as though he was unfit to bear the mantle of leadership.

Because whenever something happened, there was always one disciple storming in to question him.

This left him feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

"Lin Fan, some decisions aren't mine alone to make. All major sects of the Immortal Path gathered to deliberate, and this was the final resolution. I had no choice but to agree," said the Sect Leader.

Lin Fan replied, "Forget it—this is your business. Since you believe in Demons, then don't cry about it later."

"The Demons have dwelled in the Northern Desolation long enough to be well-adapted to their environment there. Why come to unfamiliar lands instead?"

"Never mind, I have matters to attend to. I don't have time to concern myself with these things."

Lin Fan didn't want the Demons to set foot into the Immortal Realm.

The Sect Leader remained silent. After all, this matter couldn't be decided by him alone. He was bound to follow the majority.