Chapter 140: The Dual Decline of Heaven and Man

"I found this pebble when I picked you up; keep it with you from now on." Lin Fan looked at the infant with affection before finally taking him home.

The child grew quickly. In the blink of an eye, he was five years old, while Lin Fan had grown visibly older, reaching the twilight of his life, his steps now trembling and unsteady. He could have chosen to return to a simple life, but Lin Fan could not bring himself to do so; he was uneasy leaving the boy before he had reached adulthood.

Another ten years passed. Lin Fan’s back became increasingly stooped, and he grew frail to the point where it seemed he might depart this world at any moment. The young Lin Fan, now fifteen, was sharp-witted and as lively and energetic as any other boy his age.

One day, an elder from the Tiandu Sect arrived to see Lin Fan, offering to take the boy in as his final disciple. This elder was none other than Chu Yunjie, the master of the sect's Discipline Hall. Though it pained him to let go, Lin Fan allowed the boy to leave, for this had been his own dream back in the day.

Three more years flew by. At first, the boy would return every few days, but as time went on, his visits became fewer and farther between, until eventually, he rarely returned even once a month. Lin Fan had aged to the point of being unrecognizable, yet his face was filled with contentment. He had heard news that a young man named Lin Fan was rising to fame as a prodigy of the Tiandu Sect, highly favored by the Sect Master and destined for a limitless future.

Two years later, Lin Fan finally reached the end of his life. Quietly, he left the Tiandu Sect, the place where he had spent nearly eighty years, and closed his eyes in a small courtyard, a smile still lingering on his lips.

At that moment, rosy clouds surged into the sky, and the void shattered. A figure emerged from the nothingness—it was Lin Fan in his youth!

"Perhaps this is the life I truly wanted: favored by powerful sect figures, growing up with smooth sailing, and eventually achieving world-renowned fame. But, alas, it was not to be." Lin Fan offered a bitter smile. He looked toward the direction of the Tiandu Sect, where the other young Lin Fan resided—a renowned Inner Disciple at the Pulse-Condensing Realm, whose fame rivaled that of the sect’s own God-Child.

"My path was set long ago; those were not me. Awaken. This soul-withering tribulation should end now."

Lin Fan’s expression grew increasingly divine, eventually taking on an ethereal, transcendent quality. As if to validate his words, the entire world dissolved into ash, including the Tiandu Sect and the elderly Lin Fan. Amidst the brilliant, cascading light, only one Lin Fan remained, appearing profoundly solitary.

"A formidable soul-withering tribulation. It nearly trapped me in a nightmare, making me lose sight of reality. But there is one thing you cannot change: the existence of the Sacred Icon of the Human Emperor." Lin Fan muttered to himself, his gaze as piercing as a celestial lamp piercing the firmament. The Sacred Icon was a divine relic of heaven and earth, untouchable even by the tribulation of celestial decline. When Elder Ji had spoken of it, Lin Fan had understood the truth; he simply hadn't wanted to wake up so soon. The appearance of the younger Lin Fan had been a manifestation of his own desire to see if there was another path to take—one that did not require living a life of constant peril, forever fearing assassination.

"Every path I have walked may not be the 'best,' but it is certainly the most suitable for me. There is no need for such fantasies." Realization dawned upon him, and his heart grew more resolute. With that, the heavenly tribulation came to a complete end.

The red clouds in the sky dissipated, and a beam of light descended—a gift. Lin Fan could feel his soul trembling, growing ever more solid. Half an hour later, a vast aura erupted, surging like a tidal wave against the heavens. This marked Lin Fan’s total ascension into the early stage of the Dual Tribulations of Heaven and Man!

He did not wake immediately, choosing instead to familiarize himself with his newfound power. "Entering the early stage of the Dual Tribulations means my combat prowess is now comparable to those at the fourth stage. Even within the Celestial Realm, I am a force to be reckoned with. As long as I do not encounter ancient monsters at the fifth stage, I face no life-threatening danger. Though I do not know what conspiracy the Mo family ancestor is plotting, I have enough strength now to stand my ground."

Two days later, having fully mastered his new state, Lin Fan stepped out of the courtyard. No sooner had he left than he was greeted by someone requesting an audience, claiming to have a message from the Mo family ancestor.

"You mean my celestial tribulation took three whole months?" Lin Fan let out a long sigh of relief. In his nightmare, nearly seventy years had passed; had that time truly elapsed in the real world, he would have been filled with regret. Seventy years was far too long—enough to erode almost anything.

"Yes, Young Master Lin. Before the ancestor left, he instructed me to inform you to visit his small courtyard without fail." The speaker was the only remaining Celestial-realm hegemon of the Mo family. The war with the Yi family had been raging for two months, and the Mo family had invested massive resources; having one hegemon left in Diwu City was already a significant feat.

Lin Fan nodded in acknowledgement, his mind filled with questions about what the Mo family ancestor could want with him. Pushing open the door to the ancestor's courtyard again, Lin Fan stepped inside, as requested. The small room was sparse, furnished only with a few armchairs and a wooden table, giving it the air of a scholar's study. However, Lin Fan felt the lingering aura of the Void-Breaking realm; it was clear the ancestor had reached that level here.

"I wonder if this is meant to be a show of force," Lin Fan thought with a faint smile, seeing through the ancestor's intent and becoming even more intrigued by his true objective.

"I possess nothing of great importance, save for the fragments of the Sacred Icon of the Human Emperor and the Bodhi Seed. The former is impossible to leak. The latter is possible, but only the Yi family and the Purple Pavilion know of it. Even the Domain Master's Mansion is unaware. Neither of those two families would likely broadcast it, so who could have leaked the information?" Lin Fan frowned, contemplating the ancestor’s motives, his thoughts returning to the Bodhi Seed, as he could think of nothing else worth the attention of those ancient ancestors.

"If that is the case, do not blame me for being heartless." A cold glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes.

Just then, a hazy, auspicious glow rose, filling the room with a faint fragrance. The light coalesced into the form of the Mo family ancestor, who appeared before Lin Fan with a smile on his face.