Chapter 23: The Establishment of the Divine Court

A single stone can stir up a thousand ripples. Gu Renfeng and the others, as well as many of the noble clans, harbored significant grievances against the Cheng family and the Divine Son, but none had ever considered forming a faction to oppose them. Thus, Lin Fan’s words were nothing short of audacious; if overheard, he would be executed on the spot.

“Junior Brother Lin, isn’t this a bit reckless? The Divine Son is the designated successor of the Heavenly Capital Sect, his talents and strength are unparalleled. He was the top among the inner disciples, and now his cultivation is unfathomable—he may already rival the elders who wield real power,” Gu Renfeng said, steadying his nerves, his words veiled in implication.

“The timid starve, the bold thrive. If we wish to advance, we must break our current shackles. The Divine Son is indeed formidable and may well become the next master of the Heavenly Capital Sect, but that remains a possibility, not a certainty. As long as he is not the sect’s master, we still have ample opportunity,” Lin Fan replied, fully aware of the weight carried by the title “Divine Son”—the recognized heir of the gods. The Divine Son of the Heavenly Capital Sect had always been the designated successor, yet history was not without Divine Sons who met their end, and the sect changing hands.

“Then, Junior Brother Lin, if we unite, what do we stand to gain? To be frank, the four of us are bound by life and death; you have saved us, and by rights, we would not refuse you. But forming a faction is a momentous decision, one that requires the consent of the clans behind us. What, then, can we use to persuade those powers?” Zhuge Tai spoke, his face keen and wise. He raised the crucial point: if Lin Fan sought to leverage their backing, what would convince the noble clans?

“There’s no need to worry on that account—I do not intend to ally with your family powers. What I desire is a faction among the disciples, and I am confident we can grow swiftly,” Lin Fan declared, his gaze resolute, his words precise and powerful. Without confidence, he would not dare voice such ambition.

“Very well, let us set aside clan influence. The Divine Son is still but a disciple of the Heavenly Capital Sect. How do we contend with him here?” Zhuge Tai pressed on without hesitation, as though he had anticipated this question.

“As there is a Divine Son, so too is there a Divine Daughter. The Heavenly Capital Sect is a garden in full bloom; it cannot be dominated by a single house. My relationship with Senior Sister Yunxi is cordial enough—here, we can at least stand shoulder to shoulder with the Divine Son,” Lin Fan replied, his mind deep as a river valley. With his growing power, his character had transformed; gone was the boyish servant, replaced by the bearing of a hero, his casual words laced with great strategy.

“Moreover, I intend to seize this opportunity during the outer disciple assessment to rise swiftly, attract the attention of the sect’s great figures, and earn their protection. Once our foundation is set, no one will dare move against us openly. When the time comes and our strength surges, will the Heavenly Capital Sect not fall under our control?” Lin Fan spoke with captivating confidence, his words brimming with dominance—clearly, he had planned all this in advance.

“Junior Brother Lin speaks true, and his talent is enough to shake the sect. Surely, a great figure will emerge for him. When that happens, everything will change, and the glory of the Heavenly Capital Sect will be his to command,” Gu Renfeng nodded, his heart stirring. What man willingly languishes beneath another? Why shouldn’t he stand at the summit?

“A little squabble won’t reach the Divine Son’s ears; even if it does, he’ll likely dismiss it with a laugh. That is our chance. While no one pays us heed, we must develop quickly. Once we are strong, how many enemies within the sect will remain?” Lin Fan smiled, knowing the three had been swayed; there would be little opposition.

“Fine, since Junior Brother Lin values us so highly, we’ll walk this path with you. However, I wish to meet Senior Sister Yunxi upon our return to the sect,” Zhuge Tai, ever the strategist, spoke with utmost caution. The matter was grave indeed.

“That’s no problem,” Lin Fan agreed without hesitation.

“With that settled, we need a name. Junior Brother Lin, naturally, should be the first leader of our faction,” Feng Yu finally spoke, his face radiant with excitement. Earlier he had been confused, but now he understood the full story.

“The name is not the most important, but since we’re founding a faction, it should be resounding,” Lin Fan nodded. Seeing no objections, he continued, “I’ve heard tales of the ancient human dynasty, the Celestial Court. We ought to emulate it. Perhaps, one day, we will become an immortal legend. The name must not be weak. Let us call ourselves the Divine Court.”

The meaning of “Divine Court” was clear: the court of gods, the seat of power over the divine, commanding their obeisance. In this era of worshipping the gods, such a name was nothing short of blasphemy—something even Lin Fan himself had not considered.

“Good, we’ll call ourselves the Divine Court, and Junior Brother Lin will be the Divine Lord, master of the Divine Court!” Gu Renfeng affirmed. Here, Lin Fan was already a leader, founder of the Divine Court; to name him Divine Lord was only fitting.

“Haha, who would have thought that we, mere cultivators of the physical realm, would dare take the gods’ name? Excellent! The Divine Court will rise step by step to the divine altar and become an immortal monument within the Heavenly Capital Sect!” Lin Fan was overjoyed. He now had a solid foundation: the union of three noble heirs. Though limited to disciples, should anything happen, would their families not intervene?

The three understood this as well. After all, which maiden does not yearn for spring, which young man does not aspire to renown? They were gambling, but more importantly, they were drawn by Lin Fan’s talent. Even the Divine Son of years past hadn’t crushed the eighth-level demon cultivators while at the seventh level himself, and that was not even his full strength.

“It’s settled. Tomorrow, we go our separate ways. Lin Fan, with your strength, can slay demons for points, while the three of us act together, persuading others to join the Divine Court. To be frank, we each have followers, but were scattered by the Cheng family. Only by gathering more can our strength grow,” Zhuge Tai said, already forming his own plan to expand their ranks.

“Agreed, Senior Brother Zhuge. Let’s meet outside Ancient Scarlet City. Whether or not you find other followers, three months from now we reconvene at Ancient Scarlet City and settle accounts with the Cheng family,” Lin Fan replied, his eyes shining brilliantly. He gazed into the distance, where Ancient Scarlet City lay, as if a tremendous storm was brewing on the horizon.

(ps: My apologies to everyone. My day job is in the restaurant industry, which means when everyone else is on holiday, I’m busiest. During the three days of the New Year, I had no time to write at all, but updates will resume, and I’ll prepare some drafts to avoid interruptions. I am deeply sorry!)