Chapter Seven: The Flower of the Demon

“I never expected to reach the bottleneck of the fourth level of the physical body so soon. I’ve only just stepped into the third stage,” Lin Fan murmured to himself, unable to hide his delight. Advancing both in strength and cultivation at the same time was the true path of a king; after all, he had only entered the third stage of the physical body half a month ago.

To break through an entire realm in half a month was simply inconceivable—even among the many true disciples of the Heavenly Gate, none had ever advanced so quickly.

“In truth, power has no distinction between good and evil. As long as I act openly and righteously, it matters little if I devour flesh and blood, especially when they’re all enemies. Since they fall by my hand, I might as well make full use of them. From now on, I’ll use the Stone Shatterer to slay powerful foes, and let it carry me ever further.”

Lin Fan’s heart was clear; he had slain his inner demon. The Stone Shatterer’s ability to devour flesh had shown him that, as all flesh could be transformed into strength, it mattered not whether they were human or beast—they were all enemies.

After half an hour, the surge of strength finally halted. The bottleneck remained unbroken, only half a step away from the next realm.

“A force of six thousand eight hundred pounds—this is not weak even among those at the seventh stage of the physical body. If only my cultivation was a bit higher, my strength would soar even further.”

Though there was some regret, Lin Fan was satisfied with the outcome; such results were already more than he could hope for.

At the first stage of the physical body, one possessed a hundred pounds of strength; the second stage, two hundred; the third, four hundred. As one advanced, the physical body could contain even greater power, reaching nearly two thousand pounds at the peak of the fifth stage, and between six to eight thousand pounds at the seventh.

That Lin Fan, at the third stage, wielded strength comparable to the seventh was astonishing—enough to terrify countless people.

“I’ve already traversed about half the Unfallen Mountains. As long as I don’t encounter beasts of the Vein Condensation realm or those at the higher stages of the physical body, I should be able to cross the rest in half a month. With my rising strength, I might be even faster; a round trip will take about two months. Time is pressing.”

Lin Fan pondered: if he missed this outer disciple assessment, he’d have to wait another three years. How many three years does one have to waste in a lifetime?

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from afar, and several figures flashed by.

Lin Fan’s gaze sharpened. He darted up a nearby ancient tree, preferring not to meet these people without knowing whether they were friend or foe.

Four figures formed a cautious circle. Their strength was not impressive; the strongest was merely at the fifth stage of the physical body.

“So it’s them.”

Lin Fan sneered, recognizing them instantly. A hint of murderous intent flickered in his eyes.

“Back then, you relied on Cheng Yu’s power to lord over others. Now, fate has led you to me—who will protect you now?”

These four were the ones who once beat Lin Fan and Li Feng’s group, though Senior Brother Feng was not among them.

“Brother Feng, Senior Brother Feng has gone somewhere unknown, leaving just us. If we run into a slightly stronger beast, we won’t stand a chance,” one whispered nervously, his shifty expression betraying his fear; his strength barely reached the fourth stage.

“Yes, Feng Wanchun fawns over Senior Brother Cheng to gain favor and enter the inner sect, but acts superior in front of us—who is he trying to impress?” another sneered, full of disdain, forgetting he once behaved the same way before Lin Fan.

“Little Six, Chunzi, watch your words. Senior Brother Feng’s strength dominates the outer sect; he’s one of the top ten. He’s someone we must curry favor with,” Li Feng rebuked, frowning. He knew his own position—some people are simply untouchable.

“He’s not here, so it doesn’t matter. The outer sect’s top ten are strong, but Feng Wanchun has no prospects; otherwise, he wouldn’t be currying favor with Senior Brother Cheng,” the last said indifferently, clearly unconcerned.

Little Six chuckled—the first to speak—and said, “Brother Feng, don’t worry too much. Once we return to the sect, Senior Brother Cheng will likely support us. We might even enter the inner sect.”

Mentioning Cheng Yu, they all showed genuine respect, grateful for his powerful backing.

“Little Six is right. If we follow Senior Brother Cheng, even I, Chunzi, may surpass those top ten outer disciples. Why care about that petty man Feng Wanchun?” Chunzi sneered, then added, “This is our chance. If we obtain the Ghost Flower, we’ll all advance further. Senior Brother Cheng will notice us, and our rise will be easy.”

At the mention of the Ghost Flower, greed flashed in all their eyes; even Lin Fan, hidden in the ancient tree, was startled.

“Unexpectedly, they’ve stumbled upon such an opportunity. The Ghost Flower is extraordinary—it can not only raise one’s cultivation but also enhance potential. It’s a rare treasure for anyone at the physical body stage.”

Lin Fan pondered, making up his mind.

“Since you dare treat me so, don’t blame me for being ruthless. The Ghost Flower is mine, and so are your lives.”

His aura grew calmer, blending seamlessly into the ancient trees—no ordinary person could detect him.

“Keep your voices down! We can’t let anyone overhear. This is our chance, and we’re keeping it from Senior Brother Feng; we must not fail,” the fourth, more cautious, reminded them. Though excited, he kept himself in check, scanning the surroundings before relaxing.

“Alright, Linzi is right. If we’re exposed, it’s certain death. Rumor has it Senior Brother Feng is at the peak of the seventh stage—he’s not someone we can provoke. For now, let’s secure the Ghost Flower, then plan the rest carefully.”

Li Feng was steady, somewhat different from how Lin Fan remembered him, but it mattered little; these men would die.

“Fine, we’ll follow Brother Feng. We must discuss how to deal with the Mamba Serpent—the beast guarding the Ghost Flower,” Chunzi nodded, seeing the situation clearly.

“We’re four—can’t we kill a Mamba Serpent? Linzi worries too much,” Sanzi shrugged, unconcerned, though the others were far more solemn.

“Let’s go,” Li Feng ordered, ending the argument and leading the group cautiously toward their goal. He had discovered the Ghost Flower and knew well the terror of the Mamba Serpent, unwilling to relax for a moment.

“So that’s it—the Mamba Serpent will fall by my hand, and the Ghost Flower will be mine.”

A smile crept onto Lin Fan’s lips. It seemed his opportunity had arrived at last. If he could consume the Ghost Flower, he would surely break into the fourth stage of the physical body, and his strength would increase even more—since the Ghost Flower enhanced potential as well.

Without hesitation, Lin Fan moved, trailing closely behind Li Feng’s group. None of them noticed the pair of eyes watching from the shadows.