Chapter Eighty: City of Heaven’s Seal

“Elder, what is going on?”
Lin Fan was puzzled. At this moment, it still seemed the old woman held the upper hand, her presence imposing and heroic, so much so that the god of the Nine-Section Whip could not even lift his head.
“Hmph, you’re thinking too simply. What is the Nine-Section Whip? It is a true ancestral weapon—only an Emperor can rival it. I am still half a step away from that level. However, the Nine-Section Whip has its own concerns and is not striking with its full might, otherwise I would never have lasted this long.”
The old woman’s voice was tinged with urgency, making it clear the situation was not as it appeared to Lin Fan.
“I can escape this calamity myself, but I cannot protect all of you. Therefore, I intend to use a secret art to send you and the Yi sisters away. Sealed Heaven City lies fifteen million miles from here—a place of tangled powers, where even the Buddhist sects cannot dominate alone. You’ll be able to avoid this disaster there. But I have one request: protect the Yi sisters well. If you do, I promise you a great reward.”
The old woman was sincere; the Yi sisters held a special meaning for her, and at this moment she had no one else she could trust. She could only gamble on this desperate plan.
“You needn’t say more. I will protect them with my life,” Lin Fan replied without hesitation. The Yi sisters had shown him great kindness, and he was determined to repay them fully.
“Good. I see the fate of this place is in chaos—great upheaval is likely. Perhaps this is also your opportunity.”
The old woman spoke no more. She turned and struck out with her palm—the vast river of time manifested, its power imperial, already touching upon the fabric of space-time itself. Instantly, Lin Fan and the Yi sisters were seized and placed within the river’s flow.
“Grandmother!”
Yi Xiaoxian cried out. The old woman had shielded her from the earlier events in the minor world, so she was unaware of the peril. Yi Xiaonü still lay in deep sleep, showing no sign of waking.
“Xiaoxian, you must leave this place. Wait for me to find you.”
The old woman’s voice softened. Her entire body shone as she prepared to transport Lin Fan and the sisters away.
“Hmph, you wish for it, but the chance is not yours!”
The god of the Nine-Section Whip was growing ever more solid, nearly taking human form. Opening the heavens, invincible, his colossal true form shattered chaos as he descended, his voice like divine thunder, crushing all beneath it.
“Don’t you dare!”
The old woman went mad with rage, for the Nine-Section Whip’s attack was aimed directly at Yi Xiaoxian—a killing blow, determined to leave her without even a grave.

“Those not of my race have different hearts—monsters from the Endless Sea, get lost!”
Her furious roar shook the heavens, ten thousand rays of light flooding the sky, the vast surge making hearts tremble.
“You deserve to die! As long as I live, you will never succeed. Go!”
The old woman bellowed. Her body split open, lines of power crisscrossing her form, a dense, baleful aura surging skyward. She charged toward the Nine-Section Whip, determined to shield Yi Xiaoxian and the others with her own flesh.
“Take care of them for me!”
Her voice echoed as the river of time quaked, finally beginning the transmission. An unprecedented dizziness overwhelmed Lin Fan—his vision went black, his ears rang, his entire body felt as though it would be torn apart. Had he not broken through his physical limits, he would have been ripped to shreds.
“Find those brats for me—kill without mercy!”
The god of the Nine-Section Whip roared in fury; ultimately, he could not break free, held fast by the old woman’s suicidal assault. All he could do was watch as Lin Fan and the others vanished.
“Pass my order—mobilize all the Yi family’s power, even the deepest resources if necessary. During this time, I’ll awaken completely and guard the clan!”
The Great Cataclysm erupted, divine light dazzling enough to outshine the sun. Not until several days later did calm return. But the outcome of that final battle was known to none—even the Yi family only learned the Nine-Section Whip had returned, with no other news revealed.
Sealed Heaven City sprawled for ten thousand miles, the greatest city of the Southern Ancient Buddhist Domain. Here, dragons and serpents mingled, myriad powers contending. Though the Buddhist sects were strong, even they found it difficult to dominate, for many local forces had formidable backgrounds.
“Miss Xiaoxian, rest assured. The elder’s strength is truly terrifying—even an ancestral weapon cannot harm her.”
Within a small courtyard in Sealed Heaven City, two figures conversed. It was Lin Fan who spoke.
“Master Lin, we’ve been here half a month. If Grandmother survived, she would surely have come to find us by now. But the situation is the opposite—I fear something has happened.”
Yi Xiaoxian’s brow was tightly furrowed, her gaze distant, evoking a sense of pity.
“A clash at the Emperor level is fraught with peril. The elder may not have fallen, but she’s likely wounded. She’s probably recovering now and will come for us once healed.”
Lin Fan was helpless—he didn’t know how to comfort anyone, and as he finished speaking, Yi Xiaoxian’s worry only deepened.
“Even Grandmother has been gravely injured. Just what kind of power does that ancestral weapon possess? I’ve never even heard of it before.”

Yi Xiaoxian shook her head, forcing down the unease in her heart.
Lin Fan said no more, feeling that his presence only made things worse and increased her anxiety.
“Enough, Master Lin. The struggles of Emperor-level beings are beyond us. All we can do is hope Grandmother is safe.”
She sensed Lin Fan’s discomfort and chose to end the conversation.
“The blessed are protected by fate—she will be fine. But Xiaonü has been asleep nearly three months. Is she truly going to be all right?”
Lin Fan finally relaxed a little, his tone lightening.
“Don’t worry, Master Lin. Xiaonü is undergoing a transformation—when she wakes, she’ll likely have reached the Pulse Condensation Realm. If you don’t advance soon, you might be overtaken.”
Yi Xiaoxian smiled as she spoke, not exposing Lin Fan’s true feelings. Mentioning Xiaonü brought a rare trace of relief to her face as well.
“You two are truly formidable. In just two months, you’ve reached the fourth level of Pulse Condensation, and Xiaonü’s progress is even more astonishing.”
Lin Fan knew the Yi sisters were no ordinary people, though he had never asked their true origins.
“Master Lin, you’re the truly remarkable one. Our progress is due to our bloodline; yours is earned through your own effort—it’s not the same at all.”
Her voice was ethereal, her admiration sincere. For one so young to reach the second level of Pulse Condensation was rare indeed.
“Maybe not the same, but perhaps not so different either. Let’s leave it at that. Tell me, Miss Xiaoxian, do you know much about Sealed Heaven City? What secrets does this place hold?”
Lin Fan shook his head, his words carrying a hidden meaning. His own strength was built on the mysterious fragments, not so different from Yi Xiaoxian in essence, but he would never reveal that secret.
“Sealed Heaven City? This place has a terrifying history. Master Lin, do you know what kind of place our Jin Dynasty truly is?”
Yi Xiaoxian paused, a hint of surprise in her eyes, responding to his question with one of her own.