Treasure Gathering Immortal Furnace

Li Mushuang nodded repeatedly in response to Lu Fan's instructions.

"Immortal Master! When will we meet again?" Li Mushuang asked Lu Fan with watery eyes, full of anticipation.

"We'll meet again someday," Lu Fan said, then transformed into a streak of light and sped away into the distance. He concluded by saying, "Remember my words: the path of cultivation is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you'll fall behind. Don't waste your time."

Seeing Lu Fan leave, Li Mushuang respectfully bowed to the distance, saying, "This junior will remember!"

After leaving Luoxi Village, Lu Fan returned to the flying boat.

"Who is that woman? Is she worth your attention?" Ye Lingxi asked, staring intently at Lu Fan as he returned.

"What's wrong, are you jealous?" Lu Fan asked with a smile.

"Tch, who's jealous?" Ye Lingxi rolled her eyes.

Lu Fan took a light breath and said, "This junior is a descendant of a close friend of mine from my early years. Since we've encountered her, I'll help her out. As for how far she can go, that depends on her fate."

After saying that, Lu Fan immediately steered the flying boat towards the Xuan Yang Sword Sect.

...

One day later.

Xuan Yang Sword Sect, back mountain dojo.

At the speed of the flying boat, Lu Fan returned to the Xuan Yang Sword Sect from the Great Yan in just one day.

Lu Fan also prepared to return the flying boat to Ancestor Jing.

But when Lu Fan entered the Jing Patriarch's dojo, he found the Jing Patriarch sitting beside the alchemy furnace, holding a jade slip in his hand, with an extremely solemn expression.

"Ancestor?" Lu Fan called out softly as he walked in.

Upon seeing Lu Fan return, Elder Jing nodded slightly: "Did you have a good time these past few days?"

"It's alright," Lu Fan said, taking out the flying boat and presenting it to Ancestor Jing.

Jingchuan waved his hand and put the flying boat away.

"Ancestor, what happened?" Lu Fan asked when he saw Ancestor Jing looking worried.

"This matter can be big or small, depending on how it is judged," said Ancestor Jing, tossing the jade slip in his hand to Lu Fan.

Looking at the jade slip in his hand, Lu Fan probed it with his divine sense, and what he saw immediately...

It was actually a challenge from the Sword Pavilion!

"Sword Pavilion is going to war with my Xuan Yang Sword Sect in ten months?" Lu Fan was shocked.

"I had anticipated this long ago. After all, you killed Gu Shuo and Gu Chen during the trip to Li Huo Cave. If the Sword Pavilion doesn't regain its face, what right does it have to be the number one sect in the Great Yan?"

"Therefore, it is only reasonable for the Sword Pavilion to declare war on my Xuan Yang Sword Sect."

"Old Ancestor Jing said slowly."

"But the Sword Pavilion has a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in charge. If three Nascent Soul cultivators come out at the same time, we..." Lu Fan was also a little helpless at this moment.

He already had a grudge against the Sword Pavilion, and out of desperation, he went to the Fire Cave and killed the Sword Pavilion members.

It seems that this deep-seated feud has reached a point where it is irreconcilable.

If the Xuan Yang Sword Sect were at its peak, with four Nascent Soul cultivators and Yuan Zhong in charge, it would naturally not be afraid of the Sword Pavilion.

But now, the Nascent Soul stage cultivator, Ancestor Cheng Yun, has passed away, and the Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Jiang has disappeared and has not returned.

However, the Heavenly Fire Ancestor, having painstakingly increased his lifespan through the Infant Locking Technique, could no longer withstand another major battle.

With only Elder Jing remaining as a Nascent Soul cultivator, how could he possibly be a match for the Sword Pavilion!

"It seems the Xuan Yang Sword Sect can't escape this calamity," sighed Patriarch Jing, shaking his head.

"Ancestor, this matter arose because of me. The Sword Pavilion issued a challenge to the Xuan Yang Sword Sect, simply because they wanted to kill me."

"I'd rather take full responsibility and leave the Xuan Yang Sword Sect. If the Sword Pavilion wants revenge, they can come after me!"

Lu Fan also knew the difficulties the Xuan Yang Sword Sect was facing. Rather than waiting to die, he decided to withdraw and leave the Feng Kingdom.

He refused to believe that there was no place for him in this vast world of cultivation.

"What are you saying? It was Senior Brother Tianhuo who insisted that you go to the Li Huo Cave, otherwise none of this would have happened."

"If we're talking about responsibility, we can't shirk it, so please don't bring up the matter of leaving the sect again."

Ancestor Jing slightly raised his hand, and after speaking, added, "I pride myself on having some connections in the Feng Kingdom. It wouldn't be difficult for me to find a few Nascent Soul cultivators to help me. Besides, this place is within the Feng Kingdom, not the Great Yan Kingdom. The Sword Pavilion won't be able to cause trouble so easily!"

Old Ancestor Jing's words were tantamount to directly accepting the challenge!

"Ancestor, this matter is related to Lu Fan, and I will not stand idly by. I will immediately return to the Thousand Shadows Sect and ask my master for help!" Ye Lingxi said slowly.

"Senior Shi has probably gone into seclusion after taking the Soul Nourishing Pill. Will this work?" Lu Fan asked.

"It's only been a few days. Although Master has obtained the Soul Nourishing Pill, he won't be in such a hurry to go into seclusion," Ye Lingxi said.

"If Young Friend Ye were to personally intervene, Old Monster Shi would likely not refuse. After all, if a real fight broke out and his own disciple was bullied, his Thousand Shadows Sect would lose face," Ancestor Jing nodded slightly.

After all, having an extra Nascent Soul cultivator means having an extra bit of help, preventing us from being unilaterally crushed by the Sword Pavilion.

"I'm going back to find Master right now! Lu Fan, don't worry, no matter what happens, we'll face it together!" After saying that, Ye Lingxi left without waiting for Lu Fan to speak.

"Hehe, young friend Ye is loyal and righteous. Junior Nephew Lu, you must treat such a good woman well," Old Ancestor Jing smiled.

"That's natural," Lu Fan said, somewhat helplessly, "It's just a pity that my cultivation is too weak to be of much help."

I thought that once I reached the Core Formation stage and joined the Xuan Yang Sword Sect, I would no longer be bullied. But now it seems that without reaching the Nascent Soul stage, I am nothing more than an ant!

"You may not be able to help with the Nascent Soul battle, but this time the Sword Pavilion isn't just sending Nascent Soul cultivators; there are quite a few Core Formation cultivators as well. You're under even more pressure than I am," said Ancestor Jing.

The purpose of this sect war is to breach the mountain gate and destroy its spiritual veins. It sounds easy, but it is not so simple to do.

After all, since his Sword Pavilion has dispatched three Nascent Soul cultivators, Ancestor Jing will inevitably invite Nascent Soul cultivators of equal strength to participate in the battle. He even needs to add a few more early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, considering that the Sword Pavilion has mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

Therefore, once the battle of Nascent Souls begins, the two sides are mutually restraining each other, and it will be difficult to determine a winner in the short term.

Therefore, the ultimate pressure will fall on Core Formation cultivators and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The Xuan Yang Sword Sect currently only has Lu Fan as a Core Formation cultivator, and only two including Ye Lingxi.

But the Sword Pavilion will have no fewer than ten Core Formation cultivators; as for how many will come, that depends on luck.

"Don't worry, Ancestor. As long as I'm here, no cultivator below the Nascent Soul stage will be able to enter my sect," Lu Fan assured him on the spot.

"It's good to hear you say that. Anyway, we've already broken ties with the Sword Pavilion. As long as we fight, you can kill without hesitation and show no mercy." After witnessing Lu Fan's strength, Ancestor Jing was very confident in his abilities.

At this moment, Lu Fan has reached the peak of the early stage of Core Formation. Since the Sword Pavilion will not officially launch the sect war for another ten months, he can take advantage of these ten months to push his cultivation to the middle stage of Core Formation.

It's good to have a better chance of winning in a big battle.

"Rest assured, Ancestor, your disciple will ensure they never return!" Lu Fan's eyes were sharp; this time, he would settle both old and new scores!