In Jiangbei City, Qi Feng had just awakened. Upon hearing the news coming through his voice transmission talisman, he fell into an expressionless silence, standing by the inn window and staring outside for a long time without uttering a word.
He had gone to bed quite late the previous night.
He had spent hours pondering how he would survive such a crisis if he were in Chen Fan's shoes.
Yet the moment he woke up, he received Chen Fan's call for aid.
At first, he assumed Chen Fan wanted Medicine King Valley to step in and mediate. To his surprise, Chen Fan merely asked for some pharmacological knowledge. Qi Feng initially thought the young man had simply stumbled upon a wild medicinal herb on Nameless Mountain.
That was perfectly normal.
On a mountain that vast, finding some wild herbs was only natural.
It was only when the variety of species Chen Fan listed grew increasingly bizarre and diverse that Qi Feng finally caught on.
When Chen Fan casually mentioned that he was standing in the Dan Sect's herb garden, Qi Feng froze on the spot, utterly struck dumb. The worldview he had built over decades seemed to crumble into dust at that very instant.
The Dan Sect's herb garden?
How had he gotten there?
Could the Dan Sect have invited Chen Fan over for a tour? Impossible.
That left only one unthinkable possibility.
Right then—
Elder Xu pushed the door open and murmured softly, "Young Master, an urgent letter just arrived from Medicine King Valley. Your voice transmission talisman was busy, so they couldn't get through to you."
"The first piece of news: Fan Gate has officially renamed itself the Fan Domain."
"The second piece of news: one incense stick ago, the Fan Domain dispatched a flying carriage and launched an indiscriminate, carpet-bombing assault on the Dan Sect's walled stronghold. The Dan Sect... has been wiped out. Barring any unexpected miracle, not a soul survived."
"A shadow-recording stone containing the footage is being rushed here as we speak."
"The Valley Master has issued an order: we are to raise our stakes immediately and forge close, amicable ties with the Fan Domain."
"..."
After an agonizing silence, Qi Feng finally said in a raspy voice, "Understood. The voice transmission talisman in my hand is still connected."
He raised the talisman and spoke into it: "Domain Lord Chen, the Dan Sect possesses a tremendous amount of medicinal herbs, and harvesting them is quite labor-intensive.
"Medicine King Valley is not far from the Dan Sect. If you need assistance, our valley can dispatch disciples to help you harvest and transplant the herbs—free of charge."
Soon, Chen Fan's chuckle sounded from the talisman, completely unchanged from the day before.
"That would be wonderful.
"Many thanks to Medicine King Valley for lending a helping hand."
After hanging up the talisman, Qi Feng turned to look at Elder Xu. "Send word back to the valley. Have Father dispatch the Great Elder personally to lead disciples there to help... clean up the battlefield."
At that moment, he felt utterly dazed.
Medicine King Valley and the Dan Sect had been bitter enemies for so long. To suddenly learn that the Dan Sect was gone left his mind reeling...
Could it really happen this fast?
You executed the Dan Sect young master yesterday, and today you march right in and exterminate the entire Dan Sect? Are you rushing to finish everything so you can head home for dumplings the day after tomorrow?
Across the length and breadth of Jiangnan and Jiangbei, every faction of notable renown received this news sooner or later. Stunned into silence, none of them had anticipated that an upstart power born in the rainy season would act with such savage, unrestrained brutality.
The Dan Sect was gone.
Wiped out by the Fan Domain in the span of a single incense stick.
"So many master alchemists snuffed out just like that... what a catastrophic loss."
In Jiangnan, an elder from a prominent faction sat by his window in a trance. Just moments ago, he had received the Dan Sect's directive demanding that they pressure the Fan Domain, and right on its heels came the news of the Dan Sect's total annihilation. The whiplash of these back-to-back transmissions left him utterly bewildered.
"Uh, sir..." his trusted subordinate asked in a timid whisper, "are we still going to put pressure on the Fan Domain?"
"..."
The elder stared at his subordinate with a deadpan expression. "If there's something wrong with your head, go see a doctor."
"Understood!"
The subordinate hurriedly nodded in agreement, though he could not help but grumble inwardly. *If you don't give a clear order, how are we supposed to know what to do? Annoying old bastard, is speaking plainly really that hard?*
***
"Not bad at all."
Standing amidst the smoking ruins of the Dan Sect's stronghold, Chen Fan gazed into the depths of the herb garden, admiring the endless rows of varied medicinal plants. A gleam of satisfaction shone in his eyes. There was an impressive quantity here, easily worth a handsome sum.
The only problem was that the bombardment had been too thorough.
A considerable portion of the herbs had been blasted to mush, which was a bit of a shame.
"Wang Mazi, take Da Yu and transplant all the ghost plants and heavenly materials and earthly treasures in the garden into the carriage. Leave the rest of the herbs for Medicine King Valley's people.
"Zhou Mo, take Xiao Qiu and head straight for the high-value buildings, like the Scripture Pavilion. Take everything of worth. And Qi Chong, head over to that nearby large city and hire a bunch of day laborers to scavenge the low-value structures, like the collapsed disciple quarters.
"We only have four hours.
"Time is short, so put your backs into it, everyone.
"We must leave Jiangnan before nightfall, lest the rainy season arrives here tonight and traps us."
"Yes, Domain Lord!"
Having issued his orders, Chen Fan steered the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage back to the breach in the outer wall. He chose not to linger inside the ruins of the city. He had already handed the Emerald Thumb Ring—his defensive exotic treasure capable of detecting killing intent—over to Zhou Mo.
If some surviving high-level cultivator had escaped death and suddenly lunged out from the rubble to strike him, Chen Fan might very well perish.
It was far safer to stay in the carriage outside the walls.
After all, if Zhou Mo or the others were mortally wounded, he could bring them back and attempt to resuscitate them; at worst, he could avenge them. But if he died, the Fan Domain would dissolve instantly, and everyone would follow him to the grave.
If he stayed in the ruins, Zhou Mo would have to worry about protecting him. Staying in a secure location allowed Zhou Mo and the men to scavenge with complete peace of mind.
Inside the half-collapsed Scripture Pavilion, Sick Monkey barged through the entrance with a massive crate hoisted onto his shoulder. Without even glancing at the titles, he frantically swept bamboo scrolls into the crate, grabbing everything in sight.
*Comprehensive Treatise on Medicinal Herbs.*
*Formula for the Cultivation Pill.*
*Formula for the Feigned Death Pill.*
*Heart-Piercing Spear Technique.*
*Secluded Movement Technique.*
*Evergreen Cultivation Method.*
...
Pill formulas, cultivation methods, saber techniques, ancient fragmented pages, historical logs of the Dan Sect's development—he packed them all up. Take them, take them, take it all!
*Crash!*
Sick Monkey kicked aside an emptied wooden bookcase and charged toward another collapsed rack. Like a bandit on a raid, he swept every loose bamboo scroll on the floor into his crate.
"Hm?"
A sudden thought struck him. He crouched down and felt the material of the wooden rack. It seemed to be made of exceptional timber. He made a mental note to have the hired day laborers haul all the racks away later—who knew if there might be secret compartments or treasures hidden inside them?
"Found it!"
Just then, Patriarch Wang—who had been scurrying about just as frantically—pulled down a painting from the wall and stared at a token-shaped depression carved into the stone. A sharp gleam flashed in his cloudy eyes. "Brother Monkey, there's a hidden chamber here! I knew a Scripture Pavilion would have a secret vault. That's where the real treasures are kept!"
"..."
Sick Monkey shot the old man a peculiar look. To put it bluntly, this old codger was old enough to be his grandfather. How could he blurt out 'Brother Monkey' so smoothly and shamelessly?
Still, he did not waste time dwelling on it.
Reaching into his robe, Monkey drew out the Dan Sect Sect Master Token and pressed it firmly into the indentation.
The stone wall before them swiftly slid open, revealing a stone flight of stairs leading down into a subterranean passage. It was not very long. Sick Monkey walked at the front, while Patriarch Wang followed closely behind.
At the end of the corridor lay an underground vault packed with chests.
At a single glance, there were over a dozen hefty ironbound trunks.
Monkey pried open the lock on one chest and lifted the lid. The radiant glow of countless ghost stones instantly illuminated the entire underground chamber.
*Phew...*
Sick Monkey inhaled sharply at the sight, then turned toward the corridor and roared at the top of his lungs, "Get in here! We hit the mother lode!"
It had to be said that when it came to uncovering secret chambers, no one beat Patriarch Wang. After all, he had truly served as the head of an entire clan; he had surely built plenty of secret rooms himself.
Meanwhile, with his broadsword in hand, Zhou Mo strode toward another ruined building. A shattered wooden plaque beside the entrance bore the words *Treasure Pavilion*. This structure had collapsed severely, and all the exotic treasures were buried beneath heaps of rubble.
They had to be dug out by hand.
Fortunately, he was now a Level 3 cultivator, endowed with far greater physical strength and stamina than before. Rolling up his sleeves, he immediately went to work clearing the debris, tossing one exotic treasure after another into a nearby crate.
It was backbreaking labor.
Yet he did not feel the slightest trace of exhaustion.
"One exotic treasure, two exotic treasures... whoa, a whole chest of exotic treasures!"
"Damn, the Dan Sect is bloody rich!"
Before long, dozens of carriages drawn by Skeleton Horses raced across the distant plains, swiftly pulling up beside the breach in the Dan Sect's outer wall. An old man clad in white robes embroidered with a cauldron pattern strode toward the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage, leading hundreds of disciples behind him. Facing Chen Fan, who sat atop the carriage, he clasped his fists with a solemn expression.
"I am Qi Yishi, Valley Master of Medicine King Valley.
"Greetings, Domain Lord of the Fan Domain."
Before arriving, he had already heard rumors that the carriage Chen Fan rode was extraordinary. But the shadow-recording stone had not yet reached his hands. Seeing the carriage in person now, he could not conceal the profound shock that surged through his heart.
It outclassed the carriages behind him by leaps and bounds.
They were simply not in the same league.
It looked as magnificent as an expedition belonging to a sacred land, exuding an aura vastly more imposing than his own.
"Valley Master Qi."
Chen Fan hopped down from the carriage, cupping his fists with a warm smile as he addressed the elder. "I have long heard that Medicine King Valley is the holy land of alchemy in Jiangnan. Seeing your disciples' magnificent bearing today, I know that your towering reputation is well deserved."
"Domain Lord Chen flatters us."
The smile on Valley Master Qi's face broadened considerably. Naturally, he did not take such pleasantries too seriously. But having heard from his son that Chen Fan had executed the Dan Sect's young master in broad daylight yesterday and marched upon the Dan Sect today, he had expected a bloodthirsty, tyrannical madman who was impossible to deal with.
Meeting him face-to-face today, Chen Fan appeared remarkably approachable, not at all like someone prone to flying into a violent rage without warning. It seemed the Dan Sect's young master must have truly crossed the line back then. As long as the man wasn't erratic and hostile to everyone he met, doing business with him would not be difficult.
"I have long heard from my son that Domain Lord Chen is an exceptional prodigy among ten thousand, one who slew a ghost king during the rainy season to safeguard Jiangbei. I have longed to meet you for quite some time, and today my wish is finally granted."
As the saying went, flattery raised both parties higher.
While such polite exchanges carried little practical substance, they successfully set an amicable tone for their first encounter.
After trading a few more pleasantries, Chen Fan gestured toward the ruins. "The Dan Sect's herb garden lies inside. I must trouble Medicine King Valley's disciples to assist us."
"No trouble at all, no trouble!"
Valley Master Qi waved his hand dismissively, signaling the Great Elder to lead the disciples into the ruins to transplant the herbs. He then remained by the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage, continuing to chat and laugh amiably with Chen Fan in full view of the onlookers from various merchant guilds.
Shortly after, Sick Monkey and the others began hauling massive crates to the front of the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage, shoving them into the carriage compartment one after another.
Standing nearby, Valley Master Qi felt a pang of envy watching the scene unfold. The Dan Sect had fallen too quickly; they hadn't even had the chance to exhaust their foundations and stockpiles, leaving every scrap of wealth for Chen Fan to claim. When two factions normally went to war, by the time one side was crushed, its resources were mostly spent, leaving the victor with mere scraps.
Unless, of course... a faction met its end like the Dan Sect.
They had died so swiftly that everything fell intact into the Fan Domain's lap.
Yet Valley Master Qi soon sensed something amiss. Why did this carriage seem to possess bottomless space? How could it keep swallowing so many massive chests without filling up?
"Domain Lord Chen, your carriage..."
"Ah, this carriage is called the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage. It contains its own pocket dimension with rather generous internal space, so it can hold quite a lot."
"I see!"
Valley Master Qi withdrew his gaze with an envious sigh. It truly could hold a lot—he wanted to show off like that too. "Might you... have any spare carriages of this kind for sale?"
"Alas, no," Chen Fan replied with a regretful shake of his head. "It is one of a kind. However, once the rainy season ends in Jiangnan, the Fan Domain will formally open up external commerce and host an auction. There may well be items that pique Medicine King Valley's interest. Would you care to attend when the time comes?"
"Of course!" Valley Master Qi replied solemnly. "Rest assured, Domain Lord Chen, I shall certainly be there to support you."
Naturally, he had to go.
The Dan Sect had held countless treasures tailored perfectly for Medicine King Valley; he was determined to buy back as many as possible.
While the two chatted merrily, Qi Chong had already recruited a massive crowd of day laborers from a neighboring city. Nearly a thousand workers swarmed across the Dan Sect ruins, spreading through the disciple quarters and lesser buildings to begin a sweeping salvage operation.
Anything of the slightest value was hauled away.
The Nine-Five Dragon Carriage had plenty of room to spare.
"It's just a shame about these walls," Chen Fan murmured regretfully as he stood beside the carriage, gazing at the surrounding fortifications. This small city had not been established over a natural ghost fire zone; rather, its perimeter was maintained by several artificial points of ghost fire, and the core ghost fire had already been extinguished.
Fissures were already spreading across the walls. Before long, every structure erected here by an architect would lose its magical potency and crumble completely into dust.
Constructing those walls had consumed an enormous number of ghost stones.
He had originally expected the Dan Sect to possess anti-air defenses.
Disappointingly, they had none whatsoever.
Only a handful of high-level cultivators had hurled martial techniques at the Nine-Five Dragon Carriage high above, but their attacks fell completely short of reaching him. As for the defensive cannon towers, they were even more useless. The protective height provided by the ghost fire was merely fifty meters, and the towers could not fire upon enemies outside the campsite's boundary.
This outcome served as a timely reminder for Chen Fan as well.
He needed to find a way to develop some anti-air countermeasures of his own.
Otherwise, if someone attempted the same aerial tactic against him in the future, he would be left without any means to retaliate.
Scavenging runs were always joyous and fleeting.
Especially when plundering ruins.
Before long, the Dan Sect ruins had been nearly scraped clean down to three feet of topsoil. Every corpse had been hacked into eighteen pieces, piled high together, and set ablaze.
"Domain Lord Chen, this is..." Valley Master Qi asked, slightly taken aback by the sight.
Chen Fan chuckled softly. "Just sending them on their way. If left here, they would only become rations for ghost creatures once night falls, and I can hardly bear to see that happen."
"Domain Lord Chen's benevolence is truly vast."
Valley Master Qi clasped his hands with an expression of profound respect, though the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably. He was well aware that the Dan Sect could refine feigned death pills. But in a state like this...
Forget feigned death pills.
Even the Dan Sect's legendary Resurrection Pill wouldn't be able to bring them back to life.
Chapter 113