Chapter Sixty-Six: Return to the Sect

The Great Jin Kingdom could be considered a formidable power, with sects like the Celestial Capital Sect essentially acting as its subordinates. The Domain Lord of the Tianwu Domain, on the other hand, was more akin to a direct administrator under the Great Jin Kingdom, his status surpassing that of Chen Wenxin and the others; thus, his words did not seem out of place in the slightest.

“We respectfully bid farewell to the Domain Lord.”

Chen Wenxin and Ji Wubing both bowed deeply, their manners impeccable, partly out of respect for the Domain Lord’s higher rank, but even more so for his overwhelming strength. If the two of them had already reached the Titled Realm, they might not have been so deferential, even if the Domain Lord’s status was slightly higher. But as things stood, they could not afford to be careless, especially after the Domain Lord’s final words, which struck them with the force of thunder.

The Domain Lord of Tianwu Domain was already a half-step into the Titled Realm—a further breakthrough would make him a true Titled expert. Such a figure could command storms in Yingtian Prefecture, standing at the pinnacle of power and prestige.

Chen Wenxin and Ji Wubing exchanged glances, an inscrutable look flashing in both their eyes, yet their composure never wavered—no outsider could discern anything amiss.

“Disciples of the Celestial Capital Sect—assemble!”

Chen Wenxin’s voice rang out, sonorous and mighty, resplendent as dawn, radiant as divine light flooding the heavens. His call echoed across the entire human stronghold.

“Greetings, Sect Master!”

Without a single prompt, all disciples of the Celestial Capital Sect, including Elder Chu Yunji, responded with utmost reverence. The Sect Master held the highest authority, both in power and in strength—even the ancestral elders would not openly defy his decrees.

“The demon race has retreated. It is time for rewards and recognition. All disciples who have rendered great service shall be granted a personal audience with me. There will be generous rewards for the true disciples as well.”

Chen Wenxin’s voice carried supreme authority, the confidence that stemmed from both strength and status—something impossible to imitate.

“A man should strive for such heights: to dominate a region, to stand above all rivals. The Lord of Yingtian Prefecture may be even stronger, but he is too distant, too illusory—whereas the Sect Master is tangible and real. One day, I too shall become such a leader, gazing down upon the world.”

Lin Fan’s blood surged with excitement, a gleam of resolve in his eyes, his spirit soaring with bold ambition.

At first, Lin Fan had established the Divine Court merely for self-preservation. Now, however, his mindset had shifted beyond that original purpose. He wanted to see the Divine Court truly grow stronger, to stand unchallenged atop heaven and earth.

“Yes! Yes! Such a spirit befits a true man. In ancient times, the Divine Dynasty stood high above all, its Emperor like the very sun in the heavens, able to annihilate a power with but a word, ruling the world unchallenged. Only those who become such figures can say their life has not been wasted.”

The voice of Yu Zhongtian rang with unrestrained ambition. He was not one to settle for mediocrity—he had once been a mighty figure in the ancient era, his aspirations soaring far beyond the common crowd.

“The Ancient Divine Dynasty? That must have been a true colossus. I suppose the Great Jin Kingdom would be insignificant in their eyes.”

Lin Fan’s thoughts stirred. He had just learned a new term from Yu Zhongtian’s lips—and from the sound of it, this was a power of unimaginable terror. The very term “Divine Dynasty” was leagues beyond the “Divine Court” he had hastily named to attract attention. The former led countless powers, great and small.

“The Great Jin Kingdom? Don’t make me laugh. I sensed the strength of the Lord of Yingtian Prefecture—he is a true Emperor-level master. From this, one can infer what sort of force the Great Jin Kingdom really is. In ancient times, it wouldn’t even count as a sacred land. You must widen your vision; this entire world is the stage over which you should seek dominion.”

Yu Zhongtian sneered dismissively. As his strength had grown, fewer and fewer could even sense his existence, allowing him to speak so brazenly now.

A gasp of shock escaped Lin Fan. His heart trembled. He had believed the Great Jin Kingdom to be a terrifying force, yet in Yu Zhongtian’s words, it was nothing at all.

“Don’t dwell on it. When your strength grows, you’ll see a different world—a place teeming with powerful beings and endless opportunities. For now, you still need to temper yourself. The Great Jin Kingdom is a suitable starting point. Your journey has only just begun.”

With those words, Yu Zhongtian fell completely silent. Some matters required only a nudge—too much, and it would only backfire.

In truth, Lin Fan did not dwell on it either. He deeply understood the importance of strength. Without it, even the grandest ambitions would remain empty dreams, forever out of reach.

“Return to the sect!”

A brilliant beam of light shot into the sky as Chen Wenxin activated the golden scroll in his hand. A colossal array of space and time manifested above the crowd. In a display of great power, he intended to teleport all the Celestial Capital Sect disciples within the human stronghold at once—a truly prodigious feat.

One must know, teleporting an ordinary disciple at the Flesh Refinement Realm and a master at the Heaven-Man Realm were vastly different matters, placing much greater strain on the caster. Yet for Chen Wenxin, this was not a problem—especially with the treasure in his hand.

A bout of dizziness swept over Lin Fan, and then he found himself standing in a vast plaza, surrounded by a dense throng numbering no less than ten thousand. Chen Wenxin, the Heaven-Man Realm masters, and the true disciples had already vanished.

“I am Ji Yuansheng, Elder of Transmission, responsible for distributing your rewards this time. All inner sect disciples, step forward.”

A burly old man appeared before the crowd, radiating a terrifying aura—the unmistakable majesty of an elder, and a Heaven-Man Realm master to boot.

“Ji Yuansheng? Someone from the Ji family, one of the Eight Great Clans.”

Lin Fan frowned, recalling what he knew of Ji Yuansheng—information he had obtained from Yun Xi.

With a ripple, about two thousand disciples stepped forward; these were the inner sect disciples of the Celestial Capital Sect.

“Divine Lord, I’ll go ahead.”

Gu Renfeng glanced at Lin Fan with a hint of helplessness. He already possessed three Dragon Orders, and by usual convention, the inner sect disciples went before the outer sect.

“Go on—don’t feel burdened. I may be your Divine Lord, but my rank is still that of an outer disciple.”

Lin Fan smiled lightly, unconcerned. He understood what Gu Renfeng and the others were thinking.

Now, Lin Fan was the Divine Lord of the Divine Court, yet even he had not stepped forward, let alone his protectors. Still, Lin Fan did not care about such hierarchies—he befriended others as he pleased. Even as his regard for Gu Renfeng rose, a subtle distance was created between them.

“Haha, this time, I want to see who can claim first place.”

Just then, a laugh rang out. Radiant light flickered and another figure appeared beside Ji Yuansheng.

But it did not end there—soon, several more figures emerged.