Chapter 101: Fourth Layer of the Meridian Condensation Realm

"Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?"

The mighty voice rang out like the morning bell and the evening drum, reverberating through all the heavens. Immediately afterward, a golden road burst forth from the palace and stretched all the way to Lin Fan's feet.

"Such formidable power, no weaker than a titled realm expert. His mastery of the Dao is already beyond perfection. How can there still be such a figure in Wangwu Mountain?" Lin Fan murmured to himself as he walked along the golden road, the scenery on either side receding at a dizzying pace.

Once he entered the great hall, everything was different. The exterior was resplendent with gold and jade, yet the interior was exceedingly simple, filled with a sense of returning to the unadorned and natural.

"Sit, little brother."

That voice sounded again. Brilliant radiance flickered, and a man appeared before Lin Fan. He looked very young, refined and scholarly, with an incomparably handsome face.

"I greet you, Senior."

Lin Fan bowed. He knew how terrifying this man was; he might already have become an emperor.

"No need for such formality. You and I are the same kind of people."

The master of the palace smiled and shook his head. Seated in the place of honor, he seemed approachable and unassuming.

Seeing this, Lin Fan did not overthink it and sat down directly.

"Serve tea."

The palace master spoke, summoning the boy who had originally led Lin Fan into the hall.

"Yes."

The boy was extremely respectful, very different from his earlier arrogant manner.

Divine light surged, and a cup of tea appeared beside Lin Fan, with several tea leaves floating upon its surface.

"Fine tea."

Lin Fan's heart stirred. He knew little about tea, yet he could tell at once that the cup before him was extraordinary.

Within the tea itself drifted wisps of law, and the divine radiance had condensed into all manner of living forms. It was truly a rare treasure in all heaven and earth.

"Try it. I do not have many leaves of this kind myself. I fear I will never taste it again."

The palace master shook his head. He too had a cup of tea, but it looked vastly different from Lin Fan's, for the tea in his hand had been brewed from nothing more than ordinary leaves.

"The tea is excellent, but I will not drink it. I am not skilled in this art. If you do not mind, Senior, let us exchange cups. To me, all tea is the same."

Lin Fan shook his head and pushed the tea beside him toward the other man.

"Do you know what you have just refused?"

The unexpected words came as the palace master looked somewhat taken aback, while the boy in the hall was even more astonished.

"I do not know, and I do not wish to know. This tea is far too precious. This junior truly cannot accept it."

Lin Fan was resolute, with no trace of regret.

"This tea comes from the divine dynasty. Rumor has it that it is used by the gods themselves. Under heaven, there is not much of it. Every drop is held by the sacred lands and divine dynasties. For ordinary people, even a single sip can make one a celestial being. If you were to drink it now, you would immediately achieve union with heaven and man. Even if you fell short of that realm, you would be infinitely close. Will you still refuse?"

A mysterious light gleamed in the palace master's eyes as he tried to tempt Lin Fan.

"If that is truly the case, then this junior is even less willing to drink it. The celestial-human realm may be wonderful, but if it is attained too easily, it may leave hidden dangers."

Lin Fan's attitude grew even firmer, and he did not even want to look at the tea again.

"Good. Not being lured by external things, and maintaining your original heart—your road will likely be much longer."

The palace master said no more. He handed his own tea to Lin Fan, then drained the cup that had originally belonged to Lin Fan in a single gulp.

Lin Fan nodded and drank the hot tea offered by the palace master.

The tea was slightly astringent, then grew bitter at the root of the tongue, and a numbing sensation unlike anything he had ever felt flooded his throat.

"This tea..."

Lin Fan's face changed, but then his whole body began to tremble. A heat flowed through his entire frame, and every bone struck against the others with crackling sounds.

"What vast power. I am transforming."

His mind stirred, and then a boundless aura shot forth from within him, growing stronger and stronger.

"Peak fourth level of the Meridian Condensation Realm!"

Radiance flickered, and Lin Fan's whole body was bathed in divine light. Before he knew it, he had actually broken through the shackles of the third level of the Meridian Condensation Realm and reached the peak of the fourth.

The transformation took fully fifteen minutes before it finally ended. Lin Fan's awareness returned to his body, only for him to be seized by shock and cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead.

The surroundings were utterly empty. Where was the magnificent palace? In front of Lin Fan there was only a small mound of earth. When he looked more closely, he realized it was a grave.

A headstone stood before the mound, blank and without a single character upon it, as though the owner of the tomb had not wished the world to know his name.

"An uninscribed stone? Then what did I just see? Two cups of tea, one sweet and one bitter, exactly like the real thing, and I even used it to step into the fourth level of the Meridian Condensation Realm."

Lin Fan could not understand what had happened. In the end, he could only let it go. Fortunately, his realm had truly improved, and his battle strength was now comparable to the ninth level of the Meridian Condensation Realm!

"Senior, I shall remember this great kindness forever and have no way to repay it."

Lin Fan bowed deeply, then chose to leave. The strange events were becoming more and more numerous; a major upheaval might be at hand.

An hour later, Lin Fan had drawn even closer to the core of Wangwu Mountain. Along the way, bones had begun to appear, and they seemed to be of those who had perished not long ago.

Another half hour passed, and a small city came into view in the distance, with faint signs of habitation.

"What is going on? Could there actually be people building a city inside Wangwu Mountain?"

Lin Fan looked puzzled. As he approached the city, another group of people arrived from afar, charging straight toward it.

"Open the gate quickly! We failed to storm the pass! We need rest and recovery!"

The leader roared. He was covered in wounds, blood streaming down his body, and behind him were five or six others, all of them injured without exception.

"What exactly happened? This city must have always existed; people simply made use of it."

Lin Fan followed after them. Then he smiled, for within that group he had seen a familiar figure.

"Long time no see."

Lin Fan stepped forward with a smile. He had already confirmed the true identity of one person in that band.

"Brother Lin, you have finally come!"

A familiar voice rang out. It was none other than Young Master Falling Flower, though at the moment he was in a sorry state, one arm even broken.

After seeing Lin Fan, the others who had been on guard all relaxed. They could no longer continue fighting; if a strong enemy truly came, they would have no power to retaliate.

"Falling Flower, who is this man?" the leader asked. At this point, his tone was friendly, with no intention of making a move.

"Big brother, this is the benefactor who saved my life. If not for Brother Lin, I would likely have been dead long ago," Falling Flower explained. His gratitude toward Lin Fan was sincere, and he had always shown it openly.

"So that's how it is. I am Falling Flower's elder brother, Xiang Zhenting. My thanks to you, little brother, for saving his life. May I ask whether you have also come for that matter?"

The man at the head of the group cupped his hands in greeting. Though wounded all over, he could not conceal his commanding bearing, and an oppressive aura radiated from him.