Chapter 91: Life Is Full of Unexpected Meetings

Chapter Ninety-One: Where Life Doesn't Meet

Ye Fan ran swiftly, crossing mountains and valleys. He was as agile as an ape and as fast as a leopard, and the landscape quickly receded behind him. However, he couldn't completely shake off his pursuers. Several figures were still close behind, indicating their cultivation levels were not low, likely mid-to-late-stage cultivators of the Bitter Sea.

Suddenly, Ye Fan's expression hardened. Ahead lay a large canyon, and two figures blocked his path. Not only were there pursuers behind him, but two others had also circled around to intercept him.

It was too late to turn back now. He stopped and said, "Gentlemen, we were just chatting a little while ago. Why are you blocking my way now?"

Blocking the canyon's exit were a man and a woman, both appearing to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. The woman smirked coldly and said, "You were fine at Purple Sun Cave Heaven. Why did you run away? Did you do something unspeakable?"

The man took a few large strides forward, glaring at Ye Fan. "You wouldn't have stolen something, would you? Otherwise, why the hurried escape? It just goes to show a beggar's thieving nature never changes; even in our Purple Sun Cave Heaven, you can't keep your hands clean."

"I suppose that 'source' you have isn't legitimate either. Perhaps it was stolen from our Purple Sun Cave Heaven. How else could a small beggar like you possess something so valuable?" the woman pressed closer. As she did, Ye Fan continuously moved forward as well, appearing natural, not as if he intended to charge. His demeanor was calm, but he was sneering inwardly, realizing they clearly wanted to seize his source, yet were fabricating baseless accusations against him.

"How can you malign me like this? This 'source' is clearly a family heirloom. You can't just throw such dirt at me..." As he spoke, Ye Fan had already drawn close to the two individuals.

Just then, the people behind them, seeing the two sides closing in, shouted, "Watch out!"

But it was too late. Ye Fan acted decisively, leaping up. His movements were incredibly swift; his hands shot out like lightning, forcing their heads to collide violently. Both instantly fell unconscious.

Neither of the cultivators could have imagined that an eleven or twelve-year-old beggar would possess such terrifying skills. Completely unprepared, they collapsed to the ground, unconscious in an instant.

Ye Fan did not use the Golden Scroll, primarily because two people were blocking his path, and he wasn't confident he could kill them both instantly. Furthermore, he wanted to create a false impression for those behind him, making them believe he had used this method to kill the first person and did not understand cultivation techniques.

At that moment, Ye Fan pulled a small curved knife from the woman's body and made as if to hack at the two. Immediately, shouts of warning came from behind him.

Ye Fan didn't strike. A cold smile played on his lips as he muttered, "I hope this misleads you." He feigned panic and continued to flee forward.

As expected, resentful voices came from behind. Someone said, "That little brat is cunning and physically strong. Senior Brother Yang must have been killed by him in the stone forest in this manner." Another added, "Luckily, we were close behind, otherwise Senior Brother Wang and Junior Sister Zhang would have also met with misfortune."

Ye Fan murmured to himself, "It's one thing if you can't catch me, but if you truly intend to pester me relentlessly, I'll give you a surprise then."

He lacked sufficient strength; if he exposed his trump card too early and was surrounded by several individuals, the consequences would be dire. By successfully misleading them now, he had effectively gained an extra protective charm.

After running for another dozen li, three figures finally encircled him. The woman in the center sneered, "After all, he's not a disciple of Purple Sun Cave Heaven. Though he runs fast, he took many detours and we've finally intercepted him."

The other two male disciples looked exceedingly grim. One spoke with a chilling voice, "Poor Senior Brother Yang was actually killed by a small beggar, falling for that brat's cunning scheme! How hateful!" The other male disciple's expression was equally cold, "If we hadn't arrived in time, I fear Senior Brother Wang and Junior Sister Zhang would have also met with misfortune, successfully ambushed by this little beggar."

Ye Fan feigned fear, showing the nervous expression typical of an eleven or twelve-year-old boy. He stammered, "Sirs... you can't blame me. They tried to kill me... to seize my 'source.' I had no choice... I caught them off guard and knocked... them out."

The woman in the center's expression was icy. She said in a cold voice, "You killed Senior Brother Yang..."

"I... I thought I had knocked him out, but I didn't realize he wasn't unconscious. After falling, he grabbed my leg. I... I was scared, I drew the knife, and accidentally... chopped him in the neck." Ye Fan showed the fear appropriate for a child.

"Accidentally?!" The woman's face was sinister, her beautiful features covered with a frosty chill. She said coldly, "Accidentally causing Senior Brother Yang's death? Is this a joke, or a mockery?" "There's nothing more to say. Take the 'source' and kill him to avenge Senior Brother Yang!" "Killing him outright would be too easy..."

Both male disciples' eyes glinted with a cold light, revealing grim killing intent.

Just then, Ye Fan kept shifting his feet, seemingly trembling, but in reality, he was adjusting his position to align himself with the two male disciples in a "three-point line," standing on the same straight line.

"Whoosh!" At that very moment, a blazing golden light shot out from Ye Fan's body, like a golden lightning bolt that eclipsed the sun. The Golden Scroll, dazzling and brilliant, streaked across the air in the blink of an eye. "Thud," "thud." Two soft sounds followed as the two men died with eyes wide open, cut in half at the waist. Blood gushed high into the air. Their upper torsos fell to the ground, continually spewing blood, while their lower halves remained upright for a second before collapsing into the gore.

"You..." The woman was shocked, but her reaction was swift. In an instant, she conjured a purple divine net and cast it towards Ye Fan.

"Clang, clang!" The Golden Scroll, like a golden sun with golden flames burning fiercely, charged towards the large purple net. The two clashed, emitting clanging sounds. The purple divine net shattered inch by inch and fell to the ground. The Golden Scroll shot through, then "whoosh" it spun around and struck, "thud," and the woman's head rolled off.

Ye Fan wiped a bead of cold sweat. If he hadn't concealed his trump card and successfully misled them, he would most likely be the one lying in a pool of blood.

"You sought to kill me and seize my 'source,' so your deaths do not make me feel guilty." After a quick cleanup, Ye Fan fled like the wind, not daring to delay for even a moment.

Barely a hundred meters after he sped off, shouts came from behind. Several more people were fast approaching. Ye Fan quickly glanced back, and his expression froze. He saw Li Xiaoman!

He couldn't describe the feeling. There had been a connection between them in the past, long since ended and turned to dust, but this scene was still beyond his expectation. He could face her indifferently, they could be like strangers, but this particular situation...

"Is she pursuing me, or following to stop her senior brothers and sisters? I hope it's the latter," Ye Fan murmured to himself. Although he had long let go of that relationship, and it could no longer stir his emotions, if it truly were the former, it would be too brutal.

Ye Fan ran through the mountains as if on flat ground, moving at extreme speed. Suddenly, a series of bell tolls echoed from behind, reverberating through the peaks.

"This is from Purple Sun Cave Heaven..." Ye Fan looked back and saw that several figures had stopped upon hearing the bells, then quickly ran back. "A bell whose sound carries for dozens of li... they retreated upon hearing it. Does that mean Purple Sun Cave Heaven is recalling all its disciples to the mountain gate?" Ye Fan's mind raced, and in an instant, he considered a possibility: something unusual must have happened at Purple Sun Cave Heaven, most likely them discovering the identity of the Jiang family's knight. "Not good!" He fled rapidly.

As he passed a river, he took out the 'source' and threw it into the riverbed. "The second most powerful expert of Purple Sun Cave Heaven can sense the aura of the 'source,' and other powerful cultivators must also be able to detect it. I can't carry it with me. I'll retrieve it later." Ye Fan feared that Purple Sun Cave Heaven's experts might also pursue him, aiding the Jiang family's knight, which would create a much bigger problem.

"I can't escape outside the mountains. I need to think in reverse, to do something unexpected." Ye Fan quickly ran back, then came to a large waterfall, plunged into it, and pressed himself against the rock face, letting the water continuously pound his body. Although his cultivation was not very profound, he could hold his breath for a long time. When he truly couldn't hold on, he could poke his head out for a breath of fresh air.

In this manner, Ye Fan hid for three full days. During that time, some people flew past, but none noticed the waterfall below. Afterward, Ye Fan changed his hiding spots several times, remaining concealed in the depths of the mountains for half a month without being discovered.

That night, Ye Fan quietly left the mountain range where Purple Sun Cave Heaven was located and exited the mountainous area.

Days later, he appeared a thousand li away, having completely distanced himself from that place.

Recalling his experiences at Purple Sun Cave Heaven, what Ye Fan remembered most vividly was Li Xiaoman's indifferent expression, advising him not to be unrealistic, to accept reality, and to be an ordinary mortal, giving off an air of superiority.

"I should have shaken off the Jiang family's knight by now. I need to find a place to cultivate in peace as soon as possible."

However, to Ye Fan's utter surprise, just three days later, while looking up at the sky in an ancient city, he spotted the Jiang family's knight again.

"They're truly relentless ghosts. The problem isn't even with that 'source' after all." Ye Fan pulled out everything he had on him: a white jade pendant given to him by old man Wu Qingfeng, which should be fine; and a chipped, rock-like piece of broken jade from the unscrupulous Taoist Duan De, which also should be fine. Then, he pulled out a walnut-sized Bodhi seed, muttering to himself, "Could it be because of this?" It would be a great pity to discard this Bodhi seed, as it could aid one in achieving enlightenment. Ye Fan had never considered it a spiritual treasure, always treating it as a seed from a divine tree. Now, upon careful thought, he realized the problem might lie here. "Perhaps the treasure Jiang Yichen sensed was this very Bodhi seed..."

Soon after, Ye Fan entered a restaurant, ordered some food, and prepared to eat.

"Indeed, where in life do we not meet again..." Suddenly, an ancient voice sounded in Ye Fan's ear. A gaunt, white-haired old man, his face obscured, appeared before him like a ghost.

"Elder Han!" Ye Fan was so startled he nearly overturned the table. It was truly adding insult to injury, to encounter him at such a critical moment.

"It seems we are fated, for I was looking for you," Elder Han of the Spiritual Ruin Cave Heaven said, sitting opposite him at the table.

"Elder Han, what do you need me for?"

Elder Han resembled dried kindling, his flesh withered, only a layer of old skin covering his bones. Combined with his obscured face, he looked terrifying. He said grimly, "I prepared endless spiritual medicines for you, but couldn't find you. I didn't expect to meet you here again."

"You prepared many spiritual medicines for me?"

"You are the primary ingredient; the other spiritual medicines are supplementary," Elder Han said slowly and deliberately.

"Damn you, old geezer!" Ye Fan slammed the table. There was no point in holding back now.