Chapter 764: Teasing the Master

At this moment, they were struggling significantly against the Yin energy. While several of them had cultivated lightning and fire-based techniques, these were not their primary methods, so their power was not very strong, and their effectiveness against the Yin energy was very limited.

"Senior Brother Jian, what should we do?" Leng Qingzhu asked, her face filled with anxiety and her body drenched in sweat, though her hands continued their work. "Our talismans are all used up. With just our cultivation techniques, we can't force all this Yin energy back. If it leaks out and makes the ninth floor uninhabitable, we'll be in serious trouble."

A composed member asked, "Why isn't Li Shangqiu here yet? I contacted him a while ago, and he said he'd be here soon."

Li Shangqiu was another one of the Four Mythical Prodigies. The Boundless team, which he had single-handedly assembled, was currently the strongest team. The lowest cultivation level among his subordinates was Core Formation Layer Eight, while he, as their leader, had reached the perfected stage of Core Formation Layer Nine. In terms of cultivation realm alone, he was comparable to the four Vice-Pavilion Masters. However, due to his fewer years of cultivation, his mastery of techniques and experience were far inferior to the older Pavilion Masters who had been at the perfected Core Formation Layer Nine for decades. Still, he far surpassed most of the stewards. With several Core Formation Layer Nine and Eight members under his command, their seven-member team possessed terrifying strength, comparable to the middle and lower six sects of the Nine Sects. If they were willing to help, forcing this Yin energy back wouldn't be too difficult.

Jian Linyuan shook his head slightly. "They won't be coming," he said. "If we block the Yin energy, this hidden space is destined to be unexplorable. They won't do anything that doesn't benefit them. Their promise to you was just a perfunctory gesture to avoid your persistence."

Hearing this, everyone's heart sank. Jian Linyuan looked at Yun Yang, who was at the very front, and calmly said, "Master, we must retreat. Continuing to spend our efforts will be useless and will needlessly deplete our spiritual power. When the Yin energy fully erupts, it will be troublesome if we don't even have the spiritual power to escape."

Yun Yang nodded. "Retreat," she said. "If the Pavilion Master holds us accountable, I will bear the responsibility."

Shang Shiqiu looked remorseful. "I'll take responsibility for my actions," she stated. "I'll be responsible for breaking the Yin marrow."

Yun Yang said expressionlessly, "We'll talk about it later. Prepare to withdraw!"

The disciples nodded. Just as they were about to cease their techniques, a voice suddenly came from behind them. "How about I give it a try?"

Before they could react, a lightning-formed palm, about a *zhang* in size, shot over their heads and struck the spatial opening. Everywhere it passed, the Yin energy dissipated completely, like snowflakes melting in a raging fire. The spatial opening, no longer spewing Yin energy, gradually shrank and finally closed completely, until it vanished from sight.

"What a dominant lightning technique!" one person exclaimed. "More accurately, this lightning technique has been cultivated to profound depths!" another added.

"Aside from the Pavilion Master, I haven't seen anyone capable of unleashing such powerful lightning divine abilities," someone whispered in astonishment.

They all looked in surprise at the person who had acted from behind them. Upon seeing him, Jian Linyuan and Leng Qingzhu immediately showed expressions of pleasant surprise. Yun Yang also looked on with considerable astonishment. She scrutinized the unfamiliar young man before her, asking, "Whose disciple are you? Your lightning divine abilities are truly remarkable!"

Leng Qingzhu excitedly started, "Master, he is..." Halfway through her sentence, her clothes were tugged by Shang Shiqiu, who revealed a mischievous smile and made a shushing gesture. She then gave a look to the other five as well. Leng Qingzhu understood immediately and, finding the idea amusing, changed her words. "He's a friend we met at the Nine Sects."

Yun Yang glared at her. "Why are you so excited then?" she asked. "I thought you were going to say he was my new disciple, Jiang Fan! You made me happy for nothing." She only knew from Shang Shiqiu that the disciple she was to accept was named Jiang Fan, a Qingyun Sect disciple at Core Formation Layer Six. To be honest, that was already quite good, as Leng Qingzhu had only recently broken through to Core Formation Layer Six. Jiang Fan starting at Core Formation Layer Six was a much stronger foundation than most older disciples. However, compared to the young man before her, he seemed far inferior. In the underground world, powerful Yang-attributed divine abilities were highly sought after, even more important than cultivation realms. The young man's powerful lightning divine abilities would undoubtedly allow him to shine in the underground world—something Jiang Fan could not compare to.

"Who is your Master?" Yun Yang asked, not without envy. "Who was lucky enough to take you as a disciple?"

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose, looking speechlessly at Leng Qingzhu and the others, who were struggling to suppress their laughter. *You can fool Master if you want, but why drag me into it?* He wondered whether to play along or tell the truth.

Shang Shiqiu's bright eyes darted, and she said, "Master, his name is Fan Jiang, and he's Vice-Pavilion Master Chen's new disciple."

Yun Yang suddenly understood. "That explains it," she said. "Vice-Pavilion Master Chen has always had sharp discernment. Ye Banxia was someone he selected from among disciples no one had high hopes for, and as a result, she led the way, becoming one of the Four Mythical Prodigies and the first to break through to the perfected Core Formation Layer Nine. And now he's chosen someone like Fan Jiang, a master of lightning divine abilities. Truly enviable."

Jiang Fan's mouth twitched. *The disciples are ganging up to prank Master. Go ahead and play. Anyway, I haven't said anything. If there's a punishment, it should fall on these unfilial disciples.*

Yun Yang looked at Jiang Fan. "Fan Jiang, you've helped us tremendously," she said. "I'd like to give you a gift."

Jiang Fan was about to refuse, but he faintly sensed two powerful presences rapidly approaching the area, one from ahead and one from behind. He quickly said, "No need for gifts. If Steward Yun Yang truly wishes to thank me, just help me block those two senior disciples." He glanced at the vanished space. "I'll go inside and hide for a bit. How can this space be opened?"

Jian Linyuan asked in surprise, "Jiang... Brother Fan Jiang, you want to go in? It's full of Yin energy in there. Your lightning divine abilities can't protect you indefinitely; they'll eventually be exhausted."

Jiang Fan urged, "I have my ways."

Helpless, Jian Linyuan could only tell him the truth. "This is a hidden space that requires a trace of spatial energy to activate it. I accidentally used a trace of spatial energy while fighting here, and that's how it was activated." As he spoke, he took out a damaged talisman containing a faint trace of spatial energy and threw it to Jiang Fan.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Jian," Jiang Fan said. Sensing the two presences getting closer, he dared not linger and decisively threw the damaged talisman forward, hitting the air in front of him. As the spatial energy from the talisman bounced off that patch of air, the vanished black opening reappeared. With a layer of lightning flickering around his body, Jiang Fan immediately darted into it.

A moment later, Ren Guhong and Wu Manyue arrived, their faces grim. They quickly scanned the area from afar, saw Yun Yang's group, and found no trace of Jiang Fan. They then decisively left to search elsewhere with furious determination.

Yun Yang's eyes showed astonishment. "What did Fan Jiang do to them?" she wondered. "It looks like they suffered a great loss. Could Wu Manyue, such a cunning and shrewd person, and Ren Guhong, such a powerful and meticulous individual, both have been tricked by Fan Jiang? He really does have some tricks up his sleeve." Comparing him to her own disciples, she couldn't help but shake her head. "All the good disciples belong to others," she sighed. "Let's go, we'll return to the surface. Soon, we'll just have to honestly listen to the Pavilion Master announce the impressive performances of other disciples." Their exploration this time had yielded very little, and the merit list that would be announced shortly would likely show them near the bottom again.