Lin Fan stood dumbfounded, his jaw dropping. The Supreme Dao Field—an infamous orthodoxy! He'd escaped one predator's den only to stumble into another. My life's at its darkest!
"Careless move. Now I'll be a walking target, no chance for low-key growth!" he thought, his mood souring.
"You've heard of this name?" Qi Dao Lin asked, noting the boy's shifting expressions.
"Nope! Just shocked by how grand it sounds. You can tell it's powerful!" Lin Fan lied smoothly, feigning awe.
Now that he was part of this sect, he'd make the best of it. Qi Dao Lin might be a bit shady, but he was decent—fiercely protective. In the original tale, he'd risked his life to shield the "milk baby" emerging from the Immortal Ancient. Plus, his cultivation was impressive—Self-Release Realm, Sect Master level. If Lin Fan kept a low profile and played it safe, he'd manage.
Qi Dao Lin was also a master of many stolen arts, a wealth of knowledge. With just the two of them in the sect, Lin Fan would get one-on-one training—far better than joining some minor faction. The catch? Qi Dao Lin had to actually teach, not leave him to fend for himself.
"Well said! You've got sharp eyes. Our lineage once dominated the world, crushing foes across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands…" Qi Dao Lin beamed, launching into a boastful tirade, delighted by Lin Fan's response.
Lin Fan inwardly rolled his eyes. Puff yourself up, why don't you? The Supreme Dao Field of old was indeed unmatched, rivaling major powers with peerless techniques like the Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art and Grass Character Sword Art—world-shaking divine abilities. But now? The sect was a shadow of its former glory, its techniques lost, reviled by all, with the Immortal Hall as its sworn enemy.
"Dao Master, when do I start cultivating?" Lin Fan asked, eager to begin. He'd been yearning to train for ages.
But as he tried to stand, his body screamed in protest, pain searing through him like it was tearing apart.
"Hiss! It hurts!" Lin Fan grimaced, his face twisting. The agony from his earlier ordeal was unbearable.
"No rush. First, we'll heal your injuries. Surviving spatial laws without cultivation? That's no small feat," Qi Dao Lin chuckled, eyeing Lin Fan like an uncut gem.
Had Lin Fan's innate physique and Supreme Bone not been so resilient, he'd never have survived crossing the endless void alone.
In a flash, Qi Dao Lin's sleeves billowed, runes blazing. He swept Lin Fan up, soaring through the air. Below, mountains and rivers blurred past, stars seeming to shift as they crossed countless miles in moments.
Huddled in Qi Dao Lin's golden robe, Lin Fan heard sonic booms thundering, shaking his eardrums. Thankfully, Qi Dao Lin shielded him, sparing him further harm from the void's turbulence.
"Dao Master, where are we going? Aren't you healing me?" Lin Fan asked, puzzled by the sudden high-speed journey.
"Naturally, I'm taking you to a special place. Besides healing, we'll give you a baptism. As a successor of the Supreme Dao Field, your foundation can't be subpar," Qi Dao Lin replied.
Soon, cities appeared below, teeming with life. Even at night, they glowed brightly, bustling with activity. It wasn't just one city but a vast network of interconnected metropolises, sprawling endlessly without walls.
Lin Fan gaped. This city dwarfed entire provinces from his past life—a marvel beyond mortal craftsmanship. Only cultivators could build such a colossus. His longing to cultivate surged, eager to one day soar freely through the heavens.
They passed resplendent palaces and mist-shrouded mountains, radiant with spiritual qi. Qi Dao Lin led him into a sacred land. The path was lined with arrays, runes densely packed, guarded by sentinels. Yet Qi Dao Lin slipped through unnoticed, his cultivation far surpassing theirs.
This old guy's sneaking into someone else's territory, and not for the first time—he knows this place too well, Lin Fan thought, uneasy. Qi Dao Lin's audacity was staggering, infiltrating another sect's heartland like it was routine.
They sped onward, unhindered, until they reached a place shrouded in hazy mist. The sound of flowing water echoed.
"What a massive lake! And that fragrance!"
Lin Fan was awestruck. The air's sweet aroma intoxicated him, invigorating every cell in his body, as if he might ascend on the spot. He felt utterly at ease.
This was no mere lake but a crystalline immortal pool, its waters veiled in mist, shimmering with radiant light, otherworldly and divine.
"Go on, soak in the Tribulation-Crossing Divine Lotus Pool. It's perfect for you now!" Qi Dao Lin grinned, and with a flick, tossed the unprepared Lin Fan in.
Splash!
Water sprayed, mist rising like smoke as Lin Fan sank into the pool, ripples spreading. Choking on several mouthfuls of the divine liquid, he struggled to the surface, looking utterly bedraggled.
"Cough, cough! Old man, are you trying to kill me?!" Lin Fan flailed, shouting, his voice echoing with panic.
The water was deep, its bottom invisible. Drowning here would be a grievance with no redress.
"Heh, don't panic, kid! This is a chance others would kill for! Soak overnight—it's better than any baptism. Quiet your mind and absorb the essence," Qi Dao Lin said, chuckling, casting a water-repelling charm to ensure Lin Fan wouldn't drown.
Lin Fan adapted, realizing he could breathe underwater. He swam gleefully, like a carefree fish, reveling in the novel sensation, his curiosity piqued by the surroundings.
"My body's healing! Broken bones are knitting, the pain's fading. So comfortable—better than a hot spring!" Lin Fan muttered excitedly, sensing the changes.
He immersed himself in the pool's miraculous effects, unable to tear himself away. It was as if he'd returned to his origin, his body lightening, a potent life force flooding in, nourishing his flesh, organs, and bones.
His physique transformed dramatically. Black impurities seeped out, his skin glowing luminous and fair, like polished jade, delicate and flawless. Already fair and cute, he now looked like an adorable little prince, his chubby face and innocent charm sure to draw admiring glances from women.
"This is incredible! This pool's remaking me—reborn! Wait, he said Tribulation-Crossing Divine Lotus Pool… is this the Celestial Immortal Academy?" Lin Fan's curiosity surged.
He recalled the Supreme Dao Field's ruins were near the academy, which explained how Qi Dao Lin had swiftly nabbed Shi Hao after he climbed the celestial ladder.
"Wonder where the old guy went? He's gone." Lin Fan surfaced, scanning around but finding no trace of Qi Dao Lin.
"Eh, he wouldn't just ditch me. This place is too nice—I'll keep soaking." Lin Fan sank back in, basking in the pool's essence.
Even his Supreme Bone began to glimmer with emerald light, greedily absorbing the pool's precious liquid, nurturing his entire being.