This was a peaceful place, rarely visited by disciples for cultivation. Scattered wooden huts dotted the emerald bamboo forest, serving as housing for manual laborers.
A breeze stirred, causing the bamboo to sway gently. The green leaves rustled softly, and the fresh air flowed freely through the grove.
Li Xiaoman stood gracefully in white robes, drifting like a celestial fairy. Her jet-black hair was thick and glossy, her skin like jade, her eyes clear as water. She looked at Ye Fan and said, "You're just a mortal. A Source is useless in your hands."
"I may be a mortal," Ye Fan replied, lightly tossing the Source in his hand with a smile, "but I still understand its value. All of you cultivators treat it as a treasure, how could it be useless to me? It holds vast life essence. For a mortal, wouldn't that mean extended life?"
"You… using a Source to prolong a mortal life? That's a waste!" several of the young men and women nearby frowned in disgust.
"If you want to live longer and strengthen your body, there are many better ways. You could trade that Source for herbal elixirs instead."
"Exactly. If you're willing to give up the Source, we'll make sure the exchange satisfies you."
Their desire for the Source was obvious, it tempted them all, and they were eager to claim it.
"Sorry, I don't want to trade it. What you're offering doesn't interest me," Ye Fan said firmly. He would never give up the Source, no matter what, and rejected them outright.
Their faces darkened. To them, the Source meant immense value, and seeing it in the hands of a mortal was like watching a pearl buried in mud. They all wanted it for themselves.
Li Xiaoman stood quietly, her white robes fluttering, black hair flowing gently in the wind. She said, "You don't understand what it means for a mortal to possess a Source. It's not wealth, it's a disaster. You're just an ordinary person. You'll never be able to protect it."
"What, are you planning to rob me now?" Ye Fan asked, putting the Source away and glancing at the group.
Other than Li Xiaoman, who remained calm, the others looked hostile and stared coldly at Ye Fan.
"Even Violet Sun Grotto-Heaven's second strongest didn't try to pressure me. Are you all really planning to resort to force?"
Li Xiaoman spoke evenly, without a trace of emotion. "The fact that you possess a Source is no longer a secret. Even if you're safe for now, your future is in danger."
"So you're saying I only have one option, trade it?"
Li Xiaoman nodded. "Trade it with a cultivator. You'll be set for life, no more hardship. You'll live as a wealthy man, enjoying luxury and peace."
"But your cultivation levels aren't particularly high. I doubt any of you can fully refine the life essence within this Source."
Sensing that Ye Fan might be wavering, the others jumped in:
"We may not be able to refine it ourselves, but we can give it to our elders in the sect."
"That senior from earlier, the one who helped Junior Sister Li regain her youth, is Violet Sun's second strongest. If she gives him this Source, she'll earn even more favor. And we'll gain the opportunity to learn from him too."
Ye Fan simply smiled and looked at Li Xiaoman.
"You're right. I do intend to offer the Source to him," she said calmly, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. She looked at Ye Fan and added, "I won't let you suffer. You'll be well rewarded."
Ye Fan shook his head with a faint smile. "Just like the old you…"
Li Xiaoman didn't deny it. She took a few steps forward, her eyes fixed on him. "I know you're confident, and you have potential. You don't want to be a mere mortal. But reality is reality. Your body isn't suited for cultivation. I hope you can come to terms with that and live peacefully. The Source is useless to you. Accept your fate. Being ordinary can be a kind of happiness."
"Seems like we never really understood each other," Ye Fan said softly, and said no more.
"People always strive upward…" Li Xiaoman paused for a moment, then said, "Immortals and mortals live in different worlds."
"Immortals and mortals, different worlds?" Ye Fan chuckled casually. "Who knows what the future holds? Maybe one day I'll walk the same path as you… maybe even surpass you."
The disciples nearby looked surprised. There was something unusual about the exchange, it didn't feel like a simple conversation between old neighbors. And Ye Fan didn't seem like a mere boy of eleven or twelve.
"No matter what, I won't give up the Source. You should all go." Ye Fan raised his hand, politely but firmly asking them to leave.
"You…"
The disciples' faces turned even uglier. Before leaving, Li Xiaoman glanced at Ye Fan one last time and said, "You should accept reality and live as a mortal."
Suddenly, chaos erupted outside Violet Sun Grotto-Heaven. Loud shouts echoed, and red streaks of light flashed across the sky. Cultivators were engaged in a battle in the distance.
"Let's go check it out!" the disciples in the bamboo grove rushed off.
Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat, someone was invading the sect. His first thought was the Jiang Clan soldiers. He decided to blend into the crowd and observe, so he could prepare for what came next.
Violet Sun Grotto-Heaven was now in an uproar. Many cultivators rushed toward the entrance. When Ye Fan arrived, he saw several injured people being carried back.
"Who would dare to invade our Violet Sun Grotto-Heaven and attack our disciples?"
"It was a powerful soldier on a terrifying beast. He defeated five of our sect's elites and nearly escaped, but our senior elder stopped him!"
Hearing these discussions, Ye Fan was certain, it was one of the Jiang Clan soldiers.
"Relentless ghosts…" he muttered, frowning.
Just then, cheers erupted from ahead. Someone shouted, "Our elder really is powerful, he captured that terrifying soldier!"
A man in his mid-thirties walked calmly through the sky, it was Violet Sun Grotto-Heaven's second strongest, the same man Ye Fan had met before. He returned carrying the unconscious soldier and his beast, throwing them heavily to the ground. "Take him to the stone prison."
"It's time to leave. Violet Sun just did me a big favor. Let them hold onto this 'hot potato' for a few more days…" Ye Fan could imagine the chaos that would unfold once they discovered the soldier's identity.
He slipped out of the sect and sprinted toward the outer mountains. But just then, a few people noticed his departure, exchanged glances, and followed him.
"If I can survive this, I'm going to find a quiet place and train like mad."
After everything he'd experienced, Ye Fan yearned for strength more than ever. He craved unparalleled power.
After running several dozen miles, Ye Fan sensed something was wrong, someone was following him. They were fast and closing in. Alarmed, he darted into a rocky forest and hid behind a massive stone, peeking behind.
"It's him…"
The pursuer looked around twenty-six or twenty-seven. He was one of Li Xiaoman's senior brothers, the one who had been eyeing the Source earlier. He entered the stone forest in a flash.
"I saw you. Come out. Leave the Source and I'll let you live."
"So he really does want to steal my Source…" Ye Fan remained hidden. This man was no pushover, he wouldn't have caught up otherwise.
"If he takes the Source, he won't let me live. Better strike first!" Ye Fan made his decision.
"If you don't show yourself, don't blame me for killing you when I find you." The man was cautious. Ye Fan's speed had nearly thrown him off, which was unusual for a so-called mortal.
As he approached the boulder,
A golden light flashed, swift and sharp.
Shhk-!
Blood sprayed. A head tumbled to the ground. The body spewed blood several meters high before collapsing with a thud.
Ye Fan retrieved the golden book. Just then, his expression changed, more figures were closing in fast. He glanced briefly, then fled at full speed. He couldn't tell if Li Xiaoman was among them. The dense vegetation made it hard to see.
"I hope you're not back there…" Ye Fan muttered as he disappeared into the distance.