On the top of Yunwu Mountain, Chu Zhou City, Jiang Nan Province.
More than a decade before, this place had been a luxurious area in Chu Zhou City and only the richest billionaires could build villas there. When the houses built by the Wan Rong Group were destroyed, North Qiong Corp took over and rebuilt many again. At the moment, the mountain was a famous cultivation sacred ground because of the abundant Spirit Qi.
Countless billionaires around the Jiang Nan Province had spent a lot of money to buy a small villa there, sending some talented members of their families there to cultivate. Many old people also went there simply for enjoyment.
“Old Ye, good morning!”
“Brother Sun, you’re also here to practice!”
“Yes, my son has been recently taking classes with a master, and he got me a cultivation art for strengthening my body. Although I’m old and I can’t practice Qi Refinement with the young people, I still want to make myself strong, so I can live a few decades more.”
A few old men greeted each other.
They wore fleece clothes which fit their bodies perfectly and the materials were apparently not industrial products found in the market. Their hair had turned white, but they were all energetic.
Way before they arrived, a few young men had gone to the top of the mountain early. They were the elites of the new Qi Refinement Families in the Jiang Nan Province. Even though they were just eighteen years old, they had reached the Foundation Establishment Level and become Qi Refinement Cultivators.
“Hm, somebody took my spot. Who’s that? Do you know him?”
Lu Yang was wearing an outfit for Qi Refinement given by the country. He was fast like a monkey and he reached the top of the mountain in a blink. When he saw a man in black outfit sitting on the spot where he usually practiced, he immediately frowned.
A few other young people were also surprised when they saw Chen Fan.
“I’ve never seen him before. I don’t think he’s someone from Yunwu Mountain.”
Everyone shook their heads
“Look at him. He’s so messy. There’s grass and dew around his body. I guess he climbed up secretly at midnight. Doesn’t he know Yunwu Mountain is a private area?” A brawny man frowned. He was a mid-stage Ethereal Enlightenment Cultivator who was strong like a tiger.
Only Transcendent Grandmasters had such a level back then, but at the moment, even a young man had it.
“I’ll take him to the security guards.”
Lu Yang’s arm lengthened like an ape’s with his fingers bent like an eagle claw, reaching towards Chen Fan.
“Lu Yang, what are you doing? He’s just an ordinary man.”
Clap!
A girl in a green outfit reached out and blocked Lu Yang’s claw. Lu Yang was immediately enraged, but he didn’t say anything when he saw the girl. He only snickered.
“Fine, I’ll let him go for the sake of your sister, but this will be the last time. I won’t give in next time, even if your sister asks me to.”
Then, he turned around and left as he glared at Chen Fan with viciousness in his eyes.
“Hm, if Sister Ranran was here, he wouldn’t dare to talk like that.”
Before the girl in green shirt spoke, the girl in a pink shirt next to her raised her chin and grunted.
“Alright, Xiao Xuan.”
Jiang Feifei smiled.
Then.
Chen Fan slowly opened his eyes and was a bit shocked when he saw the two girls in front of him.
“Are you all right?” The girl in a green outfit, Jiang Feifei, walked closer but kept some distance as she asked, “Did you sleep here all night? Yunwu Mountain is always enveloped in fog and it’s especially cold here at night. Not even Transcendent Grandmasters would cultivate here for a long period of time. Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“Um… No, I’m fine,” Chen Fan replied calmly.
He wasn’t even afraid of the Fire of Dharma Laws. How would he be worried about the cold air on the mountain? However, the girl in the green outfit still made Chen Fan’s heart feel warm. He nodded to her, then got up and with the intention to leave.
“Hm! How can you just walk away like that? You occupied the spot of Lu Yang from the Lu family just then. You would have been beaten up by Lu Yang if it wasn’t for her. The Lu family is known for settling scores,” the girl in a pink shirt said in discontent.
“Lu Yang of the Lu family?”
Chen Fan was shocked. When did Jiang Nan Province produce a Lu family? He should have heard of every family in the province when he was still famous in these parts.
“Don’t listen to Xiao Xuan. It’s nothing. Are you really okay?”
The girl in the green outfit chuckled. She looked gorgeous and elegant. She would be regarded as a stunning girl even in the past. Chen Fan also looked at her a few more times.
But then, he frowned.
“You practice the ‘Foundation Physical Conditioning Art’ of the North Qiong Sect?”
The girl, Jiang Feifei, was startled and her eyes widened. She asked with extreme seriousness, like an angry leopard with its fur puffed up, “How do you know that’s the Foundation Physical Conditioning Art of the North Qiong Sect? The North Qiong Sect has disappeared for six, seven years. Normal people haven’t even heard of this name.”
Chen Fan glanced at her and said, “I’ve seen it before. Calm down.”
But the girl still seemed alert when she looked at Chen Fan. She thought Chen Fan was only passing by, but what he did made her wonder if he had another intention. She wasn’t the one who lived on the top of the mountain. Her auntie, who was extremely important to her, was also there.
Chen Fan wanted to walk down the mountain, but the girl stopped in front of him and wanted him to explain.
Chen Fan frowned. “I would have taken your powers away already if it wasn’t for the fact that you look like a friend of mine. Now, move.”
“Tell me exactly how you know about it, then I’ll move.” Jiang Feifei stood still.
Chen Fan found it hilarious.
He sized the girl up, then shook his head. “I was wrong. It’s not the real Foundation Physical Conditioning Art, just part of it. I know that the Foundation Physical Conditioning Art is a core art of the North Qiong Sect and they only pass it down to core disciples. You apparently have nothing to do with the North Qiong Sect. How would you have the ‘Foundation Physical Conditioning Art?’”
“Hm?”
Jiang Feifei was completely stunned. She looked at Chen Fan in confusion, as if she had seen something unbelievable.
“Sister Feifei, just leave him alone. The sun is almost out. We should cultivate quickly, or we’ll miss the class.” The girl in the pink shirt grabbed Feifei’s hand and was about to leave.
Chen Fan didn’t radiate any energy and was apparently not in the same social circle as them. It was fine to talk to him, but it wasn’t worth it to spend so much effort on him.
“Xiao Xuan, you go first,” Jiang Feifei said.
“Ah, Sister Feifei, have you fallen for this guy? I remember you’ve never missed a class since you came to Yunwu Mountain.” The girl in the pink shirt, Xiao Xuan, was dumbfounded. She glanced at Jiang Feifei and Chen Fan in shock, feeling utter disbelief.
Jiang Feifei blushed and quickly asked the girl to leave, “Just go. It’s not what you think.” Even so, the girl still said to Jiang Feifei with her Immortal Will, “Sister Feifei, you can’t fall in love with him. There are a few famous Qi Refinement Cultivators in Jin City who want to marry you.”
Jiang Feifei laughed when she heard what the girl in the pink shirt said.
She wasn’t a fool.
She only saved Chen Fan out of kindness. Chen Fan’s level, family background and appearance didn’t match Jiang Feifei’s criteria for choosing a partner. What she wanted was a peerless talent who could take down monsters and fight with Overlords of the other races.
“All right, she’s gone. You can now tell me in detail how you recognized the ‘Foundation Physical Conditioning Art,’” Jiang Feifei asked firmly.
“Little girl, I only answered your questions because you helped me just then, but it doesn’t mean that I have to keep answering.” Chen Fan shook his head.
“Hm, what little girl? How much older are you than I am?”
Jiang Feifei laughed.
“Fine, I won’t ask, I don’t think you’d answer me anyway. You must be related to the North Qiong Sect somehow, since you recognized my cultivation art right away. Although I practice the ‘Foundation Physical Conditioning Art,’ I don’t really have anything to do with the North Qiong Sect, but there’s a kind old lady close to the senior members of the North Qiong Sect who’s been helping as many disciples of the sect as she can. Why don’t you come home with me to take a shower, eat something and rest?”
Chen Fan was startled and he asked, “Oh, who? What’s her name?”
“She’s… Never mind. You wouldn’t know her. She’s a friend of the Sect Master of the North Qiong Sect. You don’t even have a bit of energy and you’re so young. I guess your parents must be some ordinary members of the sect. All right, come with me. You don’t want to miss breakfast,” Jiang Feifei said as she walked towards the top of the mountain.
Chen Fan frowned and followed the girl.
The villa Jiang Feifei lived in was only two hundred meters away from where he cultivated, but as he walked, he became more and more nervous. Although he didn’t scan the area with his Immortal Will, he had already guessed something from the appearance of the girl.
“Hehe, I’m bringing a man from the North Qiong Sect back. Even though he’s probably just an unimportant member, Auntie will certainly be willing to take him in. Ever since the North Qiong Sect was dismissed and that man went missing, she has been really sad, no matter what Sister Ranran told her. Unfortunately, this guy isn’t anyone special, or she’d be happier,” the girl thought as she cracked a smile.
She was quite certain that Chen Fan wasn’t a core member of the North Qiong Sect and that he had nothing to do with the senior members. After all, the North Qiong Sect used to be a sacred ground for Qi Refinement on Earth back then. In the present world that had gone through great changes, the core members of the sect would basically be astonishing Grand Cultivators or even a Divine Sea or Connate Cultivators if they survived.
Chen Fan didn’t have a hint of energy in him and he was only an ordinary man at the bottom of society. How would he be an important person?
They arrived at a villa.
At this moment, Chen Fan was a bit emotional. He stared at this familiar but also unfamiliar house.
“Auntie, I’m back. Look who I brought back.” Jiang Feifei knocked at the door.
“All right, all right, I’m coming.” A gentle, pleasant voice came from the villa. The door was opened and an elegant forty-year-old woman walked out. When she saw Chen Fan, her body shook and she couldn’t believe who was in front of her.
“Xiao Fan.”