novelapdf Chapter 580 Early Stage of Nascent Soul! A Gamble!
Chapter 580 Early Stage of Nascent Soul! A Gamble!
The moonlight was cold and clear, and the bamboo forest was desolate.
A dark figure silently descended from the top of the wall and stood in the center of the courtyard.
The newcomer was completely shrouded in a large black robe, his face hidden behind a hood, revealing only a pair of cold eyes.
Those eyes were like two bottomless, icy pools. There was no anger or killing intent in their gaze as they looked at Chen Fan; there was only indifference.
Early stage of Nascent Soul. A genuine early stage of Nascent Soul.
Chen Fan stood with his hands behind his back on the stone steps, looking calmly at the dark figure, without speaking or making a move.
He is waiting.
They're also gambling.
He was betting that Qin Taiyue and Qin Zhan's protection of him was genuine, and that they wouldn't let him die at the hands of assassins in the capital.
If he loses the bet, the Phoenix Flame Sword in his sleeve is ready; at worst, he'll fight to the death and then hide in the golden bowl.
But he didn't want to take that step unless absolutely necessary.
"You're Chen Fan?" The man in black's voice was hoarse and deep, like sandpaper rubbing against dry wood. "Someone asked me to take your life."
Before he finished speaking, he had already transformed into a black shadow and pounced on Chen Fan.
It was so fast that it was imperceptible to the naked eye, and the air was torn apart wherever it passed, producing a sharp, explosive sound.
The pressure from the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm was like an invisible mountain, crushing down on Chen Fan. It was more refined and more sinister than the palm strike Wang Zhennan had delivered in the Forbidden Garden that day.
Chen Fan remained motionless.
He thrust the Black Soul Banner in front of him, and the banner suddenly grew to a height of three zhang. Under the pull of the Soul Array, the millions of souls on the banner roared in unison, transforming into layers of black shields that blocked his way.
After being tempered by the Soul Jade, the Black Soul Banner's power increased significantly, and the thickness and toughness of its black shield were more than twice as strong as those in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons.
However, a full-force attack from an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was no ordinary matter. The shadowy figure's claws struck the black shield, producing a piercing tearing sound. The black shield shattered layer by layer, and in the blink of an eye, it was torn apart seven or eight layers.
Chen Fan took three steps back, each step leaving a deep footprint on the bluestone ground.
The souls on the Black Soul Banner let out painful howls, but new black shields continued to be generated, like a black curtain that could never be completely torn apart.
The man in black slowed his attack slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his cold eyes.
To think that a cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage could withstand a single blow from him head-on without falling was beyond his comprehension of Nascent Soul cultivators.
He snorted coldly, his five fingers slightly spread, and a ball of pitch-black light condensed in his palm. The destructive power contained in the ball of light distorted and deformed the surrounding air.
Just then, a thunderous roar descended from the sky.
"How dare you!"
This angry shout was like a thunderclap, causing the entire inn to tremble slightly.
A figure in black iron armor crashed down from mid-air, landing between Chen Fan and the man in black like a meteorite.
The shockwave from the landing uprooted the withered bamboo in the yard, and scattered pebbles everywhere.
Eighth Prince Qin Zhan.
He stood in front of Chen Fan, the sword marks on his armor gleaming coldly in the moonlight, and his incredibly bright eyes were burning with undisguised rage.
He stared at the man in black opposite him, a sinister smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "You dare to touch my men right under my nose? You're tired of living!"
The man in black's pupils contracted sharply, clearly not expecting Qin Zhan to arrive so quickly.
Without lingering in the fight, he retreated rapidly while throwing the ball of dark light in his hand towards Qin Zhan.
The ball of light swelled in the wind as soon as it left my hand, transforming into a black orb of light about ten feet in diameter, emanating a terrifying aura of destruction.
Qin Zhan snorted coldly, neither dodging nor avoiding, his right fist clenched, and he threw a punch.
The fist energy collided violently with the black light, unleashing a deafening roar.
The shockwave swept out in all directions. Chen Fan used the Black Soul Banner to protect himself, and the bluestone ground beneath his feet was cracked inch by inch.
The cultivators in the other courtyards of the inn were alarmed, and several streaks of light appeared as they flew towards this place.
Using the recoil from the explosion, the man in black retreated to the edge of the courtyard wall. His cold eyes swept over Chen Fan's face, leaving a meaningful look, before he transformed into a black streak and disappeared into the night.
Qin Zhan didn't pursue. He withdrew his fist, turned to look at Chen Fan, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that he was unharmed: "Are you alright?"
Chen Fan put the Black Soul Banner back into his waistband and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for arriving in time, Your Highness."
Qin Zhan waved his hand, but his expression remained solemn: "That person's cultivation method is extremely strange, unlike the methods of a first-level cultivation country. If I am not mistaken, he should be cultivating some kind of long-lost demonic cultivation method, which is quite similar to the methods of the demonic cultivators in the Boundless Sea. However, the demonic cultivators in the Boundless Sea and the imperial court keep to themselves, so there is no reason for them to send someone to assassinate you."
His gaze turned slightly cold. "This person is very likely a bodyguard kept by the Eight Great Families."
Chen Fan nodded, his face showing gratitude, but his heart remained calm.
He wondered what if this person was a death squad sent by the Eight Great Families?
That's not entirely without merit.
After all, the Wang family had an irreconcilable feud with him, so it was perfectly reasonable for them to hire a Nascent Soul stage assassin to kill him.
However, Chen Fan served as a eunuch in the palace for over sixty years, climbing step by step from the lowest-ranking eunuch to the position of Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial. The conspiracies and schemes he experienced were even more intricate and subtle than the battles in the cultivation world.
He knew all too well that the least trustworthy thing in the world was what seemed reasonable on the surface.
That's because the man in black arrived too quickly.
It was as if they already knew his exact location in the post station, as if they had accurately predicted that Qin Taiyue and Qin Zhan were both in the capital and could come to his rescue immediately.
Qin Zhan came too fast!
From the moment the man in black made his move to the moment Qin Zhan descended from the sky, only three breaths passed.
Three breaths was just enough time for him to demonstrate his strength and prove that he was worthy of protection, without actually causing serious injury.
If he had been three breaths slower, Chen Fan would have had to use the Phoenix Flame Sword, at which point he would have revealed all his trump cards, which would have been detrimental to everyone.
Could this be a test?
The royal family wanted to use him to counter the Eight Great Families, so they naturally needed to confirm whether his strength was worthy of protection.
Sending a Nascent Soul stage assassin to test his true combat strength, and then having Qin Zhan intervene in time to save him, both does him a favor and reveals his true strength.
Why not kill two birds with one stone?
Of course, this is just Chen Fan's guess, without any evidence.
"Fellow Daoist Chen," Qin Zhan's voice interrupted his thoughts, "I will thoroughly investigate what happened tonight. However, the post station is no longer safe. You will move to Minister Qin's residence tonight and depart with me for the State of Zhao early tomorrow morning."
Chen Fan cupped his hands and said, "It's entirely up to Your Highness."
Qin Zhan patted his shoulder; his large, calloused hand was strong, yet carried an undisguised admiration.
"I witnessed your skill in blocking that assassin's attack. To withstand an attack from an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator with your late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation is something no ordinary cultivator could do. You are excellent, and I am increasingly convinced that Minister Qin was right to protect you."