Chapter 56: Defying Fate with Divine Aid

The speaker was the man dressed in blue. He gazed at Su Fan with gentle eyes and continued, “Sect Master, Su Fan here is a close friend of Xiao Lin, and given his level of cultivation... I do not believe he possesses the ability to kill Senior Brother in yellow.”

The old man in red swept a cold glance at Su Fan and replied, “Indeed, he lacks the strength, but that does not rule out the possibility that he is connected to the true culprit.”

Su Fan, meanwhile, was already devising ways to escape. In such a situation, as an outsider, he could hardly clear his name no matter what he said. He could not hope for anyone to step forward on his behalf—especially since the death of the elder in yellow was, in some way, connected to him.

Now, he was surrounded by powerful cultivators. Not only were several of the principal elders of the Tianyuan Sect present, but even the disciples of the Yellow Faction alone could overwhelm him countless times over. Even if the elders in blue and purple wished to help him, they would be powerless to change the outcome.

As anxiety mounted in Su Fan’s heart, a voice, upright and strong, rang out.

“He is not a traitor.”

Su Fan looked over at the speaker, who stood among the Green Faction. This man wore a green robe and carried on his back a massive sword without a scabbard. The sword appeared to be made of ordinary iron, yet the sword intent it radiated sent chills through Su Fan’s heart.

Su Fan did not recognize the man, but the sight of that sword suddenly brought a name to mind.

“Qin Yu.”

Years ago, during a competition, Su Fan had broken this youth’s sword, and the youth had sworn an oath. Now, fate had brought them together again under such circumstances.

Qin Yu gave Su Fan a faint smile and said, “I ask Master Sect Leader to investigate this matter thoroughly.”

As the young man spoke, the elder in green standing at his side did nothing to stop him—clearly, he agreed.

The elder in red’s face turned ashen. He had never expected Su Fan to have friends like these.

Both Xiao Lin and Qin Yu were highly respected within their respective factions. With these two speaking up, the Yellow Faction remained calm, while the elder in purple kept his eyes closed as if certain Su Fan would not be harmed, unsurprised by Su Fan’s connections.

Of the seven factions, the elder in yellow was dead, the elder in cyan had been absent for years, and now the elders in purple, blue, and green all sided with Su Fan. The elder in orange made no comment.

Thus, only the red elder remained, isolated and unsupported. With a cold snort, he declared, “I will get to the bottom of this matter. This youngster will come with me for now.”

Suddenly, the elder in purple opened his eyes, his entire body radiating waves of purple light. He spoke in a deep voice, “Senior Brother, are you so forceful in demanding my disciple because you think the Purple Faction is powerless?”

The red elder’s expression shifted repeatedly, growing ever more unsightly. He replied, “Junior Brother Purple, you are truly protective of your disciples. Be careful not to follow in the footsteps of Junior Brother Yellow.”

With those words, the red elder vanished from the platform of the Seven Factions.

With the sect leader gone, disciples from the other factions also dispersed. Xiao Lin bid Su Fan a reluctant farewell and left as well.

The elder in purple was exactly as he had been upon his arrival, and Su Fan found himself unable to resist following behind him.

Before long, the two returned to Zixia Peak. A stream of purple light landed them in a courtyard.

The elder in purple, his face expressionless, said, “You may leave now. If anyone tries to harm you, come to the Purple Faction for protection.”

Su Fan was silent for a moment, gazing at the elder in purple. Suddenly, he spoke, “I will not leave.”

The elder in purple looked puzzled. “What did you say?”

Su Fan had already knelt at the elder’s feet. “I wish to become your disciple.”

A smile blossomed instantly across the elder’s face. He helped Su Fan up and, with a flick of his fingers, produced a wine jug.

Su Fan also took out an identical jug, and the two entered the house together.

At that moment, the scene was reminiscent of their meeting in the capital’s tavern years before.

Unknowingly, both drank heavily, their cheeks flushed with intoxication. Su Fan looked at the elder in purple and suddenly said, “Thank you.”

The elder froze for a moment, then smiled and handed his wine jug to Su Fan, urging him to drink.

Su Fan took the jug with some confusion and took a sip. The liquor burned fiercely as it went down, and just a single mouthful sent a wave of drunkenness washing over him.

By this point in his cultivation, Su Fan was immune to mortal wines—ordinary spirits could no longer intoxicate him. But now, he only wanted to collapse, yet he could not resist taking another sip.

He drank again, and his stomach churned violently.

A burning sensation spread from his dantian, and all the spiritual energy in his meridians surged toward it.

Su Fan looked at the elder in purple in surprise, who motioned for him to keep drinking.

So Su Fan threw caution to the wind and gulped down the wine in great mouthfuls.

Soon, his vision blurred. He wept, calling for his mother and father, then for Ruo Yu, then burst into laughter.

The elder in purple frowned and sighed softly. What kind of person could possess such depth of feeling? This young man had suffered so much pain despite his youth—even the old man’s heart ached for him.

Gradually, Su Fan’s face flushed red, and he collapsed onto the table.

The elder in purple let out a long sigh and helped Su Fan up. With a light touch of his finger to Su Fan’s brow, a drop of purple blood floated out.

This was blood infused with his supreme cultivation; in countless years, he had only ever produced three drops, each costing him dearly.

A single drop could grant five hundred years of lifespan—he had meant to keep it for his own breakthrough.

But now, there was not a hint of regret in his expression, only the tenderness of a master for his disciple.

With a gentle gesture, the elder summoned the purple blood, which drifted to Su Fan’s brow and slowly seeped into his body. Then, the elder enveloped Su Fan in purple mist.

Su Fan seemed almost transparent; his meridians glowed through his skin.

The drop of purple blood traveled along his meridians to his dantian, trailed by wisps of yellow mist—the spiritual energy of the elder in yellow, most of which had been transferred to Su Fan.

Though Su Fan could not use it immediately, under the elder in purple’s guidance, that rich energy was gradually being absorbed. Through the purple mist, one could see spiritual power throughout Su Fan’s body turning vaporous.

As the purple blood settled deeper, the vaporous energy sank with it, finally coming to rest in Su Fan’s dantian. The elder in purple formed a hand seal, and dense purple energy drifted in from the horizon, pouring into Su Fan’s nostrils and descending straight to his dantian.

Purple and yellow energies intertwined, revolving around the purple blood.

With each revolution, the purple blood dimmed, while the purple energy grew brighter, sparkling with crystalline light. The yellow energy slowly turned purple, the two merging until a cluster of amethyst mist formed in Su Fan’s dantian.

The elder in purple tapped Su Fan’s brow, and Su Fan’s eyes snapped open.

“What did you give me to drink, Master?” he exclaimed.

The elder in purple laughed heartily. “This is the first great gift I give you as your master.”

Su Fan was speechless.

The elder waved his hand, causing the purple mist to pour into Su Fan’s pores. Pointing at the wine jug on the table, he motioned for Su Fan to drink again. Without hesitation, Su Fan picked it up and drank.

His dantian blazed hot, and with a sweep of his spiritual sense, he could see the purple mist within. Instantly, he understood the elder’s intentions.

Su Fan kept drinking, outwardly calm but inwardly thrilled beyond measure.

The wine transformed into potent spiritual energy as soon as it entered his stomach, rushing into his dantian. The purple blood in his core was almost spent, and without a second thought, the elder released another drop.

This drop entered Su Fan’s dantian and circled the purple mist. Gradually, the mist coalesced around the blood, which began to solidify into a bead the size of a pill.

This was a Golden Core, attainable only at the Core Formation stage. The form of one’s core varied depending on their cultivation path—some poison cultivators had green cores filled with toxins.

Su Fan’s core was purple; though not yet fully formed, at this moment he could effortlessly defeat any Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Each step between realms brought overwhelming advantage, though a powerful artifact or technique might allow a weaker cultivator to escape.

Su Fan knew all this, but never dreamed he would one day reach the Core Formation stage.

To achieve this was to truly step into the world of cultivation. Among the disciples of the Seven Factions, such cultivation was already considered outstanding—even in the powerful Red Faction, Core Formation cultivators were rare.

Forming a Golden Core required great fortune and exceptional talent. Many were barred by the limits of their own potential, let alone luck.

But now, Su Fan possessed both fortune and help: first the elder in yellow had willingly bestowed most of his spiritual energy, then the elder in purple provided support nearly defying the heavens. Su Fan had barely managed to form the beginnings of a core.

Yet the elder in purple seemed unsatisfied. Taking a wine jug, he poured both his own wine and Su Fan’s together.

Su Fan understood, picked up the jug, and drank deeply. After one mouthful, he collapsed.

The elder in purple smiled faintly and stepped outside.