The news of the Golden Core assassin's defeat spread like wildfire.
It didn't just shake Azure Cloud Sect.
It reached the headquarters of Blood Moon Tower, the most feared assassin organization in the region.
Deep inside a blood-red fortress hidden in the mountains, the atmosphere was icy cold.
Several high-ranking leaders of Blood Moon Tower sat around a stone table, their faces twisted with rage.
In front of them lay a broken blood-red jade slip.
It was the life slip of the Golden Core assassin they'd sent to kill Chen Fan.
A broken life slip meant only one thing.
The assassin was dead, or permanently crippled.
"A mere mid-Foundation Establishment handyman crippled our Golden Core assassin?"
One of the leaders slammed his fist on the table, cracking the hard stone.
His voice was filled with unbridled fury.
This was a huge humiliation for Blood Moon Tower.
They'd never failed such a simple mission, especially not at the hands of a lowly handyman from a small sect.
"Elder Lei of Azure Cloud Sect hired us, but he didn't mention the target was a hidden monster!"
Another leader growled, his eyes bloodshot.
"The assassin's life slip broke, and his cultivation was crippled. Everyone in the cultivation world will laugh at us if we let this go."
"Our reputation will be ruined."
All the leaders shared the same thought.
They had to take revenge.
They had to crush the boy who dared to humiliate Blood Moon Tower.
And they had to make Azure Cloud Sect pay the price for sheltering him.
"Send an order."
The head of the Blood Moon Tower's assassin hall spoke coldly, his voice carrying the weight of death.
"Dispatch Hall Master Xie to Azure Cloud Sect."
Hall Master Xie.
A late-stage Golden Core powerhouse, only one step away from the Nascent Soul realm.
He was the cruelest and most powerful assassin under the hall.
"Bring that boy's head back. And if Azure Cloud Sect dares to protect him…"
The leader's eyes glinted with murderous intent.
"Burn their outer sect to the ground."
The order was sent immediately.
A black-robed figure left the blood-red fortress, speeding toward Azure Cloud Sect at full speed.
A storm of death was closing in.
Meanwhile, back at Azure Cloud Sect.
The entire sect was in an uproar.
The news that Chen Fan had defeated a Golden Core assassin spread to every corner.
No one dared to call him a handyman anymore.
They called him a hidden prodigy, a peerless genius, a future powerhouse.
Outer disciples and handymen looked at him with pure reverence.
Even inner sect elders bowed to him when they passed by.
Elder Mu took the crippled Golden Core assassin directly to the main hall of the inner sect.
He confronted Elder Lei in front of all the sect elders.
The assassin, still pale and desperate, confessed everything.
He admitted Elder Lei had hired him to kill Chen Fan.
He admitted the assassination was a violation of sect rules.
Elder Lei's face turned as white as a sheet.
He tried to deny it, but the evidence was overwhelming.
All the elders looked at him with disgust and anger.
He'd broken sect rules, hired foreign assassins, and almost brought disaster to the sect.
The sect leader, who'd been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
His voice was cold and unyielding.
"Elder Lei, you have violated sect law and endangered the sect. From today on, strip him of his elder position."
"Confine him to the inner sect punishment hall indefinitely."
Two law enforcement disciples stepped forward and dragged Elder Lei away.
Elder Lei struggled and screamed, begging for mercy, but no one felt sorry for him.
He had brought this on himself.
The crowd of elders cheered quietly.
Justice had been served.
Elder Mu looked relieved.
He knew this would bring Chen Fan some peace.
But he had no idea the real disaster was still coming.
Chen Fan didn't care about the sect's punishment of Elder Lei.
He didn't care about the fame and reverence from the disciples.
Elder Mu arranged a spacious, quiet courtyard for him in the outer sect.
It was far from the crowds, surrounded by flowers and bamboo, with plenty of spiritual energy.
It was the perfect place for quiet cultivation.
Chen Fan moved in without any fuss.
He went back to his old routine.
He read ancient scrolls, absorbed spiritual energy, and comprehended techniques.
His Chaos Root worked nonstop, quietly pushing his cultivation toward late-stage Foundation Establishment.
His Eternal Supreme Insight kept unlocking more powerful skills.
He remained as low-key as ever.
He didn't show off his strength, didn't seek status, didn't join any gatherings.
He just wanted to live in peace.
High atop the sacred peak, the Supreme Elder watched Chen Fan's new courtyard with a faint smile.
"This child's heart is as calm as still water. He won't be swayed by fame or fortune."
"His future is beyond measure."
The Supreme Elder strengthened the invisible protective barrier around Chen Fan's courtyard.
He wouldn't let anyone disturb the boy's peace.
But even the Supreme Elder didn't know how terrifying the coming threat was.
Hall Master Xie of Blood Moon Tower was already approaching Azure Cloud Sect.
His killing intent was so strong it darkened the sky above the mountains.
He didn't plan to hide.
He planned to march straight into Azure Cloud Sect, kill Chen Fan in public, and make an example of him.
That night, Chen Fan sat in his courtyard, meditating quietly.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
A faint, bone-chilling killing intent swept over the entire Azure Cloud Sect.
It was far stronger than the Golden Core assassin's.
Far more ruthless and terrifying.
Chen Fan's eyes remained calm, but a hint of coldness flickered in them.
He knew.
The peace he'd wanted was gone forever.
A new, deadlier enemy had arrived.
And this time, the enemy was targeting the entire Azure Cloud Sect.
The bloodiest storm yet was about to hit.Chapter 11: Wrath of Blood Moon Tower
The news of the Golden Core assassin's defeat spread like wildfire.
It didn't just shake Azure Cloud Sect.
It reached the headquarters of Blood Moon Tower, the most feared assassin organization in the region.
Deep inside a blood-red fortress hidden in the mountains, the atmosphere was icy cold.
Several high-ranking leaders of Blood Moon Tower sat around a stone table, their faces twisted with rage.
In front of them lay a broken blood-red jade slip.
It was the life slip of the Golden Core assassin they'd sent to kill Chen Fan.
A broken life slip meant only one thing.
The assassin was dead, or permanently crippled.
"A mere mid-Foundation Establishment handyman crippled our Golden Core assassin?"
One of the leaders slammed his fist on the table, cracking the hard stone.
His voice was filled with unbridled fury.
This was a huge humiliation for Blood Moon Tower.
They'd never failed such a simple mission, especially not at the hands of a lowly handyman from a small sect.
"Elder Lei of Azure Cloud Sect hired us, but he didn't mention the target was a hidden monster!"
Another leader growled, his eyes bloodshot.
"The assassin's life slip broke, and his cultivation was crippled. Everyone in the cultivation world will laugh at us if we let this go."
"Our reputation will be ruined."
All the leaders shared the same thought.
They had to take revenge.
They had to crush the boy who dared to humiliate Blood Moon Tower.
And they had to make Azure Cloud Sect pay the price for sheltering him.
"Send an order."
The head of the Blood Moon Tower's assassin hall spoke coldly, his voice carrying the weight of death.
"Dispatch Hall Master Xie to Azure Cloud Sect."
Hall Master Xie.
A late-stage Golden Core powerhouse, only one step away from the Nascent Soul realm.
He was the cruelest and most powerful assassin under the hall.
"Bring that boy's head back. And if Azure Cloud Sect dares to protect him…"
The leader's eyes glinted with murderous intent.
"Burn their outer sect to the ground."
The order was sent immediately.
A black-robed figure left the blood-red fortress, speeding toward Azure Cloud Sect at full speed.
A storm of death was closing in.
Meanwhile, back at Azure Cloud Sect.
The entire sect was in an uproar.
The news that Chen Fan had defeated a Golden Core assassin spread to every corner.
No one dared to call him a handyman anymore.
They called him a hidden prodigy, a peerless genius, a future powerhouse.
Outer disciples and handymen looked at him with pure reverence.
Even inner sect elders bowed to him when they passed by.
Elder Mu took the crippled Golden Core assassin directly to the main hall of the inner sect.
He confronted Elder Lei in front of all the sect elders.
The assassin, still pale and desperate, confessed everything.
He admitted Elder Lei had hired him to kill Chen Fan.
He admitted the assassination was a violation of sect rules.
Elder Lei's face turned as white as a sheet.
He tried to deny it, but the evidence was overwhelming.
All the elders looked at him with disgust and anger.
He'd broken sect rules, hired foreign assassins, and almost brought disaster to the sect.
The sect leader, who'd been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
His voice was cold and unyielding.
"Elder Lei, you have violated sect law and endangered the sect. From today on, strip him of his elder position."
"Confine him to the inner sect punishment hall indefinitely."
Two law enforcement disciples stepped forward and dragged Elder Lei away.
Elder Lei struggled and screamed, begging for mercy, but no one felt sorry for him.
He had brought this on himself.
The crowd of elders cheered quietly.
Justice had been served.
Elder Mu looked relieved.
He knew this would bring Chen Fan some peace.
But he had no idea the real disaster was still coming.
Chen Fan didn't care about the sect's punishment of Elder Lei.
He didn't care about the fame and reverence from the disciples.
Elder Mu arranged a spacious, quiet courtyard for him in the outer sect.
It was far from the crowds, surrounded by flowers and bamboo, with plenty of spiritual energy.
It was the perfect place for quiet cultivation.
Chen Fan moved in without any fuss.
He went back to his old routine.
He read ancient scrolls, absorbed spiritual energy, and comprehended techniques.
His Chaos Root worked nonstop, quietly pushing his cultivation toward late-stage Foundation Establishment.
His Eternal Supreme Insight kept unlocking more powerful skills.
He remained as low-key as ever.
He didn't show off his strength, didn't seek status, didn't join any gatherings.
He just wanted to live in peace.
High atop the sacred peak, the Supreme Elder watched Chen Fan's new courtyard with a faint smile.
"This child's heart is as calm as still water. He won't be swayed by fame or fortune."
"His future is beyond measure."
The Supreme Elder strengthened the invisible protective barrier around Chen Fan's courtyard.
He wouldn't let anyone disturb the boy's peace.
But even the Supreme Elder didn't know how terrifying the coming threat was.
Hall Master Xie of Blood Moon Tower was already approaching Azure Cloud Sect.
His killing intent was so strong it darkened the sky above the mountains.
He didn't plan to hide.
He planned to march straight into Azure Cloud Sect, kill Chen Fan in public, and make an example of him.
That night, Chen Fan sat in his courtyard, meditating quietly.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
A faint, bone-chilling killing intent swept over the entire Azure Cloud Sect.
It was far stronger than the Golden Core assassin's.
Far more ruthless and terrifying.
Chen Fan's eyes remained calm, but a hint of coldness flickered in them.
He knew.
The peace he'd wanted was gone forever.
A new, deadlier enemy had arrived.
And this time, the enemy was targeting the entire Azure Cloud Sect.
The bloodiest storm yet was about to hit.