168: Chapter 168 A Triumphant Return Home, Undercurrents Flow

Three days later, at the Lin Family Ancestral Land.

When Lin Fan appeared in sight leading the Three Hundred Battle Guards, the entire Lin Family was in an uproar.

The mountain gates were thrown wide open, and Clan Leader personally led a group of clan elders to welcome them ten miles out. On both sides of the road, Lin Family disciples stood in formation, their eyes burning as they watched the slowly approaching group.

The Three Hundred Battle Guards walked at the very front, each with a Legacy sword at their waist, their auras significantly stronger than when they had left the clan. Their steps were synchronized, their eyes like torches, and the murderous aura tempered through life and death made all the spectating Lin Family disciples feel shaken.

"Is that Brother Po Jun? Did he break through?" someone cried out in surprise.

"Not just a Breakthrough, didn't you see the aura on him? It's at least three times stronger than before he left the clan!"

"Are those swords all ancient divine weapons?"

"Heavens, what exactly did they go through?"

Lin Fan walked at the back of the group, side by side with Su Zhiqing.

Clan Leader stepped forward quickly, his gaze sweeping over his son. Seeing the graying hair at his temples that hadn't completely faded, his heart tightened, but he didn't ask much.

"Faner, you're back."

Lin Fan nodded slightly: "Father, I've made you worry."

Clan Leader patted his shoulder, saying nothing, but the relief and pride in his eyes said everything.

The group entered the Lin Family Ancestral Land.

In the Discussion Hall, Lin Fan briefly recounted his experiences in the Annihilation Battlefield—of course, omitting core secrets like the Emperor's remnant soul, the eternal battle banner, and the Nirvana Believers, only saying that he had found opportunities in the battlefield and that the Three Hundred Battle Guards had all made Breakthroughs.

Even so, it was enough to leave the clan elders present dumbfounded.

"The Legacy swords of the three thousand battle souls," Grand Elder Lin Xuan sighed, "These are ancient treasures, each worth a fortune. Lin Fan, you have performed a great service for the Family this time!"

Other clan elders chimed in one after another, their attitudes many times more respectful than before Lin Fan left the clan.

Lin Fan smiled faintly and said nothing more.

He knew that the change in these elders' attitudes was not just because of the Three Hundred Battle Guards' Breakthroughs, but also because news of his own strength—killing the Shadow Kill Tower's Blood Butcher and repelling the Three-Eyed Demon Lord—had likely already spread throughout the Human Realm.

Strength was the best passport.

"Father," Lin Fan said, "about the Huangfu Family..."

"The Zhu Lin Alliance." Clan Leader snorted coldly. "Huangfu Tian has united the Dark Moon Divine Cult, Golden Sun Sect, Netherworld Hall, and more than ten small to medium-sized forces in the Six Realms, claiming to act on behalf of heaven to eliminate you, this 'Devil Head'."

"Acting on behalf of heaven?" Lin Fan laughed. "They certainly know how to find excuses."

"Not only that," Clan Leader said. "They also released news saying you obtained the Emperor's hidden treasury in the Annihilation Battlefield and possess heavy treasures. Now many forces in the Six Realms are restless, wanting a piece of the pie."

Lin Fan nodded; this was within his expectations.

"How does Father intend to respond?"

Clan Leader looked at him: "What do you think?"

Lin Fan was silent for a moment, then said: "Although the Zhu Lin Alliance has many people, they each have their own ulterior motives and are not to be feared. What we truly need to be careful of are those forces hidden in the shadows—Shadow Kill Tower won't let it go, Black Demon Abyss won't rest after losing a Demon General, and there's also..."

He paused, not mentioning the "Nirvana Believers".

Clan Leader noticed his hesitation but didn't press further.

"Then what do you plan to do?"

"Wait," Lin Fan said. "The Tongtian Ancient Road opens in two months. At that time, the Prodigies of the Six Realms will gather; that will be the true stage. Whether it's the Zhu Lin Alliance or the Shadow Kill Tower, as long as I enter the Ancient Road, they won't dare to act openly."

"What about inside the Ancient Road?"

"Inside the Ancient Road, I'll just settle them all at once." A cold light flashed in Lin Fan's eyes.

Clan Leader looked at him, silent for a long time, and finally nodded:

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

Coming out of the Discussion Hall, Lin Fan returned to his own courtyard.

Su Zhiqing had been arranged to stay in the guest courtyard, while Xia Qingyue had returned to the Great Xia Imperial City yesterday—after all, she was a Goddess and could not leave the Imperial Dynasty for long.

Lin Fan sat alone on a stone bench in the courtyard, staring blankly at the sky.

In his mind, the words of the Great Emperor of Annihilation and the Emperor echoed repeatedly.

Nirvana Believers...

Ethereal Moon...

eternal battle banner...

And that golden seed inside his body.

He raised his hand, and a wisp of gray Qi emerged in his palm. Within the Qi, there was a faint glint of gold, the power that was the Emperor's final gift.

"Emperor," he murmured, "how many more backup plans did you leave behind?"

No one answered.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the courtyard door.

"Come in."

The door pushed open, and Su Zhiqing walked in.

She had changed into a light green long dress, no longer the martial attire she wore during battle, appearing less cold and more soft and beautiful.

"Sorry to disturb you." She sat down opposite Lin Fan. "I have some things I want to ask you."

Lin Fan nodded: "Ask."

"What did you see behind that final door in Burial King Valley?"

Lin Fan looked at her and didn't answer immediately.

Su Zhiqing met his gaze, her eyes open and honest.

"The remnant soul of the Great Emperor of Annihilation," Lin Fan said. "He told me some things."

"About the Nirvana Believers?"

"Yes."

Su Zhiqing was silent for a moment, then said: "I read records about them in ancient books from the Immortal Realm. It's said they believe in the 'other side' of Annihilation—not transcendence through returning to nothingness, but total destruction."

Lin Fan nodded.

"Did you encounter them?"

"Outside Soul Severing Gorge," Lin Fan said. "Thirty-seven believers, plus the Five Elements Envoys."

Su Zhiqing was slightly startled: "The Five Elements Envoys came too? How many did you kill?"

"Four," Lin Fan said. "The Gold Envoy escaped, the Fire Envoy was rescued by the Three-Eyed Demon Lord but was later killed by me."

Su Zhiqing fell silent.

She knew the strength of the Five Elements Envoys very well. Each had a record of killing Peak Realm Lords. Together, the five could even fight a Perfection Realm Lord.

Yet Lin Fan had not only killed four but also forced the Gold Envoy to flee.

"Your strength," she paused, "is even greater than I imagined."

Lin Fan shook his head: "It's the gifts from the Emperor and the Great Emperor of Annihilation. Without them, I would have died long ago."

Su Zhiqing looked at him and didn't speak.

She suddenly realized that the most terrifying thing about this man wasn't his power, but his clear-headedness.

He knew where his power came from, knew that there was still a gap between him and the truly strong, and knew he still had a long way to go.

This kind of clarity was more precious than any talent.

"What do you plan to do next?" she asked.

"Cultivate," Lin Fan said. "The Tongtian Ancient Road is in two months. I want to elevate my Eternal Annihilation Body by another level within these two months."

"Do you need help?"

Lin Fan looked at her, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Su Zhiqing said: "I Cultivate the Glazed Sword Canon. Although it's different from the Eternal Annihilation Body, there is also a Concept of 'Annihilation' within the sword Dao. Perhaps we can exchange insights."

Lin Fan thought about it and nodded: "Alright."

Su Zhiqing stood up: "Then we'll start tomorrow. You just got back today, get some good rest."

She turned and left.

Lin Fan looked at her back, lost in thought.

He remembered the woman in the Burial King Valley murals who looked thirty percent similar to Su Zhiqing—Ancient Sword.

Was that a coincidence, or...

He didn't think more about it and got up to return to his room.

The coming days would be very busy.

Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of miles away.

In a hidden spatial rift somewhere, there was a massive black palace.

Deep within the palace, a figure sat high upon a throne.

It was a person whose face could not be seen—he was shrouded in a black robe, wearing a pale mask that had no features, only a twisted rune carved in the center.

"The Gold Envoy requests an audience."

A trembling voice came from outside the hall.

"Come in."

The Gold Envoy hunched his body and walked into the hall, kneeling on the ground.

"Cult Leader, this subordinate is incompetent, letting that Lin Fan..."

"I know." The Cult Leader's voice came from all directions, calm without a single ripple. "Thirty-seven believers and four envoys all fell at his hands."

The Gold Envoy trembled all over: "This subordinate deserves death!"

"Rise," the Cult Leader said. "It's not your fault. A fuser of Eternal and Annihilation is indeed not someone you can deal with."

The Gold Envoy stood up tremblingly.

"Cult Leader, what do we do next..."

"Wait," the Cult Leader said. "Wait for him to grow up."

The Gold Envoy was startled: "Wait for him to grow? Isn't that..."

"Only when he grows strong enough can that matter be completed." There was a hint of an eerie smile in the Cult Leader's voice. "Why do you think I let him obtain the Legacy of the Great Emperor of Annihilation?"

The Gold Envoy's pupils shrank suddenly.

The Cult Leader slowly rose and walked to the center of the hall.

There, a massive black crystal was suspended.

Inside the crystal, the figure of a woman was faintly visible—her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful, as if she were merely asleep.

"Ethereal Moon," the Cult Leader murmured, "it's almost time."

"When that 'brother' of yours grows up, you two can be reunited."

He raised his hand and lightly stroked the surface of the crystal.

Inside the crystal, the figure's finger twitched slightly.

As if in response.

Outside the hall, gray mist churned.

A conspiracy even more terrifying than the Zhu Lin Alliance was quietly unfolding. And Lin Fan knew nothing of it.