Chapter 292: Your Brother Has Come Late

"The Nine Heavens Sect... we've arrived."

Lin Fan looked ahead at the majestic and imposing sect, spanning ten thousand zhang in every direction—the foremost sect of the Extreme West, the Nine Heavens Sect.

As the orthodox sect, the Nine Heavens Sect should have had a dragon of fortune soaring like the sun at its zenith. But now, as Lin Fan's cultivation deepened and his perception grew stronger, he saw that the dragon of fortune was shattered and on the verge of collapse. That meant the day of the sect's destruction and the death of its members was not far off.

So terrifying.

It had actually brought a righteous sect to such ruin. If given more time, the Nine Heavens Sect would likely become history.

"Who goes there?" At that moment, a disciple patrolling outside the mountain gate spotted Lin Fan and immediately stepped forward to question him.

Lin Fan looked at the disciple. Though his complexion was ruddy, there was a hint of listlessness in his spirit.

"Lin Fan of the Sacred Sect," Lin Fan said calmly, his deep gaze fixed ahead. He sighed softly. "The Nine Heavens Sect faces a great calamity..."

Hearing this, the Nine Heavens Sect disciple was about to rebuke him, but then he paused. Lin Fan? That name sounded familiar. He quickly asked,

"Are you Lin Fan, the Sacred Sect's champion of the Heavenly Pride Battle? Senior Brother Lin?" the Nine Heavens Sect disciple asked eagerly.

Lin Fan smiled faintly. "What? Is there another Lin Fan of the Sacred Sect in the world?"

Receiving Lin Fan's confirmation, the Nine Heavens Sect disciple's expression changed, and his earlier wariness dissipated. "Senior Brother Lin, please don't take offense. I've long heard of your fame but never had the chance to meet you."

Lin Fan chuckled inwardly. He hadn't expected his reputation to be so great—it seemed everyone in the Nine Heavens Sect knew him.

"After the Heavenly Pride Battle ended, Senior Brother Xin Feng returned and has been telling everyone about your character. All the senior and junior brothers in the sect hold you in high esteem."

"What's your name, junior brother?" Lin Fan asked.

"Senior Brother Lin, my name is Zhang Kui," Zhang Kui said.

"Junior Brother Zhang, where is my brother Xin Feng now?" Lin Fan asked.

Zhang Kui lowered his head sadly. "Senior Brother Lin, Senior Brother Xin Feng has been locked in the dungeon by the sect master and the others."

"Boom, boom..."

Just then, a thunderous roar came from the direction of the Nine Heavens Sect. Lin Fan was startled.

"Something's wrong—the sect is in trouble," Zhang Kui said, his expression changing. "Senior Brother Lin, forgive me for leaving abruptly. The sect is in crisis; I must return."

"Alright, I'll go with you."

...

Outside the main hall of the Nine Heavens Sect.

"Are you really going to persist in your mistakes?" Xin Feng, his robes stained with blood, roared in anguish. Seeing the once harmonious Nine Heavens Sect reduced to this, his heart ached.

The surrounding disciples exchanged glances. Some looked sorrowful, but when they saw the figures standing in the distance, fear gripped their hearts.

"I never thought... those old fellows would transfer all their cultivation to you." One of the figures stepped forward, his tone dripping with disdain.

He appeared middle-aged, with a murderous aura surging around him and a sinister glint in his eyes.

This man was also a disciple of the Nine Heavens Sect who had once committed a grave crime. Now, however, the sect master had released him and put him in charge.

Gu Tianhao was ruthless and highly skilled, having slaughtered countless fellow disciples. His murderous aura chilled the hearts of those around him.

In the hearts of the Nine Heavens Sect disciples, they lived in fear.

"Gu Tianhao, a murderer of your own sect mates, dares to appear in the sect hall with such arrogance? You are a disgrace to the sect!" Xin Feng roared in fury.

The supreme elder had transferred his lifelong cultivation to Xin Feng, breaking his chains, but Xin Feng's capacity was limited, and he couldn't wield that immense power.

After breaking free, Xin Feng, blinded by rage, didn't flee but came to the hall, hoping to awaken the disciples and stop them from going further astray.

But he hadn't expected the sect master to lose himself and hand the Nine Heavens Sect over to a criminal who had once killed his own sect brothers.

"Haha... Xin Feng, you disappoint me. Those old fools probably never thought you'd walk right into death. If they had, they might have changed their minds. Kill him," Gu Tianhao said with a wave of his hand, utterly unconcerned about this desperate struggle.

The few disciples behind him who had committed grave sins grinned cruelly and prepared to strike, but Gu Tianhao stopped them. "Let them do it. Let's see how they feel killing their beloved senior brother."

Gu Tianhao was sinister. The disciples behind him chuckled, imagining that the feeling might be quite pleasant.

The disciples surrounding Xin Feng exchanged glances but didn't move. Their hearts couldn't bear it.

"Hmph, do you all want to die?" Seeing this, Gu Tianhao snorted in displeasure.

"Elder Gu, that's the senior brother. We can't do it... we can't..." One disciple shook his head frantically, his mind in turmoil.

Senior Brother Xin Feng had been good to them. They weren't fools; they knew what the sect was facing. They didn't understand why the sect master had changed so drastically. Their Nine Heavens Sect now felt less like a paradise and more like hell.

"Hmph, useless." At that moment, a murderous glint flashed in Gu Tianhao's eyes. He flicked his finger, and a beam of light shot out, instantly severing the disciple's head.

The head tumbled through the air before landing at Xin Feng's feet.

The disciple's unseeing eyes stared blankly at Xin Feng, his lips moving faintly. "Senior Brother..."

This move instantly made the surrounding disciples step back in fear. They hadn't expected Elder Gu to kill someone over a single word.

"Gu Tianhao, I'll fight you!" Xin Feng's eyes were bloodshot. He roared and charged forward.

"Hmph, useless." Gu Tianhao watched Xin Feng rush at him, a contemptuous smile on his lips. His figure vanished instantly, reappearing before Xin Feng. He threw a punch that seemed to shatter the void.

"Bang!"

"You useless piece of trash. The Nine Heavens Sect has no place for you." Gu Tianhao looked at Xin Feng, who lay on the ground, then sneered at the surrounding disciples. "Listen up: kill him. Anyone who doesn't will die."

The disciples trembled violently, their hands gripping their weapons shaking.

"Senior Brother..." Some disciples looked at Xin Feng, who was struggling to get up, and cried out in grief.

"Bastard! Bullying my senior brother—I'll take your life!" Just then, a disciple roared and charged fearlessly at Gu Tianhao.

"Xiao Liu..." Xin Feng looked at that figure. That disciple was one he had saved from a beast's jaws three years ago and brought into the sect.

"Hmph, just a mere Xiantian realm, and you dare act recklessly? You're asking for death." Gu Tianhao sneered. Without even moving, an aura descended from the sky, crushing the disciple into a pulp.

"I'll give you three breaths. Kill him, or you all die." Gu Tianhao glared at the disciples, his voice harsh.

At that moment, the Nine Heavens Sect disciples' minds were tormented.

Xin Feng slowly stood up. "Junior brothers, do it."

"Senior Brother..." The Nine Heavens Sect disciples looked at Xin Feng, their eyes filled with struggle.

Clatter...

Seeing the disciples draw their weapons, a cold smile curled on Gu Tianhao's lips. But in an instant, his expression changed, turning extremely ugly.

"Senior Brother, go. It's time for us to protect you." At that moment, the disciples outside the hall pointed their weapons at Gu Tianhao without fear.

The shattered dragon of fortune actually showed signs of recovery.

"Evil heretics! The Nine Heavens Sect is not a place for you to run wild!" The disciples spoke in unison. The dragon of fortune empowered them, forming a wall between heaven and earth, their aura overwhelming.

"Senior Brother, go quickly. We'll hold them off."

"You..." Xin Feng looked at his many junior brothers, his body trembling violently. His pale hands clenched tightly, his heart filled with unwillingness.

"Fine, fine. Since you want to die, I'll grant your wish." Gu Tianhao's eyes blazed with killing intent. "Kill them all."

The men behind Gu Tianhao also showed fierce looks. They leaped into the air and charged at the group of disciples.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

The Nine Heavens Sect disciples were afraid inside, but their faces were resolute. They knew they might die, but they weren't afraid.

Xin Feng's heart ached as he watched these junior brothers.

Just then, a voice like thunder rang out from the void.

"How dare you!"

An overwhelming aura descended from the sky. The few criminal disciples who had just leaped into the air suddenly felt an immense pressure.

A giant hand descended from the heavens, blotting out the sky, and slammed them hard into the ground.

"Brother Feng, you've suffered. Your brother has come late."

At that moment, everyone looked up into the void.

Hearing this voice, Xin Feng trembled, his face filled with disbelief.