A woman, arriving at the temple in the dead of night, was she here to test the monks' steadfastness in their faith?
Lu Fan was also somewhat bewildered.
He saw A Ping in front kneel down before the temple, bow a few times, then get up and walk to the roadside. She waved down a taxi, and the car drove away!
What the hell? What was the meaning of this? Lu Fan was a bit confused, coming here just to pay respects in the middle of the night? Wouldn't she do anything else before leaving?
Seeing the taxi drive away, Lu Fan also wanted to find a taxi. However, after looking around, there wasn't a single car in the empty night. Forget taxis, not even a three-wheeled cart for hauling goods.
Had he been tricked? Lu Fan suddenly guessed something.
Lu Fan took out his phone, found the map, and then leaped into the night.
A Qi realm expert, a single leap could cover several meters, his speed no less than a wild rabbit. Legend had it that wild rabbits ran fast, leaping over eight furrows in one bound. Lu Fan found that his ordinary leap was definitely no worse than a wild rabbit's. Infusing true qi into his feet allowed him to cover the distance of two rabbit leaps. Before, it was all about short sprints, competing for speed. Now, he was trying a marathon. He decided to test his endurance!
Swish, swish, swish... a figure rapidly traversed streets, leaped over rooftops, and scaled walls. If anyone had seen him, they would have thought they were filming a movie.
Upon returning to the hotel, Lu Fan didn't use the main entrance. Instead, he climbed up the wall. He jumped into the corridor through a stairwell window and then heard two people talking.
"This kid isn't that sharp, is he? Still being toyed with by us."
"Idiot! Tricking him isn't important. What's important is that bastard Jian San, that useless piece of trash. He actually sold us out."
"So what? A young master who's nothing but a nobody, good for nothing but eating, drinking, and playing. And apart from that name, he knows nothing else! Hmph!"
"We need to leave quickly. Once that guy gets back, we won't be able to."
Then, the sound of a door opening was heard.
Creak... the door was pushed open, and two women, having changed their attire, walked out.
Whoosh... suddenly a cloud of smoke lunged towards them. The two women instantly felt dizzy and collapsed onto the ground.
Whoosh... Lu Fan quickly dragged the two women into the room.
Activating his clairvoyant eyes, he quickly discovered a delicate small box on the person named A Ping. Upon opening the box, he found only a small slip of paper inside. The paper had only four characters: Wu, Cao, Gou, Jian. And the character Jian had an "x" drawn over it.
"Damn it! They used me to verify if Jian San had leaked information? Two stupid women! But they knew my whereabouts like the back of their hand. No wonder they came up with so many ways to deal with me. Alright! I'll play along with you guys." Lu Fan put away the small box and then made a phone call.
The next day, Lu Fan drove off early on the road towards the capital.
At the Yan family, Yan Yun and Yan Meng Han were somewhat anxious. The Old Ancestor's condition was worsening daily. He seemed to be in a state of sleep most of the time.
Honk, honk! Two honks came from outside the main gate, and someone immediately ran out.
"Young Master Lu! You've finally arrived. Young Master Yan has been waiting impatiently!" Elder Chang said immediately upon seeing Lu Fan.
"Alright! Take me there!" Lu Fan nodded.
He was led to the Yan family's living room. Yan Meng Xi was in the living room, making tea for Lu Fan. A moment later, Yan Yun and Yan Meng Han also hurried back from the Golden Palace.
"Lu Fan! Our Old Ancestor has been listless recently, seemingly sleeping all day. Do you have any solutions?" Yan Meng Han asked directly, not bothering with pleasantries upon seeing Lu Fan.
"The Old Ancestor has been relying on the Spirit Gathering Array to maintain his lifespan, but it seems it's not a long-term solution. After all, man cannot defy heaven. Unless..."
"Unless what? As long as it can keep the Old Ancestor alive, no amount of money is too much," Yan Yun said from the side.
"It's not about money. Even if we could extend it with some precious herbs, it wouldn't last long. There is only one way, and that is for the Old Ancestor to break through to a higher realm!" Lu Fan said, shaking his head.
"Breakthrough? This... the realm above Qi realm is the Transformation realm, only heard of in legends. No one has broken through in thousands of years. Alas, could it be that the Old Ancestor..." Yan Yun said dejectedly.
Above the Qi realm, legends spoke of the Qi Transformation realm, also called the Transformation realm. But that was a realm beyond mortals. From ancient times to the present, no one had ever heard of anyone breaking through.
"Then... could you take me to see the Old Ancestor!" Lu Fan suddenly said.
"Okay!" Yan Yun nodded.
The group stood up and headed towards the Golden Palace.
Inside the Golden Palace at this moment, the Yan family's Old Ancestor sat on the dragon throne, his eyebrows lowered, his eyes closed. He seemed to be neither awake nor asleep. Zhao Xiao Yun stood by the Old Ancestor's side, looking very nervous. On one side of the palace, a rosewood armchair was temporarily placed.
Yan Yun and Yan Meng Han brought Yan Meng Xi and Lu Fan in. The Old Ancestor Yan seemed to slightly open his eyes, glance at them, then nod. He then closed his eyes again.
"Mom..." Yan Meng Xi saw her mother, Zhao Xiao Yun, standing beside the Old Ancestor and felt an urge to rush over and hug her. However, Yan Yun stopped her. Zhao Xiao Yun remained standing there, not daring to move.
"Lu Fan! This is what the Old Ancestor has prepared for you! Please sit!" Yan Meng Han said hurriedly to Lu Fan.
The fact that the Old Ancestor had prepared a chair for Lu Fan was enough to show his special regard for him. Lu Fan didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly.
"Old Ancestor! You've been in the Qi realm for some years, and it's evident you are at the peak of the Qi realm. Do you truly have no chance to enter the Transformation realm? If there's a chance, tell us what conditions are needed, and perhaps we can think of a way!" Lu Fan said softly.
The Old Ancestor Yan opened his eyes again, a flicker of desire to survive flashing in his gaze.
"I have been at the peak of the Qi realm for twenty years, yet I have been unable to break through. I have lingered at the edge of the Transformation realm for a long time but could not grasp the essence. Alas, mortal lifespans are limited..." The Old Ancestor Yan sighed softly and closed his eyes again. m..oΓg
"Old Ancestor! I have comprehended something ineffable from the邋遢老道's Heavenly Secrets妙语, something that seems related to the Transformation realm," Lu Fan suddenly said.
"Heavenly Secrets妙语? Tell me quickly!" The Old Ancestor Yan's eyes immediately opened again, and this time, his eyes were wide open. So wide they were somewhat frightening.
Lu Fan was also startled. How could this old fellow look like he was on his last breath? He coughed lightly and said, "Old Ancestor, in the Heavenly Secrets妙语, I saw a sentence: 'Actions in accordance with the times, countenance pleasant; Chronic illnesses all vanish, body and mind refreshed; Mend the early demise, restore the original and revive the mandate; Refine form into qi, extend lifespan for thousands of years...'"
Lu Fan softly finished these few sentences, his eyes fixed on the Old Ancestor Yan.
"'Mend the early demise, restore the original and revive the mandate; Refine form into qi, extend lifespan for thousands of years...'" The Old Ancestor Yan murmured these few phrases, his expression suddenly becoming solemn. He slightly raised his hand and made a gesture to usher them out.
"Lu Fan! Let's go!" Yan Yun quickly came over and invited Lu Fan to leave.
"Yan Yun! Give this Seven-Colored Jade Stone to Lu Fan!" the Old Ancestor Yan suddenly said.