Chapter 682 - 322: Leaving This Room

South Sea shoreline, the waves are calm.

An old man with white hair and aged appearance stood proudly upon the Divine Radiance Stone, donning a Taoist crown.

He gazed at the exceptionally clear sea surface, where plump fish occasionally breached the water, a scene full of vitality.

Yet for some reason, this elegant and amiable elder seemed consistently severe in demeanor.

Beneath the massive stone he stood upon, a man in simple Taoist robes respectfully waited by his side. His appearance and demeanor were utterly unremarkable; placed among a crowd, he would easily blend in, never to be discerned again.

But this exceedingly ordinary man was indeed the Celestial Skill Peak’s eldest senior disciple—Chen Fan.

His experiences, like his name, were ordinary without any embellishment. Although he held a position beyond the imagination of common people, few remembered him.

Yet he is the only disciple within Profound Sky Sect to have reached the Void Realm. Even though the Ancestral Temple of Immortals had invited him to establish his own sect on the Divine Mountain, he chose not to leave Celestial Skill Peak.

His reasoning was straightforward; he felt far too distant from his master. Since he hadn’t surpassed the master, how could he have the face to teach others?

There was a time he believed that breaking into the Void Realm made him equal to his master. But truly breaking through, after meeting the Celestial Technique Chief, he realized his own limited perspective.

He gazed at his master’s thin figure, eyes filled with immense admiration. To him, the Celestial Technique Chief was the highest mountain of Profound Sky Sect and the longest river.

"Master, why do you still show a worried face when seeing the clear waters and flying fish?" Chen Fan asked.

After Zhengyang arrived with the celestial island, the corruption dissipated from the southern coast. The fish in the sea seemed to know the water here was better, flocking in masses and even crowding onto the shore.

Residents of nearby towns naturally rejoiced at this harvest scene. Sea fish are rare treasures for the Human Race on land. To prevent infiltration by corruption, only a small number of sea regions strictly controlled by the Divine Mountain are open for fishing.

Yet, these shore-bound fish could not find any issues even under the scrutiny of the Exorcism Bureau.

This achievement is beyond what any Void Realm cultivator can accomplish, only the Celestial Awakening Realm can. People ignited with hope; one Celestial Awakening Realm could keep demons at bay near their lair, and with two or three, the day of cleansing corruption might be imminent.

This is why Chen Fan was puzzled by the head elder’s unresolved worry.

"Xiao Fan... Has anyone come off the island today?"

The head elder didn’t directly answer his disciple’s question. Instead, he looked towards the solitary island on the sea horizon. No matter from which angle, it appeared to be a peaceful celestial island. Yet with his extraordinary vision, he saw not a single silhouette.

He knew this peace was merely the illusion of an enchantment.

"Seven disciples left the island today; all left after obtaining their own opportunities." Chen Fan reported truthfully.

"Only seven..." the head elder muttered softly.

"Seven is the most there has been in the last four days." Chen Fan replied.

"I know." The head elder didn’t retract his gaze, his tone turning even more severe, "There were three hundred and sixty cultivators entering the island, plus the hundred uninvited cultivators Zhengyang allowed, meaning nearly five hundred people were on the island. Strife is inevitable; why have so few come out? What’s more perplexing is, apart from the night of Ming Dao’s death, nearly no one has left truth during emergencies..."

Chen Fan heard and fell silent for a moment, then he replied:

"Perhaps the island is not so dangerous, many have formed alliances, hence those dire situations scarcely occur."

His explanation was not unreasonable, after all, no one could peer through the barrier of Celestial Awakening Realm to see what transpired on that island.

In truth, there were others with concerns like the head elder, but since people had returned and brought back immense wealth unseen across the Five Continents, it indicated that the celestial island was indeed a place where opportunities and dangers coexist, yet opportunities greatly outweigh dangers.

Comparing hearts, few would be willing to leave so soon, even if unable to obtain the ultimate heritage. To collect more treasures is not a loss, for who would object to more treasures? Thus, most felt those who tended to think in worst-case scenarios were needlessly worried.

"Sigh..." The head elder sighed deeply, "Let’s hope so..."

Chen Fan understood his master well, knowing that such a sigh wasn’t his agreement with the explanation, but a wish not to argue further.

Suddenly, Chen Fan felt some shame. His master hadn’t shown this attitude toward him in many years. Though he appeared humble, he was always the most obedient and trusted disciple.

"Xiao Fan, you seem to never have doubted my words before?"

Sure enough, Chen Fan thought, quickly bowing to apologize, rebutting:

"Disciple merely wishes for Master not to overthink. Master has labored throughout life; now, with Zhengyang’s arrival quietening the demons across the seas, Master should seize this opportunity to rest well, not to toil mentally over worldly affairs... Disciple never intended to disobey Master."

"You’re thoughtful."

The head elder turned around, finally showing a slight, aged smile.

This old man often smiled, as if it were the secret to his longevity. But Chen Fan could tell that this smile was completely different from previous ones.

"Your achievements come because you heed my words. When I say one, you wouldn’t like your junior brothers and sisters have your own thoughts, so you most thoroughly apply what I teach, hence also becoming the one with the highest achievements."