Chapter 136: Shocking the Crowd, Spot Secured!
Clan Leader Lin Fan gestured toward Lin Fan and smiled,
"Your Majesty, this is our Lin Fan."
Lin Fan cupped his hands respectfully toward Mo Jingtian, the emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty.
"Your Majesty flatters me."
"Heh, truly a man of outstanding talent." Mo Jingtian chuckled, then said:
"Lin Fan single-handedly destroyed the Wang Clan. With such strength, I don't believe he needs any further evaluation. I suggest we directly appoint Lin Fan as one of the Five Seed Candidates. What do you all think?"
"Agreed!"
"We have no objections!"
"..."
Voices of agreement rang out one after another.
After all, Lin Fan had slain Wang Lei, a Nirvana Stage cultivator. Most of the elite youths present had only reached the Manifestation Stage—how could they possibly compare?
If Lin Fan participated in the duels and accidentally injured—or killed—someone, the losses would be immense.
"Your Majesty, I must object! Who here actually witnessed Lin Fan destroy the Wang Clan? For all we know, it could've been Clan Leader Lin Fan who did it."
Amid the chorus of agreement, a discordant voice rang out.
Everyone turned to look. Lin Fan's eyes narrowed slightly.
The speaker was a young man dressed in black.
Handsome but proud, with arrogance radiating from his brows—he was clearly the type who believed himself to be a genius.
Beside him stood a familiar silhouette: Huangfu Jing of the Huangfu Clan.
This arrogant youth must be Huangfu Ying, the one obsessed with Ling Qingzhu.
Lin Fan's eyes glinted. So this was the man who couldn't stand that Ling Qingzhu had spoken of Lin Fan more than once.
And indeed, it was so.
Huangfu Ying's challenge stemmed from nothing but jealousy.
"Huangfu Ying, enough! This isn't the place for your nonsense!"
A dignified middle-aged man nearby immediately snapped.
This was none other than Huangfu Long, the patriarch of the Huangfu Clan.
Despite being a Nirvana Stage expert, Huangfu Long had sensed a terrifying pressure from Lin Fan and knew full well that his strength was extraordinary.
Even if Lin Fan hadn't destroyed the Wang Clan by himself, his power still far surpassed the younger generation.
Right now, securing a seed spot was what mattered most—everything else was secondary.
More importantly, this suggestion had come from Mo Jingtian himself.
By objecting, Huangfu Ying had offended the emperor.
It was utterly foolish.
Mo Jingtian's eyes flickered, but he smiled calmly.
"Clan Leader Huangfu, no need to be upset. That was just my personal suggestion. The final decision rests with everyone here."
To Lin Fan, the so-called seed selection held no challenge whatsoever.
He actually agreed with Mo Jingtian's proposal.
But unexpectedly, Huangfu Ying had stepped forward to stir trouble.
Lin Fan took a step forward and smiled.
"So it seems Young Master Huangfu doesn't accept me? Anyone else who doubts me may step forward as well."
His words caused the crowd's expressions to shift, but no one else moved.
Seeing this, Huangfu Ying grew even more jealous.
He ignored Huangfu Long's warning and shouted,
"If you can defeat me, I'll acknowledge you!"
"One move is all I need. Ready?" Lin Fan said calmly.
"Arrogant!"
Huangfu Ying growled in fury.
"I'd like to see how you'll do that!"
Lin Fan shook his head, not bothering to reply.
He suddenly released a surge of Yuan Power from his body.
Then, he raised his palm—and a pitch-black giant hand appeared in the sky!
In that instant, the entire sky seemed to darken.
One hand to cover the heavens—heaven and earth eclipsed.
BOOM!
The Heaven-Covering Hand plummeted from the heavens, as if the sky itself were collapsing.
Its terrifying pressure made it difficult for everyone present to breathe.
This was the Great Wilderness Heaven-Covering Hand, the Creation-level martial art Lin Fan had acquired from the Martial Tablet.
Even Mo Jingtian, who had survived a Nirvana Tribulation, felt a sense of impending death from this move.
As the target, Huangfu Ying stood paralyzed.
His Yuan Power was suppressed.
His body frozen.
His face contorted in terror.
The Heaven-Covering Hand shrank as it descended, becoming more condensed—and more lethal.
It arrived above his head.
"Spare him, Young Master Lin!"
Huangfu Long's expression changed drastically, shouting out.
"Spare him!"
Even Mo Jingtian and Lin Fan hesitated briefly and called out as well.
Lin Fan's eyes flickered, and he stopped the solidified black hand just above Huangfu Ying's forehead.
"Do you yield?"
Huangfu Ying felt as if he had just walked out of death's door.
Soaked in sweat, trembling all over, he croaked,
"Y-Yes… I yield…"
Lin Fan gave him a glance and dismissed the Heaven-Covering Hand with a thought.
"Thank you for sparing him, Young Master Lin."
Huangfu Long quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, his heart filled with fear.
He knew that if that hand had struck him instead… he would have died on the spot!
"Twenty thousand Nirvana Pills," Lin Fan said flatly, glancing at Huangfu Long.
He remembered in the original novel that Lin Fan gave Lin Dong and Lin Langtian twenty thousand Nirvana Pills to use the teleportation array to enter the Ancient Battlefield.
The Huangfu Clan, being on the same level as the Lin Clan, should have no issue affording it.
Anything more, though, would be unreasonable.
Huangfu Long froze for a second, then responded,
"I have ten thousand now. The rest… I can prepare in a few days."
He took out a spatial pouch and handed it over—he had prepared it for when Huangfu Ying secured a seed spot.
Lin Fan accepted it with a smile.
"Thanks. Please don't make me wait too long."
"Of course," Huangfu Long responded respectfully.
At this point, he had no more doubts about Lin Fan.
If Lin Fan could destroy the Wang Clan, there was no telling what he'd do to them.
With Huangfu Ying's humiliation as a warning, no one else dared to act out.
And just like that, before the selection even officially began, Lin Fan's seed position was secured.
The rest of the selection proceeded smoothly.
The other four chosen were: Lin Dong, Mo Ling, Du Yun, and Man Shan.
After the ceremony ended, Lin Fan, Lin Dong, and Clan Leader Lin Fan left the palace under the crowd's admiring and fearful gazes and returned to their residence in the Imperial Capital.
Back at the residence, Lin Fan gave a few final reminders to Lin Fan and Lin Dong and mentioned the Sacred Spirit Pool, then took his leave.
"Hmm… I wonder if the Sacred Spirit Pool will still benefit me now," Lin Fan murmured as he watched the clan leader's figure disappear into the distance.
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