Chapter 487: False Bravado, The Emergence of the Scythe Spirit!
"Protect the Hall Master!"
The two black-robed elders standing on Qingtan's side reacted immediately, their expressions shifting dramatically as they leapt in front of her, their gazes full of vigilance as they stared up at the lightning-wreathed figure in the sky.
At the same time, hundreds of shadowy figures rushed over from below, surrounding Qingtan protectively.
But the man in the sky didn't pay any attention to their hostility. Instead, with a faint smile, he looked at the stunned girl on the altar.
"Three years since we last met… you've really grown up, haven't you?"
Qingtan's mind went completely blank. She couldn't even hold onto her Dark Saint Scythe. The blade trembled in her hands and fell to the ground with a clatter.
She stared at the figure in front of her, her usually cold and imposing eyes slowly filling with tears.
She pushed aside the guards before her, her body trembling slightly as she stepped forward. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, she flew into the air—straight into the man's arms.
"WAAAH!"
The next second, she threw herself into his embrace and burst into loud, uncontrollable sobs.
Clinging tightly to him, her tears flowed like rivers. Her heart-wrenching cries echoed across the ceremonial altar, shocking every spectator in the vast Blackstone Plaza into speechlessness.
Lin Fan gently stroked her hair, his nose stinging with emotion.
"There, there. Don't cry. Big Brother is here to make things right," he said softly.
"Besides, you're the Hall Master of the Hall of Darkness now. Crying like this in front of everyone… aren't you afraid of becoming a joke?"
Still sniffling, Qingtan looked up at him with her tear-filled eyes. "Big Brother Lin Fan… I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too," Lin Fan replied gently. "But right now, we should finish this ceremony first."
With that, he led Qingtan down to the altar.
His words sobered her up quickly. The light in her eyes returned. Her hand reached out and the Dark Saint Scythe flew back into her grip. She released Lin Fan and turned her icy gaze toward the two Supreme Elders still crawling out of their craters.
"…Who are you?"
One of the elders asked, their voices trembling with fear. Though they tried to act stern, they were clearly shaken. "Why interfere in the Hall of Darkness's affairs?"
"I'm her brother," Lin Fan said coldly. "Is that reason enough?"
Their faces twisted further. They hadn't expected this girl to have such a terrifying older brother watching her back.
In the plaza below, countless influential figures from the Northern Xuan Region murmured among themselves. So the new Hall Master had such a strong backer—no wonder the elders' earlier schemes had failed.
"Even if you're her brother, this is a matter of the Hall of Darkness. We expect her to explain herself to the ten thousand disciples of the Hall!"
The Supreme Elders exchanged glances, trying to rally public opinion.
Turning to Qingtan, they snapped, "You've dragged outsiders into internal matters. How can someone like you convince the Hall to follow you?"
Qingtan sneered. "How noble you sound. But when you were pressuring me earlier, did you remember your 'identity'?"
"You're supposed to be above even my master, and yet you schemed in the shadows like common thugs. Now that you've been defeated, you play the seniority card? Do you think everyone here is blind?"
Her sharp words left the elders pale, and even the previously neutral heads of various factions nodded silently.
They had seen everything. The elders had tried to suppress her, and now they had been publicly humiliated.
Lin Fan stepped forward, voice cold:
"I had no interest in meddling in your Hall's affairs. But Qingtan is my sister before she's your Hall Master. If you try to hurt her, then you'll answer to me."
"If you're still not satisfied, go ahead—try me."
The Supreme Elders' expressions twisted.
They had personally experienced Lin Fan's terrifying strength and were filled with dread. But if they admitted defeat here, in front of the entire region, they'd never regain their status. Worse, they'd lose their only chance to claim leadership.
"Don't get cocky, boy! Do you think we don't have any cards left?" one of them growled.
Suddenly, one of them reached out, and a black orb, the size of a dragon's eye, formed in his palm. Runes swirled across its surface, exuding a mysterious and eerie energy.
With cold determination in their eyes, both elders spat a mouthful of blood onto the orb.
"Summon the Ancestor's Spirit!"
Their unified chant shook the heavens.
BOOM!
The orb burst forth with dazzling black light, which coalesced into a shadowy figure floating above the altar.
The presence of this figure was overwhelming—far stronger than the elders themselves, reaching the peak of a one-tribulation Samsara expert.
The spectators gasped.
"The Ancestor's Spirit?!"
Even the black-robed elders near Qingtan were stunned.
"How could they summon the Spirit?!"
Meanwhile, the Dark Saint Scythe in Qingtan's hand began to tremble violently.
Her expression shifted.
She could feel it—this spirit had a deep connection to her scythe.
Tightening her grip on the weapon, she narrowed her eyes.
"So this… is the Scythe Spirit of the Dark Saint Scythe?" she said coldly. "You dare to hide away the Scythe's spirit? That's a high crime—worthy of losing your elder status!"
Her beautiful face was ice-cold as she glared at the two Supreme Elders, killing intent surging.
The entire plaza stirred.
Now it made sense. The elders had claimed Qingtan's weapon was incomplete—because they had secretly stolen the spirit for themselves!
"You speak too much!" one of them snapped.
With a flick of their hands, the spirit surged forward, radiating rainbow light and carrying a shocking power.
Its first target: Lin Fan.
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