Systemless Villain

217  Missed Opportunity?

Still within the Heavenly Demon Sect area, in the vicinity of one of the mountains, the scenery appeared enchanting, dominated by lush bamboo forests. However, the main attraction was a lake connected to an overhead waterfall, its water cascading down into the lake.

In this serene setting, an elderly man with a long white mustache and beard stood, stroking his chin, observing a young man seated cross-legged beneath the waterfall, eyes closed as he was relentlessly showered by the falling water.

The elderly man was no ordinary individual; he was Fu Gongzhe, the leader of the core disciples. His gaze remained fixed on the young man, who happened to be Lin Fan.

Stroking his beard, Fu Gongzhe sensed a slight change in Lin Fan.

On the other side, Lin Fan, unable to endure any longer, opened his eyes again. His gaze locked onto Fu Gongzhe, "Come on, I've been doing this repeatedly. Why don't I just go straight to that sacred pool?" he asked, his tone conveying impatience.

Fu Gongzhe's expression remained dignified, "I've told you that the token won't be enough for you to enter that pool. Besides, it would be pointless if you don't possess demonic qi," he responded.

Lin Fan's expression turned gloomy; since he arrived at the Heavenly Demon Sect, he had been exploring and eventually encountered Fu Gongzhe. Yet, for more than an hour, he had been sitting beneath the waterfall, instructed by Fu Gongzhe to sense the flow of demonic qi in his body.

"If you give up so easily, I have no choice but to confiscate that token, and automatically, you won't be allowed here because you have nothing associated with the Heavenly Demon Sect," Fu Gongzhe stated, his tone slightly stern as he crossed his arms.

"What?" Lin Fan was surprised. He protested, "Hey, Elder Fu, I got this token directly from one of the Elders!"

"And I have the right to take it back because you're not a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect," Fu Gongzhe responded promptly.

Lin Fan fell silent, his expression serious. He had explored several places in the sect and inquired about the sacred pool, a crucial asset of the sect with evidently significant benefits. For something like that, he definitely didn't want to miss out.

His expression shifted to determination as he stated, "Fine, I'll show you how talented I am!"

With that, he closed his eyes again, focusing.

Fu Gongzhe smiled upon witnessing this. Since he first saw Lin Fan, he knew this young man had latent talent with demonic qi. Perhaps Lin Fan had a high affinity for demonic qi.

And the reason for bringing Lin Fan to this waterfall was because this place was suitable for awakening demonic qi, given its special source of spring water.

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As the relentless passage of time melded with the consistent symphony of the waterfall enveloping Lin Fan, his unwavering focus persisted, sealed behind closed eyelids.

In the rhythmic dance of seconds unfolding, an abrupt alteration manifested – the waterfall's deluge skillfully sidestepped Lin Fan's form.

Fu Gongzhe, a keen observer of this unfolding phenomenon, registered genuine surprise. "What? Achieved so swiftly?" he exclaimed, his countenance marked by a genuine sense of astonishment.

The evasion by the cascading waterfall marked the initial evidence of someone delving into the mastery of demonic qi.

Fu Gongzhe's gaze remained unwavering, locked onto Lin Fan, as he anticipated the unfolding spectacle.

In due course, Lin Fan's corporeal form began emanating a crimson aura, exuding an intimidating presence that coerced the waterfall to increasingly shy away from his touch.

As the seconds marched forward, the crimson aura expanded its dominion, intercepting the cascading waterfall and orchestrating a breathtaking display with a multitude of suspended water hovering above Lin Fan.

Fu Gongzhe, a witness to this unfolding mastery, found himself increasingly impressed and incredulous. Typically, for a novice to embark on the journey of mastering demonic qi, it demanded weeks, if not months. Yet, Lin Fan had achieved this feat in less than a day, and astonishingly, in under two hours!

A subtle smile crept onto Fu Gongzhe's countenance. "It appears I've stumbled upon a rare talent; I must extend an invitation for him to join our esteemed sect!" he proclaimed with conviction.

His attention reverted to Lin Fan, where the burgeoning force of demonic qi continued to intensify.

Before long, the crimson aura surged to new heights, triggering a petite explosion of energy that flickered akin to lightning, resulting in the suspended water descending like a cascade of rain.

As Fu Gongzhe stood there, clearly astonished, Lin Fan gradually opened his eyes, his expression reflecting disbelief. "Did I just break through?" he wondered incredulously.

The sequence of events leading to his breakthrough was somewhat hazy in his memory. He merely closed his eyes, experienced an odd serenity, and then, he had shattered through the barrier.

Amidst the stillness, the sound of applause resonated. Lin Fan turned his attention towards the origin of the clapping, finding Fu Gongzhe walking towards him.

With a genial smile, Fu Gongzhe remarked, "Not bad, kid; you broke through after starting to master demonic qi,"  his words carried a commendable tone.

Lin Fan, however, arched an eyebrow, questioning, "Have I truly mastered demonic qi?"

"You haven't fully mastered it yet, but it's a promising development. Now, you have the privilege to enter the sacred pool," Fu Gongzhe responded.

Upon hearing this, a contented grin spread across Lin Fan's face. "I've been telling you, Elder Fu, now you've witnessed my exceptional talent, haven't you?" he asserted, his voice laced with pride.

"Alright, alright, I understand. So, are you ready to enter the sacred pool or not?" Fu Gongzhe inquired, crossing his arms. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Absolutely, let's go!" Lin Fan exclaimed with enthusiasm.

With that declaration, he rose to his feet, joining Fu Gongzhe as they proceeded towards the sacred pool of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

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Descending the mountain alongside Fu Gongzhe, Lin Fan's every step mirrored his deep satisfaction with the day's achievements. Not only had he begun harnessing demonic qi, but he had also triumphantly broke through!

With today's feats, he now found himself at the pinnacle of body tempering realm, merely a step away from entering the Qi Foundation stage!

This realization sparked immense excitement within him. Achieving Qi Foundation at the youthful age of under 20 was undeniably a remarkable feat. It served as a testament to his exceptional cultivation aptitude, paving the way for seamless entry into a sect or academy upon graduation.

Presently, his aspiration was directed towards joining the esteemed Profound Heaven Academy, under the leadership of Lu Zhen.

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After a leisurely stroll lasting a few minutes, they eventually reached the mountain housing the sacred pool.

During the journey, Fu Gongzhe enlightened him on the sacred pool's virtues, emphasizing its significance—so much so that even core disciples might not enjoy its access.

They forged ahead, ascending a path adorned with ancient stone stairs, dating back thousands of years, flanked by towering trees on either side.

As time passed, they arrived at a level area, providing a picturesque view of the surrounding forest.

Their progress was momentarily halted by the presence of four figures, attired in the sect's distinctive black garb, standing as the custodians of the sacred pool.

"Good evening, Elder Fu. What brings you here?" one of them asked.

Fu Gongzhe glanced at Lin Fan. Lin Fan, realizing this, immediately took out the token and showed it to the guardians.

The guardians were somewhat surprised. The token was clearly an access pass to the sacred pool. And accompanied by Fu Gongzhe, it was undoubtedly authentic.

However, one of them raised an eyebrow, "So, does this kid want to enter the sacred pool?" he asked.

"Yes, he has the access token, so I believe there's no issue," Fu Gongzhe responded.

"Well, that's not a problem, but unfortunately, someone has already entered the sacred pool not long ago," the guardian replied.

"What?" Lin Fan reacted immediately.

Fu Gongzhe also did not expect someone else to have entered.

"Who is it?" he asked curiously.

"You better see for yourself," the guardian responded.

Upon hearing this, without further ado, Fu Gongzhe and Lin Fan immediately headed towards the location of the sacred pool.

Lin Fan's expression now filled with seriousness, hoping that the person had not yet entered the sacred pool.

After being informed by Fu Gongzhe, he knew the immense benefits of the sacred pool, which only had its essence present once 2 year.

He certainly did not want to wait for another year; that would be too long.

Traversing through an area adorned with bamboo for a considerable duration, they eventually reached not far from the sacred pool's location, enveloped by a dense bamboo thicket. The pool itself measured at least 15×15 meters, exhibiting a gentle light blue hue and radiating a white aura.

Lin Fan's expression grew more intense as he observed five individuals near the pool. His demeanor quickly shifted to one of hope upon realizing that the pool was unoccupied.

Without hesitation, he sprinted towards it.

At that very moment, one of the individuals was on the verge of submerging someone who appeared unconscious into the pool.

Lin Fan exclaimed, "Wait!"