The Sect Leader's Bizarre Recruitment Chapter 233: Rejuvenation! Lin Fan's Empty-Handed Ploy? (Part 1) - Novel Cool

Chapter 233: Rejuvenation! Lin Fan's Empty-Handed Ploy? (Part 1)

Chapter 233: Rejuvenation! Lin Fan's Empty-Handed Ploy? (Part 1)

"Patriarch," Hai Shaofeng began, "This matter is not trivial."

"Lin Fan and his disciple's journey is not solely for the Crystal Flame, but..."

Hai Shaofeng continued, "When I met with Patriarch Hai Tianren and the core high-ranking members, I informed them of every detail regarding my encounter with Lin Fan and his disciple."

Of course, the 'greeting gift' was not omitted.

"The secret of our Ancestor has been leaked!" Hai Shaofeng declared.

"We cannot ignore this matter," he emphasized.

"At this moment, he requests an audience with our Ancestor. What do you all think we should do?"

For a moment, Hai Tianren and the others exchanged glances, their faces filled with unease.

"He refuses to reveal how he learned about this," someone asked.

Hai Shaofeng shook his head.

The person continued, "In my opinion, we should capture them and interrogate them harshly. If that doesn't work, we can use the Soul-Searching Secret Technique!"

"This matter concerns our Ancestor and the life and death of our entire family. We cannot afford to be careless in the slightest."

"Once our enemies learn of this, our clan will surely face destruction!"

"Even if it means being ruthless, I believe it's necessary."

Hai Shaofeng's face twitched.

"It's indeed a solution, but how can you be certain he hasn't prepared a backup plan? For instance, if he fails to return or encounters an accident, the news will spread throughout the world immediately."

The elder's expression fell, and he remained silent.

Hai Tianren looked at everyone and said, "Speak your minds. The minority will follow the majority."

...

"Master, I'm curious. What's the problem with Patriarch Hai Dongpo?" Xiao Ling'er asked in the chamber.

Xiao Ling'er couldn't help but transmit her question, adding, "Master, please give me a hint so I can prepare in advance."

"Guess," Lin Fan replied.

Xiao Ling'er: "O.o"

"Could it be..." She guessed, "that his Dou Qi has been sealed, causing his cultivation to drop?"

This was the plot in "Yan Di" when Ice Emperor Hai Dongpo met Xiao Huo Huo.

Since she suspected Lin Fan was a reincarnator, she naturally guessed in this direction.

Lin Fan felt like laughing and responded, "To be honest, I don't know either."

"Huh?"

Xiao Ling'er was shocked. "Master, you don't know? But just now, you seemed so confident and claimed that we could solve this Patriarch Hai Dongpo's problem..."

"That's what I said," Lin Fan admitted.

Lin Fan didn't hide anything from Xiao Ling'er. "But in reality, I don't know, and I'm not even sure if he's truly facing any trouble."

"Huh?"

"Then what do you mean, Master?"

"Yes."

"I was bluffing."

"It was just a random attempt, and I didn't expect there to be an actual issue."

Xiao Ling'er: "!!!"

Yao Mu: "_(3」∠)_..."

Lin Fan continued, "However, this pretense wasn't a momentary impulse. I believe this is a highly probable event."

"After all, in this life, whether it's mortals or cultivators, how many people are truly free of troubles?"

Both Xiao Ling'er and Yao Mu found this statement reasonable.

Yet, something felt amiss~!

Lin Fan didn't elaborate further.

Should I tell you that I'm a transmigrator and that everything I said was based on 'templates' and big data analysis?

······

"Go and invite the Ancestor."

Hai Shaofeng, Hai Tianren, and the others set off together to their clan's forbidden grounds to respectfully welcome the Ancestor.

Along the way.

The Great Elder's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile, "Shaofeng, among brothers, we know each other well. Your actions earlier have piqued my curiosity."

"What are you curious about?"

Hai Shaofeng's heart skipped a beat, and he became extra vigilant.

"It's nothing, just~"

The Great Elder said, "I'm just curious about the gift Xiao Ling'er gave you as a greeting?"

At the same time, he used his divine perception to transmit a message, saying, "Everyone knows that Xiao Ling'er has exceptional talent in pill refining and possesses various unusual flames. The gift she gave you must be pills, right?"

"And since you spoke up for them earlier, it seems that the quality of these pills is not low?"

"Why don't you take them out and show me?"

Hai Shaofeng's face turned green.

Damn it!

Did I overexert myself earlier, and now I've been found out?

It was at this moment that the others chimed in, "That's right, Third Brother!"

"Since we're on the road anyway, might as well take them out and have a look."

"We're also quite curious about what this gift is."

Hai Shaofeng was speechless.

So, you're going to bully me now?

Show it to you?

If I show it to you, how many pills will I have left? Dream on!

His face turned dark, and he said, "What are you curious about?"

"What's so curious?"

"It's just a simple greeting gift. You are all Eighth Realm powerhouses, Eighth Realm ah!"

"What kind of gift can a Sixth Realm junior possibly give? It's just a matter of courtesy. As a senior, I can't very well reach out and slap a smiling face, can I?"

"As for the effort I put in earlier..."

"What effort?"

"When did I exert myself?"

"I merely argued based on reason and provided a comprehensive analysis!"

"I don't care about gifts at all, and I didn't even look at it. I don't know if the gift is valuable or not. I've always been dedicated to the family and have never had any other thoughts~!"

At this point, Hai Shaofeng raised both hands as if taking an oath.

How can I let you see it?

Pfft!

Absolutely not!

Seeing his reaction, everyone fell silent.

Only the Great Elder looked at him deeply, a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth.

Hmm~

There are too many people here; I won't argue with you now.

I'll come back to you later.

He winked.

Hai Shaofeng's face darkened.

Damn it!

This old guy is really sharp.

However, it's better to have one person know than everyone.

I'll endure it!

Just then, they arrived at the clan's forbidden grounds, and Hai Shaofeng quickly changed the topic, "We're here. Let's hurry and welcome the Ancestor."

"···"

After a while.

They woke up the Ancestor, Hai Dongpo, who was in secluded cultivation.

In the mountains, time is irrelevant, and seasons pass unnoticed, especially for cultivators, and even more so for high-level cultivators.

The Ninth Realm is the 'pinnacle' of the Immortal Martial Continent.

Cultivators at this level can live for tens, or even millions of years!

Almost all Ninth Realm cultivators have the same dream—to cultivate diligently and ascend as soon as possible.

Whether they have the talent to ascend or not is another matter.

Effort is always necessary.

At least, one should give it a try, right?

Hai Dongpo was no exception, and despite some issues, he had always been striving on this path, moving forward, regardless of the speed.

Now, he had reached the second tier of the 'Immortal Platform'.

The third tier was still a distant 'shadow'.

More time was needed.

Therefore, unless it was a matter of great importance to the entire clan, Hai Dongpo would not leave seclusion. He would cultivate alone in the depths of the forbidden grounds, often secluding himself for centuries...

This time, he was suddenly awakened, and Hai Dongpo felt a bit dazed.

After a while, he gradually 'woke up'.

"Ancestor!"

Hai Tianren stepped forward and informed him of everything that had happened, then said, "After discussing it, we hope you can meet him once. Although, in our opinion, the chances of success are slim, but if it succeeds..."

"I see."

Hai Dongpo nodded slightly nodded, waved his sleeve, and stood up from the meditation cushion, "Let's go."

He didn't say much.

But he decided to meet once.

His secret, to put it bluntly, was only known to himself and these people in front of him, all of whom were core members of the Hai Clan and would never betray or leak the information.

The fact that Lin Fan knew about this matter meant that he was extraordinary.

Perhaps...

There might be a chance to solve this problem.

Even if it can't be solved, it's still necessary to meet and investigate.

"Then... we won't go."

After considering, Hai Tianren felt that too many people would be inappropriate, so he said, "Danping, you accompany the Ancestor."

"Yes, Patriarch."

······

In the secret chamber.

Xiao Qi was bored and had already struck up a conversation with Xiao Ling'er.

It was at this moment.

Suddenly, a figure flashed in the secret chamber.

Two figures appeared behind Xiao Qi.

She was unaware and exclaimed, "Ah! So the Bright Moon Sect has truly experienced so many and such astonishing dangers? It's truly shocking and awe-inspiring!"

"Sister Xiao is so amazing."

As they spoke.

They saw Lin Fan and the others looking behind them, and they were startled.

A sweep of divine perception...

But there's nothing there?

They turned around!

"Ah?!"

"Big... Big Sister?"

"Ancestor?!"

Xiao Qi exclaimed in surprise.

"It's fine."

Hai Danping smiled slightly and said to Lin Fan and Xiao Ling'er, "Lin Patriarch, Miss Xiao, this is our Ancestor."

"Greetings, Hai Lao."

Lin Fan and the others stood up and cupped their fists in greeting.

Even as a Ninth Stage master, Hai Dongpo wasn't arrogant. He returned the gesture and softly said, "Please, take a seat."

Everyone sat down.

Little Seven hurriedly served tea and poured water.

Hai Danping chatted casually.

However, Hai Dongpo didn't seem interested in small talk. He got straight to the point, "Can you really solve my problem, or rather, the trouble plaguing the Hai family?"

Xiao Ling'er's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Lin Fan.

Lin Fan nodded and then shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Hai Danping asked.

Hai Lao fixed his gaze on Lin Fan, who sighed helplessly, "My master and I have only heard rumors, and while we have some understanding of your issue, it's rather one-sided."

"I can only say that if it's as we understand it, we are confident we can resolve it."

"But if there are hidden circumstances or special reasons, we can't guarantee anything."

"Brilliant!" Xiao Ling'er's mind resonated with Yao Mu's praise.

She vigorously slapped her thigh.

Unfortunately, she didn't have a physical body, "Just now, I was wondering if he's not afraid of being exposed. But with this explanation, most of the problems can be solved."

"Master!"

Xiao Ling'er's eyes sparkled.

Her master was truly clever!

...

"Oh?"

Hai Lao gave Lin Fan a deep look, and for the first time, a smile appeared on his face.

But this smile had a profound meaning.

"That's good."

"Then..."

"I'll explain it to you in detail."

He waved his hand.

In an instant, immortal energy filled the air, setting up powerful restrictions and barriers. Unless someone was significantly stronger than him, it was impossible for anyone to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Lin Fan and his master couldn't transmit any information out either.

"My problem, to put it simply, is this."

"Every ten thousand years, I revert to infancy, not just in appearance and age, but also in bodily functions and cultivation."

Hai Lao sighed lightly.

"What?!"

Little Seven covered her mouth in shock, "Revert to infancy?! How is that possible?"

"Yes, reverting to infancy."

He whispered, "Every ten thousand years, I revert to infancy, and this process lasts for a thousand years. For the first five hundred years, I become younger each day, and my cultivation regresses day by day."

"During the next five hundred years, I rapidly grow, both physically and mentally, and my cultivation recovers."

"This cycle repeats every ten thousand years."

Little Seven was astounded.

Lin Fan remained calm.

Xiao Ling'er also nodded, appearing as if she had known all along, but her heart was already stirred by the revelation.

"Is there... is there such a thing?"

"Has my master ever heard of it?"

Yao Mu: "..."

"I've heard that some powerful beings in the Upper Realm can control the rules of time, and with a single move, they can reverse time, instantly turning someone into an infant and then easily slaying them."

"But this phenomenon of reverting to infancy every ten thousand years and then growing back is something I've never heard of."

Xiao Ling'er's heart was filled with even more surprise.

"So, for this problem, I... or rather, does my master have any confidence in solving it?"

Yao Mu remained silent.

Then she said, "It's hard to say. I need to understand more details."

...

"Our understanding doesn't differ much from yours."

Lin Fan nodded, though he knew nothing.

In truth, he could tell from Hai Dongpo's expression that he didn't believe him.

After all, he was a Ninth Stage master, an old fox who wouldn't be easily fooled.

Or perhaps... he should have brought Long Aojiao with her intelligence-reducing halo, which might have convinced Hai Dongpo. But clearly, that wasn't going to work now.

Lin Fan guessed that Hai Dongpo knew he was being deceived.

However, he wasn't worried.

Since he couldn't transmit any information, Hai Dongpo was probably curious about what he was up to.

If Lin Fan could solve the problem, everyone would be happy, and there would be no need for conflict.

But if he couldn't solve it or had malicious intentions, Hai Dongpo could easily eliminate him.

"!"

This Hai Lao was quite cunning.

Lin Fan's mind raced, but he appeared to have everything under control. He asked, "Do you know the reason why you revert to infancy every ten thousand years?"

"It's embarrassing to say."

"My master and I have only heard rumors, knowing about the problem of reverting to infancy but not the specific details or reasons."

"If we can understand it better, we'll have more confidence in solving the problem."

Hai Danping was shocked and looked at Hai Dongpo.

Hai Dongpo, Hai Lao, smiled slightly, indicating for her to remain calm, "Okay."

"To be honest, I'm well aware of the reason."

"Strictly speaking, this problem isn't unique to me but affects all Ninth Stage masters in the Hai family, except for two of the three original founders."

"?"

Xiao Ling'er was shocked, her face changing slightly.

Lin Fan was also surprised, his mind racing with thoughts, "Could it be?!"

"Did you guess it?"

Hai Lao smiled, "There's no such thing as a coincidence."

"The outside world says that the Hai family has exceptional destiny, and every time a Ninth Stage master dies in battle, ascends, or passes away, a new Ninth Stage master seamlessly takes their place, perfectly ensuring the Hai family's legacy."

"But in reality, how could there possibly be so many coincidences?"

"It's just a unique heritage of my Hai family."

"I..."

"It's not truly the Ninth Stage."

"Or rather, it's not solely about reaching the Ninth Stage on one's own."

He explained, "My Hai family possesses a clan heritage secret art."

"It's also a heritage technique."

"A Ninth Stage cultivator can condense a 'heritage mark' and pass it on to their descendants when needed."

"The recipient of the heritage, as long as they have already cultivated to the Eighth Stage, can immediately enter the Ninth Ascension Realm, becoming a Ninth Stage cultivator and continuing to protect the clan."

"Once the heritage mark is passed on..."

"There are only two possibilities for the original owner."

"One, ascend to the Upper Realm, breaking free from the shackles."

"Two, return to youth, a side effect of this secret art."

"Thanks to this secret art, my Hai family has been able to pass down the heritage until now, and every generation has a Ninth Stage cultivator to protect the clan."

"In reality, they dare not reveal even a hint of this secret."

"Otherwise..."

He didn't elaborate further.

However, the result was clear without needing to be stated.

"What a pity."

"The Ninth Stage is too difficult; over the years, not a single person in my Hai family has been able to reach it on their own."

"Therefore, this secret is known to only a handful of people, barely over ten, even within the Hai family.

(End of Chapter)

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