Ice City.
This was another city located by the Icefire Sea. Much like Flame City, it was built along the coast of the Icefire Sea.
The difference was that this side bordered the other half of the sea—the Ice Sea!
Near the Ice Sea stood a major power known as the Snow Ice Sect.
Because Ice City was close to the frozen half of the sea, temperatures here remained extremely low year-round, with snow covering the land for most of the year.
Inside an inn.
Xiao Yunting sat alone at a table in the corner, exhaustion written all over his face.
Ever since the Holy Land Tournament, he had been traveling and tempering himself nonstop, striving to grow stronger.
His only goal was to surpass Fang Chen one day and trample him beneath his feet.
Even though he had never actually met Fang Chen, he felt as though they were destined to oppose one another.
After such a long period of life-and-death training, Xiao Yunting's strength had improved tremendously. He had now stepped into the Fifth Realm—the eighth level of the Divine Origin Realm.
His rate of advancement was almost unimaginable.
Even Old Ming was astonished.
That speed of cultivation was far too terrifying. Even peerless prodigies rarely advanced this quickly.
Of course, Xiao Yunting's growth came from countless brushes with death, along with many fortunate encounters.
This made Old Ming even more shocked. His disciple's greatest trait wasn't talent—
It was luck.
No matter where he went, he always encountered great opportunities.
Though admittedly, the process was extremely dangerous.
Fortunately, he always managed to survive.
"Fang Chen again!"
Hearing the discussions around him, Xiao Yunting's exhausted body immediately stiffened.
Lately, no matter where he went, people were talking about Fang Chen.
That guy was like a lingering ghost that refused to disappear.
No matter what Xiao Yunting did, as long as he entered a populated place, he would inevitably hear Fang Chen's name.
Waves stirred in his heart, and anger began rising uncontrollably.
Why was that guy everywhere?!
What gave him the right?!
Xiao Yunting felt deeply frustrated and irritated, yet helpless.
"Have you heard?"
"The ancestor of the Flame Sect was killed!"
"They say the person who killed him was a young cultivator at the third level of the Return to Ruin Realm."
"I heard about that already. Apparently, that young man is the Holy Son of Cloud Heaven Sacred Land!"
"Seriously? The Cloud Heaven Holy Son came to the Icefire Sea too?"
"It should be true. There probably aren't many prodigies capable of killing a Half-Saint while only at the third level of the Return to Ruin Realm."
"And they said he defeated Patriarch Huoyang effortlessly, killing him within just a few moves!"
"A Return to Ruin Realm cultivator casually killing a Half-Saint? That's absurd!"
"Well, otherwise how could he be called a monstrous genius? If he's a monster, you can't judge him by normal standards."
"Haha, I bet those so-called geniuses can't comprehend this either."
"That's true. In that case, doesn't it mean we're basically the same as those geniuses?"
"Hahaha, sounds about right!"
The cultivators continued chatting excitedly.
Fang Chen was here in the Icefire Sea too?
And he had even killed a Half-Saint?
Xiao Yunting's expression froze.
His emotions became incredibly complicated.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Despair.
"I struggle just to kill an Emperor Realm cultivator right now…"
"And he's already capable of slaying Half-Saints?"
"If this continues for a few more decades… wouldn't he even be able to kill true Saints?"
Xiao Yunting muttered bitterly.
"If Fang Chen doesn't encounter some accident, then theoretically… yes."
"That Cloud Heaven Holy Son truly is the greatest prodigy Cloud Heaven Sacred Land has produced in tens of thousands of years."
"At his age, even those youthful Great Emperors of legend might not have achieved this."
Old Ming spoke solemnly.
Even with all his experience and knowledge, Fang Chen's monstrous talent still shocked him deeply.
He had never seen—
nor even heard of—
such a terrifying genius.
A third-level Return to Ruin cultivator killing a Half-Saint effortlessly?
What kind of monster was that?
"Master… do you think I can still surpass Fang Chen?"
Despair filled Xiao Yunting's voice.
Back when Fang Chen was still in the Emperor Realm, Xiao Yunting had remained confident.
He believed that one day he would eventually surpass him.
But now Fang Chen's fame continued to spread, and his cultivation had already reached the third level of the Return to Ruin Realm.
Even worse—
he could already kill Half-Saints at that level.
The more Xiao Yunting thought about it, the more powerless he felt.
The gap between them kept widening.
So wide that he could no longer even see hope of catching up.
Just as Xiao Yunting sank into despair, a refined middle-aged man suddenly sat across from him.
The man's appearance resembled Xiao Yunting somewhat.
"You really want to surpass Fang Chen?"
the middle-aged man asked calmly.
Xiao Yunting immediately became vigilant and coldly demanded:
"Who are you?"
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"My name is Xiao Chonglou."
"I am your father."
Boom!
Xiao Yunting instantly shot to his feet, releasing his aura.
The table before him shattered into pieces.
A sword appeared in his hand as he slashed directly at Xiao Chonglou.
But in the next instant—
Xiao Chonglou casually raised two fingers and caught the blade.
Crack!
The supposedly indestructible divine sword shattered into several pieces.
"You've got quite the temper,"
the middle-aged man said with a faint smile still on his face.
Xiao Yunting's pupils contracted violently.
His body instinctively retreated a step.
Years of surviving deadly situations had ingrained this reflex into him.
However, he soon discovered that the surrounding space had been sealed by a mysterious barrier.
He could neither advance nor retreat.
"Don't waste your energy."
"You won't break through."
"No matter what abilities you have, escaping from here is impossible."
Xiao Chonglou said indifferently.
"What do you want?"
Xiao Yunting took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, staring fixedly at Xiao Chonglou.
"You really shouldn't assume the worst of people."
"After all, I'm your father."
"It's been many years since we met. I merely wanted to talk with you."
"Perhaps I can even help y—"
Before he could finish, Xiao Yunting interrupted coldly:
"I don't have a father."
"My father died over twenty years ago."
"The moment he abandoned my mother and me… he died."
Hatred filled Xiao Yunting's eyes.
He had never once met Xiao Chonglou before.
Because when his mother became pregnant with him, Xiao Chonglou had already abandoned them.
Without a father, Xiao Yunting's childhood had been miserable.
He was constantly bullied and mocked as a bastard.
Over time, he came to deeply hate the father he had never met.
"You've misunderstood one thing."
"Your mother was never my wife."
"And I, Xiao Chonglou, have never had a wife."
"Your mother and I were merely willing partners for a fleeting night together."
"I never even knew she became pregnant with you."
Xiao Chonglou frowned slightly.
He clearly disliked being accused of abandoning a wife and child.
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)