Unrivaled Martial Emperor

Chapter 502 - A Massive Earthquake Shakes the Empire

The imperial city, Chen Clan:

When the news reached them, the entire clan erupted into celebrations.

The entire Great Chu Empire had long known about the life-and-death battle between Chen Fan and Duan Jingtian.

When he had wiped out the Qin Clan and returned to the Spring Autumn Sect, the clan members understood he was returning for his critical duel. They were well aware of Duan Jingtian's reputation, as his name was renowned across the empire, especially since he was in the top ten of the Geniuses of Heaven Leaderboard.

Even though Chen Fan had caused a bloodbath in the imperial city and even defeated the Blade Thunder Mountain’s Dongfang Yu, the Chen Clan members still felt very anxious.

They knew that if Chen Fan was killed by Duan Jingtian, the Chen Clan, which had just begun to rise to glory, would collapse instantly.

During the fight, the entire Chen Clan had been on edge, waiting for news from the Spring Autumn Sect. They were so anxious that they lost all interest in cultivating.

Fortunately, the news quickly spread to the imperial city after the battle ended, reaching their ears too.

The entire Chen Clan went wild with joy after learning that Chen Fan had won and made Duan Jingtian beg for mercy.

Nangong Clan:

The news had similarly reached the Nangong Clan’s ears.

However, unlike the jubilant Chen Clan, the entire Nangong Clan was engulfed in a gloomy atmosphere. The clan elders and even the younger generation members were all sighing.

Many in the Nangong Clan had hoped that Duan Jingtian would be able to take down Chen Fan. The outcome left them not only disappointed but also terrified.

Had they not sided with the Qin Clan and remained on the sidelines, they wouldn’t be in such a situation.

Alas, a single misstep led to a cascade of mistakes.

Now, Chen Fan's name had spread far and wide, his prowess unmatched.

However, their Nangong Clan could only gnash their teeth and swallow their regret.

“Wrong, the grand elder was truly wrong!”

“He was terribly wrong. We pushed out a monstrous descendant like Chen Fan for the sake of a marriage alliance. The grand elder is too old and short-sighted!”

“Now that Chen Fan has become famous, who in the Great Chu Empire doesn’t know of him? The Chen Clan will also cement its title as the number one clan in the imperial city. Even the royal family would have to cede to them, while our Nangong Clan declines by the day...”

“......”

Many of the Nangong Clan descendants began feeling resentment towards Nangong Xuan.

Of course, Nangong Xuan felt more remorseful than anyone.

He had tried to strengthen the Nangong Clan wholeheartedly. The clan could have risen to the next level, but he squandered the opportunity with his own hands. His actions not only ruined the clan's future but also accelerated its decline.

He felt so much remorse that his intestines were about to turn green.

He couldn't bear to imagine the Nangong Clan's fate after his passing.

Without an absolute expert overseeing the clan, the clan would be like a juicy piece of meat, preyed upon by all.

Instead of leading the Nangong Clan to glory, his decisions had led them into decline. He dreaded facing his ancestors in the afterlife, knowing he had failed them.

The Royal Palace:

Lord Chu had set aside a side palace to serve as the Qin Clan’s residence.

Crackle!

In the main hall, Qin Wudi spewed blood from anger and broke all the valuable chinaware when he heard the news, making a mess on the floor.

The Qin Clan was once a mighty existence, standing at the top of the world. As members of the Qin Clan, they were noble existences; now, they dared not step outside the royal palace.

Qin Jian also had an ashen and defeated look on his face. Since the downfall of the Qin Clan, he had sworn to train relentlessly, aiming to one day surpass Chen Fan and exact revenge.

But now, he felt drained of all energy.

Could he really surpass Chen Fan?

A sense of despair enveloped his heart.

......

The buzz outside did not affect Chen Fan at all.

After that battle, he returned to his peak and went into seclusion to tend to his injuries. He had suffered heavy injuries in the battle.

After all, Duan Jingtian was also very terrifyingly strong. He would have slain Chen Fan on the spot had the latter’s Myriad Elephants Divine Art not advanced to the fourteenth layer. The outcome and aftermath would have been utterly different then.

Consequently, his injuries weren’t light, especially due to how the battle continued in the later stage. Duan Jingtian had brought out everything he had, igniting the power of his golden core and launching an unparalleled force. The destructive energy in the Purgatory Divine Halberd had invaded him, shaking even the Heaven Seizing Furnace.

His seclusion lasted a month.

In the secret room, Chen Fan opened his eyes and exhaled a mouthful of turbid qi.

“Phew!

“An entire month just to recuperate... The injuries were really severe this time,” Chen Fan muttered, his gaze flickering.

He had been injured before, and the extent of those injuries hadn’t always been light.

When he was hunted down by Zhao Tianjue, he had been injured very severely. Even his foundation was damaged, so he had to recuperate for a long time to recover fully.

However, all his other injuries were simply child’s play compared to what he was currently dealing with.

The Purgatory Divine Halberd contained a special destructive force. Even though the Heaven Seizing Furnace was capable of refining all matter, he had to spend a whole month to refine and remove all hidden danger.

Fortunately, the injuries weren’t the only thing he had gained; he also obtained great rewards. His cultivation had advanced and become even more solid and refined; consequently, his combat strength had also risen.

Martial artists grow rapidly in life-and-death struggles. Those who cultivate in safe environments cannot compare to those who risk their lives. This is why Chen Fan rose to power in just three years.

While the earth-shaking legacy he obtained played a crucial role, it was his participation in numerous life-and-death struggles that allowed him to reach his current realm.

Braving countless dangers and teetering on the edge of life and death, he rapidly elevated his cultivation level.

Time passed quickly, and another half a month went by.

During this period, Chen Fan went to meet the high elder once and learned some things regarding the Grand Sect Conference from him. Aside from that, he spent all his time cultivating.

On this day, a huge piece of news that shook the entire Great Chu Empire reached the Spring Autumn Sect.

Five top sects in the Great Chu Empire—the Bright Palace, Profound Yang Temple, Boundless Sect, Earth Fiend Sect, and Starfall Pavilion—were annihilated overnight. None of the martial artists were spared, with casualties numbering over ten thousand disciples. Only a very small number of them escaped.

When this news came out, it was like a star had crashed into the continent, causing an earthquake across the Great Chu Empire.