Chapter 37: Are Protagonists Destined to Be Lone Stars of Ill-Omen?

At the heart of the Tiger Demon Sect’s headquarters in Yanggu County lies a sprawling estate. The compound is enclosed by red walls and adorned with green-tiled roofs, intricate carvings, and painted beams. Within its depths, the courtyards are replete with rockeries, ponds, and exotic flora, all hiding a sense of immense wealth.

Every long-standing disciple knows this is the residence of Yang Duan, the Sect Master. Following his daily routine, after five hours of martial arts practice, he typically returns here to attend to sect affairs. Today was no different; after spending half the day meditating before a waterfall, Yang Duan strolled back to his estate, flanked by several guards.

Before he even drew near, he sensed a man in his forties waiting outside his gates. With a flicker of curiosity, Yang Duan took a single step, his figure seemingly folding space as he crossed dozens of meters in a heartbeat, appearing directly before the man.

The man, who had been waiting patiently, felt a shadow fall over him as a tall, burly figure blocked his path. "Yang Lie, why aren't you at the Martial Arts Hall? Why have you come here?"

Indeed, the man waiting at the gate was none other than Yang Lie, who had come to report on the situation regarding Fang Can. Seeing the Sect Master return, Yang Lie rejoiced, "Grandfather, you have finally returned. Your grandson pays his respects."

Yang Duan remained impassive as he looked at the kneeling man. Though he appeared to be in his early thirties—tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing a jade thumb ring—he looked younger than Yang Lie himself. Yet, as a Second-Rank expert who had taken two steps upon the Path to Heaven, he had extended his life by three hundred years. At a true age of ninety, he was in his prime, so having a middle-aged grandson was perfectly reasonable. Should he manage to take a few more steps on the Path to Heaven in his lifetime, living for several more centuries would be effortless. It was precisely because of their blood relation that Yang Lie, with only the fifth level of the Profound Gate, could hold the critical position of overseeing the training of the sect's future elite.

"Speak. Why have you come to see me?" Yang Duan asked calmly.

"Grandfather, I have discovered a peerless genius within the sect," Yang Lie said solemnly.

"Oh? A peerless genius?" Yang Duan’s voice dropped an octave.

"Yes. In just a few days, he has developed a sense of Qi, is approaching the first level of the Profound Gate, and has defeated every disciple in the Martial Arts Hall simply by observing them. But what is more terrifying is..."

Yang Lie spoke with grave intensity, "He manifested a Heart-Image before even reaching the first level of the Profound Gate."

With every word, Yang Duan’s brow twitched. When he heard about the Heart-Image, he couldn't help but question, "Are you trying to deceive me? Are you sure the person you’re describing is even human?"

"Grandfather, it is the absolute truth," Yang Lie insisted, nodding vigorously. "He was brought here by Hall Master Li. His name is Fang Can. He is still in the sect; if you don't believe me, we can summon him immediately."

Seeing Yang Lie’s unwavering demeanor, Yang Duan furrowed his brows. If this were true, even the legendary Great Yan Divine Lord would pale in comparison. Could this be some old monster playing the part of a youth? With that thought, he signaled his guards. "Bring Li Fengtian to me. I will question him myself."

An hour later, a bewildered Li Fengtian arrived at the estate to find Yang Duan sitting in a mahogany chair. "What is the origin of this Fang Can?"

Yang Duan snapped, "Why do you always bring things back to the sect? Last time, you were tricked by the Morphing Sect and brought back a spy, and I haven't even settled that with you yet. Now you’ve brought another one."

"What’s wrong? Is there a problem?" Li Fengtian, suppressing his usual bluster before the Sect Master, looked sheepish. "Is the kid a spy? He doesn't look like one to me."

"Of course he’s not a spy. Which sect would use such a monster as an undercover agent?" Yang Duan recounted Yang Lie’s explanation to the clueless Li Fengtian. Watching the man’s jaw drop, Yang Duan realized that this brute truly understood nothing.

"Tell me everything about your encounter with Fang Can," Yang Duan commanded.

After Li Fengtian recounted the events, Yang Duan was even more perplexed. Unknown origin, strange attire, heaven-defying talent, striking appearance, found wandering in an alley... Every detail reeked of something uncanny. How could he just bring such a person into the sect? Had the power gained from the Path to Heaven caused his brain to atrophy?

"So, Brother, what should we do now?" Li Fengtian scratched his head, grinning awkwardly. "Fang Can truly has extraordinary talent. We can't just kick him out, can we?"

"Of course we have to kick him out! Should we keep him for the holidays?" Yang Duan retorted. "Our Tiger Demon Sect is a small temple that cannot house such a large Buddha. The sooner we send him away, the better."

"Why, Brother? With talent like that, wouldn't it be a pity to just cast him aside?" Li Fengtian urged, feeling protective since he was the one who had brought him in.

"It is precisely because his talent is so great that if he doesn't die young, his future achievements will be immense—but the trouble he brings will be even greater. People like him are like the King of Hell; death follows them wherever they go," Yang Duan explained. "If he draws the attention of an expert above the Third Rank, our Tiger Demon Sect will not survive. Do you expect him to avenge us after he masters his arts?"

"Furthermore, with such talent, his name will surely appear on the next list of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's Hidden Dragons. If we don't cast him out now, are we waiting for those self-proclaimed righteous sects to come and 'eliminate the demon'?" Yang Duan laid out the consequences.

"This... this..." Li Fengtian scratched his head in embarrassment, unable to agree or disagree with the Sect Master's proposal.

Seeing his subordinate's indecisiveness, Yang Duan waved his hand helplessly. "Enough. You may go. I will handle the matter of Fang Can."

As he watched Li Fengtian leave, Yang Duan turned to his guard. "Go and summon Fang Can. I want to see him for myself."

As the guard departed, Yang Duan closed his eyes, his thoughts unreadable.

Meanwhile, in his small quarters, Fang Can awoke from his slumber and stretched. His eyes were bright; his sleep had restored the Heart-Image he had depleted that morning and even refined it further. Without hesitation, he stepped outside and began practicing his fist techniques, hoping to push his physique to the next level and reach the threshold of the Mortal-Shedding Body.

As his cultivation broke through the first level of the Profound Gate, his punches became more ferocious. The force of his strikes caused willow branches several meters away to sway violently. He had been practicing for a while when he suddenly stopped; a man was rushing toward him from the distance.

The man arrived at high speed and stopped abruptly. "The Sect Master has ordered that Fang Can be brought to the residence for an audience."

'Finally,' Fang Can thought as he ceased his movements. "I apologize for the trouble, Brother. Please, lead the way."