18: A gathering of brilliant minds, the first signs of trouble.

It had been over a month since he left the Lin Family.

Lin Fan stood before a towering bronze gate that reached into the clouds, feeling a few ripples in his heart. Before him was "Tianjiao City," famous across the Divine Desolation Continent and the venue for the "Myriad Races Heavenly Pride Assembly." This ancient city wasn't built on level ground but floated tens of thousands of feet in the air, anchored to the vast mountains below by nine massive black chains engraved with countless profound runes, with clouds and mist swirling around it like a fairyland.

The city gate was that giant bronze door, over a thousand feet high, exuding an ancient and desolate aura. On the lintel, the words "Tianjiao" were outlined in Dao patterns, written with bold strokes that contained a will of looking down upon the world, as if saying "if not me, then who?" Ordinary Cultivators would have their minds stolen just by looking at it.

At this moment, the area before the giant gate was bustling with people. Streaks of light swept in from all directions—some riding divine rainbows, some in magnificent carriages pulled by exotic beasts, and some treading on the wind—all possessing extraordinary auras. Most of the young faces were filled with pride and anticipation; they were elites from various regions, races, and Sects of the Divine Desolation Continent, true favorites of heaven.

Lin Fan did not make a grand entrance for this trip. He only brought Lin Xuan with him, traveling in an unremarkable green flying boat of standard Lin Family design. Compared to the grand displays of dragon-drawn carriages and phoenix escorts, it appeared quite simple.

"Divine Son, we have arrived." Lin Xuan stood behind Lin Fan, looking at the magnificent city gate and the endless stream of Prodigies, his voice carrying uncontrollable excitement and a hint of nervousness. Although he was considered an outstanding disciple in the Lin Family, when had he ever seen so many powerful peers gathered together?

"Mhm." Lin Fan responded indifferently, his gaze calmly sweeping over the crowd. He could feel countless auras, some strong and some weak, intertwined; among them were quite a few that caught his attention. The Divine Power Realm was almost the starting point here, and there were no small number of young Cultivators in the Purple Mansion Realm. There were even a few faint auras that were obscure and deep, seemingly touching the threshold of the World Lord level.

"Let's go, enter the city." Lin Fan put away the flying boat and led Lin Xuan into the flow of people toward the giant bronze gate.

Entering didn't require an inspection; one only needed to release their aura to prove they were a young Cultivator attending the assembly. When Lin Fan slightly revealed his restrained yet majestic aura, which carried a hint of the Eternal Indestructible Concept, the eyes of several powerful veteran soldiers guarding the gate flashed with surprise. They looked at him twice but did not stop him.

Stepping through the city gate, the view suddenly opened up.

The inside of the city wasn't made of ordinary streets and pavilions, but was a vast Small World. In the sky, simulated sun, moon, and stars rotated. On the ground, mountains rose and fell, rivers surged, and palace complexes were distributed among them in rows, each with a different style. Some were magnificent and golden, some were simple and grand, some were filled with Devilish Qi, and some were thick with demonic mist, fully reflecting the characteristics of the "Ten Thousand Races."

The dense Heaven and Earth Origin Qi was almost tangible; with every breath, one could feel their cultivation improving slightly. From time to time, powerful Divine Thoughts swept through the air, maintaining basic order within the city.

"As expected of the Myriad Races Heavenly Pride Assembly, the scale is truly staggering," Lin Fan thought to himself. Tianjiao City itself was a remarkable, giant spatial Magic Treasure.

Following the directions, Lin Fan and Lin Xuan arrived at the area where the Human Race forces gathered and found a palace courtyard designated for the Lin Family of the Eastern Region. The courtyard wasn't the most luxurious, but it was quiet and elegant, sufficient for their needs.

After settling in, Lin Fan was in no hurry to go out. Instead, he first sat in meditation in a quiet room to adjust his state to its Peak. He knew that in this place of mixed dragons and snakes, observing quietly was far better than being blindly high-profile to understand the situation.

However, the tree wants to be still, but the wind does not stop.

The next day, Lin Fan took Lin Xuan with him, intending to visit the city's famous "Myriad Laws Tower." It was said to house many anecdotes, oddities, and introductions to Cultivation Techniques from across the world. Although it didn't contain specific cultivation methods, it could greatly broaden one's horizons.

Walking on the streets paved with white jade, wide enough for dozens of carriages to pass side-by-side, the sides were lined with shops selling various Spirit Medicines, Medicinal Pills, divine weapons, and Talismans, and even alien slaves. The sounds of hawking, discussion, and sparring were endless, making it exceptionally lively.

Just as Lin Fan was immersed in the prosperity and uniqueness of the city, a sudden commotion and waves of energy collisions came from ahead.

"Get lost! Are you blind? How dare you block my Heir's path!" an arrogant voice rang out.

Lin Fan looked up and saw several richly dressed, haughty young Cultivators surrounding a person in the middle of the street. Lin Fan recognized the person being surrounded; he was a disciple from a small Family in the Eastern Region that was subordinate to the Lin Family, named Shi Meng. He had a straightforward personality and decent talent, and they had met once during the Family competition.

Shi Meng's face was flushed, and the ground beneath his feet was cracked. Clearly, he had just taken a hit, and his aura was somewhat disordered. He glared at them: "This road is so wide, you clearly bumped into me on purpose!"

"On purpose? So what if we did?" The leading young man in a brocade robe sneered. He had a haughty face and a cultivation at the Late Stage of the Divine Power Realm, his aura significantly stronger than Shi Meng's. "A piece of trash from a borderland small clan actually dares to come to the Prodigy Assembly? If you know what's good for you, kneel down and kowtow immediately, then clear the way. If I'm in a good mood, I might spare you this once."

Lin Fan recognized this brocade-robed youth. He was the Heir of a powerful Imperial Dynasty from the Central Region, the "Tianlan Imperial Dynasty," named Zhao Qian, whom he had seen at the city gate yesterday. Those following him were also disciples from noble families in the Central Region, all of them extremely arrogant.

"You!" Shi Meng was so angry he was trembling, his fists clenched tight. But under the opponent's numerical advantage and suppressed strength, he didn't dare to act rashly for a moment.

More and more Cultivators gathered to watch, most with a spectator's mindset, pointing and whispering, but no one stepped forward to stop it. In Tianjiao City, as long as no lives were lost and no important buildings were destroyed, the peacekeepers usually wouldn't intervene in this level of conflict.

Seeing this, Lin Xuan looked at Lin Fan and whispered, "Divine Son, it's Shi Meng."

Lin Fan's eyes turned slightly cold. Shi Meng belonged to a force subordinate to the Lin Family. To strike the dog is to insult the master; the opponent's actions might very well be an attempt to test or even humiliate the Lin Family of the Eastern Region. If he ignored it, not only would it discourage the subordinate forces, but it would also damage the Lin Family's reputation.

Just as Zhao Qian was getting impatient and preparing to teach Shi Meng another lesson, a calm voice rang out:

"If he is not worthy, then does a bully like you deserve to stand here?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

The crowd automatically parted to form a path, and Lin Fan walked over slowly with an indifferent expression, as if he were merely stating a fact.

Zhao Qian's gaze narrowed as it landed on Lin Fan. He sized him up and, seeing his ordinary clothes and restrained aura, couldn't help but show a trace of contempt: "And who the hell are you? You dare meddle in my business?"

Seeing Lin Fan, Shi Meng felt like he had seen a savior and said excitedly, "Divine Son!"

"Divine Son?" Hearing this, Zhao Qian raised an eyebrow and then realized, mocking, "Oh~ I was wondering who it was. So it's that... what was it called from the Eastern Region? Oh, the Lin Family! I heard your Lin Family had quite a lively internal cleanup recently? What, now that you've finished cleaning, you think you're capable again? Sending a nobody like you out to make a fool of yourself?"

The group of noble disciples behind him immediately burst into laughter.

Lin Fan didn't get angry; he just looked at Zhao Qian calmly, his gaze as if he were looking at a clown. "The Prodigy Assembly is not about Family background, grand displays, or talk. If you're not convinced, you can try me."

Zhao Qian was infuriated by Lin Fan's dismissive attitude and sneered, "Try you? Just you? Fine, I happen to have an itch to scratch. I'll use you to warm up! I'll show you hicks what a true Prodigy is!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Qian's figure suddenly moved, turning into an afterimage. His right hand formed a claw, with sharp golden light flashing at his fingertips, aiming straight for Lin Fan's throat! This claw was ruthless and sharp, containing the power to tear through gold and stone; clearly, he wanted to make Lin Fan look like a fool in one move.

"It's the Zhao Family's 'Gold-Rending Divine Claw'!" someone exclaimed.

Facing this swift and ruthless strike, Lin Fan didn't dodge. Only when the wind from the claw was about to hit him did he seemingly casually raise his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together and lightly pointing out.

There was no grand momentum or brilliant light; it was just a simple finger strike that arrived later but struck first, accurately hitting the Laogong point in the center of Zhao Qian's palm.

*Puff!* A soft sound, like a balloon being popped.

Zhao Qian's forward-charging figure suddenly froze. The ferocious and smug expression on his face instantly solidified, turning into extreme pain and horror. He felt a sharp yet extremely condensed force instantly break through all the defenses and power on his claw, penetrating directly into his Meridians. His entire right arm felt as if it were being pricked by ten thousand steel needles—aching, numb, and painful—and it instantly lost all strength, hanging down limply.

He retreated several steps, clutching his right arm, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. His gaze toward Lin Fan was filled with disbelief.

"What sorcery did you use?!"

The entire scene fell silent!

Everyone was stunned. Zhao Qian was at the Late Stage of the Divine Power Realm, after all, and he was using his Family's secret technique. Yet he was defeated by the opponent's casual finger strike? They hadn't even clearly seen how the opponent made the move!

Was this guy really from that Lin Family in the Eastern Region that was said to have declined?

Lin Fan withdrew his finger as if he had done something insignificant and said indifferently, "Sorcery? It's just that you are too weak. You can't even control your power properly and only have the outward form. How dare you call yourself a Prodigy?"

"You!" Zhao Qian was so angry he almost spat blood, but the sharp pain and weakness in his right arm made him realize he was absolutely no match for this person. The noble disciples around him who were laughing earlier were now as quiet as cicadas in winter, not daring to speak.

"Let's go!" Zhao Qian's face was ashen. He glared fiercely at Lin Fan and led his people away, awkwardly pushing through the crowd. He couldn't settle this score now.

The surrounding crowd immediately erupted into discussions.

"Who is that? Such strong power!"

"Lin Fan of the Eastern Region's Lin Family? Never heard of him."

"Defeating Zhao Qian with one finger... with this strength, he probably has the qualifications to break into the top thousand, right?"

"Top thousand? I don't think so. Zhao Qian isn't considered top-tier in the Central Region, but this person is indeed not to be underestimated."

Shi Meng walked excitedly to Lin Fan and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Divine Son, for your help!"

Lin Fan waved his hand. "No need for such formalities. As allies, we should support each other. If you encounter this again in the future, there's no need to endure it; just report the name of my Lin Family." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable confidence and power that reached the ears of all interested parties nearby.

After this incident, the name of Lin Fan of the Eastern Region began to spread within Tianjiao City.

Having sent Shi Meng off, Lin Fan continued to lead Lin Xuan to the Myriad Laws Tower. He didn't take the matter with Zhao Qian to heart; an opponent of that level didn't even have the qualifications to make him warm up.

The Myriad Laws Tower was a nine-story pagoda built entirely from a rare wood called "Starwood," emitting a faint starlight and the scent of books. The space inside was vast, with rows of bookshelves filled with Jade Slips, animal skin scrolls, and metal books, categorized to record the geography, history, races, Secret Realms, oddities, and Cultivation Technique characteristics of the Divine Desolation Continent and even some surrounding alternate dimensions.

Lin Fan immersed himself in it, hungrily absorbing this knowledge. Most of his understanding of this world came from the fragmented memories of his predecessor and the Family's collection, which was far less comprehensive and systematic than this. Especially the introductions to other Great Regions and even other Realms broadened his horizons.

While he was browsing a Jade Slip about "Research on Ancient Sect Ruins," his heart suddenly stirred.

["System," he thought silently, "check-in at the Myriad Laws Tower."]

[Ding! Check-in location detected—Myriad Laws Tower (a gathering of myriad laws and knowledge, rich in civilized aura). Conditions met. Check-in successful!]

[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained: space-time divine talisman!]

An imperceptible light flashed within the System space, and a palm-sized Talisman made of a strange material—neither metal nor jade—appeared. On the Talisman, countless fine and complex patterns were carved, as if containing the principles of time and space, with silver light faintly flashing within.

space-time divine talisman: A one-time consumable. Upon activation, it can instantly distort time and space in a small area around the user, forming an absolute defense that immunizes against any single attack not exceeding the host's level by more than two major Realms; alternatively, it can be actively used for a random short-distance spatial teleportation of up to a thousand miles.

"A Sharp Weapon for life-saving and surprise attacks!" Lin Fan was slightly pleased. This check-in reward came at just the right time; in this crisis-ridden Tianjiao City and the subsequent dangerous lands, having an extra trump card was always good.

Satisfied, he withdrew his Divine Sense from the System space and was about to continue researching when suddenly, an extremely obscure yet sharp Sword Intent Divine Thought, like a breeze brushing across water, lightly swept over the area where he was.

This Divine Thought wasn't a deliberate probe but more like an unconscious perception. However, its purity and that hidden Sword Intent, which seemed capable of cutting through everything, caused Lin Fan's Eternal Indestructible Body to spontaneously produce a faint, imperceptible resonance and alertness.

He raised his head and looked in the direction from which the Divine Thought had come.

At the staircase leading to the second floor of the Myriad Laws Tower, a woman stood there at some unknown point.

She wore a plain white dress, her figure as straight as a sword, with her black hair simply tied behind her head. Her face was peerlessly beautiful but seemed covered in a layer of never-melting frost. Just by standing there, a cold and aloof aura naturally flowed around her, warning others not to approach. Most striking were her eyes—clear and bright, with pupils that seemed to hide two divine swords about to be unsheathed, so sharp that one dared not look directly at them.

Her gaze also seemed to unintentionally sweep over Lin Fan's direction. When she felt the faint, supreme Dao rhythm in Lin Fan's body—different from her Sword Intent but equally paramount—her eyes paused for a hundredth of a second before she shifted them away as if nothing had happened, turned, and walked up the stairs, disappearing around the corner.

The whole process was silent and didn't attract much attention.

But Lin Fan remembered her.

"Such pure Sword Intent... who is this woman?" Lin Fan thought to himself. He could feel that this woman's strength far exceeded that of Zhao Qian, and even brought him a faint, subtle pressure.

"Divine Son, what are you looking at?" Lin Xuan asked curiously, not having noticed the Divine Thought or the woman in white.

"Nothing." Lin Fan withdrew his gaze, becoming increasingly expectant of this Prodigy Assembly. "I've encountered an interesting opponent."

He lowered his head and continued to browse the Jade Slip in his hand, but in his mind, that fleeting glimpse of the cold figure and that sharp Sword Intent had already left a mark.

The winds and clouds of Tianjiao City had just begun to surge. And Lin Fan knew he was destined to be at the center of this storm.