<h4>Chapter 502 - A Massive Earthquake Shakes the Empire</h4>


    The imperial city, Chen n:


    When the news reached them, the entire n 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 n and returned to the Spring Autumn Sect, the n 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 de Thunder Mountain’s Dongfang Yu, the Chen n members still felt very anxious.


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


    During the fight, the entire Chen n 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 n went wild with joy after learning that Chen Fan had won and made Duan Jingtian beg for mercy.


    Nangong n:


    The news had simrly reached the Nangong n’s ears.


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


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


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


    s, 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 n 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 be famous, who in the Great Chu Empire doesn’t know of him? The Chen n will also cement its title as the number one n in the imperial city. Even the royal family would have to cede to them, while our Nangong n declines by the day...”


    “......”


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


    Of course, Nangong Xuan felt more remorseful than anyone.


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


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


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


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


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


    The Royal Pce:


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


    <i>Crackle!</i>


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


    Qin Jian also had an ashen and defeated look on his face. Since the downfall of the Qin n, 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 in Chen Fan on the spot had thetter’s Myriad Elephants Divine Art not advanced to the fourteenthyer. The oue and aftermath would have been utterly different then.


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


    His seclusionsted a month.


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


    “<i>Phew</i>!


    “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 ypared 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 be even more solid and refined; consequently, hisbat strength had also risen.


    Martial artists grow rapidly in life-and-death struggles. Those who cultivate in safe environments cannotpare 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 yed 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 Pce, Profound Yang Temple, Boundless Sect, Earth Fiend Sect, and Starfall Pavilion—were annihted 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.