Cultivation of immortality begins with an eighty-year-old eunuch.

Chapter 728 We're not going home! I'm not pretending anymore!

"Since Fellow Daoist Huoyuan has been so frank, I won't say anything more." Chen Fan's expression remained unchanged, then he uttered a surprising statement, "If you all wish to continue exploring, please do so. I will now return the way I came."

Upon hearing this, the air in front of the stone hall seemed to freeze.

Blood Butcher's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief: "What did you say? You're going back after coming all this way? Fellow Daoist Ghostwood, you're such a coward!"

Bingpo frowned, a hint of confusion and displeasure flashing in her icy blue eyes. In her view, Chen Fan's actions were tantamount to desertion.

Huoyuan Daoist's expression finally darkened.

He stared at Chen Fan for a long while before slowly speaking, his tone turning cold: "Fellow Daoist Guimu, this is somewhat inappropriate. The six of us came as an alliance, agreeing to advance and retreat together, to share weal and woe. If you leave the group now, not only will you break the alliance, but if you encounter those old monsters at the half-step Void Refinement stage, how will you handle them alone? Staying with our group is the safest option right now."

"I still remember the way I came," Chen Fan said calmly. "No need for you to trouble yourself, fellow Daoist."

He turned and left after saying that.

Swish!

But the next second, a crimson spear shadow slashed diagonally, slamming heavily into the ground a few feet in front of him. The flame patterns on the spear exploded, burning a charred crater in the ground.

Blood Butcher stood with his spear held horizontally, his rugged face showing a hint of impatient anger: "Fellow Daoist Ghostwood, you're not giving us any face. We've finally made it this far, and you're just going to leave like that? You're really not taking us seriously at all."

Chen Fan stopped and slowly gripped the hilt of Eleven's sword with his right hand.

His gaze passed over Blood Butcher's shoulder and landed on Fire Source Daoist's face. That lean face still wore a warm smile, but now there was a hint of something indescribable in that smile.

"Fellow Daoist Guimu," Daoist Huoyuan stepped forward slowly, pressing his hands together to signal Xue Tu to calm down, "Since your mind is made up, I shouldn't force you to stay. But please think about us too. Only you can see through that spatial turbulence barrier. If you leave, we won't be able to retreat. Even if we continue forward and find the exit, without your guidance, we still won't be able to pass through the barrier. If you leave, it's equivalent to trapping all five of us here to death."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly earnest: "How about this, let's each take a step back. We won't go any further, but we won't turn back either. Let's retreat to a safe area outside the barrier and discuss this further. What does Fellow Daoist Guimu think?"

These words were reasonable and persuasive. Even Blood Butcher put away his spear, scratched his bald head, and said, "Fellow Daoist Fire Source is right. Fellow Daoist Ghost Wood, I won't make things difficult for you. We won't go any further, but don't run away alone. Let's retreat outside together, and you can lead us through that barrier. After that, we'll go our separate ways. I won't hold you back."

Bingpo nodded slightly; though she didn't speak, her attitude was self-evident.

Chen Fan remained silent for a long while, still holding the hilt of his sword.

He wasn't unwilling to leave; he was weighing the pros and cons. Although Blood Butcher had a fiery temper, he was straightforward and a man of his word.

Although Bingpo was aloof, he wasn't unreasonable. While the two were dissatisfied with his decision, they hadn't reached the point of open hostility.

What truly made Chen Fan wary was the Fire Source Daoist.

This person recovered faster than anyone else after the oppressive aura dissipated. The greed and excitement that flashed in his eyes just now were definitely not the reaction one would expect on a first visit.

Even if he admitted to having obtained an ancient jade slip that recorded information about this place, that explanation would be far too simplistic.

To know what kind of ability is needed to accurately predict the spatial turbulence barrier and cross it, to be able to walk so calmly in the forbidden zone, and even to avoid the area covered by the aura of those sleeping half-step Void Refinement old monsters in advance.

This understanding of the forbidden zone goes far beyond what a single jade slip can explain.

But it's unrealistic for Chen Fan to completely break ties with him at this moment.

Blood Butcher and Ice Soul were clearly on Fire Source Daoist's side, and Green Wood and Stone Rock were completely obedient to him. If a fight really broke out, he would be fighting five against one, four of whom were at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage. Even if he fought with all his might, he would not come out on top.

Chen Fan tapped the hilt of the sword twice with his fingers, then released his grip.

"Alright," he said indifferently. "Retreat to the outer edge of the barrier, and then I will lead you all through the barrier, and you will go your separate ways."

Huoyuan Daoist smiled with relief and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your understanding, Fellow Daoist Guimu."

He turned and waved to Aoki and Ishii, "Pack up, let's go back the way we came..."

He suddenly stopped halfway through his sentence.

Then a terrifying pressure descended!

The oppressive aura of a Void Refinement cultivator!

Chen Fan's pupils suddenly contracted.

His expression changed, and he immediately looked behind him!

The previous warmth and sincerity had completely vanished from Huoyuan Daoist's gaunt face, replaced by a cold expression that Chen Fan had never seen on his face before!

The spiritual pressure of the Void Refinement level was slowly emanating from this person.

Blood Butcher's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

His burly body froze on the spot, and the crimson spear in his large hand clattered to the ground. The flame patterns on the spear were extinguished abruptly under the impact of this spiritual pressure.

He whirled around, his eyes wide as he stared at Huoyuan Daoist. His lips moved for a long time before he finally managed to squeeze out a single sentence from deep in his throat: "You... Huoyuan... you..."

Ice Soul reacted faster than Blood Slaughter.

Almost the instant she sensed that aura, she made a hand seal, and the icy aura around her transformed into four ice shields to protect her.

Those eyes, which were always cold as ice, were now filled with disbelief and fear.

Aoki and Ishii showed no surprise, simply taking a step back and blocking all escape routes. Their respectful expressions remained unchanged, clearly indicating they were already used to this scene.

Only Chen Fan maintained his calm and indifferent expression, but his left hand had already quietly rested on the golden bowl in his arms.

A cultivator who has reached the Void Refinement stage.

He should have thought of that sooner.

To survive for three thousand years in this underground space where even half-step Void Refinement old monsters have to be careful, and to avoid every sleeping old monster in the forbidden zone in advance, and even accurately predict the location of the spatial turbulence barrier and the way to break it, this kind of luck and this kind of certainty are definitely not something that the strength of the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage can achieve.

At this moment, all the doubts have come together to form a single line.

From the very beginning, this person was not looking for an exit.

He came looking for prey.

The five of them were, in his eyes, lambs to the slaughter.

"Finally stopping pretending?" Chen Fan's voice was cold as he drew his sword!

Huoyuan Daoist stood with his hands behind his back, his Void Refinement level spiritual pressure spreading out like ripples on water, causing the surrounding rubble to tremble slightly. He looked down at Chen Fan a few times, then suddenly smiled. The smile lacked the previous warmth and sincerity, and contained only undisguised regret.