Chapter 4: The Hidden Crisis
As Li Yunfan delved deeper into the cultivation of the Starry Decree, his strength steadily increased without his awareness. However, he was unaware that his changes had attracted the attention of some people in the village.
One night, as usual, Li Yunfan practiced in his room. Suddenly, he felt a cold presence drifting in from outside the window. Alertly opening his eyes, he saw a black figure flash past the window.
"Who's there?" Li Yunfan asked in a low voice, simultaneously cautiously approaching the window.
Outside, silence reigned, as if nothing had happened. But Li Yunfan's intuition told him it was not his illusion. He decided to check it out.
He tiptoed out of the room, following the direction where the shadow had disappeared. At the edge of the village, he discovered a concealed cave. The entrance was covered with vines and weeds, and it was hard to notice without a careful look.
Li Yunfan carefully pulled aside the vines and stepped into the cave. The interior of the cave was dark and humid, with a musty smell in the air. He continued deeper into the cave until he reached a spacious cavern.
At the center of the cave, a mysterious figure in black robes was cross-legged, meditating. In front of him, a strange array was set up, with a stone emitting a faint glow at its center.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Li Yunfan asked warily.
The black-clad figure slowly raised his head, revealing a face with a stern expression: "Who I am is unimportant. What's important is that you have discovered my secret."
Li Yunfan's heart skipped a beat. He sensed the intense killing intent emanating from the other party. He knew he was in big trouble.
"Your cultivation of the Starry Decree is very interesting. I am quite interested in it," the black-clad figure coldly said, "If you are willing to hand over the scripture to me, I can spare your life."
Li Yunfan's heart tightened as he knew he absolutely couldn't hand over the Starry Decree to this mysterious figure. He decided to strike first and immediately called upon the qi within his body, preparing to launch an attack.
"It seems you have made your choice," the black-clad figure coldly sniffed, his hands beginning to rapidly form seals. The stone in the array suddenly erupted with a dazzling light.
Li Yunfan only felt a powerful force rushing towards him. He immediately activated the Starry Decree, attempting to withstand this force. However, the power of the black-clad figure far exceeded his imagination. He was knocked flying, crashing heavily into the cave's wall.
"With your insignificant cultivation, do you think you can fight against me?" the black-clad figure sneered, "However, your courage is commendable."
Li Yunfan struggled to stand up, knowing that he was no match for the other party. But he would never give up. He took a deep breath, once again channeling the qi within his body, preparing for his final resistance.
At this moment, a sword light suddenly shot into the cave from outside, directly targeting the black-clad figure's vital spot. The black-clad figure quickly dodged, and the sword light sliced past his cheek, leaving a scar.
"Who is it?" the black-clad figure roared in anger, turning to look towards the entrance of the cave.
A middle-aged man dressed in white slowly walked into the cave, holding a long sword that glowed with cold light: "It's not important who I am; what's important is that I cannot let you harm this child."
Li Yunfan was surprised to see the middle-aged man who suddenly appeared, a man he had never seen before. However, his sudden appearance undoubtedly gave him a glimmer of hope.
