Chapter 498: Wealth Can Connect to the Divine

As if suddenly understanding some crucial point, Lu Fan was ecstatic. He murmured to himself, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is!"

But a moment later, he became somewhat dejected. "A Golden Core defeating a Nascent Soul," he mused, "I can't do that!"

With a bewildered look, he stretched out his hands, mumbling, "No, I must see Lord Heavenly Venerate. I need to find a way..."

Seeing him grow increasingly fanatical, Li Fan couldn't help but interject, "Fellow Daoist Lu..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lu Fan abruptly stood up. Ignoring Li Fan, who was seated beside him, he flew straight out of the tavern and shouted loudly, "Lu Fan of the Myriad Immortals Alliance's Congyun Sea Martial Hall is here! Who dares to fight me!"

As soon as these words were uttered, Li Fan was stunned on the spot.

On Wei Chang City's bustling streets, an instant silence fell.

Only Lu Fan's defiant figure remained, standing proudly in the sky.

After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into an uproar.

"A mere Golden Core cultivator dares to speak so boldly!"

"Are all cultivators from the Myriad Immortals Alliance so brave?"

"Since when do those dogs from the Myriad Immortals Alliance dare to be so arrogant in our Five Elders Association!" a burly Nascent Soul cultivator with a full beard roared furiously, flying up to Lu Fan, intent on teaching him a harsh lesson.

Lu Fan, after all, hadn't completely lost his mind. He quickly shouted, "I'm a Golden Core, you're a Nascent Soul! Does the Five Elders Association always like to bully the weak like you?"

"If you want to fight, send a Golden Core cultivator!"

Lu Fan's voice, deliberately amplified, instantly spread throughout Wei Chang City.

"You..." The Nascent Soul cultivator's words caught in his throat. His expression shifted several times before he ultimately let out a cold snort, deciding against a forceful attack.

Dropping back to the ground, he turned and roared at the crowd, "Where are the Golden Core cultivators of our Crimson Rainbow State? Have they all died!"

The crowd quickly reacted.

A young cultivator in green robes flew forward. "I am Qiu Juemo of the Luoyan Gang," he announced, "I ask Fellow Daoist Lu for guidance!"

He cupped his hands in greeting and, without waiting for Lu Fan's reply, immediately sent a flying sword directly at his opponent's face.

The green sword light, silent and swift, arrived in an instant.

Fortunately, Lu Fan reacted swiftly, his figure flickering as he barely dodged the flying sword attack.

"You ambushed me!" A hint of anger appeared on Lu Fan's face.

"In a fight to the death, one naturally gives their all. There's no such thing as an ambush! Fellow Daoist, be careful!" As Qiu Juemo shouted, thirty-three sword lights separated from the flying sword that had already flown behind Lu Fan. Like living entities, they instantly formed a tiger-shaped sword array, surging towards Lu Fan.

Lu Fan snorted coldly, a faint coppery light blooming around his body as it instantly expanded several times.

An abacus suddenly appeared in his hand. Lu Fan gently flicked it, producing a clattering sound.

"All the world's commotion is for profit!" he chanted. Each time he flicked a bead, a round copper coin with a square hole appeared out of thin air.

In an instant, thirty-three copper coins formed, streaking through the air with green light, confronting the Flying Tiger Sword Array one after another.

Qiu Juemo's expression changed slightly as he vaguely sensed something amiss. He tried to maneuver the sword array to dodge the seemingly bizarre copper coins.

But the green light was incredibly fast; almost instantly, it collided with each of the thirty-three flying swords.

There was no earth-shattering collision sound. After the copper coins touched the flying swords, they vanished in a flash.

The next moment...

"Not good!" Before Qiu Juemo could even finish the word, he saw all thirty-three flying swords collectively reverse direction in mid-air.

The Flying Tiger Sword Array, originally under his control, unexpectedly turned and attacked him instead.

And its speed was even greater.

Caught off guard, he was pierced by thirty-three sword lights.

Blood immediately gushed out. Qiu Juemo's body swayed, but he ultimately couldn't hold on and fell to the ground.

The Flying Tiger Sword Array also lost control and scattered onto the ground.

The onlookers immediately gasped in surprise.

"Thanks for the fight!" Lu Fan said proudly, placing the abacus behind his back.

"Brother Qiu!" Qiu Juemo's friend quickly stepped forward to check on him, discovering that Lu Fan had held back at the crucial moment, sparing his life.

"How embarrassing! Get him out of here!"

"Yeah, he lost too quickly!"

Qiu Juemo was seriously injured, but this did not evoke sympathy from the others present. Instead, they continuously mocked him, their eyes full of derision.

Qiu Juemo's friend's face flushed crimson, but he dared not provoke the crowd's wrath. He could only shamefacedly help Qiu Juemo up and quickly leave the area.

"My turn!"

A grey-robed cultivator, with a hint of anger in his voice, leaped up and flew forward.

This time, however, he had learned his lesson and did not use a magical artifact. Instead, he manifested his Golden Core Dharma Form, continuously summoning raging flames to attack.

"Wealth can move gods!"

Who would have thought that as Lu Fan flicked his abacus, copper coins fell into the flames one by one.

The originally crimson flames were tinged with an eerie green.

Subsequently, the flames originating from his own divine ability also lost control, turning against him.

Finally, amidst a pained scream, the grey-robed cultivator also suffered a miserable defeat.

The second challenger's lightning-fast defeat significantly quieted the clamor in the arena.

"This Fellow Daoist Lu truly has some skill," Li Fan, observing the battle, couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

After a brief lull, another challenger appeared.

"Ou Qianye of Crimson Rainbow State, I ask Fellow Daoist for guidance!"

This time, Lu Fan did not immediately act. Instead, he loudly retorted, "If your Five Elders Association can't defeat me, are you planning a relay battle?"

Ou Qianye's momentum immediately stalled. He forcibly suppressed the move he had already initiated and said in a deep voice, "Then, Fellow Daoist, please rest for a moment. Once you've fully recovered, we can fight again!"

Lu Fan ignored him, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing and recuperate.

Not long after, both of them acted simultaneously, engaging in battle.

The result was still Lu Fan's victory. However, Ou Qianye was no simple opponent; his moves and spells were endless.

After each of his moves was countered by Lu Fan, he would immediately unleash another spell.

Lu Fan also took quite some effort to narrowly secure his victory.

"Excellent skills, Fellow Daoist!" After exhausting his moves, Ou Qianye, knowing he was no match, cupped his hands and voluntarily conceded.

"Likewise..." Lu Fan's tone was much kinder this time.

Following this, the Golden Core cultivators of Wei Chang City challenged Lu Fan one after another.

But without exception, all were defeated.

Even with breaks in between, Lu Fan, who had been fighting continuously, gradually grew pale.

However, he seemed to sense something, and the excited expression on his face could not be suppressed.

Just as the attention of all Wei Chang City was focused on Lu Fan's challenge, Li Fan, who had lost interest in watching, approached a small stall by the street.

*Secret History of Ancient Cultivation*.

He picked up a scroll and began to read it.