Chapter Twenty-Two: Great Upheaval and Burning Rage

Chen Fan set off alone. Along the way, he witnessed the chaos caused by demonic beasts and saw countless human tragedies with his own eyes. Many people had been displaced, reduced to refugees, and were fleeing toward the interior in search of a new home.

"Non-kin are indeed worthy of death." Though Chen Fan had lacked a visceral sense of the threat posed by the beasts before, this time, he felt the true terror of it.

On his journey, Chen Fan encountered many martial artists returning from suppressing the beast plague. Before long, he heard a shocking piece of news: just days after the plague had been brought under control, the Nineteenth Prince, who had arrived in Qinghe Commandery, had used the Emperor’s sword to seize Fan Lin, confiscating his command seal and holding him responsible for the disaster. In a display of ruthless cruelty, the prince had arrested all of the Fan family—men, women, and children alike—intending to escort them back to the capital.

Chen Fan’s heart tightened. Could his own senior brother be spared from this? Fan Lin, as the commander of the Green Python Army, was a formidable figure even when severely wounded; that the Nineteenth Prince could capture him showed the terrifying strength at the prince's disposal. His senior brother had only just broken through to the sixth stage of martial arts a year ago. Even if his combat prowess were heaven-defying, it would be useless against a seventh-stage grandmaster, let alone someone capable of capturing his father!

"What of the Green Python Army?" Chen Fan asked, aghast. "Did they just stand by and watch the Nineteenth Prince wreak havoc on the Fan family?"

The man shook his head with a sigh. "The Green Python Army was left half-crippled by the beast plague, and Fan Lin had scattered them to mop up the remaining beasts. Who could have foreseen the Nineteenth Prince playing such a devious hand? He struck suddenly. General Fan was already severely wounded, and the prince, seemingly empowered by imperial treasures and aided by other formidable figures, ambushed and captured him. The prince’s methods were ruthless; several grandmasters guarding Fan Lin were killed instantly. Once the general was captured, the remaining Green Python soldiers were forced into a stalemate. They have been plotting a rescue, but to no avail so far."

Chen Fan’s mouth twitched. He recalled the gentle young man he had met when he first entered the martial academy, and a storm of emotions churned within him. He looked up again and asked, "Does our Emperor in the Great Qian not distinguish right from wrong? Can he not see that without the Green Python Army, the entire Qinghe Commandery might have fallen to the beasts?"

The man gave a subtle look. "The fear isn't that he can't distinguish right from wrong, but that he knows, yet chooses to act this way regardless."

Chen Fan felt a chill. When politics are involved, the nature of things changes entirely. The plague had been sudden, the army had done its best, and the general was wounded. Was the Nineteenth Prince truly so foolish as to use Fan Lin as a scapegoat? Even an ordinary martial artist understood these truths. For a prince raised in the palace, taking such a risk—even at the cost of being reviled by all—suggested something far deeper was at play.

Hearing this, Chen Fan could no longer bear to travel slowly on horseback. He abandoned his horse and broke into a run, utilizing the "Three Thousand Thunderous Movements" technique, clutching a spirit stone in one hand as he sprinted.

"The Nineteenth Prince captured General Fan but did not execute him immediately; he likely fears the backlash of the Green Python Army, or perhaps his goal is not murder. My senior brother should be safe for now..."

With the resources of his sect, he might be able to uncover more information. In less than half a day, he arrived back in Yandu City.

Though he had been away for some time, Yandu City had recovered about eighty or ninety percent of its former prosperity. Chen Fan headed straight for the White Cloud Dojo, only to find it in a state of ruin. The massive sign at the entrance had been removed, and the disciples were few and far between. Clearly, a major catastrophe had occurred.

Chen Fan’s heart sank, and he hurried to his master’s living quarters. Upon entering the courtyard, he caught Feng Yuancheng walking out of a room. Feng frowned at him, "Who are you? Who let you in?"

Chen Fan quickly dismantled the disguise of the "Heavenly Heart Formless Art," his physical stature instantly shifting. "Senior Brother Feng, it’s me!"

Feng Yuancheng’s eyes widened in shock. "Chen Fan? You’re still alive?!"

During the time Chen Fan had been recuperating, news of the smaller outposts scattered from Xuzhou Town being overrun by beasts had already reached Yandu. Chen Fan had been missing and was largely presumed dead in the beast tide. No one had expected him to survive.

Chen Fan cupped his hands and gave a bitter smile. "I had a bit of luck." In truth, his survival was a combination of luck, courage, and raw strength.

Before he could ask for more details, a voice drifted from the room: "Chen Fan is alive?!" It was the voice of his second senior brother, Tao Xilan, though it sounded abnormally weak.

Chen Fan hurried inside. Tao Xilan emerged from the room, his face pale, his gait unsteady, and his complexion devoid of blood. Senior Sister Yun Wei and Junior Sister He Hongshan followed behind.

Chen Fan’s heart tightened. "Senior Brother, what happened to you? Did the beasts injure you like this?"

The joy on Tao Xilan’s face faded into bitterness. He shook his head. "No..."

Chen Fan frowned. "What happened while I was away? Why have so many disciples left? And... where is Master?"

At these words, everyone wore a complex, pained expression. Chen Fan’s heart sank further. "Did something happen to Master?"

Yun Wei sighed, then gave a bitter smile. "Master is inside... but..."

Chen Fan rushed into the room. On the stone bed in the quiet chamber, Master Dong Guzhi lay with his eyes closed, his breathing faint. Chen Fan was filled with confusion and anger. "What on earth is going on?!"

Dong Guzhi was a formidable eighth-stage martial artist. When Chen Fan had seen him before the campaign against the beasts, he had been full of vitality. How could he have become like this in just one month?

Yun Wei sighed again. "Master believed you were dead, and he was consumed by grief. A few days ago, he went out, and upon returning, he was severely wounded. He fell into a coma shortly after and has remained in this state..."

Chen Fan’s eyes flashed with realization. "Does this have to do with the senior brother's family?"

"I don't know. Master didn't tell me before he lapsed into unconsciousness."

Yun Wei scanned the room before adding, "However... there have been rumors in Yandu recently. They say Master went to intercept the prisoner transport. While he didn't save General Fan, he managed to rescue some of the Fan family members, disrupting the Nineteenth Prince’s plans."

Chen Fan’s eyes lit up. "Was the senior brother saved as well?"

Tao Xilan shook his head, frowning. "We don't know. But the news of Master’s intervention is likely true. I heard the Nineteenth Prince encountered an unexpected obstacle and, fearing further variables, rushed to escort General Fan to the capital with a minimal guard, completely concealing their tracks."

Chen Fan’s thoughts raced. He gave a bitter smile. "So, the reason the White Cloud Dojo has fallen to this state is because the other families in Yandu have been 'doing their part,' right?"

Yun Wei sighed. "The White Cloud Dojo relied entirely on Master. Now that he is gravely wounded and word has spread that he offended the Nineteenth Prince, the major families and powers wouldn't miss this opportunity. Of the four gates and two dojos in Yandu, all except the Bijing Gate have made their moves."

The White Cloud Dojo had two main points of deterrence: Dong Guzhi’s strength and Chen Fan’s talent. With Chen Fan presumed dead in the beast tide and Dong Guzhi comatose, the dojo no longer held any threat. Only the Bijing Gate, out of respect for past ties, had refrained from testing them. The other sects, if not outright plundering the dojo’s interests, had certainly been probing their defenses.

"These past few days, these sects have come repeatedly to provoke us. The Mengzheng Gate and the Shanyun Dojo are strong, but at least they are somewhat restrained. But the Zhihong Gate and the Jiangshan Gate sent their top disciples—it was practically a challenge to our authority!"

"The disciples were already panicked, and with these provocations and Master unable to step forward, many instructors and disciples left. Fearing the Nineteenth Prince’s retaliation, even Chief Instructor Qian departed..."

Though the White Cloud Dojo was powerful and boasted sixth-stage experts among its core disciples, as well as another seventh-stage grandmaster in Chief Instructor Qian, their foundation relied on Dong Guzhi. Once he fell, the disciples and instructors—who lacked deep emotional ties—simply left. While Dong Guzhi might eventually wake, the fact that he had offended the Nineteenth Prince made the consequences dire. No one knew when the retaliation would come.

"Were you injured by them, Senior Brother?" Chen Fan asked, looking at Tao Xilan.

A bitter smile flickered across Tao Xilan’s cold face. "Our dojo’s foundation is still lacking. The four gates and two dojos have more students, and some are even ranked higher than me..."

Chen Fan sighed, helpless. "The beast plague has only just ended. Many disciples from those other martial schools haven't even returned yet. Those who dared to come here aren't ordinary martial artists; many are from the martial academies!"

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes. These people were like sharks, sensing the slightest drop of blood and swarming in. The interests tied to a major school like the White Cloud Dojo were immense. While their actions might be "human nature" in a cold, realistic sense, from the perspective of Chen Fan and his fellow disciples, these people were even more detestable than the Nineteenth Prince.

"Now that Senior Brother is injured and Master cannot lead, the other dojos keep coming. Every day, more disciples leave, and we can't stop them," Yun Wei lamented.

Chen Fan raised an eyebrow. "What about the Fourth Senior Brother and the Eighth Junior Brother?"

Before Yun Wei could answer, He Hongshan gritted her teeth. "Those two traitors! Who knows where they went? Especially that bastard Guan Longping. His background is ordinary—if not for Master’s support, how could he have reached the fourth stage so quickly? Yet, the moment trouble hit, he disappeared!"