Chapter 25: 'Cautious Protagonist'

"Fate?" Fan Jianqiang murmured to himself, his gaze lingering on Lin Fan. "Perhaps it is indeed fate."

He cupped his fists and bowed respectfully. "Disciple Fan Jianqiang greets the... Uh?"

"Is this it?" Wu Xingyun was still somewhat confused, but she quickly responded, "I am the Second Elder, Wu Xingyun, and this is our Sect Master, Lin Fan."

"Greetings, Sect Master and Second Elder," Fan Jianqiang said politely.

"No need for formalities," Lin Fan said with a smile. "This isn't the best place to linger. Do you have any unfinished business? If not, let's return to the sect together."

"This disciple has nothing left to attend to. I'll follow the Sect Master's arrangements," Fan Jianqiang replied, then added in a low voice, "To be honest, I've been wanting to leave for a while. I even divined it earlier."

"Oh?" Lin Fan was intrigued.

It seemed Fan Jianqiang's divination skills were even more impressive than he had thought. Before transmigrating, Lin Fan had never encountered anyone who could master divination so thoroughly. On the other hand, the typical "cautious protagonist" traits hadn't yet fully manifested in Fan Jianqiang. But even if he wasn't the classic "cautious protagonist," his divination skills alone made him invaluable.

And that wasn't all—his alchemy skills were also noteworthy. Could Fan Jianqiang be an all-around talent, a hexagonal warrior of sorts? If so, that would be even better.

…..

The three of them left quickly, drawing little attention. When they reached a secluded area, they took to the skies, riding on clouds and mist. Fan Jianqiang also revealed his true form, transforming from an "ordinary person" into a first-level Condensing Yuan Realm cultivator. Wu Xingyun was visibly surprised. She hadn't detected any clues about his cultivation level before.

Lin Fan, however, remained calm. Xiao Ling'er had already sent a message explaining Fan Jianqiang's abilities. But was the first level of the Condensing Yuan Realm his true strength? Not necessarily. If he could disguise himself as an ordinary person while being a first-level cultivator, why couldn't he be hiding an even higher cultivation level?

If Fan Jianqiang truly was the "cautious protagonist," this possibility was highly likely. Unfortunately, since he hadn't officially joined the sect yet, and with others around, Lin Fan couldn't immediately test his cultivation level. Otherwise, he would have loved to see just how strong Fan Jianqiang was.

'If he's really at the first level of the Condensing Yuan Realm, he's probably hiding at least a full major realm, Lin Fan thought. And that's just the beginning.'

The anticipation grew.

Wu Xingyun flew as fast as she could, eager to return to the Moon Embracing Sect. After all, Hongwu Immortal City was a powerful force, and with two of the sect's disciples now in the spotlight after the alchemy conference, they were bound to attract unwanted attention.

But halfway through their journey, Fan Jianqiang voiced his concerns.

"Second Elder, while flying like this is fast, I think there's something inappropriate about it."

"Oh?" Wu Xingyun frowned. "What's the issue?"

"Returning to the Moon Embracing Sect as quickly as possible might seem safer, but with all due respect…" Fan Jianqiang sighed. "The Moon Embracing Sect's strength isn't outstanding. Even if we return immediately, if a powerful enemy decides to attack, we won't stand much of a chance. What's more, we haven't hidden our tracks. The Second Elder isn't an unknown figure. It's likely that someone has already recognized you. Even if they don't know my identity, Senior Sister Xiao Ling'er won the top spot in the alchemy conference. The rewards she carries are enough to make us a target. Therefore, the Moon Embracing Sect is in a precarious position. If we don't prepare properly, this journey will be fraught with danger. Without precautions, we might not survive."

Wu Xingyun's frown deepened. "It's not like we'll definitely die, is it? But if we take time to prepare, it will delay us, and that's equally risky."

"Have you studied battle tactics?" Fan Jianqiang asked. "If we set up some formations, we might be able to delay any pursuers."

'Here it comes,' Lin Fan thought with a smile. 'The cautious protagonist's signature move—playing it safe.'

"Second Elder, I think Fan Jianqiang makes a good point," Lin Fan said.

"Then let's set up some formations," Wu Xingyun agreed. "Fortunately, I've spent some time studying formations over the years. It won't take long to set up a fourth-level formation that can block fourth-realm cultivators."

With that, Wu Xingyun got to work. Using the clouds above and the towering trees below, along with several Spirit Stones and formation flags as anchors, she began laying out multiple formations.

But Fan Jianqiang wasn't satisfied yet. "The sky is too open, making it easy to spot. If we encounter someone skilled in formations, they'll likely notice and find a way around. In my opinion… We should deliberately leave some traces, leading the pursuers into the dense forest below. Then, we can set up formations there to increase our chances of success."

Wu Xingyun glanced at Lin Fan, who nodded in agreement. Seeing this, Wu Xingyun didn't hesitate and began implementing Fan Jianqiang's plan. She drew her spiritual sword, scattering sword light and leaving traces of battle in the dense forest below. After creating the illusion of a struggle, she led the group down and began setting up formations.

Halfway through the process, Fan Jianqiang suddenly stiffened. "Ahem, nature calls. I'll be right back."

Lin Fan's lips curled into a faint smile. "Go ahead."

As Fan Jianqiang hurried off, Lin Fan's smile widened. 'I thought you wouldn't take action. This isn't quite in line with the cautious protagonist's style.'

What was a cautious protagonist? On the surface, they appeared cowardly, unwilling to take even the slightest risk. But in reality, they had countless hidden cards and were extremely meticulous. They would never act unless they were 100% certain of success. Even a 98% chance of success was considered "certain death" in their eyes.

Knowing that they were being targeted and that the Moon Embracing Sect was also in danger, how could Fan Jianqiang feel at ease with just a few fourth-level formations? On the surface, he was excusing himself to relieve himself, but Lin Fan was certain he was actually going to "increase the success rate."

'This is stability at its finest,' Lin Fan thought.

"However, this also suggests that Fan Jianqiang is truly a hexagonal warrior," Lin Fan mused. "Alchemy, divination, and cultivation—his skills are impressive. And now, it seems his formation skills might even surpass the Second Elder's?"

The more Lin Fan thought about it, the more he looked forward to what Fan Jianqiang would bring to the sect. Although he had a rough idea of what Fan Jianqiang was up to, he couldn't help but wonder just how far the man's abilities extended.

'I'm really looking forward to it.'