Chapter 32: Power Sharing

Seeing the tension in the air, Lin Fan smiled and raised a hand. "There's no need to argue about this matter."

It wasn't that he favored Fan Jianqiang—quite the opposite. In his view, this intervention was actually helping the Third Elder. If the debate continued, the elder might suffer a Dao Heart collapse!

After all, this guy was a survivor protagonist archetype!

Telling him not to be cautious or "unsteady"? He could conjure countless arguments to refute you, leaving you speechless and questioning your own life choices—possibly even collapsing your Dao Heart in the process. If this argument dragged on, the Third Elder would be the one at a disadvantage.

"A name is just a label," Lin Fan said calmly. "You can be called Fan Jianqiang, I can be called Fan Jianqiang, everyone can be called Fan Jianqiang. What our Moon Embracing Sect values isn't a person's name, but their character. For those who share our ideals, even if they're called 'Dog Egg,' 'Wandering Bird,' or 'Blurred Tiger,' we'd still give our all for them. Now, let's proceed with the ceremony."

Fan Jianqiang's face twitched slightly. 'The Sect Master's words seem profound, but I can't quite grasp their meaning…'

But now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He immediately knelt and bowed respectfully, officially becoming Lin Fan's second disciple.

"Good, good." Lin Fan nodded, helping him up.

"Master!" Fan Jianqiang bowed again.

Lin Fan's smile widened. "No need for formalities. From today onward, you're my second disciple. This is your senior sister, Xiao Ling'er—though I believe you've already met."

"Senior Sister." Fan Jianqiang's tone was honey sweet.

Xiao Ling'er returned the greeting with a smile. "Junior Brother."

"As fellow disciples, we must remember to support each other."

"Naturally!" Fan Jianqiang agreed readily.

But then Xiao Ling'er's tone shifted. "Junior Brother, you didn't go all out during the alchemy conference. When will we have a proper competition between siblings?"

"Ah?!" Fan Jianqiang waved his hands frantically. "Senior Sister, what are you saying? My skills are like a brush without bristles—utterly incomparable to yours!"

"It was all luck, nothing more!"

Xiao Ling'er stared at him with a knowing smirk, her disbelief evident. Fan Jianqiang could only plead for mercy repeatedly under her gaze.

The elders watched this exchange, utterly baffled. Even knowing Fan Jianqiang fit the sect's eighth recruitment rule, they still found him… incomprehensible.

…..

"From now on, Fan Jianqiang will enjoy the same privileges as Xiao Ling'er," Lin Fan announced, cutting short their back-and-forth. "Though our Moon Embracing Sect isn't powerful now, we've never been stingy with our own."

"If you need it, and we have it—it's yours. Even if we don't, within our means, the elders and I will do everything to obtain it for you!"

Fan Jianqiang hastily waved his hands. "Master, you're too kind. This disciple… lacks nothing at the moment. Having a place to belong is already a rare blessing."

Lin Fan didn't press further, simply patting his shoulder. "You'll settle in gradually."

With that, he took his leave.

Fan Jianqiang watched Lin Fan's retreating figure, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes—but it vanished as quickly as it came.

…..

Alone in his quarters, Lin Fan grinned.

"Time to begin. Share combat power!"

With that thought, two faint silhouettes materialized in his mind—Xiao Ling'er and Fan Jianqiang.

"A choice?" Lin Fan chuckled. "Adults make choices because they have to. But as a 'kid,' I'll take both!"

As a seasoned gamer, he instantly grasped the mechanics. Both combat powers can be shared simultaneously!

Meaning, the more disciples with A-rank or higher talents he recruited, the more terrifying his own strength would become—because their abilities stacked!

…..

Lin Fan opened his eyes, his entire being thrumming with newfound power.

"So… strong."

For a moment, he even felt invincible.

His combat prowess had skyrocketed.

"Peak of the Profound Yuan Realm Realm. One more step, and I'd reach the fourth realm—Cave Heaven!"

'As expected of a survivor archetype,' He couldn't help but smile.

He'd only just broken through to the Profound Yuan Realm Realm, and Xiao Ling'er, now at the sixth level of Condensing Yuan, had boosted him to the second level of Profound Yuan Realm.

But now? Peak Profound Yuan Realm.

And the higher the realm, the vaster the gaps between levels.

In other words—Fan Jianqiang's true cultivation was at least the eighth or even ninth level of Profound Yuan Realm!

Only that could propel Lin Fan to the peak in one go.

Once any of them—Lin Fan, Xiao Ling'er, or Fan Jianqiang—advanced another minor realm, his shared power would forcibly breach the fourth realm.

The fourth realm… the Cave Heaven Realm.

In this remote region, that would make him a top-tier expert.

"Not bad. From the first level of Condensing Yuan to near-Cave Heaven Realm combat power in just over a month since transmigrating—that's decent progress."

This was undoubtedly good news, but Lin Fan didn't let it inflate his ego. Instead, he soberly reminded himself:

This might just be the 'newbie gift pack.'

"Protagonist templates are rare. Finding two in a month is insane luck. If I assume this is the norm, I'll crash hard later. In fact, I should prepare for a long drought without recruiting another 'protagonist' disciple. A few more A-rank or higher talents would be plenty."

Now familiar with the 'gameplay' of the Divine Martial Continent, Lin Fan wasn't afraid—only wary of his own mindset.

Any gamer knew: never think "This game's too easy" just because the early stages were smooth. Otherwise, reality would brutally correct you.

…..

Calming himself, Lin Fan withdrew Xiao Ling'er's shared power, keeping only Fan Jianqiang's.

Then, he noticed the finer details.

"Divination arts—a fragment of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth? Damn, that name is overpowered. Alchemy skills are solid, but still two tiers below Xiao Ling'er's. Then again, she's the classic 'Flame Emperor' template with her weird fire. Cultivation technique—Eight-Nine Heavenly Art?! Formations—Essence of Immortal Arrays??? Plus a whole arsenal of spells…"

Lin Fan's lips twitched.

'The guy had trillions of hidden cards.'

And this wasn't even counting external treasures.

If those were included… heh.