Chapter 36: Thunder Arise!

"Why? You seem to be hesitating." Xin Zhong's smile evaporated as he frowned at Chen Fan.

He planned to use this high school student merely as an instrument to humiliate the Third Lord, but never did he expect the boy to speak up before so many influential and powerful people.

"What do you think, Master Wu?" Feeling slightly uneasy, Xin Zhong asked the white-haired old man under his breath.

Master Wu glanced at Chen Fan and shook his head in disdain.

"He is just a boy, who doesn't even measure up to that Qi fellow. He wouldn't recognize anything even if a real Dharma Artifact were right in front of his eyes."

Chen Fan stood up and walked around the wooden box as he murmured to himself, "The Eight-Trigrams-Plate contained eight different kinds of spells, and they form a small Dharma Array. We have all experienced the beneficial effect of the spell array first hand. Also, it could form an area where Spirit Qi congregate; it was the so-called 'Feng Shui Field.' in layman's terms. Anyone within the field would benefit from the presence of the Spirit Qi and improved health."

By then, it was evident to Chen Fan that the so-called Feng Shui Dharma Array was a knock-off of the Spirit Gathering Array.

The Spirit Qi gathered inside of the array was beneficial to any living entity inside its area of effect. In some extreme cases, such as on those Life-Stars where Spirit Qi was abundant, a human could have lived over two hundred years old without even cultivating. The wild beasts on those planets were huge in size and formidable in their strength. Some could grow up to a few hundred feet and be as old as time itself.

"Oh? Go on; I am all ears." Master Wu's stared at Chen Fan attentively.

Seeing Chen Fan's incredible knowledge on the matter, the others gave each other a surprised glance, and they wondered if this boy was also an expert.

"So you agree that this is a Dharma Artifact?" Boss Yan asked impatiently.

"Yes, but..." Chen Fan paused and turned around to look at Xin Zhong

"But what?" another rich man hurried a reply.

"But this Dharma Artifact had been used too many times that it is near its due date." Chen Fan pointed at the Eight-Trigrams-Plate and said.

Everyone was shocked after hearing Chen Fan's words.

Once they gave the plate a second look, and they noticed that the surface was covered with minor fractures and it was too intrusive to pass for ordinary wear and tear due to age.

It seemed that this plate was not going to last too long before it breaks.

"You bastard! How dare you!"

Master Wu slammed the table hard as he pushed himself out of the chair. His glared at Chen Fan angrily.

No longer did he care to keep up appearances as the grandmaster; he glared at Chen Fan and regretted ever letting the teenage boy speak up.

Even Master Wu had failed to notice that the boy was a fellow-martial-artists. If he wasn't a master in martial arts, he wouldn't be able to see the minor fractures on the wooden plate.

"Mr. Xin, Boss Gu, what is really going on?" Old Man Zhen furrowed his brows and asked.

Xin Zhong's face paled while the chubby face of Boss Gu was already drenched in sweat.

Most people from Chu Zhou City had noticed something was amiss; they looked to the three suspiciously.

"Isn't it obvious? You have been conned by Mr. Xin, Master Wu, and Boss Gu." Chen Fan said with a cold sneer.

Chen Fan had felt something was fishy about Master Wu. He had already reached the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment Level, and therefore, it was impossible for him to have missed those obvious cracks on the wooden plate.

Not only did he hide the truth from everyone, but he also initiated the power of the Eight-Trigrams-Plate and pushed it one step closer to its destruction. The knowing glances between Xin Zhong and Boss Gu didn't escape Chen Fan either, and it had finally made him realize what was going on.

Master Wu, Xin Zhong, and Boss Gu were con artists, and they were in it together to scam the deep pockets of the Chu Zhou City. Chen Fan wagered that their main target was The Third Lord of Wei.

"Xin Zhong, is this true?"

As soon as Chen Fan had finished his words, Third Lord of the Wei stood up and shouted at Xin Zhong.

As realization finally dawned upon the other attendees, they looked to the three people with suspicion in their eyes.

Boss Gu was drenched in cold sweat and was trembling uncontrollably. Xin Zhong's face also paled. His shifty eyes glanced at Master Wu from time to time.

By then, Master Wu's face was contorted by anger as he nailed his gaze on Chen Fan. He hoped to leave the Chu Zhou City with at least fifty million yuan, but all his planning and hard work to pull the scam off had gone down the tube.

"You little prick, how dare you spoil my plan!"

Master Wu managed to squeeze a few words out from his tight-clenched jaws. The air about him started to turn colder and darker.

"Oh. You want to settle this the old way with me?"

Chen Fan was not afraid of Master Wu's threat. He looked at the old man with a great degree of levity.

Ever since he was reborn, he hadn't fought with Dharma Spells yet, and although Master Wu only knew the most rudimentary spells, Chen Fan was eager to test his power.

"Wu! This is Chu Zhou City, show some respect!" Old Man Zhen slammed the table and shouted at the white-haired man.

As soon as the old man spoke, his bodyguard closed in and glared at Master Wu and his two other companions.

Xin Zhong's face blackened. He had only brought with him seven or eight bodyguards. There was very little chance that he would be able to walk out of Chu Zhou City alive if he let the situation spiral out of control. Boss Gu from the Zhong Zhou City had fallen off of his chair and collapsed on the ground.

"Hehe" Master Wu was unfazed by the group of intimidating bodyguards. He spoke to Chen Fan with tempered hatred, "Kiddo, you have ruined my plan, I won't let you get away with it.

"Didn't you want to see a real Dharma Artifact? Why don't you take a look at this!"

Master Wu produced a small clay urn from his pocket, and as soon as he lifted the cap, everyone felt a gush of chilly wind blowing out from the mouth of the urn, reducing the temperature in the room by a few degrees.

"Chen boy! Taste the power of my numinous treasure!"

Before his words faded, a dark fog emerged out from the clay urn, and with it, a wave of ear-piercing shrieks like that of anguished demons and lost souls from the ninth forbidden hell.

"HELP!" The mortals in the room fled the scene as soon as they saw the terrifying sight. Some of them clambered to hide behind the bodyguards. Although most of these bodyguards were retired veterans and champions of national martial arts competitions, none of them had experienced such a ghastly sight before. Bound by their duty, many of them managed to hold their grounds with fear on their faces.

"The Art of Ghost Reining?" Master Qi gasped.

"Alas! I could behold the power of a transcendent master; what more should I ask for?" As Master Qi said so, he shook his head with the sorrow of knowing that he might not be able to see such power ever again.

"Not too shabby. You can even recognize my Dharmic Formulation!" Master Wu nodded approvingly.

He scanned around and was pleased by the fear written all over people's faces. However, he soon realized that Chen Fan was still sitting in his chair and was sipping on a cup of tea.

"Aren't you afraid of me, kid?"

Hearing Master Wu's question, Xin Zhong, Third Lord of the Wei and Uncle Lin both looked to Chen Fan as if they were looking at an idiot.

"He is not concerned at all? Is he a half-wit?"

The other's asked the same question in their minds.

As soon as Master Wu used the Art of Ghost Reining, everyone, except for Chen Fan and Xin Zhong and Old Man Zhen had remained in their seats; the rest guests had either hid behind the bodyguards or under the furniture. Even the bodyguards trembled uncontrollably at the sight of the supernatural power.

Han Yun shivered with tears in her eyes.

"Chen Fan, what the heck are you doing? Run!"

She couldn't stop blaming herself for exposing Chen Fan's real identity. If she had kept her lips sealed, Xin Zhong would not think of using the boy to humiliate the Third Lord, and none of this would have happened.

However, Chen Fan sat casually in his chair, holding a calm cast in his eyes.

"I will have to do away with you, aren't you afraid?" Master Wu's mind was seized by anger, and he was ready to do anything it took to quell the fire in him.

As he started the Dharmatic Art, his white hair swirled up from his head, and he pointed two fingers at the dark smoke. The plum of darkness responded with a shiver and with a great measure of reluctance, the darkness moved slowly toward Chen Fan

Seeing the dark mist formed by undead ghosts was coming at Chen Fan, everyone's hearts were caught in their throat. They were convinced that the boy's fate was sealed.

"Afraid?" Chen Fan laughed out loud as he shook his head.

"I had expected much better from you. Look at you; you can barely control your power.

"And you call it a Dharma Artifact? You don't feel ashamed of yourself, do you?

"Fuck it; I will show you what a real Dharma Artifact is all about."

Chen Fan took the Jade Talisman off his neck and held it in one hand.

Under everyone's curious and surprised look, he spoke two loud and clear words.

"Thunder Arise!"

Suddenly, thousands of lightning appeared in the hall; they tore the space apart and showed the dimly lit hall with blinding brightness.

Chen Fan stood in the middle of the hall, a lightning bolt in his hand, the loose folds of his clothes moved as the wind came up, outlined nobly against the web of thunder for all to see.