Chapter 256: The Pitiful Golden-Haired Lion

The crowd was in an uproar… Everyone turned their gaze toward Xiao Fan, but then, they immediately thought of something…

Was it really just going to end like this, after Xiao Fan robbed so many Storage Pouches in the Secret Realm?

Everyone fixed their eyes on Sect Master Xu Yongnian, seemingly waiting for his follow-up.

Sect Master Xu Yongnian seemed to realize something as well; he looked at Xiao Fan and immediately felt a headache coming on…

If it were any other Disciple who had robbed Storage Pouches in the Secret Realm, he would have just ordered them to be returned, but it just had to be Xiao Fan.

And if Xiao Fan had only robbed a few, it would have been fine, but he ended up robbing so many.

He and Sect Master Wu Xinjue exchanged a look and communicated via voice transmission… A few breaths later, both nodded, having reached a decision.

"Xiao Fan, Hu Rui, Nangong Lingxuan, and Qiao Rong robbed Storage Pouches within the Secret Realm…"

Sect Master Xu Yongnian's voice rang out, and the surrounding Disciples immediately fell silent.

Xiao Fan and the others were also stunned, all turning their gazes toward him…

"Hmm…" Sect Master Xu Yongnian thought for a moment and said, "Within the Secret Realm, life and death are not matters of concern, and Sect rules do not apply. Everyone knows this, so regarding these Storage Pouches…"

"It is ultimately decided that they belong to Xiao Fan… The Sect will not pursue the matter!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fan and the others breathed a sigh of relief. If they were confiscated, wouldn't that mean all their hard work in the Secret Realm was for nothing?

However, the others at the scene didn't think so. An uproar broke out immediately, especially since many Outer Sect Disciples who had been robbed by Xiao Fan and the others and subsequently eliminated were gathered there…

Their faces were livid, and they looked up at Sect Master Xu Yongnian with resentful gazes…

Sect Master Xu Yongnian coughed dryly and added, "However, although the matter of the Storage Pouches does not fall under Sect rules, the contribution points on all the disciple tokens cannot be withheld by the four of you, Xiao Fan."

Upon hearing this, the faces of that group of Disciples looked a little better.

Even if they lost their Spirit Stones and Magical Artifacts, at least their contribution points were still there…

Those were obtained through hard work on missions.

Although the four of them were a bit disappointed, they felt relieved after thinking about it.

If the Sect just let them keep everything without any reaction, wouldn't that make it difficult to convince the crowd?

"Very well. The contribution points on the disciple tokens of Xiao Fan, Hu Rui, Nangong Lingxuan, and Qiao Rong will be restored to their state from seven days ago. Disciples who had their Storage Pouches robbed… go to the Internal Affairs Pavilion to replace your disciple tokens, and your contribution points will also be restored to what they were seven days ago."

"If there is nothing else, you may all disperse."

Finally, this Inner Sect Disciple selection had officially ended.

Sect Master Xu Yongnian and Sect Master Wu Xinjue exchanged a look, nodded slightly, and then both looked down at Xiao Fan with satisfied expressions before their figures turned into streams of light and departed.

Elder Jiang Yushan, Elder Cao Mu, Elder He Yutang, and other Elders who were familiar with Xiao Fan also cast satisfied gazes at him before turning and leaving as streams of light.

Kong Ping looked down at Xiao Fan and also revealed a satisfied smile. He glanced at the reluctant-looking Long Caiwei beside him, waved his hand, and left with her.

Although this group of Elders had previously evaluated Xiao Fan highly, believing that it would not be difficult for him to join the Inner Sect based on his own ability…

…they had not expected that Xiao Fan would actually become number one.

Given Xiao Fan's current state and strength, he was certainly no match for Ji Bofeng.

However, what they didn't expect was that Xiao Fan would choose to launch a surprise attack while Ji Bofeng and Xie Lei were dueling!

Although the method was a bit underhanded, such a nature would actually allow one to live longer in the cultivation world.

The other Elders were the same; they all left the Outer Sect main hall one after another.

Outside the noisy main hall, the crowd was slowly dispersing…

"Then let's head back first. See you in three days,"

Hu Rui, who was beside Xiao Fan, said with a smile, her face full of joy.

Being able to enter the Marrow Cleansing Pool and even get near the spring eye made her overjoyed.

With her strength, it would have been good enough to make it into the top ten, but she hadn't expected to end up in the top three.

Qiao Rong and Nangong Lingxuan had the same plan.

Although seven days was not a long time, those seven days in the Secret Realm felt as long as several months.

The four of them left the Outer Sect main hall and returned to their respective Immortal Caves.

The surrounding Outer Sect Disciples and Utility Disciples cast gazes of envy, admiration, and jealousy at Xiao Fan's departing figure.

He had undoubtedly created a legend in the Outer Sect.

In the crowd, Ji Bofeng watched Xiao Fan leave, his face full of unwillingness.

If Xiao Fan hadn't launched a sneak attack on him, if he had taken Xie Lei's victory points, and if he had encountered Sun Mingqi, Yu Liang, and the others earlier…

…then the first place in this Inner Sect selection would have been his!

…

On the way back to the Immortal Cave…

Xiao Fan did not stop. After entering his Immortal Cave, he went straight to the Spirit Beast chamber and opened the stone door.

"Wuu-ao…"

As soon as the stone door opened, Xiao Fan heard the Golden-Haired Lion inside let out a shrill cry…

The cry was accompanied by a sobbing tone… and it seemed to contain a very complex mix of emotions…

There was grievance, frustration, pitifulness, and misery…

Xiao Fan was stunned. His first reaction was that after not having anything to eat for so long, Little Gold should have been too hungry to move, lacking strength, and on the verge of death.

Yet, he hadn't expected it to be so energetic?

However, when he looked closely, he was stunned…

The Golden-Haired Lion couldn't even walk steadily at this moment; its massive lion body was so thin it was just skin and bones, and one could even see two rows of lion ribs…

Its entire lion face hadn't thinned out much, but compared to its emaciated body, it looked very incongruous.

"Wuu-ao…"

The Golden-Haired Lion walked weakly in front of Xiao Fan, its expression full of grievance; the sound it made was clearly crying…

…but there were no tears to be seen.

"It's cried until it's all dried up…"

Xiao Fan scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed and extremely guilty.

After all, he had forgotten again.

But he couldn't blame himself entirely; after all, what happened in Jingchuan was too urgent, and upon returning, he had gone straight to participate in the Inner Sect selection.

He had accidentally forgotten that there was still a Spirit Beast in his Immortal Cave…

"Ahem… I've been busy lately, and it was hard for me to get back."

Xiao Fan said, feeling a bit awkward, and began to explain.

The Golden-Haired Lion could naturally understand human speech, but its aggrieved expression showed no sign of forgiveness…