Qin Ran had already made up his mind to take Pan Li as his disciple.

He only had three days left to live. If he failed to find even one of the eighteen disciples he had taken in the past within that time, then death would be unavoidable.

More than ten thousand years had passed since he had first fallen into slumber. Waking up in such a short window left him with no confidence that he could track down his former disciples in time.

Under those circumstances, accepting a new disciple was the safest choice.

As long as he could break through to the Original Movement realm, his lifespan would increase by a large margin, removing the immediate threat hanging over his head.

Once that pressing problem was dealt with, he could take Pan Li with him and search for his other eighteen disciples at his own pace.

As for the Gong Clan, Qin Ran wasn't worried at all.

Even an Inquiring Journey realm cultivator didn't truly concern him. With his current physical strength alone, he could already hold his ground against a Peak-stage Heavenly Origin realm expert.

What really gave him confidence were the treasures in his possession.

He had a godly weapon with terrifying sharpness, as well as single-use killing items that could be triggered without any cultivation base or spiritual energy.

As he made his way toward the Pan Clan's residence, he quickly drew attention.

"That guy's heading straight for the Pan Mansion. What's he trying to do?"

"He doesn't have even a trace of origin power on him. Is he looking to die?"

"With the Gong Clan in control of the city, anyone connected to the Pan Clan gets marked as an accomplice. And the Pan Clan itself won't trust strangers coming near their gates. They'll think he's a spy."

"If he keeps going, he's dead for sure."

Passersby, Gong Clan informants, and even those secretly working for the Pan Clan all came to the same conclusion—Qin Ran wouldn't make it out alive.

Most people had already lost interest and gone back to whatever they were doing. To them, the death of a mere mortal wasn't worth sticking around to watch.

By then, Qin Ran had arrived at the gates of the Pan Mansion.

"What are you doing here? Get lost if you don't want to die!" came a sharp shout from behind the doors, tense and on edge.

Their reaction made it clear—they had taken him for a Gong Clan scout.

Qin Ran laughed openly, not bothering to hide his words. "Relax. I'm here to help."

He stopped at the gate and added calmly, "Go tell your patriarch this: if Pan Li becomes my disciple, I can guarantee the Pan Clan's safety—and bring you far greater benefits than you can imagine."

The moment his words fell, both the people inside the Pan Mansion and those lingering outside to watch his supposed demise were left stunned.

"What?" someone muttered in disbelief. "He wants to take Pan Li as a disciple? And protect the Pan Clan?"

"Is this guy insane? A Physical Body realm cultivator, and he dares to say something like that?"

"No need to wonder. He's clearly crazy—and stupid too."

"That explains it. He looks twenty-something and still hasn't broken into the Original Movement realm. Only a fool would end up like that."

"Next, the Pan Clan will kill him themselves. Trying to take their prized genius as a disciple? That's an insult."

"Yeah. He's finished."

Mockery spread through the crowd. To them, Qin Ran was already a corpse waiting to fall.

Behind the Pan Mansion's gates, the silence shattered in an instant.

"Bastard! Madman or not, you've insulted the Pan family. Today, you die!"

The gates burst open as the shout rang out. A burly guard with a fierce expression charged straight at Qin Ran.

"Hey, that's a bit much," Qin Ran said lightly. "I'm not into hugging men. Stay right there."

He reached out and pressed a hand against the man's chest. The charge stopped cold.

How is this possible? The guard's mind went blank. He's only at the Physical Body realm. I'm in the Spiritual Awakening realm. I could kill him with a finger… so why can't I move at all?

Before the guard could react, Qin Ran gave him a gentle shove, forcing him back two steps, then walked past him into the mansion.

The doors closed behind Qin Ran with a soft thud. At the same time, the protective formation activated, sealing the Pan Mansion completely.

Seeing Qin Ran walk in and shut the doors behind him, the crowd outside froze. Things hadn't gone the way they expected at all.

"What just happened?" someone asked, confused.

"Didn't that Pan Clan cultivator kill the madman?"

"I saw him stop the big guy with one hand," another said, shaking his head. "That can't be real. The big guy probably didn't use his full strength."

"Yeah, his expression changed. He must've recognized the madman and held back."

"Heh, even if they know each other, saying things like that won't end well. Both of them are in trouble."

"Exactly. They're finished."

After a brief round of shocked guesses, the crowd settled back into their original belief—Qin Ran was still as good as dead.

Even the Gong Clan's spies lost interest. To them, he was just a mortal walking toward his end, someone who could never affect the bigger picture.

...

Inside the Pan Mansion, the burly man stared at Qin Ran, his mind going blank. "Daoist friend… you… you…"

"I know you're shocked," Qin Ran said, waving a hand. "Let's skip the useless talk. Take me to your patriarch. And bring Pan Li as well."

"This…" The man hesitated. "Daoist friend, I admit you're strong, but—"

In his heart, he couldn't accept it. No matter what, this person couldn't possibly stand against a Peak-stage Heavenly Origin realm cultivator. That kind of strength simply didn't make sense.

Before he could say more, Qin Ran looked at him.

That single glance was enough.

Qin Ran rarely showed his authority, but as someone who had raised eighteen exceptional disciples, he didn't lack it. Just a trace of pressure leaking out made the man's throat tighten, leaving him unable to speak.

"Move," Qin Ran said.

"Yes—yes!" The man nodded stiffly and hurried ahead, no longer daring to delay.

What had just happened didn't escape notice.

Many cultivators within the Pan Clan had been watching through their divine sense, including the patriarch, Pan Zhen.

The impact was immediate.

When Qin Ran first stepped inside, they had all dismissed him without a second thought. At most, they felt a flicker of anger, seeing him as a reckless stranger who wouldn't live much longer—an ant not worth their attention.

But moments later, that faint show of authority made their hearts tighten. Even seasoned cultivators felt an urge to obey before they realized it.

They had been suppressed.

Pan Zhen's expression shifted at once. This guy is not simple, he thought.

Authority alone doesn't prove anything. Even mortals who've held power for years can carry that kind of presence. If that's all he has, he's still nothing.

And yet… coming to the Pan Clan at a time like this takes nerve. There's a chance he's connected to the Gong Clan.

Either way, I need to see him myself.

With that decision made, Pan Zhen headed straight for his study.

Qin Ran didn't wait long.

The moment Pan Zhen arrived, Qin Ran got straight to the point and stated his intention to take Pan Li as his disciple.

Before Pan Zhen could even respond, Qin Ran casually laid out a Dao Palace–level main cultivation method and three Inquiring Journey–level techniques, calling them a small greeting gift.

Pan Zhen froze. His thoughts went blank as he stared at the cultivation methods in front of him.

At the same time, while Qin Ran was stirring up waves on Sky Harmony Immortal Star, events on Prosperous Stone Immortal Star were moving in a very different direction.