Immortal of the Nine Realms

”Ancestor Hong Qing? That’s unlikely... the Sect Leader said he might have already passed on...”

”As long as his body is not found, he might not have died. Who dares to say that a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse would die so easily? A Nascent Soul Realm cultivator can live up to eight hundred years!”

After exchanging a few messages through voice transmission, Elder Guan looked at Fang Chen with a serious expression and asked, ”Are you serious? Did a senior teach you immortal techniques and instruct you to come here for enrollment after reaching Foundation Building Realm?”

”It’s enrollment in the Three Thousand Dao Sect,” Fang Chen glanced at the plaque, ”not the Grand Thousand Dao Sect.”

Guan’e’s expression softened slightly. ”Do you have any proof?”

”Proof...” Fang Chen pondered for a moment before shaking his head lightly. ”I don’t have any proof.”

”No proof, and yet you infiltrate the Grand Thousand Dao Sect just like that?” Elder Xu remarked coldly.

”Well... even if he infiltrates our sect, there’s nothing here that anyone would covet,” Elder Huang said awkwardly.

Elder Xu’s expression changed rapidly, and he glared fiercely at Elder Huang.

Fang Chen clasped his hands and said, ”Everyone, we might be from the same lineage. Could we find another place to sit down and have a proper discussion? I just want to ask a few things, and after that, I’ll leave.”

The three seemed somewhat swayed.

Elder Xu scrutinized Fang Chen for a moment and said calmly, ”Daoist, why have you been speaking with your eyes closed?”

Fang Chen opened his eyes.

The three, including the young Daoist, were surprised.

Was he born blind?

But the thought of a blind person sneaking into their inner sanctum undetected made the four fall into a complicated mood.

A quarter of an hour later, Fang Chen followed Guan’e and the other two to a reception hall. After the disciples served tea and left, Elder Xu began to speak.

”Daoist, ask whatever you want. If it’s not about the secrets of our Grand Thousand Dao Sect, I’ll gladly inform you.”

Fang Chen cut straight to the point. ”I want to know about the relationship between the Grand Thousand Dao Sect and the Three Thousand Dao Sect.”

The three exchanged looks.

Finally, Guan’e spoke up. ”Regarding this matter, if you investigate within the Daoist circles, you should be able to learn about it. It’s been rumored for many years that there was once only one Dao Sect in the world, the Three Thousand Dao Sect. Due to various reasons, it split up, and many people left the Three Thousand Dao Sect, leading to the diverse range of sects we see today.

”The people seem to have forgotten their origin. Only the ancestor of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect remembered this and, with his disciples, remained steadfast here. The ancestor always claimed that he was the orthodox successor of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, thus retaining the name.

”However, later on, the other major sects not only refused to acknowledge us but also found various excuses to come and seize what belonged to us. Under pressure, the Three Thousand Dao Sect was eventually renamed the Grand Thousand Dao Sect.”

Elder Xu scoffed, casting a disdainful look at Fang Chen. ”Elder Guan, why bother telling him all this? I think he’s pretending to be ignorant while trying to come here and stir up trouble. On one hand, he denies that we are the orthodox successors of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, and on the other, he’s scheming to plunder us.

”Our lineage’s ancestors always sought to continue the legacy of the Three Thousand Dao Sect, but the other sects continued to plunder our resources. In the end, the ancestors were forced to change the sect’s name.”

Fang Chen sighed softly in his heart, wondering what Senior Yun He would think if he knew about this.

”So, do you understand now? There is no longer a Three Thousand Dao Sect in this world, only the Great Thousand Dao Sect,” said Guan’e solemnly.

”Since you’ve learned all you wanted to know, shouldn’t you leave now?” urged Elder Xu impatiently.

”May I join the Grand Thousand Dao Sect then? It would also fulfill a promise to my predecessor,” asked Fang Chen softly.

Elder Xu’s face darkened. ”Elder Guan, Elder Huang, look at this. How can someone so adamant about joining our Grand Thousand Dao Sect not have ulterior motives?”

”Does the Great Thousand Dao Sect have the inheritance of the Purple Lightning Talisman? Or the Innate Five Lightning Art? Or the Spiritual Attachment Technique? Or the All Things as Soldiers Technique? Or the Earth Escaping Technique?” Fang Chen suddenly asked.

The three exchanged astonished looks, unsure of what he meant.

”We... We do not,” answered Guan’e, frowning. ”There were rumors of the Innate Five Lightning Art in the past, but it was seized by other sects and lost.”

”If it weren’t for these sects, our Grand Thousand Dao Sect wouldn’t have declined to such a state through the years,” managed Elder Xu through clenched teeth.

Fang Chen continue calmly, ”I possess all of these. Would you all like to cultivate them?”

”What did you say?! You have the inheritance of these techniques!? And you want to impart them to us!?” Elder Xu exclaimed in disbelief.

Guan’e and Huang Elder exchanged a look, their expressions becoming incredibly serious.

”After joining, we would be fellow disciples. These few techniques are nothing to fret over, and they rightfully belong to the Three Thousand Dao Sect. I am simply returning them to their rightful owners.”

”You... just wait a moment.”

Elder Xu instinctively stood up and then exchanged a look with Guan’e and Elder Huang. The three silently left the reception hall, their mood only calming down when Fang Chen was out of sight.

Elder Xu looked troubled. ”What do you think? If he truly has these inheritances... should we admit him the sect? But we don’t know much about him. What if he’s a spy?”

Elder Huang’s expression was peculiar. ”Elder Xu, if he indeed possesses these inheritances and has offered them all to our sect, what do we have that is worth an enemy infiltrating us at such a cost? Do you think this is a thousand years ago? Two thousand years ago? Three thousand years ago?”

”Elder Huang makes sense. I’m starting to believe that he might truly be a disciple Ancestor Hong Qing accepted,” Guan’e whispered.

”It’s simple. Before Ancestor Hong Qing disappeared, didn’t he leave behind a stone box that none of us can open? We practice ordinary techniques, not his true legacy,” Elder Xu said solemnly. ”If he can open it, then I’ll believe he’s Ancestor Hong Qing’s true disciple.”

”What if he came for the stone box? If we hadn’t hidden it well, it would have been taken long ago,” Elder Huang suddenly remarked.

”Please summon the Sect Leader. How could a mere Foundation Building Realm cultivator stir up trouble in front of him? Also, call all the senior brothers and sisters from the other six peaks. With our nine great experts present, there’s no way the stone box would be stolen right under our nose,” Guan’e suggested.

Elder Xu and Elder Huang exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously. If the other party truly was a disciple of Ancestor Hong Qing, then what he said was true. The Grand Thousand Dao Sect was about to reclaim many legacies, including a lightning technique! That was crucial for the Grand Thousand Dao Sect and worth mobilizing the manpower for.

The three separately sent messages before returning to the reception hall and inviting Fang Chen to the ancestral hall of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect. At the same time, the peak masters of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect received the message and hurried to the location.

Along with Guan’e and the others, there were a total of nine Foundation Building Realm cultivators. They represented the core strength of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect.

These individuals had no idea what was happening and arrived with bewildered expressions. Some directly looked at Guan’e and the others and asked directly, ”Why did you gather all of us so urgently? What is going on?”

”This matter is of great importance. Let’s wait for the Sect Leader to arrive,” said Elder Xu.

Everyone collectively gasped in surprise.

”Are you all out of your mind? What on earth requires summoning the Sect Leader? Is it because the Profound Ghost Dao Sect is back to attack us?!”