Immortal of the Nine Realms

In about ten minutes, eight of the nine Enlightenment Realm sword cultivators from Kunlun Sword Sect had died, leaving only one.

He looked at his cousins and brothers, who had died in front of him. Even though he had cultivated for many years and came from Kunlun Sword Sect, fear began to stir in his heart like a raging tide.

The fear quickly engulfed him, making him hesitate to step forward to fight. Instead, he looked toward Wu Fenghua for help.

Wu Fenghua lightly closed his eyes and said indifferently, ”Go and fight.”

The cultivator gazed at Fang Chen in despair, took one step forward, and was immediately slain with a single sword strike. His soul emerged from his body in a daze and saw the souls of the others.

Cultivators watching through the Heaven Profound Mirror saw this scene. Even the murmurs from the crowd stopped. Their eyes were filled with complicated emotions.

Even Kunlun Sword Sect, which was so powerful, had cultivated such skilled cultivators, yet they were as fragile as ants before Fang Chen.

Other cultivators were merely shocked, reminding themselves not to provoke such an opponent.

Some Enlightenment Realm cultivators felt uneasy as they watched Fang Chen defeat the Kunlun Sword Sect’s cultivators so effortlessly. If they were to face him, they feared they would fare even worse.

Fang Chen frowned.

The Sword Questioning wasn’t turning out as he had expected. The major sword sects, including the Kunlun Sword Sect, hadn’t put up much of a resistance. If things went on like this, he might not see any sort of improvement by the end of it.

Wu Fenghua’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He cupped his fist and said, ”Congratulations, Wang Zhenlong. Sword Leader Fang is truly deserving of leading a sect.”

He then ordered for the bodies to be collected while inviting Wang Zhenlong and the others to enter the Kunlun Sword Sect.

Wang Zhenlong turned down Wu Fenghua’s invitation. ”Since we’ve completed the Sword Questioning, it’s time for us to return to the Central Continent Empire. We shouldn’t linger here any longer.”

”It is not a request from me but from my ancestor,” Wu Fenghua said with a cold smile. ”You may ignore my request, but would you dare to refuse an invitation from the ancestor?”

Everyone was slightly startled.

The top of the Imperial Ranking, Li Changsheng, wanted to invite them in? What could his purpose be?

Zhang Ling and the others exchanged glances before looking toward Wang Zhenlong.

After a moment’s hesitation, Wang Zhenlong smiled and said, ”Then we shall sit with him.”

Wu Fenghua led the way with a grim expression, guiding them through Kunlun Sword Sect.

Eventually, they arrived at a tranquil courtyard where a middle-aged man seemed to have been waiting for a while.

Wu Fenghua stopped and cupped his hands. He bowed respectfully. ”Ancestor, they have arrived.”

”Leave Wang Zhenlong and Fang Chen here. Take the others to the reception hall,” the middle-aged man said calmly.

Wu Fenghua nodded slightly and was about to lead Zhang Ling and the others away. However, they all looked to Wang Zhenlong for confirmation. After receiving a nod, they left the courtyard with Wu Fenghua, their faces serious.

The middle-aged man who had spoken earlier was likely the legendary Li Changsheng, the man at the top of the Emperor Ranking. This was the first time they had been so close to such a figure. Even a fleeting glance was enough to cause their hearts to pound.

Wang Zhenlong looked at the middle-aged man and suddenly smiled, cupping his hands. ”I, Wang Zhenlong, pay my respects to you, Sword Immortal Li.”

The middle-aged man faintly smiled. ”I’m just a swordsman, not an immortal.”

”You’re too humble, Ancestor Li,” Wang Zhenlong said with a slight smile. ”May I ask what you wish to discuss with us?”

”Did the death of those nine Wu Family swordsmen assuage your resentement?” Li Changsheng asked calmly.

Wang Zhenlong had already suspected Li Changsheng had something to do with the experts who were sent out, though he hadn’t expected the other party to get straight to the point. Rather than feeling relieved, he became even more serious.

Why would a figure like Li Changsheng, a First Rate Sect Leader, care about the feelings of a Profound Immortal like himself?

Something was off.

Wang Zhenlong asked, ”Ancestor Li, may I ask what you mean by that?”

Li Changsheng said softly, ”Li Jingnian should have told you about our travels in Qiufeng.”

Qiufeng?

Fang Chen remained composed.

Why is he suddenly bringing up Qiufeng? Could the strange behavior of the Kunlun Sword Sect be connected to it?

Wang Zhenlong glanced at Fang Chen, then nodded slightly. ”Our old sword immortal did mention it. He said that the region produces many strong individuals, and that even a First Rate Sect Leader isn’t invincible there.”

Li Changsheng nodded. ”That much is true. Even an early-stage Loose Immortal is far from invincible in that region.”

”Ancestor Li, may I ask what this has to do with the current situation?” Wang Zhenlong cupped his hands. ”Please, do not keep us in suspense any longer.”

Li Changsheng explained, ”There is something not widely known. To some powerful figure in Qiufeng, the Central Continent Empire, Celestial Heaven, and Northern Dipper belong to their realm.

”And now, this powerful figure wants to make a bet with another person, with the stakes involving the Central Continent Empire, Celestial Heaven, and Northern Dipper. If he loses, control of these three territories will change hands. At that time, the cultivators in these territories will be exiled, and only a few will be allowed to stay in their original locations.”

Despite being mentally prepared, this information left Wang Zhenlong stunned for a long while. Even Fang Chen was slightly taken aback.

Someone from Qiufeng will be using the Central Continent Empire, Celestial Heaven, and Northern Dipper as stakes in a bet?

”Ridiculous. The Central Continent Empire, Celestial Heaven, and Northern Dipper have never had a true ruler. Even someone as powerful as Ancestor Li couldn’t make Celestial Heaven bow down,” Wang Zhenlong said coldly. ”What exactly do you mean by this, Ancestor Li?”

Li Changsheng answered, ”Indeed, that’s how it seems from your perspective. But from another’s, it is not the same. If it were otherwise, do you think there would be cultivators from these regions with their sights set on these three territories?

”I am indeed not powerful enough to command Celestial Heaven, and even less to command the Central Continent Empire and Northern Dipper. If the Loose Immortals from the Central Continent Empire and Northern Dipper Star were to join forces, I might not be able to win against them. However...”

Li Changsheng chuckled bitterly. ”The powerful figure I speak of could easily deal with someone like me with just a thought.”

Wang Zhenlong’s expression turned very grim.

He didn’t want to believe it, but reason told him that Li Changsheng had no reason to deceive him. As a mere Profound Immortal, he was hardly worth being toyed with by someone like a First Rate Sect Leader.

Wang Zhenlong’s expression turned even more serious. ”Ancestor Li, what exactly is going on? What is the wager about?”

Li Changsheng chuckled softly. ”The Sword Burial Heavenly Steps is in Qiufeng, and the bet between the two supreme figures is to see whose sword cultivation will be able to last till the end...

”This time, the Central Continent Empire, Celestial Heaven, and Northern Dipper will need to send out ten experts. I have already settled the people we will be sending out in Northern Dipper and my Kunlun Sword Sect. The only ones left are from your Central Continent Empire.”

”Did our sword cultivation already turn into a mere wager in the eyes of those in Qiufeng...” Wang Zhenlong mumbled in a low voice.

Nodding slowly, Li Changsheng explained, ”Our sword cultivation isn’t invincible... Our lifespan is merely half of theirs, possibly shorter. Outside the Central Continent Empire, Celestial Heaven, and Northern Dipper, sword cultivation is in a much more perilous situation. Even so, we can only be considered mere fighters in their eyes....”

Wang Zhenlong looked pretty pale and he finally recalled why their Old Sword Immortal wore a complicated expression when speaking about Qiufeng. That was most likely the reason.

Li Changsheng said, ”The further we walk down the path of cultivation, the more difficult it will become. In order to survive, we should try to benefit from both sides. The old sword immortal wasn’t willing to lower his head, and that is why he failed to break through even after so long and failed to become a First Rate Sect Leader.”

He chuckled. ”I’m different. Pride is useless to me, and that is why I became a First Rate Sect Leader.”

”...”

Wang Zhenlong seemed to understand something and he looked at Li Changsheng with a strange expression. ”Ancestor Li... please tell us who you have chosen from the Void Immortal Sword Sect.”