Immortal of the Nine Realms

”You are Spirit Blood Sect cultivators, aren’t you? I remember how sincere you were when you pledged your loyalty just now,” Fang Chen said, looking at Xu Peng with a smile.

Xu Peng’s expression kept changing. He forced a smile. ”I was just pretending to act that way earlier, for the sake of survival. How could I truly join the Spirit Blood Sect?”

”Yes, yes! We are the same!”

The others quickly chimed in, realizing that their immediate priority was to distance themselves from the Spirit Blood Sect in order to avoid any future repercussions.

”You all are quite shameless. You follow whoever has the stronger fist, without an ounce of dignity!” Wang Yi mocked them.

Everyone felt awkward under his words, lowering their heads in silence, except for Xu Peng, who refused to back down.

He defiantly said, ”Wang Yi, don’t think you’re so impressive just because you are backed by a sword sect. Why does anyone cultivate immortality? Isn’t it because they’re afraid of death? What’s so shameful about me being afraid of death? But even if I’m scared, I know right from wrong.

”If the Spirit Blood Sect had won, I would have just gone along with it, infiltrated their ranks, and provided information to the Killing Spiritual Division. What’s wrong with that?”

Wang Yi sneered. Although he didn’t retort verbally, the disdain and contempt in his eyes clearly showed his attitude.

The Era Immortal King smiled faintly and said, ”Fang Chen, have you made up your mind? You’ve pretty much won. There’s no need to wipe them all out. Let me leave. It’s beneficial for both of us.”

The hall fell silent again, with everyone nervously watching them both

Fang Chen smiled and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect. ”I, Fang Chen, will send you on your way.”

The crowd let out a sigh of relief.

Soon, however, their hearts jumped back into their throats.

Instead of leaving, the Era Immortal King took a few steps back. His smile had faded, replaced by an ominous killing intent. ”If you wish to fight, then I shall fight with you. Let’s see if the Immortal Kings you summoned can truly stop me.”

In an instant, the air filled with a terrifying murderous aura. Everyone in the hall felt a shiver down their spine, their hairs standing on end.

Pffttt...

With a soft sound, a terrifying blade pierced through the Era Immortal King’s chest, causing blood to spray everywhere. The killing intent slowly dissipated, but the eerie sensation lingered.

Staring at the wounded Era Immortal King, the fear of everyone present intensified.

Qin Hucheng furrowed his brow tightly. He found it hard to imagine what kind of being could easily wound an immortal king like this.

The Era Immortal King’s eyes flashed with realization. ”So it’s—”

A First Rate Sect Leader....

Before he could finish his sentence, the True Monarch of Pan Mountain took away his life.

Immortal King Ji’s head slowly drooped, and only then did the crowd see that behind him stood a figure clad in dragon-scale armor.

With black hair flowing like a waterfall and a stern expression, this figure had effortlessly slain the Era Immortal King with a single strike. The crowd couldn’t fathom the level of power this being possessed.

Countless people turned stiffly to look at the expressionless Fang Chen, their eyes filled with astonishment, awe, and fear.

Whether it was the elder, the bride, or the figure who killed the Era Immortal King, all of them were likely summoned by this young man. The power to command such formidable beings was beyond their imagination.

Gai Wu quietly pulled Yu Qingmei’s sleeve and silently retreated.

At that moment, a sword light suddenly shot from the sky, aimed directly at Fang Chen.

”How bold!” three angry shouts echoed.

The crowd blinked, and when their vision cleared, they saw that Empress Ci and the True Monarch of Pan Mountain had vanished.

In the sky, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, it seemed that a battle was unfolding beyond their sight.

Stone Dragon had caught the sword light aimed at Fang Chen, causing him to stagger backward a dozen steps before neutralizing the force.

The sword light had turned into an ordinary stone sword. It was slowly turning to dust in Stone Dragon’s hand.

Stone Dragon’s yin energy kept undulating. After several moments, it began to calm down, but he was noticeably pale.

”Lord Stone Dragon, are you injured?” Fang Chen asked with a solemn expression.

”Just some minor injuries, nothing serious,” answered Stone Dragon. ”Empress Ci and the others should be able to handle the person who attacked.”

The crowd exchanged glances, still stunned by the rapid turn of events. Everything had happened so quickly that they only just began to process it.

Someone had just attempted to assassinate Fang Chen?!

The person who had just attacked had to be much stronger than the Era Immortal King. Why else would the bride and the dragon-armored warrior join hands so quickly to go after them?

Fang Chen looked up at the sky, lost in thought. ”The head of the Spirit Blood Sect....”

Fang Chen couldn’t see the battle in the sky. His Primordial Immortal Eye allowed him to barely make out a few figures battling in the deep void, but the image was too blurry for him to discern anything.

However, he could sense that Dragon King Tai Yin and the others couldn’t gain a decisive advantage despite joining hands.

Fang Chen didn’t let Stone Dragon join the battle, worried that the Spirit Blood Sect might have other schemes in play, perhaps to separate them.

After a few breaths, the attacker seemed to glance down before floating away.

Dragon King Tai Yin and the others didn’t pursue. They stared intently at the retreating figure until it completely vanished. Only then did they release a breath of relief.

”That was close. This person’s strength might even be higher than Lord Stone Dragon’s,” Tai Yin Dragon King said in a low voice.

Empress Ci’s gaze darkened. ”We can’t underestimate those wandering immortals in the Mortal Realm. This is their territory. Our strength is slightly suppressed in this place as well.”

***

”The person has left,” Stone Dragon said.

Fang Chen nodded lightly, confirming that the attacker had indeed departed.

The attacker was clearly an immortal of the Mortal Realm, likely a First Rate Sect Leader. However, Fang Chen was certain that this person hadn’t been here since the start. He had rushed over in a hurry. Otherwise, they would have made a move before Immortal King Ji was killed.

”Gai Wu, our matter isn’t settled yet. Why are you leaving?” Fang Chen suddenly asked.

The group was momentarily stunned and turned to look. They saw Gai Wu quietly leaving the spirit hall with Yu Qingmei, as though intending to slip away unnoticed. If Fang Chen hadn’t spoken up, no one would have noticed.

”Heh.” Gai Wu shrugged. ”You win. How do you want to resolve this? Today, you’re the king, and we’re the bandits. It’s all up to you.”

Fang Chen smiled. ”Empress Ci, you’re missing a maid, aren’t you?”

Gai Wu was shocked and enraged. ”If you have any grievances, direct them at me! Do not harm my mother!”

Yu Qingmei’s face turned pale. In her dazed state, she saw the woman in the red bridal gown approach her.

She cried out in terror, ”Don’t come any closer!”

Then, she suddenly realized that her body felt weightless, as though being pulled by the red-dressed woman, floating toward the bridal sedan.

Turning her head, she saw her own shriveled, lifeless body lying on the ground, while Gai Wu stood beside it, silently staring at the corpse.

Yu Qingmei’s face showed confusion. ”Am I... dead?”

Then, her gaze shifted to two figures standing next to the bridal sedan. Both of them had complex expressions on their faces. One was the Lixiao Ancestor, and the other was the Era Immortal King, who had just been slain.

Neither of them acknowledged Yu Qingmei. They both appeared lost in deep thought, seemingly contemplating something.