Immortal of the Nine Realms

Yan Kun was surprised, and his expression turned solemn.

He hadn’t expected that the Sun family would send disciples to such a remote place, let alone that Fang Chen had killed their split souls.

Yan Kun’s brows furrowed. ”I heard that this person has already achieved the Enlightenment Realm... He managed to kill a split soul...”

He recalled the time Fang Chen performed a sword dance in Yong’an City, effortlessly causing his junior brother to burn through his lifespan and die. From that, Yan Kun had concluded that the sword intent Fang Chen had mastered was likely very strange and unusual.

If not, how could his methods be so extraordinary?

The only thing worth celebrating now was that Fang Chen’s cultivation was still low, meaning he didn’t pose him much of a threat.

With Fang Chen offending the Sun family, and with Long Ao from the second branch questioning him, even if he didn’t die, he’d probably end up seriously injured. It was even possible that he wouldn’t make it to the Sword Burial Heavenly Steps.

As that thought crossed his mind, Yan Kun couldn’t help but feel a little happy.

Li Changsheng’s cold voice cut through the tension. ”Long Ao, don’t go looking for trouble. This matter concerns the Sun family. What does it have to do with you?”

Long Ao let out an eerie laugh. ”Looking for trouble? Just because you’re a sword cultivator, or because you’re the son-in-law of the Long Family, I should cover up for someone who doesn’t know their place?”

Seeing Long Ao’s repeated insolence, his words dripping with disdain for sword cultivators, Bai Lingyue and the others were unable to tolerate the disrespect. Their faces darkened, and their expressions turned frighteningly grim.

At that moment, the woman in a plain skirt spoke in a soft tone. ”Cousin, there are priorities in every situation. This is ultimately a matter for the Sun family, you need not be so concerned. My husband brought these young ones back this time to send them to the Sword Burial Heavenly Steps on behalf of our family. If you want to take someone to the Sun Family, now is not the time. It’s inappropriate.”

There was an undeniable air of authority in the woman’s words, as though her command was absolute.

Long Ao’s expression shifted slightly as he glanced at the woman in the plain skirt. He replied indifferently, ”Cousin, do you truly think that a sword cultivator from such a small place can be compared to the sword cultivators trained by our family?”

He chuckled and glanced around at his companions. His companion immediately waved a hand, and a young sword cultivator stepped forward, coldly observing Fang Chen and the others.

Long Ao smiled faintly and introduced, ”This young man is a disciple of our family’s Ninth Sword Academy. Recently, during the Sword Cultivator Competition for the Soul Splitting Realm, he defeated all his peers. The one my brother-in-law wants to protect—he should also be a Soul Splitting Realm cultivator, right? Why don’t we let them have a match?

”If he wins, it will show that my brother-in-law has some good judgment and that this person can help our family benefit. But if he loses and perishes, then he wouldn’t have served much purpose anyway. It would be a perfect way to explain things to the Sun family, too. What do you think?”

The Long Family disciples nearby exchanged subtle glances.

Zhang Gaotian, one of the Long family’s servants, had shown exceptional talent in the sword technique from a young age. As a result, he was taken in as a disciple by the Long Family’s Ninth Sword Academy.

For a long time, he had remained focused on cultivating in seclusion, with little fame to speak of. However, recently, the Long family and the Sun family had made a wager over the Sword Burial Heavenly Steps. As a result, all nine of the Long family’s Sword Academies began selecting their top disciples, choosing the most outstanding candidates from the Middle Three Realms and the Upper Three Realms to compete in the bet.

Among the participants, three individuals stood out. Two of them were Upper Three Realms sword cultivators, but it was the Middle Three Realms Zhang Gaotian who truly caught everyone’s attention.

Not a single sword cultivator from his cohort could last more than ten moves against him!

Although Zhang Gaotian was only in the late Soul Splitting Realm, he was able to easily overpower even sword cultivators at the grand completion of the Soul Splitting Realm within ten moves. The destructive power of the sword intent he had mastered even made the Long family disciples feel a hint of unease.

Li Changsheng frowned slightly and shook his head lightly. ”Fang Chen is only an Enlightenment Realm cultivator, not a Soul Splitting Realm cultivator.”

Enlightenment Realm?

The others exchanged strange looks.

Sun Yi and the others got defeated by an Enlightenment Realm sword cultivator?

Long Ao froze for a moment and looked at Fang Chen carefully.

Fang Chen wasn’t trying to hide his cultivation, so it wasn’t difficult for Long Ao to confirm Fang Chen’s cultivation with a quick scan.

Soon, Long Ao realized that Fang Chen was indeed at the Enlightenment Realm, not the Soul Splitting Realm

Long Ao’s mind started to churn. ”An Enlightenment Realm cultivator defeating a split soul... and it was the Sun Family’s direct bloodline....”

This was not unheard of in the Prison Wind Lands, though it was certainly not common. It was rumored that Sun Yi had six split souls. If all six were combined together, they wouldn’t be easily defeated. On the contrary, they would easily overpower their opponent.

It seemed the conditions had been in Fang Chen’s favor, both time and place.

”Enlightenment Realm, huh? It doesn’t matter. I have an Enlightenment Realm sword cultivator here as well.” Long Ao chuckled lightly. ”Xue Shan, let your son come up. He placed in the top five of his cohort during the Ninth Academy Competition. He’s not weak. Against a country bumpkin like this, I’m sure he’ll have no trouble.”

”Yes,” answered the middle-aged man standing beside Long Ao, nodding.

The middle-aged man glanced behind him at a young man who resembled him.

The young man promptly stepped forward. With a clang, he drew his sword and pointed it at Fang Chen.

”Zhang Zhong from the Ninth Academy,” said the young man.

Fang Chen made no move and simply waited quietly.

Li Changsheng glanced at Long Ao, then at Zhang Zhong, remaining silent as if pondering.

Long Ao immediately chuckled. ”No way. My brother-in-law brought a sword cultivator who’s too scared to even draw his sword? What kind of sword cultivator is this? Even though sword cultivators are often looked down upon, only excelling in offensive techniques while lacking insight into the path of cultivation, I’ve never seen someone too scared to draw their sword.”

Immediately, several Enlightenment Realm cultivators from Li Changsheng’s group couldn’t hold back anymore and started clamoring.

”Sword Leader Fang, if you’re not going to draw your sword, I’ll step in.”

”I’ll do it too!”

Their annoyance was palpable.

Fang Chen spoke calmly. ”Ancestor Li hasn’t spoken yet. Why are you all in such a hurry? Besides... you’re not his match.”

The Enlightenment Realm cultivators froze for a moment before glaring at Fang Chen, their anger rising.

How dare he deflate their prestige and elevate his own?

Fang Chen’s words immediately caused the Long Family sword cultivators to chuckle. The young Long Family disciples wore faint smiles, thinking to themselves that this young man was perceptive enough to realize the stark difference in background between the sword cultivators of Prison Wind Lands and those of their own aristocratic family.

Li Changsheng spoke slowly. ”If you want a match, then state the terms.”

Long Ao smiled wryly. ”Terms? Are you pretending to be clueless? I already said, the purpose of this match is twofold. First, to verify whether the sword cultivator you brought is worthy to represent our family in the Sword Burial Heavenly Steps. Second, to give the Sun family an explanation.”

He looked at Zhang Zhong, the sword cultivator on his side. ”Zhang Zhong, what do you think? How should we go about this match?”

Zhang Zhong replied flatly, ”I will take this person’s head and present it to my master.”

”I’ll pass,” Long Ao said. ”What use would I have for his head? It’s to show the sword cultivators of the world what it means to be a sword cultivator—knowing what should be done and what should not. The people from the great clans are untouchable. Do you understand?”

Zhang Zhong immediately nodded. ”I understand.”

Bai Lingyue and the others exchanged confused glances.

How could these sword cultivators be so... spiritless?

Li Changsheng turned to Fang Chen. ”Did you understand all that?”

”Yes,” replied Fang Chen calmly.

Li Changsheng said no more, only giving a slight nod.

”Go ahead, don’t embarrass our master,” Xue Shan encouraged with a light nod to Zhang Zhong.

Zhang Zhong smiled faintly and turned to Fang Chen. ”Draw your sword.”

”Alright.”

Fang Chen did not draw his sword. Instead, he pointed with a finger, sending a light breeze that brushed across Zhang Zhong’s face.

A cool breeze...

Zhang Zhong’s mind stirred, and then... his thoughts sank into an abyss of deathly silence.

The crowd initially thought that Zhang Zhong was lowering his head to gather his sword intent, but when he remained motionless for a long time, they began to feel that something was off.

Xue Shan was alarmed. He quickly rushed forward to check on Zhang Zhong.

Just as he was about to grab Zhang Zhong’s shoulder to check on him, Zhang Zhong suddenly collapsed to the ground.

Zhang Zhong’s expression was no different from when he was alive. Only, a small, fine wound had appeared on his forehead.

”He’s... dead?”

Everyone was stunned.

Zhang Zhong was one of the top five sword cultivators in the Enlightenment Realm during the Ninth Academy competition.

How could he have been defeated so casually?