Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 1491: It’s Just A Single Sword

”Core Disciple Fang is a monster! How did we never notice before...?”

”We-we actually won this battle!”

”You look older now...”

”So what? Getting old won’t kill me! We won, hahahaha!”

”We just killed four core disciples of the Rulai Monastery in one strike! Quickly, pinch me!”

Though the Black Dragon Formation had been pushed back by Shao Guangyin, every explorer aboard was cheering wildly. Some were weeping with joy. Others screamed until their voices broke. For them, that was the most glorious, flawless battle of their lives, one they would never experience again.

Who could have imagined they would win? Even their Senior Sister had been ready to call for their surrender!

”Ninth Brother... is truly full of surprises,” Third Sister said softly.

Nanming Ruyue, Li Shanzi, and the others all shared the same stunned emotion. Every core disciple present felt both elated and shaken.

Whenever they thought of Fang Chen’s origins, they could hardly believe it. Unbidden, thoughts similar to those of outsiders began to creep into their minds.

”Could it be that Junior Brother Fang was already a core disciple long ago, but kept it hidden to deceive everyone?” someone muttered.

Their gazes instinctively turned toward Xie Aman, suspecting this might be her handiwork, just like what had happened with their second brother.

”Senior Sister, was Junior Brother Fang part of your plan all along?” Fourth Brother asked curiously. ”If you hadn’t told Shao Guangyin that story about Second Brother, we’d have thought for sure he’d been sent to the Enlightenment Underworld Realm for seclusion.”

”Second Brother is in the Enlightenment Underworld Realm, in seclusion,” Xie Aman said flatly.

Everyone froze.

”Then the Ancient Forbidden Zone we were supposed to guard...?”

”Let them have it, what of it? We only held it for a century. After another hundred years, we’ll take it back.” Xie Aman smiled faintly. ”We just can’t let Shao Guangyin get too pleased with himself. He’s probably already worried about it, hahahaha.”

The group fell silent.

”Junior Brother Fang has grasped two Formation Immortal Arts. His strength now may not be inferior to any of us present,” someone commented.

”Immortal Taixu truly saw this coming. His disciple Ji Gang joining Fang Chen’s expedition team was the right move.”

”One sixth-transformation immortal may not be enough, though. The palace should assign another expert at that level to his unit. That would let his Black Dragon Formation unleash its full power.”

Everyone began talking at once.

Third Sister, who was staring thoughtfully in Fang Chen’s direction, suddenly asked, ”Does Junior Brother Fang have a Dao Companion?”

This question caught everyone off guard.

”Third Sister, what kind of question is that?” Fourth Brother snickered. ”Don’t tell me your heart’s stirring for him? An old cow lusting after tender grass, eh? That’s not a good look.”

The others tittered in amusement.

To their surprise, however, Third Sister nodded and said, ”That kind of talent really does make my heart flutter. If he has no partner, perhaps I should try.”

The air suddenly grew tense.

”Fang Chen’s priority is his cultivation. He doesn’t have time for Dao Companions,” a calm voice interjected.

Everyone turned to see Little Immortal Honglian watching Third Sister with a serious expression.

”Oh? Having a partner only strengthens cultivation,” Third Sister said with a half-smile. ”Perhaps Junior Brother Fang is just too young to understand that—I could teach him,”

Little Immortal Honglian frowned deeply but fell silent.

Meanwhile, aboard the Black Dragon, Yu Tiange, Nanming Shaoze, Lin Yuan, Yu Wuxia, and Meng Qingling, all visibly older now, crowded around Fang Chen to congratulate him on his victory. Their excitement was overwhelming. Even the milestones of their past cultivation, their first step into immortality, their ascension to the Enlightenment Star, none of it compared to the euphoria of that moment.

”This feels amazing! Worth it! Even if I dropped dead right now, I’d die happy! I’ll be bragging about this in the Underworld for ten thousand years!” Lin Yuan roared with laughter.

Elder Qin shot him a look. ”This battle is only the beginning, not the end. To walk the path of the Gu Immortal, one must learn patience.”

Lin Yuan immediately fell silent. After all, Elder Qin, himself a Gu Immortal, was far more advanced than even the strongest of Lin Yuan’s sect.

Elder Qin laughed heartily. ”Core Disciple Fang, that battle was magnificent! I still can’t calm my heart, hahaha!”

”Everyone,” Fang Chen said as he guided the Black Dragon Formation back toward the fleet, ”that last strike took a heavy toll. Has it affected your foundations?”

”The effect isn’t serious. I think I only lost about 100 years of lifespan,” Ji Gang said with a light smile.

Most of the others were similarly unaffected. The lower their cultivation, the smaller the cost.

Fang Chen sighed inwardly. The Sixth Sword of the Eight Desolation Supreme Sword Scripture normally carried immense backlash, but by channeling it through the Formation Heart, he had spread the burden across every cultivator in the fleet. That way, the sword retained its overwhelming power, and its cost, spread across everyone, became manageable. Still, he could only unleash one such strike, perhaps two at most. But then he would no longer be able to handle the remaining core disciples of the Rulai Monastery.

That was why he had provoked them into fighting all at once, so he could finish everything with one sword.

The Black Dragon Formation finally returned to the main formation. Countless blazing gazes turned toward Fang Chen and his crew. Some were envious; others were in complete awe. But they all shared one thing in common—their hearts all swelled with the pride of triumph. Cheers erupted from the ranks of the Enlightenment God Palace like a tidal wave.

Across the field, the monks of the Rulai Monastery stood pale-faced and silent. They had lost five core disciples and five Formation Hearts. It was an enormous blow to their temple.

”Honored One, this blood debt cannot go unpaid! The rules forbid killing blows in the contest!” one of the core disciples said grimly.

”That’s true,” Shao Guangyin replied evenly, ”but it also says, ’except when one cannot hold back.’ That strike of his... was clearly one that could not be restrained. He baited us, and we fell for it. I didn’t expect that after countering Xie Aman, we would stumble over one of her juniors. Just what I’d expect from the Enlightenment God Palace’s chief core disciple. Xie Aman... a fine chief indeed.”

He turned sharply. ”Pack up. We’re leaving.”

***

When Fang Chen arrived at Xie Aman’s Black Dragon Ship, the other core disciples were already gathered there, greeting him with congratulations. Their attitudes were completely different now. Even the coldest among them smiled broadly, showering him with praise.

”Ninth Brother, I knew you had it in you,” Fourth Brother said cheerfully.

The sixth and seventh brothers both smiled as well.

”You knew nothing. You only just found out,” Third Sister snapped, shoving the fourth brother aside as she strode toward Fang Chen

She was tall and stunningly beautiful, and her cultivation was second only to Xie Aman’s. Every step she took carried an imposing pressure.

Just as she was about to speak, Little Immortal Honglian took a step forward and stood beside Fang Chen, her cold gaze fixed on Third Sister.